The DEATH'S bride

In Willowdale, everyone knew the sound of wedding bells, but no one knew the silence and chaos it followed.

Lavi? What are you thinking? Said Rosalind to her best friend of childhood, Lavinia.

Did he- come home again? Why do you look so glum? Rosalind said these words twisting and tapping Lavinia’s delicate shoulders that seemed to be stained with bruises of brutality, and heavy with the weights of the miserable life she was living. Her wavy gold locks touched the dusty floor as she started sobbing with her head buried in her arms.

“Only if mother were alive and father would not be like this. He would not beat me like this”. Lavinia said, showing the ugly yellow-purple bruises on her thin and pale legs, arms and hands that seemed to be burnt and calloused with hard work.

What did I do wrong? Rose, I think of tender motherly affection. I wish someone would hold me close and tend to my wounds. I hate father” said Lavinia, who was the daughter of a fallen Marquess Gideon Asshurst. Tears rolled down her rosy cheeks, that turned redder of sobbing hard.

Rosalind looked at her bruises with sympathy and aggression in her eyes. What she felt was pure hatred for her father who did this to her. Rosalind put her arms around her as her own heart throbbed to see Lavi cry in pain like this. Rose held back her own tears because she wanted to be strong for Lavi.

Lavinia was never known to cry or express her feelings as she had lived such a life of misery where she had to bear things alone, but this time it all melted out, that made Rose’s heart ache more for her.

Lavinia only had one person in her family, her cruel father whom she never called family. The other was Rosalind, her sister and childhood bosom friend who lived near her house.

She was the daughter of Baron Lucas Carlisle and Baroness Annalise Carlisle. She had doting parents and no siblings and always considered Lavinia as her sister.

“Lavi, get up let’s go to the fields.” Said Rosalind wiping Lavinia’s teary face with her hands as she pulled her up and made her sit on an old dusty chair in that old attic, which was where Lavinia would always go when she felt down the weather, the only place in that ruined old mansion that held her mother Isabelle’s memories.

She had done it a bunch of times in her life. “Rose, no” said Lavinia looking at Rose with eyes full of despair.

“Lavi, remember how my governess would scold me when you used to make faces at me through the window to make me laugh? Lavinia held a light laugh with her eyes still teary and cheeks still red as a tomato.

“That was years ago when we were twelve, grow up Rose! We are about to turn twenty-three now!” said Lavinia with her voice still shaky from all the crying.

“Things were harsh back then too Lavi but we got through them all didn’t we?

Remember how we used to talk all night under the blanket and when Agnes came to check, we would pretend to be asleep?”

Lavinia smiled at those sweet memories. “I used to sleep at your place back then because of father and the mansion was all abandoned when father went out drinking and gambling. Even Mary had to go away. I miss her.” Said Lavinia looking dully at Rose.

“Think of all the good memories and smile.” Said Rose smiling sweetly at Lavi.

“Rose?”.

“hmm?” said Rose with warmth in her eyes.

“Someday we will escape this life of misery and this town together and live somewhere where there’s no sadness no grief and no worries of the world and marry handsome men of our choice where the four of us would live together.” Said Lavinia with a gist of desire and longing in her eyes.

She was tired. “Yes, we will Lavi. I promise you that we will be together for an eternity, until death. I will be your bridesmaid. I will braid your hair every day and for the day you walk down the aisle with the love of your life” said rose taking off the yellow ribbon off her hair and putting it on Lavinia’s delicate wrist.

“I hate you rose” said Lavinia, who became sad at hearing the word “DEATH” from her.

She despised DEATH the most as it took her mother and ruined her happy life. She lost her mother at the tender age of ten after which her father faced a loss of fortune due to excessive gambling and drinking.

She was lost in thought as she heard the word DEATH.

“Lavi! snap out of it. Let’s get ready and go to the market” said Rose trying to shake off the heavy air.

“I’ll go and get changed” said Lavinia trying to force a broken smile, with her cheeks all flushed perhaps because of the embarrassment of crying like a little child.

They both walked out of the attic towards Lavinia’s room. She out on an old red dress of hers as Rose started to brush Lavi’s hair to do her braids as she had always done.

Rose ran her delicate fingers with a strange affection in her eyes, through Lavinia’s flowy gold locks that looked magnificent even without much care. Rose tied a silk black ribbon on her hair, which apparently belonged to Lavi’s mother.

“You are all done Lavi. See how beautiful your hair looks! I wish I could always do your hair like this!” said Rose with a queer smile.

“You will always do it for me Rose” said Lavinia with a reassuring smile.

They both smiled and got into a carriage that was Rose’s. Soon they reached the market.

It was lively. Summer prevailed. So many delights and festivities. Hand in hand both girls entered a jewelry shop where Rose saw him.

“Lavi look” whispered Rose in Lavi’s ear.

“ Isn’t it Gabriel Vane from the house of Vane? What is he doing here? He is usually not in town” said Lavi with a careful expression.

“Oh yes Lavi! I had exchanged a few words with him at the debutante ball remember? And at some of the tea parties as I am well acquainted with his sister Lorraine” said Rose with a strange excitement.

Lavinia rolled her eyes and said, “I have never liked him one bit. He is not the gentleman he always seems to be in parties and balls”

“Don’t say this Lavi! He is a well- respected gentleman and is also quite famous among the young ladies of the society” said Rose not liking what Lavinia just said about him.

“Rose, you seem to have lost your mind! Have you heard what he does to the ladies? He makes them cry!” said Lavinia with a fearful expression.

“ Oh Lavi! What do you know!” said Rose with stars in her eyes as Lavinia looked at her in astonishment.

“Rose? Don’t tell me you-?” inquired Lavi with surprise.

Rose smiled and her cheeks as red as strawberry jam and said, “Perhaps”.

Lavinia did not like it because she knew that Gilbert did not deserve Rose, but she respected it and stayed quiet as they went out of the shop. Slowly they reached the fields. The place looked deserted.

They saw a strange path that led to the woods. “What lies there? Asked Lavi with curiosity.

“They say this path leads to DEATH, beyond the woods there lives death. No one goes there.” said Rose with mystery in her eyes.

“But how can DEATH live?” asked Lavi with a strange expression.

“It feeds on the weak Lavi. Remember how Agnes would tell us stories about that place? She said that there is a castle where DEATH lives, but it’s just the legends. Many say that it’s master died long ago and his soul lingers through the castle. But, whoever goes there never comes back. They also say that any woman who goes there becomes the bride of the wretched DEATH."

“ I don’t believe this nonsense! It’s all made-up. Perhaps the one who lives there is not as scary as people say he is!” said Lavi in a teasing manner.

“And you mocked me for saying Gilbert is a gentleman! It’s not fair Lavi!” said Rose sulking with innocence in her eyes, like a little lamb that admired a wolf that was about to make it it’s prey.

Lavi laughed and tickled her until she screamed and shouted, “Lavi! stop tickling me” Lavi stopped and said with mischief in her eyes,

“Oh Gabriel how long have you been here?”

“Gabriel?Where? Oh my I must have looked so improper!” said Rose panicking and looking around but Gilbert was not there. There was just Lavi laughing like a lunatic at Rose’s expressions that looked like someone had sucked her soul out of her body.

“Lavinia Asshurst! I shall not speak to you again and forget those vanilla pancakes” said Rose pouting.

“Oh not the pancakes as penalty! You know I love the ones you make. I apologize for my nuisance my lady”

They called it a day and headed back home. Lavinia wished for it to always be the same. Rose always made her forget her miseries..