Her Past is His future

**Rosalie** Distant stars like scattered diamonds, twinkled with an unnerving brilliance, nestled in the inky black of a midnight sky. High above, a full moon shone brilliant and bright, casting its beckoning ethereal silver glow over the stone walls of Blackwood Castle. Its light seemed to pull at the very air, guiding the way for those who planned to attend tonight’s gathering. “A coach approaches!” Julius, my father’s oldest tower guard, man whose face was a roadmap of the castle’s long history, bellowed from the archway of the guard tower. His brown cloak flapped in the frigid winter night air, his sparse grey hair glistening in the moonlight. The deep, resonant chime of the castle bells began to echo through the thick, ancient walls, vibrating deep within my bones. Julius’s husky voice, accustomed to commanding the attention of the night, rose above them. “The Lord and Lady Blackwood are near!” The fresh, biting caress of the night air cooled my flustered cheeks, whisking through my unbound black hair that cascaded in waves down my back. I stood on the cold stone balcony of my bedchamber, peering out over the vast, moonlit grounds of Blackwood Castle. The imposing shadow of my parent’s horse-drawn coach, an magnificent carriage pulled by four black steeds, passed slowly through the formidable iron gateway. A chill, more profound than the winter air, ran through my body, protected by nothing more than the itchy red cloak I had been encouraged to wear. It was the traditional attire for the Awakening ceremony—simple, unadorned, meant to make one feel unburdened. I tightened it snugly around my hips, trying to conceal the sheer nakedness beneath, a vulnerability that made my skin prickle. “The Lord and Lady Blackwood have arrived!” Julius repeated, his voice now a mere whisper against the fading chimes. It had been many long weeks since I had seen my parents, and I had missed their presence, their familiar voices filling the quiet corners of the castle. However, their arrival now brought not only relief but also a profound sense of unease that resonated deep within me. They had ventured far beyond the Blackwood borders, journeying to the perilous northern lands, all to complete their collection of the necessary, exotic ingredients for tonight’s magical awakening ceremony… And now, they had returned, bringing with them the weight of my destiny. My father, Emmanuel Blackwood, was an esteemed warlock from the royal Blackwoods—a family of warlocks and witches whose lineage was bedded so deeply in history that our roots were entwined with the very stones of this castle. Magic was not just common in our territory. It was the very essence of life, stretching beyond the seas to other lands. However, not everyone could conjure it unless it was in their blood, like my father. My mother, Louisa, on the other hand, was from a non-magical family, a union that had captivated my father and further strengthened his magical bloodline. A horse’s bridled neighing, sharp and clear in the night, filled my ears, sending a fresh wave of shivers down my spine. I held my hand to my chest, feeling my heart tremble beneath. “Settle Rosalie,” I whispered to myself. “This is for our family.” “Miss... Rose...” Puffed a breathless, familiar voice from behind me. “Rosalie…” I spun on my heels, the red cloak swirling around me like a crimson cloud, to see my lady-in-waiting, Daniella Graybar, clambering breathlessly into my chambers. Her round cheeks were flushed, beads of sweat glistening on her brow despite the chill. Collapsing against the doorframe, she caught her breath, her chest heaving. “Oh my, oh my… Too many stairs…” “Daniella, is - is everything prepared?” I stammered, pulling my cloak protectively closer across my chest, the rough fabric scratching against my sensitive skin. “Is – is it time?” “Yes, Miss,” she frantically fanned her face with her thick, calloused hands, her eyes wide with urgency. “Your father has ordered me to collect you... You must attend the ritual chamber now!” She heaved her stout body from the wall and summoned me closer with an outstretched hand, her voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. “There is no time to waste, dear... Your parents are already making their way there.” “I know tonight’s plans cannot be changed,” I said softly, my voice barely above a whisper. into her honey-brown eyes, which, even in their urgency, held a depth of compassion I knew well. “However, I must confess, am I ready? What if it goes horribly wrong? What if… what if Edward is not my soulmate?” I approached her, the goosebumps on my skin rising with every step, a tremor beginning in my hands. “Is it wrong to admit I fear the worst?” “Oh, my dear,” she cooed, her rough hands taking mine. She held them gentling, stroking them with her thumbs. A profound sense of adoration, a love that transcended the roles of mistress and servant, passed between us. “This ceremony… the Awakening is an honour beyond measure. It awakens a strong magic that lies dormant inside you, and links you eternally, irrevocably, with your soulmate. You will uncover abilities you would never… could never dream about, powers that will sing in your very blood.” “I know, being given this chance is a great honour,” I sighed heavily, the weight of the moment pressing down on me. “Edward has explained to me how the ceremony awakens a primal magic inside you…” I shivered involuntarily, a cold dread clinging to my heart. “However, there is