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."
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
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
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 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