Copyright 2013
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Chapter 18
Rose's head ache had eased off slightly by morning, but the deep gash upon her head still throbbed and itched, were it was beginning to heal. Her wrist was not so sore, so long as she did not move it as much, within its tight strapping's. Scanning the chamber, Rose was alone, except for Fang. Panic coursing through her and she quickly dived out of the cot. Fang was still sat before the dying fire, on seeing Rose getting up and the panic upon her face, he jumped to his feet and rushed to her side.
"Lady Rose, you should not be out of bed, you need your rest." Fang spoke worried, taking a hold of her gently, just in case she fell and tried to guide her back towards her cot.
"Where is Shadow?" Rose tried to push past Fang, with no great success.
"He will be back shortly; Shadow has accepted to become the alpha he was born to become." Fang replied; Rose stopped her fighting to listen. "Veronica and Zalborgar have gone down with Shadow, to speak with the other pack leaders about his decision. I'm certain with no doubt; they will all agree that he is doing the right thing for himself and for our people. You have no need to worry; the real reasons for Shadow's decisions will be kept discreet."
"He listened to me!" Rose said more to herself, the fight within subsiding.
"Yes, he did. Shadow stayed awake the entire night watching over you while you slept. I am that guessing during that time, he thought through the words you had spoken to him." Fang tried to redirect Rose back to her cot again.
"I need to dress!" Rose said suddenly, breaking away from Fang and hurrying into her private side chamber, out of view.
Fang let lady Rose go. Shadow had already pre-warned him, that if she was to awaken, it was more than likely that she would try and leave the chamber, to seek him out. Insisting to Fang, that he would only be a couple of minutes; Fang hoped that Shadow would hurry, as he began pacing the main chamber. Shadow returned alone, Fang glanced up pointing directly at Rose's private side chamber, as he entered the main chamber glancing around. Walking straight to Rose's private side chamber, Shadow knocked gently upon the door, before pushing it slowly open.
Rose was stood within a long sleeved, silvery dress; her hair hung loosely falling in waves down her back, stopping closely to her waist. As Shadow's eyes ran down Rose's back and stopped at her waist, her bump could clearly be seen within the tight free flowing dresses material. Turning her head and seeing that it was Shadow and not Fang that had entered her private side chamber, she throw herself into his arms. Shadow could not help but let a small laugh escape him, from Rose's over emotional embrace; but he held her gently against his chest anyway, being carefully not to hurt her.
"What is all this in aid of?" Shadow brushed Rose's hair out of his way, so he could see her face more clearly. From the expression she gave him and from her thoughts and emotions, Shadow knew she had thought he had gone and left her again. "Oh, Rose, I meant every word I said last night. I cannot survive without you, I'm not going anywhere and if I did, it would not be without the both of you."
Rose held tightly onto Shadow, even though his words were the truth, she could not bring her heart to believe them. She was too afraid that he was just going to vanish.
"Come on, let us go and have breakfast with Fang." Shadow turned Rose and led her back to the main chamber and through into the smaller dining chamber.
Letting Shadow lead the way, the only thing Rose wanted to do, was to hold onto him and to never to let go. Keeping her arm's tightly around one of his; to the best of her ability, due to her wrists splint. Shadow had to pries her fingers away, just to get Rose to sit down. Fang was already helping himself to the breakfast set out before them, but he could not help watching Shadow and Rose out of the corner of his eye, intrigued by his cousins love for this woman. Fang had never thought he would see the day, were Shadow would fall in love and settle. Yet here before him, he could see it for himself how much they belong together, how much they loved each other. Shadow loved Rose deeply, Fang could see that in the way he spoke to her, in the way he touched her with care and gentleness. Yet Fang noticed there was something else, something that saddened him greatly. Every time Shadow's eyes would brush over or lock upon Rose, they showed a great sorrow, a hidden guilt and sadness for what he had done to her.