a fear within me that refuses to settle.” “Dear, trust me…” She smiled, a warmth in her expression that could thaw even the coldest winter night. “I have never, in all my years, witnessed two people as deeply, profoundly in love as you and Edward. Your bond is already unbreakable, this ceremony is merely sealing it with magic.” “Daniella, of course, I trust you...” I replied honestly. “You have become more than a mere nursemaid to me. You have become my second mother, my wisest teacher, and my truest confidant. Sadly, even with your words, fear still trembles in my heart…” “You will see, my dear Rosalie…” she patted my hands soothingly, her gaze unwavering. “Now, you must go,” she released my hands and ushered me through the doorway. “Your parents expect you to be in the ritual chamber before them. And you know how pedantic your father is about such timely matters involving magic!” “Yes, I do, and I shall not keep them waiting…” I said, attempting to inject a sense of strength into my words I didn’t feel. I hitched my cloak to my knees, gathering the fabric to allow for quicker movement, and hurried down the dimly lit hallway. The castle’s ancient stones seemed to absorb the sounds, making my footsteps oddly muffled. My heart thundered in my chest, a drumbeat so loud it drowned out the very sounds of my own breath. Daniella followed closely behind, her breaths coming in short, ragged gasps with every step. Despite her years and the comfortable weight she carried on her short frame, she kept up with me, determined to see her task through to the very end. I stopped at the base of the long, winding staircase that led to the ritual chamber at the top of the tower. “Do remember to put on your hood before entering the chamber…” She panted behind me. “Yes,” I replied, my gaze sweeping around the narrow path we had run, hoping to see Edward waiting for me. He had promised. But the hallway, stretching into shadows, remained empty. We were alone. My heart sank, a cold, heavy stone in my stomach. “Edward was to meet me here…” “He will not be far…” Daniella assured me, her voice tainted by urgency. “But you must not wait…” Placing one timid foot on the stone step, I faltered, afraid of the next step and what lay ahead. My breath hitched. “This will be my first time in the ritual chamber...” For as long as I could remember, it was forbidden to enter the ritual chamber without my father’s permission. The chamber was not merely a room; it was a sacred sanctum, a place steeped in generations of magic, where Father, his father, and his father’s father before him practiced their most potent magic and spell casting. It was where I would train when I turned twenty-one, and my powers came to fruition. If tonight went as planned, my magic lessons with Father would begin in two weeks. My sister, Ella, a year older than me, would never have such a chance. She was once vibrant, her spirit as bright as the morning sun. But when she was eighteen, eager and perhaps foolishly bold, she dabbled with forbidden magic in the chamber, unsupervised. She had recklessly mixed two dangerous vials, a volatile combination no one should ever touch without guidance. They erupted, not in fire, but in a blinding flash of white light and chilling magical feedback that seemed to rip through the very fabric of her being. The catastrophic mixture wiped her body of any inherited magic, leaving her empty, a vessel drained. Furious, my father almost banished her from Blackwood Castle, even with our mother’s tearful protests, so great was his anger at the waste of her potential. However, fate, as it often does, had other, far more complex plans… We were visited by Sir William Shires, the master warlock and eldest son of the royal Shires family, from the southern borders. He had heard whispers of my father’s legendary magical abilities and had travelled many days, crossing treacherous lands, to meet him in a desperate bid to be taken under his tutelage. He brought with him magics of unimaginable powers, techniques more profound and devastating than any our family had seen before. He also brought a different kind of magic, a potent, rare form known as Awakening magic, and a disturbingly lustful eye that seemed to linger on Ella a moment too long. The young William, a strikingly handsome man shy of twenty-eight, with eyes like chips of obsidian, claimed to have fallen deeply in love with my sweet Ella, as she, in her fragile state, seemed to have fallen for him. In return for her hand, a union that would merge two powerful magical houses, William offered to show Father his most powerful spell—The Awakening—the very ritual I was about to undergo. Father agreed, and the two were married. Shortly after their wedding, William performed the first awakening ceremony. This was the spell my father had been eagerly awaiting. That night changed Ella and William in a way my naive mind, even now, could not fully comprehend. William, once so open and charming, withdrew, disappearing into the dark, ancient woods at night, returning only with the first rays of dawn, his eyes haunted. Ella would sit at her window, day after day, week after week, weeping silently, her green eyes fixed on nothing. Soon, she refused to speak at all. Her once beautiful, lustrous ebony hair, a waterfall of silk that was the pride of the Blackwood women, had become lifeless and dull. The vibrant sparkle in her green eyes, the trademark of the Blackwood heirs, faded away, leaving behind a hollow emptiness. My dear