Ghost in the Roses

For the first time ever, it’s Nina who’s late for a study session and the newspaper’s headline in her hand explains why. The bad news is a heavy burden to carry all the way up to a tower’s top.

“The Red Queen is retaliating for being asked to step down from the throne. Any medical relief that the public has been receiving from her will stop immediately,” Nina hands me the news.

In disbelief, I rise up from the notebooks spread out on the stone floor.

“What?” a bite of a sandwich nearly escapes from my mouth.

This can’t be real. But as I read on, it is.

What we worked so hard to accomplish gets destroyed by a single announcement in a matter of one day.

The other resisting royals don’t go to such extremes. A letter of refusal to step down is as far as Violet, Blue, Pink and Yellow Domains decide to go. That dumb fool just shot herself in the foot. And ours too.

“Let me see that paper,” Kai puts down his fork.

I let him sink in the news.

“Maybe Knight’s Council will be able to reason with her before it’s too late,” the late summer’s wind catches Nina’s braid as she leans over the railing.

“I hope so, that’s a lot of people being left out,” I lose the appetite to finish the rest of my lunch.

“They’re still others who will continue with the relief,” hoping to save him, Kai tries to find a positive.

Quickly, Nina shuts it down, “That’s 1/12 of monthly supplies being cut out. That’s 12,000 fewer crates being delivered.”

“Oh, that reminds me. I’ll have to check out of this study session early. Deliveries are made today at the hospital, so let’s make the best of this study time.”

“You can’t be serious! The people are pissed off. Don’t expect a warm reception when you get there,” Kai points in the direction of Petograd.

“Adrien, can’t you see how bad this is? You, a Knight’s Academy cadet were a big part of this relief and now it’s being taken away. The people might say none of the knights have done enough to secure it. They might say that it’s the knights who provoked the Red Queen, while it’s they who are paying the price,” Nina drives his point the rest of the way home.

“Yes, I do see how serious this is. I see everything turning to shit, but neither I nor you will be able to do anything about it in the future if we don’t pass the finals. What I can do right now is keep volunteering. Don't worry guys, I'll be fine. I promise to be careful,” I try to explain myself.

My two friends are not convinced.

“I’m coming with you,” Kai says.

“I’m coming with you too, but if things get even a bit rowdy. If our presence steers up any kind of trouble, we are leaving before things get worse,” always thinking of everything, Nina sets the boundaries.

"Okay. As soon as you say so, we all leave,” I nod.

So far, so good. No one outside the hospital is bothering us as we unload.

“Hey, I know you! What are you doing here!”

Maybe not. Some stranger takes notice of my habit of coming here and picks this evening to make it a piece of public knowledge.

Just then, the head doctor steps in, probably suspecting that something like this might happen, ”He and his friends are here to help us.”

“We lost precious supplies, because of them. Their superiors from Knight’s Council should have kept their mouths shut!” he yells, pointing at us.

The town’s crowd which has been passing us by without a problem follows his finger and plants their eyes on us.

“We don’t want to lose what volunteers we have next. You’re causing a scene, young man. Leave them alone,” the doctor keeps defending us.

“It’s alright, doctor,” Nina doesn’t let him go any farther down this risky path and meets her accuser. “We’re sorry and will be leaving now. We didn’t realize our welcome has worn out.”

“You’re not going anywhere...cadet,” the man has a friend with him.

“You’re right! They are not going anywhere!” words of authority stop the two men from coming any closer.

It’s Lada! And she doesn’t come alone.

“They’ll stay here...and continue on with their business. Like they always have, month after month after month,” she fixes the scarlet collar of her jacket.

“You expect us to just let them be?!” the man tries to stand his ground.

“I expect you...” Lada climbs inside the delivery carriage, “to help.”

With a smile, she hands one of her friends a box.

The next one she hands to the angry man, “Come on, things aren’t getting any easier for any of us, so let's help out all we can.”

Feeling the trap of his own argument, he takes it.

Nina and Kai line up next.

“I hope my rebel cooties won’t contaminate the supplies,” hoping for her approval, Lada hands Nina a case of medicines.

“I’m sure mine will balance them nicely,” Nina has no problem taking this share of the load.

“Hi, Lada,” Kai waves.

“Hi, Kai,” her smile greets him back.

“Thanks for coming out,” after him, I take the next container.

“As I said before - you’ll be seeing me around,” she winks.

Those two men drop off their boxes, but do not come back to get more. Lada and a dozen of her friends, Nina, Kai, and I do not stop until all of the deliveries are unloaded, unpacked, and set up.

The Rouge Red spent their time differently and do not hesitate to let everyone know their way of productivity.

A public messenger caught up in the hysteria of the telegram, yells. The report makes some cry, some cheer, and some speechless. I’m one of the speechless ones... and honestly, a little bit scared too.

Earlier this evening, the Red Queen fell to the floor at dinner, poised and with foam around her mouth. She was pronounced dead on the scene. The Royal Guard's detectives suspect that an agent from Rouge Red managed to become part of her kitchen staff.