Blood and Roses

"Love, in short is the most dangerous emotion a human can experience."

Present Day
My boys will take over the world, I tell myself. My boys are strong, they know not to underestimate a woman. My boys will be fine without me. I say to myself again and again as I walk away from Foxwood. Leaving them with no family, nothing but each other. I almost convince myself. Only one of them will succeed in life. Only one of them will stay alive. Deep down I know which one. The one who has the guts to do whatever it takes. Japeth. Everything is telling me not to go, to protect Rhian from him but I can't. I have something else to do. Someone else to help. I will bide my time. Wait in the darkness, alone, forgotten. When my time to strike comes I will know. Everybody will know. Revenge will rain from the sky, on the woods and the heavens so even my perfect brother won't be safe. And I will get my happy ending. The world will know my name. And I will have everything I deserve.

20 Years Earlier
Purple is a beautiful colour. It represents ambition, power and even independence. Purple is a colour not many will ever get the luxury of wearing. Most noble girls choose to wear pink to show that they are loveable or pale yellow to show how fresh they are. But I choose a deep rich purple. Lyssa likes it. She doesn't wear pink either. She favours red. Not a bright cheerful red but red like a rose. She loves roses. She never had been able fo explain it, they are delicate beautiful and yet there's something about them something strong that draws her to them. I can understand that. Her eyes are greener that grass, than leaves, so beautiful they cannot be compared to nature but to emeralds. Her eyes are like two emeralds. And they are my treasure. By they are a hidden treasure. A buried treasure that can never see the light. What we share must stay between us. For eternity.

Present Day
My eyes narrow as I watch Sophie walk away from me, oblivious to all but the rage she feels. I want to call her back, guide her through the pain she feels, teach her to use it, control it. But I can't. I mustn't lose sight of what my job is here. I cannot let the past control me. I must control it. So I push the emerald eyes from my mind. Eyes so green they bewitch even the coldest of hearts. And I try not to remember the last time I saw those emerald eyes.

19 Years Earlier
Thick black hair falls down onto her shoulders like a waterfall of soft silk. Everything about her is perfect. She watches me with a smirk on her face.
"It's rude to stare you know" 
She says breaking my trance.
I grin back.
"I guess I'll just have to be rude then"
And then we kissed. Again. And again. And again. It was perfect. Like reality melted away and all that was left was the good things. Like a dream. Only dreams never last long. A purple butterfly dashed into the room warning us of approaching guests. Panic flashed through Lyssa's eyes and I sprung away from her to a settee by the fireplace whilst she frantically smoothed her hair down. Giving her a last reassuring look I began to laugh loudly.
"Yes well the butchers boy did always have that look about him..."
The door opened and my father was standing there. Trying to hide my annoyance I smiled up at him. Lyssa meanwhile was deep in a curtesy. (I had always refused to curtesy to my father, August didn't have to bow so why should I?)
"Father! What a pleasent surprise, is there anything we can help you with?"
He cleared his throat, "Lord Crane requests that his daughter return home, immediately."
I frowned. Surely father wouldn't come to deliver this news himself? It's considered a waste of his time.
"Lady Lyssa a carriage is waiting for you."
My eyes darted to Lyssa. She was already staring at me, fear tinging the edge of her eyes. She hurried to gather her cloak nodded her head to me and did a nervous curtesy followed by a quick good day and then she was gone. Only my father remained.
"I've put it off as much as possible. And I regret doing it. You've grown comfortable with your life here. This is not your home Evelyn and I refuse to provide for you any longer if you will not give me what I need in return. I have suitors coming tomorrow. You will choose one of them and you will marry."
Without another word he left. My dream had crumbled all around me and reality was filling it's space too quick. All I had now was a nightmare. And they last a lot longer than dreams.