King said,
“Thank you for the call, Captain of the Black Rose.”
“Goodbye,
your Majesty.”
The
line went dead.
Chapter XVI
Mathew walked towards the door of his private office. He entered the corridor
beyond and walked slowly down the hallway, ignoring the occasional guard who
stood before various doorways along the hall. He had not spoken to Mara in
centuries, instead opting to deal with the Black Rose through intermediaries—usually
through Captain Regald. In fact, the last time he had spoken to Mara directly,
she had refused his proposal of marriage. It had been just over five-hundred
years ago. The Ciar Court had split in half and the Arum Court was formed. His
uncle had lead the rebellion which had threatened civil war within the Ciar
Court. An agreement was reached at the last moment, neither side eager to
engage in the loss of more immortal life.
However, his uncle’s antics had been less than popular among powerful members
of his newly formed court and even less so with the Court he had rebelled
against. Facing mistrust on all sides, he had turned to his nephew. A
Sub-Captain in the Black Rose Guard, Mathew was hailed a hero by both courts
and an ideal candidate to take over his uncle’s troubled throne.
It had been then that Mathew had turned to the woman who, even nearly a century
later, was still hailed as the hero of both Courts, and asked her to be his
Queen.
“Come with me, Mara,” he had said. “Stand by my side and help me to build a
better Court, to be a better ruler than the ones we once served.”
It had taken several moments before Mara answered. “Mathew, you don’t know what
you’re saying.”
“Yes, I do. Just think, Mara. We have a chance to build a Court better than the
ones we once served. We can protect our men and their families.” He offered a
smile. “It will be everything we ever dreamed of. We can—”
“Mathew, wait.”
“Think about it. We could create a Court that honors the old traditions. Where
the men and women you have vowed to protect would finally be safe.”
Mara turned to face him. “And tell me, my Lord, in what role would you have me
cast within this Court which you describe?”
“Why, by my side, of course.” He took a step closer. “I would see you made a
Queen.”
“Queen,” Mara clarified, “to your Kingship?”
“Yes.”
“I’m sorry, Mathew. I cannot do that.” She matched his gaze fiercely.
“Mara,” he responded, “I would offer you my heart, along with my kingdom.” He
lowered himself to one knee before her. “Please, my Lady…be my Queen. I will
give you control of the kingdom. My rule will be in name only, to your
leadership.”
“It’s not about that, Mathew. Don’t you see?”
“Is it about love? Rest assured, Mara, I love you.”
“But I don’t love you,” came her quiet response.
“What?”
“Mathew,” Mara started again, “I am sorry if I have mislead you in any way. But
I…” She forced herself to meet his gaze. “I cannot do as you ask.”
He stared at her dumbfounded for several moments. A glimmer of realization
dawned and he looked at her incredulously. “Could it be?” He shook his head in
disbelief. “You are still in love with Edward.”
She
did not deny it, only stood silently, the pain showing only through her violet
eyes.
“Even
after what he did to you? After all he put you through. After he…” Mathew took
a step closer to her. “He cannot love you, Mara. You know that he cannot love
you. He is incapable of
“Thank you for the call, Captain of the Black Rose.”
“Goodbye,
your Majesty.”
The
line went dead.
Chapter XVI
Mathew walked towards the door of his private office. He entered the corridor
beyond and walked slowly down the hallway, ignoring the occasional guard who
stood before various doorways along the hall. He had not spoken to Mara in
centuries, instead opting to deal with the Black Rose through intermediaries—usually
through Captain Regald. In fact, the last time he had spoken to Mara directly,
she had refused his proposal of marriage. It had been just over five-hundred
years ago. The Ciar Court had split in half and the Arum Court was formed. His
uncle had lead the rebellion which had threatened civil war within the Ciar
Court. An agreement was reached at the last moment, neither side eager to
engage in the loss of more immortal life.
However, his uncle’s antics had been less than popular among powerful members
of his newly formed court and even less so with the Court he had rebelled
against. Facing mistrust on all sides, he had turned to his nephew. A
Sub-Captain in the Black Rose Guard, Mathew was hailed a hero by both courts
and an ideal candidate to take over his uncle’s troubled throne.
It had been then that Mathew had turned to the woman who, even nearly a century
later, was still hailed as the hero of both Courts, and asked her to be his
Queen.
“Come with me, Mara,” he had said. “Stand by my side and help me to build a
better Court, to be a better ruler than the ones we once served.”
It had taken several moments before Mara answered. “Mathew, you don’t know what
you’re saying.”
“Yes, I do. Just think, Mara. We have a chance to build a Court better than the
ones we once served. We can protect our men and their families.” He offered a
smile. “It will be everything we ever dreamed of. We can—”
“Mathew, wait.”
“Think about it. We could create a Court that honors the old traditions. Where
the men and women you have vowed to protect would finally be safe.”
Mara turned to face him. “And tell me, my Lord, in what role would you have me
cast within this Court which you describe?”
“Why, by my side, of course.” He took a step closer. “I would see you made a
Queen.”
“Queen,” Mara clarified, “to your Kingship?”
“Yes.”
“I’m sorry, Mathew. I cannot do that.” She matched his gaze fiercely.
“Mara,” he responded, “I would offer you my heart, along with my kingdom.” He
lowered himself to one knee before her. “Please, my Lady…be my Queen. I will
give you control of the kingdom. My rule will be in name only, to your
leadership.”
“It’s not about that, Mathew. Don’t you see?”
“Is it about love? Rest assured, Mara, I love you.”
“But I don’t love you,” came her quiet response.
“What?”
“Mathew,” Mara started again, “I am sorry if I have mislead you in any way. But
I…” She forced herself to meet his gaze. “I cannot do as you ask.”
He stared at her dumbfounded for several moments. A glimmer of realization
dawned and he looked at her incredulously. “Could it be?” He shook his head in
disbelief. “You are still in love with Edward.”
She
did not deny it, only stood silently, the pain showing only through her violet
eyes.
“Even
after what he did to you? After all he put you through. After he…” Mathew took
a step closer to her. “He cannot love you, Mara. You know that he cannot love
you. He is incapable of
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