#roese

“Wasn’t you who always said to live life to the fullest?” Frederick challenged in a teasing tone as he guided her face to look at him.

“That was before,” she gently removed her chin from his hold and took a step back. “And this is now. If I could afford to let her have such things, I wouldn’t keep her here.”

“Roese.” Frederick spoke more seriously as he stood straighter. “Life is too short to remain in a tower. Just let her attend the festival like your own mother would have let you.”

A more familiar frown that Adam recognized crossed her face as a dark look reared itself in her shadows at his challenge to her authority. Adam held his breath, half anticipating her to strangle Frederick or bite him and drink him dry, however Frederick held his stance, and she did not move. The tension between the two was as thick as the dark magic surrounding this castle until in an instance it disappeared and Roese let out a huff of air.

“Fine.” She said sourly and crossed her arms, “then she’s going to need a guard.”

“Already done.”

“What?” There was an edge in her voice that caused the hairs to rise on the back of Adam’s neck. “How have you already found someone?”

“I told you;” Frederick spoke in a lower tone, as if the matter were a secret between them, and Adam caught the ring of suspicion in her eye. “The Mirror sent me out on a mission.”

“I see.” She clipped and those poisonous green eyes turned on him. “And can he uphold to my standard?”

Any hint of softness that was previously there was gone, and the icy aura of the vampiric queen remained as she looked upon Adam. He stood tall and straight, praying that it showed more confidence than he had as his tail squeezed his leg. He held his breath and did his best not to sweat under the pressure of that gaze as he felt his poisonous musk rising. He thought he saw her nostrils flare when Frederick cleared his throat and went to stand beside him, slightly diverting her icy attention away for a moment.

“This is Adam. Out of all the men under my ranks, I have personally selected him to act as the princess’s personal guard for the remainder of her stay in Apfel.”

A look passed between them and the tension from earlier returned as Adam caught on to the strange sense that this princess wasn’t leaving the country so much as she was going to leave this realm entirely. Adam kept his thoughts and opinions tucked tightly away in the recesses of his mind as Roese passed her judgement over him.

“I trust your judgement, Frederick.” She inhaled sharply and released a short breath, as if it was enough to diffuse her agitation, though in Adam’s experience it wasn’t. She closed her eyes, and when she reopened them, the agitation almost disappeared as a smile replaced itself on her face as the padding of footsteps sounded farther up the hall.

A knight wearing armor with an apple tree embossed on his chest plate, the crest of Apfel, entered the tense space and called out, “Commander Frederick, the men have gathered in preparation for sword fighting.”

A cross look appeared on Frederick’s face like he wanted to curse but needed to refrain from doing so in front of Queen Roese. “Have them warm up; I’ll be there shortly.”

The knight’s brows drew together in a perplexed expression but nodded all the same, however, as the knight turned to go, Roese held her hand up, freezing him in place.

“That won’t be necessary,” she spoke in a sweet tone that masked her hidden intentions. “The commander can go.” Her green eyes crinkled at the corners as Frederick’s mouth drew into a tight line. “I’ve no problem taking him to the princess myself.”

Frederick’s hands clenched into tight fists and his jaw clenched at the unspoken order by his queen, and much to Adam’s dismay, bowed at the waist and left with the knight without so much as a warning glance back to Adam.

Both Adam and Roese watched the pair leave before she swiftly approached him and tilted her head at an odd angle like a snake as she examined him. Her green eyes were too vibrant as they examined him like a predator watching its prey. “I don’t’ recall your face, Adam, was it?”

“Yes ma’am.” His voice was stronger than he felt, and his leg was going numb from how tightly his tail clenched it.

She hummed thoughtfully as she straightened and her more demure nature surfaced as she tried to mask her plotting and scheming. “You look rather young for this job. Pray tell, what has the commander told you?”

His mouth felt terribly dry, but his tongue moved without apprehension. “That the princess wishes to attend the Spring Festival in its entirety this year as it is to be her last in Apfel.”

“And did he say why?”

Her eyes narrowed and her smile was too sharp as if waiting for him to slip up. Used to this sort of scrutiny from her, Adam’s face remained a mask of calm despite how fast his heart raced.

“No ma’am, he was leading up to it when you met us here in the hall,” he spoke quickly and carefully as he dared to pick a common idea from thin air, all while keeping eye contact with her. “However, if rumor in town is correct, I’d imagine it has something to do with a potential prince coming for her hand as she’s well of the age for marrying.”

Suspicion flickered in her eyes, as if she suspected him of lying, but blinked it away faster than he could dissect and smiled. “I can’t believe the word has already spread, though given how small this kingdom is, I shouldn’t be surprised.” Her shoulders relaxed marginally as she sighed and the tense air dissipated. “Very well, it seems that the commander has informed you enough of the situation, and with how little time there is left, I suppose I don’t have any better options.”

Not wanting to tip the scales of life in either direction, Adam held his tongue and loosened his tail just enough so he could wiggle his toes. Though she was still sane, he didn’t want to test how quickly she could descend into madness.

“This goes without saying,” she spoke, and a cloud covered the sun, and the hallway was void of light, “however, it is imperative that the princess is protected at all times. All hopes I have for the future rely on her remaining alive and happy. She is my valued daughter, and I will not stand for any harm to come to her.” Her peridot green eyes scanned him once more, searching for ill intent before gaining a familiar maddening ring just around her pupils. “Should I learn of any perverse actions influencing her before her betrothed has come, not only will you lose your rank amongst my knights, but you will also lose whatever haven you have in Apfel, and I will have you hunted like a pig.”

