Rosebriar

Chapter Six: Whisked Away

          I turned around and suddenly felt very ashamed of myself. I had not conducted myself in a lady like manner all day. He had not acted like a king either, I rebutted. But still, I should have acted appreciative after he saved my life. I am after all representing my kingdom. I sighed and sat on the bed.

          “What am I to do, Mother? I am supposed to meet Benjamin tonight and tell him goodbye, even though he has no idea. I cannot possibly get on a dragon and fly to Scotland after what happened this morning. Derick and mine’s relationship is strained at best, and I have no idea if this marriage thing is even going to work out.” I laid back on my bed and looked up at the canopy.

          “You, Emma, will do just as I know you can,” She said as she gathered my head in her lap and began to play with my hair. “I have some things to tell you now that you are not going to want to hear. I need you to take them well, for there is not a lot of time for you to get over them, ok?”

          I rose up on one hand and looked at her. Her features were drawn up like it was going to hurt whatever she had to say. I took a deep breath, gathered my courage, and gave a slight nod.

          “Emma, you must leave tonight and go away with Derick back to Scotland,” she said as she put up a hand to halt my onslaught of words. “You will leave with only him and your belongings will be sent for. You may not go and see Benjamin, even though I said that you could. That is an order from the king himself. Benjamin has got himself into a great deal of trouble, and your father wants you to have nothing to do with him. Wear the dress you have on,” she said as she stood up from the bed, “it becomes you. And be ready to depart at sunset.”

          I sat up and looked at her as if she had just splashed me with a bucket of ice water. She could not be serious right now! I was now expected to leave without saying goodbye to Benjamin? What sort of trouble had he gotten himself into that I could not see him and it deemed my father’s attention? I swung my legs off the opposite side of the bed and began to pace.

          “Why do I have to leave in the dead of night like a thief? Why can we not leave tomorrow morning so I could tell everyone goodbye? What has happened with Benjamin? Why can I not take any of my things with me?” I roared as I continued to ask questions. “WHO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS DECISION?”

          My head jerked to the left as I felt the sting of my mother’s hand. I raised my hand to my face and looked at her enraged features as tears began to fill my eyes.

          “You will not raise your voice to me, Emma Rakel. I am your mother, and you will respect me,” venom dripped from her words as she spat them at me.

          “I have done nothing but be the bearer of the news. I have tried to come here and comfort you because I know how hard this is for you. However, it seems all you can be is ungrateful and disrespectful. No wonder Derick is in such a rut. No more. Enough, Emma!” She turned away from me and walked out of my chambers, slamming the door behind her.

          I stood there looking at my door as the tears began to fall from my eyes. Was there nothing that I could not muster to mess up? Turning around, I walked over to the window and looked out over the kingdom. It was all that I had ever known, and now they just wanted me to leave like a thief in the night? Running my fingers down the curtains, I looked skyward. What have I done to deserve this? Can I not just make one decision for me and not for everyone else?

          Yet another knock on my door stirred me from my thoughts. “Come in,” I whispered, looking expectantly towards my door. No one entered. I walked over to the door and opened it to find Rowan standing outside. “Please, come in.”