Shadow pushed food in front of Rose, insisting that she should eat. He was so persistent, that she was certain that Shadow would not let her leave the table, until she had eaten something. Rose ate happily, she had not had much of an appetite during the time Shadow had been avoiding her. During them lonely hours, she had proffered to just pick at food, not able to stomach it due to her thoughts being all over the place. Though today was different, Rose could see that Shadow was trying to make an effort to win her heart and trust back.
"Fang told me that you had made a decision, that you had gone down to speak with your people." Rose spoke, dragging Fang's attention from his plate full of food.
"I did, but I also said I would return, did Fang tell you that?" Shadow said harmlessly, watching Rose as she played with her food.
"He did," Rose replied. "but that does not matter. What I want to know is; has it helped?"
"The other leaders believe I am doing the right thing, if that is what you are asking." Shadow replied causally, taking a bite of a cob of bread, with a thick slice of cheese on it.
Rose glanced down the table at Fang, who was watching and listening himself, before she turned back to Shadow. "What about Veronica and Fang? What about you? Shadow, I do not want to feel like I have forced you in to something you did not want!"
"You never forced me in to anything Rose; all you did was give me an option I would never have given the slightest of thought. This way, I get to stay in contact with my sister and Fang gets his freedom." Shadow put down his bread and took a hold of Rose's good hand.
"What about you, has it changed anything?"
Shadow smiled, seeing Rose searching his eyes. "It has changed many things, but none that affect you directly, my love. Mostly I have more control over myself, the anger and instincts that drove the wolf and alpha within me, have subsided. The tension between me, Veronica and the rest of the pack, has gone. I am my own alpha now and Fang is my beta, my second in command. I have you to thank for that Rose, my family is no longer torn down the middle, we are whole once again."
Rose smiled back happily; she had succeeded in fixing Shadow's family, which gave her a deep satisfaction of joy. She could not bear to see Shadow sad and torn and she wanted her son to have something she never had, a family fully formed that he could be born into, a family that could protect him. Shadow insisted that Rose should eat, telling her that they had plenty of time to talk. Fang had returned to devouring his own plate of food, living within his animal form the past couple of weeks had left him craving proper food. Raw animal carcass was not bad if he let his inner wolf take over, but after a certain amount of time without proper food, Fang did start to miss it.
Shadow did not eat much, preferring to sit and watch Rose instead; he could not help but wonder how he had even thought he could have left without her. The thought seemed ridiculous to him now, he could not even pin point what had given him the idea in the first place, he had just seemed to have reacted. Rose glanced up at Shadow now and then while she was eating; his thoughts kept crossing across her own mind. She decided not to say anything to him; she knew it would take him awhile to sort out what he would do now.
"Can I ask why Zalborgar and Veronica did not return with you?" Rose pushed her plate away and picked up a goblet of cool, clear water.
"Men are arriving today from your own villagers and towns, to top up Zalborgar's own resources of men." Shadow replied. "A camp is being built upon the boarder of the village; Zalborgar is certain in making sure that none can get close to the castle. Veronica is aiding him."
The small dining chamber was quiet and peaceful. Fang sat inspecting a goblet, he had finished eating, but the decoration upon the cup had caught his attention. Rose fiddled with a piece of ribbon, which wrapped around her waist, trying to loosen the tight material slightly.
"Why do you not ask Elaine to create you something more comfortable to wear?" Shadow leaned forward, removing Rose's fingers from the ribbon, which was becoming frayed and tattered from her tugging.
Rose nodded, she was becoming more and more uncomfortable by the day, within the clothes she already had and she had already made a metal note to herself to go and seek Elaine's aid when she had a spare moment to herself.
"At least you will not have to put up with the pregnancy for long." Fang stated, getting to his feet and stretching his entire body.
"What do you mean?" Rose asked glancing confused between Shadow and Fang. "I have still got around another seven and a half months."
"You have not told her?" Fang spoke to Shadow, realizing he had just put his foot in it again.
"I have been a little preoccupied lately; I have not had the right moment." Shadow said back with a slight snarl.
"Told me what?" Rose raised her voice, banging her good hand down on the table, so Shadow would look at her.
