Beautiful Hope

Chapter One
The Mercy

I stared back at my reflection in the mirror, as I did every morning, desperately trying to find what was so great about my appearance that made me worthy of death by the Mercy and made me a danger to the people I love.
Although I would never consider myself unattractive, quite the opposite is true.
My golden blonde hair flows down my shoulders and reaches my stomach in perfect curly waves, my skin is fair with a touch of pink on my cheeks and lips. My irises are a light silvery green that every now and then are hidden beneath my lashes when I blink.
I quickly placed the mirror back in my drawer and looked around.
My two younger sisters where curled up together in the corner of the room asleep, but I noticed that my mother's usual spot on the floor was empty.
I got up slowly and cautiously made my way to the door, trying my best not to wake my sisters.
I stopped dead in my tracks once I heard my mother's voice coming from the other side of the door.
She was frantically whispering to what sounded like my brother, which was strange because men weren't allowed in this part of town. He would be killed if the Mercy saw him.
I tip toed closer to door so that I could hear.
"It's not possible," my mother whispered, disbelief shaking her voice.
" Mom, I'm sorry but we knew this could happen," my brother sounded tired as if he had explained the same thing too many times.
"So that's it then! You're just going to abandon us? You won't even try and help protect her anymore?" Her voice rose and my sisters woke up startled.
I flew open the door staring at both of them with my best authoritive stare.
"Would someone like to tell me what's going on?"
My mother raised an eyebrow, clearly not liking my tone, so I dropped my stare and gave them both a pleading look.
"Mom?" I whispered when neither of them answered.
She finally looked up and met my gaze, like most people she had colorless gray eyes and straight black hair. Still, she looked young, as did most people. She never changes.
"Darling, you don't need to be afraid, everything is fine. This is none of your concern."
Behind her my brother snorted.
"Of course, just keep her in the dark as you always do. "
She opened her mouth to protest but he cut her off.
"No, mother allow me to shine some light." He turned to me slowly, anger dripping from his voice. "The Mercy know. They came to my province with a drawing of you, trying to get information on you, your family, and your location."
I heard my sister's gasp from behind me, mimicking my own.
Tears stung my eyes. "I'm so sorry..." It was the only thing I could think to say, this was all my fault. My mother's arms found me and I buried my face in her shoulder and let out a soft sob.
"It's okay," she kept whispering soothingly in my ear. "It's okay."
My brother cleared his throat and my mother let go of me.
"I'm leaving," he turned and started walking to the back door.
"Goodbye Jaden," my voice barely rose above a whisper, "I love you."
He froze .
Love was strictly forbidden by the Mercy, considering it was a form of beauty. And I knew that he wasn't capable of love, but he turned his head slightly towards me and gave me a faint smile.
"Bye Sis," and then left.

My mother was in the kitchen now putting together a very original concoction of herbs and vegetables to put in a breakfast stir fry. It smelled amazing. I couldn't believe that she was trying to act like nothing just happened, but this time I would let her because I knew what I had to do and I had to do it alone.

After breakfast I went out into a small garden my dad had helped me make before he died. My sisters followed closely behind me. Aaralyn and Sarina. They were twins, fifteen years old, and like our mother, had colorless gray eyes and straight hair, although they had golden blonde hair like mine.