I bought the items I thought I would need and then began searching for a gift. His majesty had shown me great kindness and though I didn't have much money left I wanted to at least get him something to show my appreciation. After searching for a moment a strange vendor caught my eye. Lined up in a glass case were several roses completely covered in silver. I remember I had been gifted one long ago when I was in Bethowold by my future suitor but when I was sold I lost everything I held dear.
I was never told his name, my father always said that it wasn't important and I shouldn't know it until the day we wed but I remember his kindness. He had given me a silver rose during one of our meetings and I remember the way his face lit up at seeing me smile. He had the same eyes as Raziel but there is no way the boy from my past is him. Raziel's hair is white and the boy from the past had brown hair but I can't help but get the feeling he knows me somehow and that we are connected.
"Ahh yes those are quite popular among both men and women." The shopkeeper said as he came over to the case with me.
"Yes they are lovely." I said as I silently decided this would be the gift I would give the King.
"I would like to purchase one of these." I say as I look at the shop keeper.
"Very well which one would you like?" He asked and I carefully inspected each one before deciding.
"Very good choice my Lady. Each rose comes with a special card as well. I shall bag this for you." The shopkeeper says as I pay him and wait for him to bag the gift.
Once I am through I make my way back to the small shop to find Raziel waiting outside.
"I hope I didn't keep you too long." I say as I walk up to him.
"Not at all but it is lunch time so why don't we eat in town and then head back home." He says as if it's the most natural thing.
Home. Something I haven't had in a long time is a home. Could I finally settle here in this place and be happy, I asked myself as we quickly found a shop to eat at. Raziel and I continued to talk as we ate and on the way home I found myself comfortable with him and allowed my guard to fall. Once we arrived back at the palace Raziel dressed in his evening attire and then called for Lorrain to help me dress.
"His majesty purchased several dresses for you while in town this afternoon my Lady." She says with a bright smile as she pulls a beautiful black gown from the closet that is covered in lace.
"I should thank him later." I replied as I began to take off my pants and shirt.
Lorrain helped me into the dress after my undergarments were adjusted and then brushed my hair again before styling it and doing my makeup. I quickly went over to the bag that has the silver rose and showed it to Lorrain.
"Do you think this will be an appropriate gift for his majesty?" I ask shyly.
"My Lady, it is beautiful. I am certain his majesty will love it, the card is a nice touch too! If I recall correctly didn't you have one of these back in Bethowold?" She replies as she hands me back the silver rose.
"Yes I did." I reply with a fond smile and reach out my hand.
I take the rose quickly from her without paying attention and place it back in the box with the card I had yet to read as Lorrain's raised voice catches me off guard.
"My Lady, do be careful!" She says as she grabs my hand and places a cloth over my bleeding finger.
"Oh no! I hope it didn't get on the packaging." I say as I begin to reach for the gift.
"I will check it over my Lady, you just keep pressure on that cut." She replies and begins to inspect the gift.
"It seems it is in perfect condition my Lady." She says with a sigh.
"Thank goodness." I say with a smile.
Lorrain looks over my hand once more and after she is satisfied she calls for Markus the king's head guard to escort me to the main hall with my gift. I placed my gift on the lavish gift table and once all the guests had arrived we were escorted to the dinning hall where the conversation was much livelier than the night before.
"I'm glad to see you seem to be enjoying yourself this evening, Lady Cordelia." Raziel says from across the table.
"Yes your majesty I am." I replied with a smile.
"That pleases me greatly to hear, Lady Cordelia." He replies.
Once everyone had finished eating we were escorted to the dance hall where everyone began to dance as the King took his place on the throne. I found myself standing off to the side looking out at the large group. I begin to recall when I was a child and my family would hold lavish parties such as these. I take a quick glance around at everyones attire and smile inwardly. Things have changed so much since then, the men all wear expensive suits while the women no longer wear the traditional ball gowns of the past but beautiful evening gowns fit for a queen. The music has changed much as well, I think to myself and snicker lightly at myself.
I watched the crowd as a few women beckoned the king onto the floor for a dance and after turning down a few men myself, someone I haven't seen before approached me.
"My lady, may I have a dance?" The strange man with a familiar voice asks me as he holds out his hand.
"Markus?" I ask curiously as I look into his eyes.
Markus's defined looks are a dead give away and I gasp in surprise at realization.
