Roses Bloom among Thorns- 5

Wearing a corset was like having a weight on your chest. You could barely breath and it hurt!

This was what Tessa was thinking when Will and herself were dashing up the stairs in the secret room. It was like she was in a daze, ever since Will had opened the hidden door in the corridor. She had never thought that the castle had such secrets!

"Come along, Tessa." Called Will from above her, for he had been able to climb the stairs much more quicker in trousers rather than a dress with a foots worth of train. "I'm trying, Will! Do you know how hard it is to climb up the stairs in a dress? I'm worried about tripping over hem. This is the nicest dress I have." She said, raising her eyebrows just a bit. "Well do hurry up the best you can. Jem is sure to have finished counting and The walls are very thin. He is likely to hear us, should he get over to this side of the castle." Said Will, who then continued to pound up the steps. Tessa gathered up her skirts some more, and started hiking up the steps after Will.

They finally reached the top and Tessa, who was sweating lightly and panting like a mad horse, flopped down on the floor and leaned her head against the cold stone wall. her dress belled out around her like a pretty blue flower. "For a woman who lifts heavy things every day, I am very out of shape." rasped Tessa, whose voice had gone hoarse. "What was that Tess?" Asked Will. Tessa blushed an unappealing shade of red, for nobody had ever called her that before. "Nothing." replied she.

"William? Tessa?" Cried a voice at the bottom of the stairs. "James." whispered Will. They both crouched behind the wardrobe that stood in the corner of the room. They both heard Jem's feet pound up the stairs. The faint scratching of furniture being moved could be heard. Tessa struggled to keep herself from bursting out in laughter. She let out a small snicker.

"Will? Is that you I hear?" Asked Jem, who's footsteps could be heard getting closer. A sudden Quack! could be heard through the room. Will burst into action. He rolled out from behind the wardrobe and stood looking about the room. "Where is it?" He asked savagely. Both Jem and Tessa burst into laughter at the sight before them. "There is no duck Will. I made a duck call with this whistle." He showed his companions the whistle which looked like a small bird made out of wood. "I bought it at the trade market for this exact reason." He said in between peals of laughter. Tessa was once again laughing so hard that she occasionally snorted, which sort of embarrased her. She tried to stand but she fell over because she was giddy with laughter.

She sat on the floor laughing, while Jem joined beside her. Their laughter had gotten to Will, who started chortling, then giggling, and then burst into full peals of laughter. He joined the two on the floor. Tessa had laid down on her back because she felt light headed from laughing so long. Jem soon laid down and Will joined soon after. They soon settled down and Tessa was quietly gasping for air.

"How did you know of this room, anyway?" asked Will. "You had left the door open. You also were being quite loud. Both of you could be heard but it was mostly you, Will." Said Jem, shrugging nonchalantly. "Yes, Jem, because we all know I am a loud mouth." said Will, whose voice was dripping with sarcasm. Just then, a squat, gray, cat saunters into the room and hops up into Tessa's lap. "Seems like Church has taken a liking to you." Says Jem, absent-mindedly petting the at who was purring contently. "Maybe he just caught a mouse. He usually isn't very open to people." said Will. Church proceeded to then, hop off of Tessa's lap, jump onto Will's chest, and began attacking it viciously with his claws.

"BLOODY CAT!" Will roared. He jumped up, with Church still attached to his chest, and pulled at the cat while swearing ferociously. Jem and Tessa laughed so hard that their stomachs hurt. When Will fell on his face, having been defeated by Church who lay on his back sleeping, it only made the two bystanders laugh even harder. When Tessa finally finished laughing and had caught her breath, she turned to Will, who was a bloody mess, and said, "You had better clean up now. The other participants of todays events shall be here soon. You don't want them to see you like that do you?"

"Anyway they see him, they will probably swoon anyway." said Jem, who's uncontrollable laugh had settled to a rumbling chuckle. "Of coarse they will, for I am Prince William Herondale!" Will exclaimed, puffing out his chest and winking in Tessa's direction, which made her blush uncontrollably. "Yes because the rest of us are hideous, aren't we?" asked Jem. "That is not true! Tessa is quite spectacular to look at indeed." Jem nodded in agreement and looked over at Tessa, who had blushed even darker.

"Will, darling, who is that up there with you?" chimed a voice at the bottom of the stairs. "Mother come up here! I have someone I want you to meet." said Will. Tessa scrambled up off of the floor, brushing herself off. Jem, too, stood up. A woman, maybe in her late thirties, walked into the room.