Irish Lullaby (Book One of A Violent Melody Duet)

Chapter One

Link to playlist for the book is on my profile for anyone interested
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It was her nineteenth birthday and Fallon was spending it in the woods with her horse, Macha, she was a dark brown with a black mane. She had been gifted to her when she was ten years by a family friend and had become the living thing she was closest to. Fallon spent most her days riding the horse in the land around their ancestral home, they owned acres around their large mansion that included lakes and rivers and mountains her horse and she loved to explore. That morning she had woken up as she always did on her birthday, a muffin was left on her side table by her maid who had doubled as a nanny when she was younger, she then had her lessons. Her parents were determined to have a well rounded daughter, she studied politics, history, language, music, art. Math and science had been pushed when she was younger but as she aged and easily grasped the formulas and equations her parents pushed less for those and more on ones that would help her seem as a competent house wife.
They had no desire for her to use the fact she knew more about laws then some rulers nor the fact she could speak seven languages, some more fluently than others but still in each she knew what was being said, they wouldn't even hold a conversation about her pursuing a career in art as it was her passion. She loved working with charcoal more than any other median, her saddle bag was always stuffed full of those and papers she would draw on once she found a place in the woods safe for Macha to roam while she drew.
Art had been the one thing she had found on her own, her teacher when she was in her earlier years had introduced it as a fun way to take breaks between lessons, she had been going numb with how work focused they had been keeping her during that period in her life. Her teacher, Mr. Holland had been a guiding light for her. She had come to see him as a parental figure as he cared for her more than her parents had ever shown. He had been teaching her for five years when her father had him killed.
She was fourteen at the time, her father told her that he had quit, needed to be with his family in America but the night prior she had overheard him speaking on what to do with the body. During those years her father had gone almost insane with paranoia that he had a mole within the compound. Mr. Holland hadn't been the only poor soul victimized by her father but he was the one she was distraught over losing. Mr. Holland had been the only person who showed her true affection and love and losing him left her half a person for months after.
She had managed to get herself out of the depressive life she had been festering in for half a year. Drawing again made her feel better, like she was doing so in his memory. Her parents nor brothers never said a word to her during that time, letting her work through it on their own. It had been a trend in her life; they only became involved when her life became at risk.
Taking the trail to the mountain side she began running the horse, it was now midday and she needed to be away from the mansion. It was suffocating to her, all the empty halls echoed with every step she took and while some areas were lively with staff there was no place she felt more alone than within her home.
There was a few hours before she would have to return for the party her family was throwing tonight, it was to find her a worthy suitor. They had married off two sons and the third would soon be wed to a German businessmans only child. It was now her time to find someone who would help either bring in money and business for her family or bring them to a higher standing. She had been expecting it since the day she turned eighteen.
Her hours spent in the woods produced a realistic rendition of her horse grazing in the small field they were in. She packed it away carefully before returning home just in time for the women her mother brought in to get her ready to arrive. They scrubbed, shaved, poke, and prodded at her for over the next two hours before her mother brought in a dark green silk gown. It was low cut and the bottom just barely grazed the floor. It was a gorgeous dress but the purpose of it made her feel dirty.
"Come on Fallon, all the guests have arrived." Her mother called from the hall, she could hear the voices down stairs chattering away. She headed towards her mother and the two entered the entertainment hall together. It was like a scene from a princess movie how they had their home looking though Fallon felt more like a prisoner than a princess.
Heading down their dark wooden grand staircase she watched all the eyes turn to her, most everyone in the hall were men who gazed over her like a piece of profit. From the back her eyes caught onto a dark set, she couldn't make out their color but something familiar about them left her unsettled. Her mother guided her around the room introducing her from heir to heir, some she danced with others she held short conversations before they said or did something that turned off her mother's interest.
When she was dancing with the son of a president from some country she couldn't remember the name of those dark eyes met hers again. He was closer now, standing with a few men who were built similarly to him. From the distance apart she could make out the color, a dark sapphire blue. His face finally struck a memory with her, the night her cousin was murdered.
She had never told a soul what she had seen, let them all go on believing Paulo ran off and probably killed himself somehow. She knew the truth and with the way his eyes watched her, he was well aware of her presence there that night. She broke contact and focused on her dance partner, holding a conversation about the natural wonders of his home country.
When their dance ended the man, Ronan she remembered, headed to her and took her into his hold without asking. His hand fell low on her back while the other flexed its grip into her hand. He was showing he had the power, even in her parents home he could easily kill her if he so desired. She didn't speak at first, just let him guide the two in a slow dance. The air around him was tense, she could see the way the eyes of others watched the two with scrutiny.
"They are all worried about what I might do to you if I get you alone." His voice was deep, thick with his russian accent. His touch on her back moved, drawing small circles against the smooth material of her dress.
"And what might they be fearing you will do to me?" Her eyes locked in on him, she had been refusing eye contact till then and could see the glee in his eyes when she finally stopped.
"Ruin the perfect little bargaining chip they have." His face dipped down until his breath tickled the tip of her nose. She was enticed by him, having been locked away in this house all her life she reached towards any sort of excitement she could find. She barely knew anyone outside her family's close circle and the companionship she was given from her family lacked in all regards.
This was the first year she had been given any sort of celebration from her family. All her past birthdays were spent alone, she wasn't used to being acknowledged, especially in a positive light. The hand she had on his shoulder tightened and a look of eagerness came over her features. She wanted this stranger to ruin her, ruin the perfect little bargaining chip, the thought of taking that from people who had given her so little excited her.
"Do you promise?" She asked to his surprise. To outsiders she was described as docile, mundane, meek. Ronan expected her to turn her face away in disgust at his words. Before he could respond to the little minx her eldest brother Donavan came forward. He had the look she always was met with before being punished for something stupid.

Though for once the look wasn't hers to face.

He was eyeing down Ronan who was still holding the girl in his strong and surprisingly comforting hold. With Donavans quick approach most eyes in the party turned to them. It had already been a shock to the guest Ronan had been invited with the reddened past the two families share.

    "Ronan, I am glad to see you have met the youngest of our family finally." Donavan's eyes fell on his sister for a moment, she had expected some concern with the way they seemed to act as if Ronan's family ran hell but all she was met with was annoyance.

How dare she not know what men to reject their invitation to dance or not. It's not like their mother instructed her to accept all requests for the night.
    "Seems you parents finally raised one right." Ronan eggs him on, changing his hold onto one where she could face her brother while still being well aware of his arm wrapped around her waist. She thought of just leaving the unsettling face off but knew it would only make matters worse once the guest all left.

    "Yes, Fallon is the best of us. I know you must be enjoying her company but my father and I have some things we would like to discuss with you." They all knew there was no such matter but Ronan ever the gentlemen played along and released Fallon to follow her brother.

    "Save me another dance, мой прекрасный шторм." She gave him a quick nod in response, watching the entire time he and her brother walked to the back hall and soon out of her sight.
He never did end up returning for another dance.