Sleeping Roses

When the Time Comes

"You want what?" Beldon said the next day, staring at Kilan from across the table as if he were mad – which was quite a fair assessment.

"You want to invite a Remover?" Rosalia said, her expression an exact copy of her younger brother's.

"I do," Kilan said, gripping his knees tightly as he looked at the pair who both continued to stare at him, quills poised over their books.

Rosalia had arrived that morning to help with the preparation for the ball. Beldon openly admitted that, although he was hosting the ball, it was only in namesake, everything was actually to be done by his sisters seeing as he was quite happy to not bother with the whole affair and it was for his sisters' sake.

"Why on earth would you want to invite him? Have you forgotten what happened the last time you were in his company?" Beldon asked.

"No, I haven't, but I need him here."

"Why?" Rosalia asked, looking at the names on the page he had handed her. "And the thirteenth fairy? Who?"

"I hope Master Luka may be able to locate her," Kilan said. "I have to speak to her about Briar, Beldon."

"But why Daily?" Beldon asked, "It's one thing to ask me to invite someone to a ball, it's quite another for someone whose job is to wipe out enchantment to be invited into an enchanted castle."

"I know, I know," Kilan said quickly, "I wouldn't ask if I could think of another way to go about it, but if the thirteenth fairy does come, I need Daily here. Despite never catching me, Daily is disturbingly good at his job, and I need that skill. I need his help."

"What makes you think he will help?" Rosalia asked. Kilan looked at her as she read though a list of wines, deciding which to serve. "What makes you think he won't just bring men and destroy the castle? Or perhaps he'll just kill you and be done with it. Or maybe he'll set his sights on Luka, someone who is still alive because of enchantment. Or..." She looked him directly in the eye. "Maybe he'll choose Beldon, he who works for a goddess."

"She makes a valid point," Beldon said, "I can't and won't risk the lives of my servants or Luka." He smiled at Kilan as he passed sheets of paper across the table to him. "I lost Luka once; I shan't go through that again."

"I can't promise one hundred percent that he won't do something," Kilan said as he separated the papers into their corresponding piles. "I have to be honest about that. But if I know one thing, I do know Daily. Whether it was as best friends or enemies, we have always been around each other, I do know him. I do not believe he would pose a threat to the castle or those in it."

Beldon looked at him for a long moment, then finally sighed and gestured to Rosalia, who picked up a quill and added two names to the list.

"I'm placing a great deal of faith in you, Kilan," he said, "I hope this leads to some form of success."

As do I, Kilan thought.

~~~~~

"You can't!"

Kilan looked up in surprise from the paper he was writing on.

Briar sat across from him, a horrified look in her eyes, her teacup forgotten in her hands. Kilan sat leant back against his usual sofa, legs crossed, a pile of blank paper on his lap, a quill tip against the top page as he looked at Briar.

"Can't?" he copied.

"You can't invite people like Daily or the fairy," Briar said, "I won't allow it!"

Kilan raised an eyebrow at her. "You can hardly stop me," he said as he looked back at his work and ducked as Briar threw a cushion at him.

"I won't allow it!" she snarled.