Chapter Two - Gentle Petals

The gentle beauty turned, her cheeks turning rosy and eyes brightening when she saw Max enter. She smiled sweetly, with genuine kindness evident in her graceful mannerisms.

'Hello!' The young woman said softly.

'Allo, Lady Rose.' Max greeted her warily. She couldn't trust anyone. Especially not a spoiled, sheltered aristocrat, no matter how gentle, kind or perfect. Perfect. That was the only word that could come close to describing her. But, no. She was getting off track. She snapped her attention back to the task at hand.

Gaining her trust. Right now, that was the most important thing. She couldn't lose to her emotions.

Max smiled warily as the younger woman strode over, waving slightly.

'Nice to meet you,' she extended her hand politely.

'Ah- lovely to meet you too-' Max responded, stunned by the friendly gesture. The only aristocrats she met were the kind to throw exuberant parties, leeching money from their subjects for their own pleasure. They laugh and bathe in their riches while the workers and farmers starve. She didn't feel the usual, biting anger arise when she thought of the cruelty her family had succumbed to.

Now it was just her and Mel. She needed to remember that.

'Uhm, Miss Thorne?' A lilting voice inquired, snapping her out of her thoughts.

'Ah- yes, sorry?'

'I asked if you would like to come out to my garden with me.' The young woman repeated with a patient smile.

A feeling of calm overcame Max as she nodded.

'Please, call me Max, Lady Rose.'

'Oh- yes of course!' She brightened.

In spite of herself, Max smiled softly

Shit. She shouldn't feel this at ease with her target. She groaned inwardly, frustrated at her own feelings.

She trailed warily after the free-spirited young woman, her eyes traveling down her body, taking in her gently rounded body and muted curves. She wasn't fat per-se, but she wasn't incredibly thin either. She had a healthy weight, but such a charm about her that made it clear to Max why she was so sought-after.

As they reached the garden, the damsel broke into a brisk trot, Max following suit. Lady Rose sprung through the doors, twirling on her heel in sheer bliss. The tall, muscular woman's icy heart began to soften at the sight of the happy girl. Suddenly, she reached out, taking Max's hand in her own and pulling her along. Max's heart began pounding out of her chest as they ran across the courtyard, hand in hand. Soon they came to a stop near the edge of the garden, and Lady Rose sat down, pulling Miss Thorne along with her. They watched in sweet, comfortable silence as small bluebirds came to clean their feathers in the miniature fountain.

Rose looked down, her smooth hands feeling the rough callouses on Max's fingers. She traced her pointer along the lines of Max's palm dreamily, not giving her action much thought.

Max looked down in surprise remaining completely still, so as not to startle her. Max brought her twinkling hues up to watch Rose's expression. She took in every aspect of her. Her round cheeks, kind eyes, and gentle smile. It took Rose a moment to realize what she was doing. As she snapped back to reality, she dropped Max's hand, clenching her own as they lay on her lap. She looked up, meeting Max's intense gaze with her own. A rosy blush began creeping along her cheeks, which did not go unnoticed by the usually cold, calculating gaze belonging to Max Thorne.

Rose hugged her arms, looking away, flushed and embarrassed. Max raised an eyebrow questioningly, but Rose payed no notice to her. She allowed her long curls to fall across her face, hiding her beet-red features.

"Is something wrong, my lady?" She inquired smoothly, pretending not to notice her obvious infatuation.

"N-nothing at all-" Rose stammered, pushing her bangs away with one hand to peek out at her from under her hair.

"Would you like to return, then? You don't look well." Max offered, then caught herself. "Not that- er- you don't look, well, well, but I mean- er- you don't look like you're feeling well." She stammered hurriedly.

Rose giggled softly.

"I'm alright, love, there's no need to worry about me."

The words caught Max off guard. Love. A term of endearment. She'd never been called that before. By anyone.

"I'll worry anyways." She responded flatly. She didn't want to care about her. She needed to hate her. To kill her. She couldn't grow fond of this affectionate girl.

She sighed.

"Shall we head back, then?" Rose asked softly, her face glowing pink against the setting sun.

"As you wish."

Rose led the way back to her chambers in silence, leaving Max alone with her thoughts. She toyed with the idea of protecting her. Keeping her out of harm's way, like a fragile doe, protected by her buck that would fight- would kill for her.

She didn't have time to think on it much as they came to a stop in front of her bedroom.

"Well, I guess that's all for today then." Rose mumbled, seeming disappointed.

"Yes, my lady." She bowed curtly. She turned and retreated to the maid's quarters, but not before catching the crestfallen expression on Rose's face, both their hearts filled with yearning as they went their separate ways.

Max tried to reason that she wouldn't need to work hard to gain her trust, now that the woman was falling for her, but the thought of losing her only filled her heart with a kind of longing that she had never experienced.

And she had only known her for a day.