Rose's POV

A few minutes later Ms Mousy returned with the new bandages. She told me to sit on the bed while she redressed my wounds.

When she began her work, I began my story from the beginning. I told her everything, I poured my heart and my soul out. When I came at the whipping part, my throat cloaked up.

"It's okay, Rose your safe now." Ms Mousy said as she patted me on the shoulder. I continued my story and when I was done there was a silence between us.

"That son of a formoggal! Wait till I get my little hands on him. I'll show him whose boss, he'll be sorry he was born!" Ms Mousy said loudly as she paced the room. Her face was blood red and she kept on mumbling things under her breath, mostly how she would skin him alive for what he did.

I quickly sprang to my feet so that I stood infront of her, I placed my hands on her shoulders to calm her down.

"Ms Mousy, please stop, your overreacting."

"I'm not overreacting, that formoggal hurt you, he needs a good slappin'. " she huffed, "We should tell someone about this, let me speak to the Prince I'm-"

"No, Ms Mousy, please no one should now about this. Please." I said as I looked her in the eyes.

After holding her gaze for a while she reluctantly nodded her head.

"I won't tell a soul dear." She finally agreed.

"Thank you." I said as I hugged her.

"No trouble at all. Rose, just remember you don't have to carry this alone. You can always share the burden." She said.

I knew I could talk to someone about this, but this was my dark past and I wouldn't expect it from anyone to help me.

-*-

Keelan's POV

Weeks flew by as Rose and I had our daily walks. At first it was silence all the way, but after I learned that she always dreamed of visiting my lands I thought that this walk can be turned into a private tour.

I showed her my favorite spot in the garden and it somehow became hers. She begged me each day to sit at my favorite spot.

There were so many times that I wanted to tell her the truth, but then I would think about how she would react and I decided against it. We were growing close and there were times I forgot why she was even here. I could feel my feelings change and every time I looked at her there was something within me that wished she would return my feelings.

While I was busy in my study working after my walk with Rose, my mother came to pay me a visit. She looked over excited about something and that already made sirens go off in my head.

"Keelan your father has requested a meal with Rose." She said.

"What?" I asked completely baffled.

"Your father wants to invite Rose to a family dinner with us."

"Why? She's a prisoner, mother." I reasoned.

"Your father wants her to be treated nicely and I suggest you do the same. And your father wants to see who is living under his roof." She said.

"Alright, I'll tell Ms Mousy to dress her nicely, when is this dinner?" I asked.

"Tonight, and Keelan don't you dare be late." Was all she said before she left me to my thoughts. I know I expressed myself against it, but in actuality I was actaully excited to spend more time with Rose.

No Keelan, she is your prisoner you can't think like that. I berated myself for my stupid thoughts. I had to stay clear of her, but that was something I found impossible to do.

The walk to the tower was painfully slow for my thoughts were in overdrive. I was about to unlock the door when I found that it was already unlocked. I knocked on the door and moments later Ms Mousy opened the door.

"Your Excellency, do you want to see Rose?" She asked.

"No, I was looking for you, I want you to get Rose a lovely dress, she is to have dinner with the royal family tonight."

"Alright, your highness I'll see to it."

I nodded at Ms Mousy before I left, I had full trust in her that she would make sure Rose wore something beautiful.

I was on my way back to return to my duties when a knight told me my father requested me in his study. I was glad he requested me because I had some unanswered questions of my own.

I knocked before I entered my father's lavish study. My father had a concerned look on his face as he read over a letter. I closed the door behind me before I took a seat at his desk.

"You must be wondering why I have requested Rose to have dinner with us." He said.

"I must admit I was completely surprised to hear about your invitation." I said.

"The reason why, was because I wanted to let her go-"

"Father!" I said as I stood up.

"Keelan sit down, I'm not finished." I obeyed my father's orders.

"I have just received word from the commander that the soldiers aren't completely prepared for war, they would need a few weeks time before they'll be ready to face the battle field. So you get what you wish for."

