A Rose in the Rain
Chapter Two
The candlelight of the many chandeliers hanging overhead of the grand ballroom cast angry-look shadows over the many guests as I, Murder Durden, child of the Coven of the Night, watched over the party as a hawk to it's prey.
Why was I doing this, you ask? It was my best friend and cousin's wedding party, a ball unlike any other, and I wasn't going to let anyone ruin it for her. She deserved to be happy for once, after her mother was ripped from her during the Witch Trials, ignorant mortals who think they control the earth when it is where we draw our power.
Forgive me, I get sidetracked. I stood to the bride-to-be's immediate left, resting against the mantle of the fireplace. I had my eyes trained on everyone milling around in the grandeur of the Iero home, feeling as though they were important because of their admittance into this luxurious ball.
All the faces of the party goers were covered with porcelain masks that went from the forehead to the lips, save Illusion and I. Our masks were made of silk, hers white and lace to match her dress, mine black silk with red lace to match mine, and only went from just below our eyebrows to our noses.
We had always done things out of the ordinary. Even by wiccan standards we weren't ordinary. For example, when we were seven, Illusion and I were playing in mud and running around in our undergarments like boys while other girls were being trained for ladies.
Another out of the ordinary thing was, we were eighteen and not married yet. I, actually, was nineteen at the time, and happily unmarried. Illusion was happily marrying the man of her choice, which was unusual in our time.
I was quickly growing bored with the party, everyone staying away from me, even Illusion's fiancee, Frank. I was, what most said, a dark spirit. I gave off an air of mystery and evil from what I understood. No one, save my family, would speak to me on purpose.
"Murder, who are those people?" Illusion asked, standing from her seat and walking over to me, the fabric of her gown trailing behind her slightly.
I looked at the ones she was speaking of, a group of three men and a woman, all wearing well tailored suits and a dress, black as the night, save the man in the front of the group. It seemed as though he stood taller than every man and woman in the party and attention was subconsciously drawn to him. "I am not sure, Illusion. I will go find out for you." I said, walking towards them slowly.
I stopped in front of him, he wasn't more than a foot taller than me, but he had power. "Madame Illusion Rayne Durden would like to know your names." I said in my most gentle voice.
The man to the leader's right stiffened a little, a mask quickly finding it's way to his face. "Valo." He gave, his voice deep and seductive, startling me a little.
The man and woman to the leader's left both attached their masks as well, bowing and curtsying to me. "Jussi and Helena." The man explained for them both, his accent thick.
"It's a pleasure to meet you, Valo, Jussi, Helena." I said, curtsying politely before looking up at the man directly in front of me. "And your name, sir?"
He smiled, taking my hand in his and kissing it softly, a light shudder running along my spine. "A name for a name, Madame?" He asked, his voice just as deep and seductive as Valo and as thickly accented as Jussi. "I shall give mine in exchange for yours."
I swallowed difficultly, my eyes locked with his, "I am Murder Rose Durden." I said, curtsying again, my hand still held in his.
"A name that does your beauty no justice." He said, taking a flower from behind his back and handing it to me. "A Lotus blossom is more fitting for you." He said, a smile gracing his defined features. "I am Jyrki Linnankivi." He said, taking a step back and bowing to me.
"It is a pleasure, Monsieur Linnankivi." I said, a small smile forming at the corners of my lips. "Forgive me for my abrupt departure, but I must go to give your names to the Lady." I said to them.
Jyrki kissed my hand again, "Might you save a dance for me?" He asked, another shiver running along my spine.
I bowed my head in acceptance, "I shall. Now beg your pardon, I must leave you here. Enjoy the party." I told them, walking back to my cousin's side.
"Who are they?" She asked impatiently.
I smiled and held the flower to my nose, inhaling the scent. "Outlanders. The man with the pale skin and long brown hair, his name is Valo. The man and woman are Jussi and Helena." I said, my eyes finding their leader again.
