Taraquin

Chapter 22

As the dust settles, kicked up from the carriages and horses headed for the capitol, Zane feels a strange sense of abandonment even though Asher has never been his responsibility to protect.

"I hope he makes it safely," pleads Zane as he mumbles to himself. He turns and makes his way to the bottom of the stairs and slowly climbs the large stone steps.

Sherry approaches Rose as Gregor gathers all the baggage and follows Zane up the stairs. "I know you just got home, but would you mind keeping Zane company? asks Sherry as she watches Zane push himself, determined to make it up the last few steps. "He's been needing someone his own age to keep him motivated."

"Yeah, I don't mind," agrees Rose.

"Today was actually the first time he's been outside since he's been here. He sits for hours looking out at the gardens. I'm worried about him. Maybe he'll finally go out there if you ask him," suggests Sherry.

"Well, I'll see what I can do," smiles Rose in agreement. "I've missed the gardens anyway."

"Thank you," responds Sherry as Rose heads into the house.

Zane breathes hard as he enters the foyer of the castle. Almost out of breath and feeling a little light-headed, he presses on to the grand hall where a bench awaits his arrival. He plops down feeling a bit weak. He leans forward and takes a few deep breaths to try and calm himself. 

Rose passes the entrance to the grand hall but quickly back tracks. "Is everything alright?" she asks.

"Yeah, I just. I guess I never realized how much energy it takes to walk up a set of stairs," admits Zane as he cracks a smile.

"Well, It's not like you took on a small set of stairs either," declares Rose as she laughs.

"Yeah, I didn't realize how high they actually were until I got about halfway up. By then I had already decided that I was going to do it by myself," admits Zane feeling a little defeated.

"Well, the next time you feel like tackling something like that on your own, you should probably stop and take a break when you get to that halfway point," suggests Rose.

"I'll definitely keep that in mind for next time," sighs Zane with a deep exhale.

"Feel better?"

"Yeah. I think I'm good now," he determines. 

"Good because I have an idea," she declares.

"Yeah, what's that?" Zane asks curiously.

"I think you should try to overcome at least one set of stairs every day until you feel better. I'll even help you. We could go down to the gardens and each day we'll try to walk a little further. Then when we come back to the house, we can take a break when we get halfway up the stairs."

Zane stares at her as she talks with a grin on his face as he struggles to keep from blurting out how he feels about her.

"Alright. That sounds like a good idea to me."

"Good. Are you ready then?" Asks Rose.

"Now?" Answers Zane with surprise.

"Yeah, why not?"

"Didn't you just say one set of stairs a day? I think your math is a little off. " Argues Zane with a smile as she helps him to his feet.

"So you're going to let those big bad stairs get the best of the legendary Rebel Slayer?" Smirks Rose.

Zane laughs loudly.

"Really!" He responds as he continues to laugh. "Rebel Slayer?"

"That's what they're calling you." Explains Rose as they head out the back door of the castle.

"Yeah right. You just made that up."

"I'm serious. Everyone in the kingdom is calling you the Rebel Slayer."

"See now I know that you're full of it." Claims Zane.

"Full of what? I don't lie."

"Anyone who says they don't lie is usually a liar." Counters Zane with a smile.

"Did you just call me a liar?"

"No!" Backtracks Zane as he laughs.

They slowly head down the steps that lead to the extravagant gardens.

"You better watch yourself. I might just accidentally push you down the stairs."

"Well maybe I'm going to have to rethink our deal. I'm thinking that Sherry might be the better choice to help me get out and about." Laughs Zane.

"Oh no. You made a verbal agreement which is just as binding as a written contract." Emphasizes Rose.

"I can't be held liable for my verbal agreements because I'm not of my right mind." Laughs Zane.

"Well, in my fathers absence, I am the one who makes judgments and I say that your claim for insanity hold no bearing. Therefore, you are liable to uphold all agreements made."

Zane hangs his head in defeat.

"Looks like I picked the wrong person to make a verbal agreement with." He replies with a grin as they step off the last step.

"You make it sound like spending time with me is so horrible." Proclaims Rose.

"That's not what I was implying at all."

"Good, because you're stuck with me."

They reach the first of a row of benches that surround the long pond in the middle of the garden. They sit, yet even though the beauty of the gardens would normally captivate his undivided attention, he still stares at her.

"Well, I can't think of a better way to spend each day." He says in a serious tone.

She realizes he's talking about her as she looks over at him. Still staring at her, he notices her cheeks become red like the apples from his farm. Realizing what he just uttered, his heart starts to race.

"I'm sorry. I was out of line. I didn't mean to say that."

"It's alright, you weren't out of line. Thank you for the compliment." Responds Rose still blushing.

"It's just, you're the daughter of a duke, and me... I'm just a peasant."

"I'm not worried about your social status. Besides, you're not a peasant anymore." She adds with a grin as she stares back at him.

The wind picks up, blowing a light mist toward them as it crosses the pond. She gets goosebumps, then shivers.

"Are you cold? Do you want to head back in?" He asks.

"No." She responds as she scoots closer and leans against him. "I'm perfectly fine right here."

He grins from ear to ear then slides his arm around her. He pulls her in tighter as he stares out at the magnificence of the gardens.

"I must have died, because this feels like heaven." He thinks to himself.

***Thank you for reading. If you enjoy the story so far, please vote***