A Royal Rose

Chapter Nineteen

Pushing Mara’s lifeless body off herself, standing up and wiping as much blood as she could off her face. She looked over at Phineas and Rose.

“Thank you for trying to save me,” Phineas said

“You’re alive! Thank you for saving me too”

A noise buzzed behind them, “The force field is getting weak” Phineas pointed out. Spinning around, Rose looked at the guards stood behind the force field she’d created. They couldn’t do a thing still as their magic had been contained behind it, but she didn’t want to risk this one running out. They looked out of the force field, shouting things at her, but luckily the force field muffled their yelling. Thinking about the best way to buy themselves some time, she decided to create another one around the previous force field. Hopefully that it would keep the soldiers contained until she could find Easton, Lux and her mother.

Wondering what to do next, she tried to think of a plan. “Do you know where they are?” Rose asked. Phineas was rubbing his chest; it was several different shades of purple and he looked visibly pained. Looking at him, Rose could see he’d been through a lot and she wondered what had made him double cross Mara?

“You want the truth?” Phineas said after a few seconds delay, Rose nodded, and he continued “ I did it because I can read minds, I knew what Mara was planning to do – I knew how she felt about you. After hearing the nasty thoughts, she had in her head… I couldn’t side with her anymore. I couldn’t save King Edwin, but I could attempt to save Lux and Easton. In answer to your first question, I will lead you to the dungeon, but we’ll need to be quick as the first shield is about to go”

“Oh s**t!” Rose said as she looked at the first shield disappear, and all the guards stepped into their new extended space. Phineas grabbed her forearm and led her out of the room and to the dungeon. In the dark, gloomy-looking room were several different cells containing Lux, Easton and her mother. The guards must be in the force field she thought, as they opened all the cells with no opposition. Removing the gag from her mother’s mouth, Rose threw her arms around Aine, “I nearly forgot you. I nearly forgot all of you but I’m back now. I’m so sorry I didn’t get back sooner!” she cried into Aine’s shoulder. Her mother looked very dishevelled and her hair was greasy and matted, however, Aine smiling from ear to ear, pleased to see her daughter stood in front of her.

“I’m so happy you’ve come back! Go see Easton next, please! He’s been insufferable since you’ve left” Aine said with a chuckle. Rose was reassured to hear her mother was still able to make light of the situation even though she had been locked up for days.

Knowing her mother was okay, Rose looked around to see where Easton was. The dark made it difficult to make out objects, but she could just about make out Phineas’ shape crouched down as he attempted to release Lux from her restraints.

“I was just about to untie Easton,” Phineas said as he felt Rose stand behind him.

“May I?” Rose said, as she crouched down in front of the wooden shelf Easton was sat on and started freeing his mouth from the gag. She was smiling at Easton as she untied him. She could see he was trying to smile back even though the cloth in his mouth hid it, his eyes were shining back at her in the dim light.

“Here, I’ll help,” Phineas said, sounding pained as he sat down and started to undo the wrist ties which had cut into Easton’s skin. Rose had loosened the gag and her fingers pulled the fabric away from his face. Easton spat it out onto his lap, looking at him, he looked thinner and now he had a medium-sized beard. Holding his head in her hands and admiring his new look the best she could in the light, Rose covered his face in kisses. Her heart fluttered at the sight of him, Easton was haggard but still as handsome as ever.

Seeing the pair embrace, Lux made an aww noise from the other side of the room. Phineas finished freeing Lux, who the second she was free she rushed over to Aine and wrapped her arms around her before planting a kiss on her lips. Rose looked over, shocked at first, before smiling at the pair “Wow. Looks like I missed a lot!” she said with a chuckle. Lux blushed and her mother did too. Luckily, the darkness hid how red their faces had both turned.

“Yeah, erm… we’ve been dating since you left!” Lux confessed.

“I’m so happy for you both, you make a beautiful couple!” Rose said, giving her blessing to the union as she carried on untying Easton. The knots seemed to be endless, and her fingertips ached from the texture of the rope. Finally, Easton’s hands were free, the first thing he did was wrap his arms around her and pull her onto his lap. He didn’t smell great, but Rose was so elated to see him she didn’t care. She rested her head onto his broad, muscly shoulder, forgetting everything else around her she closed her eyes and a tear of happiness slid down her cheek.

Breaking the silence, Phineas stood up and addressed the room, “I am truly sorry,” Phineas told them.

“Why are you here anyway?” asked Lux, “I’m grateful you untied me, but your wife is a right b***h who was going to kill us all!”

“I killed… I killed Mara” Phineas replied, he rubbed his chest and winced in pain.

“You killed Mara?” said Aine shocked, holding an equally shocked Lux’s hand.

“I had to save Rose; Mara was going to kill her. I owe it to you all to free you after what she put you through. I am so sorry I didn’t do it sooner or manage to talk her out of it” Phineas finished his sentence, clutched his heart and collapsed.

Getting up, Easton looked around, “Quick, find a wand. Get some light in this room” he said, looking around the dungeon for a hiding place. He struck gold when he found them rather quickly, they were inside a very large book with the middle missing on a bookshelf outside the dungeon room. Easton came back and distributed out the wands. He stood over Aine who had been attending to Phineas, she was lifting his limp hand and feeling for a pulse. Lux and Rose used their wands like torches to illuminate the cell they were in. The light showed that Phineas had an area of grey over his heart, his skin was extremely pale, and his veins were prominent and dark grey.

“He’s dead!” Aine gasped, “He turned into a cold heart and in his weakened state, it was too much”.

Everyone gasped and Rose couldn’t stop looking at Phineas. He had saved her from death but ultimately had paid the price. Phineas’ hair was matted but still that beautiful glossy black she had admired on the first day she had met him.

Easton had his hand over his mouth, not quite believing how quickly everything had happened. “We will take him back to the Holt and bury him with honours,” Easton told the group, he leant over and picked up Phineas’ body which lay limply in his arms, “He was a good man”

The group used their wands to conjure themselves outside and Aine lured over two of the Toft’s crows with her ability to do bird magic. Lux and Easton holding Phineas’ body were on one crow and Aine was with Rose. Amazingly, the Toft was quite deserted, there seemed to be no one around, not even any soldiers to guard the Toft’s veil.

“Where is everyone?” Rose whispered to her mother.

“I really don’t know, but I don’t want to find out!” Aine replied before she commanded the bird to fly. The other crow followed, and they flew through the Toft’s veil and disappeared above the fields of rapeseed to go back home.