Post by †Mylinka† on Aug 29, 2010 17:43:04 GMT -5
Prologue
Music filled the night air. A harpsichord’s eerie but joyful ring flowed throughout the land. The soft vibrato of a flute echoed in the halls of the great castle, owned by the richest of all families, Herr and Frau Matthias. People danced lively in the large ballroom, their feet moving gracefully among the marble floor. Their reflections mirrored them on the floor. Men and women crossed he room to join hands and dance the night away. It was Herr and Frau Matthias’ daughter’s birthday. She was now of 16 years of age and was not yet married. She did not plan to be. Her parents for years had been trying to decide her life for her. She did not like their decisions. She loathed them more and more with each man they brought in for her to marry. She chose no one. Sitting still in her small chair, she began to silently count how many people were there. Then, she turned her attention to the chandelier that was lit with candles above the dancing crowd.
She tilted her head ever so slightly. The candles flickered and swayed to the staccato notes of the music. She bit her bottom lip. Her long light blonde hair was slightly curled and flowed freely down her shoulders. Her light blue eyes flashed in the flickering light. Silently she stood up and began to walk over the small chamber orchestra and placed a hand on the conductor’s shoulder. He silently lowered his head as he kept a steady beat. He then nodded slowly and began to bring the orchestra to a quick end.
The small girl’s mother silently tilted her head in confusion. “Anja?” She said in concern.
Anja silently came to the front of the room as everyone stopped dancing and stared in bewilderment. Clearing her throat, Anja began to speak. Her mouth opened ever so slightly, her pale pink lips parting with such grace. Her words rolled gently off her tongue. “Everyone, I would happily like to say a great thank you to you all. Thank you so much for coming to this lovely celebration that was arranged by my beloved mother and father. I would like for each one of you to…” her eyes shifted up to the ceiling. The chandelier was lowering slowly and with very little sound. She took in a slow swallow and began to turn to look behind her. Her eyes widened as it then began to fall with tremendous speed. People screamed and ran for cover.
Anja stood still, near the edge of the chandelier. Her legs were frozen with fear. She couldn’t move. Her hands gripped the hem of her violet gown as she began to tremble. She tried to scream. However, no sound escaped her parted lips.
From the moment that the chandelier candles made contact with the soft carpet, the flames erupted; a great conflagration grew from that point, racing through the citadel. Nicolae smiled slowly at the fires which grew ever higher. The tongues of the flames licked the night sky as all was consumed by their hunger.
From his safe hide-away, Nicolae Coel could see this. He refused to go any closer until the inferno folded in upon itself and naught was left but ash. To do otherwise would be folly, for of all the things in the entire world one of his few true fears was fire. The blinding brilliance was both, to him, enchanting and ruinous. He was in the prime of his existence, and didn’t plan to give such up easily.
A slight breeze carried a mix of scents upon it. Nicolae easily picked out the smell of burning flesh, as well that of the flames themselves and the sickly sweet aroma of boiling blood. He shivered slightly; his determination to stay put wavered. The fragrance of so much blood concentrated in such a small space appealed to him highly.
He brushed a lock of his raven hair from his equally dark eyes and surveyed the scene again. Its enchantment had worn off and now all that he saw was a smoldering pile of rubble and debris. At the sight of it he smiled slowly, his pale lips curving gently. His task was complete, save for the last detail of double checking. He almost didn’t see the need; no being could have survived such a holocaust.
Anja laid motionless on the ground. Her body trembled ever so slightly. She cried soft tears that rolled down her pale face. A sick feeling filled her being. She retched as she began to crawl out from the wooden pillars that had fallen to protect her like a tent. It was a work of God, a miracle. Looking around, she began to dig through drenched wooden and stone ruins. It had started to rain, just shortly after the collapse and she was cold and wet. She shivered in both fear and cold.
A bright red moon rested in the night sky. It illuminated the smoke and remaining embers. Skulls and skeletons all alike were sprawled across the ground beneath the rubble. Anja screamed out in terror and anger as she began to regret the times she had told her family how much she despised them for all they put her through. Looking from side to side, she searched for any signs of life. There were none.
As Nicolae approached the remains of the castle a scream broke the air. He reeled. No. This was not supposed to happen. No mortal (or immortal) could have survived that. It was an improbability he had not accounted for. He quickly changed his expression to one of concern. Luckily for him his clothes were well-worn and he could pass for nothing more than a mere mortal traveler.
“Hello? Is there someone here?” His voice was sweet as golden clover honey and tender as a brother’s. The rain had already begun to soak him and his clothing clung to him, accenting his powerful chest and his graceful build.
It was then that he saw her, his vision unerring in the night. Her violet gown hugged the curves of her body and the gold hair that fell around her shoulders was weighted down by rainwater as well.
“Mademoiselle, are you alright?” He said, moving quickly towards her. In his mind, he cursed. Of all the people to have survived the night, of course it would be she. He kept his expression concerned as he reached her side. “What has happened here?”
