“Coming, Father,” Rose called back. “I have to go. Um… meet me at the old ruins in the forest. 6:00. If I don’t come, I couldn’t get away. Don’t wait past seven.” Rose hurried down the stairs and left.
^^^
After changing and bathing, Rose knocked on the door of her brother’s living quarters. Jazmín answered.
“Rose! How are you?” she asked cheerfully. “Come on in!” Only when Jazmín was satisfied that Rose was as comfortable as could be, did she let her sister-in-law speak.
“So what brought you here again today?” she asked. “Shouldn’t you be out riding with Ben?”
“Um, well… that’s what I wanted to talk to Jo about. Is he here?”
“Oh, no. He is probably in the library, or sparring. One or the other, just like always.”
“Thanks, Jazz. Sorry to just pop in, but I really need to talk to Joe. I’ll see you later.” Rose decided to check the library first. Reaching the library door, Rose straightened her dress, on the off chance that her father was in the room, and quietly opened the door. She knew exactly where her brother would be, so she made her way at once to the little alcove where Joe often came to read.
“Hey, Kayrena,” Joe said, using the Birini term of endearment for ‘little sister’.
“Hello, Joesen,” Rose said, looking over his shoulder. “The Gypsy Queen? Haven’t you read this one already?”
“Yes,” Joesen answered. Rose shook her head. She loved to read, but she didn’t understand why her brother re-read books. “Rose, did you come to talk to me about my reading material?” Joe asked. “Or is there something else you want to talk about?”
“Father forbade me from seeing Ben,” Rose said, sitting down across the little table.
“Why?” Joe asked.
“His pride is hurt,” Rose said bitterly. “He has been proven wrong, and has refused to see reason.” Rose told her older brother about the incident in the stable. Joe sat back and pressed his steepled fingers against his mouth. “I really don’t know what to do about this, Rose. You know what Father did… he didn’t do it rationally. To be honest with you, Rose, I think something is seriously wrong with Father. You’re not the only one he is treating differently. Cora is beside herself with loneliness. She has not seen her husband at all since he has been back. He didn’t even sleep in their bed last night. Father won’t grant an audience with his wife.”
“Before the war, no one needed an audience to see him, unless he was busy. Now, not even his wife can see him?” Rose asked incredulously. “What happened?”
“I don’t know,” Joe said, shaking his head. “It’s like he isn’t even the same person anymore.”
“So… what should I do, Joe?” Rose pleaded.
“Rosella, you know what you are going to do. Need I give you advice you won’t heed?” Joe asked. Rose blushed but said nothing. Joesen knew her so well, he knew that Rose would not obey her father.
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