Rose's Thorns

Chapter 20

The light that woke me was too bright to sleep through. I opened my eyes and squinted at the window that the morning sun blinded me through. I looked at where Aspen had fallen asleep only to find him gone. I used my hand to feel where he had lain finding it cold. I sat up and saw Cedar at my feet, he lifted his head, his silver eyes meeting mine, his tail thumped on the bed before he layed on his back. I reached down and rubbed his belly, his skin was so soft. 

I got out of bed and cleaned my blood cloth before stretching. I was about to take off my night dress when the door to the room opened. Cedar snarled as I turned around. Aspen walked in, wearing new clothes with more in one hand, breakfast in the other. I walked over and took the clothes setting them down on the chest at the foot of the bed. 

"Good morning love." He said kissing my forehead as he handed me the plate he had brought in. "Eat up, we'll be leaving in a few hours." I nodded before sitting down and eating all I could, the rest I handed back to my husband who finished it. 

"I was surprised to see you gone when I woke up." I told him as I stood and shut the door. I found a brush on the dresser that hadn't been there the morning before and brushed my long hair before pulling it back with a hair ribbon that was beside it. The brilliant shine of gold caught my eye and I smiled at my wrist before walking to the chest and laying out my clothes. I pulled off my under dress and pulled on the white panties for my week of bleeding before slipping on my leather pants. 

Putting my my shirt had to wait as Aspen came up to me and grabbed hold of my t**s, squeezing them firmly. His lips attacked mine, I let out a breathless moan against his lips and he replied in the same manner. I reached down into his pants and used my hand to rub his c**k, closing my fist around it and moving it up and down, in the same manner he did in my p***y the morning before. 

He growled like a dog before his mouth fell open his entire body tensing. His head fell to my shoulder, his teeth sinking into my skin, not enough to draw blood. I felt something warm and wet on my hand and I pulled away, pleased I was able to give him his release. He straightened and kissed me once again before looking at my hand that was covered in white goo. I laughed and went to the basin of clean water and washed my hands. He was behind me with a small cloth a minute later, cleaning the inside of his pants. I let him finish up while I went to the bed and pulled on the pale cotton brazier and pine green shirt made of linen. A brown leather halter that went over my linen top, it matched perfectly with my brown leather trousers. 

I pulled on my rabbit lined shoes and looked at my husband who was looking at me with pride. "You look absolutely breathtaking Rowan." He said before taking my hand and kissing the back of it gently. "I have to be the luckiest man alive to have you as my bride." I felt blood rush to my cheeks as I blushed, I got on the tip on my toes and placed a petal soft kiss on his nose before grabbing my empty plate and the hair brush and walking down to the kitchens, handing the dish to Irene who insisted on taking it. Aspen then took my hand and brought me to a room I hadn't been to on the east side of the castle, it was right next to King Tyson's office with another large redwood door. 

The room was dark and seemingly empty, that was until King Tyson walked in with a torch lighting two others on the wall. That was when the room began to shine. Two silver crowns sat in the center of the room along with Tyson and Reymira's golden crowns. Aspen walked over to the larger of the two silver crowns and Tyson placed it on his head. Aspen was a hair taller than his father so he had to bend his head for him. I noticed how tense and focused he was once the crown was on his head. He then looked at me, and I smiled at him, the emerald lined up with the center of his forehead matching the one he used as his right eye. He held his hand out and I walked over placing my hand in his without hesitation. 

"I want every man, woman and child to know who you are while we travel my love, that is why I have decided to place the royal diadem upon your head." Aspen took the smaller of the silver crowns and placed it on my head. I felt the coldness of the emerald in the center of my forehead as the jewel hung down, smaller emeralds lined the silver bands that held the diadem to my head. "You are my wife and you're to be my queen, should anyone cross you they will have to face me." His words were sweet to my ears but I knew he would keep his word. Anyone to disrespect me, would end up a bloodstain on his boots. 

"There is no fool alive who would cross you." I told him as I took his right hand in my left and laced our fingers together. He grinned and tightened his hold a little before looking behind my shoulder at his father. I turned my head and smiled at the king. His eyes widened before he beamed, I felt myself smile wider before being pulled away by my Prince. We walked out to the stables and tacked our own horses before walking them to the castle gates where my siblings were waiting. I handed Wren the brush I still held in my right hand and she placed it in the covered wagon. 

I noticed another prison like wagon where Roeger sat chained up like the animal he was. I also took notice of the four mounted guards around him. Two banner riders held the sigil of the royal house which was a pine tree with needles the color of emeralds. It was a welcome sight knowing the fat man was finally going to get what he deserved.