"And the man in front. Their leader?" She pressed.
I smiled farther, his eye catching me and a smile spreading across his face. "Jyrki Linnankivi."
Why was I doing this, you ask? It was my best friend and cousin's wedding party, a ball unlike any other, and I wasn't going to let anyone ruin it for her. She deserved to be happy for once, after her mother was ripped from her during the Witch Trials, ignorant mortals who think they control the earth when it is where we draw our power.
Forgive me, I get sidetracked. I stood to the bride-to-be's immediate left, resting against the mantle of the fireplace. I had my eyes trained on everyone milling around in the grandeur of the Iero home, feeling as though they were important because of their admittance into this luxurious ball.
All the faces of the party goers were covered with porcelain masks that went from the forehead to the lips, save Illusion and I. Our masks were made of silk, hers white and lace to match her dress, mine black silk with red lace to match mine, and only went from just below our eyebrows to our noses.
We had always done things out of the ordinary. Even by wiccan standards we weren't ordinary. For example, when we were seven, Illusion and I were playing in mud and running around in our undergarments like boys while other girls were being trained for ladies.
Another out of the ordinary thing was, we were eighteen and not married yet. I, actually, was nineteen at the time, and happily unmarried. Illusion was happily marrying the man of her choice, which was unusual in our time.
I was quickly growing bored with the party, everyone staying away from me, even Illusion's fiancee, Frank. I was, what most said, a dark spirit. I gave off an air of mystery and evil from what I understood. No one, save my family, would speak to me on purpose.
"Murder, who are those people?" Illusion asked, standing from her seat and walking over to me, the fabric of her gown trailing behind her slightly.
I looked at the ones she was speaking of, a group of three men and a woman, all wearing well tailored suits and a dress, black as the night, save the man in the front of the group. It seemed as though he stood taller than every man and woman in the party and attention was subconsciously drawn to him. "I am not sure, Illusion. I will go find out for you." I said, walking towards them slowly.
I stopped in front of him, he wasn't more than a foot taller than me, but he had power. "Madame Illusion Rayne Durden would like to know your names." I said in my most gentle voice.
The man to the leader's right stiffened a little, a mask quickly finding it's way to his face. "Valo." He gave, his voice deep and seductive, startling me a little.
The man and woman to the leader's left both attached their masks as well, bowing and curtsying to me. "Jussi and Helena." The man explained for them both, his accent thick.
"It's a pleasure to meet you, Valo, Jussi, Helena." I said, curtsying politely before looking up at the man directly in front of me. "And your name, sir?"
He smiled, taking my hand in his and kissing it softly, a light shudder running along my spine. "A name for a name, Madame?" He asked, his voice just as deep and seductive as Valo and as thickly accented as Jussi. "I shall give mine in exchange for yours."
I swallowed difficultly, my eyes locked with his, "I am Murder Rose Durden." I said, curtsying again, my hand still held in his.
"A name that does your beauty no justice." He said, taking a flower from behind his back and handing it to me. "A Lotus blossom is more fitting for you." He said, a smile gracing his defined features. "I am Jyrki Linnankivi." He said, taking a step back and bowing to me.
"It is a pleasure, Monsieur Linnankivi." I said, a small smile forming at the corners of my lips. "Forgive me for my abrupt departure, but I must go to give your names to the Lady." I said to them.
Jyrki kissed my hand again, "Might you save a dance for me?" He asked, another shiver running along my spine.
I bowed my head in acceptance, "I shall. Now beg your pardon, I must leave you here. Enjoy the party." I told them, walking back to my cousin's side.
"Who are they?" She asked impatiently.
I smiled and held the flower to my nose, inhaling the scent. "Outlanders. The man with the pale skin and long brown hair, his name is Valo. The man and woman are Jussi and Helena." I said, my eyes finding their leader again.
"And the man in front. Their leader?" She pressed.
I smiled farther, his eye catching me and a smile spreading across his face. "Jyrki Linnankivi."