When She Died (Mature)

Baptism

"Preston, are you ready yet?" My Mom called from the outside of my rooms gray curtain, this was the only amount of privacy I had, and she was the only one who respected it.

I looked at myself in the mirror, my face was cleaned, my eyes were bright, and I wore the clothes Dad had thrown at me last night. Long sleeved black shirt and dress pants with no shoes of course. We didn't wear shoes around here. I ran some of the water in the near by vase through my hair so that it would be some what tamed.

I winked at myself. I looked amazing.

But this wasn't my day, this day belonged to Heath and the day we solidified ties in the truce between this village and the Horizon Empire. This was the day Heath and the princess got baptized for becoming of age. The day where they would get to know each other before becoming man and wife. Heath was a man now, he would go rule a kingdom, and I would stay behind as the failure and disapointment. Not wanted by anyone but my Mom and little sister Suskia. And that's what kept me going every day. I didn't need anyone else.

Though we lived in the biggest house in the village, you could hear Dad's yelling from across the realm if you listened well enough. He roared through out the house this entire morning, making sure Heath was well prepared and charming, and making sure Suskia was showered and properly dressed for such an occasion. I stepped out from my curtain and caught sight of Heath just before he got into the carriage with Father. Though both of our eyes were blue, his were pale, like the color of ice or a lightning strike, to where my were bluer than the reflection of the sun off the sea. His hair was blonde and curly, but somehow tamed with the acorns his maids had picked this morning. Today he wore the black satin robe of a village heir and shoes made from the skin of a near by demon. Though he passed me a smile, I knew this wasn't what he wanted, Heath was a free spirit, loving nature and animals and living people. He couldn't hurt a fly, and yet he knew taking on the village, he would have to do terrible things. Things only a killer could do.

Father rushed him in the carriage and quickly took off, leaving Mother, Suskia, and I alone to take the next round. My eyes met my mother's, her brown eyes sent me a sympathy smile. One I hated most, but I would never tell her that. Suskia grabbed onto my hand, nearly bouncing with joy, ready to meet the young princess for the first time. Her hair was a dark brown, eyes that matched her hair and were naturally big and beautiful.

"Oh! And don't worry Preston, I will be sure to tell you every detail of what happens. I will describe the princess in wondrous detail because I know how much you want to meet your soon to be sister." Suskia droaned on and on about all the fun she will have.

Mother quickly motioned a near by maid to shut up her child and put her in the carriage before coming up to greet me. Her warm hands cupped my cheeks and she squeezed my fave in between her palms. Black hair fell in her face and mine since we matched that way and I pouted at her.

"Why."

Was all I bothered to let slip out of my mouth.

"Preston, don't act like you don't love me just because we're outside. You're still a child, and I'm going to treat you like one until your ceremony."

I watched her pure happiness for a minute, wide smiles, bright eyes, and I wished I had a piece of what she was feeling. " You mean next year? Technically, Heath's ceremony was two years ago and Father is ju-"

Mother placed a hand over my mouth and whispered "we don't talk about the lies outside of the home Preston-" in my ear.

I looked at her, maybe her happiness was an allusion, and Father treated her the same way he treated me. Like an outcast, or the demon envading his home. I wanted him to love me the same way he loved Heath and Suskia. I wanted him to look at me with happiness, like I was of his blood. But he doesn't. To him, I was the mistake, the second son. The problem.