Every Rose Has its Thorn *Limited* By Bean

Grayson started from the other side of the cellar, pulling open boxes. They were all filled with books, which made him a tad more optomistic. Though, each time he pulled one out, it was either a worn down wine recipe or a worn down wine distribution log. "Damn..."
~~~
Sarah smiled and took his hand. "I'd love to eat breakfast with you all... I've been out here since a little before dawn... Gardens are just so lovely, they're entrancing sometimes too.."

Deryk chuckled. "They are, aren't they," he smiled, walking inside and into the dining room.

----

Alex looked at all the books, seeing no leather-covered books.

Sarah nodded, closing the door behind her. "It is, especially when it's warm and sunny and the butterflies are out."
~~~
Grayson sighed, looking around. "Well... That was a waste of time..."

He smiled and nodded in agreement, walking her to her seat and pulling her chair out. "I couldn't agree more," he smiled.

---

"Oh, I missed a box," Alex said, opening it up and looking inside. Digging into it, she pulled out a book. "Is this it? It's the only leather-covered book I've found," she told him, sneezing at the dust.

Sarah smiled and sat down, thanking him. "There's something about the way crisp morning air opens up your lungs."
~~~
Grayson looked up from tapping the side of one of the barrels. "Maybe..." He reached for it, dusting off the cover. He smiled then, sighing. "Yep, this is it..."

Deryk smiled and pushed her chair in, sitting in his own chair. "That's why I moved out here. You don't get fresh air like this in the city," he smiled.

--

Alex started flipping the lids back onto the boxes to try and keep the dust out of them, then stood quietly, looking around the box-stuffed room curiously.

Sarah nodded with a smile. "Amen to that..."
~~~
Grayson smiled, starting to flip through the diary then grumbled. "It's empty... Completely blank."

Deryk chuckled. "Please, dig in," he smiled to everyone and started eating, himself.

---

Alex frowned. "I could take another look through the boxes," she told him.

Sarah smiled. She didn't have to be told twice... She started to eat, not alot compared to the others, but alot to her.
~~~
Grayson sighed, shaking his head. "No, it's fine.."

Deryk ate heartily, in a good mood. When he was done, he finished off his drink and leaned back in his seat, relaxing as he watched his slaves chatter happily over their breakfast.

---

"I'm sorry," Alex apologized, looking down. "That you didn't find what you wanted, I mean."

Sarah leaned back with a smile, still eating slowly.
~~~
Grayson shrugged. "I never really knew what would be in the diary if I found it..."

Deryk smiled, waiting patiently for everyone to be done. While he waited, he planned out who would work with who.

---

"If I may ask... What have you been looking for," she asked timidly.

Sarah smiled to herself, thinking of working in the garden. Anything with plants or animals she loved.
~~~
Grayson shrugged. "I'm not quite sure.. Just answers I guess..."

Deryk cleared his throat to gather everyone's attention. "Since we have Sarah joining us in the chores, she's asked to work in both the garden and the stables. If anyone else would like to do more than one job voluntarily, I see no harm in it. I will not ask you to do two or more jobs. The same rules apply, though: once you are done with your chores for the day, you are free to do what you like."

---

"Would you be angry if I asked what answers you were looking for," she asked quietly.

Sarah blushed when the attention was drawn to her because of the fact that she'd asked to do two things instead of one.
~~~
Grayson arched an eyebrow, shrugging. "No, not at all... I was wondering what my dad had kept in his diary while he was still alive..."

Deryk smiled at Sarah. "Do you want to do both each day or alternate every other day," he asked her. "You are welcome to do either."

---

"Oh, I'm so sorry," she bowed her head, afraid she'd hit a sore spot. "I didn't know he passed away..."

Sarah smiled. "I'd like to do both if you don't mind..."
~~~
Grayson sighed. "It's okay. I was just wondering what he might have kept from me..."

Deryk smiled and nodded. "You're welcome to."

---

Alex looked through the boxes again, being very thorough.

Sarah smiled. "Thank you, really."
~~~
Grayson started putting the log books back into their boxes, watching Alex intently.

"It's not a problem," Deryk smiled. "When you're done eating, you may go start your chores," he smiled at everyone.

----

Alex saw nothing that looked like a diary in any of the boxes. "I'm sorry, but I still can't find it," she said, looking through the last box again.

Sarah smiled, starting again on her food.
~~~
Grayson chuckled. "It's okay, really. It could be anywhere still..."

Deryk smiled and got up, heading to the ballroom. "Nicole, can you bring my paints to the ballroom, please? I'll get my canvas."

"Of course," A petite girl stood, smiling. "I'll be right there," she said, going to get his paints and brushes.

---

Alex looked at him. "Where else could it be? I'll help you look," she offered.

Sarah stood, finishing her food. The two men insisted that she leave her dishes, so she did, heading to the garden. She would start there till lunch, then work in the stables for the rest of the day.
~~~
Grayson sighed, shrugging. "I really don't know. It has to be down here though."

Deryk set up his canvas and paints by the window of the ballroom that overlooked the garden and started painting. He liked painting his slaves as they worked on the flowers. He smiled and chuckled to himself when he saw Sarah entering the garden. He felt a connection with her that he didn't have with his other slaves.

---

Alex pursed her lips, thinking. "Hmm... Is there a different area of the basement," she wondered. "Or maybe there's some hiding place he's made..."

Sarah walked through the garden fully once, looking over what needed to be tended to. She definitely had to check the roses every now and then, since crabgrass was usually popping up around 11 in the morning. She strode near the tiger lillies and groaned. "Ragweed... Horrid." She bent to her knees, wrapping her hands around the infestation of choking weed and pulled it up and out. She filled a tad of the hole with dirt around it, smiling.
~~~
Grayson shook his head. "Weeeeell, no. This is it..."