Sisters of the Fallen

Bela had brown eyes and long brunette hair similar in color to the tresses that Mirela had inherited from their mother, though Bela's shading was a much lighter brown. Her hair seemed rather stringy and wiry instead of silky and luscious like Mirela's. Bela's face was somewhat plain though she looked pleasant enough whenever she smiled. She hadn't made that expression nor any other in quite a while however. Bela's body was short and plump, though more filled out and less defined than the curves of Loredana or Bianca. Bela did possess a sweet and docile demeanour and even if her features weren't the most striking she would have made a fine wife to any man before these troubles began. But all that was over now. Her mind had been damaged by what she had seen, perhaps irreparably so.

"Will you speak with us or not?" Bianca demanded as she shook Bela's shoulder roughly. "The one chance you have in your life to actually be of use..."

"Oh, let her alone!" Loredana pleaded.

"Loredana's right, Bela has been through enough," Mirela added. "She doesn't relive the most traumatic event of her life. I swear your wicked tongue is going to be the death of us all, Bianca."

"Oh, will you fuck off sister," Bianca said with a roll of her eyes.

Loredana and Mirela both gasped in unison at the language spewing from Bianca's mouth. Mirela was far too refined to ever utter such coarseness. Loredana had used the curse word numerous times as a verb when telling a lover what she wanted them to do to her but she only did that when she was behaving absolutely filthy. She would never speak such an obscenity in fine company or around her family.

"What did you say to me?" Mirela asked icily.

"I said fuck off already," Bianca reiterated with a snarl. "We all realize how perfect you are, so quit rubbing it in our faces all the time. We all know you are the darling child, the one who can never do wrong. As if we could ever forget it coming from the one who always tattled on us to Mama when we were girls. You've always been better than us, at least in your own mind. Yes, you were Papa's favorite child, the only one he trusted. You were never a rebellious child like I was or a slut like Loredana." Loredana bristled and shrank into her corner of the cab as Bianca turned toward her.

"Nor a simpleton like Bela," Bianca continued as she indicated the sister sitting next to her. "But despite your pretenses, you are just as flawed as the rest of us. Your perfection is your very imperfection. Your self-righteousness and refusal to ever admit when you are wrong is detestable. No wonder no one will marry you. Like any sensible man would let a woman lord over him the way you do to the rest of your family."

Loredana made a frightened squeak and looked back and forth between her older sisters. "You go too far," she told Bianca.

Contrary to her normally unbreakable composure, Mirela wilted under Bianca's verbal assault and sank into her seat. Mirela stared down at her hands in her lap and promised herself she wouldn't cry. When she looked up after a moment of reflection Mirela noticed that Bianca was chewing at her lip and had a worried look in her eyes. Bianca knew she had crossed a line.

Mirela cleared her throat, looked directly at Bianca and said carefully, "I don't mean to be so commanding, I really don't. I'm so sorry if you feel that way. I just want what's best for everyone. I need to realize that what I want is not always the same as what others desire and that I have to okay with that. I'm not perfect, I make mistakes. I never should have hired Bac, who betrayed us. I should have realized far sooner how much money we had lost trying to make the next harvest when we could have been saving what we had to stave off this disaster. I'm always willing to listen to my sisters if you know a better way. I love and respect you all too much to think otherwise."

Now Bianca was the one who looked like she was about to cry. Her watery blue eyes stared into Mirela's pretty hazel pupils as her lips quivered. Bianca voice wavered with remorse as she took ahold of Mirela's hands and said, "I didn't mean what I said, Mellie. Please believe me. You are our foundation, we depend on you for so much and I can't imagine how difficult that must be for you. I didn't mean to say such awful things. It's just losing our home and our family... it's getting to me."

"I know you didn't mean it, Bianca," replied Mirela as she gave Bianca's hand a squeeze and drew a smirk from Bianca's rosebud mouth. "We've just been cooped up in this carriage for far too long together. It's no wonder we are snapping at each other. Now when are we going to reach this damned castle?" Loredana and Bianca couldn't help smiling at each other over Mirela cursing, even if it was a minor oath.

