The Startled Princess

♕ Chapter 3

   #The side banner is made by XSaveMeFromFallingX  :))      

          "I'm home," Rose murmured as she entered her house and closed the door behind her. She crawled into the living room, but stopped to pick an umbrella that fell off from its stand. It wasn't raining today, but why was it here?

           She realized that something wasn't right, so she barged into the living room; another big surprise. The living room was entirely different from the last time she saw it. It was trashed; crumpled papers, discs, magazines, files were scattered around. The big old red couch was turned upside down. Someone broke into her house, she knew it. 

        "No." she mouthed, dropping her backpack onto the hall floor, charging into the kitchen. As same as the living room, it was ruined. Broken cups and plates, tins and boxes scattered on the floor and the kitchen table; cabinet doors were left open.

         Something bad happened here. "Mom! Dad! Ethan! Jace!" She shouted to them, but no one replied. Then, Rose heard a voice a crying voice. "Mom," she recognized it and raced for the stairs.

       She pushed open her parents' bedroom door and found everyone there - her parents, Jace and Ethan. Her mother was crying on the bed, her arms wrapping her knees with her husband beside her, trying to calm her down.

         Jace and Ethan were sitting on the sofa bed, opposite to the bed, sulking and looking down. Rose crept toward the bed and sat on it. "What happened?" she asked in a worried tone. No one said a thing. She turned herself to her brothers. "Jace? Ethan?" she demanded.

       "The landlord came just now," Jace started. "Well, not just him. He came with two big men," he continued, hands at the back of his neck. "He said that, if we don't pay the rent by next week, we have to vacate the house. Told us that this is just a warning," he cleared his throat.

            Ethan looked down, didn't dare to add anything. Rose sighed. They hadn't been paying the rent for months. She cupped her face with both her hands, trying to think of something.

         "We'll sleep in the shop," her father croaked, his arm wrapping his wife. "It'll be alright guys," he said, obviously lying.

         Jace got up to his feet. "Nothing's going to be alright, dad!" he snarled. "We're doomed and you know it,"

           Tom looked down and realized that he is true. Rose inched closer to her brother, trying to calm him down. "Dad's right. We'll figure something out, Jace," she said, backing up her father.

             "Figure something out?" Jace sneered. "Rose, we've already had the solution. You have to marry that Prince and then we'll be fine!" he suggested.

             Rose gave a sharp look. "I can't believe that you're still thinking about it!" Rose shouted back, her voice cracked.

       Jace looked away from his sister, feeling guilty to her. It was not that he never cared about her, but they had no choice. They were desperate.

          "Jace, don't push her," Jen said, her throat dried because of her tears. "She doesn't want to. Let her make her own decision. She's old enough. We'll think of something else," she explained and Jace shrugged. Jen climbed out from her bed and hobbled to the door.

         "Now, let's clean up the mess," she said, her hand on the doorknob. She turned it and went out of the bedroom.

          Ethan jumped from the couch and followed his mother. Tom inched closer to Rose, who was still looking down. He put his hand on her chin and raised her face.