C9 The day after

Rosa was standing on a soft ground it was nighttime. She looked around trying to understand where she was. She could see the rose garden. “Was she back home?” She could hear shouts and roars. She started running without a direction. She took a look back a group of armored men were chasing her with swords and pikes in their hand. The sky looked red blood red. Her bare feet ran as fast she could but it seemed like she was falling behind. The ground was black it felt cold. Her feet were freezing due to the cold ground she felt cold. She finally stopped looking at the small child. It was Sloan he had blood falling from his face and a sword stuck in his small body he held out a white rose drenched in blood. She screamed at the scene. “No!” and fell down.

Someone shook her awake. She opened her eyes to three faces looking down at her. Olivia was sitting on her knees closest to her. She shook her awake and now dabbing her face with a cloth. Rosa wanted to get up but she could not find the strength. Justin looked at her worried, “You had us worried.” Eugene was the standing at the end of the bed. She wanted to say something but she felt tired and slowly her eyes closed again. She could hear their conversation a bit dimly then all went blank...

“Her fever finally broke. What do you think happened?” it was Olivia did not move from her place. She changed into another cloth and wet it in the cold bowl Rosa stayed still her breathing no longer hard. “The medic said it might be some kind of trauma.” Eugene leaned beside the window. Justin had a little crack in his voice he was really worried, “I did not notice she left the house. Where did you find her Eugene?” “Emma found her by the river she behaved strangely according to her. Emma approached her thinking he looked sick but Rosa ruined her wedding bouquet.” “That is something strange of her I never saw her acting like this. Hatred is something she would not show.”Justin looked back at her. ‘Did she remember something?’ Olivia stood up tucking the girl in the bed. “She seems like she is feeling better. We might get some answers from her when she wakes up.” Eugene nodded, “Emma seemed angry and upset it might be something that happened between them. Felix looked scared for some reason.”

Olivia set a new water bowl beside the bed and a few pieces of cloth. “That is strange those two never quarrel with each other. Specially Rosa she hardly talks.” Eugene excused himself from the house after this. He was thinking of something to suggest but he let go of the idea. His body felt exhausted from the journey he decided to get some sleep first. Justin on the other hand felt his sleep left him he took a look on the child’s face. ‘She is such a small child was it actually a quarrel between them or a past trauma that triggered her into this?’ Rosa still did not remember anything from her past except her name. Olivia decided to stay back for the night to take care of her after pushing Justin to get some sleep.

The night went by with Rosa shifting a bit once or twice in her sleep. The whole time Rosa had nightmares of people calling out to her or she is running from armored men chasing her with weapons in their hands. They killed anyone who came in between them to save her. Rosa screamed to leave her alone in the dream but they would not stop. She woke up again to a dark room. Olivia was sleeping on the chair close to her bed only a small candle was lit on the writing desk. She slowly sat up the bed looked drenched in her sweat. Sitting up on the bed took too much strength. A wet cloth fell on her lap. ‘Aunt Olivia must have put it on me. Was I having a fever?’ She looked around again to get more clues and tried to remember what happened. The whole day played in her head. The news shook her thus she left the house and ended up making Emma angry. ‘I need to apologize to her.’ she thought holding her head with her right hand it still have a blunt pain. She thought of the roses in Felix’s hand ‘The roses made me do something horrible I wish I did not see any more of that flower.’ She slowly lay back on the bed and pulled on the blanket looking at the ceiling. She finally let her tears fall from her eyes. She put a hand in her mouth to hide the sniffling from the mouth. It was getting hard to hide how she feels from others. How long should she hide from others. She felt like a coward in hiding herself instead of going back like her family. ‘But if I go back what will I get back to? Do I deserve to get back?’ The face of young child came back to her head. ‘I do not deserve happiness when I could not save him.’ She cried silently in the night and does not remember when she fell asleep.

The morning light came to the room from the window close to the bed. The birds are chirping and flying around looking for bug from tree to tree in the morning it seemed like they are looking for breakfast while greeting each other in the morning. The sound of the birds made her wake up from the sleep. She yawned a bit and moved in the bed and tried to open her eyes. It burned; she rubbed her eyes with the back of her right hand. Rosa felt like her body has gotten heavy. She thought she would get some water from the pitcher she put down one feet slowly and next another. Her white thin gown made her shiver a bit. She slowly went to the shelf and took out a shawl to cover her shoulders. Her bare feet took slow steps into the hallway. The hallway is empty. She slowly walked from her room to the kitchen downstairs. She took a mug and took a bit of water to drink. The stove felt cold ‘Was there been no breakfast cooked today?’ she thought as she drank her water. She slowly walked to the door to check the field ‘How did I reach home yesterday? I was out there.’ She thought looking for Justin if he left already for the auction house.

The wind lightly she tighten the shawl around her. A fatigue came all over her body she sat down on the porch floor and looking at the surrounding. “Rosa what are you doing here?” Justin came out of the stable. He must have been cleaning the stable he held a long broom in his hand. He slowly came over and put a palm on her forehead. “You still feel a bit feverish.” Rosa somehow felt all the worry left her shoulders. She smiled, “I wanted to see where everyone is?” Justin shook his head he patted her shoulder, “You still need to rest.” Rosa tried to get up but felt a bit shaky, she held the door to support herself to stand. Justin looked at her with a sarcastic look and sighed dropping his broom on the side and picked her up in his arms. He carried her to her bedroom. “You need to get enough rest before anything else.” Rosa smiled feeling guilty she apologized. He put her on the bed and sat on the corner of the bed. “Do you feel like eating something? What would you like for breakfast?” Rosa apologized again, “It is alright I am not that hungry.” Justin shook his head, “Fine, Olivia is coming over she will cook for us.” Rosa looked worried she was reminded of the cold stove, “Sorry for the trouble did you eat anything for breakfast.”

