CH.3 The Rose Order

CH.3 The Rose Order

“The Rose Order!? I thought they were just a myth…They really exist?” I was completely dumbfounded.

“They do. What do you think my rose is? It symbolizes both my rank and division. I am the only one with a purple rose, which symbolizes I’m the highest rank.”

“Okay…well…why did you remove the memories of you? Obviously we’ve known each other for a long time, perhaps were even friends.” I could have sworn Adrian’s cheeks turned redder than an apple.

“I—Well—We’ve known each other for years, yes, but weren’t really friends. You hated me. I wasn’t very nice to you. But as we got older, I thought you weren’t actually that bad. By then the damage was done. So when I was presented with the chance to start over I took it. At that point, I didn’t know I was only suppressing the memories. In truth, you’ve always fascinated me; I just never knew how to tell you. Dilan was always much more outgoing than I was, not to mention much better with people. Your mother offered to let me stay here, separate from Dilan, to keep an eye on your memory progress.”

“Does everyone know about this besides me?” I was beginning to feel angry again.

“Mother and Father wanted you to marry Dilan. That’s the only reason they allowed Adrian to wipe your memory. They thought it would help your chances.” 

“HELP MY CHANCES!?!?” The anger was back in full force. I was tempted to run out of my room and away from the two boys staring at me from the bed, but something in Adrian’s silver eyes made me stay.

“Lucienne, you need to keep your voice down. Nobody can know you know anything. Adrian is putting his life on the line to protect and watch over you.”

“But why can’t you protect me Max?” He gave Adrian a sheepish glance.

“I’m getting married remember?” Right.

“There’s so much changing right now, why did everyone wait to tell me until now…” I was swarmed with information and all I wanted to do was to bury my head into my pillow and forget everything I had just heard.

“I’ll admit the timing isn’t the best, but compared to the alternative of not telling you, what would you have preferred.”

Adrian’s question was a difficult one. What would I have preferred?

“I guess I would have wanted to know.” Though this was the answer I gave, I wasn’t so sure it was the answer that I meant.

Max slumped back on the bed and closed his eyes.

“This is so tiring. I got only a few hours of sleep after traveling all day yesterday. I could fall asleep right now.”

The comment ignited more anger and Adrian felt it.

“Luce, relax, you being angry isn’t going to fix anything, it’s just going to complicate things more. Please try to understand. I’m here to help, not hurt.”

He was right. My clenched fist relaxed and I sat back in my chair.

“Is there anything else I need to know?”

Max and Adrian shared another look.

“What?”

“Nothing…” they said in unison.

“That means there’s something else that you haven’t told me.”

“Well…” Max started.

“Spit it out Max…”

“You don’t have to be royal blood to be born with magic. Adrian was born into the royal family and received his magic; that is correct. But, there is also a possibility that you may have been born with magical tendencies as well. It comes from mother’s side. Before our grandfather on her side died, he aided the Rose Order. He was able to bend time, meaning he could freeze it, speed it up, or warp it. It was a large burden but also a very helpful thing to have when he was able to control it. Do you remember the dreams you would have when you were younger?”

“The ones that would sometimes would come true?”

“Yes, those are the ones. Apparently, according to Adrian, they are called premonitions.”

“Premonitions are dreams that foreshadow the future. They also can be a sign of a Seer.” Adrian was studying me now in a way that made me blush, which was met with a small smile from him.

“What exactly is a Seer?”

“It’s someone that has precognizant abilities, meaning they are able to receive visions and dreams that predict future events. Seers are also able to see into the thoughts of others.”

“Like a mind-reader?”

“Almost, but they can only see images and feel certain types of emotion, they are unable to hear their thoughts. I have a strong feeling that you were born with Seer abilities, because when I suppressed your memories the first time, it took much more effort than I had anticipated which is why I had thought that they were being removed. It wasn’t until the second time where I continued to sense the presence of those same memories that I thought something was different about you. The only way to be certain is to let all the memories to resurface. When I was suppressing them, I had to do in a way to make sure they wouldn’t be remembered subconsciously, which in turn suppressed your dreaming abilities. You haven’t been dreaming have you…”

“I haven’t dreamed since I was at least 14…”

“That was the first time you and Dilan had a fight, you don’t remember that now but you will soon enough. It’s best that no one finds out. It would be very dangerous for both you and your family if my father found out you had such abilities, which is why your mother allowed me to stay here. She’s been watching you since you were young to make sure you didn’t develop such powers.”

“Wait, so does Dilan really have anything to do with you suppressing my memories?”

“Well…yes and no. He messes up time from time and those times are the perfect times for me to make sure your other memories are continued to be suppressed so you didn’t start randomly dreaming again without me there. However, the third time I did it, I was almost unable to do to the growth of your power strength. I managed to, but I decided to visit again to make sure everything was in order, I used your party as the perfect chance to keep an eye on you.”

“You seem to have a lot of responsibility for being only 18…” Adrian smiled again at me, and suddenly I felt calmer.

“I was forced to grow up earlier than most children. It was both a blessing and a curse, but I’ve been managing. Things are changing though and I have reason to believe that my father is planning something devastating. He is a very smart man, and unfortunately recently found one of our bases. It was infiltrated by one of his spies and they ambushed us when my troops returned from a mission out west. We lost a lot of men that day.” His face darkened, eyes growing cold.  