As if on cue, the carriage topped a rise and a large, black castle appeared in the distance. The castle was located next to a steep cliff near a large crack between two of the mountains that a road was built upon. The grounds of the castle stood upon the only passable trail through these mountains. The perfect fortress and a bulwark preventing any invading armies from using the mountain path as a rear entrance. The sharp, spiked spires topping the towers of the castle cast a grim appearance on the surrounding countryside wherever their long shadows touched. During the time that the sisters had been bickering, the sun set rapidly. The orangeish glow shining over the trees and mountains surrounding the castle had begun to turn a deep blue as the sky darkened. Once the carriage topped the final rise leading up to the castle, Mirela realized that with how isolated they were there would be no escape for them once the carriage departed.

"I really hope we made the right choice, Mellie," Bianca murmured as their carriage neared the castle gates. Mirela had just been hoping for the same.

+++++ Chapter II: A Welcoming +++++

It required the efforts of two men to unlatch the lock of the heavy iron doors of the gate and then swing the doors open for the carriage to pass through. A tall black fence surrounding the castle grounds had wickedly sharp spikes sticking out of it to prevent anyone from attempting to climb over. The horses seemed hesitant to pass through the gate into the yard outside the castle but more sharp lashes from the driver's whip drew blood that spurred the equine beasts to enter. The carriage pulled to a stop inside a courtyard just outside the main entrance to the castle that was hemmed in by a smaller inner fence. The wheels of the carriage rumbled over the rocks and other mountain debris that covered the road until the ride smoothed out upon the dirt clearing of the courtyard. The carriage sat still for a minute while the sun disappeared behind a distant mountain peak and the remaining daylight slowly faded to black. Though the sun had not fully set, due to the solar position behind the far mountain it appeared that night came early to Sidexes. Mirela pinned the curtains back and looked at the courtyard through the window opening to find there was no vegetation within the gates except for some dead, gnarled old trees. Nothing living grew within the shadow of Castle Sidexes.

"Excuse me, sir?" Mirela called to the driver as she opened the door to the cab and leaned outside it.

Caine turned in his seat and regarded Mirela with a leer, blatantly staring at her slim but still womanly body. Mirela resisted the urge to cover her chest with her arms. "Yes, my lady?" the man answered in his creaking, raspy voice.

"May we get out of the cab yet?" Mirela asked. "I'm not quite sure what we are waiting for."

"We are waiting for the lord to come out and meet us," the driver explained with annoyance. "It looks like it will be just a minute."

Mirela sat back against the hard seat inside the cab and shrugged at her sisters when they looked askance at her. A moment later, the last remaining rays of sun succumbed to the darkness and night took hold of the realm. Mirela noticed an ethereal, otherworldly light emanating from behind the castle and realized it was the moon already beginning to rise over the other side of the mountain. At this elevation and so far removed from any village the lunar object appeared enormous. Though torches lighted on braziers around the perimeter of the courtyard along with candles lit in windows of the castle provided some scant illumination, the moonlight provided the clearest vision and cast the world in an almost purple-colored glow. Mirela heard distant wolves howling from the forest, rejoicing at the reappearance of the moon. Mirela remembered the wolf from earlier staring at her and she wrapped her arms around herself as she shivered. The air had cooled rapidly since the sun completed its cycle. Though it was late summer, they were high enough in the mountains that the air always possessed a sharp crispness along with a swift wind that was constantly biting at exposed flesh.

With the sun now absent, the driver hopped down off the front seat and came around to the cab to open the side door. Mirela climbed out first, pointedly refusing the hand that Caine offered to her. But Mirela took a bad step while getting down and nearly tripped over her skirt as she lowered herself to the ground. The driver steadied her with a hand on her waist, which Caine squeezed before lowering his hand to caress her hip. Mirela twisted away from his grip and made a point to stand next to the cab to help her sisters down herself rather than allowing Caine to do so. The driver grinned devilishly and cackled at her efforts to protect her sisters.

First out of the carriage was Loredana and behind her Bianca practically dragged Bela to the door. Bianca carried Bela with hands underneath her armpits and she lowered Bela down to Mirela who grabbed onto her youngest sister's waist. Together, the two of them helped lift Bela down to the ground as delicately as possible. The sisters stood side by side holding each other's hands as they looked at their hopefully temporary new home. Now that they were closer, they were able to see how run down the castle really was. The stones of the castle were falling apart while cobwebs were abound near the castle entrance. Mirela noticed Bianca intently studying a large crack forming in the masonry of the entryway. How could the inhabitants living here let their home fall into such disrepair? Did any people actually live in this place?

