Rosetta

15

Rosetta poked at her sandwich with the spoon. He mother sat next to her, cheeks tear streaked like hers. They had both been crying this past week, and they had made no effort to hide it. Rosetta still held her head high whenever she saw Esmerelda, but realised that she could not face her mother. But she wasn't her mother. She wasn't Maria Luciana. She was Natasha Parks, sister to deceased Amiery Parks, who was the former head thaumaturge to former and also deceased Queen Levana. However, she still addressed her as Mama; she had shown her more affection than her birth parents ever had. Past memories made sense now; being surrounded by red stalks and being held by gentle hands was Natasha finding her. But she couldn't trust her anymore than she could trust Esmerelda.

As if on cue, Esmerelda sauntered in with a light blue dress on that swayed as she walked. "Speak of the devil and she shall appear," Rosetta muttered under her breath.

"I don't care what you have to say," Esmerelda snapped. She slammed her mug on the table and tossed Natasha a rope. She picked it up and tied it around her hands and got up, following her captor into another room. Rosetta also began to walk, without stumbling or any faults.

The new room was dark with a single chair on it. Nat sat on it, leaving Rosetta standing. Esmerelda paced around the chair like a vulture, taunting it before finally finishing its prey.

"Rosetta, I have a job for you," she began.

"You mentioned something the other day," she said politely, remembering all the threats she had placed.

"Now, I don't know why, but you continue to feel affection for my Natty dear. Despite my attempts, you'd still love her. It disgust me."

She stood behind Nat she took a slender knife from her belt. In one swift movement, she had the knife under her neck, pressing dangerously against her skin.

"Stop! What do you want?" Rosetta screamed.

"Do you remember him? How he used to hug and protect and care for you? How he used to pat the small black tufts of hair when you cried? How he loved you?"

"Who?" She whispered.

"ADRIAN!" She shrieked. "Don't you remember?"

"Who?"

"Adrian. My son. He loved you like a brother. He was 2 or 3, I believe. He was my world."

She slumped against the back of the chair, still holding the knife up.

"Adrian was my star. And Natasha got him killed!"

Nat whimpered. Esmerelda had held the knife too close and a small trickle of blood had formed.

Rosetta's mouth was forced shut. "Stop your whimpers, Nat. I haven't even told her what I want yet."

"What do you want?" She asked innocently.

"Levana forced my hand. So, her beloved niece can pay. Do it, and you gain your freedom. You and Nat."

"I will not be a murderer," she spat.

"I'm not making you one. You have a simpler job than that."

"You surely can't mean-"

"Oh but I do. Have you heard the rumours, Roz?"

She flinched at the use of her nickname, but nodded all the same.

"A former thaumaturge noticed it first. She said that she had thought out a clear scene in her head, said 'And I swear to the stars' whatever the scene was. Then she thought 'but when?' She gave a time and by midnight, she was drowning all the mice in her house in Artemisia River. But when she came home..."

"What?" Rosetta urged.

"The already 40 year old woman had more wrinkles than ever before. And since the mirrors law was removed, everyone had one. She looked into it her hair was a shining silver. She had-"

"Aged 10 years. So it's true!"

"Yes it is. So listen carefully. You will do as I order or Natty dies."

Rosetta felt faint. "Your lying. You wouldn't. You-"

Esmerelda swiped the knife across Natasha's cheek, leaving it to bleed down and down. She whimpered again, louder.

"I don't think you should say what I can and can't do. Can you drive a podship?"

"What?" She asked, still dazed. "Oh-oh yes. Yes I can."

"Good. Tonight you will prepare yourself and tomorrow morning you will take the pod and leave. Remember what I have said."

"But-"

"But what?"

Rosetta took in a breath. "Why did you tell me about the rumours."

"Oh, yes. That. Well it was just to show you that I can reach you or Nat from anywhere. And I am more than happy to lose 10 years to do it."

*

"Here," Esmerelda said, throwing Rosetta her gun. She caught it with ease. "I suppose you might need it. And these." She handed her 3 new magazines and a little gun holder that she could clip onto her belt. The magazines were different to her old blood stained ones on the side table.

"They're dart. Tranquillisers," she continued.

"Why are you helping me?" she asked.

"You said you didn't want to become a murderer. I'm not going to make you one."

Rosetta looked at Esmerelda with a puzzled expression. Esmerelda placed her hands on her shoulders and spoke.

"Look, Rosetta. I don't want you to get hurt. Natasha did something to me that I didn't think I could recover from. I trust you because I know you won't get caught, Gun Girl." Rosetta remembered how she had failed the woman that have her that name.

"I failed her. I might fail Natasha, and you too," she whispered in a hoarse voice.

"From mistakes you learn. I won't hurt you, Rosetta, but I might hurt Natasha. I'm sorry but that's what will happen."

"How am I supposed to get past the cameras?" She asked with sudden realisation.

"When you are there, I will disable them from here. No one will have eyes on any corner of New Beijing Palace."

"But how-"

"That's for me to know and you to find out."

Rosetta bent to the side table and took 1 old magazine, and 2 tranquilliser ones. She put them into their places in the belt and loaded the last tranquilliser into her gun.

"I'm ready."