Chapter Thirty-Three ~ The Search of His Rose ~ Part Two
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Nikolai's POV
The hooves of our horses marched in sync as we crossed down the valleys and the rolling hilltops. The wind blew past us, allowing our flags to sway harshly against the pressure of the air.
I rode ahead of my mass army, with both Philip and King Bastian flanking my sides. I could feel the tension in the air as we drew closer to the jagged ebony mountains. The air around us began to drop to a colder one, and I could almost smell the pungent bodies that had lost their lives in that very mountain.
Whether it be a poor villager or Ceasian rebel.
I could hear the clinking of our armor as we trudged past the pathways. My gaze did not spare any sight ahead of me, lingering on different parts of the mountain. I wondered if they were still there or if they had moved on to Ceasian. According to my calculations, if they hadn't stopped to make camp, they would have reached the Ceasian Kingdom by yesterday noon.
I bit my lip, a flash of pain gripping my heart in a cage of fire. I could only allow myself to feel this pain, and push away thoughts of what my Rose was facing. My sister, Nadia. The other women.
I was barely holding myself back from riding alone into the mountains, sword swinging. I wanted to rip through the skins of every Ceasian, watch the light leave their eyes, and their bodies bleed out from the gaping punctured stab wounds.
I shook my head from my violent reverie.
Pressing my heel slightly into Maxine's underbelly, I allowed him to speed up a little bit. We were almost at the base entrance of the mountain. Prince Bastian turned to look at me, and I nodded my head before he took off in a different direction with a group of his own men.
He would approach from a different side just to ensure that the Ceasian bastards had not entered from various directions. We would meet at the mountain's second base if the two of us did not encounter any of the rebellious Ceasians.
I twisted my black stallion around to face my men, a sea of them had followed me from their safe homes to seek vengeance against the injustice we had been serviced. They've had enough of the Ceasian's actions and were sick of not doing anything about it. I could see the bloodthirst in their eyes.
A feeling of immense pride had the side of my mouth twitching upward. I was proud to stand alongside these men, ready to fight with them, to win with them.
I won't allow any of these men to die in vain.
"Onwards," I hear myself saying before I turn back to the path.
We then entered the Mountain of Wozoid. The mountain of the rebellious Ceasians.
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Rose's POV
"What happened to your mother?" King Zaros asked rather blatantly, as if we were discussing the weather.
I stared at my soup, unblinking, hoping that maybe if I stood still enough we both could pretend that I didn't hear him.
"I know you heard what I asked, no sense pretending you didn't," he said, his words forcing me to look at him. There was a slight smile on his face, which changed his cold aura immensely.
All of a sudden, he looked slightly approachable.
Almost normal.
Actually, nowhere near normal. It was more along the lines of why my mother would marry him in the first place. My biological father could be considered handsome in his own... terrifying way.
"Well, I do expect an answer today, Rose," he spoke again, breaking me from my train of thought. It was the first time he mentioned me by name, which threw my system into a shock from the unfamiliarity.
Did he perhaps name me Rose?
"She died a couple of years ago from the plague," I whispered, my heart still aching from the loss of my beautiful mother. After she had died, it had taken me months before I could smile properly.
It was silent at the table, and I slowly turned my gaze to King Zaros, wondering about his reaction. I was met with a cold face and empty blinking eyes as he held his spoon bleakly. A look of heartbreak passed his face before he resumed back to his passive countenance.
I wanted to ask him about my mother, how they had met, what was she like here...why she ran away.
"She was easily sickened. I guess it's better than decapitation," King Zaros said, after a few seconds before going back to his meal. I watched dumbly as he began to eat his soup once more as if I hadn't just informed him of his long time lover's death.
"King Zaros-"
"Please, don't call me that. What a mouthful," he said, turning to look at me with a raised eyebrow. "Call me Zaros, or father if it doesn't sicken you to the core."
"Well, Zaros," I began, my brain rapidly trying to catch up to his words. Did he just say... father? Did I basically imply that it sickened me to the core to call him father? Gosh. I certainly am asking for a death wish.
"I was wondering about the women in the mountains. Has there been any progress with removing them from the mountain and bringing them home?"
King Zaros took a sip of his wine, holding the cup with the thumb and his index, slightly swishing the cup around. I watched him take another sip before putting his cup down.
