From darkest days to brightest nights

MAYBELLINE

Aafje pulls my golden brown hair back into a tight braid along the side of my head until it finishes in a plait that rest upon my leg. I stand from my chair and look in the mirror. I sway the dress back and forth watching as the embroidery reflects the sunsets orange rays in all directions.
“You look beautiful M’lady.” I turn to her and smile
“And so do you” I gesture towards her fine blue floor length gown. “Blue suits you well Aafje” I smile as she curtseys and thanks me for my compliment. She offers me her hand as we start for the courtyard below to join the rest of the people for the festival. The laughter below is so loud that I hear it from the corridors of the castle, well above the courtyard. The music is just a whisper compared to the vast ocean of people talking. I walk through the doors and look around, only to find Sylvio sitting by himself head in hand watching as everyone else dances when usually he is the reason they start. I run and slide onto the seat beside him.
“Why in the world is my brother, of all people sitting here instead of dancing, you have a heart beat and two feet, so?” He sighs a heavy sigh and lowers his head before looking up again.
“You mustn’t worry May, go enjoy the festival, you look to beautiful to waste it sitting here.” I think for a moment and nod knowing he is right, he is always telling me that adult problems are exactly that, adult problems, and I for one am no older then ten years. I see a group of young girls in hand-me-down dresses, bare feet and huge smiles. I run to join them as the hold hands and spin in circles with not a care in the world. It happens so fast that I just stand shocked, I scream as a wave of arrows sore through the sky piercing holes into the bodies of those who, not even ten seconds ago, were dancing with no worries at all. The air is filled with the screams of adults and children, I look down to see the blood slide closer to me, shining in the last rays of the sun. It soaks into my dress and makes the purple change to a dark shade of crimson. I feel two arms pick me up swiftly and carry me away and into the castle as realisation hits me like a brick wall, a stream of tears falls down my face and a scream exists my throat and joins the others as I see the blood of my Father spill as a man with the lower body of a horse slides a emerald blade into the stomach of the high lord. I hear a voice try to calm me as we turn a corner and out of view of the slaughter. He puts me down and crouches down to my height.
“We need to hide, May? Are you listening?” Sylvio places a hand on either side of my face and makes me face him. I stop screaming and wrap my arms around his neck, refusing to let go. “I wont let them hurt you May. I promise” he hugs me back and carries me to my room,. He opens the closet and puts me down.
“Stay here I’ll be right back.” He barely finishes before I clutch to his sleeve and refuse to let him go.
“No! Sylvio please stay, I need you” I scream at him, my voice breaking from the previous cries for my father. He looks towards the door as he hears voices cut through the screams. He puts a finger to his lips gesturing for me to be quiet as he climbs into the closet and pulls the door shut. He pulls me closer and covers my mouth with his hand.
“They broke the peace, they must all die.” The bedroom doors open and the floor creaks as two creatures enter the room.
“Not these ones, the prophecy says not these two.” Where the first voice is harsh and low, the other is soft and sweet.
“Fuck the prophecy, they broke the...”
“To young kids did not break the peace, their fathers stupidity did.”
“Yea well the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree” The feminine voice sighs and pulls the doors to the closet open before blowing a pale white powder from her hand onto us. I want to run but I can’t move, it’s as though I’ve been paralyzed. My eye lids grow heavy as I fall into a deep sleep.