Every Rose has a Thorn

Sweetest Smile

As the door creaks open Carmen grabs her dagger and slips out of the balcony doors. Carmen climbs onto the railing of the balcony and drops down onto the narrow ledge. She gasps quietly as she almost falls. She presses her back against the wall with a sigh as a woman screams from inside the King's room. Carmen sprints to the next balcony and leaps over it. She jumps onto her own balcony and takes off her assassin clothes. She pulls on her night gown and hides her assassin clothes and gear under a floorboard she had opened up earlier. She washed off her make up and climbed into bed. She heard footsteps run down the hallway and soldiers knocking on doors. Carmen climbs out of the bed to blend in and opens her door.

"What's going on," she asks a solider passing by.

"The King has been killed. We are searching for the culprit," he replies stony faced.

"Oh no," Carmen exclaims. Oh yes... "Is there anything I can do to help?"

"No ma'am simply report anything suspicious," Carmen nods with fake tears in her eyes and the soldiers face softens. "Don't worry ma'am everything will be fine and we will ensure no more lives are lost."

"Thank you sir," Carmen says wiping away her "tears". The soldier bows are runs down the hall and Carmen returns to her room and closes the door.

I'm getting really good at my acting, she thinks with a smirk.

Carmen walks over to the balcony and leans out enjoying the fresh air as a breeze whips her hair back.

I'm almost done Prim..... just one more thing to take care of.

"Um...h-hello," a timid voice calls out.

Carmen whips around too see the familiar bright blue eyes of the Prince. His lips in a small smile as he waves. Her eyes widen for a moment before she bows.

"My Prince! Is something the matter? Shouldn't you be with your guards?"

"Maybe," he says with a nervous shuffle of his feet," but I really don't feel safe with them and well, I wanted to talk to you for a while."

He doesn't feel safe with his guards but he came to the person who killed his father....why?

"I'm sorry my Prince but why me?"

"Well.......you aren't corrupted by power, and you're an amazing singer, and you seem really nice, and um...," the Prince blushes. Carmen chuckles.

That's the first time I've actually laughed since Prim died...... is he not like his father?

"Well it's a pleasure to meet you I am Carmen Maria Rose," Carmen says with a curtsy.

"Percy Mercury Jentes the third, at your service," he says with a bow, "But you can call me Percy."

"Smooth," Carmen says with a smirk making Percy blush.

"I-i di-didn't mean to... I mean I-.....," he hangs his head in embarrassment. 

"It's okay. I know," Carmen says. " So what do you want to talk about?"

"I dunno. You're not gonna ask me how I got up here?"

"Well I kinda guessed it has t do with your ability and I've heard rumors that your ability is flying so I put two and two together."

"Wow smart. And from the way you sing I'm guessing your ability has to do with singing right?"

"No....," Carmen says looking away with clenched fists. "I don't have an ability."

"What are you talking about," Percy asks confused. "Everyone has one!"