120: The exchange to the rose

The exchange to the rose

Music Recommendation: Mission Control- Hans Zimmer

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Anastasia's sympathy swiftly gave way to a stunned expression. She hadn't expected this from the Mother Queen, but on second thought, it shouldn't have been surprising, considering the woman's track record of callously severing people's tongues without thinking twice. 

"Did I catch you just slightly by surprise?" the Mother Queen asked with a slight chuckle escaping her thin lips. 

'Slightly' was an understatement, Anastasia thought to herself. With a nervous smile, she replied, "Yes." 

"This is something unknown to the people of Versailles, not even my family. Wait, Aziel knows about it because I had to seek a little help from him," the Mother Queen calmly revealed as if she were discussing what kind of alcohol she would have in her tea, which was surprising. "You must be wondering about my motives for doing what I did." 

Anastasia remained speechless and gave a cautious nod before carefully asking, "Why are you sharing this with me?" She couldn't help but wonder if this wasn't some kind of veiled warning, where the woman subtly hinted at what she was capable of and could do to her if she were to cross a line. 

"Hm, why did I divulge something so significant?" the Mother Queen drawled, her words trailing off as she turned to gaze at the young woman. "It is said that sharing secrets brings people closer. I trust you to keep it safe with you, even though there is little that can be done about it now, as years have passed," she let out a laugh at the thought of it. 

Anastasia mustered a smile, but internally, she realised she was walking with a formidable woman. When they entered a new corridor, leaving the one they had strolled through behind, inside a secret passage on the other side of the wall, Aiden stood frozen with his mouth hanging wide open in astonishment. 

"Grandmother killed Grandfather?!" Aiden mumbled in shock before quickly making his way out of there. 

As they walked through the corridors, Anastasia couldn't help but ask, "I thought King Johnathan was your soulmate?" After all, wasn't a soulmate meant to provide unconditional love and be unable to bear the loss of their partner? 

The Mother Queen sighed as if Anastasia had asked a heavy question. 

"He was my soulmate, but sometimes soulmates don't function as we hope, not when the connection is incomplete." Incomplete? Anastasia asked herself. "His ruling caused considerable harm to many of us," the old woman explained, choosing not to delve into specifics. She continued, "He took the concubines before I met him. As a soulmate, jealousy runs too deep, as does possessiveness, especially when you learn that the crown will pass to the concubine's son." 

Anastasia couldn't help but observe that the Mother Queen didn't look guilty for her past actions and, instead, seemed rather proud. "Why didn't you abolish the concubine and courtesan system during King William's reign?" she inquired. Deep down, she also wondered why the Mother Queen hadn't considered bringing people from other kingdoms to serve them instead. 

With a solemn expression, the Mother Queen turned to face Anastasia and said, "I wouldn't have met you then, would I?" 

"No," Anastasia replied with resentment. The older woman's words did little to console her and failed to offer her any comfort. 

"Also," the Mother Queen continued, "It isn't within my authority to abolish a system that had been entrenched for many years. As women, we only hold influence within the palace, but the ultimate decision-making and power lies with the king." 

Anastasia contemplated whether the Mother Queen understood Lady Sophia's position, as it mirrored the one she had once endured, having to share her husband with other women. In some respects, she pitied Lady Maya for being forcibly brought to the palace and losing her son, despite her aspirations of becoming the king's concubine later. She couldn't help but feel that everything in the palace was disordered and chaotic. 

If Anastasia had previously considered Lady Maya cruel for exiling most of the royal family, the Mother Queen surpassed her by strategically eliminating individuals who could pose a threat in the future. 

With a smile, the Mother Queen turned to Anastasia and inquired, "Is there any secret you would like to share with me, Anna dear?" After hearing everything from the woman, Anastasia felt uncertain about how much she could reveal. However, she considered the possibility of turning this woman into her friend rather than viewing her as an enemy. 

"I was brought to this palace along with my sister," Anastasia disclosed, a fact the Mother Queen was unaware of, as it was something she hadn't shared even with Princess Emily. 

"Where is she? I will have her status elevated immediately!" The Mother Queen's footsteps paused, appearing quite eager at the prospect. 