"That a Shape-shifters pregnancy differs from a human's." Shadow said more softly, glancing back to Rose. "Whether it is just a normal Shape-shifter or whether it is a human with-child with a Shape-shifters child. The pregnancy has always been the same, more advanced."
"More advanced, how, I do not understand?" Rose asked, stumbling over her words.
"The growth is swifter; most only carry the child for four months before the child is born." Shadow said, feeling bad from not telling her sooner.
"But that would mean...."
"That our son will be born in the next two and a half months." Shadow said, finishing Rose's sentence. "Our son is already fully formed," His hand brushed against her stomach gently. "all he needs to do now, is to grow and to put on weight ready for when he enters this world."
Rose felt sick, she knew she was big for someone only around six weeks, but it all just seemed to impossible for her to get her head around what Shadow was saying.
"I was intending to tell you this before now, but I thought that the information would scare you." Shadow looked away, unable to look Rose in the eye from his shame.
"Does Zalborgar know about this?" Rose really felt like she was going to be sick, was her secrete about to come out?
"I'm not certain, but there is a chance that Veronica has probably mentioned something to him. Twisting the truth, to keep him in the dark." Shadow replied unsure why Rose would ask about the King.
Fang stood looking out through one of the windows, as Rose stood and left the dining chamber. Glancing at Shadow, Fang gave him one of those looks, as if to say 'get after her'. Shadow stood and hurried after Rose, Fang stayed where he was, to give them a moment's privacy.
"Rose, I'm sorry, I should have told you sooner." Shadow gripped Rose's good arm, spinning her carefully back around to face him. "I have upset you again." He released a sigh of pent up breath, as he held her against him seeing tears falling from her eyes that were not there a moment ago.
"You have not upset me." Rose spoke into Shadow's chest. "If I must say it, my reaction is quite the opposite."
Shadow moved Rose back slightly, so he could hear her mumbled words, as he stroked her cheek. "Tell me what is wrong? I want to aid you Rose, in any way that I can, but I cannot do that if you do not wish to speak of it."
"I do not wish for you to think that I do not love you, Shadow, or our son. I do not want you thinking that I am ungrateful, that I did not wish for any of this. I have never felt the way I feel towards you, towards anyone else before and the love I feel for our son is unconditional." Rose stroked a hand down her bump. "I'm just not the right person to carry a child, it is just not me. I hate having my movement restricted, am not used to my energy draining mentally and physically so quickly. I hate not fitting into something that is comfortable."
Shadow relaxed, his smiling face caused Rose to stop speaking.
"I know that you love me Rose, and I know that you love our son. I had expected something like this, you are not the type of person to give up your freedom for anything, you cannot stay still for long enough." Shadow was still smiling. "I know being restricted and confined is not what you are used to, but once our son is born, you do realize you will get all of that back."
"You are not angry with me?" Rose asked shyly.
"Rose, just because you do not like the effects of carrying my child, does not mean that our feelings towards each other are going to change. I understand why you do not like the effects, but if you do not mind me saying, I have never been drawn to you more." Shadow's hand traced the curve of her stomach gently. "Seeing the curve of your body and knowing that it is my child that grows strongly within there. It stirs something within me, something I have never felt before, something good."
"At least I do not disgust you." Rose smiled back, the tears drying from within her eyes.
"Never think that, Rose." Shadow pulled her back within his arms, as Fang edged back into the main chamber. "Would you like me to go fetch Elaine for you?"
"No, I think I would proffer some fresh air, it helps pass the queasiness." Rose replied, still feeling slightly ill.
"I do not think that would be a wise idea, I promised Zalborgar that I would make sure that you rested." Shadow did not think Rose should be up to going walking outside.
"Please Shadow, if it will make you feel better, you can carry me. That way, I will be able to rest, as well as quench my queasiness." Rose was not taking no for an answer. "I am not a child that Zalborgar can keep under lock and key."
"Rose, you could have died yesterday, I really think you should listen to Shadow." Fang said putting his own advice in.