"I believe... that's the longest sentence you've said to me. Wait, no. It's the second-longest sentence and both pertain to the same topic. I was simply celebrating with two sips of wine at my glorious achievement."
He huffed out a burst of laughter before shaking his head.
"I sent guards earlier this morning, they should be on their way to relay my message. Don't worry. The women will be freed."
I nodded, my body buzzing with happiness. The women would soon be free and back in the safety of their own homes! How wonderful! I picked up my spoon again, allowing myself to enjoy the warm soup. Now, only my dilemma was left.
"How are you liking the Serapheen Wing?" he asked, while taking a slice of chicken and placing it on his plate.
"It's quite beautiful and comfortable," I uttered quickly, not wanting to offend him with a late reply. I didn't want to give him a reason to rescind his order to free the women.
"Well, I did have it redesigned so I wouldn't scare you off, so that's a relief," Zaros said, nodding his head before biting into another spoonful of soup.
"H-How thoughtful and kind of you. Thank you," I replied, literally having no idea how to answer him. I imagined him to be a cynical king
"Goodness, Rose, you don't have to force yourself to reply. I won't throw you in the dungeon if you don't, but it'll make me very happy if you do," he said, looking at the inside of his wine cup. Zaros then looked up at me, his mouth quirking to the side. His grey eyes twinkled briefly before turning back to its bleak and empty state.
"I'm not forcing myself," I hastily replied, picking up my cup of wine. I looked at the burgundy substance, the smell of it wafting my nose with a sickly sweet smell. I placed the goblet to my lips before taking a small sip and was surprised when my palate was flooded with a sweet but a dry sensation that gave the drink a unique taste.
I preferred apple cider.
"How do you like it?" Zaros asked, his gaze on me the moment I picked up the goblet.
"Um. It's very unique," I respond, nodding my head as I put the goblet down.
"You injure me, Rose. I asked for only the most expensive wine for our first meal together and unique is the only word that can come to mind," Zaros said, shaking his head.
Goodness. As my heart started to pound rapidly in panic, I could literally feel the blood rushing out of my face and my head getting dizzy. I should've either said it was great or kept my mouth shut. Would my opinion about a dry drink entail to my death?
I began to shake my head, opening my mouth to sputter out any type of excuse about how I loved the drink and that I would love to have a great number of more glasses if permitted. I instantly remembered the man from yesterday who had been sentenced to execution. Had he committed a similar crime to my own?
"I'm only jesting, Rose. Your innocence is quite amusing," Zaros spoke before I could even utter a single syllable. He chuckled underneath his breath, his eyes closed, and for a minute he looked like he was in a serene state.
"I told them to pour anything as I hadn't a clue of what you liked. For future references, I'll add wine to the list of things you don't prefer."
Gosh. I would laugh too if my heart hadn't felt like it had plummeted twenty feet.
"Which reminds me. I know almost nothing of you or where you've been," Zaros said, leaving the statement out in the open. I could either ignore it or give him what he wanted.
"I lived on the outskirts of Chuvaria, a place called Gwendith. It has rolling valleys, blue skies, and an endless amount of grass. The air smells of life and you could feel the sunlight from the top of your head to the last inches of your toes. We used to live in the town of Tuwirith before mother had fallen ill. Remembering how it was like back then seems like only a dream now.
The house was always warm and smelled of baked goods every day, I remember the parchment papers my sisters and I would share, the heavy blankets that we would wash and hang to dry... " I trailed off, my mind flashing back to the past memories that I had buried deep within my heart.
I thought it would be too painful to remember.
But sitting here and telling my biological father of my past, it didn't hurt as much as it used to. Instead, a small glowing warmth began to envelop my heart and a sad feeling of longing pinched tenderly at my soul. I found it easy to talk to Zaros about things I was already familiar with.
I sighed sadly, and I could only smile fondly at the past memories. My heart still constricted painfully when I thought of memories that included my father... who wasn't really my father. But I still considered him as my father.
"It sounds wonderful. You mentioned sisters? Did your mother remarry?" he asked, his chin resting on the palm of his hand. He held a curious countenance and it took me a moment to reply. It's not like he could do anything to a man who had already died.