A teeth-grating creaking and grinding noise offended the ears of the sisters as a wrought-iron door slowly swung open from the main entrance. The sound of footsteps echoed ever nearer through the doorway until a figure emerged from the dim entryway that was lit by a single torch. The horses harnessed to the carriage began whinnying loudly and rearing back before stamping their hooves upon the ground. Caine pulled roughly at their bits and threatened the use of his whip again to get the beasts back under control. Darkness silhouetted the approaching figure until it was close enough that the shadowy profile revealed its shape to be a man.

The stranger appeared to be approximately the same age as Mirela, either in his late twenties or early thirties. The man wore a fancy purple vest covered in golden buttons along with black tights and a dark cloak. His vest, black boots, and gloves were covered in lace and finery that made it obvious this man was a lord of wealth and taste. He was also strikingly beautiful, almost too pretty for a man. Wavy brown hair ran down his scalp so that his hairstyle appeared shaggy and unkempt yet perfect enough that some painstaking precision must have gone into styling it just so. His eyes were pools of moonlit blue that glowed brilliantly in the torchlight. His face was a touch too pale, but this only served to bring out the color of his full red lips that seemed permanently frozen into a cocky, playful smirk.

This young lord was the most handsome man that Mirela had ever seen. Though she was supposed to keep on her guard, Mirela couldn't prevent her heart from skipping a beat as her and the man's eyes met. His gaze was intense and penetrating. Mirela considered herself a strong woman but even she had to look away from the overwhelming intensity of the man's blue eyes. His gaze made it look like he wanted to consume whoever he looked upon. Even Bianca had to admit the man was almost painfully attractive. She imagined Loredana must have wet through her underlings at the mere sight of him.

Mirela stepped forward and introduced herself. "My lord, I am Mirela Pierocent. Are you Count Turenau?"

The man gave her a slight bow and spoke with a strong, commanding voice, "I regret to inform you that you have mistaken me for his lordship. I am the Count's great-nephew, Viscount Eduard Şarpe. The Count asked me personally to receive you upon your arrival and welcome you to the great Castle Sidexes."

"Thank you, my lord," Mirela answered back. "I am very pleased to make your acquaintance. We are so very grateful for your uncle's hospitality." She offered her gloved hand to Şarpe, which he took and raised to his lips.

"It was nothing," Şarpe remarked after he kissed the back of Mirela's hand. He rubbed his thumb against the fabric of Mirela's glove before releasing her. "Though it is true we are a very distant relation, whoever would turn their back on family when they are in need is no better than a dog."

Şarpe looked over Mirela's shoulder and regarded her sisters one by one. His smile grew larger as he nodded toward Loredana. "And this is delectable creature is...?"

Loredana stepped forward, bumping Mirela with her shoulder as she slid by her sister. "Loredana Pierocent, my lord," said the young woman whose face had turned flush at the sight of Viscount Şarpe. The red showing on Loredana's face made her freckles appear even more prominently. "Are you as pleased to make my acquaintance as I yours, my lord?"

Loredana offered her hand to the lord. He stared at her and answered quietly, "Very pleased, my lady. Very."

Şarpe raised the back of Loredana's hand to his mouth and let his lips linger there several seconds longer than they had upon Mirela's. Loredana placed her other hand over her mouth and began giggling childishly until Şarpe finally desisted. While still holding her hand, he stepped closer to Loredana so that they were face to face and then kissed her upon both cheeks. Loredana shivered as she felt Şarpe's lips upon her and sensed his muscular body mere inches away from her. Loredana had been staring this whole time at Şarpe's legs and she felt faint at the sight of his muscled thighs and the turn of his calves. He had a cute, tight little bottom too. Loredana breathed deeply and stared intently into the endless blue void of Şarpe's eyes as she reluctantly stepped away from him, her prominent chest heaving with barely restrained lust.

Bianca stepped forward next and put herself between her stricken sister and the handsome lord. She introduced herself brusquely, "Bianca Pierocent."

