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
Opening the door to the apartment he was given by Lord White, a hand forcefully seized Neil's shirt from behind, flinging him across the room like he was a piece of rag, he collided with the wall. Neil felt dazed, and pain spread all over his body, his bones ached badly. With blurry eyes, he looked up confused to the sudden attack, hoping to spot who, or what was in the room when a white figure materialized...his heart ceased in his chest, and his eyes cleared well enough for him to see her. Claire Steele. The supposed dead sister of the Steeles. A beauty like no other, standing before him in a dazzling white dress, and her hair was adorned with gleaming transparent crystals. Each step she took was deliberate, dangerous, and announcing dread. Neil knew who she was. He wasn't sure how, but he just knew, and that seemed to frighten him the most. With a tremblin
Lucy was calm as a feather when he touched her. She didn't make a sound or try to scream. There was no point to it since this wasn't the first time. And knowing her screams would only serve his pleasure, she let the tears flow as her body stayed still like an idol, the only difference, her chest was rising and falling, and idols never cried.Bert's hands wantonly caressed Lucy's body, touching her in all the wrong places without her consent. It was sweet this way. It was a deed done in secret, but it wasn't secret what was done here. The rest of the world knew, but no one could do a thing about it. If she somehow found herself out of this place and spoke against this, she'll be called a liar. Everyone feared the Baron. Also, no one would believe a low born. And if they did, they would chide her that she ought to be grateful that a high born like Bert had touched her.
Rose watched her reflection in the mirror. She admired those high, full breasts of hers, her well-shaped form, especially how slender her waist was at the middle, and the perfect features of her face, and she agreed that she was indeed beautiful. She turned away from the mirror in time to catch Kathryn...no Kathryn's whisper staring at her with its translucent form, and she ignored it. Mirrors never reflected whispers, and that's why she hadn't seen it. Mirrors were flawless creations of humans that revealed so much, but never showed what was important. The human eyes couldn't see them. Only whispers saw whispers. The sea though was a perfect mirror for them. But who was daring enough to fall in love with her? Rose spun one last time in her red exquisite gown to have one last look at herself in the mirror. Satisfied, she put on a
"There are voices of people that linger when their lives are unjustly taken from this earth," Crystal said. "Voices of blood, and people who can't get justice for themselves. These voices belong to the souls of the dead, and the innocent. They can haunt you, torment you, and even try to kill you if they are strong enough. They are like air. They can't be seen. They can't be touched. They can be felt, but mostly through one's hearing. They glide in the air. The strong wind can stop them, and so can fire. Nature doesn't necessarily stop them, but anything too loud for you to hear them can temporarily stop them. And that is why they are called whispers. "If these voices, or whispers linger for long, they become translucent enough to be seen. The best way they are mirrored to reflect their past is through water, fire, and blood. Other elements like earth, and air do not permit these. But should the air grant them the ability to be seen, then, earth has no choice but to allow the
Neil, the cat, and the thousand men Anna gave to him landed on a solitary island called Red Hill. This is where the Steele sisters lived, and it was here Neil had come so he could associate himself with Rose, and know her weakness.The silence first greeted them, then they noticed how tidy the place was. The grasses were trimmed, no falling dead leaves reached the ground for they turned to ashes as they glided down, making their descent.The next thing that greeted the men was fire. Their ships exploded, and fire licked through the metals like wood. The roar of the flames drowned out the silence, but soon, they watched the sea accept what was left of the ship like an offering, and the silence returned.Now, they knew they were not alone, and with that realisation, they
Claire stood by a corner in a large room, and she was staring blankly at the wall. Anna sat at the edge of a bed silently watching her, and Neil sat on the floor looking at his shoes, the cat was next to him."She's filled with more surprise than I thought," Claire said.Anna looked at Claire. She hoped that with Claire's help, this threat would finally be put to bed. But deep down, even she didn't believe that. She had seen the dream. She knew who to fear. "What are we to do, Claire?"Claire in her visible ethereal form, said, "I wish I knew. Rose controls their bodies. With them on her side, I fear I can do very little.""But you're Claire," Rose reminded her. "You can turn an entire village, city, and nation to i
Claire approached the grave of the man she had first loved with slow tentative footsteps. It had been a long time since she last saw him, but the memory of him wasn't a thing to fade so easily for he had been the one to break her heart the most. No one, not even her sisters had made her cry the way he had. He had tried to kill her. A thing she would never forget.Perhaps, she should leave him to his fate, and let him sleep. After all, he was the one that chose this state for himself.Claire turned to walk away with her head to the ground, and had taken a considerable distance from the grave when she raised her head to see Kathryn, Crystal, Gold, and Violet before her. Briskly turning to White's grave, she saw Rose looking pitifully on the resting place of her beloved."You s
