Every Rose has a Thorn

A Sister and A Room

She sits up, once again in the dark void.

I....it was a dream... but it felt so real..., Carmen stands on shaky legs. Her clothes now her old brown work dress and the cuts gone, without a trace. How do I get out of here?

"You don't," the cloaked figure says stepping out of the darkness, the wicked smile still in place. "At least not until I want you too." Carmen reaches for her dagger only to not find it where it belongs. The figure laughs. "If I don't want it here it wont be here silly. Now then since we have some time why don't we catch up.....Carm?"

"Don't! Call! Me! Carm!" Her dagger appears in her hand but the masked figure turns to it and it disappears.

"Impressive that you can bend my world to your will....even if it's not enough to get out, you were always exceptional Carm."

"DON'T CALL ME THAT! ONLY PERCY CAN!"

"But I called you Carm before he even got his ability. Soooo unfair that now he's the only one in your heart."

"No one called me Carm before him," she grits out.

"Nu uh! I did! Seriously you don't remember your own sister?"

"You're not my sister. Prim is DEAD!"

"Well yes I am but not fully. See even though you promised to protect me I was beat by the King while you ran away and then dragged to the castle where they drew out my power before it had fused with my soul and then trapped it in a magical barrier. But the magic barrier was made by the King so when you killed him you unknowingly set me free. Letting me grow into what I am now. A being that can only live in minds, dreams, and illusions. But I have not let this go to waste. I have learned so much exploring people's minds. And I plan on putting it to good use. My plan was originally to hear your side of the story thinking you tried to save me but couldn't but then I found out you are the fiance to the Prince. The son of the man who killed my body and trapped me like this." The smile drops from the masked figure into a disgusted scowl. "You disgust me. You're no better than them and shall fall with them."

"Prim! Please stop! I did try to get to you! Katherin dragged me! I couldn't... I couldn't save you! I know I failed you! But please let me help." Tears stream down Carmen's face.

Prim's been trapped... I didn't save her! WHAT KIND OF SISTER AM I?! Her mind began to torment her flooding her with scenes of Prim being beat. Carmen being helpless.

"Ha you're only saying that because you saw that vision. That vision of Percy dying. And although it's only a dream I will turn it into a reality. I will make you feel pain and misery like never before!"

"NOOO! Prim please don't! I have felt so much pain when I thought you died. H-he's different! He made me smile a genuine smile for the first time in 9 years.... please...," Carmen weeps falling to her knees. Carmen feels small arms wrap around her and looks through her tears to see Prim.. just the same as she was when she was five. Chubby baby cheeks, innocent green eyes, rosy cheeks. Prim smiles at her.

"If he's so different he will have no trouble proving that... when we come to kill him and everyone who stands with him. Beware for soon your worst nightmare will become something painful and real." Prim waves her hand as Carmen opens her mouth.

"Pri- AAAAH!" An unbearable pain erupts in her stomach. She screams and Prim watches with a smile. Carmen's vision begins to darken as she screams. As she blacks out Prim whispers in her ear.

"This is only the beginning....."

                                             *              *             *             *             *

Carmen screams and thrashes on her bed as several hands try to restrain her.

"Please Miss Carmen you must relax!"

"Milday you must stop!"

"Carm! Quit it! You're going to hurt yourself even more!"

CARM?! Her eyes fly open.

"PRIM?!" Carmen looks around wildly. A hand strokes her cheek and she is about to swat it away when she sees it's Percy. He smile at her and kisses her forehead. He gives her a sad smile.

"It was just a dream Carm. But you are injured so you need to rest." Carmen looks down to her a large bandage wrapped around her stomach.

"Percy. Was there a room your dad spent a lot of time in alone?" Percy looks at her quizzically.

"Well sometimes he'd lock himself in the library which I always thought was weird since he never seemed to like to read." Carmen stood on wobbly legs much to the protest of the doctors. She shoots them a glare and they quickly fall silent.

"Carm where are you going?" Percy asks.

"To the library I need to check something." She walks down the hall wincing and turns a corner Percy on her heels knowing he can't stop her. Carmen throws the doors open and looks around. She walks over to a section of Fantasy books.

"If I were to want to hide a secret room where would I do it?" Carmen muses.

"What? A secret room?"

"I need to check it's something about Prim." Percy nods not knowing what was going on but trusting Carmen. He begins to look at the books.

Hmmm.... he wouldn't have wanted anyone else t accidentally trigger it so it was probably in a off limits area. Carmen wanders down the aisles until she sees a desk with several armchairs and a fireplace near it. She walks over and skims her hands over the table.

Dust....lots of it. While the rest of the library was meticulously cleaned this desk was left untouched. JACKPOT! Carmen cans the table. Not the picture frame. That's too cliche and obvious. The king was a jerk not a fool. Carmen sits down in the chair with a grunt of pain. She skims her hands over the tops of the desk.

No hidden buttons.... she looks around but there were only a few scattered books, papers, and pens. Maybe one of these triggers a door? She grabs a pen and uncaps it. The pen grows and becomes a sharp sword with ruins along the hilt.

"PERCY! WHAT THE HECK IS THIS?!" Percy comes running over.

"That was my ancestors sword that was used to defend this Kingdom from attackers a thousand years ago. It supposedly disappeared. Another lie I guess." Percy picks up the sword and the ruins glow blue. The desks opens up in the middle and slides apart revealing a big red button.

"Hmm usually I would say don't press the red button but today... I really want to. What's one more brush with death today?" Carmen slams her palm down on the button and gears whir and shift within the walls around her. A bookshelf opens up and reveals an elevator.

"Shall we?" Percy asks smiling.

"After you," Carmen says and tries to bow but fails due to her bandages. Percy laughs a little and helps her in. There 5 buttons are shown. One says graves, another says spells, a third says something in a language Carmen didn't know. The fourth to the bottom said experiments and the bottom one said fails.

"So how do we pick?" Carmen asks.

"Like this. Eenie meenie meini mo catch a tiger by it's toe if it hollers let it go! Eenie meenie meine mo!" His hand slams on the fifth button.

"Figures it would be that one," Carmen says as the doors close.

Primrose I Can't Live without You

Petunia Resentment, Anger, Your Presence Soothes Me

Camellia (Pink) Longing For You

Camellia (Red) You're a Flame in My Heart

Camellia (White) You're Adorable

Monkhood Beware, A Deadly Foe is Near

Marigold Cruelty, Grief, Jealousy

(As the journey continues...)