Justin flicked her forehead, “Worry about your health first. How did you not notice that you were coming down with a fever and let yourself get this weak?” Rosa rubbed her forehead with her hand to stop the pain, “Sorry I did not notice.” He looked at her for a while before asking, “What happened with Emma? She said you were upset about something and fainted.” She was thinking when this question will come forward. She could not think of a good excuse to avoid it. Finally she raised her head to answer the truth at least part of it. “I really do not know. Rose makes my headache. Whenever I smell roses my head hurts.” Justin looked as if he was thinking of something. It must be related to your memories. He reached out and patted her head, “Do not stress about it now we will talk more about it later. You take some rest now.” He pushed her down to lay down and tucked her in with the blanket.

She felt warm and cozy and nodded to the words smiling. All the previous thoughts somehow left her mind. Justin had this effect on her. Whenever she felt sad Justin would. Somehow appear and make her feel better. She slowly went back to sleep in the soft warm weather. She felt a warm hand on her forehead which made her wake up but she kept her eyes closed. ‘Must be Justin checking her temperature again.’ She kept herself stiff careful not to make any sign of movement or to give away the fact that she was awake. “I wonder what you went through to get fevers like this.” She heard Justin’s voice it sounded deep and worried. She felt a huge guilt that she was keeping the fact of not having lost any of her memories. She could not keep pretending anymore so she slowly opened her eyes and smiled at Justin. “Did I wake you up? Sorry.” He looked a bit worried. She smiled to get the worries away. There was a bowl of soup and a plate of bread on the table. “I bought you food.” He bought the food try on her bed. Rosa sat up smiled and took the tray of food. “No it is alright I was feeling hungry.” She took the bread and bite on it. Rosa finished the food really quick. “How is your little girl doing today?” Olivia came upstairs and hugged her. “I am feeling much better Aunt. Sorry for the trouble I caused.” She hugged her back. “A child should not worry about such things. You rest for today. I will take care of everything. Oh and there is someone who came to visit you.” Rosa saw Emma was standing at her door way. She started to feel a bit comfortable but took care not to show any of it. ‘I should apologize first. No, is she angry? How should I talk at all?’ questions came one after another in her head without any answers. Rosa started to struggle on what to say first. Emma did not stop looking at her face but she had no definite expression in her face. It was becoming more confusing for her to understand.

“I think we should leave the girls to talk among them.” Justin said as he left the room with Olivia smiling towards both of them and leaving the room. Rosa looked away and looked at her hands in the blanket. She finally mustered up the courage to speak out, “I am sorry for…….” But she could not finish. “Why did you not tell me?” Emma screamed. “I was so angry. Why did you not tell me you were sick? Do you know how I felt when you fainted there? My heart stopped I thought I am the most evil being in the world.” Rosa’s eyes went big as saucers. She was not expecting this scenery in front of her. Emma was moving around the room, from left to right pointing at her and accusing her of not mentioning her that she was sick. Rosa tried to interrupt and apologize but was cut off by her ranting. Emma screamed for what it felt like the next ten mins and then finally looked at her. She looked puffed and panting. “Emma can you please settle first and let me explain? I am sorry at first I did not mean to ruin your wedding bouquet.” She smiled with a guilty look in her face. This made Emma fumed she pointed her finger at her, “You you, you Rosa you are so insufferable…..” She walked close to her aggressively. Rosa flinched back to avoid any more harsh scolding but instead Emma surprised her with a hug. “I am sorry too I was scared I might have made you sick very bad.”

Rosa felt tears come up to her eyes she hugged her back and patted her shoulder, “I am sorry, it was actually my fault I made all of you worry so much for me.” “Ugh you and your continuous apologizing habit.” She pulled her left cheek. “You should speak out if you are feeling bad.” Rosa wanted to apologize again but instead gave a smile to her. Her friend finally calmed down and took a moment of silence before speaking up again. “So when did it start I never knew you hated roses. I saw you holding flowers.” Rosa shook her head her expression went a bit dark, “I never held roses I try to avoid them. I cannot hold them it hurts my head.” Emma nodded “Do you think it is because of your memories?” Rosa lifted her shoulders in denial, “I don’t know honestly it just hurts the smell it feels like it is piercing my head.” She decided to include some of the truth in the sentences but not the whole reason why it hurts.

The commotion upstairs did not go unnoticed by the people downstairs. At first they felt worried on what is happening but soon as they could hear the word. They decided to sit down and leave it. Olivia laughed shaking her head. Her brother joined her laughing at the situation. “Well I will be leaving then.” He took his coat and head towards the stable. “This is late you might not be on time for the wedding.” Olivia sighed this time Justin will be gone for three days straight and Emma’s wedding is tomorrow. He smiled and shook his head. “I have to get the materials someday it is already late for me. I was supposed to leave the day before but it got delayed.” She listened to his explanation however not satisfied with his answer. “Well I cannot accept that. I hope you stay out of trouble, be careful out there. Is Babak leaving with you?” He nodded in agreement. “Yes it is on the same road we will part in the midway.” He looked at the road in front of him. The ride will be long this time. “Take care of them for me Olivia.” He left the door way and walked to the stable. He felt a little uneasy and did not wish to leave the village. ‘I better find a way to come back quickly this time.’