Every Rose Has its Thorn *Limited* By Bean

Sarah smiled, shrugging. "Oh it's fine... I enjoyed watching you actually..."
~~~
Grayson chuckled. "To a certain degree, but yes you may do what you wish here..."

"If you say so," he chuckled. "Sleep well, Sarah," he said softly and quietly walked down the hall to his own room.

---


Alex stared at him with that same expression of disbelief, trying to wrap her mind around it, as well as thinking of what she wanted to do. She knew she wanted a bath, but she didn't have any clothes.

Sarah watched him walk back to his room then sighed, closing her door silently. She walked over to the bed and curled up under the covers with a sigh.
~~~
Grayson turned to leave, taking a few steps then turned back. "Oh yeah... There are clothes in the wardrobe. I hope you like them, and if they don't fit then I'll have them tailored."

Deryk closed his door quietly and laid back into his own bed, falling asleep nearly as soon as his head hit the pillow. He slept peacefully for the rest of the night.

---

Alex looked at him in shock again. "Thank you," was all she could think to say, and yet it didn't seem enough to cover the gratitude she felt. She promised herself that she would work hard to try and make up for her lack in vocabulary.

Sarah smiled to herself, finally falling asleep. She hadn't slept this well in ages and probably wouldn't again for a long while.
~~~
Grayson chuckled at what she'd said. She seemed to be awe struck. "Well, it's certainly not a problem. I guess I'll leave you to your bath now?"

Alex nodded, smiling. "Yes, thank you," she murmured, looking around her room. She had her own room, her own bathroom, her own clothes, her own bed! She couldn't believe it, any of it. She must have been dreaming.

'Please, don't let anyone wake me up,' she thought, more like prayed.

Grayson turned to leave then came back, knocking on the door. "Alex? I just wanted to let you know that dinner's in one hour okay?"

Alex took the first step to the bathroom and blinked, looking at the door as he knocked. "Okay, I'll be ready," she promised and went into the bathroom, smelling all the different shampoos, body washes, and bubble bath mixes. She couldn't believe they were hers to use. Turning on the water to fill the tub, she chose the lavender body wash and vanilla shampoo, not bothering with the bubble bath. She might take a bubble bath later.

Undressing, she stepped into the tub and turned the water off once it was full, sitting down in the hot water and smiling, squirting body wash onto a washcloth and beginning to wash the dirt and bad smell from her skin.

Grayson smiled and nodded when she answered back. He went down the stairs to the first floor and into the basement, his eyes scanning the dark corners. He might've been a grown man, but the dark still harbored dark secrets that he was nowhere near ready to answer yet.

Alex took her time with her thorough scrubbing, making sure she got every inch of her skin clean. Next was her hair, which she washed several times, just to be on the safe side. When she was done and got out, wrapping a towell around herself, she hardly recognized herself in the mirror. This was the first time she'd ever been this clean, or this optimistic. She scrubbed her teeth several times, like she had her hair, and then went to look for something clean to wear. Not knowing what would be appropriate for her to wear, she chose jean capris and a t-shirt.

Grayson trudged through the basement, pulling out an ancient acoustic guitar that had belonged to his great grandfather. He sighed and took it upstairs, tuning it as he walked upstairs. "Joleen, please go up and get Alex. Dinner's being set at the table..." He walked into the dining room and sat down, playing the acoustic slowly.

Joleen smiled and nodded. "We'll be right down," she said and hoped up to go get the new girl. When she got to her door, she knocked on it. "Alex? Dinner's being set on the table."

Alex jumped at the door being knocked upon. "Oh, alright," she said, opening the door and blinking. The girl was beautiful, and she looked happy.

Joleen waited patiently and smiled as Alex opened the door. "That outfit is so cute," she complimented. "My name's Joleen. It's nice to meet you," she smiled and took her hand. "C'mone, Grayson's waiting for us," she said, walking back downstairs towards the dining room.

Grayson continued to play the guitar until he saw Joleen and Alex coming downstairs. The other 2 girls and 2 guys came in, taking their seats at the table. Grayson stood as Joleen and Alex walked into the dining room. "Welcome, Alex. I hope you enjoy your meal tonight, and you enjoy your time with the others and myself as well..." He couldn't deny that she looked lovely in the simple outfit she'd chosen.

Alex blinked, being basically dragged down the stairs and into the dining room. She blushed some as he stood when she and Joleen entered. No one ever stood when she entered. "Thank you," she said in a small voice.

Joleen smiled at Grayson. "You picked a cute one, Grayson. I'm sure she'll love it here." Joleen had a very perky personality, as Alex had noticed right away.

Grayson laughed. "I figured you'd like her. She reminds me much of you Joleen." He nodded to Alex then stepped to pull her chair out. "I'd like you to be as happy as possible here," he whispered into Alex's ear.

Joleen smiled and went to go sit in her own chair.

Alex blushed from all the attention, and blushed even more when he whispered in her ear. Feeling his breath on her skin sent tingles down her spine. "I-I'm sure I will be," she whispered back, looking down shyly.

Grayson smiled. "Glad to hear it..." He stepped back once he'd pushed her chair, with her in it, back in and took his place back at the table. "Well, let's eat my friends."

Joleen smiled and dug in once Grayson gave the OK.

Alex tried a little bit of everything and, in doing so, stuffed her small stomach.

Grayson ate, but not too much. He still couldn't stop thinking about the basement. He'd been looking for the diary of his father's since he inherited the house from his will.

Joleen, not the most perceptive person, didn't notice Grayson's preoccupied state. Alex did, however, but she didn't know him well enough to know if he was just a quiet person in general, or if he was thinking deeply about something.

Grayson sighed softly, finishing his dinner. He leaned back and closed his eyes, retracing the steps in his head. The only place he had yet to look was down in the wine-cellar, where his father had died.

Alex looked at Grayson curiously, wondering if he was alright. Joleen didn't seem to notice at all, she just talked away with the other slaves. From the set of his eyebrows, Alex got the impression that he was not relaxing and just letting his food digest. Still, she didn't want to be rude, so she didn't ask, just stared at her plate, glancing at her new master every now and again.

Grayson sighed and looked over at Alex. She had a lot of resemblances to his mom, of what he knew of her anyways. It was strange... He had been told that she had run away...

Alex, still looking down at her plate, pretended to listen to Joleen's chatter as she noticed Grayson looking at her. She had to admit, she felt a little out of place with all of the chatter going on beside her, and a silent Grayson on her other side. She normally didn't mind silence, of course, but his thoughtful look made the seventeen-year-old a little nervous.

Grayson tapped his chin, thinking. Could this girl be the sister he'd been wishing had never 'run away'.