*Rose's POV*

"Eleanor? You're Keelan's sister?" I asked.

"Yes, that's me." She said as she came over and took a seat next to me.

"How-"

"How am I alive? Well easy to say I was never dead." She said simply.

"But Henry sent them your ashes."

"It wasn't mine it was an animal's."

"But why did he tell them you're dead?"

"So that they wouldn't search for me. After I came back with Henry I had hope he'll change his ways, but I was wrong. The abuse only got worse and worse, and when I couldn't handle it anymore I told him I was going home. He refused and locked me in the dungeon."

"You've been here all along." She nodded and I could see she had her father's eyes. Her face looked older than Keelan said she were. She didn't look two years older than them.

After a few minutes of silence she began to speak again. "I thought he would change after we bonded, but he didn't. He grew more angry with each passing day and he started to grasp at every coin he could get his hands on. He wanted power, and as he grew stronger I could see he was no longer the man I loved." She said as she stared infront of her recalling distant memories.

"I don't quite understand." I said.
"Of course, sorry. How much do you know about fae and their powers?" She asked.

"I know a thing or two about them."

"Do you know what is meant by the term bonding?" She asked and I shook my head, no.

"Well bonding is like marriage, but only in fae terms. You see when fae get married they bond, and if they bond they share their life force with each other. The life force is a beautiful thing, you can give a little of yours to your loved one if they ask, but it's your choice. When I bonded with Henry he told me to sign a contract, he said it was something about the treaty between our kingdoms. So I did, but it was a magical contract drawn up by an old wizard. I'm bound to that contract."

"What does that contract say?" I ask curiously.

"That I'm obliged to give some of my life force to Henry whenever asked. And that is why I appear older, his stolen a lot of my life force." She said with a sigh. I felt horrible. How could he do that to her.

"That's why I'm stuck here, with the loss of all my life force, my powers are extremely weak, I can barely use them. Which in turn has made Henry powerful." Even though I have only recently discovered my gifts I don't know how life would be without them.

"I'm sorry." I said as I placed a comforting hand on her shoulder.

"It's not your fault."

"Doesn't a fae life force regenerate from time to time?" I asked as I recalled something I've read in the library.

"It does, but then he only takes it again." I felt the anger buzzing feeling spreading through me.

"That son of a formoggal." I said out of frustration. How could he be so mean? What did she ever do to him?

I was still fuming when I heard Eleanor letting out a giggle. I turned around to face her. I gave her a perplexed look with a raised eyebrow.

"What?" I asked.

"I can clearly see that you've been spending quite some time with that brother of mine." She said with a small smile. I felt my cheeks heat up as I stared at the greasy ground.

"So your the one?" She asked out of the blue.

"Excuse me?"

"The one who saved his life. That pendant he supposedly lost in the pond, I always had a feeling he didn't loose it." She said.

I took the pendant between my fingers. It was my best memory and every time I touched it, I felt close to Keelan.

"Did you tell him?" She asked.

"Tell him what?" I asked.

"That you love him."

"I didn't have the opportunity."

She must have noticed the change in my mood for she suddenly placed her hand on my shoulder. "Don't worry, I'm sure you will soon."

I gave her a smile for that reassured me. I could feel her sisterly love and I couldn't wait for Keelan to find out his sister was still alive.

-*-

Keelan's POV

Two days went by as we progressed to the battle field that awaited us, it was coming closer with each day. I was afraid for Rose and what Henry might do to her, even after the enchantress reassured me that she would be fine.

As we made camp once more the enchantress joined me on the log I was seated on.

"I know, I know she will be fine." I said immediately thinking she came over to reassure me again.

"That is not what I wanted to tell you." She said.

"Then what do you want to talk about?" I asked curiously.

She leaned forward as if she was going to tell me a secret, she looked around to see if anyone was nearby before she whispered,"The legend."

I gave her a confused look, "What legend?"

"The legend of Rose."

"The one I dreamed about?" I asked.

"Yes, I didn't give you the whole thing, because I didn't understand it. But then it came to me that only you will be able to understand what it's meaning is."

"What makes you so sure that I will know the meaning?" I asked.

"Well, as I said before you are her soul mate. Now the legend goes like this: Born of roses will she wake to end the suffering of his reign. Power piercing through veins, love will conquer all pain.
But sadness awaits through the rain.
To save her from eternal slumber, water her whole and she would grow bold."

