By the fourth morning, Rowan is frustrated. He had gotten nowhere so far and has not been able to make any meaningful discoveries. Asides from extra knowledge he didn't need.
Auro drifts into the room, humming as usual, the faint mist from her hair softening the morning light. She hovers near the hearth, watching him sift through another stack of useless notes.
"You look miserable," she says, voice smooth, almost amused. "More than you usually do."
Rowan doesn't lift his head. "Why don't you go back to humming, hmm?"
She hums in response, the sound curling through the quiet. For a moment her expression softens, thoughtful, before she brushes it away with her usual easy charm.
"You've figured it out, haven't you?" she asks, almost lazily. "That this isn't some forest trick. It's older than that."
Rowan closes the book, fingers pressing hard against the leather binding. He doesn't need to answer. The truth was already evident on his face.
" Maybe what I need is the details of what happened." His gaze flickers to her. " Can you remember anything, even if it's a faint memory?"
"I only remember pieces," she says, voice lighter than the weight behind it. "The night the curse was cast... and before that, the sacred tree. I woke at its roots. Everything else..."
But her sadness on her face was brief and undeniable, and Rowan knows she's lying. He doesn't confront her, only studies her in silence.
He pressed again, " The curse itself, who said it? Do you remember?" He leans forward on the chair. " If you can give me a name you might recall or a timeline."
The curse wasn't random. It was earned. Magic this strong was never probably done by witch. Which was difficult because witches were almost non-existent these days.
That means the curse was put on her almost a century ago.
She floats a little closer, tilting her head, studying him the way one might study a locked door. "You're persistent."
" Well... I really want to break this curse."
Her smile flickers, less steady than before. "It hurts to talk about it."
"I know, but..." He leans back against the cold stone, voice low. "It's important that you try."
And for once, Auro doesn't reply. She just lingers there, letting the silence stretch, her mist pooling at her feet like the roots of a tree that will never stop growing.
" I need you to try." He says again, before stretching himself out and heading towards the door. " I'm going to think of something but and rest a bit. Do your best to stay out of sight."
He heads down to the ground floor of the tower, to where the kitchen resisdes. The four guards the sat at the table in the large empty dining area. Their laughter echoing all around.
Rowan takes his own meal and sits at the other table on his own, proceeding with his reading.
He wasn't one to socialize. Everyone already knew who he was anyway. He did what was needed and that was all that mattered to him. He didn't owe anyone a hello or a conversation.
" What the fuck is he doing here anyway?" One of them asks.
" I think he has more things he needs to study. It's all he ever does." He engulfs his soup in a second. " Don't you have eyes."
The third one lifts his head. " I swear I heard him talking to himself the other night. How long is he going to be here?"
The fourth one wipes his mouth with courtesy. He's eyes glances over the prince. " Focus less on the prince and more on your own bloody training."
Rowan's eyes meet the guard's. It had been awhile since they'd been in the same space. Ellis was one of the soldiers that worked with the blood hound. They didn't have lengthy discussions but they were amicable terms. He was closer to Bria more than anyone.
He waves at him. Ellis ignores him and leaves the room.
Or so he thought.
After his meal, Rowan practices his magic on the dummies in the field. Twirling wind and leaves in orange hue.
" You're powers seem to working fine." Ellis sits on leans against the fence. " Is there another reason you came back?".
He almost laughs. " Bria told you already?"
" She tells me everything she can't tell you." His voice was low but full of irritation. " So what's the real reason you're her?"
Rowan scoffs," It's seems like you've already thought of one " He runs a hand through his hair, stopping his magic practice. He leans back into the grass. " Why, do you want to know so badly, anyway?'
" Do you still like Bria?" Rowan presses further.
" Watch you're mouth, Row."
" I'm only asking because your so vigorously bothering me. You still act like you're better than everyone."
" Coming from a prince." Ellis crosses his arms in even more irritation. " If you don't want to marry Bria don't lead her on. Curses follow those who hurt the innocent."
" I never said I won't marry her." He pushes off the grass. " But If you like her more than I do, tell her and marry her instead of taking out all your pent up horny anger on me."
" You're still so fucking crass."
A smirk tugs the corner of his mouth. "Takes one to know one. You're just better at hiding it than I am."
Rowan stares into the everglades, his mind wandering to thought of Auro and the curse. A curse as powerful as the one she was under had to have been brought about by strong emotion or betrayal.
" What do you know about witches, Ellis?" The tower was in the middle of the forest but could easily seem from very far away, like a beacon. Meaning strangers drop by every once in a while.
His countenance turns dark. "There are no, and for good reason. They're dangerous. If that's what you're here for, you better start back to the castle."
Rowan sighs and turns, giving Ellis a firm pat on the shoulder. "You won't get rid of me that easily," he says.
He knew where to start looking.