Rose's Thorns

Fate

The journey to the garden was silent and awkward. Marina had no idea if she should start small talk with the judge but the look on his face said otherwise. He was so concentrated in arriving at his destination hitch free, that she wondered what would happen if he tripped now.

Would he gloat on failing to ace his self imposed test or would he simply stand up and continue his journey knowing even those who can see can also trip and fall?

She peeked at the bodyguards behind her and the most interesting expression was that of Ellis. He was visibly trying to keep his annoyance in check. One time she had wanted to sneak another glance at him and once she turned, she was met with his light blue orbs fixed on her, she stubbornly held his gaze until she was satisfied he understood she was not giving up before she shrugged and turned back.

That only served to annoy him but like he had been when she was invited on this journey, he was helpless, all he could do was clench his fist and never take his gaze off her Incase she tried anything.

Soon enough, they were in the building and Marina could not help the gasp that escaped her lips.

'Thank goodness she had not declined the invite.'

It was a built in green house, with the most assorted flowers arranged in order of thier colour. The mix was amazing and as they went in deeper, her eyes only got wider with amazement.

There was an aquarium in the center of the green house, the fishes of different colors, the sunlight getting refracted by both the glass and water and the resulting colour it gave out dispersed in the place giving it some sort of serenity unattainable anywhere else. She glanced at judge Orson and she felt some sort of pity towards the man. He had everything and more yet he couldn't even see it .

"This place is beautiful."

He only nodded to that as he traced the glass of the aquarium with his palm, while the other sprinkled feed for the fishes.

"I appreciate it because I see it," she added but it was still not enough to make him talk as he seemed to ignore her.

"How are you able to appreciate it though?" She finally asked her question. Nothing changed, not his expression, not his posture or what he was doing, he simply said.

" The way I can."

Rolling her eyes at his response, she moved closer to him to watch the fish scramble for their feed. She watched as the smaller ones were tossed everywhere while the larger ones seemed to have it easy.

"Even among the fishes, the struggle for survival exists." She commented.

"They most likely struggle than we do, one sign of weakness and the others will feed on it." He replied, dusting his hands together, just at the time the fishes seemed to stop struggling for the feed.

She watched as some of it floated on the water while the fishes ignored it. They were done for the moment.

"That happens even in humans, the difference is they feed on it literally."

There was silence between them before he said, turning away from the aquarium.

"If you want to appreciate it the way I do, you will have to have my sense of smell, hearing and touch. That is I said you do it the way you can and I do the way I can."

She smiled at his response, not because of the words but because he bothered to explain.

"You know, the first thought that came to my mind when we entered this place was how life could be unfair. You have all of these yet you cannot even see it and I that wish I couldn't see my world have never had the slightest issue with my vision."

He didn't reply her at first until he figured out the direction to his favourite chair, Ellis watched him carefully and only heaved a sigh when he began walking in the right direction.

Sometimes it was difficult to believe the man was completely blind. He had pushed himself so hard, refused help adamantly until he had become a master of his own world.

"Life takes what it needs to keep the story going. You being in your world is the only reason you need to be here, my blindness is the only reason you are actually here. I don't know what role I play in your story or yours In mine but like I said, it takes what it needs to keep the story going."

"What if we have a fate like that of Romeo and Juliet?" She asked staring intently at him. It wasn't impossible and infact if she was the one controlling life, that would be the best plot twist she will add to the story.

He chuckled at that, his smile exposing the dimples on his cheeks, she had seen them before but never when he laughs. It was deeper, richer and breathtaking.

She was almost thankful he couldn't see, she would have been too embarrassed to stare at him the way she is now but he was too gorgeous for her to ignore.

She could feel Ellis's gaze on her but she chose to ignore it. He should try being on his own throughout his life then suddenly get the most gorgeous man lend him a hand simply because he believes he was fated to do so.

"That option had to be excluded, which is why I had to be blind."

She raised an eyebrow at that, not sure if he was serious. The relaxed expression on his face as he rested his back and closed his eyes told her he wasn't joking.

"Is that exclusion on your path or on mine?"

However, this time there was no reply, he simply shrugged adjusting his back deeper into the chair.

He didn't think they should buttress on that conversation anyway.

After a few minutes, he heard her shuffle in the seat by his side and after about an hour, he was almost sure she had fallen asleep judging by how her breath had evened out. He smiled a bit at the sound of it, it was almost like a lullaby when mixed with the whispers of the leaves as the wind blew past them.

"Sir, would you like to go now?" Ellis asked once he noticed Theodore had moved in his seat.

It was already past an hour which was the usual time he took in the garden.

But this time, he shook his head in negation.

"We'll have to wait a little bit more."