The Rose Of The South
Chapter 37: Me Soeur

Xavier's. Her thought. "No way..." Xavier's not healed yet. He was still lying down this morning.

"I know you won't believe it. But I saw it. And not just me, all the Red Queen members saw it!" Constanza's eyes sparkled in amazement before she even began to tell him more, "A green-colored dragon like an entire forest stretched along its skin with a pair of horns surrounded by the flowers of the Goddess Tear came and shook the earth upon landing. He wags his tail at the Tower. One brief flick, and the Tower was destroyed."

"Earithar..."

"What?"

"What direction did the dragon go?"

"To there." Constanza pointed into the forest. "But it looks like the dragon is injured. He's flying low. It seems that on his way here he was facing off against the Nordhalbinsel warriors. On his body there are many arrows—“

"Art?"

Constanza.

"Wait a minute here. Don't go anywhere. Wait right here. I'm..." Anna did not know how to explain it to Constanza, so she did not continue her sentence and went straight to the depths of the forest limping. Trying to find a sign of Earithear's presence around the forest.

Anna kept trying to walk as fast as she could on one leg, down the forest. Not without purpose, he's looking for Earithear. There was something he felt, something wrong, like when Xavier was hit by a poisoned arrow from Constanza. Anna felt the same way at the moment. Feelings like loss and emptiness. Like breathing with one lung. But he himself wasn't sure what was really going on. Since the morning of their departure, his premonition was not good. Something bad—very bad—will happen, but he still doesn't know what it is.

He walked with his feet resting on the wood that he found until several times fell tripping over the roots of trees or slipped mossy stones. But that didn't stop him. He continued walking quickly following the thin green mist that shrouded the forest like a trail. Anna now understood what the thin, multicolored fogs she had seen several times during this time. It was a trace of the existence of the dragons that could only be seen by the owners of the dragon eyes.

"Gearithear!" Anna shouted out a call while continuing to follow in her footsteps. He continued to shout to the corner of the forest until his throat felt sore. Until he finally remembered that he had other ways to communicate with the dragons.

Earithears! He screamed in the channel.

Anna's? It was not Earithear's voice that answered him.

Her tears were not flowing when she could finally hear that voice again. All the longing she had, her worries, her fears—all of them were taken care of upon hearing her voice. How much he missed that voice and the owner of that voice.

Xavier's... Anna stopped her steps, trying to regulate her breathing which was still panting. Now that he had stopped moving, he only felt a pain in his hands and a pain in his legs. When he looked down, looking at his feet, he realized how bad his legs were.

Anna! Holy hooch! Where are you really? What the hell's going on? Why are you just giving news now? I've been looking for you for hours. No one knows where you are. Thought you... I thought you—

Excuse me... Ii'm sorry. You all right? You're cured? Mercifully...

Now is not the time to ask about my situation. You're wounded. What the hell's going on?

Anna almost forgot Xavier could feel her pain. It's nothing. I'm fine—wait... Why are you saying no one knows where I am? I told my mother.

Queen Isabella is not here. Currently in the Palace there are only a few nobles and the bodyguards and... I'll tell you the full story. But among all of them, no one knows where you are. Where are you?

Schere. Near Tower. In forest... Anna looked around. He had absolutely no idea where he was now or how far he had walked from the Tower. I'm looking for Earithear. Something must have happened to him. I'm sensing. He was seen in the tower. He destroyed the tower. What if something happens to her? I tried to call him but he didn't answer my call. He should be around here somewhere. Anna again spread her gaze around. Looking for traces of Earithear's existence. The fog... Traces thinning. She has no—

Alright... Calm yourself. Don't go anywhere. Wait for me there. It won't be long.

And sure enough, within seconds, a dragon was seen back in Schere's night sky.

...****************...

There are no words spoken. Although there were a great many things he wanted to say, all of them were gone in an instant when Anna saw him standing there.

Alive. Unanimous. Healthful. Without any trace of Morta in his veins. It was as if death never nearly picked him up.

Waves of relief hit him until his legs felt limp. Anna almost fell to her knees on the wet mound of the forest, but Xavier immediately ran towards her and held her in his arms.