"I am a very accident prone person, Fang. The King sees that as a risk, I understand that. I'm surprised myself, the injuries I have sustained over the years, have not killed me yet. But I guess that it is just the healing blood within me." Rose took a step away from Shadow, turning her back upon them both and walking to her side chamber. "It is just a shame Zalborgar does not know the entire me."
"Where is she going, are you not going to stop her?" Fang asked hurrying over to Shadow, who stood watching after Rose.
"The first thing you need to learn about Rose is to not fight the inevitable." Shadow turned to look at Fang. "If she wants something and her mind is set upon it, then there is nothing anyone can do to stop her getting what she wants."
"Is it wise to not listen to what Zalborgar has said?" Fang asked Shadow, as Rose re-entered the main chamber wearing her cloak, gloves and her sword was belted round her small bulging waist.
Rose had decided to leave her bow behind, as she could not shoot with only one hand, whereas her sword. She had been lucky enough to learn how to fight with either of her hands, so holding a sword with her left hand, was not a handicap to her.
"Rose does not listen to anything she is told by others, if she wants to go for a walk, then she will go for a walk. There is nobody here who could probably even stop her, except for a large army." Shadow shrugged to Fang, following Rose to the chambers main doors.
"Sounds just like someone I know." Fang said, following Shadow out of the chamber and shaking his head, causing Shadow to glance back at him. "If Rose is so powerful, then why does she not just leave?" Fang asked Shadow, keeping his voice down so Rose would not over hear.
"Because she is not powerful enough to break the hold, the King's oath has against her." Shadow replied, not wanting to say any more on the subject.
Using the servant's staircases, it only took them a few minutes to reach the openness and fresh air of the outside. Shifting their forms, Fang gave Rose a aiding hand with a nudge of his huge head, as she climbed one handed onto Shadow's back. Running straight for the cover of the trees, Rose held on tightly, while Fang ran at Shadow's right hind flank. Missing the time she had spent with Shadow, she leaned herself deeper into his warm fur. Wrapping her cloak around herself tightly, Rose was barely jostled, as Shadow slowed his pace walking with ease between the trees with Fang.
The sky was cloudy; the light shining down through the canopy of the trees was dull. The leaves had changed colour, odd ones were still green, were they still clung to the branches of the trees for dearly life. Most of the leaves had turned red; orange; yellow and golden brown. Rose loved autumn the most out of all of the seasons, mostly because of the wide range of colour that the land gave off, before wilting away for winter. She watched as the leaves drifted and fell, twisting and dancing around the trees and their branches as they fell back down to earth below.
The woods were a hive of activity, most of the natural animal of the lands, were getting ready for hibernation. Rose listened to the hive of activity within her mind, closing her eyes; she pulled her cloaks hood closer and allowed her body to relax into Shadow's warm mass. Now that they were out within the fresh air, she was starting to feel a lot better, the queasiness within her stomach was passing. Shadow and Fang kept their pace slow, once they entered the cover of the trees, Fang always staying one step behind the alphas pace. Turning his enormous head, Shadow kept glancing back at Rose. Her form was still and relaxed; he could feel her breath slow and steady against his back.
Happy that she had kept her word to relax, Shadow did not see the harm in staying out a little longer to give Rose the fresh air she needed. Fang sniffed at multiple scents, which drifted past them upon the winds. Many off the scents were recognizable, as there were so many Shape-shifters within the vicinity. Shadow continued on, staying alert to everything. An hour or so passed, before two recognizable scents drifted there way within the winds. Fang's head snapped up, glancing over at Shadow to see if he had caught the scent himself. Shadow nodded, before headed in the direction of the scent.
Moving through the trees, Shadow and Fang approach the fresh scent. As they stepped from the tree line, King Zalborgar did not look happy to see Rose out, instead of resting. A moment of panic nearly exploded, when King Zalborgar saw Rose draped across Shadow back and neck. Grabbing onto one of the King's arms, holding him back, Veronica pointed out that she was just sleeping. As Shadow and Fang were still within their wolf forms, they could not speak out loud for themselves.
"What is this? What is Rose doing out!" King Zalborgar asked, insisting that he wanted answers.