"You are one of us too?" I ask as I bring my hand to my chest.
"Yes my Lady I am indeed. Shall we?" He says as he takes my hand and leads me to the dance floor.
"Well it seems there is much I don't know about you Markus." I reply as we begin dancing.
"Likewise my Lady, there is much I nor his majesty know about you." He says in a somewhat playful tone.
I smile nervously at him and then look away to avoid his gaze and the intensity of his golden eyes.
"Alright I shall go first. I stood by his majesty's side during the war to repay him for his kindness and afterward he promoted me to head knight and made sure I was taken care of." He replies.
"What did his majesty do for you to make you loyal to him?" I ask curiously as I watch the people dance around us.
"He saved me from slavers. He was searching for someone and found me instead. I aided him in the war and in his search for the person he sought after for many years." He says in a low voice.
I look up at Markus and study his face. His blonde hair is short and lightly tousled and his gold eyes are intense. He is of medium build and unlike Raziel who towers over me at almost a foot taller Markus is shorter, only being a few inches taller than myself.
"So I guess it is my turn then. Very well." I say with a sigh.
"I grew up in Bethowold where I was captured and lived with...another family in Windmere until I escaped. I've traveled from town to town since picking up odd jobs here and there to get by." I say quickly.
"Bethowold and Windmere are both on the other side of the of the continent." He replies.
"Yes. I wanted to be as far away from those places as possible so I kept moving." I replied.
"Still keeping secrets I see." I hear Raziels voice from next to me.
"Oh, good evening your majesty." I say quickly with a small bow.
"I hate to interrupt your dancing but if you wouldn't mind Markus I would like to dance with the Lady now." He says as he pats Markus on his back.
"Very well my Lord." Markus replies with a low bow and then places my hand in Raziels.
Raziel places his free hand on my waist and begins to dance closely with me around the floor.
"I didn't know that Markus was like us." I said as we danced.
"My Lady, are you falling for the king's trusted right hand?" Raziel says with a teasing chuckle.
"Of course not, don't be ridiculous." I say with a grin as I giggle slightly and look up at him.
"It's just nice to know there are others like me..like us. It makes you feel a little less alone in the world. Don't you think so, your majesty?" I continued.
"If you were lonely my lady all you had to do was find me instead of swooning over my guard. I would have kept you company." He replies in a smooth tone.
"It looked like you were quite busy earlier, your majesty. It would have been rude of me to interrupt." I say innocently.
"Nonsense. I will always have time for you, my Lady." He replies.
"Ahem! Ladies and gentlemen it is now time for the King's gift ceremony. Your majesty, if you will please have a seat at your throne I shall present the gifts." The head butler David says loudly.
"Well if you will excuse me my dear, I will speak to you more once the ceremony has ended." razile says with a small bow of his head.
"Yes your majesty." I reply with a small bow of my own.
Raziel walks majestically to the throne and I return to the window I was standing at before Markus had pulled me out onto the floor. The butler begins to present the gifts one by one and I gaze silently out the window. There is a small sliver of moon hanging in the sky and the stars are barely visible. The gift ceremony is almost over and my gift is the last to be opened. The king admires the silver rose carefully and a gentle smile forms on his lips as he holds up the card that came with the rose.
"Let this silver rose be a testament of the love we share. An everlasting love between two souls, two hearts, and two people that will withstand the tests of time itself. Love in itself isn't perfect, it takes work and two people who chose every day to love each other more than they did the day before. I will always choose you." The king reads the card aloud while looking at me and I freeze at the words as my heart pounds loudly in my chest.
The words ring in my ears and I know I have heard them somewhere before. I look at Raziel and meet his gaze and something flashes in them that stirs my emotions and gives me butterflies.
"This is the most lovely gift. I shall treasure it always." Raziel says with a happy blissful smile that tugs on my heart.
Seeing him smile like that and seeing the spark of happiness that has lit up his eyes there is no way I can tell him it was a mistake but I have to. Truthfully he was a very handsome man and any woman would be happy to have a man as kind and handsome as him by her side. I wonder what it would be like to have his heart, I said to myself as I felt a slight blush creep up my cheeks at my thoughts and the familiar tingle and pull emerge again.
"The gift ceremony is now over. Guests may mingle for the last hour." David says to the room full of people.
I look out the window once more and begin to get lost in thought as I try to push down the foreign emotions inside me.