The Raven and the Rose (Part 1)

Chapter One ~ The Rose

"You're weak, Valentina. Punch harder." Patino said, and dodged my next punch. We were in the basement of De La Rosa, a building run by the mafia leader Dolor De La Rosa, who also happened to be my father. I dodged Patino's punch and did a double roundhouse kick; the first one missing him entirely but the second one making home square in his chest. He fell to the floor with a loud thud and groaned from the impact, and then we both heard someone start clapping outside of the cage we were in. I looked up from Patino to see my father emerging from the darkness, his hands coming together rhythmically in echoing claps. The smile on my father's face was evidence that he was happy with me as he stepped up to the cage and held his hands behind his back. "Good work, Valentina. Very good." he said, smiling. I shook off the tension in my fists and faced my father. "He should've kept his mouth shut otherwise I wouldn't have made the outcome a lot worse than it should have been." I said, and motioned to Patino, who was still lying on the floor. My father's gaze went to the man lying at my feet, and his expression hardened. "Get up. We have work to do." he said to Patino, and then turned to me, his expression softening. "And you have to get changed." I frowned at him but he didn't say anything else. He just left the cage house with Patino lying on the floor next to me.

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We stood in front of my father, who was sitting on his chair at the back of the room in the main hall. I fidgeted with the dagger at my side, and the rose tattoo on my arm itched. "Valentina." my father said. I looked up from a dirty spot on the floor to gaze into my father's dark eyes. "Yes, Father?" I asked. He stared at me for a moment before shaking his head and motioning to Patino, who was standing next to me at the moment. "You're going to attend the annual Mafia banquet for me this evening. It's going to be held at the Ravino mansion so I recommend you get dressed in your most formal clothing, preferably red, because it suits your dark hair and all," he paused to scratch his chin, "and you're going to have to get close to him in order for it to work." he finished. I frowned. "In order for what to work?" I asked him, both curious and suspiciously. He stopped scratching his chin and met my gaze. "I mean, in order for me to take over the entire Mafia party I need to destroy the only heir of the Ravino family. Well, more specifically, the heir and present ruler of the Ravino Mafia." my father explained. I took another step forward and kept myself from screaming at him to explain even further. "But why use me?" I asked, and wasn't at all worried about the fact that I was pressing this conversation further than it needed to be. My father glanced briefly at Patino before meeting my gaze, and sighed. "Valentina, you are more important to me than you could ever imagine. And if you did this one task for me it could save us a lifetime of trouble." he said, a longing look in his eyes. My frown deepened and I glanced at Patino, who stood facing forward, his expression as emotionless as always. "What I am saying Valentina... is that I want you to kill Vince Ravino." my father said.

I froze. Kill Vince Ravino? Did he even know who he was asking me to get close to? That man is a murderer, and a freaking psycho. He prefers lust over love, and that is the primary reason why so many women who have gone to him have never returned safe and sound. They'd have bruises all over their skin, and worst of all, their hearts were broken. But the one thing that stood out to me the most was that all of them had a tiny raven etched over their hearts. And ravens were Vince Ravino's symbol, which made me wonder even more what was the deal with that. I glanced at my own rose tattoo and frowned. If he saw my tattoo, what would he do? Would he try to cut it out? Would he try to acidize it away? "Valentina. Do you understand what I am asking you to do?" my father asks. I gathered all my courage to look up from the floor and say: "Yes, Father. I understand."

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I stepped into my red spaghetti strap dress and asked my maid Serena to help me zip it up in the back. She complied, and I felt the zipper go up and close the opening in the back of the dress as she pulled it upwards. I turned around once the zipper was at the top, and outstretched my arms and twirled around in several circles, making the ends of the dress go up and swirl. Serena clapped her hands together joyfully and jumped up and down like a child who was about to get candy. "It's beautiful, miss. There is no way anyone would miss you while wearing that dress." she said, happily. I turned around to see myself in the full length mirror leaning against the wall in my bedroom. My dark brown hair fell in small waves past my shoulders and my eyes were the same shade, almost adding a kind of contrast to the fairness of my skin. The red definitely brought out the colour of my hair just like Father said it would. "Do you think he'll notice me enough for me to get close to him?" I asked Serena, and watched as she put on a ruby pendant with a black cord around my neck in the mirror. "Yes, miss. He won't be able to take his eyes off you. And only when the time is right will you drive your dagger through his black heart." she said, determinedly. I glanced over my shoulder to send her a smile. I admired Serena for her wisdom and fiery spirit. She always helped me when I needed help, which, mind you, barely happened but she still helped me either way. "Now," she said, tapping me lightly on the shoulder, "the car is waiting for you downstairs as is your father." I nodded and grabbed my small purse from the armchair. "Make your father proud, miss." Serena said, and hugged me. I returned her gesture then pulled away, giving her a small smile and taking her hand in mine. "I promise you... I will." I told her and left the room.

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I sat in the car across from my father, who wasn't wearing anything except for a tunic and some brown shorts and boots. I frowned at his outfit and placed my small purse on the seat beside me. "You're not coming to the banquet, are you?" I asked, curious. "No. I merely want to see you go inside." he replied, staring out the window. I stayed silent as the car started driving off from our mansion's driveway. I kept my hands folded on my lap as I, too, stared out the window. Cars and buses sped past like blurs, and it wasn't until I checked the time on my father's watch that I grabbed my purse and unbuckled my seatbelt. My father watched me in silence as the car stopped and the driver got out of the car and opened the door for me. I stepped out of the car, and thanked the driver, but not before taking one look at the sight in front of me and gawking. In front of me stood a mansion about three times the size of mine with gardens and fountains in the front yard. I also noticed that there were some people talking near the entrance and on the balconies of the mansion. However, none of them looked to be close to the one person I was looking for. I glanced over my shoulder to see my father give me a firm nod, and I nodded back to him. If there was one thing I knew, it was that once I walked through those large double doors I would not come out until I had completed my mission: to kill Vince Ravino.