Rose
Stardate 2733
“Of course I don’t love her!”
Rose froze at those words, not having expected anyone to be in the greenhouse at this hour. She had been unable to sleep and had hoped that a little bit of time in the greenhouse would calm her nerves about her upcoming coming-of-age ceremony.
However, she especially had not expected what sounded like her fiancé talking to someone else in a spot that no one ever came to besides herself and a couple of maids. Both dreading and needing to know, praying that the sick feeling in her gut was wrong and it was just another couple, any other couple, she inched closer to the door that had not quite latched shut.
Those hopes were crushed seconds later. “But you’re her fiancé, how can you say that?”
Yep, it was her half-sister. Of all people, it had to be her.
He immediately refuted, “You know that I only love you. If there was any other way to control her until you come of age, I would do it. But she thinks that I truly love her so she’ll listen to me.”
Feeling her heart crack at the disdain and contempt for her in his voice, she blinked back her tears and forced herself to listen closely. She needed to know exactly what was going on so she could respond accordingly.
She could hear the pout in her sister’s voice, “But that’s so far away. It breaks my heart when you have to be nice to her and ignore me.”
He soothed, “Lily, you need to be patient. It’s only six months and then everything can be like they should’ve always been. You’ll be able to take your rightful place as the heiress of House McAllister. A little pain now for a lifetime of bliss. You can be strong for that long, right?”
“But they’ll be announcing your engagement at her coming-of-age ball tomorrow. They’ll expect you to dance with her and kiss her. When we get together, everyone will say that I’m a shameless woman who stole her sister’s fiancé.” There was a frantic undertone in her voice, although most would’ve thought it sweet concern rather than fear of being looked down on
Rose managed to suppress a snort even as a tear trailed down her face. At least she was aware that what she was doing was appalling, even if it wasn’t going to stop her from doing exactly as she pleased anyway.
Smugness filled Milo’s tone, “Don’t worry, I’ve already planned it all out. I’ll have to dance with her so that she won’t suspect anything. If I don’t, she won’t be as biddable and we don’t want to alert her until we’re ready to give her what she deserves. But I swear, I won’t kiss her, not even on the back of her hand.”
“Oh, what’s your plan?”
Was that nervousness in Lily’s voice? Were they not as united as they seemed?
He chuckled, “I’ve already begun it. I’ve let slip a few things to some of my associates at the club. About how Rose sometimes has mood swings, about how your presence seems to displease her and how she won’t permit you at any of the tea or meals where we’re together. How she’s snapped at your mother and denied that she was part of the McAllister family, even though she’s married to your father and is her sister’s mother.”
Lily gave a small laugh, genuine amusement filling her voice, “That mouse? As if she would dare. She’s always so eager to please, it’s disgusting. If it weren’t for the fact that she refuses to give up her position as heiress and her engagement with you, I wouldn’t mind allowing her to live in the annex or somewhere else out of sight.”
Milo huffed irritably, “It’s disgusting, how clingy she is and how she thinks she’s worthy of either thing. No, she’s going to end up exactly where she deserves, either exiled to an abbey or locked up in a sanitarium.”
Rose clamped a hand over her mouth to keep from exclaiming and giving herself away. She forced herself to listen for a couple minutes longer but it had devolved into sickeningly sweet love talk between the pair.
Once she was certain that she wouldn’t hear anything else of value, she crept away until she was certain that she was far enough from the greenhouse that she wouldn’t be heard. Then she broke into a sprint and raced through the silent mansion until she reached her small room in the attic.
Shutting the door, she slid a chair under the handle before making her way to the corner furthest from the door and curling into a small ball. A single tear trailed down her face and she dashed it away impatiently. She shouldn’t cry, she should’ve realized that it was too good to be true. It was her own fault for being so blind.
She sniffled, digging her fingers into her leg in an attempt to calm her racing mind. This was just the latest in a long string of betrayals, going all the way back to her father bringing home his mistress and illegitimate daughter on the day of her mother’s funeral.
