Chapter 6

Rose's POV

The stench of the dungeon overwhelmed me as we entered the darkened place. The knights dragged me over to a room with a dark wooden door. When we entered I immediately recognised the room as the one in my dreams.

My heart started to beat in my throat and my body shook with fear. What was he going to do to me? Then I remembered all the scars on the woman's back in my dreams. Was this maybe where I was going to get all my scars?

The knights dragged me to the opposite end of the room before they tied my hands above my head. I was almost hanging from the ceiling if I didn't stand on my toes.

I heard footsteps enter but I couldn't see who it was for my back was faced against the door.

"You may leave." Henry ordered his knights and I heard their retracting footsteps before the door closed behind them.

"Henry, you don't have to do this." I said with a small voice.

"You're right, Rose, I don't. But I will, unless you promise to marry me." I wanted to tell him that I'll marry him just so that I didn't have to go through with it, but then I saw the gushing scar on the little boy's back and I couldn't.

"No." I replied.

"Then you leave me no choice." He said. I heard the whooshing of the whip before I felt I slicing pain across my back. A loud scream resonated through the room as it left my lips. He repeated the question again and I replied the same. I was rewarded with another slash, followed by another painful scream.

We repeated this process for what felt like an eternity. He must've realised that I wasn't going to give up, because I heard him put down the whip.

His footsteps neared me and he came around to look me in the eyes. I placed an emotionless mask over my face so he couldn't see my pain.

"If you don't marry me, I'll kill all the workers on your mother's farm and then I'll kill her. Slowly and painfully." He gritted through clenched teeth.

That was my breaking point, I couldn't have the blood of innocent people on my hands. I started to nod my head and replied with a weak yes.

A smile spread across his face, "I knew you would come around, the wedding will be next week. Now let's get you cleaned up. You look like a mess." He said as he undid my bindings before he carried me back to my room.

He told Agatha to clean me up and to apply salf on my wounds. I laid on my stumach as tears rolled down my face.

I should've listened to that stranger at the ball...

-*-

Keelan's POV

News arrived that the wedding would be in a week's time. That means I had a week to get a kidnapping team together and I knew just the right people.

"Joshuan." I greet the captain of my guards and my life long friend as he enters my study.

"Yes, Keelan, what can I do for you?" He asked.

"Do you by any chance know where that human bandits are?" I asked.

"The knights from the human realm that came here for refuge? I believe they call themselves the Scarlett Swords."

"Yes that group, I need you to find them and bring them to the throne room." I ordered.

"Yes, sire. I'll see to it immediately." Joshuan bowed his head before he left, I only hoped the men would accept my offer.

-*-

A few hours later when I sat in the throne room, holding court while my father was attending some business, Joshuan came back with the Scarlett Swords in tow.

"Ah the Scarlett Swords, I'm glad you could make it." I said as I stood up from the throne and walked towards them.

"Your highness." They replied with bows.

"I have a job opportunity for you,but first I need to know what you did to loose your jobs as king Henry's knights?" I asked, I had to know why they came to me for refuge, and if they were loyal knights.

Nick, the leader stepped up with a grave look on his face.

"Sire, the king chaste us away because we refused to do what he wanted us to do."

"What was that?" I asked.

"We all came from a village in the mountains, me and my wife lived there. One day we were to collect the taxes and a young boy ran infront of the king's horse. The horse got frightened and threw the king off. He was furious, he told us to capture the boy, but the boy he was my son. I refused and told him the boy didn't see his horse. He was persistent but so were I. Caleb and Ben stood up with me. The king got furious and ordered us to be killed, but before he could get us we ran, me and my family along with Caleb and Ben. That sire, is why we came here for refuge."

His story didn't shock me at the least. I've known Henry quite a while now and I've always seen him for what he really was. He was a cruel man underneath all his charm.

"I'm sorry." Was all I could manage to say.

"It's not your fault sire, we can only be grateful for you giving us refuge." Caleb said.

"I asked you here to offer you a job." I said.

"How could we be of service?"

"You know the inside of Henry's castle, don't you?"

"Like the back of my hand." They all nodded.

"I need you to retrieve a very important jewel for me."

"What jewel, sire?"

"She goes by the name of Rose."

"The king 's intended. Why do you want her sire?" Nick asked.