I listened carefully to the words, but it didn't make sense to me. What was meant by sadness awaits or eternal slumber. All I could of what it possible could mean is that Rose dies...

"No, you must have the wrong legend." I said as I stood up and left Carling on the stump. She screamed for me to return but my thoughts were just to busy.

The legend pierced my heart with fear and I couldn't help but think that she might die. No, there was no way I was letting anything happen to her.

Hold on Rose, I'm coming.

-*-
Rose's POV

It's been two days since I've been locked up in the dungeon with Keelan's sister. My back was sore because we had to sleep on the ground and I honestly didn't know how Eleanor survived it for so long.

We got bread with some funny looking green mash everyday for a meal. At least we were still fed. Eleanor and I've come to know each other more and she recounted numerous childhood stories with me.

I also told her my life story and how I met Henry. I also told her about my time at the fae realm and with Keelan.

Every time I mentioned Keelan I could see the far off look she had on her face and I could only imagine how much she misses them. And I could relate for I've been away from my mother also a long time, but at least she still had hope I was alive. Keelan and his parents didn't have that hope and they still don't.

I couldn't help but wonder how long Henry would've kept Eleanor here, until she died? It was hard to believe that the man I fell in love with was this monster who stole fae powers, life force and is abusive. How could you misjudge a person so much.

The most pressing thought on my mind was Keelan and the war. I was scared about what awaited and I was scared for Keelan. I had nightmares about him being killed by Henry and I woke up with tears in my eyes. The thought of losing Keelan was to painful to imagine. I've never been in a war and I had a feeling it wasn't something a person would want to experience.

All those people losing their lives because of a simple matter that could've been discussed in a civil manner, without the loss of lives and spilled blood.

"You've been quiet." Eleanor suddenly said breaking the silence.

"Sorry, I have a lot of things on my mind." I apologized.

"I can see so." She said and I immediately thought that she had the same mind reading abilities as Keelan.

"Don't tell me you can read minds to." I said.

"No, I don't but I could see you are lost in thought. What are you thinking about?" She asked.

"Keelan, Henry, the war."

"I understand, my mind has also dwelled there. How far away do you think they are?" She asked.

"I don't know, but they said that they could be expected in five days." I replied.

"I just hope Henry has no surprises awaiting them." She said with a sigh and I agreed. I only hope they would arrive here safe and sound.

The next three days felt like an eternity. Eleanor and I created our game in hopes of speeding up the time, but it didn't really help.

The time went by slowly and the silence down in the dungeon was deadly. It was only Eleanor and I in the dungeon alone. I asked her where Henry kept the other perpetrators, and she said in a different place for he was scared people will see her and notify her father.

She also told me about how she and Henry's story began. I didn't want to tell her that Keelan blamed himself for her death, because I knew it would only upset her.

Eleanor and I was busy with one of our games when we suddenly heard footsteps approaching. We both jumped up at the sound wondering what was going on. I looked at her with a puzzled look which she returned. A knight suddenly appeared infront of the bars with a ring of keys in hand.

He unlocked our cell and moved aside only for Henry to step inside. He had an evil grin on his face that sent chills down my back. I immediately knew that whatever he came to tell us wasn't going to be good.

"Ah ladies, such a pleasure to be in you presence once more." He said as he smiled at each one of us.

"What do you want Henry?" Eleanor asked through clenched teeth as she glared at him.

"I thought you would like to have the best view of the festivities that are about to take place." He said and my stumach churned, he was going to force us to watch the war, up close and personal.

Eleanor was about to say something when all of the sudden the shrill sound of a bell ringing could be heard loud and clear. Warning bells that was informing the kingdom that an enemy was fast approaching. But I wasn't afraid, for it wasn't my enemy who was fast approaching, but rather my knight in shining armour.

"Well, I would love for us to stay here and talk all day, but I'm afraid ladies we have a war to get to. Now if you would follow me." Henry said as two knights came inside and grabbed hold of me and Eleanor.

Henry gave us a last fleeting smile before her led us to the war zone. And I only had one thought on my mind, I was going to see Keelan again.

____________________________________
Hey guys

I hope you enjoyed this chapter, what do you think about Eleanor and Henry stealing her powers?

So the war is about to begin. What do you think is the meaning of the legend?

Please vote and comment.

Thank you for reading

-Amorie