Lioness smiling walks on "well I really like this one. Sorry Thom isn't in it but it's really long and really good, since I'm only getting one review every chapter I'm gonna ask you to review again if you've reviewed before, just so I have enough confidence to write. By the way if you like Alex go and read my other fic about his sister. Now read and review!"

Alanna watched daydreaming as the leaves fell off the trees, Anna was looking from the other side of the garden, with a frown firmly set on her dark face.

"Watch the space around the leaves!" said their art teacher waving her arms and hands everywhere.

Alanna hide her face in her skirt groaning, she couldn't take it anymore, after nearly two months of living under the glares of Duchess Kassal and more elaborate punishments of Lady Acton, Alanna was sure she was going to go insane.

"Hey Farm girl!" hissed Melissa under her breath, prodding her.

Alanna twisted to face her falling off the stool she was sat on. There were muffled giggles. Alanna clenched her fists, and glared trying to stop herself from hitting the sneering blonde girl.

"Alanna?" said the art teacher with a mildly tedious expression.

Alanna said quickly before she could stop herself "It was that little …that little…snot cod, she called me a farm girl!"

Everyone gasped, and the teacher pointed a shaky finger at the kitchen door. Alanna brushed herself off and bowed mockingly at Melissa before jauntily walking away.

As she went into the kitchen she was ignored by the numerous staff and went start to Grunt, the chief as she called him.

"You again" he grunted living up to his name.

"Yeah, what should I do"

"pots" he said shortly pointing a fat finger at the large washing basin filled with dirty pots.

Alanna groaned and muttering curses under her breath she started to scrub the plates.

After nearly an hour Thea came into the kitchen, she hadn't talked to Alanna since she'd hit Melissa.

"Lady Acton wants to see you" she told her, her eyes sad.

Alanna's shoulder's slumped and she followed the round girl as she walked out the kitchens.

"Listen Alanna, I don't think that you should hit anyone no matter what, and I'm not using it as an excuse or anything" Thea took a breath "But I heard Melissa and saw her poking you, and she is a snot cod"

Alanna looked sheepish at the name she'd called Melissa "Are you my friend" she asked as they walked to Lady Acton's study.

"Yeah, Alanna you're not gonna be staying for long are you?" she asked

Alanna frowned and sighing said "not if I can help it"

Thea bit her lip before shrugging and walking off.

A curled hand snaked out the door, it grasped at Alanna's collar and pulled her inside.

The dim light of the office made Lady Acton's bony face look even more scary and sharp.

"You, you little witch" her hand came and slapped Alanna across the face, sneering she dragged the girl to a flight of stairs.

"You need to be taught a lesson Alanna" she growled throwing the girl at the stairs, Alanna scrambled away, her hands clenching into fists.

Lady Acton's palm smashed into her face, "I warned you" she said breathlessly and grabbed Alanna's collar and yanked her up to the tower.

When Alanna got there, she felt the hairs on the back of her neck rise. A pale smiling face met hers, Alanna pushed and twisted out of the woman's grip before diving to the far side of the room.

There was a large window facing the gates, it's light curtains billowing in the breeze, Lady Acton breathed in deeply.

"I knew you were a bad egg the moment I saw you" she hissed not turning around, Alanna felt her stomach roll and edged to the door slowly.

"I spent my whole life turning girls into ladies," Lady Acton spun and yanked Alanna's head to her own, "I never taught one who isn't perfect, of course you don't count"

"Your mad" whispered Alanna, her hand thrust up pushing the woman's face away.

They struggled around the room, in the end, Alanna's arm was painfully twisted behind her back and she was standing next to the window.

"Please don't push me" she begged

"I'm just scaring you" laughed her teacher.

Alanna felt bile rise up in her mouth as she looked over the stone edge, the ground loomed nearer. She looked at the woman's glowing face, and sucked in her breath hard, Lady Acton was completely crazy.

Lady Acton gave her a nudge "Stand on the ledge" she said quickly.

Alanna struggled but Lady Acton's twisted her arm to the point of breaking, so she pulled forward.

Her feet slipped out from under her and her arm gave a pop, as she sank to the ground screaming. Lady Acton tripped over Alanna, her hands clutching the ledge as her body sailed over her head.

A black rat waddled over, a red tongue slipping out it's mouth, Alanna looked at through bleary eyes. She was slumped on the ground her eyes rolling back into her skull as she fought unconsciousness before she fell into the darkness.

The rat fur and bones twisted, it grew and stretched until the fiery woman stood looking over Lady Acton.

"Who are you to touch the girl" she demanded her voice booming.

Lady Acton's fingers slid closer to the edge "Help me" she pleaded.

The fiery woman walked closer her eyes blank, her foot came and stepped on to Lady Acton's finger, they crushed them, making her fingers break and loose their grip, Lady Acton screamed before falling away from the tower, her calls echoing off the buildings.

Alanna awoke to the pain in her shoulder.

Thea and Anna stood staring at her, "What?" she asked groggily

Thea leapt at her sinking down beside her "Oh Alanna, how could" she sobbed into her covers.

"How could I what?" she asked

Thea lifted her face a little "You pushed Lady Acton out the window, Alanna" her voice grew hysterical "How could you not remember that"

"No I didn't, I swear" Alanna said just as franticly back.

"Shush" hissed Anna.

Thea turned her tearful eyes on her "How can you be so emotionless, Anna, ?. When Alanna just gone and killed someone" she wailed

"Because she didn't kill her" said Anna

"You mean she's alive" Thea breathed hopefully.

"No, I mean Alanna didn't kill her, a woman did, a woman on fire" she said frowning

"How do you know" demanded Thea.

Anna looked uncomfortable before saying quietly "The roses told me"

"Is she awake" yelled a voice from the other side of the door, both girls went pale.

"Alanna they're gonna take you away" whispered Thea, she hugged Alanna tightly "Please tell me you didn't kill her?"

"I didn't" Alanna winced at the pain in her shoulder.

Thea and Anna nodded and Anna quietly opened the shutters, while Thea grabbed Alanna's shoes. "here" she shoved them into Alanna's hands, "Put them on" Anna ordered her, "Climb onto the roof and go to the west side down the drain pipes, there's a rose garden there, go through them and you'll come to a road, run Alanna, don't get caught or else you'll die."

Thea threw her arms around her "I'll always be your friend, Alanna"

Anna nodded in agreement "we've got your back" she said quietly

Alanna shoved her feet into the shoes painfully and ran to the window, she threw herself out, her arm grabbed the rungs and she hosted her herself up.

Her other arm refused to respond to her minds desperate pleas, so she made slow process as she climbed up the wall, when she reached the top, she fell to her knees, her breath ragged, and her eyes watering.

Then she saw where she had to go, she had to go past the tower.

Alanna shook as she slid down the drain pipe, her useless arm dangling at her side. The roses were thick bushes with no flowers just large thorns. Alanna paused as she saw the red blood that stained the floor.

"Hey!" someone called, without looking Alanna ran full pelt at the roses, they parted for her, before shutting behind her sharply. Alanna crawled through the bushes, the sun was setting and the light was dim, she could hear the people as they fought to get through the roses.

Fuelled by fear she scrambled through and out the tunnel of thorns her legs and arms scratched and cut, she saw the road and ran down it.