While she projected herself as a mother protecting her daughter, she hinged more like an angry dragon trying to protect its treasure, and Adam knew better than to poke at an angry dragon. Curling his hand into a fist, he pressed it over his chest for a pledge of honor as he held her gaze as unfamiliar words spewed from his mouth.

“I am a man of honor and integrity and shall not lay a hand on the princess in any other way other than to protect her. Should you find anything other than truth from my words, then send me out to be hunted.”

Even if Adam had perverse thoughts, he could not lay a hand on the princess without causing instant damage to the girl thanks to the toxins that lay in his touch, and he would not wish that pain upon anyone other than his maker.

Her eyes widened in some sense of shock; however, it seemed his words were enough for light quickly returned to the hallway and the dangerous aura around her disappeared. “It seems the commander was wise to choose you.” She hummed thoughtfully, but there was still a hint of suspicion in her expression. “I hope you do not fail me.” Gathering her skirts in her hands, she turned, “Come let’s not keep Alita waiting any longer.”

Adam scarcely had a moment to breathe a sigh of relief before he was scrambling with a half-asleep leg after the queen. Roese wasted no breath in idle conversation nor her time with her steps as she speedily she led him down the winding and twisting hallways that led to the library. Her steps slowed and softened as they entered the library and heard hushed voices.

“Now let’s see if you can perform your healing potion on your own.” A wizened woman spoke.

“Light the candle and heat the water,” a voice like a dove spoke and something moved within Adam to move quicker as he listened. “Add ginger root coins to the bottom of the cup.”

“Good,” her instructor nodded approvingly. “Go on.”

“A – Add honey and lemon juice,” the dove like voice spoke unsurely, “then the hot water.”

“Yes.” There was a small splashing sound of water pouring into a cup and the not-so-gentle clatter of a teapot being unevenly placed down. “It’s all right, no harm done. Just a little extra for the body. Now, take a seat, breathe, and focus your intent and recite the spell.”

As they rounded the shelves, Queen Roese held her hand up to halt him and he nearly ran into her as whatever stirred in his chest compelled him to seek out the dove-like speaker. A warning look from the queen firmly planted his feet where he stood, btu she couldn’t stop him from looking at her. She sat at a small round table for two with a tea tray between she and her teacher, and while he only saw her profile, her beauty blew him away. Swathed in a pink gown of silk, she was a true depiction of a princess that painters couldn’t dare imitate with color alone. Black hair as glossy as swan feathers, apple dusted cheeks with dimples, delicately painted red lips, and though her eyes were closed she was the loveliest woman he’d ever seen.

“I invoke the healing energy of this drink.” Her dainty fingers gently touched the edges of the teacup, and with a careful and practiced hand, she blew on the tea before taking the tiniest of sips.

“Visualize the water separately from the tea as it enters your body.” Her instructor spoke softly and encouragingly. “It detects any type of negativity both in the physical sense of your body and your mind.”

The princess nodded her head before saying, “I take care of my body, my mind, and my emotions. Today I am safe, relaxed, and life flows joyfully, and my health is perfect.”

It was unlike any spell Adam had heard before. His master only used dark magic, and to hear one both with healing and simplicity was a marvel to him.

Touching the cup to her lips, she slowly and surely drank the tea. When it was empty, she set it down and both her instructor and Queen Roese applauded her, “Utterly spectacular!”

The princess jumped with a gasp as she turned in her chair and spotted the Queen. Whatever praises Queen Roese bestowed upon her, Adam hadn’t heard as he was captivated by her beautiful doe brown eyes and dimpled smile. He’d never beheld such breathtaking beauty before, and as he committed her features to memory, Frederick’s warning from earlier echoed in his head, “Roese might have taken things a little too literally in the ingredients and has raised a fawn for slaughter.”

Still taken aback by her beauty, the words didn’t quite register in his mind as the queen suddenly gestured to him and the princess was looking at him. “This, Alita, is Adam.” The mention of his name brought him back to earth for him to take a step forward. “He’s to be your personal guard so that you may attend the festival this year.”

“Really?” Her hands flew to cover her gasp before she quickly recovered and smoothed them down to the front of her skirt. “Oh, thank you stepmother!”

It was strange for the princess to be so excited that he was her new guard, but even stranger still was how innocently and without fear she threw her arms around the queen’s neck into a loving embrace. The spectacle was so strange he had to blink hard to put his face into a more neutral expression by the time they released one another.

“Think nothing of it dear.” Roese hummed happily and booped the tip of her nose with a smile. “Your happiness is all the thanks I need.”

While her smile appeared friendly, he recognized that ravenous look anywhere. He’d seen it a thousand times before she snatched a poor maiden off the streets and devoured her. Adam felt terribly cold as the realization of Frederick’s words and the queen’s earlier possessive demeanor made itself known to him. Whatever kindness the queen displayed for the princess was just an act and she planned to kill her own daughter.

Stepping away from her stepmother, she approached him. “It’s an honor to have you, Sir Adam.”

 Her dimpled smile, though breathtakingly wonderful, filled him with guilt and unsteady with how to respond.

“The honor is mine, princess.” He spoke gravely and took his chance to kneel and hide his face and the pain he felt in his chest from her.

“Well, I’m afraid I can’t stay long, too many things need my attention,” Queen Roese spoke with a strained smile and suddenly appeared tired with the faintest of dark circles under her eyes. “I shall leave Adam here to sit in on the remainder of your lessons and get better acquainted. See you at dinner darling.”

With a kiss to her cheek, Queen Roese left, and Adam felt as though he were trapped in a much harsher cell than ever before.

Author's Note:

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