The Crown of Wilted Roses

prologue

— a white bloom in darkness —

The sun had just dipped below the horizon, casting the sky with muted streaks of purple and pink. Under any other circumstances, Esmeray would have marveled at the soft perfection of the day's end - brushstrokes of watercolor painted by the heavens themselves. A cry of a songbird, its melody filling the endless depth of the sky. The serenity and peace were palpable, but as she stood at the base of the mountains, an unsettling stillness lingered in the air, not unlike the breath held before a whisper.
She threw a careful glance over her shoulder before crossing the final pane separating the expanse of meadow from wilderness. It was an unusual hour for someone to be out, even more so in this remote end of the village. Here, being seen would be close to impossible.
She quietly walked to the sound of moving water, a slow hum of a rhythm in the depth of the forest. Flinching slightly as a tendril of shadow probed against her porcelain skin, almost as if tugging her in the wrong direction. Ignoring the stuttering of her heart, Esmeray hitched up the lower ruffles of her skirt. A moment later sliding into the depth of the painfully freezing water.
If she could make it by dusk, then she would remain unseen.
Sucking in a breath then diving beneath the crystal surface, she ignored the mild numbness already spreading across her flushed skin. Without giving a second to spare, Esmeray followed the faint illuminance clouding the waters — leading to where she knew the tunnel to be. She maneuvered herself until feeling the small curvatures indented on the cave walls, each holding a little supply of oxygen.
Her hands slipped on the rock as she forced her limbs to pull her up to one. Clenching her chattering teeth, she embraced the cool air in her lungs before diving in again. Darkness flooded her vision with only memory to guide her path. Esmeray paused, her eyes scanning the dimly lit space before she found an opening. A faint light emerged from the other side and Esmeray gritted her teeth as she placed all her remaining strength into one last push.
Her head broke through the surface, the air dripping with heaviness as the night began to appear around her. Unlike the silence of the wilderness, the gardens were filled with a small hum of life. Esmeray's brows furrowed for a moment as she walked quietly towards the hearth of the expanse, noting the figure with his back to her. The man was studying the intricate patterns on the base of the fountain, his dark locks tousled slightly as if he'd only just awaken.
Esmeray didn't know if she should make clear of her arrival or simply wait for his next words. She felt a shift in the air; the figure lifted his head rather stiffly. His back was still to her, but she could imagine a cold smile form on his lips.
"I've always found these etchings rather particular, though I've dismissed it seeing the oddities they collect" The figure spoke quietly, his voice hinting a northern accent. He moved aside for her to see, Esmeray's eyes carefully flickered to the base of the fountain where he'd indicated. She lifted her brow almost questioning — but he didn't seem to notice — his gaze still carefully trained on the marble in front of him, one hand tracing the patterns, the other elegantly balancing his chin.
"Perhaps we've overlooked it —", she began after a moment of silence, Esmeray shifted on her footing, faint doubt clouding her voice. "— though I highly doubt they'd hide it somewhere so blatantly open"
Atheos chuckled lightly, a rich sound — being such a seldom occurrence, it drew out a slight flutter in the tightness of her chest. His eyes were dark behind his glasses, almost blank — an imperceptible mirth glittering in their depths. Esmeray didn't need to wait for his words to understand the source of his amusement; she hastily defended herself. "It would take a great level of self assurance to do otherwise; it is not exactly something they can afford up to now"
A long moment passed. Almost too long; she wondered if he had heard, or if he had been delaying it on purpose. It would seem to be the latter.  His blank eyes bored into hers, studying her with an intensity to be rivaled. "Yet almost anything and everything lacks stability. Leaving the runes in the open, though as counterintuitive as it may seem, may actually be their very intent."
Esmeray paused, stilling at his blunt words, something did not quite add up.  Her eyes darted back to the low fountain, skimming through the seemingly indecipherable text —  reaching a conclusion that had been plainly surfacing in her mind. She faltered; he was by her side in an instant, noticing the shift, his eyes flickered to her. "What is it?", he breathed in sharply, eyes narrowing.
There was a strange hollowness in her chest, something almost bitter in her gaze. "They don't know where it is," she said quietly, gauging his reaction. He freezes at her words — the sudden coldness in his features was perceptible; the air seemed suddenly more frigid. "They too are not fully aware where the ruins are." Esmeray continued softly, lifting her gaze to meet his. " Aware of their contents perhaps, but not their whereabouts"
Esmeray wished for him to deny her as outrageous, anything other than to accept the new explanation, one she was so desperate to falsify. Yet here he stood in front of her, silent, his burning gaze tracing the patterns on the fountain.  Her heart dropped to her stomach at his acceptance. A breathless sound left her lips. "It wouldn't be soon until he starts to suspect — I made a terribly grave mistake in confiding in him" She lifted her gaze shakily to meet his; willing him to turn a blind eye at the barely disguised hesitance in her words.
"He was bound to find out eventually, Meray" He responded, the sound almost lost in the harsh
wind. "You always knew that" It would have been a biting accusation if not for the unfeeling in his voice — almost if he'd expected her to make such a fault, an over confidence in the prince's underlying loyalties, which now became abundantly clear — did not belong to her.  "Yet somehow I am under the impression that it is not your own safety you are concerned for, but his — even at this moment as we speak" Altheos added softly as he raised a brow, reprimanding her. "A fool's move that is"
Esmeray felt her heart miss a beat at his words. Altheos regarded her with chill distaste, silent hostility. "So what I suspect is true" He walked closer to her as he grasped on her chin and tilted her chin up to face him. "Meray – why?" The sharpness of his voice softened as his lips formed the syllables of her name. Even now he could not find it within him to be resentful of her.
She bit her lip in response as she unwillingly met his gaze. "I never meant to – " She whispered softly, a flicker of regret in her eyes.
It was too late; the gods knew.
A crack of thunder lashed across the sky and darkness encircled them