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When Roses Grow Black Chapter 40 Why was it that whenever I was left alone, I always ended up questioning my sanity? I could help but wonder if that was a normal thing or not. Maybe all this was just a dream, a really long, really bad nightmare. Was my imagination really twisted enough to think up something like this? Wait, don't answer that. I knew I was sane, but that's what scared me. The fact that all of this could be true. But then again, insane people always claimed they were sane. The only thing I could do was to clutch the images in front of me until I could get out of this.The sun shone high over head in the clear afternoon sky as I sat surrounded by the beautiful red and white rose bushes in the palace garden. I often sat in the garden when being in the palace became boring or too hectic. I could recall many sunny afternoons where I just sat and read a book till someone reminded me it was getting dark out or of other priorities. "Good morning, Princess!" I heard a cold deep voice come from behind me and I jumped a mile as I turned around. As we made eye contact he gave me a slight bow as I did a small nod from my seat on my blanket. The wonderful pleasantries of royal life. I hated it. I had hated for as long as I could remember. All those time when I hated some one down to the depths of my soul and I just wanted to spit in their face and make them die, all I could do was curtsy and say a pleasant 'hello' or 'good day'. "Good morning, Prince Vance," I said quietly, hoping he would take the hint and leave me alone. I had no intentions on being alone with him for longer than necessary. I wasn't graced with that good of luck. "Gorgeous day out, isn't it?" he asked sitting down beside me. I put down my book and looked to the sky, "Yes, it is a lovely day." "Do you come out here a lot?" he asked as he picked up my book and began looking at it. I felt my stomach tighten in annoyance. He was completely barging in on my alone time and now he just took my book. "Yes, I do. May I please have my book back?" I asked as politely as I could manage. He slowly handed it back and my bookmark fell out, losing my place. This guy was definitely getting on my nerves! I quickly picked the bookmark back up and stuck it into the book before placing it down at my side. Vance leaned back and looked up at me with a cocky grin on his face. "What?" I asked wearily. I didn't really want to know what was going on inside his head. It was probably sick and twisted. He had been here for three days now and this was my first unfortunate run in with him. "I'm sure you would be honored if you were to be able to go out to dinner with me," he smiled and sat back up again. He was getting on my last nerves. From the moment he got here up until right now his cold smile and black eyes had given me the creeps every time he had looked at me. It was as if he was looking past me and into another region behind me I didn't comprehend existed. I quickly looked around the empty garden in hopes of finding some one to help me escape from the Prince's reach. I smiled widely when I saw Howard coming towards us. "I see by the smile on your face you would like to go out with me," Vance said cockily. "Excuse me, Princess, but you are needed in the throne room," Howard told me with a wink that Vance couldn't see. "I'll go at once," I said seriously as I got up from my spot. I had to leave it to Howard to use my duties as a Princess to an advantage. My entire life Howard and his family had been working and staying in the castle. His family was a huge, powerful house of nobles, but each was kind to the last drop of their soul. Howard was very trustworthy and good with business. Soon after his 18th birthday, he became my fathers' personal advisor. Having all of my parents trust and my own, Howard became my third guardian. He always got me out of hot water with my parents when I was caught sneaking out. He thought up a political excuse for me for every suitor I needed to escape from. Howard was many times my shoulder to cry on late at night when I missed Brian or how frustrated I was with royal life. He became a close friend of not only me but also Alexander over the years. "Vance, you'll have to excuse me. But, please do enjoy the garden," I said before I turned and walked quickly away with Howard by my side. "Couldn't stand the young Prince much longer than that?" Howard asked me as we entered the palace with a sly smile. "I can't stand any Prince for more than fifteen minutes, you know that," I joked. I suddenly caught a knowing glance pass through his eye. "What?" I asked incredibly clueless. "There will come a day that you will meet a Prince who you can't spend fifteen minutes without," he said smiling. I rolled my eyes in disgust. Every Prince I had met had been self-centered, cocky, egotistical, cold, spoiled, and every other possible unkind thing that could be