The Destined Queen

Chapter 41

Emerson silently walked to the bed. " Rose?" He called softly. Rose didn't look up. Her head was cradled in her arms and she was whispering something. " I am okay. I am okay." She whispered more loudly now. " Rose? I have come to take you." Emerson said. Rose stopped cradling herself and slowly looked up at Emerson. Her puffy eyes had bags under them, and they were red. It seemed veins would pop right out of her eyes. Her eyes widened, and she backed away hurriedly. Emerson stepped back. " Rose, We are Winter's friend. We have come to rescue you." I said, as gently as I could. Rose looked at me, with those fearful eyes. "But you are. You are one of them." She said, more to herself than to us. " Yes. But We are your friends. Winter sent us to take you home." Emerson said, smiling lightly." Winter?" she asked, her eyes lighting with recognition. Emerson nodded. " Is He here?" Rose asked, her voice haunted. "Who?" I asked. " Him. The.. Kingmas." She gulped, her eyes scanning the room for the said person. "No. He isn't here. But he will come if we don't hurry. So, come along with us Rose." Emerson said, motioning her to hurry up. "I am afraid." She said, her lips trembling, and she started shaking a little. " You are okay, Rose. " I said softly. She looked at me. And slowly. So slowly She stopped shaking, and she breathed. She nodded. " I am okay." She repeated. I smiled at her slightly. "Come on, Rose," Emerson said. " But I need to know something first. If Winter sent you here. Tell me What is our favorite dessert? Surely if you are her friend, you would know." Rose asked, softly. Clever girl. She still doesn't trust us. " Strawberry Delights," Emerson answered quickly. Rose's eyes widened with wonder. "Now, Come on. Please." Emerson urged her to come along with us, forwarding his hand. Rose nodded and climbed down the shadow bed. She stepped on the ground and winced. "Are you hurt?" I asked. She shook her head " It's cold." She said, staring at the ground. I looked at Emerson. " She is hallucinating," Aaron said. " Rose, Come," Emerson called. Rose looked at him and nodded. She stepped another foot on the ground, and sighed."Let's go." Emerson said. And we ran out of the room. Luthanion was leaning on a wall, Grisha was smoking? And Austin sighed when we walked out." Thank Ramos." He said. " Let's hurry," Emerson said. And we did. Grisha locked the door as quickly as possible, and we ran out of there. To the basement and into the tunnel. And then we were out. 

 "Thank you, Grisha," Emerson said. " We are friends, Emerson." Grisha smiled. Emerson returned the smile. I saw from the corner of my eyes, Luthanion handing a blanket to Rose. She frowned at him at first, but then took it reluctantly. Emerson saw it too. He raised his brow. Luthanion shrugged. " She is in worse condition," He said. I guess Luthanion can also be caring when it comes to distressed people. "You all need to get out of here. Go, and never step foot here." Grish warned. " You will be okay?" I asked. She looked at me and then nodded. "Promise?" Emerson asked. Grisha chuckled. "Guess that Winter girl is getting to you," Grish said. Emerson chuckled lightly. " I promise, Friend," Grisha said. Emerson nodded. And then we left Shadow realm. Safely. But I didn't know why I kept having this feeling that We shouldn't have left Grisha alone to face The Kingmas and her father. But maybe she will be okay. She is strong. And powerful. Than me. I shrugged off the feeling and settled in a chair when Winter ran to Rose and hugged her.

