Laterose

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Laterose or 'Rose' is a character in the Redwall series by Brian Jacques. She is a mouse from Noonvale, a secret woodland haven and daughter of the chieftain Urran Voh and Aryah. Rose meets up with Martin the Warrior when she and her friend Grumm are searching for her brother Brome who was captured by Badrang the Tyrant and enslaved in his fortress in the prison pit with Felldoh and Martin the Warrior. As the book progresses, it becomes clear that Martin falls in love with Rose, although at the final battle against the evil stoat Badrang, Rose is killed. Martin then says goodbye to his Noonvale friends, and heads south, promising not to tell anyone about Noonvale.

[edit] Attributes and history

Rose's greatest weapon and talent is her exceptional voice, which she can manipulate to become an "eagle call" and even other peoples voices. She has a beautiful singing voice which is loved by all, and is a very brave youngster. This can be seen progressing throughout the book, as she proves herself more and more, showing bravery akin to that of a warrior like Martin in many different and terrible situations. Together with Grumm they meet death-defying obstacles, such as surviving out in the rapid waves of the ocean on a destroyed raft (where they separate from Felldoh and Rose's brother) and are caught as slaves, climb high mountains with enemies at their back, with friendship and love they face each trial on there journey to Noonvale. During this time, we see Martin's character grow to become the saviour we see in later Redwall books, the brave warrior who really seeks peace, but is caught up in a difficult situation. Rose and Martin knew from the moment she and her friend rescued him from the pit that they loved each other. Martin was immediately stunned by her beauty, and she was in love with him. This relationship develops so much so in the book, as they face terryfieing situations together, through good and bad and survive that it is evident, from passages in the novel that Martin one day hoped to live in Noonvale with Rose and his friends forever and marry her. Later they team up with a Hedgehog, named Pallum who they liberate from capture and together they make the final steps to Noonvale, the place of Princess Laterose's birth and her brother's.

Upon arriving in Noonvale, Rose's father and mother and all the population welcome them with joy, but Rose is worried to find out that her brother who was seprated from them on the raft has not reached home. But they quickly forget about this as they enjoy the few days they have at Noonvale, with interesting conflicts and relationships between Rose, Martin and her father and his wife Aryah that enhance our knowledge of the love story. Then Rose's parents realise that a war has arisen in a "far away land" and that their daughter is indignant about joining Martin to destroy Marshank and free the slaves. This shows her dauntless courage, but also her love for Martin, even to war she doesn't want to leave his side. Her mother Aryah speaks to Martin one morning, whilst he is sitting by the waterfall in the village and voices her concerns for her daughter's life, to which Martin reassures, "I shall take a lot more care watching over her life than I shall my own."

Before leaving Noonvale, Rose's father warns her that Martin is a warrior and will get her into danger and that "death follows such people", but she refuses to listen and jokes, "Dad, you're not a warrior, you're a worrier!" and her bravery in the face of trial brings about her premature death. Rose assures her Father that one day she will make Martin into the most peaceful mouse in the whole of Noonvale, and then she leaves and never sees her family or friends again. She follows Martin to war as he and his friends assemble the army with the help of armies and strong generals and commandars they meet along the way, standing beside him watching with admiration and awe the warrior she loves (depicted on UK front cover). The war commences, and a savage killing of both friend and foe alike follows. Felldoh, a major character of the book and friend of Martin and Brome, who set up the "Fur and Freedom" fighters bravely faces Badrang and wants revenge for the childhood he lost under his slavery. But sadly, although he fights well the young warrior is slain, leaving his father and an attractive youngster called Celandine who loved him heartbroken. Then in a bizzare twist of fate, as Matin faces Badrang head on in his fortress, Rose sees that Badrang the Stoat is set on killing Martin and in one final surge of valor for her warrior's heart, love for Martin and liberation of the land she raises her sling and strikes a strong swing of her bow at Badrang. He in turn then swirls around and grabs her neck, raising her fragile body into the air he throws her viciously against the fortress wall, slaying her instantly and her body, "falls like a broken doll." Martin then screams in rage and grief and charges at Badrang, who cowers away in a cornor and pleads for mercy like a true coward. Martin then avenges Rose, killing Badrang and ending the awful regime. In the final moment of war, he falls down next to Rose's pale, deathly corpse, her beautiful face strewn in horror and speaks to her like he always did saying, "Rose, we could have brought the sycamore down with us" This is imlpying to an event back in Noonvale, where Martin was able to shift a near impossible to move sycamore, basically saying that they could do anything together and get past any trial or tribulation. Brome Laterose's brother tends to Martin's wounds with tear-strewn eyes. He blames himself for his sister's death, insisting that it was all his fault in the first place for getting captured, to which his friend's reassure that it was Badrang alones fault, and that Martin has put an end to him.

