The Rose That Waits (Part 6)

Rose rubbed her eyes, squinting at the bright sun.

“A dream?”

She asked aloud in utter shock. Her heart sunk with heavy defeat.

“It was all so very real… or felt real.”

She thought of Misty Rose and the remedy. Touching her lips, she confirmed what she already knew. Her lips were bone dry, without the slightest drop of moisture or ointment like in the dream.

“How could I have a dream so vividly?”

The questions made her dizzy. Mona, her patient horse, gently brushed her nose on Rose’s cheek. The creature seemed to be trying to reassure her that somehow things were going to be alright.

“Could it be a prophetic dream?”

She questioned, as she looked toward the old woman who was about to walk by. This woman was old but she didn’t look like Misty Rose in the dream and neither did she have a basket with herbs in it. Without standing up, Rose called out to the traveler, asking,

“Does your name happen to be Misty Rose?”

The woman had a perturbed face and stared at Rose with surprise.

“No, not at all.”

“Oh, I’m sorry. I woke up from a dream and there was a women in the dream named Misty Rose who helped me with a remedy for someone who is very ill…”

She trailed off. The woman looked confused, shook her head and then walked off without saying another word.

Rose still felt flustered and lost. She looked down at the letter that was wrapped around the rose. She started to open it to see what it said.

“My daughter, come home to the safety of the castle. You must know by now that Asher is deathly ill. As hard as it is for you, you must move on. Let him go! Remember, you are royalty and Asher agreed himself that it would be best if you marry another.

With love and protection,

The King”

Rose crumpled the letter in frustration and then threw the rose into the woods angrily.

“I’m not going back to the castle until I save Asher!”

She spat and then felt tears run down her face because she still had no idea how she was going to find a real remedy that wasn’t just a dream. Mona whinnied as if she was trying to talk to Rose. The horse stomped its front right foot in an unsettled manner.

Suddenly, riding on a black steed, there appeared Lord Augustus, the one her father was trying so desperately to marry her off to.

“Rose! Thank God that you haven’t been torn to pieces by ravenous wolves!”

Lord Augustus jumped down from his horse with agility. He looked older than usual though. His beard had seemed to have spouted more gray hairs than ever. Rose cringed at the sight of him. He was the last person she wanted to be around.

Looking at her bow and arrows, she confidently stated,

“I can defend myself from wild animals!”

She remembered the wolf in her dream. Deep down inside, she wished she was still dreaming instead of dealing with Lord Augustus in reality.

Lord Augustus paused and smiled.

“You are very talented with that bow and arrow of yours, although a lady shouldn’t have to worry about defending herself! Rose, I believe we started off on the wrong foot…”

She interrupted him.

“There was no right foot to start off on in the first place! I love Asher, not you! Now leave me at once before I practice my defense skills!”

She grabbed the bow and arrow, already piercing him with her eyes.

He snickered, clearly amused by her reaction.

“Asher has been a nice friend for your childhood years but now you must grow up and come to understand that our future marriage is for the good of this country! A strategic partnership between two noble families. Asher can offer you nothing except… He’s unwell, Rose… You must come to your senses and realize that I am the best option for you.”

He started to reach toward her, but before he could touch her she kicked him in the shin vigorously.

“No! I could never marry you in a million years, you brute beast of an animal!”

She yanked on the rope that was keeping Mona tied to the tree. Hopping on the horse, she rode off as fast as she possibly could, going deeper into the woods.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Author’s Note:

Stay tuned for part 7 which will be written by the one and only Maryam Batool. The link below will lead you into the woods aka her profile: