I stood at the altar holding his hand smiling. "I now pronounce you husband and wife." In that moment I thanked my horrible past, for everything really.

It all started with a secret, one I was hidden from. One I had never known. Well more then one actually. My life was based on a large pile of lies.

Chapter 1:

"Rose?" My aunty Flora called. She came running into my room "I need to go and get some groceries with your aunties. Okay? We'll be back soon don't get out of the house okay! Don't let anyone in either!"

"Sure aunt Flora." I watched her leave in a flurry. Wearing the same red dress she always wore. She is as skinny as a stem on a flower. She is very beautiful. Her face always blossoming-like a flower. Her skin looked like it never aged and she always managed to look flawless. Fauna is my other aunty. She loves her animals, birds especially. She is beautiful but in her own way. She always wears a dress that has spots and these feather earrings. My other aunty MaryWeather loves any form of season whether it's pouring rain or hot and arid. She always wears blue. It's the only colour I've ever seen her in.

I live in a cottage in the woods. We're poor. Not poor, poor, begging for money, but we have to keep our eye very closely on it. As you've probably guessed I'm an orphan, I have no living memory of my parents. According to my aunties they died when I was around a year old. So they took me in. They treat me like their own daughter and I treat them like my own mother. I've been taught to always be cautious of everything. I'm turning sixteen and they treat me like a two year old. I'm not allowed to talk to strangers. I can't invite anyone into our home. Not aloud to tell anyone where I live. I'm getting sick of these rules really.

I have no friends, no husband (AND I'M TURNING SIXTEEN!) I don't think I've ever spoken to any one other then my aunties. Every year I'm asked what do you want Rose? I always reply with the same answer. To meet and talk to someone other then you. I want a friend. They always reply with how about a new dress hmm?

I look in the mirror will I look different when I'm sixteen? Larger breasts, taller, better hair, mature enough for a husband? Knowing my luck-probably not. I'm average sized with minimal breasts and very pale. I have sapphire blue eyes and long blonde hair. I am always wearing the latest clothing (my aunties are seamstresses and absolutely adore it-except maybe not MaryWeather hers always end up wrong). Today it's a flowing purple dress that drags along the floor.

I walk into the kitchen which is filled with all these brown wooden cupboards. A sink and bench top underneath it for cooking. To the side is a knife stand and many chopping boards. They love cooking. I open the draw beneath the chopping boards and bring out the feather duster. I begin wiping the bench top and toward the cupboards. I do most of the chores here. Fauna's galah Izzy Rose whistles at me. She wants to get out of her cage. She is the most mischievous bird and loves making trouble. She always wants to be loved and cuddled and hates the cage. So unwillingly I take her out of the cage and she flies onto my hair and whistles. She begins caressing my head and I take out the mop.

By the time I finish all the chores I realize that the aunties wont be back for another hour. Getting groceries means going into town and that takes ages. I sit down and look at the door. To go outside wont kill me. Will it? No. God no. I walk up the brown wooden spiral stairs and into my room. I take out a dress that is hopefully suitable for going out. It has a brown bodice which I fasten tightly and a light purple flowing dress that hits my ankles. I pull my hair out of a pony tail and let it fall past my shoulders. I get my grey purple shawl and drape it around my shoulders. This was finally it. Really today I was going to make a friend.

I stopped at the door and made a vow to myself before I come back I would have spoken to one person. I put my hand on the knob and Izzy Rose starts screaming at me through her cage. "I'll tell!" Crap.

"Izzy Rose would you tell if I got you five chillies?" That always gets her.

"Nope. Five chillies for me please!"

"Good I'll be back soon. Cover for me?"

"Six chillies, six chillies." She was always such a bargain hunter.

"Six chillies."

"Okay be good girl."

Slowly I turn the knob. Slowly taking steps. Onto the brown floor mat. I look out. Tree's surround the cottage and a bed of pink roses lies near a dirt path. Pink roses were always my favourite flower.

I reach over picking myself one. However there is a thorn peeking out of the stem. I put my finger to my lip and the blood lands on my tongue bitter and salty, almost a rust kind of flavour. I put the rose to my nose and inhale that beautiful smell. I take another step forward and let all the air fill my nose. Taking another step forward I listen to the things surrounding me. The birds whistling a tune, the wind adding a beautiful effect and the rustling of the leaves adding a lovely beat. So I take a deep breath and sing. I was blessed with the gift of singing it comes so easily and naturally. I take hold of a tree and begin to start dancing moving my leg softly around the dirt in a circle motion. I let go of the tree and lift up my hand I take a prance forward and hold onto the tree in front lifting my leg all the way. Suddenly I feel someone grab hold of my leg and I scream.

I quickly bring my leg down and turn around ready to hit the person. Except I stopped when I saw who it was. He was handsome, built with a bold yet soft expression on his face. His eyes showed warmth and care. He had short brown hair and beside him was a black horse.

"Sorry madam, I just knew the dance and the song. I never meant to impose on you." His voice was soft and it sounded like he cared. This was it though. The first time I would ever speak to a stranger.

"Uh I eep!" I couldn't speak.

"I uh no it's okay I was just unsure of whom it was." I said about as fast as Izzy Rose flying to chillies.

"Sorry madam I cannot understand," he replied.

"I'm Rose. Alice Rose just everyone calls me Rose. I'm sorry about before I was just unsure of whom it was."

"No it's okay I understand. I'm Phillip. It's nice to meet you Rose."

"You too."

"Would you like to continue the dance perhaps?" Did I want to?

"Why not Phillip." He took my hand and I began singing. I lifted my leg high into the air. I spun with my leg straight and out. The birds began whistling the tune and it felt like every part of nature had caused itself to become synchronized music. I lifted my leg next to my ear and leaned into Phillip. He took hold of my waist and spun me around. The song came to an end and I spun once more. Step by step. My foot hit a twig and I fell, I watched the dirt come closer and I heard myself scream. I was going to hit the floor so I closed my eyes. I waited for excruciating pain but nothing came. So I opened my eyes. All I saw were Phillips eyes. I leaned in slowly. Having no control over my body. I closed my eyes and I kissed him. Softly very softly. His lips were soft and I wondered how mine felt. Were they rough? I'd surely moisturized them this morning with the flower drops. Slowly I leaned back out. I then realized that it was the first time I'd kissed someone. Just like that I'd kissed a stranger. STRANGER!

"I'm sorry Phillip I have to go. I'm going to be late! Bye! I hope to see you again soon."

"Wait don't go! At least tell me where you live!"

I scribbled my address on a piece of bark and using a stick wrote my address. Only visit when no one is there but me."

I left him, running toward my home when I passed a bush of chillies. Chillies! I picked six red juicy chillies and ran home.