A Royal Rose

Chapter Twenty

No sooner than they had arrived back, King Rowan had sent a pigeon with a letter attached. An aide had brought it through to the room where the group were debriefing themselves and sharing a bottle of wine. They had just finished a toast to Phineas. The aide placed the letter on the side table next to the couch he was sat on, Easton looked at the letter and then at the group. The envelope had the Toft’s markings on, and he couldn’t imagine it held good news inside it.

Nervously, Easton opened the letter, oddly King Rowan had agreed to keep the peace only if his daughter who had been held in the Holt for nearly thirty years was allowed back to her birthplace. The letter also stated that he wanted an inquest to be held into what happened.

“I don’t mind letting Leah go back to the Toft but he doesn’t just want Leah to go” Easton was that furious with the letter and he didn’t want to read it out loud so he passed it to Rose to let her read it out to the group instead.

“Not only do they want Mara’s mother Leah to go back but unfortunately, Leah wants her son Alf to accompany her too. No wonder you’re upset Easton… Alf is your best friend!”

Easton was reluctant to let Alf go but knew that if he didn’t it would create issues.

Alfred was brought to the palace to discuss the contents of the letter. By the sound of what Alfred said, neither he nor his mother knew that was King Rowan’s plan.

“My mother isn’t in the best place mentally now and now she has the added grief of losing Mara. I best go with her to keep the peace, I don’t want to go but be assured I will miss you” Alfred told his friend, and the two men shook hands firmly. Although both men knew it was for the best, it was easy to see that they would miss one another, so Easton made sure that Alfred knew he could write to him whenever he wanted. Easton also told Alfred and his mother to take a bird from the birdcage and make sure they took whatever else would make them comfortable.

“I’m sorry,” Rose told Alfred when he was about to leave. Alfred just politely smiled back. I hope he doesn’t hate me too much, she thought. She couldn’t read Alfred at all; he said his goodbyes to everyone and went to go to the Toft with his mother. Rose was wracked with guilt and she felt sick to her stomach about the events that had unfolded.

The minute Alfred had left, Easton slumped back in his chair. “I feel like I’ve just sent him to be slaughtered,” he said with a heavy heart, “we’ve known each other since we were kids”. Rose who was sat next to him, patted his leg and felt partly responsible for splitting them both up.

Lux necked the rest of her tall glass of wine, “I and Aine are going out to a bar. See you all tomorrow”. Lux said before she and Aine left, giving Rose a huge hug before she went. It was just Rose, and Easton left in the room now, so the two of them cuddled up on the couch together. The two of them were sore but grateful to have one another after the events.