After Laterose's death, Martin does not eat, sleep or talk to anyone for days. His face just stares out vacantly in shock, he cannot get to grips with what has just happened. His friends grow worried for him, watching as he goes away and cries secretly into the woods, too ashamed to show face to the others. Polleekin, a kindly old molewife with a psychic intelligence says, "that little mouseymaid be locked in Marthun'eart and thurr she'm bound to stay". With her telepathic skills, this tells us that although Martin suffered memory loss in the following seasons from his fight with a later enemy to save Mossflower, he never really forgot Rose, she was locked in his heart, she would never leave him. Rose's body is then being prepared to be returned to Noonvale, her home.

Martin then he decides that he is going to travel south, to the shock of his surviving friends. They speak about all the amazing adventures they had together, and ask how Martin would explain this to others to which he replies that he would never tell anybody about his adventures, and instead create false story about protecting his Father's cave after he left from searats, a story he in time comes to believe is true, after his memory loss. He then goes on to save Mossflower and becomes the most famous founder and first warrior of Redwall Abbey, the saviour of Mossflower woods. As he walks away into the susnset, Polleekin sadly sees a prophecy, saying that she knew what would become of Martin if Rose died, but that happiness would be his in times to come and that all generations shall remember his name, "Martin the Warrior". He then saves Mossflower and goes on to found Redwall Abbey, and after many years he gives up his sword and becomes a monk, leaving his warrior ways behind and fulfilling the wish that his beloved Rose made to her Father so many years ago in his youth, that he would be peaceful.

[edit] Later history

Many seasons later, when Martin and all his friend's have long passed away, in the now ancient abbey of Redwall which Martin founded, two travellers arrive at the gates. It is they, who when welcomed by Abbot Saxtus (his period of abbey history) relate this tale to the redwallers upon seeing his tapestry in the great hall. Afterwards, every redwaller is crying at the sad tale of the secret love story of their founder patriot and we discover that the Mousmaid Aubretia is the great-descendant of Brome, Son of Urran Voh and that her hedgehog friend Bulltip is the great descendant of Pallum and that both of them travelled here from Noonvale, where this story has been orally passed down for ages in time. Then the mousemaid takes out a small pretty amulet, which upon opening shows a picture of Martin and Rose, painted in loving detail by a close friend. They then present a seed from the red rose planted by Grumm, Rose's best friend on the top of her grave, which they call the Laterose of Noonvale as it sometimes blossoms later than most. This is planted in the Orchard by an old recorder called Simeon, above Martin's own grave and becomes the Laterose of Redwall, where the first-written book "Redwall" is set. The Abbot promises, "This rose shall blossom and flourish in memory of the mousemaid, Rose shall remain precious to Redwall, Martin gave it strength, she shall give it beauty"

Now Martin and Rose are finally united again in the safety of the abbey, but this time their young broken love can stretch out beyond the aeons of time into the tranquil peace of eternity. They are now forever reunited under the shades of Dark Forest, where they will never be parted again.

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                                    Comments

Laterose is a beautiful and important character in the book Martin the Warrior. Her love for Martin is strong, and her courage that unveils throughout the story is just wonderful. It's a sad fact that she does die and Martin is just heart-broken. Brain Jacques has once again weaved his characters into a wonderous tale with strong love bonds, heart-breaking sorrow, and true friendship. 'Martin the Warrior' is the most beautiful, sorrowful, and wonderous tale I have ever read.