'I know I promised, but Rose felt queasy, she needed fresh air and to get out of that chamber. You know what she is like, if we would not have come with her, she would have just left alone.' Shadow spoke to Veronica's mind. 'I insisted that she should rest and she did, just once she was free of that place.' Shadow gave his head a small flick towards the castle.
Veronica explained to King Zalborgar little of what Shadow had spoken to her, before turning back to Shadow. "It is time to get Rose back into the warmth."
Shadow bowed his head, before slinking away towards the castle. Shadow and Fang left Veronica and the King behind, sneaking up through the castle unseen, back to the King's chamber. Shifting back to his human form, Fang quickly opened the chamber door, allowing Shadow to carry Rose into the chamber. Veronica and Zalborgar were already there, as they had not had to sneak through servants staircases to get back to the royal chambers. The fire had been relit; giving the chamber a warm glow, as the rain clouds outside had began to drizzle.
Veronica was fixing the cot ready for Rose, Shadow padded over slowly, reluctant to hand her over just yet. King Zalborgar aided Veronica, in lifting Rose down gently of Shadow's back, before leaving her to strip Rose down. Removing Rose's cloak; boots, sword belt and her out layer of her dress, so she could sleep more comfortable. Shadow nodded to Fang, to take Rose's things from Veronica and to place them within her private side chamber. Before going to curl up before the fire, staying within his wolf form, as his mind was closer to Rose's this way. Fang did as he was told, before returning to the main chamber and sitting himself before the blazing fire, his feet close to Shadow's tail. Once Rose was settled, wrapped up asleep within her cot, King Zalborgar and Veronica retired into the smaller dining chamber taking maps and large amounts of rolled up pieces of parchment with them.
Shadow lay with his eyes closed, concentrating solely upon Rose's mind alone. Thinking that Shadow was sleeping himself, Fang got up and slipped in to the smaller dining chamber, to see what Veronica and Zalborgar were doing. Shadow heard Fang's movement, but he let him go. He was too preoccupied listening to the flow of Rose's mind as she dreamt, to care about what the others were doing.
Rose had been suffering from a bad case of nightmares lately, yet she had not mentioned them to anyone, not even to Shadow. They were becoming more recent; more random; clearer; more pronounced. Opening their connection to full capacity, Shadow was able to see brief flashes of images and sounds from Rose's dreams, as they passed across his mind. But what stuck with him the most, was the feelings come from Rose herself, she was absolutely terrified even though see was just asleep.
Image's of burning towns, villagers and buildings. The smell and sounds of people screaming, dying, as they were burned alive, filtered across Shadow's mind from Rose's. The image would suddenly swirl and change, in a smoky haze. People in rags and chains, were being forced to work for the tiniest scraps of water and food. The dreams would only last a minute or two at a time, before changing into something even more terrifying than the last. With every passing dream and with every passing moment that Rose was asleep, she was becoming more and more terrified and agitated. That eventually, it did awake her up.
Shadow picked himself up off the stone flagged floor and padded over to Rose. With a small whimper, he placed his head upon the edge of her cot, touching Rose's hand with his warm, wet nose. Seeing that she was back within her cot and that it was well past mid-day, Rose sat herself up feeling like she had not slept at all. Shadow shifted, taking a seat next to her carefully. Rose was trembling and she knew; Shadow knew the reasons why?
"Have you been watching me again?" Rose asked Shadow, as he tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear.
"Not precisely, I was trying to listen to your dreams."
Rose stared at the covers that covered her legs. "What did you hear?"
"Many things, mostly screams." Shadow lifted Rose chin, so she would look him in the eye. "I manage to see a few images too, why did you not tell me you were suffering with such terrible nightmares?"
"I did not see that I had to, I have always had them, just never as bad as they are now." Rose shrugged her shoulders, as if it was nothing new to her. "They are only dreams, Shadow."
"I do not know what they were, but they were not just dreams. They were too precise, too clear to be just dreams. Rose, what I saw, would scare even the hardest of men." Shadow said honestly. "How long have you had these dreams?"