Ella... I teetered on the stone steps, the vivid memory of that fateful night, that dreadful decline, resurfacing with chilling clarity. Ella, a mere ghost haunting the dark corners of our magnificent castle The fear of meeting the same fate, of becoming like Ella, sent fresh shivers down my spine, tightening my chest until it was hard to breathe. What if I became like Ella? “This is where we part ways, dear Rosalie…” Daniella panted from behind me. “I will see you come daybreak, strong and reborn.” A lump, thick and unyielding, formed in my throat, making it hard to swallow past the sudden rush of tears. I turned to her, my hand reaching out, grasping her arm. “You will look after Ella if this fails?” I pleaded, willing her to understand the depth of my desperation. “No matter what happens, please look after my sister… Daniella, I beg you…” “Yes, my lady,” Daniella nodded, her own eyes turning dark, glistening with unshed tears. “I will do everything I can to care for Miss Ella...” The final guard bell chimed, a solemn, definitive sound that echoed through the castle, sending unwanted shivers through me. Daniella threw her arms around my trembling body and held me, her embrace warm and comforting, a last bastion of normalcy before I stepped into the unknown. “You will be fine, Miss Rose.” She cupped my chin, her motherly eyes softening as she brushed away a lone tear that had escaped my eye. “You have nothing to fear. You have your father’s bravery and stubbornness and your mother’s loyalty and heart. You will come through this stronger and more powerful than before...” “Ella’s awakening ceremony failed.” I reminded her solemnly, the words a sour taste in my mouth. “Yes, I know, dear one,” she ran a comforting finger across my cheek. “As much as I adore Miss Ella, you have always been stronger... You have the Blackwood determination, yes, but you also possess a resilience, a fire, that burns brighter than any I have seen.” Finally swallowing the stuck breath, I kissed Daniella’s warm cheek. “Thank you... For everything.” As we shared a farewell glance, the flutter of nerves bubbled inside me. I ran up the long staircase, taking two steps at a time until I reached the top floor. Standing before me was a grand oak wood door, which I had seen many times before, but today was different. Today, I was about to see the side of the door that had always intrigued and terrified me as a child. Behind this door, Ella had lost herself, and Father had created spells sought after by distant lands. My heart raced, thrumming in my ears. I took a deep breath, trying to calm myself, and reached for the door handle. As I was about to turn it, I heard muffled voices coming from the other side of the door. They were the same hushed murmurs I had heard when Ella awakened. I hesitated for a moment before dropping my arm. Can I do this? I began to back away. What if this fails?! “What if it hurts? What if I lose Edward?” “My beautiful Rose, you will never lose me.” Whispered a soothing voice in my ear. The voice was warm and familiar and made my insides flutter. “I give my word… Besides,” he breathed against my neck, making my thighs weak. “I would never allow anyone to cause you pain…” I whirled around, gasping for air, to find Edward Shires looming behind me. William's younger brother was a breathtaking vision: tall, powerfully built, and the only man who truly held my heart. The moment his eyes locked with mine that day, when he arrived with William, I knew he was my destiny. He possessed a beauty so striking it felt sculpted. The strong angles of his jaw, the breadth of his toned shoulders, the delicate scattering of freckles—each element was flawless. “I have been waiting for you,” he said as he brushed his ebony hair from his face, and my heart hitched. “You were supposed to meet me at the stairs so we could walk up together,” I chuckled, pressing my hand against his chest. At the touch, my fears shied away. “You promised...” “I did promise, my flower… However, I wanted to surprise you…” He grinned, the flames from the torch beside him reflecting in his blue eyes. “And now I have you to myself. How can I keep my hands off you? You are so irresistible...” “You know how to charm me, Edward…” My voice faulted as his lips brushed against my neck, warming the purple rose-shaped birthmark that blemished my fair skin above my collarbone. Edward adored the unusual mark, claiming I was his rose. I closed my eyes as he trailed a path across my collarbone with his fingers, sending static through my body. “Your beauty will be the death of me, dear Rose,” he whispered, inhaling my scent. I must have you tonight. If not, I will surely fall apart…” He kissed my neck, making my knees tremble. “Give me all of you…” The thought of intimacy sobered me. We were waiting to consummate our relationship once the ceremony was over. Each day, it was getting more difficult to contain the desire. Would that desire change after the ceremony? “Edward, wait.” Standing back, I peered into those loving eyes, my thoughts travelling to my poor, broken Ella, wandering around the darkest corners of the castle. What if our desires end tonight? What if, once this is over, we become like Ella and William?” “That will never be us,” he said, slipping his hands beneath my cloak. He grabbed my bare hips and pulled my body closer. “I love my brother dearly, but his marriage and bond to Ella was never love. It was lust on a whim and nothing more. Unlike us… Our destinies are intertwined.”