A Royal Rose

Chapter Twenty-One

A day after they received word that Leah and Alf had arrived safely; Easton was proud to make his first decree… one of peace. A document that the Toft had sent that said they would honour peace. Today, a few weeks later, it was Easton’s coronation, which was to be a huge event filled with dancing and plenty of alcohol. Easton’s new advisor was adamant that the bigger the event was, the higher the morale of the Holt would become. However, Easton wasn’t having as much fun as he could because he was fretting. Tomorrow was the day he and the King of the Toft were due to meet on neutral territory to sign a treaty to confirm peace. The public was spreading rumours of it being an assassination waiting to happen. This wasn’t helping his nerves as he had been apprehensive already because of the tensions between the two kingdoms but luckily, security was on high alert and they had arranged for him to wear armour under his clothes.

The funerals for members of staff killed in the siege were held in those weeks, Rose felt as if all she did every other day was sob. Listening to families talk about their loved ones, the little girl who lost her father, the man who lost his brother and the friend who was always selfless. Rose may not have personally known them, but she did know that she needed to go to show the Holt she did care, as she was petrified someone would accuse her of not doing so. One of the funerals that had affected Rose the most was Meredith’s. Rose had never seen so many people cry at one time, Meredith, firm but fair, a mother hen and everyone’s friend. Aine gave a speech for her best friend who was killed in the siege, it was a beautiful piece, speaking about how Meredith saved two hedgehogs from certain death. The crowd loved it, they laughed, and they cried during Aine’s speech. I must get my mother to teach me some hints and tricks about speeches for the future, she thought, she’s a natural! Lux and Easton had lost their mother figure the day they lost Meredith and the more people who came up to the altar to talk about her, the more Rose realised what a loss to the Holt her death was. Meredith was a best friend and trusted advisor but seeing the public mourn her - Meredith was so much more to so many people. Rose wished she could turn back time, save her and everybody else who died as a result of this feud.

The palace and the Holt were an emptier place after the siege. Lots of the Fae population had died and Rose couldn’t help but feel responsible that she was the reason the population had diminished. She was the reason why Meredith was gone. These thoughts weighed heavily on Rose’s mind and she found herself in a low mood because of it. Easton reminded her on several occasions that Holt was still full of activity, the crop faeries were busier than ever in the spring bloom and the woodland floor had recovered after the late winter snowfall. She hoped they weren’t avoiding her after everything, but Rose had seen the figures, Easton was right, the Holt was like a duck swimming – peaceful on the surface but under the water, it was working tirelessly.

Rose smoothed down her appropriately rose-coloured A-line dress, as Easton fretted to his valet about his purple coloured outfit. “I’m really hoping I’ve not made a bad choice by using father’s crown. Most kings do the traditional thing and have a custom made one” Easton said.

Rose sat down in a chair in the corner of the room, it was gold with an emerald green velvet pad on it, “I think they’ll love it. You’ll make a fantastic King my love, you’ve already got on the road to peace and not even your father managed that in all his decades on the throne!” she replied, “No doubt you’ll have a wonderful day, I know you’re nervous but when the important bit is done we are going to have that massive feast that you’ve been looking forward to!”

“Did you know that more babies are conceived on a coronation day in the Holt than any other royal event?”

“No, I didn’t, and I definitely know you’re nervous now if you’re recalling facts from your new advisor! I thought you found him annoying?”

Easton looked out of the window, not hearing Rose’s question due to the number of thoughts he had going through his mind, his valet put the finishing touches to his outfit, a purple robe and several massive pieces of jewellery to go around his neck. “Have you seen your mother and Lux recently? I haven’t seen them since that date they went on?” he asked.

“Yes, I saw her this morning – she and Lux haven’t come out of her bedroom much since,” Rose said, pulling a funny face of joking disgust.

Easton laughed, it was the first time she’d seen him smile all day, so she pulled her tongue out to him and he stuck his back at her.

“Come look at the crowd!” Easton said, admiring the swathes of people outside of the gates.

Rose got off the chair, walked over to the large, semi-circular window that looked over the area in front of the palace. Together, they looked out at the crowd, some who waved up to the couple in the window. Rose waved and many of crowd waved back. Such a bizarre feeling to have fame, she thought.