This was all so much to take in. The potential that I had magic within myself weighed down on my shoulders. As I sagged to the floor, the only thought that was running through my head was why me…

“Because you were deemed special enough to have them bestowed upon you.”

Dammit. I forgot Adrian could read my thoughts.

“Quit that…It makes me uncomfortable…”

“Sorry, sometimes I have a hard time determining which thoughts are said aloud and which are in someone’s head.”

“Does Dilan even have a clue of what is happening? Or at least going to happen?”

I was becoming increasingly more and more perplexed by the number of family that seemed to know this large secret and also by those who had not learned of it.

“Not to the full extent, no. He knows that, yes, I do have magic, that my father is the king, that I can warp minds, and that I am involved with the Order. However, he does not know about you. I was unable to tell him because I didn’t want him involved just because you were.” A tiredness had set into Adrian’s face making him seem much, much older than 18.

I thought surely that my expression must have matched his because all of the internal turmoil that I had experienced since my birthday had left me feeling hollow, weak, and thoroughly exhausted.

“This is all so much to process, in such a short time…” My voice came out sounding strained, as if I was holding back tears, which I would have been if not for the fact that I had cried them all out previously.

“We know…Adrian is here to help, sister. I won’t be able to protect you anymore, and that is partially why mother and I enlisted his help, not to mention he was already practically family due to his ties with Dilan.”

I knew Max was doing his best to make me feel better, safer even, but it just wasn’t working.

“I understand. What about my appearance? Once my powers are officially, thoroughly unblocked, won’t the magic make physical changes as well?”

“That is always a possibility. In my circumstance, it did. However, my scar makes it harder to tell. Generally with a Seer, your eyes will be the ones to change. I will be able to get a hold of a cosmetic potion that will take care of that, so there’s no need to worry.”

No need to worry, huh…

In my opinion there were lots of reasons to worry. From the information I had gathered from Adrian and my brother, it seemed that I would be entering the most dangerous chapter of my life. Though I was slightly disappointed, part of me couldn’t help but feel excitement at the fact that I would be exposed to adventure. The thought provided me with a surge of adrenaline, causing me to perk up. Adrian smiled. This time it was a smirk tugging at the corners of his lips, enough to make me smile back.

“I see that something has appealed to you, which is exactly what I had hoped for.” His smirk widened into a toothy grin, showing off his pearly whites.   

“I’ll allow you to help me on one condition.” If I was going to be trained to be a potential pawn in this game, I wanted to have some fun as well.

“Anything for you…” Adrian said, still grinning.

“I will be assisting you, once my powers have matured fully, in the matters regarding the Order. You are going to take me away from here, away from the expectations of marriage in regards to Dilan.”

Adrian’s silver eyes were gleaming.

“Very—“

“Oh no, you are not taking her with you. Do you have any idea how dangerous this matter is, Luce?” Max interjected.

“It is far more interesting than sitting around a top a satin cushion, displayed as a bargaining pawn for potential trade relations…” I hissed, the venom practically dripping from my mouth. The retort had been directly targeted at him, all of my anger and frustration toward him coming out at once.

“Max…she is 17. She is capable of making her own decisions. She would be of great aid, not only to me, but to all those who are oppressed and in danger, due to my father’s ruthless behavior.”

I was thankful for Adrian coming to my defense, but I also felt as if there was another reason that he wanted me in his plethora of warriors. His eyes were studying me now, as if I was some sort of weapon of mass destruction, ready to implode at any moment. Max had begun to stare as well, both making me feel naked and vulnerable.

“Why does everyone feel the need to stare at me…” I practically yelled, due to the frustration still emanating from my brother’s news about his upcoming marriage.

“Luce, you have to keep your voice down. Not everyone in the estate needs to know that I am here, much less interested in you.” The exasperation in Adrian’s voice tainted its normally silky sound.

“She can go. But you have to promise me you’ll take care of her.” Max concluded, shaking his head in agreement at Adrian’s last statement. Adrian, looking mildly pleased with this conclusion, flashed a grin in Max’s direction.

“I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

With both boys in agreement there was only one piece left to decide.

“How exactly will I even train if everything is supposed to be in secret? Surely, I have to learn how to hone my abilities and reach my full potential.” I asked.

“Leave it to me.” And with that final declaration, he rose from his spot on the bed and left the room.

The silence afterwards was awkward, tinged with all of the things between my brother and I that had yet to be said and explained.

“I’m sorry…” We both said in unison.

“What are you sorry for…” Max said, quizzically, noting the presence of an event that I had yet to tell him about.

“I’m sorry for dragging you into this, but also for making you feel as if you had to be responsible for me all these years. I don’t like feeling as if I was a liability you and mother had to keep hidden.”

His face softened, and for an instant I thought he was going to cry, but instead he laughed.

“We never saw you that way. You’re my baby sister. It was my destiny to protect you from the minute you were born. I will never stop doing it because it is what I do. My whole life has been centered around protecting you because, believe it or not, I actually love my sister.”

His words did relieve most of the tension within me and for the first time since that morning I smiled. He enveloped me in his strong arms and I felt safe. Though in my heart I knew, that it may be the last time I ever felt safe again.