Old Grudges

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"You, elf." A gruff sounding human man was seated in a tavern in the human village of Earlestown. It had once been a bustling market place, a meeting place for merchants and scholars. But now... It was lucky if a handful of hunters passed through on their way elsewhere. The people here lived close to the neighbouring kingdom that boasted that is was the seat of all civilisation, Elven, of course. The exact border was somewhat of a foggy issue, meaning battles often broke out over ownership of land. Elves passed through, most of them simply wishing to look down upon what they considered the uncivilised and rather boring humans, before returning to their own cities of silver.
"Elf?" The dark haired female asked, spitting that one word back at the man who had called it to her as she walked past his table. "You do not address the other women here as 'human', so not call me by my race either." She added rather haughtily.
"Well la-di-da! Ain't you just lady of the manor!" The man sneered, banging his glass down on the creaking wooden table. "Your kind aren't welcome here! You never will be! Get your knife ears back to your own side of the border!" 
The elven woman sighed heavily and with silent and sudden movements, she was in front of the human, her ornate elven dagger slammed into the chair all too close to his privates. "Do not test me, human. I have no humour for your kind this evening."

"Are you so certain of that?" Abalas asked softly, though he swatted the other fingers away. "Stay close to the palace, and you will be safe. I give you my word, your highness."

"You are no fun, Abalas." The nymph muttered, fading back into the trees. "Always with the beautiful treasures that you do not share." 
Iris frowned at the fading fingers, feeling as if she were as bubble headed as her father claimed her to be. She truly didn't know anything about the world around her. "Are you sure you want me here?" She asked him, thinking about to the scene in his room earlier that day.

"Let me worry about Eirwen." Abalas replied, offering his arm out to Iris. "She hated me long before you were even born." He was silent for a moment, seeming to be considering something. "Can you keep a secret?"

"You have a secret of mine, the least I can do is return the favor." Iris nodded, sliding her arm through his. Again she felt a strange safety sweeping over her. As long as she was with the elven king nothing could harm her.

"Dahlia's mother wasn't an elf." The king breathed, leaning in close enough for his lips to brush Iris' ear. "My daughter has no memory of what she truly is."

"Is that why you're so desperate to marry her to an elf and keep her away from my brother?" Iris asked, trying to keep herself from thinking of the delicious shiver that ran through her slender frame.

"I am a man of my word, Iris, and Dahlia was promised to someone else a long time ago." Abalas replied, his words heavy with something he wasn't speaking of. "She is a wilful girl, I cannot risk her being out in in the world and someone discovering what she truly is. I am afraid Dahlia pays the price for my need to feel something."

"Most half breeds don't live long at all. They thought Molly was doing exceptionally well. How is it that Dahlia is so very strong?" Iris asked, once again feeling every bit the failure as a mother to her own child. "And...is that why you didn't offer to save her? You sensed what she was. Dahlia told us as much."

"I couldn't save Molly, that much was true. I could have helped her sickness, but not the genetics that caused it." Abalas agreed. "But Dahlia... She's something else. The girl thinks her mother was just some elf that I dallied with, I made certain she believed that as it is the only thing that keeps her safe." The king pulled Iris to a halt as they neared the palace. "Her mother was of the Fae, creatures so beautiful your heart could break just looking upon them. You mustn't tell her, and no matter what, do not let Eirwen know that you know." His ice coloured eyes pleaded that last part most firmly.

"I've told you before, your majesty. I am a simple girl. By the time we return to your home, I'll have forgotten everything we've talked about." Iris said softly, offering him a gentle smile. "You have nothing to fear from a lowly human like me. I doubt anyone would listen to me anyway." 
Their arrival back at the palace was met with a plethora of activity. Eirwen was throwing a fit at the dinner table, making it clear that she was very unhappy to be the only one at it. 
Rothain was shooting arrows in the courtyard, trying to hit birds that were leaving the towers overhead. Even in the dark he was an excellent shot. 
The only sane one seemed to be the quiet elf who stood waiting by the castle doors for Abalas. "You are late for dinner, father." His son said gently, I do hope your..." Dual colored eyes of gold and ice swept over Iris and she instantly felt ashamed of herself. "Adventures have left you with an appetite."

