The sword and the white rose

Chapter Five

I couldn’t restrain myself after some time. After I was done crying, a wave of anger washed over me. I stood up from Korrack’s lap, wiped away my tears, and adjusted my cloak, black leather pants, and black and pink sheer shirt. My left eye twitched as anger surged within me. I exhaled sharply, and my hand curled into a fist. Without hesitation, I rushed downstairs and took hold of Brutus by the neck, launching him forcefully into a nearby wall, eluding Korrack’s attempt to intervene. His body collided with the wall so forcefully that it resulted in a broken piece of the wall. I strolled over to him with a sinful smile.

“You mentioned his presence, Brutus. So where is he?” I said this with a sinister tone in my voice, c****d my head to my right side. I could feel myself losing control over myself. I didn’t care. He was the one I wanted back. As I was reaching down to pull him back up by his throat. Korrack grabs my upper arm and pulls me up. When he did this, he made me do a little spin so I could face him.

“Please refrain from doing this, Mystery.”

What is the objection to doing it?” I said, with poison in my voice. “He was being dishonest. Morifirer is no longer here due to his lies. Remove your hand from me at once.”

My voice made it clear to Korrack that I was not in my right state of mind. He had a serious look on his face, and his eyes reflected the same intensity. And he loosened his grip on me. I stood patiently, expecting him to take action. The person standing in front of Korrack was Rozetta, not Rosie, Mystery, or La Mia piccola Stella.

“Korrack, is there something wrong? Don’t you love me anymore?”

“La Mia piccola Stella, my love for you will never fade. It’s a fact that will always remain the same. You don’t need to venture down this path to locate the person you’re looking for.”

“Your statement is wrong. If it’s unnecessary, how can you be sure? You were absent. Not a single person was around. Nobody will pay attention to me no matter what. Just like always, I was left alone and in tears. You’ve also deserted me, just like everyone else. Following my desperate plea and request, I begged you not to depart. What was your course of action? You abandoned me.”

As I spoke those words, a sense of sadness appeared in his eyes. I was aware of the potential harm it would cause him, yet I was unconcerned. Currently, I have no concern for hurting him, despite his long-standing support and role as a father figure. I was filled with immense emotional pain. Prior to continuing our conversation, he brushes away a tear from his eyes.

“NO! You don’t. There’s always an alternative route. Just as I mentioned, I had no choice but to do it. I didn’t want to leave you La Mia piccola Stella.”

He became more and more tense, while his eyes continued to express sadness. He strongly dislikes it when she goes out. I am determined to get Morifirer back, no matter what. Korrack monitored my every move with hawk-like intensity. He attentively watched my hand, anticipating my strike. Despite not hitting him, he insisted on moving forward and convincing me that ‘we will find him. We will get him back, but not like this.’ I kept shaking my head No.

“He needs to experience the same level of pain he’s causing me before it’s over.”

“He doesn’t have to endure the same type of pain. Mystery.”

Absolutely, he does. I remained fixated on Brutus the entire time. I was exerting pressure on his body, crushing it in my hand. The only thing I could hear was Brutus screaming inside my mind. I couldn’t help but laugh out loud as his body cracked and his screams intensified. Suddenly, darkness enveloped everything.

When I opened my eyes the next night, I realized I had returned to Morifirer’s and my room. Sitting in the chair, Korrack was absorbed in reading a book. I had personal knowledge of Anne Rice, the writer. I expressed disagreement by shaking my head. A vampire reading a book about vampires - very ordinary. My attempt to move my hand was unsuccessful. My freedom was taken away by Korrack’s chains. Rage started to build up inside me. Frustrated, I made another forceful movement with my hand, desperate to shatter the chains that kept me bound.

“Oh, so you’re finally awake.”

“Korrack, could you please share what happened?”

“You lost control, so I had to render you unconscious. What is the last memory you have now?” He placed the book on my nightstand and uttered these words.

“Shedding tears on your lap and growing furious.”

“Alright, Rosie, I think it’s time to release you from your chains. Her talent as a writer is exceptional”

“I am fully aware that she is.”

He rose with a gradual pace. He returned the chair to my desk, then came back to where I was. I am familiar with what he was up to. He was stalling to see if I would lose my temper or not. He observed with satisfaction. He sat on Morifirer’s side of the bed and carefully unlocked the chains. Upon successfully undoing the spell and unlocking them, I quickly sat up and held onto my wrist with my other hand. Ensuring the safety of my wrist, he was careful not to dislocate it. I found out he didn’t know. A smile appears on my face.

“Korack.”

“Yes, La Mia piccolo Stella.” He said this as he lifted his head to look at me.

