About ten minutes later Rosalina entered the private dining room. Her father, Marquess Robinborne, was sitting at the table. He was a man of average height, with graying brown hair, a mustache, and brown eyes. He had a plate of scrambled eggs, bacon,and toast on the table in front of him and was reading a letter, a fork full of eggs in his hand.
Rosalina grabbed a plate and got herself some food, then sat at the table across from her father. He looked up from the letter.
"Ah Rosa, dear." He said. "Good morning. Did you sleep well?"
"As well as could be expected, I suppose," she responded. "Nightmares." She added upon seeing his questioning look.
He set his fork down as well as the letter, giving her his undivided attention. "Are you alright?" He asked, worry written on his face.
"I'm fine. I suppose I'm just a little nervous about the wedding," she reassured him. "Especially because it is to a man I have never met." Lies.
"Ah, that reminds me," her father said, "I have received a letter from the Duke saying he will be visiting you today."
"Oh is that so?" That's right, she thought. Today is the twenty third, the day he said he would see me. However, he will not actually be here until two weeks hence, since he will be inevitably delayed. With what, I don't know.
"Yes," the Marquess responded, cutting through her thoughts. "Would you like to read it?"
"No thank you. I'll just-"
"Hey, what's for breakfast?" A sleepy voice cut in. Rosalina froze, then turned slowly towards the doorway. There stood her younger brother Eric, his brown hair and clothes rumpled and his brown eyes somewhat glazed from sleep.
She blinked back tears, struggling to keep herself composed. She had forgotten how much she missed him.
"Why're you looking at me like that?" He asked grumpily, grabbing a plate and filling it with food. "It's weird. Stop it."
"Have you seen yourself? You look like a mess." She replied, careful to keep all emotions except for annoyance off her face. In reality, she just wanted to hug her brother, happy to see him alive and well once more.
"Well not all of us can be so perfectly put together like you, miss goody two shoes," he retorted, setting his plate on the table and plopping into a chair.
"And not everyone is as totally hopeless as you." She shot back. Of course that isn't true, she thought. I know better than anyone.
In her life before, Eric started taking things seriously shortly after her wedding and had become a responsible gentleman by the time he turned eighteen, only to be found dead a few months later in the forest not far from the Duke's home, a wound in his back that could've only been made by a sword. He had come for a surprise visit.
Perhaps he was killed by the same person who killed me, she thought suddenly.
Eric just grunted at her comment, scooping up a forkful of eggs and shoving it in his mouth.
Ah, I think I upset him, she thought. How to cheer him up… oh!
"Hey, Eric," she said. "I've got some news I think you'll like."
"Oh yeah?" He said, not looking at her. "And what is that?"
"I'm getting married," she said, "to the Duke Ravenport."
Duke Alexander Ravenport was the most feared and powerful man in the kingdom. He was a Duke general and was a beast in battle who could wield all elements but mainly used the element of fire, earning the name the Dragon of Illridia. Eric looked up to and idolized the man.
Her brother turned to her, eyes wide. "Are you serious?" He asked incredulously. "How did that even happen?"
"His majesty the king ordered it," their father responded, looking at Rosalina with a strange expression on his face. "Your sister happens to be the only woman with a constitution strong enough to be the Duke's wife."
A person's constitution determines their magical aptitude and strength. Because of the Duke's overwhelmingly strong constitution, only a woman of similar strength would be able to be his wife and bear his child without her and the child dying.
Still didn't save us from being murdered, she thought bitterly, resisting the urge to put a hand on her belly.
"Will he be coming here?" Eric asked, starryeyed.
"Yes, I've received a letter saying to expect his arrival sometime today." The Marquess said.
Her brother went wide eyed once more and began shoveling food into his mouth, barely bothering to chew.
"Slow down, you'll choke," Rosalina warned. He slowed a little, but still ate quickly. Once he was done he jumped up and raced out of the room, no doubt to prepare for his idol's arrival.
Rosalina ate slower than her brother, but still rather quickly. After she finished her food she stood. "Please have someone alert me when the Duke arrives," she said to her father. "I will be in my room."
"Of course," he responded.
She kissed him on the cheek. "Thank you, father." She said, leaving the room.
A few minutes later she entered her bedroom and looked around. Upon seeing that she was alone, she walked over to her writing desk and opened the secret compartment only she knew of. Inside was a notebook, in which she wrote her most private thoughts and feelings.
She pulled the notebook from the compartment and opened it to the first blank page, pulled out her favorite quill pen and a bottle of ink, and began to write.
My Life Before.
She underlined it, pausing for a second. Then she began adding important events and their dates.