"Yes, she did. She married a man named John Sparrow. He already had a daughter named Prim and together, they later had a daughter named Lily."
"Had?"
"Yes, he died a couple of weeks ago."
There was a heavy silence, one weighing on my heart and making it difficult to breathe. Images of the exhausted face of my father appeared in my mind and I had to blink furiously in order to get rid of the tears which begged to spill.
I pushed the soup around with my spoon, my head swirling with the many grief laced thoughts that plundered inside of my mind.
"My condolences," Zaros said, taking another sip of his wine. "I'm sure he was a rather fine man."
"Yes, he was very kind. He never made it seem like I wasn't his daughter," I told him, my mouth forming into a small smile at the remembrance of the kind of man he was.
"What did he do?"
I turned my gaze to Zaros, my mouth drying at the response I would give him. My father was a farmer. An occupation that was seen as the most degrading position a peasant can ever hold. I didn't want Zaros to think badly of my father because of their huge differences in statuses.
But I wouldn't lie.
I couldn't lie.
Ultimately, it was that very work that put food on our tables, that gave us the chance to see the fruits of our labors, that ruthlessly exhausted my father and brought him into everlasting rest.
"He was a farmer," I responded, putting my spoon down. I waited for his response, wondering what type of shameful response he would reply with.
"A farmer," he stated, nodding his head before taking another sip of his burgundy drink. "How nice."
I stared at Zaros, wondering what thoughts circulated his mind. Maybe I had judged him too quickly? All the past thoughts of what kind of person he was, slowly began to extinguish themselves as my mind began to formulate newer opinions.
"I find it very amusing how expressive your face is. Did you think I would shame your adopted father for his way of living? Rose, you do realize that there's nothing shameful in being a farmer," Zaros spoke softly, his gaze directed at me.
I couldn't look away from his silver eyes, that seemed to light with heavy storms and cloud away any sort of emotion.
"We have food on our tables because of their hard labor. I believe their jobs are much more of value than my own. As a King, I can't feed my own people without farmers," he chuckled, placing his empty wine glass on the table.
Wow.
My biological father was praising my adopted father for his occupancy. Others would have laughed at how unequal they were in status, but Zaros completely ignored that. It was as though he really believed that status was irrelevant.
How lovely.
I smiled, his words warming my heart, and any fear of being shamed for something that wasn't even shameful began to dissipate.
"Wow. A smile. What a rare sight," Zaros commented, his own lips pulling into a wide grin. All of a sudden, he seemed even more human. More man than a cruel monster.
We continued the remainder of our meal in silence, enjoying the wonderfully cooked food. When I finally placed my spoon down, my stomach full, the servants began to come into the room to remove the empty plates from the table.
I looked back at Zaros, who had finished his own plate and was wiping his hands on the silk washcloth place in front of him.
"Thank you for the meal," I told him, standing up from my seat and curtseying deep. With a polite bow, I bent my head downwards. I looked back up to meet his sharp stormy grey eyes that were watching my every move.
"My pleasure," he replied, and I began to turn away before he spoke again.
"I understand that you must have heard things about my kingdom that I presume unfavorable. It also doesn't help that you watched my own people kill your king and abduct your country's daughters," Zaros began, and I slowly turned to look at him.
His dark eyes were fixed on the table in front of him as if he couldn't bear to make contact with my own.
"I hope you understand that there are reasons as to why things played out the way they did. I'm trying to right the past emotions of pain and I couldn't forsake them. You may hate me, my kingdom, my people, but I hope one day you'll be able to understand that we too are people who have suffered."
Zaros abruptly stood up from his chair and took a few strides in my direction. I looked up at him as he towered over my short frame. He smiled softly, revealing a small dimple on the left side of his face.
"Know that I'm nothing but thrilled to have you back here," he told me, before walking past me and heading to the double doors. His footsteps echoed in the bright dining room, casting a dim silhouette as he walked under the iridescent lights.
My almond brown eyes followed after him as I watched his black cloak billowed behind him, leaving an ominous aura behind him.
"Also, as much as I enjoy your quixotic thoughts and find them amusing. Believe me, darling, if I killed everyone that displeased me, my kingdom would be empty and there wouldn't be anybody left to make me dinner."
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Do you guys like King Zaros?
I'm kind of digging his dark humor.