Chapter 8: Death Row
Rose stood in front of the hearth, stirring the pot. She was making some porridge, just enough for her mother and herself. Her father had already left for work as soon as it was bright enough to leave. He said he needed to start on her wedding present, and if he didn’t start now, there was no way he would finish it in time, so he was going to set out early to find the perfect tree trunk.
Rose smiled to herself as she wondered what her father would carve for them. Imagine if it was a sculpture of the two of them. Of course not, that would take more than a week, and her father didn’t sculpt humans—he preferred animals, especially birds. It was also the only thing she was a little good at.
Any minute now, it would be time for lunch. It was almost noon. She had to hurry; she always made sure food was ready by noon for her mother. The old woman didn’t eat much, but at least she ate, even if it was a little. Her mother was getting sicker, and every now and then, she worried she might wake up and her mother wouldn’t.
Rose smacked both sides of her face with her palms. What was she thinking? She had more important things to worry about and a wedding to plan for. She had to snap out of the bad thoughts. This was a happy time for all of them. Rose frowned as she recalled what had happened at the marketplace. Hopefully, he would be gone from Edenville, and she would never hear from him again. After all, royals rarely came to this backwater town.
Suddenly, she heard her name. Rose chalked it up to her hearing things and continued what she was doing.
"Rosie!" A gut-wrenching scream reached her ears. It was Ander; there was no doubt about it.
Rose rushed out the front door, her heart in her throat as she feared the worst. Was he injured? What could possibly be the situation?
She saw him standing in front of the house, his hands on his knees as he gasped for breath. Rose walked to him. "What happened?" she asked.
"Y-ye fat’er,"—when Ander looked up, there were tears in his eyes—"he is about to be beheaded in the town square."
At first, Rose was sure she had misheard him. She was certain what he said was nothing along the lines of what she thought she heard. There was no reason her father would be on death row. The baron liked him too; he wouldn’t let him be...