Blood Of The Twilight

Chapter 1- The Flower Dance

The first thing I felt was the buzzing of the music against my eardrums. The new colors and smells overwhelming my senses. Dozens upon dozens of flowers swam across my vision. My eyes discovering different colored flowers; I didn't even know existed. They hung from the ceiling like vines, cascading down like rain. Cutting off right before the chandeliers tips now above me; even snaking up the pillars until they touched the ceiling. The flowers were everywhere, covering almost every surface of the open room. I took a deep breathe, the smell of sweet honey and chocolate drifting through the air. Beyond me, I could see where the chocolate smell was coming from- a table that was filled with assorted chocolates and sweets. The sweet honey scent came from flowers, so strong that it was like perfume.

I walked forward. Letting the flowers surround me, leaving the cold outside air behind. A smile etched itself across my face, as a man to my left put a flower crown on my head. About five flower crowns were encircled around his arm. Apparently giving them to everyone that would enter. I was accompanied with my older brother Declan. Well older by only a year, he was 18, which meant he was old enough to be a sentry and a soldier. He always fantasized about becoming a sentry, the men who protected our little village; from all the dangers beyond the valley and forest, but where the trees thickened was where the danger was. So we have just stayed where we were, where we would protected and safe.

Declan was dressed in a fancy, black jacket and trousers. A vine of colors snaked up his shoulders, branching off across the rest of his jacket. Even ivory, navy, and lavender flowers were pinned into his red hair. He also received a flower crown like I did, which laid atop his wavy but neatly combed hair. Making him blend into his surroundings, like everyone else at the party.

I, myself was dressed in a floral, lace dress. The most colorfulest of flowers decorated the surface of it; its two straps tightened across my shoulders. It was a very flowy piece of clothing- that gave me some room to breathe. Flowers were also tattooed on my bare arms and shoulders. Declan helped paint them on, since he was the artist in our family. In my red hair there was scarlet, ivory, and amber flowers pinned into it. In the front, I had two braids that had been pulled back- leaving the rest of my hair laying on my back.

We were attending a party for the flower festival. To celebrate peace and solitude for over 20 years, since the attacks on our village. Nobody really talked about them. I even tried to ask my parents about them but they would quickly change the subject. Our parents could not come with us because they were off busy with some "important" business things. They always seem to be occupied these days. Always having to leave home and go to the town center's main building. Where my dad worked as a sentry, and my mom as part of the comity. I'd always wondered why only men were sentries while women had to take care of their kids, farm, and even become part of the comity like my mom. Maybe I'll become a sentry one day, maybe even the first girl to! I thought.

We said our thank you's and pushed on through the groups of people that were starting to form. Declan then put out his right arm for me to hold on to- escorting me through the crowd. He did this mostly because he didn't want us to be separated. I could now hear the hum of violins and a piano, the melody caressing my eardrums. Making my body relax, against my brothers.

"We need to find them soon, Paige," he whispered under his breath, "before it starts getting really packed." I could feel the tension in his arm muscles underneath the sleeve of his jacket. By the tone of his voice, I could tell what he was feeling. He was nervous.

I looked at him. Then back at the room filled with flowers and said, "They might be blending in with the flowers but we'll find them." We were scheduled to meet up with my best friend Elaine and her twin brother Ander- a little bit before midnight. But by the flood of people making their way inside, I knew we were late. I searched around me and even had to go on my tiptoes to try to spot my best friends raven hair. We now had approached the table filled with rich and decorative food. The second Declan's eyes spotted the food, he quickly disentangled my arm from his, and stepped over to it. Searching for the best treat, to satisfy his taste buds.

I looked away from him and back at the people. I noticed that quite a lot of them were dressed up as flowers and that most people had flower themed clothes on. One lady had leaves coming out of a headband atop her golden locks, the bottoms of it tucked behind her ears. She even had real leaves sewn into her dress. The leaves were in an array of fall colors; from auburn to golden to scarlet. Another guy had flower sems sewn into his jacket- with flowers sticking out from his dark brown hair; even leaves covering the tops of his hands and snaking out from his jacket onto his bare neck. As I shook off my gaze I wondered, Where could they be.

I signed and turned back to my brother. The scene that my eyes discovered, was my brothers mouth filled with pastries from off the table, combined with crumbs scattered across his chin. I covered my mouth hiding my smile,"You know eating too much of those will make you sick." He stopped chewing and looked down at the pastry.

"Well we are celebrating aren't we so why not get a little sick," he laughed while handing me a tinted drink from off the table. I took it from him and insistently knew it was some sort of alcohol. He always had a way of having fun, even if it wasn't always the best way of having it.

I looked at him and said, " Yeah right." Turning away from table, I once again searched for that long, raven hair. I examined the drink in my hand; deciding that not much harm could be done anyway. So I gulped it down til the last few drops made their way into my mouth. As I put the empty cup down behind me, I saw a flash of raven hair to my left. What filled my vision next was Elaine holding me in her embrace, her raven hair tickling my face, it smelling of fresh pollen. I pulled away from the hug- surveying her.

Two white flowers were painted on each of her cheekbones; her hair was down but ribbons were woven around her locks. A flower crown was laid atop her head, making her look like a princess. She had on a navy colored dress- with silvery white and purple flowers patterned onto it. The dress was strapless so that it exposed her shoulders and her back- a huge ruffle decorated the edge of it at her collarbone, circling around the top of her figure. She looked absolutely beautiful, even though her outfit was simple- it was superior and gorgeous in every way possible.

"Elaine... you look," I hesitated lost for words, "absolutely stunning." She smiled at me, showing off her pearly white smile. Her blue eyes sparkling in the candlelight.

"Thanks you don't look too bad yourself since we are literally all dressed up like plants," she giggled. From somewhere behind her, I could heard someone clear their throat.

It was Ander.

His raven hair was combed back, leaving a lock of it hanging untamed against his forehead. Ivory and violet flowers were scattered across his hair. They sat on the tips of his hair neither pinned down nor falling out. His outfit matched his sisters, matching the same navy blue and flower crown. On the front of his jacket near the buttons, silvery string was sewn into it. Swimming all over the surface of the jacket. Even vines, with tiny flowers poking out of them, were painted on his neck. Looks like Declan wasn't the only one who thought of paint as an accessory; that would tie an outfit all together, I noticed. His eyes too were sparkling in the candlelight, with his right eye blue and the other light brown. I was always used to seeing his hair untidy and his cheeks dusted with dirt. Now instead of a boy that I used to play with when I was little, with Declan and Elaine of course, there stood a man clean and tidy with not a speck of dirt on him. I guess I was just very surprised he was taking this event so seriously, I thought. I was certainly impressed by his outfit but nothing could win over Elaine's.

"Wow Ander, you have almost succeeded in looking like a gentleman," I said with a smirk. For a second, he looked at me in confusion; but then I pointed to the piece of hair hanging on his forehead. Then he proceeded to look at it- his eyes crossing.

He tried to blow it away from his forehead and said, "Well not all gentlemen are perfect." He winked at me, before turning towards Declan and giving him a hug. I once again looked at Elaine and knew by her smile that tonight was going to be so much fun.