Rose's Thorns

Dazed

Marina's POV

Standing so close to judge Orson would make anyone tremble. His aura made the hair on my skin stand that I found myself being defensive towards whatever he utters.

It was like I had to prove myself to be worthy of inhaling the same air he did but at the same time, a part of me was still enamoured by him. It was difficult not to be, he would not be more than thirty yet he was a made man, he is the true symbol of blessed except if he considers his blindness as misfortune. Well, it would be for him that his world is beautiful, but I would have chosen to be blind than see the world I was born in.

I watched him turn away from me and as gracefully as he had walked out of court, not even missing a step, he had walked out of my sight and I heaved a sigh.

'Did I do the right thing?'

'Was admitting my vulnerability to my salvation yet my doom the right thing?'

At that moment, I hadn't thought about it, the slight break in his voice when he asked if I had taken advantage of his goodness had overridden my common sense.

' I shouldn't return a good deed with a bad one, I shouldn't bite the hand that fed me.' With these thoughts running through my mind, I blurted the truth and watched the frown between this eyebrows straighten assuring me I had done the right thing. However, now that he was gone and the intoxication of his presence had subsided, I found myself questioning my actions.

'What if I he isn't as righteous as he is rumoured to be?'

'What if the hand of help he had extended was simply a bait I had bit so hard?'

Shaking the thoughts away, I turned back heading to my room.

It wouldn't matter anyway.

**********

Theodore's POV

"Ellis, see to it she is comfortable, I don't want a repeat of the prison incident." I ordered once we were back in the car.

It shouldn't matter if she is the culprit, a human should be treated like one.

"Sir?" I heard Ellis say.

It sounded like a question so I simply waited for him to complete it .

"Sir, what if this is all a ploy?"

"A ploy to gain what?" I asked curiously.

He seemed to hesitate before he replied.

"Sir, her life is in your hands, anybody in her shoes hwill do anything to please you or gain your sympathy."

I chuckled not because I found his statement funny but because it was ridiculous.

The whole country wants her gone, the chief judge probably would pay a large amount or stake his kidney for that, yet she thinks my sympathy will help her out?

"She must not understand the gravity of her situation then." I replied ending the conversation.

I needed to rest, to get my thoughts straight. It shouldn't matter if I made a mistake or did the right thing anymore, what's done is done, the only thing that can be helped is any subsequent problems that might arise.

********

Third person's POV

Marina returned to her room, her resolve strengthened. She had nothing to lose anyway, she had been condemned ever since she was arrested, Judge Orson was just stalling time for her. She looked around the room and thought of what she would do to pass time. She switched on the television and tried watching for a few minutes before she switched it off.

'What do rich people do for entertainment?' She thought.

She peeped through the window and saw two guards in front of her room. Rolling her eyes, she closed it back and slumped to the floor.

She would probably run mad if she has to stay cooped up in this room.

Peeping again, she sighed to herself.

If she tries to go out, wouldn't it look too brazen of her?

Retreating, she went back and switched on the television again, atleast it would help with the haunting silence.

Hours later, a loud knock rang throughout the room startling her out of sleep, it didn't help that she had been having troubling dreams so she almost fell off the bed at the sudden knock. The knock came again this time more aggressive alerting her dazed mind and without much thought, she ran to open the door her head spinning from the sudden change in position.

"You open the door on the first knock." One of the guards ordered, handing a flask to her.

Not in the state to do otherwise, she collected it and nodded closing the door almost immediately.

Once alone again, she allowed her rapid breath to steady itself before she sat on the floor her hand still hugging the flask closer to her.

She needed air, this place was too confined.

If only she could walk around....

Closing her eyes to dismiss the ridiculous thought only fueled it as the same disgusting smile Chris had on in her dream popped in her head. Quickly, she opened her eyes and made for the door, the flask still in her hand. Once she opened it, the chilly night air enveloped her but she didn't even shiver, instead she welcomed it and the numbness it came with.

"Why are you out?" The guard who had given her the flask asked an annoyed look on his face.

"I needed air," she answered simply.

He seemed to contemplate letting her stay, then hesitantly, after getting an assuring nod from his colleague, he nodded at her.

"You will sit there quietly for 30 minutes and after your time elapses, you will quietly return to your room."

"Deal," she replied just for the fun of it, she knew this was no deal, it was an order.

She had barely sat down when they heard sound of footsteps. Startled, she rose from her sitting position but to her surprise, the guards were indifferent. She didn't have to inquire the reason before it presented itself or rather, himself.

Right there, in the distance, directly under the street lights was the most handsome man she had ever seen. He was probably listening to something his bodyguard was saying as he seemed to pause even though he was looking ahead. She couldn't help the urge to stare at the perfect piece under the spotlight, she had noticed his appealing looks right from when she had first seen him on the papers but this was different.

In the papers, he looked distant, unattainable and unreal. However now, in grey pyjamas, with his normally laid back hair falling on his face casting a shadow above his stormy eyes, he looked human, an ethereal human.

Soon enough, he continued walking and she continued staring, noticing his careful steps and his effort in resisting the urge to use his hand to feel around him, they were kept hidden in his pocket, the bulge of the fist they were in exposing them. She wondered if this was some sort of training.

'Does that mean he would take this path everyday?'

The thought of it made her smile, she would get to see the human Judge Orson everyday for free!

Out of the corner of her eyes, she caught the bodyguard staring at her, his eyes narrowed with suspicion, however she didn't flinch nor did she remove her gaze from his boss.

This wouldn't be the first time she is getting that look.

As they approached her, his aura that had been dominating earlier now felt peaceful, almost as if it was protecting her.

It probably had something to do with him standing up for her against the same person troubling her dreams earlier in court but regardless, she loved the way it made her feel after her earlier state of restlessness.

"Ellis, is she outside?" His voice though calm still startled her as she had not expected the question.

How did he know that?

She watched as the bodyguard hesitated before replying.

"Yes sir, she is."

"Why?"

This question was not directed to the bodyguard, the way he raised his left eyebrow ad the way he had c****d his head to the side , where her room was located showed that he was talking to her. The guards assigned to her seemed to contemplate replying to the question she however saved them the trouble when she replied.

"I needed air."

She anticipated what he would say, her eyes watching him closely for any hints.

He instead only shrugged and whispered an "okay," then continued on his journey leaving her dazed.