April sixth, second year: I meet the Duke for the first time.
April nineteenth, second year: I begin my journey to Ravenport manor.
May second, second year: I arrive at the manor.
May thirty-first, second year: our wedding.
June eighth, second year: the Duke leaves to fight bandits wreaking havoc in the north of Hræfn.
June twenty-ninth, second year: the Duke returns from the north.
She stopped for a second to think, then continued writing the list.
July twentieth, second year: The King throws a late ball to celebrate our wedding.
September twenty sixth, second year: Sylvia is attacked by a man but is saved, starts calling me Rosa.
December 25, end of second year: the Winter ball and the celebration of King Elliott's ascension to the throne. Repeated every year.
After that things became rather uneventful for a while, she remembered, setting down her pen. We took care of our duties and kept to ourselves. Still, it worked. After a moment she picked the pen back up and began writing again.
November sixteenth, third year: King Elliott marries Ellen Deerbrook.
March twelfth, fourth year: Queen Ellen's pregnancy announced.
August third, fourth year: raids begin on the western border of Illridia. The Duke is called to deal with the threat.
September ninth, fourth year: Queen Ellen gives birth to a prince.
December fifth, fourth year: The Duke returns from fighting in the west. Day of conception.
Rosalina's face colored as she remembered that night. Alcohol had a hand in their actions that night, lowering their inhibitions. He had been rough with her, but still made sure to grant her pleasure while taking his own. Still, he didn't kiss her or have any extra intimacy with her, just keeping it to the bare essentials.
She shook her head to clear her thoughts and continued the list.
December eighteenth, fourth year: Eric is found murdered in the forest near the Duke's manor. The killer was never found. Same man?
December thirtieth, beginning of fifth year: The Duke returns to the west to fight and attempt to prevent war.
January fourth, fifth year: I discover that I am pregnant. I send a letter to the Duke to let him know.
March thirty-first, fifth year: The Duke returns from the battlefield.
April seventh, fifth year: I am lured into the forest by an unknown servant and murdered.
Rosalina set down her pen and stretched; she was finally done with her list. She checked it over, making sure she got everything. She was sure she forgot something but couldn't remember what it was. Oh well, she thought. I'll just leave it be for now.
She cleaned her pen and capped the ink bottle, then took her notebook and put it back into the secret compartment, making sure it closed securely. She sat back in her chair, looking out the window. It was a bright, sunny day and still somewhat early.
I think I will go for a ride, she thought, getting to her feet and walking over to the large armoire. She pulled out her riding outfit and quickly got dressed before heading out the door.
"Spirit!" She called as she entered the stables. A beautiful pure white mare lifted her head, ears forward, and whinnied excitedly. Rosalina walked up to her and rubbed her nose.
"Want to go for a ride?" She asked the horse.
Spirit half reared excitedly. "Yes!" She neighed. "I want to run!"
"Alright, alright," Rosalina said with a laugh, pulling a saddle and bridle from the tack room. "Stand still so I can put this on you."
Spirit stood still as she put the tack on her, occasionally pawing the ground with a hoof. Spirit was a purebred Trakehner, standing at sixteen hands with a fiery, competitive personality.
Rosalina finished putting the tack and led her outside before mounting her. She sat tall and confident in the saddle, her white hair gleaming in the sunlight.
"Let's go!" She exclaimed, touching her heels to the white mare's side.
Spirit tossed her head and started moving out of the yard toward the nearby forest.
They raced through the trees, dodging branches and jumping streams and underbrush, weaving skillfully between the trunks. Rosalina smiled brightly; she hadn't felt anything this delightfully exhilarating in a long while.
Suddenly Spirit stopped, nearly throwing Rosalina from the saddle. Her ears went back and she tossed her head, snorting and pawing at the ground.
"What's wrong?" She asked the white mare.
"Blood! I smell blood!" The mare neighed. "Someone is badly injured!"
"Human or animal?" The white haired woman asked.
"Both, neither, I- I don't know!" She whinied agitatedly. Rosalina patted her neck soothingly.
"It's alright," she crooned. "We'll help them if we can, alright? Now take me to them!"
They began moving once more, this time with a sense of urgency. Let's hope we make it in time, she thought with worry. Her hand went to the saddle bag of first aid equipment she always carried when riding solo in case she or Spirit got injured or found an injured animal. I hope it will be enough.
"The smell leads here," Spirit neighed, motioning with her head to a clearing before them. Rosalina didn't doubt her, as the smell of blood was now stronger than that of the forest around them.
They stopped at the edge, stunned by the sight. For before them, laying in a pool of blood, was a large black dragon.