Claire tilted her hand to let the black sand fall to the earth. The sands around her moved, making her look around. Running like streams of water, sand came together, piling upon the sand, gradually rising, crafting the shape of a man. The sand began to fall off, returning to the earth, and the face of a man remained.When the rest of the sand fell off, all that was left was a man. This man was tall with gray eyes, white hair, a fine muscular build, and he was handsome. He stood looking through the misty form of Claire, and she looked back at him."White!" Claire's voice echoed. He seemed not to recognize her. He looked at her with care, trying to remember. "White! It's me, Claire Steele."It was then his eyes brightened, and he gazed at her with amazement. "Claire?" White c
"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
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
First, there was silence, then came the rustling of dried leaves. Rose looked through the trees, and she saw Fred, her love. His dress was drenched in blood, and his breathing was heavy."I've found him," Fred said, and fell on his knees. His strength was leaving him, and he couldn't stop the multiple mortal injuries all over his body.Rose saw her lover was in trouble, and from the tree next to him, she stepped out. She beckoned, looking in different directions in the forest, calling to something unseen, and the forest answered as she returned her gaze to Fred. The red mist that had initially left her body glided through the forest, and returned into her body.She went on her knees before Fred, and touched his face. Fred gave her a weary look."It won't work," Fred said. "White has found a way to kill you. He told me he would leave me with just enough strength to return back to you to let you know what is coming for you. Also, he has the Baron." He sligh
And so she waited.Rose heard the men laugh, and their voices were mocking the villagers. She read the expression of fear within each villager, and she pitied that they would have to witness her wrath.Guns cocked as the men drew nearer, surrounding the villagers."Get on your knees," one man said.The villagers went on their knees."Say your last prayer."Those who knew God whispered to him, others closed their eyes and looked deep within themselves, not knowing what to say. Some kept muttering in low voices, "Don't let me die. Don't let me die. Please."It was all they could say when suddenly, hands came out from all the trees, and snatched the men into them, their guns clattered on the ground. Some of the villagers opened an eye to
Things always spoke without thinking around her. Trees, air, dead leaves, sand, stones, insects, and animals. They knew much, but not enough. Not what she was looking for. The Baron had been careful to conceal himself now that she wanted him found. No doubt he knew he was her target.But for the time being, the silence was what she needed, and the absence of voices. And so to attain that, Rose Steele turned into a red smoke, spreading through the trees, sealing parts of herself in each one, bringing even those with dead and rotting trunks and roots to life, causing their leaves to bloom green.The smoke spread out of the forest like a haze to the sea city of Struts, just next to the ocean, a place where Crystal Steele was, and villagers of this place suddenly began watching as it covered their houses. Some dressed back groaning, but others stood their ground in silence. Either
Everything around Rose whispered. She was in a black gown seated by a table, her eyes weary, and expression sober from the multiple whispering complaints that came from the spoons, table, chairs, cups, and everything one could think of in a home.Shutting her eyes to the whispers, she said, "One at a time.""Who would go first?" a spoon asked.A knife standing on its edge moved, giving off a glint of the sun coming in through the window, and this caught Rose's gaze as the knife paused."You," Rose said, looking at the knife. "You go first.""Your Grace," the knife said with the voice of a man, "I didn't intend drawing attention to myself."
Rose turned and continued to tend to her garden.Fred looked at each rose. All healthy and red. A perfect snare for butterflies, bees, dragonflies, and any other insect or bird that dare venture into this place, including men. But he wasn't a man. He was a beast, one specifically designed for Rose's liking."Where do your sisters stand in this?" Fred asked.Rose answered without looking at him, "They don't really have a choice. I still control their bodies. Claire knows that. At least, she's no fool about that. That's why when White seeks what she's sent him out to find, she will restrain my sisters and come to face me." She gave a side head gesture. "Then, I would surprise her."This was the most powerful family on
"You won't stop, will you?" Anna asked, sitting by a table in the corner of her room. Claire was standing by the window, looking at the open space just before the ocean. The sand was white, and the sun was bright. Both children and adults played on the beach, and at the edge of the ocean was waves upon waves drifting towards the shore and returning back to the sea. "Ever asked yourself if she's this still?" Claire asked? Anna thought for a moment. "Not that I know her, so I can't say." And she didn't know Rose. No one really could tell what went on in the heart of someone like Rose. "Look. You stopped her. You have your sisters now. Surely, you can put up a strong defense if she tries anything." Claire shook
Randall's day began like any other. He had a quickie with his wife, helped his children prepare for school, bathed, dressed, and had his breakfast. He stepped out of the house, wished his kids goodbye, called the office, and was about to step into his car when his skin turned cold, reacting to the crispness of the weather.The sky turned dark, and the wind made his jacket come to life, stirring like a thing wishing to be tossed into the turbulence. Randall looked to the sky, and he saw a bright flash of fire that vanished behind dark clouds. There were bangs, and the crackling of thunder. Lightning flashed, and a storm attacked the calm ocean on the other side of the village.It was loud all around, it seemed the world was about to crack open and spew forth demons. The ground shook, then there were more repeated flashes of fire. It w