Part 4 of untitled

Rose stood by her father's bedside, watching the slow rise and fall of the blankets on his chest. They were such small breaths, the blankets barely moving, but Rose hadn't given up yet. Perhaps he could still pull through this mysterious and sudden sickness. Her brothers stood to her right, eldest to youngest as was their privilege. First Percy, tall and unmoving, his jaw set and his blue eyes drilling holes into the tapestry on the wall across the room. He was older than her by six years and they had never been close. Then Willfred, 4 years her elder, his height exceeded Percy's, as did his ambitions. Even in this solemn moment his eyes shifted around the room, gauging everyone, taking note of anything except his father. Seymour was the last, standing at the foot of the bed. He was younger than Rose by four years and she'd always coddled him, dressing him up as her baby doll, then exploring and mischief making when they got older. He still had the tousled blonde hair and the chubby cheeks she'd always been fond of, as well as lovely long eyelashes framing deep blue eyes, which now were filled with unspent tears. His chin trembled and he was blinking furiously trying to keep his hands still. Her mother, the Heart of Elkshorn, Queen Allanna lounged at the other side of the bed, one hand holding a kerchief to her lips, her brown eyes matched her daughter's and they wandered distractedly over her husband's face and around the room. Her long brunette tresses were laid out on her square shoulders, and she was uncharacteristically cold.

A tapping sound came from the door and Davis stepped in and bowed quietly. "Lord V'Sluz is here to express his condolences Your Majesty," he said, facing the floor. The Queen looked up and straightened, sweeping her hair to one shoulder, and murmured, "I will go speak with him." Davis looked surprised that she would trouble herself, but his only comment was, "As you wish my Queen," before he just as quietly withdrew. The Queen glanced again at the almost still blankets as she stood and straightened her vivid green dress. She walked quickly to the door, twisting her tresses nervously, straightening her dress one more time before she walked through. Rose could hear low whispers, Lord V'Sluz, she guessed and a slightly more musical murmur in return, her mother. How could she leave Father's side! At a time like this! Doesn't she know he needs her support! She should be here, holding his hand, being strong for him! She shouldn't be receiving condolences anyway! V'Sluz is a rat, coming here at a time like this! Suddenly there was a muffled sound from Seymour and she realized the blankets moved no longer. No! She reached to her father's hand and it was cold. The life had fled his body. Anger and sadness warred within her and she wilted under the explosion of emotion, sobbing on the floor, oblivious to the world around her.

At the noise, the Queen and Lord V'Sluz dashed into the room, quickly taking in everything and drawing their conclusions. Allanna's breath caught for a moment before V'Sluz caught her in his arms, holding her upright as it appeared that she might have lost her will to stand. Percy shuffled around, placing his arm around Seymour's shaking shoulders while Willfred looked around the room, anywhere but at the bed, before finally stalking out of the room. Percy then ushered Seymour out, Seymour still streaming tears, but trying to be brave. Lord V'Sluz was whispering in quietly soothing sounds to Queen Allanna when Rose finally pulled herself together and picked herself off of the floor. The Queen mother seemed startled to notice Rose, as if she hadn't known she was there, but then was swept away as V'Sluz gently forced her out. Rose noticed he turned back at the doorway, coldly evaluating her as she stood sniffling and red faced by the bed. Davis then returned, Adelaide by his side, looking at her so sadly that grief came like a fresh fountain. Rose burst into tears and ran to Adie. The nursemaid held the princess, rocking her back and forth as if she were a child again.
~~

It was the next day that Rose decided that she'd had enough of Lord V'Sluz. He had worked himself into the royal family's good graces in the five years since she'd met him. Since the wars were over, he had received his own estate and wealth to go with it, but that didn't keep him away. He'd been at the castle frequently, even dropping by unannounced in the past couple of years, to the delight of the royal family, if not to the heir, Rose herself. Unfortunately, she'd had no say in the matter. Anytime she'd tried to discuss her discomfort with her Queen Mother, Allanna dismissed her immediately and refused to hear anything negative about the man. Her father seemed to share some of her concerns, but wouldn't say anything against him outright, and of course, her brothers always were eager to hear the General's stories of conquest. Rose just couldn't ignore the closeness that her mother seemed to be feeling toward the man, plus the feeling that he wasn't all he seemed to be, or that he was more than he seemed to be in any case, so she set to finding out. Slipping slowly past the sleeping maid in the her room, she eased open the door as silently as she could. She congratulated herself for remembering to oil the hinges as she'd done when she was younger. Sneaking through the castle during the night was just as thrilling as it always had been, but this time she wasn't just pranking her brothers, this time she was going to spy on one of the most powerful men in the kingdom.