"For as long as I can remember, but they have never been this bad before or ever this clear. Usually they are hazy, like walking through a thick cloud of smoke, there so real to me. Normally they are rare, happening only on occasion, like a warning when something bad is going to happen. But lately, it is every time I close my eyes." Rose glanced towards the dining chamber door that was slightly open, hearing voices of the others drifting out, before turning back to Shadow. "Some dreams are strange, mysterious and can last for hours at a time. Whereas others can last only minutes, seconds at the most, as you probably saw and are a lot more gruesome and gory."
Shadow felt full of sorrow for Rose, pity. She seemed to go through so much, yet she never seemed to complain about any of it.
"What is going on?" Rose asked, glancing back towards the dining chamber door.
"It is nothing for you to worry about, there just going over position within the castles grounds. With more of Zalborgar's men turning up daily, a new system has to be sorted out. Veronica would prefer if some of our people could be stationed with Zalborgar's men guarding the main road into the village. But Zalborgar believes its best if our people stay hidden, he believes that if we are seen, then the army will know your position and come straight here."
"I believe Zalborgar is right." Pulling the covers back, Rose slipped her legs out of the cot. "From what experience I have had from staying hidden all of these years, is that the enemy will never give up. They want the land and control over all. Any information they may find, even the smallest of leads will draw them in. If they know that the Shape-shifters are the protectors and they hear that there is a rather large congregation of you here. Where will they come?"
Shadow understood what Rose was saying, but he was surprised that Zalborgar had realised this too. Before Shadow could say anything, a knock upon the main chambers door caught their attention. Shadow crossed the chamber swiftly, opening the door, Evelyn and Elaine entered. Rose was surprised to see the both of them, she felt a little insecure from what she was wearing, as she was not dressed for visitors. Grabbing a shawl, she wrapped it round herself, to cover her arms and her shoulders.
"You got my message, thank you for coming at such short notice." Rose overheard Shadow say to her grandmother and to Elaine.
Confused, Rose walked over to her grandmother, Elaine and Shadow.
"How are you feeling, my child?" Evelyn asked Rose, with a hug and a small peck upon the cheek, before holding her at arm's length to get a better look at her.
"I'm all right." Rose replied, hugging her grandmother back, before glancing at Shadow, trying to figure out what the meaning was behind this meeting.
"Your grandmother has come to keep you company and Elaine has come to create you something more comfortable to wear." Shadow spoke turning back to Rose. "I should be joining the others." Shadow bowed his head respectfully to Evelyn, Elaine and Rose before departing for the smaller dining chamber. 'Enjoy some normality.' Rose heard Shadow say within her mind, as he passed into the dining chamber closing the door behind him.
Evelyn placed a tray of tea and biscuits upon the table before the balcony, while Elaine placed materials upon a chair. Rose stood where she was, watching as Elaine and her grandmother went about busying themselves. Her grandmother throw a couple more logs on to the low burning fire, poking it with a poker, she soon brought it back to life. Elaine set up her stepping stool, ready for Rose. Pouring them all a cup of tea, Rose's grandmother handed one to her, guiding her gently towards the warmth of the fire.
"Are you sure you are all right, my child?" Evelyn asked again, now that they where alone.
"I'm fine honestly, just a bit tired." Rose replied wanting to reassure her grandmother, but making sure her hair hide the gash upon her forehead, as well as keeping her broken wrist beneath the shawl.
Rose noticed that Elaine was staring at her, with a glazed, amazed look upon her face. She did not know if Elaine had been filled in slightly, on what was going on?
"It is all right Rose, Elaine knows everything. Just do not tell Zalborgar that I told her." Evelyn told her.
Elaine took Rose's shawl from her and guided her to the steeping stool, aiding her up. Taking out her measuring tape, Elaine took some new measurements of Rose's waist.
"Is there anything particular you would like?" Elaine asked, going to her materials.
"Anything that can hide this." Rose pointed to her stomach, which had grown to the size of someone who looked around four, five months with-child. "It does not really matter; I will probably grow out of whatever you create within a couple of days anyway."
