And just as her gaze was about falling back to her knitting, Claire transformed into Rose.
"I wish they all saw it that way," Rose said.
The guards at the door heard Rose's voice, and not that they recognized it. They were drawn to it by the sudden awe of her presence. But before any alarm could be raised, the joints of the men froze, and there they stood like statues at their post.
Anna and Harriet's chest heaved with fear, and suddenly, Harriet couldn't breathe. Anna looked at her maid, and back at Rose. "Please, don't kill her."
Harriet deeply inhaled, cherishing the value of air once more, and she sent a hand to her throat, and one to her chest.
"I would do anything you want," Anna said, "please, don't just kill her."
It was Rose's intention to let the maid go. But she needed something from Anna.
"I won't kill your maid, Anna," Rose said, and it was then she noticed that sudden silence had graced her father's fort. "But for you to
"Only whispers hear whispers," Rose said, slowly walking towards White. "And I was never Rose."White's eyes brightened. "You've been playing a long game, Rose Steele," he said. "I wonder how your sisters would react knowing you left them locked up all this time."Rose said nothing, but kept coming close.White saw death in her eyes, and sent a hand behind him. A sword appeared in his hand, and as Rose reached him, he sent the sword to pierce her, but he was met with surprise as it all happened in a blur, a movement he couldn't catch, and the sword which he intended to do Rose harm with was buried deep in his chest.Rose withdrew the sword, and tossed it on the ground. Blood rushed out of White's chest, and a terrified Harriet, and sullen Rose, now turned into Anna, watched.White was gasping for air, and just then, Claire appeared with the Steeles, and she rushed to White's side as he choked out blood and cried."What happened?" Claire aske
It was ghost quiet when the killings began. The popping of gunfire accompanied by the terrified shrieks of dying men, women, and children filled the air and reached into the night like a hand calling for aid, or something. But this only brought joy to the outlaws responsible for the sordid acts.However, while these outlaws laughed, scorned, and reveled in the deeds their hands had wrought, they were unaware that they had awakened something damned and hopeless. Something that shouldn't be disturbed in the house of silence, not far from the killing square.Hope sprang in this house, and her tidy walls did rattle with joy. It was the most the house could do, for if she was capable of more, her silver and goldwares, plates, and cups would have left their racks and cupboards to make high-pitched sounds. Beds, sofas, stools, chairs, and tables would have joined in, causing a ruckus
Anna jerked from sleep.She heard the crashing of waves on the seashore, the whooshing of whips, and the grunting of men in the compound, but none of these had woken her up. A nightmare had, and it had been so clear like she was present.Anna's heart was thumping loudly, and every joint in her body quivered with dread. The cold air in her room from the sea touched the sweat trickling down her face and the back of her neck, but it did nothing to stop it. With shaky hands, she touched her nightgown, it was soaked. She looked around her, the sheet was also soaked.She hadn't wet herself. She had never done that before in her life. This was something else, and she was unsure of what it was, even though it came with the air of dread.The whooshing stopped as did the grunting of men.The nig
They set the man on a long table. He was in a tight, wet, white and gold outfit, the white and gold, being the colour of the Baron's house. There was sand in his hair, part of his face, and it also stuck on his dress. Among two thousand men, he was the only man breathing.Anna knew she wasn't supposed to be here, but for some reason, her father let her. She looked at the man gently stir, opened his eyes, and forced him to a sitting position with shock written on his face. Suddenly, he began to scream, not recognizing those around him, or from a different cause which could be that he was seeing something else."Please," he cried. "I promised that I would tell them."Lord White's men dressed back, and the Baron's man placed both hands to his ears."Stop whispering," he said with a low pitiful tone. "Stop with the voices. I heard you the first time. Please. Please. Don't kill me. I will warn them, I pro
"Where is he?" Anna asked.Anna, now well dressed in a presentable fashion as befitting a lady, stood before her father's nurse, Rachel Clarke.Rachel was a good woman with an average height. Anna had learned from her mother that Rachel was the one who brought her into this world. Rachel saw to half of the births on Crest Hill, and she had trained other women in the art of childbearing, who trained other women too as well."He's outback," Rachel said, gesturing behind the infirmary with the white wool in her hand.Anna curtly gave Rachel a single nod and thanked her. Rachel acknowledged with a smile and went about her business, attending to other patients. Anna walked the aisle with sick beds on both sides till she
"Crystal!" Kyle called out to her from his boat which moved up and down on the sea surface. "Crystal!"Crystal didn't answer, but she did smile. She was lying naked with her back to the sea surface, and her gaze was to the blue sky. Her arms were spread out, her white hair danced like a thing alive to the current, and water burped against her ears."Come out, Crystal," Kyle said, apprehensive that she may drown.Kyle shook his head. This wasn't going how he had planned for it to. His reason for rowing her out here was to profess his love to her. Crystal, however, had removed her clothes and dived into the sea for a swim, not minding the depth, not minding if there were sharks, or whatever it is that had made the government deem the sea dangerous."This is silly," Kyle said. "We are in the center of the sea." Nervous, he looked about, hoping to see if the sea was really clear of surprises.&nbs
There were beasts where they went to look for them. Things that were fashioned in the likeness of the night. They never showed their faces under the glow of the sun. So it was hard to tell that anything lived here.The island was so quiet, even birds were absent. No insects creaked, and no tree was brave enough to wave their branches for there was no wind to stir up their courage, and neither did they lose a leaf to the ground for nothing decayed here. Everywhere was tidy. The grass was well-trimmed.The men moved with caution. They had been warned not to make it across the sea, neither should they seek out the sisters. But here they were, doing the exact opposite of caution.False courage led them on. The stillness around them made them feel deaf that they were even s
Anna found him by a table supping alone in a tavern. He looked like one still haunted by his recent past, and knowing it wasn't customary being alone with a stranger in a public setting since people were prone to say different things, she had come with her maid, Harriet, making this impromptu visit formal. Her presence made him lift his head from the table, and staring into his eyes, Anna asked, "May I sit?" The Baron's man nodded, and somewhat stood as if to acknowledge her presence with respect, and to gesture for her to sit. Anna took this with a smile and sat. Harriet stood, waiting behind her. "Rachel tells me you've been discharged." Again he nodded. "Yes, I'm truly fine." Anna truly doubted it. "Do you still remember? Does the whisper still plague you?" He looked at her with caution written in his eyes, fear graced his expression. He shiver