The Forgotten Princess Rose
Chapter 127

Chapter 127: Chapter 127

"I cannot promise you that I will save. I have plenty of money at home," Zayne replied. "Would you like to guard my money?"

"Again, that is pointless," Rose answered, knowing when she was facing a losing battle. "If you wanted to get your money, you would push me to the side. You should learn to be responsible without someone having to guard your money."

After a small pause, Rose said, "I am curious about your life and where you came from. Do you have a family waiting for you? Mary said that many of the soldiers have families waiting for them. Wives and children, yet they court others during their travels."

"Are you accusing me of being a cheating bastard?" Zayne questioned, amused by where this was going. When did he ever give off the feeling he had that kind of family in his life?

"N-No," Rose stuttered, worried she angered him. "I went too far. I was only trying to speak of your parents or siblings. I do not think you are married. I hope you are not married."

Then his confession would mean that she had to leave this room. Leave this camp.

Rose didn’t want to be one of the women beaten by wives because their husbands liked to sleep outside. Zayne was far from home so that couldn’t happen but still, Rose wanted to be safe.

Zayne’s laughter filled the quiet room, surprised by Rose’s belief.

"Does it not happen? I wasn’t accusing you," Rose bit her lip. She had seen for herself some of the soldiers enjoying themselves a little too much. It was hard to tell who was married since none of them wore rings.

"It does happen but it is not my duty to remind anyone who is married that they are married. I don’t have a lover waiting for me at home. Just my mother and sister anticipating my return," Zayne responded.

Rose was left puzzled. "You said you had a brother. Is your father no longer alive?"

"My father is not alive and my brother is not awaiting my return. He might hope that I am lost out of sea. You do not need to worry about me having that kind of a family waiting for me though I wonder why you want to know if I did. I am the only one with feelings," said Zayne.

"I am just curious about your life. You don’t speak much of it. I will not keep you up. Goodbye," Rose bid goodbye.

"I have to visit the palace and plan our ride to Lady Ambrose. We can leave tomorrow after I meet with the king if it goes well. You don’t need to push yourself to remember your past tonight. Sleep well tonight and if you cannot, I am not far away to stay awake with you," Zayne offered.

"Thank you."

Rose left Zayne’s side of the room and entered her share. She leaned on the door after closing it, looking down at the pretty comb in her hand. It was almost too pretty to use but she wanted the comb to be used as it was made for.

Rose walked to the small mirror hung on the wall and started to take down her hair from the style Charlotte had placed it in. "What does he see?" Rose wondered, still stuck on what Zayne liked about her.

Rose stared at herself in the mirror. She couldn’t stop seeing the same girl who was raised in a brothel and part of her still greatly disliked herself. Disliked all the things she had witnessed and the things done.

A man like Zayne should have a clean woman. Rose wanted to know about his family because she knew if there was ever a rare chance she liked Zayne, his background would not allow them to be together and Rose didn’t want to go through that. To be denied because of her small background.

"I do not have to think of such things," Rose said, continuing with her hair. She saw Zayne as her employer and at other times as a friend.

Zayne’s feelings would pass in no time. They had to since he was to return home at some point and she could not return his feelings.

Rose placed a handful of her hair over her shoulder and began to comb through it. "It is easier," she noticed.

Rose stopped not long after, her appearance in the mirror troubling her. "I cannot meet my family like this."

Rose had endured many hardships but whenever she got the chance to finally reunite with her family, Rose wanted to be stronger by then. For the brothel to no longer be on her mind, her fear of men gone, and a corner no longer her hiding place.

"You are too quiet," Rose scolded herself.

Thanks to how quiet she was, others like Zayne had to protect her.

"You have gone your life protecting yourself. Why are you so weak now?" Rose questioned her reflection in the mirror.

For every two steps she took forward, Rose ended up talking four steps back stopping herself from growing.

Rose was used to being quiet to protect herself from Graham’s punishment but now that she was free, she had to speak to protect herself.

Rose continued to comb her hair. There was much she needed to do to change from her old self and overcome what still haunted her to this day. If she were to meet with her family, Rose didn’t want them to see her in this state.

"Will Lady Ambrose be the answer to everything?" Rose questioned, hoping that this time they wouldn’t meet a dead end. "Who is Lilian? My mother?"

Rose couldn’t forget the terrifying feeling when she heard the name. There was a sensation along with the pain like a memory was right before her, begging her to recall it but she could not.

Rose touched her head, leaning forward as she imagined the field again and the moment she looked around to someone calling her. It was still a blur. If she pushed herself a little harder, maybe she could remember the face of the person there with her.

Rose closed her eyes, trying to push through the pain as she tried to let the memory continue. Instead of the field, Rose saw a memory of someone’s hand reaching out to her. It was only a hand decorated with rings that looked to be made of gold.

Again, Rose could not see the face of the person in her memories, but this time, the same fear she felt was there.

Rose flinched, petrified by the sensation of someone grabbing her neck. Rose touched her neck, wanting to protect it only to realise the feeling was just in her head but it felt so real.

"Why?" Rose questioned, sounding almost out of breath.

She stepped away from the mirror, scared once more as she was at the festival. Water started to fill her eyes but Rose tried not to cry over a memory that she could not understand. She was just planning to become stronger but she was still this way.

Rose headed toward the door, needing to get out of the closed space she was in.

Zayne was startled by her appearance back on this side as he was getting undressed to go to bed. He noticed how distraught she was like someone or something had frightened her inside the room. "What is it?" Zayne asked, approaching her to check for danger.

Rose covered her eyes with her hand since Zayne was not decently dressed now that he was without his shirt. "I remembered seeing someone’s hand reach out to me. I do not know why it scares me. I could not see the face. I couldn’t remember."

"It is fine, Rose. Do not push yourself," Zayne said, embracing her as he could hear how she was on the brink of tears. "It might be best if you don’t remember."

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