Epilogue (At the Palace)

Rose looked out over the courtyard of the castle. Her room sat high above the large hanging gardens below, and the flowers were in full bloom allowing a lovely fragrance to waft up toward her window.

Despite their beauty in the late summer evening, she could not help but feel stifled. 'Nothing ever happens in these walls,' she thought wistfully. She closed her eyes and dreamed of riding through fields unaccompanied. Rose could almost feel the wind sweeping through her sandy blonde hair. The world was freer out there—she just knew it.

"Daydreaming again, Your Highness?" her lady-in-waiting asked as she looked up with a gentle smile.

"You know me too well, Cait. I love father, but he does tend to be overprotective." With a tired grin, Rose shook her head at the twenty year old woman sitting gracefully on the edge of the fainting couch.

"King Rhodri cares. That's all. You cannot blame His Majesty too much for that, can you? You are all he has." Lady Cait sighed as she returned to the petit pointe in her lap.

The pastoral scene made of thread was supposed to be the Princess's work, but both women knew that delicate stitches were not among the blue-eyed girl's strengths. Lady Caitlyn found it far easier to just do the work than to coax the young royal into learning the craft. There was very little she could actually coax the princess into doing anyway.

"Yes, well, here we are then: you, me and all this to keep us company." Rose turned to the lady with her arms spread wide.

Her tower apartment was large, and she knew great care had been taken to make it comfortable for her. Still, at seventeen, it was beginning to feel like a cage a little more each day.

Rose dropped back down onto the heavy wooden bench that was under the window and cast her blue eyes longingly past the castle walls.

"I can't even remember the last time we went out in the city, can you?"

Sensing her mistress's restlessness, the handmaiden set aside her work and moved to select a brush from the vanity in Rose's bedchamber.

Picking up the golden instrument, Cait returned to the large sitting room and stroked Rose's hair gently to relieve the stress of the day.

"Sir Ultrian would be happy to take you out for a ride. I see the way he looks at you. Or Lord Quarto...Even Baron Horst or Duke Cyneric would be delighted to surprise you with..."

"I know, Cait. I know. Every knight and nobleman in the whole kingdom would be delighted to take me down the trodden path through the King's Forest and past the small hidden secrets of the Falls of True Love. The ruts to that place are worn so deep that the horses can follow the path with their eyes closed." The princess sighed deeply, her knuckles pressed against her pale cheek.

The woman with the auburn hair pursed her lips as she tackled a tangle in the blonde's golden locks. "You will get your turn at excitement and adventure, Your Highness. You have to wait, that's all. Who knows? It might be sooner than you think."

On cue, there was a knock at the door. Three short raps echoed in the large chamber.

"Just a moment!" Lady Cait called gently. "Should I see who it is?" she asked her mistress.

Rose stood, and her long blonde hair fell across her exposed shoulders. "Help me be presentable first," she answered. While the girl was wearing a shift with a shawl, she was certainly not able to receive company in such undress.

The lady-in-waiting thought to remind the princess that she should always be ready to receive company, but the advice would have fallen on deaf ears. Instead she went and fetched the gown that the young woman had been wearing for her afternoon meal with King Rhodri.

Slipping it over the princess's head, the lady-in-waiting pulled the stays, cinching in Rose's already thin waist. "You will split me in two pieces if you keep that up!" The girl groaned.

Cait ignored her and tied off the bow. Another knock at the door reminded the women of just how long they were taking to answer. "Just a moment more!" Lady Caitlyn called.

Rose positioned herself at the window bench and took a deep breath. Nodding to Cait, the princess permitted the visitor to enter.

The man in the doorway was tall with a sharp nose and although he was charming and handsome even for someone twenty years younger, Rose always had reservations about being in his presence. She guessed he was nearing forty, but he was by far the youngest commander the kingdom of Birle had ever seen.

"Ah, Commander Borit," she cooed, feigning the delight that she did not feel. "To what do I owe the unexpected pleasure?"

"Please excuse this interruption, Princess Rose. Lady Caitlyn," Borit said in greeting as he bowed with a flourish. Rose rolled her eyes inwardly, but could see her lady-in-waiting's delight at his entry. "His Majesty sent me to check after your well-being. He was concerned when you declined to have dinner tonight with him."

The princess knew this was likely not true. After a late lunch with some diplomats and the king, Rose had not been expected to dine in any official capacity again that day. The king had sent a servant with a casual invitation to sup with him in his quarters, but she had declined and the servant had not seemed worried.

'What are you up to, Commander?' Rose wondered. "I am quite well," she answered evenly, "just not hungry after such an extravagant lunch. If that is all..." Before she could dismiss the man, he clapped his hands together and bowed.

"There is one more thing, Your Highness. I was hoping I could interest you in a walk about the gardens. They are perfectly magical in the evening."

'Ah there is what you are up to,' the princess noted. 'The answer is easy-no.'

"I wouldn't want to trouble you," Rose responded diplomatically with a weary smile.

"It is no trouble at all. These old legs could use the exercise," Borit responded brightly. His charming smile was hard to ignore, yet Rose's stomach churned as she looked away.

"You are far from old," Lady Caitlyn said on behalf of her mistress. The brunette blushed heavily. "Perhaps we should get some fresh air, Your Highness?" she pleaded.

The two girls were very close, and Rose never took offense at her friend's suggestions. But she was disinclined to go. Glancing out the window the princess weighed her options.

Just then, something caught her eye. In the failing light, Rose could see a dark-cloaked figure climbing along the inside of the curtain wall. She started to raise the alarm, but the words caught in her throat.

A gentle wind swirled around her face and teased her golden hair. Something in her heart leapt in excitement as a faded memory came into view. Or perhaps it had been a dream.

"Something wrong, Your Highness?" Borit asked with concern.

"No, no." Rose said absentmindedly as she continued to watch the cloak's descent. The graceful movements were like a dance, making the princess wonder just how many walls he had climbed to make it look so effortless.

Then without warning, the figure dropped and melted into the shadows of the courtyard grounds. Rose was certain that she had lost sight of him, but then he turned and his eyes flashed a brilliant silver. The sight nearly took her breath away. It was such a strange color. "Silver?" she muttered.

Borit was suddenly at her side and looking out into the courtyard. His gaze bore into the garden below them. "What did you say? Did you see something?" the commander asked sharply.

The princess was startled by his presence. His body was never so close to hers. She struggled not to rush away from the window seat.

"Look at the fountain!" she said to draw his attention. "The last of the sunbeams must be bouncing off of somewhere and reflecting in the fountain down there. I expected the water to look golden because of it, but it looks silver. Don't you see?"

Borit stared intently into the darkness of the wall a little longer before shifting his sights to the large water feature in the middle of the garden. "I suppose it does," he answered mildly, his normal demeanor returning. "Would you like to take a closer look?"

"Alright," Rose spun her head and smiled at her companions. "An evening walk sounds lovely."

The lady-in-waiting stifled a small squeal. Borit waited by the door as the brunette knotted Rose's hair on her head and they prepared to go. Caitlyn grabbed Rose's arm conspiratorially, "Oh, Your Highness! This is just the distraction we needed."

"Yes," Rose responded with a mysterious grin. 'I do believe it is.'

End of Volume One.