Chapter 14 White Petals Scorched Red
The tall man’s tense glare eased, and he glanced away. The growl in his voice was gone. He murmured, “A gardener found her in the royal garden. She had been stabbed twice with a sword, straight through her chest. It was a fatal blow, certain death, but…” His knuckles tightened into fists, but he shook his head. “Even if we had found Her Highness in time, saving her would’ve been impossible. Her wounds were grave. There were no witnesses, and the murderer left no trace. It's as if they disappeared into thin air.”
The gardener? They don’t arrive until dawn. Was I out there all night? Prince Henry didn’t come looking for me?
I stared at the floor, and then whispered, “So… she died alone?”
Silence stretched between us before he murmured, “Yeah.”
I tried to choke back my tears, but they flooded with my sorrow, streaming down my cheeks. My body shook as I sobbed, hanging my head in defeat as I hugged myself tightly.
“Robin…” Jackson looked me up and down before stepping forward and embracing me. He said nothing more, only gave me the hug I desperately needed.
Sniffling, I wiped my eyes and took a shaky inhale, my body finally relaxing. The buzzing in my head eased. Avoiding eye contact, I whispered, “Sorry.”
Jackson brushed my bright ginger bangs aside, gazing at me with perplexity. “Who was Princess Liliana to you? Did you know her personally?”
“Everybody knew Princess Liliana,” I murmured. “Only a few knew Lily.”
“I see.” Jackson released me and stuffed his hands in his pockets. “Your mourning is sincere. I believe that much. Still, it’s Princess.”
I wiped my cheeks. “You’re very protective of her, Captain. Even after death. Was she precious to you, too?”
Jackson hesitated as he gazed at me before rubbing the back of his neck and looking away. “I was a farmer’s son and lived on Embercrest’s outskirts. Word of the crown princess’s birth spread far and wide, so of course my parents and I went to the kingdom to celebrate.” He glanced out the window. “I was seven years old when she was born. When I first saw her, I was completely convinced she was an angel sent from heaven, stripped of her wings so she could stay with us. Her white hair and beauty were breathtaking. Princess Liliana was a tiny baby; so fragile. Of everyone in the crowd, she looked at me. That’s when I decided I would join the knighthood so that I could keep her safe, even if it was from a distance.”
I stared at him wide-eyed and speechless. All this time, I had no idea I meant this much to him.
Clearing my throat, I finally murmured, “It sounds like you adored her.”
“And I failed her. She needed help, and I wasn’t there when she needed me most,” he whispered.
“Captain, I… No, don’t say that. Princess Liliana would never have wanted you to blame yourself.”
Jackson didn’t answer this time, his gaze remaining on the window. After a moment, he glanced at me. “Are you thirsty?”
I glanced down. “No, I’m fine.”
“Well, I am. Take a seat,” he said, heading into the kitchen.
“Oh—in that case, yes, I haven’t had anything to drink since… Huh, I can’t remember.”
Jackson went to the kitchen and boiled a pot of water over a fire. I took a seat on his couch and scooted around, trying to find a comfy part to sit on.
Jackson slept on this thing?! No wonder he was foul.
He returned with two steaming cups. “It’s green tea,” he said, handing me the cup. I yelped when my fingers brushed the rim. “Careful! Hold it by the handle.”
I squeezed my fingers between his, gripping the handle once he pulled away. “Thank you,” I mumbled, face growing hot from embarrassment. I blew on the tea.
This’ll take a while.
Meanwhile, Jackson was already sipping his.
How?!
“Um, sir?” I asked, catching his attention. “Could you tell me more about Li—ah, Princess Liliana? I mean, your relationship with her.”
How oblivious have I been?
Jackson shrugged as he sat in a chair across from me. “I was the loyal knight, and she was the pretty princess. I was fifteen when I finished my training and became an official knight.”
“That’s young!” I gaped.
“You weren’t the only one who thought that. I was kept out of big operations for a while and was mostly ordered to guard the palace.” He leaned back in his seat. “I didn’t mind. I got to stay close to the crown princess’s side. Always watching her, but I never said a word.”
Oh yeah. I think there was a young knight who always stood guard around me. Wait, was he following me? It never even crossed my mind!
I slapped my forehead, cursing my naivety.
Jackson lifted an eyebrow. “You alright?”
“Yes, don’t mind me. Continue, please.”
He looked me over before taking another sip, and then continued, “Two years later, I finally joined them on the battlefield.” His voice trailed off, gaze fogged. “The gore was more than I expected. I saw my friends die and helped carry the corpses home.” He shook his head. “It didn’t feel like a victory to me. Just unnecessary violence and sacrifices. For a moment, I questioned why I was there, but then she appeared.” A crooked smile crossed his lips. “The princess snuck away from her older sister to go see the knights. She came up to me and gave me a flower crown. Her white hair was so long.”
My eyes lit up with my thoughts; I remember that! I was ten years old. The youngest knight looked the saddest. He had his helmet on, but I still saw his eyes. I worked so hard on that thing, and I was going to give it to Mother, but he looked like he needed it more.
The fond memory brought warmth to my chest—how he had bowed his head to me on one knee so that I could place it on his head.
That was Jackson.
A smile crept onto my face as I twiddled my thumbs.
Jackson drank the last of his tea and placed the cup on the short table between us. “Storytime is over now. You said that you’d tell me what you know if I talked.” He crossed his arms. “You’re not going back on your word now, are you?”