Black Rose

Chapter nine: A Burning Rose

"Breakfast!" came Flonne's cheery call. Laharl pulled his blanket over his head. Etna walked into the room.

"Didn't you hear her? You don't wanna miss breakfast, do ya, sleepy?" Etna said to him. Laharl sat up in bed. A few seconds later he lay back down and fell asleep again. Etna walked over and pinched Laharl's nose. Laharl's face turned red and he shot out of bed again…only to fall asleep again.

"Grr...Annoying!!" Etna yelled. She pulled the pillow out from under Laharl's head, making his head hit the headboard. Laharl sat up.

"What'd you have to do THAT for?!" Laharl yelled at her.

"It's great to see you in such high spirits this morning, prince!" Etna said cheerily, clearly trying to annoy him.

After a few minutes of dodging the fireballs thrown at her by Laharl, Etna led His Highness down the stairs to breakfast.

"YOU CALL THIS FOOD?!!!" Laharl shouted after he took a bite of the food. Etna took a bite off the stuff on her plate and left the room to barf out the window.

"Ughhh…I don't feel good…" Etna groaned and barfed again.

A few minutes later, Etna returned to the table to see Laharl yelling at Flonne.

"Didn't we agree you wouldn't cook anymore?!!" Laharl yelled at her.

"So cruel!" Flonne cried. The argument continued like that until Etna just whispered to Laharl that she had food poisoning and wouldn't be able to help fight with him later. Laharl looked at her sadly and nodded.

Etna went to her room to lie down, falling asleep almost immediately.

Laharl, Flonne, and most of the prinnies had gone out to hunt some demons.

"Hey, Flonne…do you smell that burning smell?" Laharl asked.

"It smells like it's coming from…" Flonne paused to sniff the air, "the castle!"

Laharl pushed Flonne aside so he could get to the castle. Etna was in the now aflame castle and he had to rush so she wouldn't be killed in the fire.

Etna awoke to smoke and orange flames leaping around her room. She pushed herself against the head post of her bed, trying to escape the playful, orange flames.

"Etna!! Etna, where are you?!!" Laharl yelled. He searched almost everywhere, but he couldn't get near the stairs because of the flames and a large burning pile of wood which must've once been part of the castle's structure.

Etna fell off her bed, getting burnt by the dancing flames. She screamed a hoarse, dry scream.

"Etna!!!" Etna pushed herself up at the sound of her name.

"Laharl?!" She cried, hoping he heard her. Footsteps pattered upstairs. The door opened to reveal Laharl, looking around the room franticly.

"Etna!" Laharl cried as he fell to his knees next to her. "Thank goodness you're safe!" He pulled her into a tight embrace.

To be continued

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People who were wondering where the fire came from, Flonne forgot to turn off the stove – that's why I started the chapter with her cooking. The main idea for this chapter came from DenseBlond299, thanks! Please review!!