If she were being honest, she should’ve suspected Milo’s betrayal long ago. But she had been so desperate to believe that someone, anyone, was on her side that she had easily swallowed every one of his honeyed lies. How pathetic she must’ve seemed, clinging on to his promises that he would only love her, that he saw through her sister and family’s schemes, that he would marry her and take her away from all of this and they would all live happily ever after.
She let out a cracked laugh at that.
Happily ever after? No, she had been cast as Cinderella’s ugly stepsister, as the evil one who was trying to steal everything that belonged to the fair maiden, who was a bully and a thief and rotten to the core. As if she wasn’t the only one with clean hands in the entire situation.
Determination filled her as the pain faded slightly. She had been willing to put up with it, to deal with all the beatings and indignities forced on her on a daily basis by those who should’ve loved and cared for her. All because she had loved Milo and was willing to endure anything if it meant that they could have a future together.
Rose had promised her mother that she would do her best to live her life happily and to be there for her father after she passed. If there was one silver lining to this whole ugly situation, at least her mother had never known that she’d been betrayed by the man she had loved with all her heart. That her beloved husband wouldn’t even have the decency until she was resting properly in her grave to bring his mistress and illegitimate daughter home to take over her house and abuse her daughter.
As far as Rose was concerned, remaining in this house for the past four years had more than fulfilled her promise to her mother about her father. She owed him nothing more. It was time for her to start working on the other half of her promise, to live her life happily.
Drawing in a deep breath, she pushed to her feet and crossed over to her dresser, prying open the hidden compartment hidden behind one of the drawers. Reaching in, she carefully drew out a journal and a pouch that was nearly full, weighing it carefully in her hands before setting it aside and drawing out the last item in the small space. It was the last gift that her mother had ever given her, one that she had oddly enough insisted that she never tell her father about it.
Holding onto the scabbard, she carefully drew out the dagger, although it didn’t make a single noise as it slide effortlessly from its sheath. Even in her dim room, lit only by the moonlight shining through the window, the dagger sparkled like it was covered in glitter. That or stardust.
Rose still remembered the day that she had received the dagger. It had been on one of her mother’s rare good days, when she had felt good enough to go out to the garden and have tea while admiring the flowers. That day, she had insisted upon sending all the maids away before making Rose sit opposite her instead of permitting her to serve her tea and treats like she’d wanted to.
Her mother had slid the box across the table to her, her expression both proud and unbearably sad. Rose had been oblivious at the moment, but thinking back on it now, she realized her mother knew that her time was swiftly running out and that she’d have to leave her daughter behind to face the world alone. Her mother had told her that this dagger was typically gifted to women of their line at their coming-of-age ceremony and that it had been handed down from mother to daughter since space-faring had first began.
According to her, the dagger was centuries old and had once belonged to a pair, but that the second one had been lost to time and history and no one knew it’s fate anymore. She had teasingly added that it was said that the person holding the other dagger was supposed to be her soulmate and that the galaxy would find a way to draw them back together, like two stones resonating with each other.
Rose had made a face at that, not really interested in getting married. She had always wanted to explore the galaxy, to see all the different planets and people out there instead of settling down here to attend boring balls and teas and raising children. Her fiancé was nice enough but he seemed boring too, not even wanting to travel beyond town, let alone anywhere interesting.
But since her mother was finally feeling better, she hadn’t wanted to argue with her. So she’d accepted the dagger, had promised to take excellent care of it, then had promptly tucked it away and forgotten all about it. Especially as her mother’s condition had worsened that very night, starting off the events that would lead to her current misery.
Clinging tightly to the dagger, she tried to recall the happiness and peace she had felt in her mother’s presence that day, but it was all thin and faded, like a letter handled too often. However, she knew, down to her bones, that her mother wouldn’t have wanted her to be treated the way she was. That what she wanted, more than anything, was her daughter’s happiness.
And so, she would do her best to find that, to live the life her mother always dreamed that she could have.
Tucking the items back into the hidden compartment, determination filled her. She swiped roughly at her face, drying the lingering tears. She would escape and leave this planet behind, travel to a place where they would never find her, and create a new life for herself.
Still, she needed to be smart about it. It would break her to be so close only to be caught and thrown into a cage that she could never escape from.
Taking a deep breath, she set about crafting her plans for escape. Failure was not an option.