"Wow." Opal said handing me my cloak from the wagon as she looked upon my head. "You look like a real princess now." I chuckled as I pulled my cloak on fastening the two buttons and tying the string below my neck, I was making sure my cloak would stay on. A few minutes later Wren and Opal were loaded into the wagon along with Cedar who jumped right in. Hooves made a clatter on the stone road as Forest and Zuko rode over to us on their horses. 

Zuko was riding a red colored horse with a white blaze on his face while Forest was mounted on a brown horse, he had a white snip and star near his eyes, his mane and tail were black and three of his four hooves had white stockings. The last hoof was brown to the fetlock, his hoof was black while the rest were a light pinkish, tan color. 

Thanks to my husband I was a bit sore from riding the previous day, but I was able to mount Fey myself after checking and tightening her cinch. Once I was up my cloak layed gracefully on Fey's back giving her a black blanket. I noticed that Forest was looking at my head, as was Zuko, he seemed quite surprised that I was wearing the royal diadem. 

"Are we ready?" Aspen asked turning Torrand so he could face Forest and Zuko. 

"Aye, my prince." Forest answered. Aspen nodded and looked to me, I nodded back and he smirked before looking at the two men on the covered wagon and the lone driver of the prison cart.

"Yes, your grace." They answered. Just like that Aspen led Torrand off at a trot getting ahead of everyone, Fey, not liking being separated from Torrand, cantered off after him. I giggled as she caught up to her stallion and slowed to his pace. I patted her neck and Aspen looked over at me with a smile, that was until flapping above us caught our attention. There a pure white owl flew, hooting before heading into the trees. 

"Glad to see he hasn't left." I commented to myself, Aspen looked over at me with his eyebrows furrowed in confusion.

"You've seen the owl before?" 

"Aye, once in a brook after my nightmare, then again when we were stopped in town for the night, and another time on our way here while I was eating. The last time I saw him, was in the stables the day I met Torrand, and you."

"Are you sure it is the same owl?" He asked.

"I'm not 100 percent sure, but yes I think so." He lost himself in thought after that, even with him silent we were able to trot along for four hours non-stop. That was when we reached the first village on the way to house Kinder, the house in the mountains who warned all about the white lions. 

"This is the village of Faolich. They are mostly smiths, leather workers and animal farmers." Aspen told me before he signaled for the banner riders to go ahead of us. We walked through the center of town and I took notice of how thin most of these people looked. They were covered in dirt and seemed afraid of us. 

"My love, who's banner does this village live under?" I asked Aspen. 

"House Lyn, they have maybe two good farms in total. But they had a very poor harvest this year." 

"These people wont survive the winter if they don't get fed." I said looking at him, he turned to me and smiled softly. 

"We'll send a goshawk to my parents when we arrive at house Lyn, we'll get them some food." He assured me. 

We were nearly through town when I saw a small girl drop her bread in mud, she picked up the food and was still going to eat it. I stopped Fey, in turn stopping our entire parade. I got off my horse and handed the reins to Aspen who was watching me carefully. I went to the wagon and grabbed an apple and two large pieces of bread and carried them over to the small girl who was chewing her muddy bread. 

"Here little one, have these, don't eat that muddy bread." She looked at me strangely before slowly walking over and taking one of the pieces of bread. I smiled lightly and held the apple and the other piece out to her and her eyes began to glisten with tears. She took the apple and second piece of bread while crying before stepping closer and hugging me gently. 

"Thank you." She sobbed as she clung to the food. 

"Deshi! (Deh-shy)" I heard a woman call, a frazzled looking woman came around the corner her eyes falling on the little girl. "Your grace!" She said quickly bowing to me, and then to the rest of the party. She looked at the food her daughter was holding then looked back to me before her eyes began to glisten. "Thank you, your grace." She said on the verge of tears. Deshi, looked up at me and I could see the pale skin she had under the mud from where the tears left clean streaks. 

"Go on little one." I told her, she walked over to her mom and held out the second piece of bread. 

"Mamma, I got us dinner." I heard her say. Dinner? What I gave her wasn't even a proper snack. 

"Thank you again your grace." Deshi's mother said. I sent her a small smile before realizing she would hate to be looked at with pity. 

"I don't know your name, but you have done a marvelous job of raising Deshi, She is a wonderful girl." I told her, she smiled and wiped a tear that slid down her face. 

"That is very nice of you to say your grace." She said as Deshi took a bite of the first bread I gave her. 

"I'm sure you have things to do, I won't keep you any longer." I told the woman who smiled and curtsied before taking her daughter's hand and pulling her away. I wiped one last tear of my own before walking back to Fey and mounting her. We were all silent as we rode on, headed to house Lyn, everyone knew that no words would be able to ease the emotions of either Aspen nor I.