The Red Rose

Chapter 1

They took him on a lovely Summer's evening when the moon was high, the people fast asleep, and the air warm. He was already expecting it - I wasn't.

"What is the meaning of this?!" I yelled as the King's guards waltzed into our house, armed to their teeth; I dropped my book on the golden chair to face them "This is Governor Sherwood's house! I command you to explain yourselves!"

Jamaica had been a British colony for years, but there had been tension among the people ever since we arrived. Immediately after Britain acquired the land, during a time where pirates filled the oceans, pilled, murdered and kidnapped for heavy ransoms, the first Governors realised they would be better off by paying them for protection against the French and the Spaniards. The island became Sodom, a hell on earth for the modern world, and Father had a lot of pressure on himself to change that. He had quickly put orders out for Dead or Alive to every pirate, pirate sympathiser or any other person who dared give them shelter or protection. As the newly appointed Governor of Jamaica, Father's mission was to deliver a good cut of the riches and exotic delicacies to the Empire, as well as prove fitting to turn Jamaica into a beacon in the West.

I still remember the day we arrived - I was barely twelve, and mother had died during our voyage. Simon, my younger brother, had been so scared, and he had cried for the first few nights in our new home. I had been his rock and support, his mum in so many ways. And now, here he was, being shackled by our own guards, the ones sworn to protect us.

"Madam, forgive me, but Lord Sherwood has been accused of treason, piracy, and other crimes against the Crown." One of the soldiers winced, as he shackled my brother's hands "We must take him, madam..."

"You speak blasphemy!" I yelled, and one of our maids held me back, as tears fell down my cheeks "Simon! Please tell him... tell him he's wrong!"

My sweet and young brother just gave me one of his side smiles and shrugged.

"Don't worry, sweet Rose... Everything will be alright, I promise" He lied, as they dragged him away through the massive double doors of the Governor's mansion.

"No! Simon! My father will hear of this!" I threatened, trying to follow them outside and dragging two maids alongside me "I will have your heads by morning!"

"Madam... Your father signed his arrest" Another guard told me, and I felt a piercing pain in my heart.

"No..." I winced, my legs losing their strength as I collapsed on the floor, the chariot taking my loving brother away from my arms.

I shouldn't be so surprised; for years father had told us how much of a disappointment Simon had been, how much of a rebel he was, how he did not learn his place in the guard, and how he had embarrassed the family name. Oh, and my all-time favourite: how mother would've been so disappointed, if only she were alive. Father had plans for us, after all, we were the Governor's children. Simon was to follow a career in the Guard, become an accomplished military man and soon the next Governor.

In my case, I was also a big disappointment, mostly because I had refused all the suitors father had planned for me, and I had been quite vocal about it. I know I wouldn't be able to shoo them forever... soon there would be one I would have to marry to, no matter how many times I said no. My age was an issue, apparently, as most considered me an old spinster at the age of twenty-three. The clock was ticking, women told me, I needed to get a husband to support and not live off my father, Father himself would tell me.

"I'm not hungry!" I yelled at the maid knocking on my bedroom door; I wanted to be alone.

I jumped off the bed and took all my garments off. The dress was full of ruffles and way too heavy, the waist trainer didn't let me breathe and it was a relief to be rid of it. I kicked the shoes away, took the pins off my hair and changed into sleeping garments. I knew father too well to know he wouldn't dare coming back home that evening - he knew I would be waiting to have words.