*Winter*

 I hurried down the stairs when Ashten called me. I knew Rose was back. I could feel her. But when I saw her, My heart cracked open. She didn't seem the same. But she attempted to smile. She was miserable at it. I ran to her, and hugged her, as tears started to draw some paths on my cheeks. And Rose just held me. " I am sorry, Rose. So so sorry. I should have been careful. I shouldn't have left you alone when there were Evil souls around.I am so sorry." I apologized to my best friend. " It's okay, Winter. It isn't your fault." Rose said, rubbing her hand on my back. I shook my head.I broke the hug and scanned her. "Don't worry. I am not hurt." She said, chuckling. I looked at her." You are lying. " I said and scanned some more. But she wasn't hurt. " Told ya." Rose said. But there was a bitterness to her voice. "Rose." Ashten called, coming near us. Rose smiled at him and wrapped him in another hug. I rubbed my eyes and breathed. I found Emerson. He was already looking at me." Thank you." I mouthed. He gave me that adoring smile of his, which makes my heart do somersaults. I turned hurriedly. I shouldn't feel this. I exhaled and watched Rose walk to Gustin. " What did he do to you?" Gustin asked, his hands fisted at his side, and his jaw twitched as he took her in. Rose chuckled instead. " Don't you want to hug me?" She asked. Gustin's lips slightly parted, and all of his anger fled from his face. But his back was still rigid. I looked at Ashten, who was gaping at Rose. Gustin stayed at his place, So, Rose did the most surprising thing. More than telling Gustin to hug her. SHE HUGGED HIM. Rose hugged the person she was afraid of. Gustin. Whom she used to call a playboy, and wanted to stay away. Gustin stiffened more and didn't know what to do. But then he broke out of his trance and circled his arms around her. And he sighed.He held her more tightly, so I looked away. It was their moment. And it felt wrong to watch.They needed it. Though I am going to ask Gustin if there is something going on between them, later. But Rose likes Isaac, Right? Instead, I went to Ashten. "What do you think?" I whispered. " I don't know, Winter. She looks horrible."Ashten said, his voice pained.I nodded, gulping. " It could be anything." Emerson said, quietly, coming close to us. " We will talk about this later." I said when Rose broke the hug. Rose smiled at Gustin and backed away. When her eyes fell on Isaac, she backed away more. "What are you doing here?"She asked, fear gripping her face instantly. "It was a misunderstanding, Rose." I said, going near her. I put my palm on her shoulder to calm her down. I didn't want her to freak out. " What?" She frowned. " Isaac wasn't going to marry another girl, Rose. His father lied to you." I said. I felt Rose's shoulder shake under my palm. " I am sorry, Rose... I." Isaac was walking close to her but Rose flinched.Why did she flinch? " Your brother. Your brother took me. " Rose said. She was talking about Trevor. " Yes." I saw Isaac already giving up, and deciding that she won't forgive him. " He gave me over to the Kingmas." Rose said. Isaac backed away a step, and nodded, his eyes downcast. " He told me that you gave him permission to do so." Rose said. Isaac's head snapped to her. He shook his head fast. " No. I would never do that, Rose. I... I.." Isaac gulped. He can't confess in front of everyone. "I think we should talk about this later. Ashten, Did you call Aunt Annie and Uncle Gerald?"I asked. " Yes. They are coming." Ashten replied. I nodded."Come. You need to sit down." I said. Rose sat on the sofa. She was shivering." I feel cold." Rose said. " She is hallucinating." Aaron said." No. I am not. I am feeling cold." Rose retorted, furrowing her brows. I think she is coming to her senses. " Okay. We will get you a bigger blanket. Come." I said and stood up from my place. " I need to shower, first." Rose said. I nodded. "Okay." I led her to a spare room and turned the shower's knob to let it pour warm water. " Turn it around some more." Rose said, coming into the bathroom. I turned it a little around. "Make it hotter, Winter." Rose said. I looked at my best friend. She was looking at me with... Nothing. With nothing. " But it will burn your skin." I said softly." It won't." Rose shook her head. I stared at her. " I have been trained, Winter. And I feel cold. Would you please turn it to hotter?" Rose asked. I nodded slowly and turned it to hotter. " Thank you."Rose said and gave me her hollow smile. I stepped out of the bathroom, and walked downstairs." Is she alright?" Ashten asked as soon as I stepped closer to them. " She..she says she is cold. And she told me to turn the knob so that the shower pours hotter water." I said, numbly. And sat down on a chair. What did they do to her? " What do you mean?" Gustin asked. " It means she is feeling really cold. And she said she has been trained. Nothing will happen to her." I said. My hands were numb. Ashten circled his arms around me and stood behind me. He kissed the crown of my head, and breathed." She will be fine. She is strong." He said. I nodded, couldn't find my voice. " Where was she when you found her?" Ashten asked. Thank lord. Because I couldn't ask them. I don't want to hear it. But I have to. " She was in the shadow castle. Opolo, the King of Shadow realm's daughter took us there and she opened the locks to her door. We found her curled up in a corner on the shadow bed." Emerson said, looking at me, maybe trying to see if I am alright hearing this. Gustin cursed under his breath. Ashten's hold stiffened on me. And Isaac looked more at the ground, and his hands were tightly fisted. " We have to wait for her to be alright. Only then we will get to know." Neil said. So, we waited. Rose came down after a while, wrapped in a thick blanket like it was already winter season. I ran to her. And led her to the sofa. Emerson murmured about going to cook her a meal. " Can damned souls cook?" Rose asked, confusion on her face. " Yes. And he is a very talented cook." I said. Rose nodded. Then she looked at Isaac. " Your brother said a lot of things to me. How you think about me. And how you were. The real you. Before your brother died." Rose said. Isaac looked at her. " And?" He asked. " I believed him. But now that I am seeing that you are here. I think He was lying to me. If you would have done this, You wouldn't have been here. Standing in Winter's apartment. " Rose said. Yes, Because I would have killed him. Isaac nodded. " If you want to be my friend. I would rather know you more." Rose said, gently. Isaac's eyes snapped to her, and it shone with hope. "Really?" He asked. Rose nodded. Friend. Not boyfriend. And Isaac was ready for it. I think I was right, not to kill him. He understands that she needs space and that she is not herself. She needs a friend more than a boyfriend, now. " I would love to talk to you." Isaac said, smiling. " Then, we will start over, Isaac." Rose said. Isaac nodded, smiling brightly. And I saw that look on his face. He would fight for her. He would wait for her. He would be there for her. Whenever she needs him.