"So it is all true?" one of the gilded-bark's present asked me as he leaned forward, surrounded by his harem.
"Y-Yes, but!" I once again tried to say before the weight of what was going on cast me aside.
"By someone who wore the attire as well..." an ivy-mother said with a shocked gasp. And, to my horror, I watched as those who once practically bowed before Rose'lhia turned on her. They distanced themselves in but a moment.
And somehow, it was me, the one who she did this all to that was trying to prevent her demise...
"Then without further discussion, we shall get to the final acts." my Lover declared as he stepped forward with the full power of his title behind him.
"Oak'endoor, please..." I begged as he passed me by. But, he just ignored me and protectively held me as Rose'lhia was aggressively held down against the earth. A patch of specifically curated dry, lifeless earth.
"Rose'lhia, you have brought shame to yourself and have committed unforgivable crimes against not only the woman I love, but the flower you were meant to protect... And it is with great regret that I strip you of your role. However, as it is what it is, I will let you do it yourself as to not damage the honoured dress which you taint." he begins to explain.
"O-Okay..." she weakly replies with as the chains holding her down are loosened. And, quickly and hectically yet also reluctantly, she took it all off. The dress that declared her position and all that came with it. Yet, clearly eager to get back at her, the Gilded-Bark tore off the tubes himself once she had loosened them.
And now, she was standing before all of her now former peers completely naked. A hot iron on approach from behind her...
"Can you please stop this!?" I cried out as I stepped out towards Rose'lhia.
"I hereby banish you from our flower and the Garden-Mount of the Angaxslo!" he started to declare ominously, much to the cheers of those around us, "And I strip you of your pride and beauty!"
And as he turned away, everyone else stood up and approached her. With wicked snaps and cries of pain, I watched in horror as Rose'lhia was broken down. They tore out her hair and cast it into fire... And they struck her with blunt, magic-sapping weapons.
Then I watched as the father of my child did the same with all the fury he could muster. Blood began to leave Rose'lhia's exposed scalp. And she struggled to stay awake as all her magic was forced to leave her. A foul way to die, if that was their intent...
And, as this was all called forth to seek retribution in my name, it soon became my turn...
But I did no such thing, "Rose'lhia, please forgive me..." I tearfully tell her as I genuinely did not want this to happen.
"I-It's fine... It is probably for the best..." she weakly tells me before she is sharply brought back to her points. With a point being made about having her bare belly exposed for all to see.
"And now, I forever mark your accursed existence." the Gilded-Bark hisses as grabs the cherry-hot rod from its carriers. And, as if he was trying to spear her with it, he slammed it into her gut.
"AAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" she screamed to the point of her voice breaking as her body twitched and convulsed in pain.
"STOP IT!" I roar as I use my magic to blast the rod off of my saviour's body.
"Why...?" my Lover questions before I start to blast Rose'lhia free of the restraints. Then, with anger in my eyes, I picked her up and started to carry her. Threatening any thorn that stepped near us as I made the explicit effort to get her out of here. This was all I could do for her now...
I could not get her rations or clothes to hide her shame... No one would allow it. And were it not for my presence and strength of magic, I am sure those around me would be throwing what rubbish they could. They could not allow such a shamed individual a peaceful departure...
But, eventually, I reached the point where I could say I had kept my silent promise. And all the while, I did my best to pass on magic to Rose'lhia so she could at least survive the night. But, she stopped me once we got out of the garden-mount... And I was struggling to understand why.
"I-It's okay... Thank you..." she whimpered as she tried to escape my grip.
"Why... Why're you thanking me...? If I just..."
"If you left me alone... I would not be given the freedom to focus on trying to win my Love's heart... Though it saddens me that I will never be able to come home again... I am glad the last time I came home was to save your son..." she tearfully told me as my own eyes started to act up.
"No! This isn't right, you redeemed yourself! You accrued all those injuries making up for your mistakes! You bled for a woman you hated not so long ago!"
"And now... I have the chance to redeem myself before Nin... And the Bad Woman will finally be gone..." she weakly tells me as she begins to slowly drag herself up so she can leave.
"Rose'lhia! Wait!" I say before I bring her in for a hug.
"It's alright, you will be a great mother..." she tells me as she returns the hug.
"I promise I will be... I promise..." I cry as the heat from her freshly burned skin warmed my own. But it soon started to cool down and I felt her trying to escape my grip. And, knowing that there was nothing that I could do. I let her go.
Wiping away what was left of my tears as I watched her slowly hobble away. Regret filled me up to an almost painful degree as she grew further and further away. Yet, at the same time, I felt like she was closer than it seemed. The way they forced out her magic made me feel blind even though I could still see.
"Goodbye, Rose'lhia!" I call out one final time, and although I was met with silence, I smiled. I chose to believe she bid me farewell and good luck even if I could not hear it. Eventually, however, I turned back around and slowly headed back inside. Even if I kept stopping to take advantage of my newfound position.
I could've sworn that I could still see a distant flicker out there. I wanted believe that that was the case. But there was no denying that after a certain amount of time, there was no one out there anymore. And as the weather began to turn bad, I moved back inside properly.
A heart full of worry as rain started to pour. So I had to try and keep faith in who she was. A full name petal that became an ivy-mother. Even if she had been left broken. I had to believe that out there, she was going to make it.
"Please know, that I am sorry." I said to her one final time.