A quick rap on the door interrupted their conversation, the sound of the heavy oak door opening brought their attention away from the crowds outside. “it is time!” said a male voice at the door, it was Easton’s new advisor Henry, he was a small, fat, grey haired man with a pronounced nose. Easton wasn’t very fond of him, but he hoped that over time that feeling would go.

Easton and Rose looked at each other nervously before they followed him to the front door of the palace and the two guards either side of the doors opened them up to the awaiting crowd. A group of people by the gates shouted congratulations and cheered when Easton waved at them. The sun beat down through the trees, which made the Holt glow with a golden tinge. The sweat was visible on Easton’s brow and Rose lovingly dabbed it off with a handkerchief from her silver clutch bag.

“Are you ready my love?” Rose asked.

“No, I don’t think I’ll ever be ready but with you by my side, I can do anything!”

Rose looked at Easton, he looked so beautiful in his coronation outfit, his crown balancing on his full chocolate brown hair that was brushed to one side. His purple eyes twinkled as he smiled back at her, she knew that she was so deeply in love with him that nothing else mattered. The pair held hands and walked to the gate before Easton’s advisor told them to separate and that Easton needed to hold the heavy silver Fae sceptre with a gleaming piece of jade that twinkled in the sunlight. They followed the ceremonial guards to the sacred elm, which was a short walk from the palace but enough of a walk to please the crowd. When the procession finished and the guards had changed into a formation, they were stood at the foot of the elm tree. A few minutes later the ceremony took place, once everyone outside who needed to come in got seated, the loud trumpets called out and the room was filled with silence as the ceremony started.

Never had she felt so proud of another person; Rose watched him as he got spoken to by the preacher. Seeing Easton go through the ceremony made her beam with joy, his happiness was her happiness. Easton sat on the crimson coronation cushion in the huge ornate chair in the centre of the room, holding the spectre and the crown balancing on his soft brown hair. Glancing over at Rose after saying his vows, he walked over to her and linked arms with her whispering that he loved her into her ear. They went back through the crowd back to the palace, the crowd were electric with excitement, camera flashes were everywhere, and Easton turned around at the palace gates with his perfect smile showing his pearly white teeth. He looked at the crowd and then at Rose, he held up the hand which he was holding hers in and thrust it into the air. The crowd went wild when he did it, one of the reporters in the front row shouted, “When are you two gonna get hitched?”. Easton looked at Rose quickly before responding to the reporter’s question.

“Soon!” he replied, as the palace gates shut behind them. The crowd was abuzz with this new information and Rose grinned.

“Do you mean that?” she asked as they walked to the palace tree, hoping that he hadn’t said it to please the crowds outside.

“Of course, I do. Would you like to marry me?”

“Is this a proposal?!” Rose questioned the now coy looking Easton, she looked in his eyes for clues that he was serious or not, but his face gave nothing away.

“I’m serious” He waved his wand and into his palm appeared a black wooden box. He got down on one knee in the lobby, much to the surprise of the guests and servants inside of the palace. Opening the box to reveal on a small red cushion a very large ruby stone on the top of a band of silver “Will you marry me, Rose?” Easton asked, looking deep into Rose’s eyes.

Rose looked down into his vivid purple eyes and said “Yes”. Easton jumped up of the floor, his wings fluttering in delight, he pulled her close to him and they floated up in the air of the lobby kissing ardently. The room erupted with applause, and when their feet landed on the glossy white floor, Aine hurried over to congratulate her daughter. Rose was still in shock, she hadn’t pictured this happening today in any way, shape or form but she couldn’t contain her excitement and squealed loudly as she hugged her mother.

Rose’s mother Aine looked amazing in a floor-length, tight-fitting silver glittery gown. Holding her hand out for her mother to see the ring, Aine took her daughter’s hand in her silver gloved hand and eyed the ring up in the light. “it is stunning Easton!” Aine admired. The ring was a beautiful solitaire stone that sparkled as Aine moved her daughter’s hand to look at the ring in all its beauty.

Easton had his arm wrapped around his new fiancée and replied proudly “It was my mother’s!”