"The palace has already elevated Marianne to a position beyond which there is no further advancement," Anastasia replied, while the Mother Queen frowned in response to the young woman's answer. "She was the late king's concubine." 

The Mother Queen's faded eyebrows lifted, and she asked, "The Marianne who died with William?" 

"That was my sister," Anastasia replied, prompting the Mother Queen to take a step closer before placing her hand on the young woman's shoulder. 

"I am sorry that you lost your sister. We have been diligently searching for the murderer… but we haven't been able to pinpoint a suspect because of the sheer number of guests visiting the palace at the time, with suspicion pointing in every direction," the Mother Queen said solemnly, lowering her hand from Anastasia's shoulder. "It must have been very difficult for you. I believe there is something you might appreciate having," she continued, slipping her wrinkled hand into her dress pocket before pulling out a handkerchief. 

Upon seeing the handkerchief, Anastasia remarked, "This is Mary's." 

"I thought so. Was it her dress that you borrowed that night during Sophia's birthday celebration?" the Mother Queen inquired.

"No, she gave it to me," Anastasia replied, taking the handkerchief and turning it over to see the embroidered 'M' on it. 

'Do the people in the tower steal things?' she wondered aloud.

Anastasia could vividly recall Marianne's smile as her sister delicately embroidered the letter 'M' at the corner of the white handkerchief. 

'They do not. Stealing is prohibited in the palace, Anna,' Marianne had replied to her. 'It was merely something I wanted to claim as my own.' 

Returning to the present, Anastasia inquired, "Where did you find it?"

"In an unexpected place yesterday," the Mother Queen replied.

"Thank you," Anastasia expressed her gratitude to the woman, who responded with a warm smile. If she had kept the handkerchief, it implied she found it important and directly related to the late king. 

"There's no need to be thankful for something that is rightfully yours," the Mother Queen stated, bringing a smile to the young woman's lips. 

"I wish that were true," Anastasia responded, prompting a puzzled expression from the Mother Queen. 

"It isn't?" she inquired.

Anastasia shook her head. She then asked, "There is something I wanted to ask about King Dante's demon. About the curse."

"What about the curse?" The Mother Queen's eyes turned serious, and she treaded the situation carefully as they resumed walking. 

"He told me that someone cursed him many years ago. But isn't it the case that when a curse cast upon a person is broken, it is because something good has happened?" Anastasia asked because the demon seemed to have awakened after experiencing a series of painful experiences. 

Queen Ginger wanted to tell Anastasia how she was destined to fall in love with Dante and accept both his virtues and flaws. That she was the one meant for him, but Raylen had advised her against it, as it could potentially make things worse for them, and she in no way wanted to scare the young girl. 

"Allow me to show you something you might have already seen. Come with me, Anna," the Mother Queen said, and Anastasia followed her. 

They ventured into the forbidden side of the palace before reaching the inner garden, where the Blackthorn rose continued to endure. As Anastasia's eyes fell on the plant, she observed how the once withered and dry stems now bore leaves, making it look alive once more. 

Astonished, Anastasia murmured, "It is returning back to life." 

"Indeed, it is," the Mother Queen said, pleased with how things had proceeded so far. "As you can see, the rose is yet to regain life, and unless that happens, the curse persists."

"So… if the flower blooms again, the curse will be broken?" Anastasia inquired, taking a step forward towards the plant. 

"That is correct," the Mother Queen answered, attempting to recall the number of days she was waiting for to pass. As slowly as the days were moving, the events were unfolding at lightning speed. 

Anastasia stared at the Blackthorn rose, which looked striking even in its wilted state. The question of whether her ancestor had truly placed a curse on Dante many years ago lingered in her mind. Out of curiosity, she asked, 

"What if the curse doesn't break?"

The Mother Queen hesitated, uncertain if Dante was listening to them, and she couldn't take the risk of allowing something her family had destroyed to reach the ears of her demonic grandson. She replied, "All I know is it won't end well."

Anastasia didn't pay complete attention to the Mother Queen while she spoke, as her eyes were trained on the plant. She wondered if she could help break this curse with her abilities. After all, if it was her ancestor who had cast it, her involvement could hold the key to the solution, right? she asked herself in contemplation. 

"Can I take a closer look at it?" Anastasia asked, even though she had been next to the plant a few times before. 

