The Raven and The Rose

Prologue

Prologue

" Quit shoving." whisper-yelled the oldest sister

" Your standing on my foot." retorted the youngest sister

" Will you both be quite, I'm trying to ease drop and I can't hear with you two bickering." snapped the middle sister and they both went silent as a voice yelled from inside the room.

" You have no right t-" They heard their father scream only to be cut off as a somehow very calm voice replied.

" If you do not comply, I will come for one your daughters and your kingdom will be nothing but rubble by the time I'm done with it. You have 7 days to respond, good day Ryan." Footsteps sounded and the three girls scrambled their way down the hallway just as the door flew open to reveal a man with dark hair and pale grey eyes. As he left the three sisters looked at each other before flinching as a voice roared from the throne room." Ruth, Rose, Renee"

They glanced at each other before joining their parents in the throne room as their father rubbed his forehead in frustration.

" Father, what is going on." The eldest daughter, Renee asked and their parents shared a look before their father said." I'm afraid the war has taken a dark turn."

" Does it have something to do with the strange visitor?" the youngest asked and her sisters sent her a look as he raised an eyebrow before answering." Yes. And we're going to have a long chat later about your ease dropping, Ruth".

" What does he want?" the second daughter, Rose asked knowing that they had been caught.

" As you know, we are losing this war, and I have been forced to ask for help from our only option at this point."

" He wanted something in return." Renee concluded and her father stood before stepping down the stairs to his three children." He agreed to aid us, but in return he asked that I send one of you to him as payment."

" Payment? What are we cattle?" Renee cried in outrage and the king et out a sigh." I'm afraid I have no choice; if I don't send one of you off, he will turn his own armies on us and with things as they are at the moment, we will be swallowed."

" So, which one of us is leaving?" Ruth asked and their mother looked at her hands in sorrow as their father said." I have no idea, but know that what ever happens, I love your three with all my heart and I could not be more proud." he said and they all exchanged a look.

That night the three sisters sat in their room, each wide awake and unable to fall asleep.

They had each shared a room since the moment they were born, and had thrown a fit at even the mention of having separate rooms but now that one of them would be leaving, they were all thinking the same thing and at that moment Ruth asked that very question." I don't want to leave."

" Me either." Rose and Renee chorused before Ruth sat up, threw the blanket off and put her feet on the floor." We should run away."

" And go where?" Renee asked turning over to look at the ceiling." The whole world is at war, Ruth."

" Plus if we ran away, father would be blamed and the kingdom would suffer for it." Rose said and Ruth looked down. " What if we left a note then?" Ruth suggested lying back down and her sisters looked at her like she had lost her mind." We could send one to him, then disappear the next morning before anyone knew what was going on."

" And if father catches us, what then?" Renee asked but Ruth didn't respond as she turned her back to them and curled into a ball. Rose sat up before climbing onto her sister's bed and laying next to her; both were soon joined by Renee who held her two sisters tightly, as if it would stop them from being torn apart.