The Forsaken Keeper

The End

"you can face this. you're own your own, kid. you always have been" ~ you're on your own kid by taylor swift

—

three weeks later

Rosalind laid on the cot in the green house. Her eyes were unfocused on the rows of purple dahlia flowers in front of her.

She wasn't sure how long it had been at this point. She didn't bother to count the days. She didn't bother to do much of anything at all. Why should she.

Her best friend was dead.

And at your own hand, her mind whispered to her.

She rolled over, attempting to block out her thoughts.

This side had red dahlias.

Pretty.

She only knew what type of flower they were because Odette used to point out the species of flowers any time they traveled.

She buried her head under the blanket.

She wasn't sure when she had gotten the blanket. One day she was sleeping on the floor of the greenhouse, and the next she was in a cot tucked under it.

She was no longer in her blood stained clothes, nor was her hair still crimson from hitting that tree. Someone had cleaned the blood from her. She didn't think about who.

She heard the familiar whoosh of the still full plate being taken, before the whoosh came again. Another full plate of food appearing in the room. She hopped the food wasn't going to waste.

She didn't move when she heard the door to the greenhouse open. It was probably Anne. She'd come in every now and again, trying to force her to eat and would help her bathe. She would braid her hair back, humming lullabies lost to Rosalind.

It was the closest to content she's felt in a long time.

She listened to the foot steps, realizing they sounded heavier then Anne's typical light steps. She stayed under the blanket, hoping whoever it was would believe she was asleep. She heard the footsteps come closer before they stopped.

She tried to keep her breathing even. However, when fingers lightly brushed the back of her head, she yelped. The fingers pulled back.

"I'm sorry, I thought you were asleep."

Rosalind peeked out from below the blanket to see chocolate eyes staring back at her.

"Do you typically go touching people's heads while they sleep?" She grunted out. Her voice came out rough, having not talked for weeks. Sebastian seemed taken aback but also amused by her words, but quickly changed his face back to a neutral expression.

"You're still healing from the wound on your head as well as the concussion from hitting that tree."

"From Ominis throwing me into that tree."

He didn't answer her correction. He looked at her eyes more before standing up and away from her.

"Since you're awake, I'm going to check to see how your concussion is healing, if that's alright?"

Rosalind stared at him, unsure why he was asking her permission. It wasn't until he turned back to her that she answered.

"I didn't think I really have a choice in the matter." He raised an eyebrow at her statement.

"Why wouldn't you have a choice?" She didn't answer, and it didn't seem he expected one back as he continued. "May I?"

She gave a small nod, sitting up on the cot so he could reach her head easier. He came back over to her, and knelt in front of her.