"You're scaring me." Xavier said as his greeting.

"You scared me. Never get hurt again like that." Anna released herself to look at the two emerald eyes. He only realized how much he missed those eyes that were staring at him in a way no one had ever done. "Never again." Deuteronomy.

Anna remembers Eleanor's story of the little prince who was constantly pursued by death. She was poisoned by her stepmother and treated cruelly in her own home, where it was supposed to be safe for her. How many times had Xavier experienced such a near-death event all this time?

Anna waits, hoping Xavier will promise her never to let herself get hurt again. But it didn't happen. Instead, he felt a soft sweep of Xavier's lips on his. The kiss was spontaneous and short. But it managed to make his heart pound unheard of, and all his wounds, his broken bones, his heartbreak, his fear and fatigue, disappeared like never existed.

Perhaps it was because of the brevity of the kiss, or because her still-beating heart was beating so fast, or because of her longing for that pair of emerald eyes, or because of her lethargic feelings or a combination of all, she said, or even none of it, because he did crave it for so long without realizing it, he did miss it, wanted it and needed it.

No more forests. There was no more rocky ground, dark skies and trees around them. There's nothing. There's only the two of them. And their breaths are fused. And their rhythmic heartbeats.

No countries are at odds. There is no war. No tears and bloodshed. There is no death. It's so easy to get rid of all that, forget everything when they're together. The illusion of absolute peace made her fall asleep so Anna could find no way to stop.

Since when? Anna wonders. Since when had he been looking for Xavier without even realizing it. Why was he so eager to go with Leon to the market the day he saw the leaflet announcing the election of Xavier's personal bodyguard, whereas previously for days he only stayed in their cottage after the death of his father. Why did he who was usually afraid, suddenly have the courage to participate in the election even though his sword skills were still not how much. Why did he come to oppose Leon who forbade him. Maybe deep inside him, without him noticing, he knew who he was looking for. He followed his heart to find his soul mate.

He kept denying it all this time. Keep telling himself that Xavier is his enemy. Royal enemy. The various excuses that he raises by his common sense to defy his will. It makes no sense if she fell in love with someone she just met about a month ago. It feels wrong to want a man who is engaged—even married. Moreover, that person was the son of the King who killed his father. He kept telling himself that this was all wrong. Then why does he now feel that part of his lost self has returned and feels complete?

It feels like coming home. Like coming back after a long time away. It all feels back to where it was. Anna only realized how long she had been denying her own feelings. How much he missed her. Missed everything about him. About them. Everything was. Their kisses, their touches, their togetherness and their previous lives. He could almost feel the cool breeze of the morning on the balcony of the Palace as they danced without music. Almost heard the cheerful laughter of Zuidlijk and Nordlijk playing in the courtyard of the Palace. He saw the perfect world in his eyes. Almost feel back to his past life as if all this time he just dreamed of dying and being separated from Xavier—a very terrible dream. Till...

Anna's... The voice brought him back to the present moment in between their kisses.

"Yes?"

They still haven't let each other go. Can't yet. But at least Anna started to remember where she was.

In forest. We're in the woods. It's not over yet. Anna reminded herself. Reawakening himself. Stabilized his footing on the ground after now his leg is not broken anymore. Now he remembers to stand on his own two feet.

Anna opened her eyes to look at the pair of emerald eyes again. His heart beats because of it. His hands were still coiled around Xavier's neck. His face was blushing as he realized how close they were. When they realized what they had just done.

"Earithyl." Xavier. His words were only a breath but Anna could hear them clearly. Even so, Anna still did not fully understand what he was saying. "So you were looking for him. What's going on?"

The question really brought back his consciousness. Anna told Xavier everything, who listened carefully.

"You can find him. Try calling him." Xavier.

"I tried it."

"Try again."

Anna nodded. He closed his eyes to concentrate on the entire forest. Earithear is an Earth Dragon. The wind between the branches, the mossy ground, even the rustling of the leaves, all of it will tell of its existence. All of that is its essence.

