Faded Rose

Chapter 1

"Mother! Can you believe it? I got into the school!" I am shrieking with joy, I had planned to get into this place for years before I was even old enough to enter, and I got in! "The Aspen Academy! The school I have wanted to go to since six years ago!"

"That's nice, Rose. Now go pack up, it's a long journey, and you have to be there in 4 days time." Mother doesn't really care, she doesn't care what any of her 4 offspring do with their lives, she just wants us out of her sight. "And remember to not come back."

"Yes, Mother. I won't even think of coming back here." To be honest, she really wanted to leave the nest, the one place she truly despised. Being the youngest dragonet, Mother had always taken her rage out on her. After her older siblings had left, Rose had to learn how the gather and hunt for her own food, since Mother never fed her. "And it's 5 days time, by the way."

"Long as you are gone by sundown, I don't care." The older dragon hissed as she took of, flying where ever she leaves to during the day.

I scurry about, collecting my things. The process only takes five minutes, as she was only allowed 3 belongings and her satchel. The main reason she wants to go to the academy is because her oldest brother went there when he left.

River was always kind to me, being the oldest he took care of his younger siblings, Holly, Deceit, and Rose. River had dark blue eyes, they are what he is named for. He is 6 years older then Rose, so he left for the academy 6 years ago. I hope he is still there, so I can see him again. Rose hasn't seen her brother since he waved goodbye six years ago.

Would he even remember me? I wonder as I fly away from the nest, the only home I ever knew suddenly many doubts crowd in. Would he even be at the school after all this time? Does he even want to see me? What if he never even realizes I am there? No. Of course he wants to see me, I'm his youngest sister.

After about five hours of flight, I land on the school's main entrance. I knew it wouldn't take me five days to get here. Only five hours. And I had only told Mother today because I knew she would want me gone as soon as I was accepted.

It's not a small school, but it's not large either. Just the right size. Five people are standing in the entrance room. Including a tall, handsome, River. He doesn't look at me with any recognition, and I am crestfallen, but I don't let it show.

"Hello, and you must be one of the new enters. What is your name and age?" Asks a woman with light purple wings, looking me up and down.

"Rose Milwood, and I am 13." I keep my gaze on the woman until I hear an odd noise. It came from the man standing next to River. He is giving me a weird look, well, they all are. But River is the only one who looks completely dumbfounded.

"Your room is in Willow Hall, room number 16." The woman says, and hands me two papers, a map and a schedule. "Classes start tomorrow."

"Thank you." I walk over to one corner of the room, checking the map. After I have a pretty good idea of where I am going I start to head to where my dorm is. But I feel a hand on my shoulder and I turn.

"You said your name is Rose Milwood?" It is the man who made the weird noise earlier. He has light green wings and dark hair that is well combed. "Are you perhaps related to River Milwood?"

"Yes. My name is Rose Milwood and River is my eldest brother. Why?" This is when I put my blank face on.

"Umm, never mind." He says after glancing up at something behind me. "Never mind."

His reaction to whoever was behind my back made me tense my muscles, ready to fight or flee. I turned quickly, and saw not one, but three people behind me. I almost kicked one of them in a split-second panic. But I realized I probably am not allowed to kick anyone here, even if they set of my alarm, so I stopped myself and got ready to flee instead. Their faces were only slightly familiar. I hadn't seen any of them since Deceit left four years ago, Holly five years ago, and River six years ago. I freeze and my mask melts off. I stare at them in shock and they stare at me back.

River is the first one to move, he walks right past me, grabbing my hand tensely to follow him. The other two follow quietly.
This makes some of my doubts come back and I instinctively turn my face blank without realizing. They remember me, right? What if they hate me for something I don't even remember doing? What if they-

The last thought is cut off by River speaking. "What are you doing here?" His voice is of ice, and I feel hurt.

"I- I was- I wanted to see you again. This is the only place I knew where to look." I shrink, knowing that voice as when I am in trouble with Mother. But I had grown numb to Mother using it, it hurt a lot more when River, one of her favorite people in the world, used it. I can't keep my mask from slipping off and a tear rolls softly down my cheek and my voice shakes. "I c-can leave if that's what you want."

"River." I hear Holly's voice, sharp as one of Mother's wicked-looking daggers as she wraps a wing around my trembling body. I never would have guessed she would be kinder to me than River, she always tried to ignore her siblings.

There was a silence, but it had daggers and ice pulsing through it. I lean into Holly, her warmth is comforting.

Finally one of us speaks, it may have been thirty seconds or five minutes, but Rose couldn't tell, she was trying to calm her trembling self. "Stop this. It's not Rose's fault. She probably doesn't even know why you are angry at her, River." Deceit spoke, his words flowing like the wind through trees.

"Of course she does. Why wouldn't she?" River responded with a voice full of anger, like fire that melts everything it touches. It makes me tremble, it reminds me of Mother when someone does something she hates, then comes home and takes it out on Rose, even when Rose hadn't done anything wrong.

"You're making her tremble." Holly growls, wrapping herself more tightly around me.

"I don't care. Don't you remember? Don't you remember, Rose?" He nearly shouts at me.

I can't take it any longer, I stand up, trembling, and unfurl my wings. "I have no idea what you are talking about, but if you are going to yell at me like that I might as well have not left the nest. It was better there, even if she abused me and yelled at me for doing nothing, its better than it coming from the person I held closest." My voice is low, and sharp enough to cut through dragon scales. I stalk out of the room, towards my dorm.

But River grabs my arm, with enough force to leave a mark. I turn, and kick him. He lets go of me, and I run.