The Dragon Brothers
Chapter 29 - Long Stemmed Roses

* The Castle at Drakor; The Capital of the Chromos * Viola POV

So, planning the festival of hearts for the queen was going along nicely. The theme was red roses and Agenta and I contacted a florist to hang red roses around town and the castle. News quickly spread about the festival and merchants were showing up to start to prepare to sell. A lot of the merchants I have never seen before so I was excited about what they had to offer. We were going to have the ribbon cutting ceremony on the Food Bank, then there would be ballroom dancing at the castle, a giant feast, and then we would end the evening with fireworks.

"I want to be out with the people more. Having ballroom dancing at the castle and a feast is nice but it does nothing for people that aren't nobles." I talked out my concern with Agenta "Well before you make it the way to the capital from the castle is a large clearing. Why don't we host the feast and dance there?" Agenta suggested. She's always been my problem fixer. "What about dancing? It's not very easy to dance in a meadow." I raise my eyebrow up at her.

"No. But we could clear the meadow or build a wooden stage for the dancing. The platform wouldn't be as large as needed for ballroom dancing but it would still accommodate some dancing." She continues to help me solve the problem of the dance.

"I love the platform idea. Find a local carpenter that can create the platform." I said suddenly feeling nauseated.

"Queen Viola, you don't look so well. Why don't you go lay down in your chambers. I'll find the royal doctor and Lucian." Agenta said hurriedly upon realizing how sick I looked.

"No. Please don't bother anyone. I'll be fine. Maybe I've just overworked myself and now I need to lay down." I said as I walked to my room.

* Roselake: A Small Village in the Salona Kingdom *

Wolf POV

Before I could move onto my next location I needed to meet Mr Gravese, the owner of the bookstore. I wanted to make sure he wasn't some old creeper trying to make a move on Emily. I also wanted more information about her. "Good morning! Mr Gravese I presume?" I ask as I step inside of a tiny shop filled from the ceiling to the floor with books. An old man with white hair and rosy cheeks wearing spectacles turns to greet me.

"That is I. How may I help you? We don't get many visitors from out of town. Whom might you be?"

"Just a fan of books. Do you have any signed works or anything out of the ordinary?" I ask, not wanting to give too much information out.

"No signed works but I do have a copy of Gustave Dore's 'Vision of the Empyrean' or the 'White Rose' from Dante's 'Paradiso' in the back of the store. Of course it's just a sketched copy but it is nicely done." Mr Gravese runs to the back of the store to retrieve the copy. It is a nicely done sketch.

"What can you tell me about Emily?" I ask after paying for the copy.

"Emily, well she works part time for the seamstress, Mrs Fishere, and spends most of her time taking care of her father. He's in a bad way ya know." Mr Gravese seemed easy to talk to.

"Do you know what's the matter with her father? How is he ill?" I ask, wondering if I should send the royal physician from the castle to tend to him.

"Well he definitely has some arthritis in his back and hands. I suppose all those years working as a blacksmith finally caught up to him and gave him the whirlbone." Mr Gravese shook his head.

After leaving the store I send a messenger back to the castle with a written request to have the royal doctor come to Roselake to see Emily's father. Then I make my way to the florist and have a dozen long stem red roses along with the sketch cop sent to Mrs Fishere's seamstress shop.

* Mrs Fishere's Seamstress Shop in Roselake *

Emily POV

"I want to know everything about what happened at the manor last night with the king and don't leave out any details." Mrs Fishere gushed.

"Well, it was actually really nice. The king was so handsome and had such a deep voice. He was almost like something from a fairy tale novel. We first met in the library and then went to the dining room for dinner. He barely listened to Lord Garbg and just kept asking me questions and acted like he was sincerely interested in hearing me talk. He even interrupted Lord Garbg so that I could get back to my story. Then I found out that he likes to read and that he's read Dante as well. He even quoted from Dante's 'Inferno' and then I responded with another quote from the same stanza. The night was truly magical. Now back to real life." I said as I folded the linens in front of me. I started to day dream of King Wolf's face when I heard the shop's bell ring.

"A delivery for Emily." Mr Flur, who owned the local florist, was waiting at the front desk. He carried a long gold box and what looked like a sheet of paper.

With Mrs Fishere trying to lean over my shoulder I took the box and paper from Mr Flur and thanked him. The gold box had a dozen long stem red roses but it was the sheet of paper that almost made me pass out. It was a sketch copy of Gustave Dore's 'Vision of the Empyrean' from Dante's 'Paradiso'. Who could have sent this to me? The sketch copy alone must have cost a fortune!

"Mr Flur do you know who sent this to me?" I asked hoping against hope that it was the king. But could it really be?

"Well, I've never seen him before. But, the man with him kept calling him general and he would refer to the other man as lieutenant. He wrote on a card that's included with the flowers. Maybe that will give you a hint to your mystery man." Seeing he had completed his delivery Mr Flur turned to leave.

With shaking hands I opened the card in the small envelope.

He wrote the sweetest poem.

For weal or woe I will not flee

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To love that heart that loveth me.

That heart my heart hath in such grace

That of two hearts one heart make we;

That heart hath brought my heart in case

To love that heart that loveth me.

For one the like unto that heart

Never was, nor is, nor never shall be,

Nor never like cause set this apart

To love that heart that loveth me.

Which cause giveth cause to me and mine

To serve that heart of sovereignty,

And still to sing this latter line:

To love that heart that loveth me.

Whatever I say, whatever I sing, Whatever I do, that heart shall see That I shall serve with heart loving

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That loving heart that loveth me.

This knot thus knit, who shall untwine,

Since we that knit it do agree To loose not nor slip, but both incline To love that heart that loveth me? Farewell, of hearts that heart most fine, Farewell, dear heart, heartly to thee,

And keep this heart of mine for thine

As heart for heart, for loving me.

Mrs Fishere almost swooned after I read the poem. I had to fan her face in order to help her recover. My heart was dancing with butterflies. I could not believe this was real. But when would I see him again? Could I go to the castle? I'm but a poor peasant girl. They would probably laugh in my face. But, wouldn't this be a fairytale come true just like in my books? For the rest of the day I hummed and sang to myself. I could not get over the elation I felt when I read the poem. Lord Garbg POV

I was making my way to the local tavern to brag about how the new king had come to see me when I caught sight of an extremely large package in Mr Flur's hands.

"Mr Flur, what is in the package? Are those flowers?" I asked, curious who would purchase such an expensive gift.

"Yes, 12 long stemmed roses for Miss Emily. The purchaser also sent along this expensive sketch from Dante's 'Paradiso'. He must be rich!" The florist said, trying to hurry past the lord.

I was not happy. Everyone knew Emily was mine. Who would dare to step in on my territory? I would need to find out who this culprit was before too much time passed.

A/N

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