The Rose

Chapter 1: A chocolate pudding heist.

   I have to admit, timing was never my strong suit. Here I was creeping around the castle in the middle of the night  with nothing but a candle in my hand, the night before my 16th birthday, looking for pudding. Childish I know but for all he told me, Lord Jackson could ship me off to my trade master as soon as dawn came about and I would never get to tatse some of Rosalin's chocolate  pudding ever again. My name is Selina. Or at least thats what Lord Jackson says it is. We have no idea where I came from but one rainy afternoon, Rosalin was going out to buy some bread when she opened the door and found me out cold on the doorstep wrapped in a blanket. Well, Rosalin immediately scooped me up, brought me inside, and told Lord Jackson he was keeping me or else there would never be pudding again, much like a five year old who won't eat unless you let him keep the stray dog at the park only, Rosalin  is much heavier than a five year old, much older, has a much bigger attitude, and is the only cook I know who can clock you on the head with a spoon so hard you will see stars for a week. So Lord Jackson consented. This castle has been my home for twelve years but that is all about to change. The one condition Lord Jackson had about taking me in was that on my 16th birthday, I must learn a trade and "go do something useful and productive for one" as he would say. Lord Jackson is sweet, he really is, but he had no earthly idea how to be a father. His plan for life was as simple as it got:

1. win a few bets

2. buy a castle

3. live in that castle until he died and let his friends fight over who inherited what room.

He has only ever really tolerated life and when Rosalin brought him something that met he had to act like a human being for once, me, it was a bit of a shock for him.  The only hint we ever found of where i came from was a tattoo of a black knife on the back of my neck. Rosalin was appalled to think that someone did that to a three year old girl, but I just thinking of it as a distinguishing mark to separate me from all the noble who come to castle LeNoche thinking that this young girl may change Lord Jackson's mind about not marrying. Each visit encourages them to try and marry their poor daughters off to the Lord in order to gain his estate when he inevitably kicks the bucket. Well, this plan did not go quite as they had planned because as soon as I was old enough for Jackson to stop ignoring me, he started to treat me like a boy! If it weren't for Rosalin, I would have never learned how to take care of myself. As it so happened, Lord Jackson enjoyed company whilst hunting and often took me with him, teaching me a few vital skills along the way such as how to defend my self and how to ride a horse. Living with Lord Jackson hasn't been an unpleasent experience. I'm going to miss waking up, going down to breakfast and seeing him look up in surprise as if he had no idea that i lived here.

I was lost in thought when I heard a blood searing scream. I dropped the candle which went out immediately and I was plunged into darkness. Knowing where the stairs were by heart, I ran towards Lord Jackson's chamber's knowing he had a few swords hanging on the wall with which I could use to defend myself with. I burst through the door and my heart stopped. Kneeling on the ground was a crying Rosalin next to Lord Jackson who was knocked out cold on the ground, blood seeping from a wound on the back of his head. Standing behind Rosalin with a sword pointed at her throat, was a man that looked like he could have been the devil's bounty hunter. " Hello my dear" he smiled at me. Quick as a flash, he pulled out a gun and fired straight at my heart.