Of Legends and Innocence

Author's Note:  This is the first story I have posted on this site and the first story I have posted anywhere that isn't a fanfiction.  Please let me know how I do.  All constructive criticism is welcome and appreciated, but please don't bash my story.  Please comment and vote, after all, a happy writer writes and updates more often... ;-)

Chapter 1

The sun beat down with relentless heat.  The bright blue sky and puffy little clouds gave the illusion of a happy day.  A day that normally would have been filled with shopping at the mall with friends, swimming in the underground pool in the backyard, or lounging around in the shade drinking lemonade and making small talk.  Anyone ouside of this group of people would never know just how devestating this day really was.

In this group of people, sitting in the front row underneath a dark green canopy, sat a young girl of seventeen.  Her long blond hair was pulled back into an elegant pony tail and her ice blue eyes were swollen and puffy, all traces of her carefully applied makeup from that morning long since gone.  She stared straight ahead, not really seeing the long mahogony box topped with flowers in front of her and the voice droning on and on seemed to be just a buzzing in her ears.

She couldn't think about what lay in that box or listen to the words of the man standing in front of it or she knew she would break down again.  She had someone who depended on her to be strong, to be there for them.  The tears and the pain and the grief would have to wait until she was alone, until she knew no one would see.  Because she knew once she started she wasn't going to be able to stop.

She vaguely realized that the man had stopped speaking and was looking at her expectantly. 

I can't do this.  She looked down and brushed her sister's hair back from her face.  Fiona's arms tightened around her waist, refusing to let her go.

"I'll be right back, baby."  She gently removed her five year old sister's arms from around her and placed a kiss on her forhead.

Standing, it took her a moment to keep her knees from buckling, she numbly made her way to the front.

I can't do this.  

She swallowed the fear down pass the lump in her throat and for a moment she thought she was going to be sick, going to faint from the very thought of it.  Taking a deep breath, she focused on Fiona, who was now sitting alone, her hair mussed from burying her head in Chloe's side for so long and who had tear tracks running down her cheeks.

Chloe took a deep breath and began.  She didn't even know what she was saying.  Everything from qualaties of her mother to long ago memories, but she couldn't focus on the words.  If someone were to ask her about it later, she wouldn't remember anything she said.  She stood there for what seemed like a lifetime.  And once she sat back down, the only thing she could focus on was her sister wrapping back around her.....

"Chloe."

Chloe looked up from her suitcase and blinked at her Aunt Madeline who was standing in the doorway of her bedroom. 

"Are you okay?"  Chole just blinked, trying to focus.  Her mind had a hard time wrapping around anything today.  Madeline shook her head and answered her own question.  "Of course, you aren't okay.  What am I thinking?"

She made her way over to Chloe and wrapped her in her arms.  Chloe just stood there, not returning it, she couldn't make herself do it.  It was the day after her mother's funeral and still she felt nothing.  She could barely even think, let alone talk.  The only one who seemed to make her come out of her stupor for small amounts of time was Fiona.

Chloe turned back to suitcase and closed it.  She couldn't belive they were moving, leaving the house behind, all the memories and all of her friends.  And they weren't moving to just another town, or even just another state.  They were going with their Aunt Madeline to her home.  In Ireland.  Louge Gur, Ireland to be exact.

Madeline had reassured her she would love it there.  Love the green rolling hills and mysterious mists.  Love the town and the people.  But Chloe didn't think she would ever love anything again.

Author's Note:  Sorry the first chapter is so short.  I promise the next one will be longer.  I hope you like it so far.  Please comment and let me know what you think.  I will try to have the next chapter posted by this weekend.