Music filled the night air. A harpsichord’s eerie but joyful ring flowed throughout the land. The soft vibrato of a flute echoed in the halls of the great castle, owned by the richest of all families, Herr and Frau Matthias. People danced lively in the large ballroom, their feet moving gracefully among the marble floor. Their reflections mirrored them on the floor. Men and women crossed he room to join hands and dance the night away. It was Herr and Frau Matthias’ daughter’s birthday. She was now of 16 years of age and was not yet married. She did not plan to be. Her parents for years had been trying to decide her life for her. She did not like their decisions. She loathed them more and more with each man they brought in for her to marry. She chose no one. Sitting still in her small chair, she began to silently count how many people were there. Then, she turned her attention to the chandelier that was lit with candles above the dancing crowd.
She tilted her head ever so slightly. The candles flickered and swayed to the staccato notes of the music. She bit her bottom lip. Her long light blonde hair was slightly curled and flowed freely down her shoulders. Her light blue eyes flashed in the flickering light. Silently she stood up and began to walk over the small chamber orchestra and placed a hand on the conductor’s shoulder. He silently lowered his head as he kept a steady beat. He then nodded slowly and began to bring the orchestra to a quick end.
The small girl’s mother silently tilted her head in confusion. “Anja?” She said in concern.
Anja silently came to the front of the room as everyone stopped dancing and stared in bewilderment. Clearing her throat, Anja began to speak. Her mouth opened ever so slightly, her pale pink lips parting with such grace. Her words rolled gently off her tongue. “Everyone, I would happily like to say a great thank you to you all. Thank you so much for coming to this lovely celebration that was arranged by my beloved mother and father. I would like for each one of you to…” her eyes shifted up to the ceiling. The chandelier was lowering slowly and with very little sound. She took in a slow swallow and began to turn to look behind her. Her eyes widened as it then began to fall with tremendous speed. People screamed and ran for cover.
Anja stood still, near the edge of the chandelier. Her legs were frozen with fear. She couldn’t move. Her hands gripped the hem of her violet gown as she began to tremble. She tried to scream. However, no sound escaped her parted lips.
From the moment that the chandelier candles made contact with the soft carpet, the flames erupted; a great conflagration grew from that point, racing through the citadel. Nicolae smiled slowly at the fires which grew ever higher. The tongues of the flames licked the night sky as all was consumed by their hunger.
From his safe hide-away, Nicolae Coel could see this. He refused to go any closer until the inferno folded in upon itself and naught was left but ash. To do otherwise would be folly, for of all the things in the entire world one of his few true fears was fire. The blinding brilliance was both, to him, enchanting and ruinous. He was in the prime of his existence, and didn’t plan to give such up easily.
A slight breeze carried a mix of scents upon it. Nicolae easily picked out the smell of burning flesh, as well that of the flames themselves and the sickly sweet aroma of boiling blood. He shivered slightly; his determination to stay put wavered. The fragrance of so much blood concentrated in such a small space appealed to him highly.
He brushed a lock of his raven hair from his equally dark eyes and surveyed the scene again. Its enchantment had worn off and now all that he saw was a smoldering pile of rubble and debris. At the sight of it he smiled slowly, his pale lips curving gently. His task was complete, save for the last detail of double checking. He almost didn’t see the need; no being could have survived such a holocaust.
Anja laid motionless on the ground. Her body trembled ever so slightly. She cried soft tears that rolled down her pale face. A sick feeling filled her being. She retched as she began to crawl out from the wooden pillars that had fallen to protect her like a tent. It was a work of God, a miracle. Looking around, she began to dig through drenched wooden and stone ruins. It had started to rain, just shortly after the collapse and she was cold and wet. She shivered in both fear and cold.
A bright red moon rested in the night sky. It illuminated the smoke and remaining embers. Skulls and skeletons all alike were sprawled across the ground beneath the rubble. Anja screamed out in terror and anger as she began to regret the times she had told her family how much she despised them for all they put her through. Looking from side to side, she searched for any signs of life. There were none.
As Nicolae approached the remains of the castle a scream broke the air. He reeled. No. This was not supposed to happen. No mortal (or immortal) could have survived that. It was an improbability he had not accounted for. He quickly changed his expression to one of concern. Luckily for him his clothes were well-worn and he could pass for nothing more than a mere mortal traveler.
“Hello? Is there someone here?” His voice was sweet as golden clover honey and tender as a brother’s. The rain had already begun to soak him and his clothing clung to him, accenting his powerful chest and his graceful build.
It was then that he saw her, his vision unerring in the night. Her violet gown hugged the curves of her body and the gold hair that fell around her shoulders was weighted down by rainwater as well.
“Mademoiselle, are you alright?” He said, moving quickly towards her. In his mind, he cursed. Of all the people to have survived the night, of course it would be she. He kept his expression concerned as he reached her side. “What has happened here?”