When Anna opened her eyes again, the fog appeared again. He knew his eyes had returned as red as the dawn sky. Some of the mist was nearby, as red as the flames, telling him that the Great Fire Dragon was with him. The other mist, which was green like a forest, formed a path. Anna followed the path with Xavier.

Earithear, please answer us. Xavier called him.

On here. The voice sounded very clear and clear as if Earithear was near them. The voice, strangely enough, was so familiar that Anna believed she must have known the Earth Dragon both in the past and in present life. But the voice grimaced like it was holding back the pain. As if he had trouble breathing. I'm right here.

...****************...

The dragon was lying on the ground. Breathing snorted. His eyes were almost closed as if it was very difficult for the beautiful and powerful creature to open both eyes.

Dozens of arrows stuck in various places all over his body—including in his heart. Earithear was different from the Great Fire Dragon which protected thick and hard scales that could even be used as a sword. Arrows can hurt him.

Anna fell to her knees before him. Seeing the Earth Dragon dying before him, broke his heart. His eyes were blurry with tears. His hand, much smaller than the dragon's, touched Earithear's face, trying to wipe away the dragon's tears. There really are no scales. His skin turned out to be much softer than he expected.

Earithear... What happened?

Put another... I discovered that the Nordhalbinsel nobles who occupied Schiereiland, who were on the side of Empress Selena, invested most of their possessions on the tower project. With the tower destroyed, they had no reason to settle in Schiereiland. They don't have any more treasure and we can expel—

That's not what I asked... What the hell happened to you?

My queen... The Earth Dragon looked at him with both eyes which strangely felt very familiar to him. Anna swore she could see the smile she was so familiar with from the Dragon's face. My daughter...

Anna looked at Xavier. "Is there nothing we can do? We have to save him."

Xavier was still looking at Earithear—sssad, angry and surprised—tapan it was a mixture of the three. He shook weakly. "Nothing." Said. He then knelt down to grab something from Earithear's claws. A necklace of emerald gems. His eyes are cracked. One of the arrows destroyed his heart. "The heart is here. He's moved it." Xavier hands Anna the cracked necklace of emerald gems.

Anna felt it, her pulse was very weak in that emerald gem.

Show her... Xavier's vibrating voice was a command in their channel.

Anna turned to him, but Xavier was still staring at Earithear. Tears welled up in her eyes that were now as bright as Anna's. What—

I'm talking to you, Earithear. Show her. He deserves to know.

What do you mean, Xavier?

That necklace, Anna... I've seen him. He wore it that morning in your palace for breakfast. You know her, Anna. We've known him. But he's been hiding it from you all along. Of all of us. The reason why Selena said she felt the power of the dragon from the direction of Schiereiland Palace that night. I thought Selena was just making excuses to attack Schiereiland. I thought it was just his tactics. The reason your father was killed that night... Selena didn't lie to my father. My father misinterpreted Selena's intentions. Not the King, but the Queen. How could you hide all that from her all this time, Your Majesty?

"What—“

But before Anna finished her sentence, a white light enveloped the forest. So bright that he had to close his eyes. The moment Anna opened her eyes, the body of the Earth Dragon had disappeared as if she had never been there. No. gabe. Not disappeared. Just like Xavier, the Earth Dragon also had its human form.

She still looks young at her age. With honey blonde hair and blue-green eyes like the ocean. Queen Isabella smiled weakly at her daughter while enduring the painful moans all over her body. The arrows, some of them had already been released, some were still stuck on his human body. Some were still lodged in his chest, stopping his heartbeat—his mortal heart. While the heart of his dragon, which he had stored in the emerald gem necklace earlier had stopped beating.

"Mothers... Why..." Anna could not finish her words. He's not capable. His chest felt tight as if there was an arrow lodged there. Cry broke.

It's not real. It's not real! No way!

My daughter... My queen... Queen Isabella smiled sadly as she tried to raise her hand to wipe away her daughter's tears. But her body was already too weak, so Anna who raised her mother's hand and attached it to her face, felt the remnants of the warmth of life that still remained from her mother's hand. I'm so glad we're reborn as a mother and child in this life. I am so happy to be your mother... I love you so much.

