Rose's Thorns: The Wolf's Prophecy

6

Rose's pov

"Who are you?" Rose asked after the initial shock of the boys' fear had cleared. "What do you want?" So many questions. So little answers. Rose mentally shook her head and kept the smirk from her face. If all foreigners were this quiet, she realized she would like their presence more than the castle servants. The peculiar green-eyed boy looked around and quickly walked to the corner that the crowd had disappeared behind.

"Where are you going?" Rose tried once more. She knew the boy could speak, as he had made in all respects, a very funny sound as they had collided, and didn't he say something after?

"Who are you running from?"

So many questions filled her head but the only thing 'green eyes' seemed to be worried about was if anybody had heard their collision. Rose opened her mouth to begin another barrage of questions but was cut short as the boy whisked away from her and set off in the direction she had come. Back down the stairs and on through the castle. Torn between the two, Rose did not know if she should follow the boy or continue in her original plan. Listening to see if she could still hear her sister's footsteps through the corridors but deciding they were too far away, she turned the way the boy had gone and began to breathe light, hoping to regain sight of him. This was the way it had gone for any days. On her usual nightly outings, Rose would catch glimpses of the stranger and it became a fun task. Almost like a challenge, which she was particularly fond of. Through the many nights though, it became clear to her that this poor kid had no idea whatsoever of where he was going. He often went around in circles and Rose felt bad for him. There were times when Rose would catch glimpses of his feelings, anger, or annoyance at the way the corridors looked the same or the way the halls seemed to melt together and turn you around on purpose. Of course, she never felt lost, because she wondered about the caste by moonlight all the time and could count her steps in her sleep. She felt she knew more about her home than anyone else ever would. Ever could. On this night, in the middle of May, the moon was bright she was on another of her nightly walks when she saw the boy again. He was taking random turns and became increasingly frustrated. They were on the first floor, near the kitchens and Rose was doing her best to stay hidden behind a column many paces away from him. The boy ran his fingers through his hair in exasperation as he once again turned around to examine the path. Quickly and calmly, Rose stepped out from behind her hiding spot and took a step towards the boy.

"Excuse me?" She began, but stopped as the boy whirled towards her, his face a mask of shock and fear. Then anger.

"You!" He hissed. Looking around wildly as to make sure there was not an army of people behind her, he took a menacing step towards her, "have you been following me?"

For a moment, Rose was fearful of the anger in his voice, but upon remembering her position, she stood her ground.

"I am Rose, princess of Meadow, I have every right to follow you through my corridors"

Amusement and disbelief danced across the boy's face.

"Oh right," he said mockingly. "No princess wears trousers and a button-up." The boy rolls his eyes then added snidely, "if anything, you're a kitchen maid, dressed like that." Rose cut her embarrassment out and crossed her arms, "and yet I'd still be higher up on the food chain than you" she said. "I'd love to see you get around in a dress all day every day, chasing around strange kids in your home, attempting to not be seen. I have been following you around for about a week and a half now. Did you ever once see me?" The boy looked at her wearily and shook his head. "Exactly, not even once, you know why?" She said smartly with a smile. "Because I'm not wearing a dress."

'Green eyes' shook his head and backed up against a wall, with a look of utter disappointment. "Whatever," he said quietly. "Report me then, I'm going to Hell anyway"

Rose was startled at his change in character,

"Well, maybe I won't, but you still have to answer any and all of my questions- and believe me, there will be a lot of questions."

The kid looked at her bewildered, but he visibly relaxed. "Alright deal" he looked around, "but first, let us go somewhere else, this is weirdly open."