The Mother Queen's eyes subtly narrowed, a question evident in her eyes though left unspoken. Nonetheless, she was intrigued and responded, "Let us go together."

Anastasia didn't particularly desire the woman to come along, but she couldn't refuse her directly after hearing her stories. They walked together and came to stand before the plant. 

She wondered if singing to the rose right now would elicit a response from it. However, she had only tried her ability on flower buds before, making them bloom, but this particular rose seemed lifeless. Moreover, everyone knew that once a flower died, it eventually fell and withered into dust. What if she made things worse rather than better? The thought made her mind dizzy for a moment. 

'Two feet hopping front and back, twirling and running, ah ah ahhh. Little buds waiting to bloom.'

'Anna, what did Papa say about not singing to the flowers,' a young Marianne reminded her before taking them from Anastasia's small hands. 'You cannot let anyone see.'

'But they are only flowers, Mary. See.'

'It's because the others don't know. You can sing to them inside the house. Come.'

As the old memory passed through Anastasia's mind, she raised her hand to gently touch the rose, feeling its delicate and dry petal beneath her fingers.  2

The Mother Queen's eyebrows rose once again, almost sure that Anastasia was aware of something significant. If not, the girl was certainly being bold with the plant. She watched as the young woman parted her lips, and the older woman held her breath, bracing herself to potentially witness the plant heal completely. 

"The beauty we gaze upon between the stars, pales against the crescent you bear," Anastasia softly sang the poem in a lowered voice, her gaze fixed upon the black rose. "The brightness only you sustain, makes the sun's gold green. For every arch of your step—"

Her voice trailed off as both she and the Mother Queen noticed the stems of the Blackthorn rose beginning to vibrate. 

"It is responding...!" the Mother Queen exclaimed in surprise. She turned to Anastasia and urged her, "Go on."

Seeing how the Mother Queen wasn't shocked by what had just happened, Anastasia interpreted it as a good sign and continued to sing. 

When Anastasia sang four more lines, the petal she was touching started to appear less dry, but simultaneously, an ache formed in her chest. Unable to sing further, she coughed and brought her hand to cover her mouth. Although the Mother Queen was excited to see a petal regain colour, Anastasia noticed blood on her palm, realising it was her own. 

Anastasia could still feel the tug in her heart, and she closed her eyes. She realised she had the power to heal the flower, but at the expense of her life. 

"This is wonderful!" the Mother Queen exclaimed. However, her enthusiasm quickly shifted to concern as she turned away from the flower, "You are able to hea—Is that blood??"

Panic struck Anastasia, rendering her speechless. Not only had she exposed herself like an idiot, but she now faced the risk of dying if the queen decided to heal the flower by having her sing to it. After all, there was no telling what the Mother Queen was capable of when it came to protecting her family.

As if the situation wasn't already tense enough, they heard footsteps approaching where they were, and soon Dante appeared at one end of the corridor. His eyes swiftly landed on Anastasia and the Mother Queen standing beside the cursed plant, before he sensed the scent of blood in the air. His eyes narrowed, and he demanded, 

"There had better be a good reason for why you are standing there."

The Mother Queen replied, "Anastasia wanted to look at the dead rose after I shared the story of the Blackthorn rose and its significance in our family history."

"Did you hurt yourself, Anastasia? Or is it you, Grandmother?" Dante asked, as he walked towards them.

Anastasia had no visible wounds and wondered if she could claim that she was sick. Lady Lucretia had coughed blood too, but what if Dante discovered later that she had lied?

"It is me," the Mother Queen said, raising her finger, and when Anastasia turned towards her, she noticed a blood spot. How did she do that? "I accidentally pricked myself while picking up a dead thorn, not expecting its sharpness. Do not worry, I don't mean to bring her any harm. In fact, I quite like her," she said, looking at the younger woman. 

Dante came to stand before them and said, "Aziel was looking for you, Grandmother."

"Oh," the Mother Queen responded, taking note of her grandson politely sending her away. "I guess I should get going, then."

Once the Mother Queen left them alone, Anastasia's heart continued to pound under Dante's scrutinising gaze. She heard him say, 

"It is amazing that a dead rose can make one's heart race."

...and also make it bleed, Anastasia thought to herself. 

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