I forcefully pulled my head back and then swiftly moved it forward, landing a hit on the bridge of his nose right in the center of his eyes. As a result, he lost his balance and stumbled backwards before he fell. It caused him to lose consciousness. I make him rise from the floor by flicking my wrist. I put him on my bed, which had the chains. By locking one of his wrists in, the spell is activated and prevents him from removing them. Once I finished with him, I went to my closet to search for a new outfit and retrieve my concealed weapons from my vanity tote. They had been sitting unused for quite some time. Inside the tote, I found and took out the very first weapon I had ever obtained. When I was seven, Korrack gave me a Roman dagger.

“Papa Korrack.” I heard myself call, but my lips were not moving nor was I calling his name is my head. Korrack’s voice called out, “La Mia piccolo Stella, where are you?” Closing my eyes, I experienced a heightened sense of hearing and vision.

“Papa Korrack,”

I dashed towards him. Positioned in the middle of my garden, he stood. He swiftly lifts me up and spins us both around. I burst into giggles as he embraced me tightly. He planted a kiss on my forehead before placing me down.

“La Mia piccolo Stella, how are things going for you this evening?”

“Your presence has made things better now. Mother is back to being moody again.”

“Oh, she truly is. How about you come with me for a bit and give your mother a break?”

“Alright, we might need to inform her so she’s aware of our location.”

He playfully flicked the end of my nose with his pointer finger. My only response is a smile. With Korrack, I never felt anything but secure. He became my father after my biology father dead.

”You’re absolutely correct. Allow me to inform your mother before we depart.”

I did a small spin and walked on my toes, arms outstretched. “Hurry up, don’t take too long.”

Korrack chuckled before going into the house. I remained outdoors, anticipating his departure. He spent approximately five minutes inside. Two bags accompanied Korrack as he made his entrance. In a gesture of curiosity, I tilt my head to the side.

“Korrack, what’s the reason behind those bags you’re carrying?”

“La Mia piccolo Stella, you will accompany me for a little while. I assumed you wouldn’t be bothered by that.”

My eyes widened and a smile appeared on my face. I couldn’t contain my excitement and started jumping up and down. With a smile, Korrack approached me and held my hand. As we walked away, my mother yelled, “Will I still be paid for her absence?” I was embarrassed that Korrack was paying my mother for me to stay at the house. Looking down at me, Korrack smiled. He shouted in response, ‘I’m not sure yet, but as long as you stay in the same house.’

Korrack and I stroll for a bit until we reach a fort-like structure on the outskirts of town.

“Is that where you live, Papa Korrack?”

“Indeed, I do. And you will stay here.”

Upon nearing the destination, we noticed an individual standing by the door.

“Abigail, good evening. Where is Amolio?”

The woman had fiery red hair braided into a ponytail bun and stood at about 5 feet tall. Her eyes had a vibrant green color with yellow specks scattered within. Her skin had an olive complexion. She was wearing a black and beige upper middle class corset dress with lace over the sleeves.

“He’s patiently waiting for you indoors. I am good for now.” When she spook her tone of voice was like a baby song so soft. Her face displayed a mix of shock and confusion as she spoke these words.

“Just to be clear, Abigail, No, but she’s almost there. Edgar is her biological father.”

Upon hearing Korrack say my father’s name, she instinctively moved back and bowed her head in my direction. I gave her a strange look. With a shocked expression, Korrack and I proceeded inside. The location was stunning. When you entered, a large crystal chandelier hung from above, casting an immense amount of light that illuminated the entire room. The walls were adorned with a variety of paintings - landscapes, people, and some that appeared to be splattered with paint. Each painting had a name scribbled on its bottle. I could only decipher the letters M and R with a sword intersecting a rose in a few of them. I was filled with awe as I entered the first room. This is unlike anything I’ve ever seen. I was startled when Korrack touched my shoulder.

“Come along, my dear, and let me lead you to your room.”

I acknowledged with a nod and trailed Korrack to the staircase. While I was following him, I observed that the staircase was made of solid oak wood and had intricate details on the railing, with ivy wrapped around the two starting posts. While ascending the stairs, I encountered a split in the staircase—one path veering left and the other veering right. Korrack chose the left side of the staircase. Walking up the stairs and down the hallway, we were guided by the sconce’s light. On the left side, there were four bedrooms. If you count the doors from the staircase, my room was the second one. The door, crafted from live white oak, featured exquisite rose engravings, giving it a truly magnificent appearance. Some of the engravings even appeared to pop out of the door. I couldn’t resist. I extend my hand to touch the door. The etchings and colors were breathtaking, featuring roses in vibrant red, white, pink, and black, with stems in shades of Emerald green, forest green, and green. The background had a pale blue color, almost resembling white, with my name engraved near the top of the door. Near the bottom there was an engraving that said Morte da Princesa.

“Does it meet your liking?”

