**Rotten Fruit**

[X_HeartofRoses_X]

Frost pulled out a handkerchief, wiping Sawyer's face. "You poor thing, you...I can tell that you are not fine." Frost's eyes shined with kindness and worry. Seeing this poor child in such a state caused her eyes to well with tears.  

[WritingWithLove]

Sawyer curiously looked at the woman. Wow, she's very pretty... he thought to himself. He found himself slightly smiling, and he said without thinking, "Father says that I have never been 'fine,' but I don't mind. I like him very much... I mean, I did until-"

He caught himself before he could speak any more. Emberrassed that he had let so much slip already, his smile quickly vanished, and he looked away. Tears formed in his eyes, but he refused to let them fall; crying was a great way to earn a smack across the face, and his heart was damaged enough at the recollection of the fact he could never see his family again; at least, not if wanted to live.  

[X_HeartofRoses_X]

Frost wiped his tears with the handkerchief. "It is alright. You do not have to tell me if you do not wish...I am Frost. Do you have a name?"  

[WritingWithLove]

She is kind! Maybe she's like Mama! Oh, that would be very nice!

"Yes. My name is Sawyer White. It's good to meet you, Miss Frost." he said, forcing himself to stay calm. He wanted to see if she was like his mother- his real mother- so badly, but if he went in for a hug and was wrong, he'd get a smack for sure.
Despite his better judgement, and since he was, after all, only an eight-year-old boy, he practically collapsed into Frost's arms and began to sob. "Miss Fr-Frost, I'm very s-scared! I'm alone ag-again! I don't l-like it! I'm sorry, please! I-I'm scared!"
He braced himself for a smack that he wouldn't receive.  

[The Jolly Victini]

S.M. knelt down next to Frost and put a hand her her back. He looked her in the eyes and asked, "Should we take him in? I just found in in my forest, alone. He must have been there through the rain storm last night, he's soaked."  

[X_HeartofRoses_X]

Frost hugged Sawyer back and stroked his head. "Yes. Let's."

Frost looked back to the boy, smiling kindly. "How about we get you some dry clothes and some food? Then we can get you all cleaned up."  

[WritingWithLove]

Sawyer stopped crying, but tears still rolled down his cheeks. He hugged Frost a little bit tighter and whimpered, "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, please, but no cleaning today. I'm too tired. I can't clean, sorry. This place i-is very big, sorry, please, sorry."
How did she expect, after all he's been through, for him to clean of all things?
That's what she meant by "cleaned up," right? Cleaning was always something Sawyer did. Did she mean it in a different way?  

[The Jolly Victini]

S.M. wiped away Sawyer's tears. "No, no. We means clean you up. Y'know, a bath? Soap?"  

[WritingWithLove]

"A bath? Like what I run for Sister? With all the bubbles and good-smelling stuff?" he asked with a slight gleam of hope. Something like that, for him? He turned to S.M. and hugged him before quickly backing away; he knew that older men- well, older than he was, anyway- didn't like hugs... Or did they? He didn't know. A lot of things he had thought were always the case, weren't anymore. It wouldn't have suprised him if he started to go through the floor, or if he could fly, or if the objects around him began to talk; this castle was enchated to him, because it just seemed so... different.  

[The Jolly Victini]

S.M. giggled and pulled they boy back in for a hug. He let go of him and smiled. "Yeah! And you can use the bubbles to make a silly hat or a big beard! It's loads of fun!" S.M. said excitedly. "So, what do you say?"  

[WritingWithLove]

"You're such a burden, Sawyer! I can only pray no one else has to deal with you..."
"Father, I'm no pain!"
"Do NOT argue against me!"
Smack!
"Y-yes, Father..."

Sawyer backed away slightly. "Oh, no, please, sorry. I-I don't want to be... a burden. Sorry, sir, but thank you, please."  

[The Jolly Victini]

"A burden? No, no. I'm offering. Really! It's no bother at all." S.M. reassured the boy.  

[WritingWithLove]

Feeling as though he was sincere, Sawyer nodded. "Yeah, okay, please. That would be nice, thank you, please."

***
Back at the mansion- it was compared to the houses around them- Fae remained calm and lied expertly, as she was acustomed to doing. "I assure you, dear, I disposed of him properly." she said to Rim as she kissed his cheek, "No one will suspect a thing." Rim's expression remained straight and stern as he replied, "You had better be right, Fae Cimnelt."
"Oh, using my full name. Have I been a bad girl?"
"I don't know. Have you?"
She paused.
"Not unless you want me to be, darling."
Rim rolled his eyes and dismissed her. Fae walked back to her bedroom; she needed a nap after all she'd been through.
She dreamed of a little girl, who had bright green eyes and jet-black, long hair. The girl screamed and sliced her hair with a butcher knife, cutting short and ragged. "I don't care what you say anymore, Mother! I hate you!"

I... I hate you... Don't I?  

[X_HeartofRoses_X]

Frost smiled. "S.M., can you help him get cleaned up? I'll fix some food."  

[The Jolly Victini]

S.M. nodded and picked the boy up, putting him on his shoulders again. "Let's get you cleaned up."