Abalas didn't seem to have the energy right then to chastise his eldest child for such an unspoken accusation. "What use is there in throwing a dinner party, if the guest of honour is not here?" He asked, nodding his head to Iris. "The princess has lost much this day, it is up to us to show her she can still smile."
Dahlia had remained sat in the garden, weeping over her mother's grave. She missed the woman terribly, more so now that she was about to have her wings clipped a second time.

"We don't have food to feed a dog!" Eirwen stomped past her son, shoving him aside. "If you wanted a pet, perhaps you should have provided for it!" She howled, proving that her temper had long since faded. 
"I don't want your food. I want to bury what remains of my child. Even if it is just ashes." Iris said finally, her voice calm and almost kind. 
"Take them." Andaer, the heir to the throne, raised his hand. Another elf appeared with a small box. "Take it to the garden and place it on the colored roses. It is the only place they are allowed."

Abalas' jaw was tight when Andaer chose that location. He felt his son was testing him somehow, looking for a reaction in an entirely different way that Gwen did. "Take them there, Iris, I know your people believe in life after death, and if such a thing exists... Molly will be happy there."

Iris didn't move, the eyes on her all but keeping her from being able to. She clung to the simple box, finally shaking her head. She too felt the tension between the king and the young man. "Ashes help flowers grow. My daughter is not compost. That is an insult." She whispered, her back stiff as she again considered fleeing into the dark forest. 
"Halfling. No worse than horse shit." Eirwen hissed, now standing on the other side of the human princess. She knew what the other woman was thinking and was all but driving her toward it. "At least it will finally be something beautiful."

Iris wasn't to know that her words deeply wounded Abalas. Dahlia's mother had been sweet and kind, though still had a rather sharp tongue. Her murder had been the price he had paid for loving her. He reminded himself that Iris didn't know the rainbow roses were Darla's eternal gift to him. "I can fetch you a horse, if you would rather return to your brother." He told the human woman wearily, no longer able to keep anyone happy.

"Yes, I think that best." Eirwen spoke up, waving for Rothain to join them. "She should never have been brought here in the first place." When the guardsman arrived she grabbed his arm, hissing instructions in his ear. 
Iris said nothing. She didn't know what to do and suddenly she was far too tired to truly care. "You're about to collapse, sire." She whispered. "You should rest. I'll leave when I know you are all right."

"I would think it best Rothain remain in human kingdom." Gwen suddenly piped up. "To make certain the little pup doesn't cry to her brother and have him march his army right to our doorstep, now she knows exactly where the palace is." She added, her icy stare glaring hatefully at Rothain.

"I am not going back." Iris said softly, leaning into the king when she felt him begin to sway. "My brother does not want me. If I leave here I shall find a new home. But your king has invited me to stay and it would be rude of me to ignore such a gracious invite." She went on, her eyes never leaving Eirwen's. It was a silent challenge and the other woman knew it. Without another word she pushed past them, leading Abalas inside. 

"Perhaps you should go to the human realm." Rothain snapped, heading back toward the garden's with his bow over his shoulder. "You might find someone there to put with with your whining."

"You do not wish to anger her more than she already is." Abalas warned Iris quietly.

Gwen had seen Rothain kiss Dahlia in the garden. She blamed the younger woman more than anything, but she also wanted Rothain to suffer. "Perhaps I would find a real man there too." Gwen's voice hissed for only Rothain to hear.

"She told your guardsman to take me to the border and kill me. How much worse could it get?" Iris laughed softly, turning in the direction she remembered the royal rooms to be. "The garden...I sensed you didn't want me placing the ashes there. I didn't know what else to say." She told him when they were far enough away. 

"I doubt it. Your father is having trouble giving you away at this point." Rothain growled, just to hurt her as he was hurting. He found Dahlia where he had left her and simply sat down, staring into the darkness beyond the garden.

"I don't mind you placing Molly's ashes there." Abalas assured Iris. "It would seem that time has simply made me blind to the way others feel at this point."