Tears were streaming down my face. This is something that no one has ever done for me before. My sister was always the one. I withdrew my trembling hand from the door. Tears streamed down my face like rain when I looked at Korrack.

“Papa Korrack, I absolutely adore it.”

I throw myself towards his abdominal region. Tears streamed down my face as I embraced him. He let go of the bag and went down on his knees. I found it more manageable to hug him tightly and let my tears flow. He wraps one of his arm around me and stroke my hair with the other one, trying to calm me down.

“What is the reason for your tears? Aren’t you happy?”

Upon hearing his words, I distanced myself from him and wiped away my tears. My face displayed a mix of shock and a smile.

“Silly Papa Korrack, these tears are not of sadness. These tears signify overwhelming happiness”

As I explained what was happening, I heard someone chuckle. The moment I shared this with Korrack, his face resembled that of someone who had just been slapped. He shook his head in disbelief.

“Amolio, you’re free to come out now. There’s no need to be secretive around her or me.”

“Korrack, don’t forget that there are other human emotions,” said the guy with 5’6 height and golden bronze Spyro hair. His eyes glowed with a Parisian burn, streaked with a golden yellow from the iris. He had on a burgundy velvet cloak with a hood that was draped over him. Unlike the girl downstairs, he had a more blusterous about himself.

“Amolio, this is Florence. She will remain here temporarily. Florence this is Amolio. He is a friend of mine and a friend of your father’s.”

“Are you familiar with my dad?” I said this with a smile on my face

As I said this, he looked at Korrack with confusion, but didn’t say anything. He lowered himself to meet my gaze.

Since I know a lot of people, I’ll inquire about your father, child. His voice was very gentle when he spoke. The soft had a calm aspect.

“My father was Ed…”

“Amolio, I need to have a conversation with you after I’ve shown her where she’ll be staying.”Korrack cut me off before I could finish what I was going to say.

Amolio rose to his feet and gave a nod of approval. He turned around and went downstair. Korrack open the door to my room, grab both bags, and walked inside.

“La Mia piccolo Stella, you coming.”

Korrack’s sudden speech interrupted my train of thought. I turn to Korrack and walked inside. The room was massive. There was a four posted solid oak bed with a pink sheer net over the top of the post that come together on the top that hanged from the ceiling. White silk fabric tried the side that was closer to the back. The bed was enormous enough to hold two full adults in it comfortably and softly. Black, pink, velvet with white tassels on it was the blanket. The pillow was pink velvet with the word embroidery on it with gold thread. I look over to the windows there had a black velvet curtains hang from them with white tassels on the ends. There was a white oak vanity next to the windows. I turn to find Korrack; he was in the closet area hang up my clothing. The closet look like a whole unique room.

“Did I get the colors right?”

“Yes, Papa Korrack you did.” I said this while I was walking over to the bed to feel the blanket.

Placing my last dress aside, he comes towards me. When he got to me, he pick me up and place me on the bed and kneed down.

“I’ve got something else to hand over to you.”

“Really? What is it?”

Korrack revealed a small box that was black. I looked at him weirdly

“What is it?”

“Open it.”

When I opened the box, I found a painted metal detail dagger inside. The dagger Sheath had so much detail that there were lines going in so many directions halfway up the sheath was three red triangles with three circles at the bottom of the triangles above that looks like the leaves on it and about two finger width above that was a crescent moon facing down with a line about in the middle of the moon shape going up and another crescent moon facing up towards the handle with a line in the same spot as the other moon a line going down to make both moons connect and right end of the sheath was a Circle with leaves and a red spot on it. Othe upper side of the sheath were three red spots with a loop so I could tie it around my hip. The dagger handle had similar patterns on it. From the top of the handle to the dagger part, there was a spot to where you grab it to hold on to it.

“When I was your age, this belonged to me. I want to give it to you.”

As Korrack held out the box, my eyes widened and I cautiously took the dagger. My hand was trembling. So I had to grab it with both hands, not just one.

“Papa Korrack, it appears stunning. But I don’t know how to use it. Father never teaches me and Mother never likes that stuff.”

“Don’t worry, child, I will teach you how to handle it.”

The dagger had been removed from its sheath. I place the sheath on my bed and tried to steady my hand with the dagger itself, but I couldn’t. I couldn’t handle it correctly because of the shock. Korrack stood back up and smiled out at me.

“La Mia piccolo Stella, there will come a day when you must use that and I need you to be prepared. Can you promise me you won’t use unless you have to?”

“I promise Papa Korrack.”

“Delightful change and get some sleep. For now, I’ll put this under your pillow. I have to go meet with Amolio and his wife. Tomorrow you will start your training.”

I place the dagger back in the sheath, handed it to Korrack, and jump off my bed and ran to my closet to get changed for bed.