The Burning Rose

Chapter 13: Our official welcome

The Burning Rose by UnknownkingfromAO3

Cinder woke up to cold water being thrown on her. She jerked awake to find her step-sisters standing over smirking as usual. She was back in the closet that she had slept in during her slavery at the Glass Unicorn.

"Hurry up Cinder!" One of them said. "Mother wants breakfast for some huntsmen coming in tonight." At first Cinder was confused about why they needed breakfast if they were coming in later tonight, but they emptied the bucket over her again, (she could have sworn they didn't have anything left after the first.) She bit her tongue and didn't say anything.

She got to work without changing her clothes, (it was a hassle, and they had already dried.) She began her daily routine of scrubbing the floor that would never be clean.

However, today she found her work going slower than usual. She didn't know why, but she tried to pick up the pace. She wanted to eat tonight.

As she worked, she couldn't shake the feeling that she was forgetting something. Maybe the Madam had given her some instructions last night? What had she been doing last night anyway? Her chest hurt like she had been hit by a truck.

Oh yeah! She had been chasing that stupid ape Yang, then she had learned they had a lost more in common they she cared to admit. She remembered thinking that maybe they could get along aft-.

"Yang!" Cinder yelled as she jumped to her feet. That's right! She had been living with the Rose/Xi long family for a few months now! How had she ended up back here?

"How? Isn't it obvious?" Cinder jumped as the Madam spoke right behind her. She spun around to find the cruel woman grinning at her while holding a knife.

"They got bored of you." The Madam said as she began advancing towards Cinder, who began backing up. "When they found out what you did, they returned you here. Ironwood wanted to lock you up, but I said I could make good use of you and prevent you from escaping. So he agreed and now you're mine!"

The mad woman lunged at Cinder, who tried to roll out-of-the-way, but found herself to be bound in shackles that had appeared out of thin air. Horrified, Cinder swung the chains up, intercepting the blade.

"But I'm in trouble for killing you!" Cinder reasoned. "How are you back alive!?" The Madam only laughed as she began launching a series of quick attacks with the knife.

"You didn't kill me!" She cackled insanely. "A few weeks in the hospital and I'm good as new! Better even! Look what I can do now!" With that, she opened her mouth and flames shot from it, burning Cinder's arm as she dodged.

"No." Cinder said in disbelief. "No! You wouldn't hold me here again! I won't let you!" Without a second thought, she jumped off over the railing and fell to the first floor.

Landing with a roll, Cinder raced towards the doors that led outside, but no matter how fast she ran, she wasn't getting any closer.

"Still running I see." A voice boomed over her head. She looked up to see him as a building sized entity. She realized had been in the palm of Rhodes' hand the entire time. Terrified, Cinder threw herself off his hand, trying to escape no matter the cost.

Unfortunately, he caught her by the chains and pulled her up like a spider on its web. "No! No! No!" Cinder screamed as she covered her head. "Your all dead! Leave me alone!" Rhodes looked at her with sympathy. Then raised her to his eye level.

"You're still running." Rhodes said, his voice booming loudly. "As long as you run away from everything, I'll be here to remind you that is your nature. Every mistake you've ever made, and every mistake you will ever make, I will be here to judge your actions. There is no way to escape this nightmare. The only way up is down."