Şarpe smirked as Bianca pointedly refused to offer her hand to him. "No kiss for your long-lost cousin?" Şarpe asked with amusement.

"I'd rather kiss a toad," Bianca grumbled.

"Bianca!" Mirela cried. "Show some manners for once in your life."

Loredana simply shook her head at her rude sister, though inwardly she was happy to see that Şarpe paid more attention to her than to either of her older sisters. Maybe the stay at this dreadful castle wouldn't be so bad if this was the company they would be keeping.

Bianca shrugged her shoulders and said with fake sincerity, "I guess I just have to warm up to our hosts a little more first."

"I apologize for my sister's impropriety, my lord," said Mirela.

"I'm certain it is only a matter of time before she warms up to me," Şarpe said with the same charming yet sardonic tone that seemed to be his default mode of speech. As if everything were a great joke that only he understood. Bianca stuck her tongue out at him once her sisters weren't looking which made Şarpe bark a laugh in response.

Mirela stood behind her youngest sister and placed her hands upon Bela's shoulders as she introduced her. "This pretty young flower is our little sister Bela," said Mirela. "Can you say anything to Lord Şarpe, Bela?" Mirela asked tentatively.

Bela inclined her head in regard to Şarpe but gave no indication that she actually comprehended his presence nearby. He might as well be a tree or a rock for all the notice she gave him.

"So, this is Bela," Şarpe remarked. "The Count informed me of her... condition."

Bianca's body tensed as Şarpe stepped closer to Bela. She had always teased Bela the most out of all her sisters but she had become fiercely protective of the helpless girl since the death of their parents and did not trust this Şarpe around Bela. Bianca didn't trust him to be around any of them really.

Şarpe laid a hand on Bela's shoulder, right over Mirela's hand and told her, "Your worries and troubles are no more, Bela Pierocent. You will be safe here at Sidexes under the protection of Count Turenau." Bela stared straight ahead blankly, providing no indication that she understood or even heard Şarpe's words.

Şarpe turned around quickly in an about-face and declared, "You must be weary and starving after your journey. Let me show you the castle. I will have my servant haul your belongings to your rooms. You will each have your own guest bedroom."

"Thank you," Loredana and Mirela said in unison. They both recalled having to fit the four of them to a single bed at the inn the night previously and had no desire to repeat the experience.

Bianca was suspicious of even the most common generosity. "We can make do just fine on our own, Lord Şarpe," she said. "You don't have to help us with our bags."

"I truly must insist," Şarpe said. "You are surely famished after the ride up the mountain and it is already late. Our cook has prepared an exquisite meal for the first guests we've received in years."

Bianca did not want this man or any of his servants going through her belongings. "I appreciate the chivalry, but we are not rich maidens with half a carriage full of bags for just our hats," Bianca said. "Our few precious belongings are scant and easily transportable."

"Bianca..." Mirela sighed as she tugged on the sleeve of her sister's dress.

"I don't trust him," Bianca hissed at Mirela in a whisper.

"We have to trust him," Mirela whispered back.

"Fine, we will bring our luggage to the entryway for your servants to move," Bianca said in capitulation. "So will you be carrying all the luggage yourself, my lord?"

Şarpe grinned again with a smile that Bianca was already beginning to despise. "I'll take your first bag," he offered.

All the sisters aside from Bela helped Şarpe remove luggage from the trunk of the carriage and everything to the entryway. Mirela grimaced to herself throughout the task. It really should be the servants performing this duty, but this only proved again how far they'd fallen in such a short time. Bela stood in place and stared at her sister as they labored, providing no help at all. Once the sister's belongings had been lined up by the door, a heavyset man who Mirela recalled had opened the gate stooped down to pick up the assorted bags, packages, cases and chests and began transporting the luggage to the guest rooms.

The carriage driver leaned back in the front seat with his arms behind his head and his feet up. He smoked his pipe throughout the transfer, offering no aid to the women. Şarpe hailed him and threw a small cloth bag filled with gold coins to him. "I trust you can make the journey back during the night without peril, Caine?" Şarpe asked.

"Never fear for old Caine," the driver answered back with a tip of his hat. "As you know, I've done this ride in the dark plenty of times before."