said. "Yeah, but that Prince certainly won't be of this Earth!" I replied back in laughter. "What? Are you saying the Princes here are jerks?" Alexander's voice came from behind us as we walked to the dinning room to get some lunch. Howard turned around and stated, "Yup, he's a Prince. He fits your description!" I laughed as Alexander smacked his friend up side the head. I was so happy with my life. Sure, there were many bad points to being in my position, but the good points definitely canceled out the bad. I had great friends and wonderful family. I was loved by the public and I was soon to rule as Queen on my 21st birthday. Yet, even with all of that I still felt I was missing one thing. I knew I was missing one major thing in life, but I couldn't put my finger on what it was. Some nights I would just lie in bed and cry myself to sleep for an indescribable feeling of emptiness would creep into my heart. "So, I take it you finally had a run in with Prince Vance?" Alexander asked as he put his arm around me. "Yup, and he's just like the rest," I sighed tiredly. If I ever did find the one Prince that Howard always told me about I wished I would find it soon. I didn't know if I could handle many more suitors. "Well, for dad's sake, just give this one a little more effort. If the Light and Shadow Kingdoms were to unite, there would be world peace for a long time," my older brother stated the facts perfectly and I frowned. "Since when did you stick up for dad?" I asked a little unsettled that he would take my dad's side now and not mine. "I'm not taking anyone's side. I'm just stating," he said as he continued walking down the hall past the dinning room. "I thought he was on my side, not dad's whole 'do what's better for everyone'." I muttered. "You're not doing what's best for everyone?" Howard asked perplexed. I heaved a loud sigh and turned to face my friend, "That's not what I meant! Of course I'm going to do what's best for everyone. But….but…. but," I stopped too exasperated to go on. I had to re think my words in order to get them out properly. I grabbed a plate of food and sat down. "You know what I meant!" "You want to marry out of love and not the need for peace," Howard replied as he sat across from me at the table. I nodded my head. I couldn't help but feel betrayed. I thought that Alexander supported my decisions about marrying for love, and now he's changed it?The memory faded into another one slowly…. I looked over next to me and smiled at Vance. I had listened to Alexander and searched deeper into the Prince of the Shadow Kingdom. Once I agreed to a dinner date with him, he completely changed the way he acted. I figured that I could show interest in him and that didn't mean I had to marry him. It had been three weeks since he had come to the Light Kingdom and two weeks since we had began courting. It surprised everyone that I agreed to court him when he asked, but I think Alexander's shocked face stayed in my mind than the others. His face drained of color and he couldn't meet my eyes. I thought it was just because it was unexpected and not anything else so I quickly dismissed it as nothing. Vance and I had had many discussions and I found we held the same interests for peace and happiness for our people. He could be really sweet and caring once you got right down into him. Although he lacked the respect for the arts I had, he was talented in army training and strategics. Both were the making of a good king.. I had asked him about why his eyes were black and he said it was just a unique effect of the type of magic that ran in his bloodline. I should have known from that answer right then to stay away from him, but I didn't think of it. I had asked him about his cold smile time and time again. I had asked him why he could act so icy towards people, but he kept to himself. I had a suspicion that it had to do with his child hood that he kept locked up tight in a chest in his mind. "Vance?" I asked quietly, unsure of what type of mood could be clouding his mind at the moment as we watched the stars from the garden, "Yes, Rose?" he answered sweetly. I quickly gathered up all the courage I could and asked the question that had been on my mind for weeks. "Why did your father kidnap my friend Brian?" "What? What are you talking about?" I had caught his interest with my question. "When you were turned away as a suitor the first time, your father imprisoned my best friend for no reason, and tortured him!" I exclaimed as my emotions decided to go into over load. "Oh, dear God, Rose. I had no idea," he said as he pulled me into a hug. "My father doesn't exactly have all his puzzle pieces fitting together right, if you know what I mean. I am so, so sorry. I didn't know." I bought the honesty of his words. He was so sweet to me when we were alone. He was so gentle and honest and everything I looked for. Was I falling in love with the Prince of the Shadow Kingdom?Next: Chapter 41 |