Every Rose needs a Thorn

The Price

Rose’s POV:

The rest of the afternoon we visited with Thorns family, I really enjoyed being around the young girl and Thorn’s mother, I felt love in their home, something I haven’t in my home since my mother’s death. 

I looked at Thorn’s sister, she was not only exotically beautiful she was also kind and very intelligent, but I felt like the family was hiding something from me. Every so often they would give each other these meaningful stares.

It was time for me to return home, I felt a little sad to leave, I honestly enjoyed their company.

Thorn took my hand after we said goodbye and steered me towards the house.  Thorn held on to my hand as we walked back, he suddenly stopped and looked at me seriously.

Thorn looked a little uncomfortable, he took a deep breath and started to speak.  I

“Well miss Rose the property is not really all your father owes me, he also took out an additional loan which needs to be paid.”

I felt all the blood drain from my face, I felt disappointed in my father, How could he have been so irresponsible?

“what are you talking about Thorn” 

“When your father ran out of money and property last night, he had one more thing to gamble with”

I had a really bad feeling about this, I was starting to get very annoyed and a little afraid.

“well talk, let’s get on with it”

Thorn looked me straight in the eye when he spoke

“You, Rose, he put you on the table, so I literally own you now”

“This is a sick joke, Thorn, my father would never ever gamble with me”

Thorn took something out of his pocket, a whole stack of paper.  It looked like a contract or something to do with business.

“This is a copy my Lawyer has the original.  Read it you will see”

I felt faint and sick to my stomach.

“So what are you planning on doing” I hesitantly ask

“I am planning on taking all of my property selling it, except for one acquisition, that specific one I am taking with me to Colchester where the bulk of my estate is”.

“And is that acquisition me or am I also to be sold”

“You’ll becoming with me as my sister’s chaperone, as I plan to introduce her to society and also as my mistress”

 I stumbled and Thorn grabbed my arm to steady me.

“That will never happen Thorn, I will not come with you, especially not as a mistress that you can throw away after you are done with me, I will not ruin my life because of my father’s gambling, I will not be any man’s mistress”

“O it will happen, you really don’t have a choice.  By the time you get home today, your father and sister will already have packed your bags and we will be leaving on the Ship the Dutchman tomorrow morning.  You should except the inevitable there is no escaping your fate.  You will comply with my wishes and if you don’t, your father won’t be receiving some of his property back, a show of good faith on my part.   Your family will lose everything if you don’t comply”

“I can’t do it, please, please don’t do this”.  I felt the tears stream down my face.

“I’m sorry Rose, this is going to happen, be ready, we leave at dawn”

As I walked back home, I started to comprehend the enormity of the situation.  I stumbled all the way back home, my eyes started hurt from all the crying.  I don’t know who I was more angry at, Thorn or my father.

I was exhausted by the time I reached the house.

I felt resigned to my circumstances and I also felt so very tired, I was just so tired.  I decided to just leave everything up to fate as I honestly didn’t even care anymore, I had lost all will to fight.  My family betrayed me, the boy I loved had grown up and now hated me.  I felt emotionally dead and wasn’t willing to even try anymore.

Thorns POV:

I watched her walk away.  I knew she was very angry with me and shocked at the new information she just received.  But I honestly didn’t care, I wanted her, and I would do anything to get her, even if it meant I had to win her in a card game.  She didn’t have to come with she could throw herself on the mercy of the court, but I knew she wouldn't, even if it was just to restore some of her family’s honor, but nothing could do that, her family didn’t deserve her, I wasn’t sure if I deserved her, but I didn’t care, she made me come alive and I would never be able to live without her.   As I watched her walk off, all I could think of was her in my bed. 

Roses’s POV

As I got home I walked straight to my fathers study were my so called sister was already waiting there with my father.

My father was sitting behind his desk and Emily had a smirk on her face.

“Is it true, did you sell me to Thorn”

“I had no choice Rose, I was trying to win my property back”

“You lost father, I am your daughter and you treated me like the dust on your shoes.  You valued your property above you daughter”

“It had to be done Rose”

“No it did not father, you just sold me for nothing”

Emily walked over to me and put her hands around my shoulders

“Sister calm down, we can rectify this situation.  Thorn gets what he wants and so does daddy”

“How can this be rectified?, and is that before or after I am ruined by him”

“Father and I were just discussing the little situation, surely he will marry you Rose and as a bride gift you ask for our property back”

“Well here is the problem Emily, he has already stated that I am only going to be his sisters chaperone and his mistress”

I looked at my sister and father and I just let that bit of information sink in.  My father suddenly looked defeated, but I knew it was only because he lost his property and my sister looked jealous.

“Then we have truly lost everything” my father says.

I can’t hold back my anger anymore, I stand over him where he is sitting in his chair and slap him across the face.

“You truly lost everything when you were willing to gamble, you sold me and you sold your own soul, but still you tried to con Thorn, you actually thought he would marry me, you selfish, selfish old man.  You just put me in servitude with someone that hates this family more than I do right now, I will never forgive you, and I am so happy I will never see you or any of you again”

I looked over at Emily who looked stunned and shaken, I decided to tell her as well what I thought.

“and you, you started all of this, by opening your legs to anyone who asked you.  Now I am paying the price for your deplorable behavior.   From this moment on I have no family, I’ll do this alone, my ruin will be by myself”

I just looked at my family for the last time and walked to my room, in my room I just start packing  my bag.  I am resigned to the fact that my life is over, I am now Thorn’s property and my family is not planning on taking any accountability for their actions. 

After all my stuff is packed, I didn’t want to stay in the house anymore, so I walk to Betsie’s Cottage, I am planning on spending the night there and to leave in the morning with Thorn’s sister.

As I come close to the cottage Betsie and Emma walk out to me, and I just started to cry.  How the tables have turned, now I am working for Thorn.  Betsie took me in her arms and just held me.  “Don’t worry child, all will work out”  she said that while she gave me some secretive smile.  She looked positively thrilled, I didn’t feel the same way.

This is not how I envisioned my future, but I guess I am just going to have to cope with what ever life hands me.