Dahlia didn't say anything. She wanted to scream at Rothain to go away. She wanted to blame him for everything. To beg him to kill her. Anything.

"What's so special about the garden?" Iris asked. "It was meant to hurt you. So...how would a garden of multicolored roses be able to do something like that?" 

"Your brother told the human to place her child's ashes here." Rothain told her, not sure why he felt the need to hurt everyone in sight.

"The multicoloured roses only grow over Darla's remains." Abalas breathed. "Eirwen insister she be buried in the rose garden, like a punishment even in death, that her body would nourish Eirwen's precious flowers." Suddenly Abalas smirked. "Needless to say, she was not impressed when the roses became even more beautiful. Karla always did know how to get the last laugh."

Dahlia was still staring out at nothing in particular. "Good. My mother would like company." She breathed finally.

"I'm sorry you lost her. It's easy to see just how much you adored her." Iris said, her heart melting at his smirk. "I'm only sorry it wasn't the hateful woman who now shares your bed." She muttered, pausing to open the door to his room.

"Sod off." Rothain growled spitefully. "And stop treating me like I'm your enemy.  This isn't any easier for me than it is for you. I made Gwen hate me and I did it because it would make things better for you. Ive had enough of being the monster."

"I didn't lose her, she was stolen." Abalas reminded Iris quietly. "I deserved whatever Eirwen may have done to me. I betrayed her, but what she had done to Darla and Dahlia..." He closed his eyes and shook his head. "Forget it all."

"Funny, you seem to enjoy it so much." Dahlia snorted, her knees hugged up to her chest now. "I have nothing but enemies in this place I am supposed to call home, so don't expect me to trust you by your word."

"As you wish," Iris whispered, gently pushing Abalas to sitting. Once she was sure he was going to lie down she turned to leave, glad her own room was still empty. "Goodnight, my lord."

"You are still angry with your father for returning you to the gilded cage where you belong." Rothain reminded her. "You will get used to it. As I understand it, he has done so quite well."

"You shouldn't wander the palace alone, Iris." Abalas called to the human princess. "Erin has eyes and ears in every corner."

"I do not belong here!" Dahlia insisted hotly. "I belong... out there!" She added, gesturing to the forest beyond the garden wall. "I am no princess, as everyone but my father takes great pleasure in reminding me."

A month came and went rather quickly for Iris. She kept to herself for the most part, staying out of Eirwen's sight.or anyone else's for that matter. She'd decided to keep the box of her daughter's ashes and hadn't spoken of it since. 
She'd discovered secret passage to the garden from her room and had been traveling back and forth that way. She'd planted sunflowers in a sunny corner and basically created a haven for herself. The king alone knew of its location. As evening set in, she sat waiting for him working on sewing him a cloak from material she'd found. 

Rothain had become little more than the king's guard dog. He rarely spoke save for when he was giving reports on the area and his future wife's whereabouts.  During family events he simply stood near Dahlia and stared ahead. There was more than one occasion that he had to stop himself from daring to look for Gwen. Soon the king would announce his choice for her...

Abalas had seemed much more like the old king when he was around Iris. Sometimes he even forgot he was king when they sat amid the sunflowers, talking of trivial matters. It was a refreshing change from the loveless marriage he himself was trapped in. 

Gwen had made life a living hell for Dahlia the past month. She had degraded and ridiculed the younger girl at every chance she got, especially when it was at palace gatherings where the entire court could hear. 
Dahlia seemed to have shut down. She didn't respond to any of Gwen's taunts, but the desolate look in her violet eyes made it clear how much she wished death would come on those swift wings everyone spoke of.

Iris stood when she saw Abalas approaching through the sunflowers, holding the cloak in her hands. "I'm afraid you must try this on right now." She said, barely giving him a chance to come to a stop before she was standing on tiptoe to slide the glistening red fabric onto his shoulders. 

Eirwen had grown used to dinners without her husband. She did, however, demand that everyone else show up. Dahlia's presence was met with disdain as always. She was treated more like a serving elf than a member of the royal house. On that night she would find that someone had clipped over a dozen roses from her mother's rose bush and had left them strewn over the long oak table like nothing more than trash.