"Because my dear friends, I want a war." Was all I said. They were happy to help me and after I offered them jobs as my knights they couldn't refuse, it was quite hard getting a job in the fae realm. It wasn't that the fae hated the humans or anything, it was just fae felt superior to humans.

They told me they would think of a plan and after that they left.

-*-

That night I tossed and turned as the same dream had since my encounter with Rose at the ball, plagued me. The dream is about a girl, but I can't see her face. She screams for me to help her and all I can hear is her begging voice and the sound of a whip.

Then a small old lady appears and echoes the words: born of roses will she wake to end the suffering of his reign.

That's all I remember of the dream before I'm pulled back into reality.

-*-

Rose's POV

The week before the wedding went by faster than I hoped for. Henry's true colours became more prominent with each passing day, and I only wished there was a way to escape from this prison. But alas there was no hope, only wishful thinking. I couldn't escape, because where would I go?

I couldn't go home, he will find me and who knows what will happen. I know that I shouldn't anger him, but it was so hard because he got angered by the smallest things.

Scared of Henry's relentless anger I tried my best to stay clear of him by staying inside my room. He would visit from time to time and I would make sure to put a smile on my face. Even though it was so hard to do so.

Time flew by and before I knew it, it was the day before the wedding. Agatha helped me fit my dress for the last time. I stood there as she pulled here and there.

Agatha noticed my quietness and looked at me worriedly. She placed a comforting hand on my shoulder and I tried to manage a weak smile.

"I'm scared." I said in a soft voice breaking the silence that ensued between us.

"I know Rose, but I'll be here every step of the way." Agatha promised and my heart swelled with a little joy, I was glad I had someone to confide in.

After we were finished she redressed my scars. They were still sore and I still have nightmares about that fateful night.

When she was done she left me alone and I curled up on my bed. Tears spilled down my face. Every time I closed my eyes I saw that little boy in my mind. Was I too weak? But what was I supposed to do? Where can I go to escape him?

What did I do to deserve this? Was this how all people treated the people they loved?

My heart broke at the realisation that tomorrow I would be bound to a man who shows no love.

I was going to be trapped in a fancy prison with a stoned hearted man who shows no care.

I turned around in bed as I tried to fall asleep, but every time I closed my eyes an image of Henry's angry eyes and the small boy crying enters my mind.

After tossing and turning a few times I let out a huff. No matter what I did I couldn't sleep. So I decided to take a step outside on the balcony.

The cool breeze of the night ruffled my thin night gown. It was a chilly night tonight, but somehow I enjoyed the coolness. The breeze blew away my worries for a few seconds, a smile spread across my face as I relished in the coolness. It was a real smile, the first one in this week.

I stared at the small light that was coming from the town. How I wished to be home, to see my mother and all the workers. How I wished to be anywhere, but here.

Fear gripped my heart as I realised that I was going to have to plaster a smile on my face tomorrow and pretend everything was daisies and roses, when in fact I was scared out of my mind.

I wished for a way out of this, but it seemed hopeless. I stared at the peaceful scene infront of me and wished that I could stay here forever. Forgetting about all my worries.

I let out a sigh before something with a very funny smell clamped over my mouth. I clawed at the hand that was covering my mouth, but it was all in vain. I tried to scream, but the object covering my mouth muffled my screams and black spots started to cross my vision. Everything around me turned black and I felt myself fall into a pit of darkness.

-*-

"Nick, do you have a blankey?" I heard a voice say softly. My eyelids felt heavy and I tried to open them, but they wouldn't budge. After another useless try I gave up.

"Why?" Another voice asked.

"I want to cover her."

"Here take this." The other voice replied and I felt something heavy thrown over me. I was very glad for the warmth, for the thin night gown barely did anything to keep me warm.

I wanted to thank the person for the covering, but I couldn't open my mouth and before I knew it I was yet again submerged in blackness.

-*-

I don't know how long I was out but when I opened my eyes, I was greeted with the most magnificent sight. A beautiful castle stood infront of me and I gaped at its beauty. I felt my movement stop and that was when I realised I was on a horse and there was someone sitting behind me. My back was against his chest. He must've realised that I was awake because he shifted me so that I sat upright, before announcing my wakefulness to the rest of the crew.

I gulped because when the man infront of us turned around I immediately recognised him as one of the men who tried to rob me.

"Welcome to your knew home." He said.

What did I get myself into now?