"Father-"

"But I've decided that I can at least take care of the girl while she's here, there's no use in harming an innocent child. Now she will eat dinner with us so that I can meet her myself. And I must know who her parents are, for all we know she can be a princess from another land. And I for one don't want to be fighting on two fronts when the news comes out that she has been captured by fae." He said.

I wanted to tell my father that I was certain she wasn't a princess by blood, but I wasn't sure.
With nothing else to say I stood,"I'll see at dinner then." Then I left.

-*-
Rose's POV

I was very shocked when Ms Mousy told me that I was going to have dinner with the royal family. I didn't know what to think. Why would they want to me to eat with them?

My thoughts raced as Ms Mousy made me try dress after dress. As she was busy making adjustments to my dress my thoughts started to move about rapidly. I thought back to the many weeks I've been staying here and I must say I was starting to enjoy it here. Keelan was more easy to talk with and he was even nice enough to tour me around the faery realm. I sometimes got so lost in his explanation of everything that I regularly forgot that I was his prisoner. I did miss my mother, but at least I was away from that horrid man. Ms Mousy was right about one thing, it did feel good to talk to somebody about what happened. I stared down at my ring. The ring that brought back so many good memories, but those good memories were overpowered by the bad ones. The ones I couldn't forget.

I felt a pinch on my leg that startled me. When I looked down I saw Ms Mousy was busy making adjustments to the dress I was wearing.

"Rose, I asked you if you were happy with the dress?" She said and I turned around to look at myself in the mirror, I let out a gasp.

I couldn't believe I was wearing such a beautiful dress. The dress was a lovely colour of blue and held a faery feel to it. I was in love with the dress almost immediately.

"You look gorgeous my dear." Ms Mousy said. I engulfed her in a hug to thank her for her trouble. Now it was only the dinner to go, that thought made my stumach clench.

-*-

The time went by fast and before I knew it Ms Mousy returned to my room to escort me down the stairs were Keelan would be waiting for me.

I tried my very best to walk with poise and not to trip over my feet as I climbed down the stairs. I was so focused on the task at hand I didn't notice the laat step was unsteady. Everything happened so fast and I once again almost fell down the stairs. But to my suprise Keelan was there and immediately stopped my fall. Again.

When I looked up I saw a look of concern flash through his gaze, but it vanished so fast I thought my mind played tricks on me. I stared up into the blue eyes that held so much secrets, secrets I wanted to know. Why, I did not know. I was surprised at my sudden thoughts; could my feelings for this man have changed so fast? Wasn't I suppose to hate him? But I couldn't, every time I looked up in his eyes I found myself falling deeper and deeper into their depths.

"Ahem" a cough brought me out of my moment of stupor. What was I thinking, I couldn't think like this about my captor. He was the one who ruined my life, not really, but still. He took me away from my home, I should feel hatred towards him. But I couldn't, not after all these weeks I started to get to know him. He wasn't the bad guy I actually made him out to be, he even played with one of the knight's son.

When Keelan helped me back to my feet again he led me to the dinning hall after thanking Ms Mousy again for dressing me up. My hand was hooked around his elbow as we made our way down the castle. I stared at wonderment around me, this castle's beauty kept surprising me. Each portrait held a story. Each story portrayed the life of faeries.

The fae realm was by far the most intriguing place I've ever been to. There were so many things Keelan and Mr Mole taught me over the last few weeks. Things I only dreamt of learning.

I was so lost in thought that I didn't notice we were infront of large oak wooden doors. My heart beat started to increase, for I was about to meet the king. I could only hope he was as friendly as the queen, but with kings you could never be sure.

"Are you ready?" Keelan asked.

"Ready as I'll ever be." I nodded and the doors were immediately opened for us. When we stepped inside the doors closed behind us and I gulped at the size of the room.

There was a huge table in the middle of the room that could easily host 30 people. Why they had such a big table, I'll never understand.

Another set of double doors across the room was pulled open before the queen and a big man stepped in. He had a beard with the same piercing blue eyes as Keelan. Something about his looks made me squirm, if it was not for Keelan beside me I would've ran for the hills just to get away.

When our eyes met all I could think was that I hoped he was a friendly man.