Rose's bump was growing at a remarkable rate. She was sure, that if she wanted to and she sat still enough, she could probably watch as her stomach grows by the day. Elaine seemed taking by this piece of information, but it did not put her off.
"I think I may have an idea that may help." Elaine said, pulling out a pale blue material.
Evelyn sat herself down to get comfortable while she watched Elaine work. "Elaine has been very helpful these past couple of weeks."
Rose glanced over at her grandmother.
"She has completely redesigned the servants clothing, making them cheaper, yet more durable from wear and tear." Evelyn continued.
"Servants clothing is a lot easier to do because of its plainness." Elaine pointed out. "Whereas Lady Rose's or King Zalborgar's clothing, is more complicated due to the amount of detail that goes in to the design."
"You do not need to worry about detail here; all I want is something comfortable, yet simple." Rose told Elaine.
"Are you sure?"
"Positive." Rose replied.
Elaine set to work upon the loosely fitting dress for Rose, to wear and to be comfortable within. Evelyn gabbed away between the both of them, but Rose was only half listening. Her mind was focused upon the connection she shared with Shadow. From his thoughts, she knew he had told them about what she had said, about agreeing with Zalborgar's decision in keeping the Shape-shifters hidden. But grateful as she was, Shadow had kept Rose's admission to her dreams to himself.
Swirling the tea leaves in the bottom of her cup, Rose handed the cup to her grandmother, so she could stand still for Elaine. Elaine worked her magic and completed the dress in record time. It was plain, just like Rose had asked for. Just above her bump, was a small white ribbon, which tied around the back.
"Hopefully this dress should last a little longer than a couple of days." Elaine aided Rose down, so she could try out her movements. "If you adjust the ribbon at the back, it will loosen the rest of the material, giving you more room within the dress."
"Thank you, it is perfect." Rose praised Elaine's work.
Evelyn smiled happily, praising Elaine too. Elaine's work was exquisite, yet beautiful.
"If you do not mind standing a little while longer, we should have enough time to do one more dress. Only if you are willing?" Elaine spoke with a slight blush within her cheeks.
"Let Rose sit and have a bite to eat first." Evelyn stood and guided her back to the table. "The maids will be here in a moment and it is best to probably give Rose a little rest."
Rose's legs were aching slightly from standing so still, for nearly two whole hours. Grateful for the briefest of rest bites, she took a seat. As Evelyn had predicted, maids arrived moment's later, carrying trays upon trays, of food and drink. A large majority of the trays went through into the smaller dining chamber. But two fresh trays piled high with food and a third containing a fresh pot of tea was placed in front of Rose and her own company. As the maids began to leave, voices carried through the corridor beyond. Baran, Lex, Tia and a few others that Rose did not know by name, entered the chamber. They came to a stop, when they only saw Rose and her company.
"We are here for a council with your husband, my lady." Lex spoke stepping forward with a bow.
"They are all just through there." Rose replied, pointing towards the door that led through into the dining chamber.
"Thank you, my lady." Lex gave another bow, before departing into the dining chamber with the rest of his own company, leaving Rose to watch after them.
"They give me the shivers." Elaine suddenly said, once the Shape-shifters were out of sight and the chamber door had been re-closed.
Rose could not help but laugh at Elaine's remark, as she picked up her spoon and began stirring her mushroom and potato soup. "Why?"
"They look like us, yet they are not human." Elaine said shaking off her shiver, as she sat down. "And their eyes, they just creep me out."
Evelyn joined in with her granddaughter's laughter. "They are not so bad once you get to know them and they are half human." Rose pointed out Elaine's mistake.
"You are braver than I am." Elaine stated. "How you can stand to be around them day after day. And that guard of yours, if he did not freak me out so much, I could probably even find him attractive."
Rose sipped at her soup, lowering her hand back down to the bowl. On hearing Elaine mention Shadow, her hand shock, the spoon tapping against the side of her bowl. Evelyn noticed the reaction, but she pushed the thought away thinking her granddaughter was just not used to using her left hand. Not realising that Rose could use her left hand, just as well as her right hand.
