Hello everyone :)

This is my entry for the VA contest, don't forget to check out all the other entries and vote when the time comes(:


Prologue

The storm raged outside as the girl tried to bury herself in her bed. She didn't like thunderstorms, they brought back memories she wished to forget, memories of the night she had been left here. The memories were now blurry but still scared her.

The sky lit up as lightning shot through the clouds. A second later, the clouds grumbled angrily as thunder replaced the lightning. The girl whimpered and tried to cover her ears as tears streaked down her cheeks. She was only four, she didn't belong here. She should have had a warm loving family but instead she was stuck here in a cold uncomfortable bed in an orphanage.
The sky rumbled once more and Roses let out a sob as she tried to warm herself under the thin sheets. Nobody could hear her, all the other children were sound asleep.

That's what she thought.

She was wrong, in a bed just bigger that her's lay a boy of eight. He was anti-social and quiet, he never spoke to anyone- except her. Alberta, the lady that took care of the children could never understand the relationship between the two. He distanced himself from everyone except her. But the girl was hard to resist, chubby with naturally tanned skin, long brown hair that was silky and adorable brown eyes but she was never adopted. Roses was a difficult child and not easy to manage.

The boy heard her sobs and immediately jumped out of his bed to her side, he had always been there to wipe her tears from the day her parents had dropped her off at the orphanage. He had lost his family when he was young, but Roses reminded him of his baby sister but he would never admit this to anyone. He pulled his blanket along with him and made his way to her bed.

She didn't see him but she felt him wrap his arms around her curled form. He brushed her hair away from her face and and wiped her tear stained face with his warm fingers. Her watery brown eyes met his and she smiled a small smile and shivered. He noticed this and took her cold hands in his and attempted to warm them as he draped his blanket over her shivering form. She shifted over a bit so that he had more space.

"Shh.. Roza, don't cry its just a storm."

She whimpered again as he pulled her into a hug. She was Roses to everyone, but he was special. He always called her Roza and she called him Comrade. It was a game between them, a secret they shared.

" 'mitri I'm scared." she whispered in his chest.

" Don't be, I'll keep you safe Princess."

"Am I your Princess?"

" Yes Roza, you're my only Princess." That made her smile an innocent smile that only a four old could manage.

"Are you my prince then?" She asked him.

"I'll be your prince if that's what you want. I'll keep you safe."

" Pinky Promise?"

" No Roza, I'll make you a Blood Promise."

"What is that?" Her brow scrunched up and her mouth twisted slightly.

He took out a pocket knife and a book. He scribbled something in the book and look at her with no trace of humour.

"I promise I'll get you out of here Roza, I'll buy a big house and we'll live in it together."

"And can we have pancakes and doughnuts everyday?"

He chuckled and kissed her forehead. "We'll do whatever you want Roza"

She smiled an adorable smile and Dimitri ran his fingers through her hair.

" You wanted to know what a blood promise is? It's when you make a promise and seal it with blood." He took out the pocket knife again and he took her wrist in his hand.

"This is going to hurt, but don't make noise."

She nodded and obeyed. He made a fairly deep cut on her arm and let the blood drop on the paper. Tears made their way down her cheek but he kissed them off. He peeped under her bed and took out the small first- aid kit he had hidden there and carefully cleaned and covered her cut.

He then made a similar cut on his arm and allowed the blood to drip on the paper. He covered his own arm and let the paper dry. He hid everything under the bed and lay next to Roses again. He let her rest in his arms as sleep took her over. He hummed softly until she fell asleep.


She didn't know why, but one day Dimitri began to ignore her too. If she tried to talk to him, he would call her Rose or Roses she was no longer his Roza or his princess. He pushed her away like he did with everyone else. She asked him if it was her fault, if she had made him angry, but he never answered.

A week later a car pulled at the front if the orphanage and a tall man and a woman walked out, they placed Dimitri's suitcase in the boot and Roses saw Dimitri pause at the door of the car. Roses knew what was happening, she knew that she would never see him again. She ran to the front of the academy with tears streaming down her face. She wanted to see him one last time, to say she was sorry.

Dimitri turned to face her and she could see tears in his eyes, her 'mitri never cried.

"Comrade I'm sorry if I did anything wrong but please don't leave me, I love you comrade please don't go."

"Roza, they're my parents now, I can't stop them and I can't take you with me. I'm sorry Roza and I love you. Don't ever forget that."

Tears continued to fall out of her eyes as she clung to the only familiar being that existed in her life. She knew that she couldn't stop him; he couldn't take her with him. She felt hollow inside, first her parents and now her 'mitri. She had to stay strong.

" I'm going to miss you comrade."

The older boy tried his best to hold his tears but his chocolate brown eyes were red rimmed, he was old enough to know that it was possible that he would never see his Roza again. He would never wipe her tears and see her grow up. Carefully he leaned and whispered in her ear.

"Remember the promise I made you? I'm going to keep it princess. I'll be back for you on your 14th birthday. I'll buy that big house I promised. Don't give up on me Roza"

His voice was fierce and determined. When Roza turned 14, he would be eighteen. He would find a way to keep her safe and happy. He would keep his promise. He took out a picture of him and her, holding hands and smiling. Carefully, he ripped it into half and handed his picture to her.

"Don't forget Rose. I'll come back for you." Rose tried to smile but failed, instead she wiped his tears.

"I'll always remember you. I love you comrade."

"I love you too Roza"

He kissed her chubby cheek and ran his fingers through her hair and with one last hug he was gone.


Suggestions? Reviews would be appreciated :)