Nah! Don'tgo... Please... I love you so much, so don't go. Staywith me...

Her Majesty... Why didn't you tell us from the beginning?

My king... This time Queen Isabella smiled at Xavier. Anna sees Earithear's face in her past life. The face of a beautiful young girl who was a dozen years old who never aged despite living thousands of years. The face of a loving and tender-hearted little sister, who wept as she watched the humans on earth live miserable lives. It's good to see you back. In her previous life she was my Queen, but now she's my daughter. I hope you can keep it with him and take care of him. I hope you can be happy in this life. I hope you can change the cruel fate that will separate you. Promise me you'll never let go. Promise me you'll stay with him. Promise me never to leave it.

I promise, Your Majesty... I pledge.

"Mothers... Don't leave me. Hang in..."

The Queen wiped away the tears that ran down her daughter's face. And in that brief touch, Earithear told him everything. Anna saw it all. All that Earithear, his mother, had hidden for years. Whole secret. His whole life.

...****************...

"Isabella, my daughter, remember this well." Grand Duke Smirnoff smiled at his only daughter, "You are the pride of the Smirnoff family. You're the Grand Duke's daughter." That's how the Grand Duke always said to the princess only wayangnya.

"Of course, papa. I will always remember." Answer always.

Although most nobles wanted a son to be their heir, Alberto Smirnoff was different. Be it a son or a daughter, his son would definitely inherit his title. He doesn't care about gender. One day her daughter will be Grand Duchess Smirnoff and everyone will respect her daughter as everyone respects her.

But Alberto's mother disagreed. He continued to blame his son-in-law who was unable to give him a son. Grand Duchess Smirnoff suffers from a rare disease that keeps her sickly after giving birth to the Princess. Isabella was their first child and last child. Because the Grand Duchess can no longer give offspring until the end of her age.

But that's not what keeps the Grand Duchess away from her daughter. The Grand Duchess learns a secret that no one knows about her daughter.

As winter and snow cover the entire city, little Isabella can bring out warmth like the morning sun and the gusts of spring breeze to the surroundings. During a brief state visit to Nordhalbinsel, the Smirnoffs grew roses from the snowy land to the north. He can ripen a freshly green apple in early spring. As well as talking to nature—plants, animals, even sunlight and spring breeze. Isabella can heal her own wounds quickly and make others remember something forgotten. Feeling that her daughter has an oddity that the public will not accept, the Grand Duchess always advised her daughter,

"Isabella, remember this well. You have to hide your weirdness. Unorthodox things like magic and such were not accepted at Schiereiland. Even in the north there, there was a family of slaughtered witches. No one should know. Be as normal as possible.."

"Okay, Your Majesty." His voice is always obedient.

Even as her mother was about to take her last breath on her bed, when Isabella brought her mother's favorite rose in midwinter, her mother threw the flower into the fireplace.

"No flowers in winter! Don't let anyone know about your weirdness!"

It became the last message from his mother, as well as a message that he always remembered to grow up. Isabella grows up to be a normal girl like any other noble girl. Hiding his identity from anyone. No one else knows what he can do. Even when his father remarried a one-child widow, even though his stepmother and stepbrother treated him very well, he did not tell them about his 'weirdness.

When she reached adulthood and married Edward who then ascended the throne as King, Edward told her all his secrets.

"Bella's... We're married, so I want my secrets with you. I actually have a Grimoire hourglass. I stole. And I used it to save someone."

"Bella's... My queen... I owe my life to the parents of this baby. We'll take good care of this baby until he grows up. After that he may choose to leave or settle in the Palace."

"Bella's... Beloved wife... I've been so scared lately. I'm afraid I've really fallen in love with you. I'm afraid, if I love you, I won't be able to lose you."

"Bella, when you were pregnant with Anastasia, I actually dreamed of meeting a Dragon. And if the lesson I received was true, he was the Great Fire Dragon. He asked me to protect our daughter. She said she'd be a great queen in the future."

Isabella had heard all of Edward's secrets so that nothing was known of her husband. But until the end of her husband's life, Isabella kept a secret about who she really was. And there is no greater regret than that.

...****************...