The Tangle of Blood

Chapter Twelve: Awakening

The weeks continued to pass. The spring they had come into Terramon on had turned into a blistering summer, and Rosalyn was feeling the full breath of it as she strolled through the endless rows of colorful flowers with Eliza on their way to the herb garden. She felt the sweat beading at her brow.

"This humidity takes me right back to Tennessee. These are beautiful." Rosalyn leaned over and smelled a group of snapdragons. "Who tends to all of this?"

Eliza turned and surveyed the full acre of flowers, "His name is Roderick. He and his wife, Helena, oversee the gardens like his father and mother did before him."

"You all like to hold to your traditions, don't you?" Rosalyn laughed and straightened to follow Eliza down the pebbled path.

"They are important to us, yes." Eliza smiled and chuckled. "You realize you're as much Evenarian as I, right? Most would likely argue more." She observed her friend. "How are you faring, Rosalyn?"

Rosalyn looked out past the garden to the downward slope leading to the wall that surrounded the castle and its grounds. Past the wall, the land covered in wheat and grass, rolled gently. In the distance, Rosalyn could see a blue lake tucked between mountains. She smiled contently.

"It's an adjustment. I miss the things I figured that I would: running water, electricity, of course, and my cellphone." She laughed. "Oh, and air conditioning," she mentioned as she wiped the sweat from her brow.

"Yes, I feel the same. Life is simpler here, though, and I enjoy that more." Eliza lifted her face to the sun and smiled.

"I like it more than I expected, a lot more. I like the person I am here, too. I have always been a strong, independent person, but it's like I am acutely aware of the pool of potential inside me like never before. It's empowering."

"I guess, time has told, then?" Eliza teased, referring to there conversation about the Blood Rights.

They heard the crunch of pebbles behind them and turned to find Rane approaching. "Your Majesty," Eliza greeted with a bow.

Though they had seemed friendly prior to their arrival in Evenara, Rosalyn now detected a mild unease from Eliza.

"Am I interrupting?" Rane asked, smiling genially.

"Not at all," Eliza said quickly.

"Eliza was just asking how I was liking it here," Rosalyn commented, filling her in. "I assured her the place has certainly grown on me."

"That makes me exceedingly happy, and what about Rowena?"

Rosalyn frowned. "She told me several nights ago that she's been a little edgy, anxious maybe. I didn't know she was having any issues until she bit my head off in our common room." Rane's worried eyes widened even further. Rosalyn shrugged, "I am sure she's fine, just adjusting that's all."

Rane nodded, "Sure." Keeping her voice casual, she bent down to pluck a pink peony. "And Alex?" she asked uninterestedly, as she turned the flowers over in her hand.

Rosalyn shared a knowing look with Eliza before kneeling beside her to pick a few of her own. "You know, Your Majesty, you don't have to play coy with us," she chuckled, "mainly because it isn't working. Alex is in his natural territory. He is a natural born leader and soldier." Gold eyes met green. "He is exactly where he wants to be."

Losing the internal battle, Rane's mouth split into a grin and Rosalyn was hit by the beauty of her all over again. "That makes me very happy to hear." Happy wasn't exactly the word, Rane thought, maybe warm, elated, and slightly queasy were more accurate.