"Shadow is a good person; he would never hurt a good soul such as yourself." Rose finally said, knowing she could not just leave Elaine hanging for information with her grandmother watching her.
"He probably only goes for his kind anyway." Elaine replied glumly.
"Are you sure, I'm sure Rose's could find out for you? She does spend most of her time with Shadow." Evelyn said, trying to cheer Elaine back up.
"Could you?" Elaine asked Rose; Rose was shell shocked. "Or the new comer, the younger who has been hanging around lately.
"Are you on about Fang, Shadow's cousin?" Rose asked.
"The one with the messy hair and he never seems to wear any shoes." Elaine was poorly trying to give Rose more to go on.
"His name is Fang; you probably would have more of a chance with him. Shadow does not tell me much, he keeps mostly to himself. But I will ask, if that is what you want?" Rose said convincingly, even though she knew she would not.
Elaine bobbed her head happily, saying no more on the subject. As Rose went back to her soup, she could hear Shadow laughing at her, through their connection. Even though Shadow was deep in conversation with Zalborgar and his people, he was still able to listen to Rose's thoughts. Hearing everything Elaine had just said through her thoughts, Shadow could not help but find Rose remarks funny. Keeping up her pretence, she told him to 'shut up', with her own mind.
Rose left her grandmother to gab with Elaine, while she sipped a fresh cup of tea. Keeping track of their connection, she could tell that they had all come to one compromise, but was now debating another. Veronica had agreed to keep her people back, as it was safer and made more sense all round, if they stayed hidden. But now the Shape-shifter leaders wanted to send word back to their own people, asking for reinforcements. King Zalborgar still wanted to hold this act off, at least until they knew what they were up against.
It was Elaine's voice calling her name, that brought Rose back round from her day dreaming state. Placing her empty cup down, she dragged herself from her seat and went back over to the stepping stool. Elaine aided Rose back up, before she started to rummage amongst her materials again. Pulling out a pale pink roll of material, Elaine quickly went back to work, after slipping the other dress off. Standing within her under dress, Rose did not feel the cold, as her grandmother had already pre-warmed the chamber, by over loading the fire with logs.
Standing as still as she could, Rose watched a as the sun began to set through the balcony windows. Her legs and back ached from standing still for so long, but she did not complain. When Elaine had finished, the dress was the same design as the first, except that this one was pale pink with a pale lilac ribbon, instead of white. Rose preferred neutral colour, it was easier to blend with others, than bright colours that made you stand apart from the crowd.
The sounds flowing through from the dining chamber, where becoming much louder and rowdier. With Rose's sensitive hearing she could hear everything, from the scrapping of goblets along the table's surface, to the shuffling of pages of parchment. The squeaks and scraps from the moving goblets, grated on her nerves. Stepping down from the stool, Rose went to sit next to her grandmother, while Elaine tidied away her materials.
"You should ask Elaine if she could do you some clothing for the little one, for once he's born." Evelyn mentioned to Rose, as she took a seat.
Rose's grandmother had moved on to a slightly stronger drink, making her tipsy, but joyfully happy.
"Can you do children's clothing?" Rose asked Elaine.
"Sure," Elaine placed the ribbons and thin ragged strips of spare material into a small sting bag. "I can do a few options that you can choose from, if you would like?"
"That would be kind of you, thank you Elaine." Rose replied with a smile.
When Elaine had fully packed up, her and Evelyn departed. Rose's grandmother would have been happy enough to stay longer, but Rose insisted that she was tired and would like to get to bed early. The sun had fully set and the sky outside, was darkening gradually. Walking to her balcony window, she glanced out at the starless sky. Mist had begun to fall, draping the land and blocking out many of its features. From Shadows thoughts, Rose could tell that the council was not going to end any time soon. Feeling exhausted from her body healing, being with-child and the last two days events. Rose slipped out of her dress, staying within her under dress; she climbed into her cot, pulling the curtains closed around her.
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A/N
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