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Skykittykat 05-26-2010 11:53 PM

The Tragedy of the Blood Red Roses (An original Novel)
 
Chapter 1: Dawn of the Dark Princess

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I am an evil creature and my beginning was one bathed in blood. Even to today my existence is one that relies on the blood of others. I've no doubt in my heart that my end will be one coated in blood as well. You may not understand when I put it this way though, so maybe I should just go back and start from the beginning shall I?

***

I was born near dawn on December 31, 1380 to Duke Richard and Duchess Annabeth of the noble House of Lancaster. Though I now have hundreds of names describing my infamy, the name my parents chose for me was Ariana, Ariana Lillith Lancaster.

My father was a rich nobleman with a large sum of land, this alone placed me in a high standard as I grew up to be a lady at court. Not to mention how my populairity with the men at court grew as I did. Many sought me as a bride prospect and while it may have been a superficial and petty happiness, I was content. My best friend at the time was a young girl with a good heart. Her name was Maria Alanna of York and we had met one night at a court party when we were both twelve. She had pretty blonde hair that fell in delicate curls to her shoulders and big sapphire eyes as opposed to my waist length wavy auburn hair and startling violet eyes. Though we were opposite in every way possible – her short and me tall, me curvy and her flat as a board – we were practically instant friends. From that night on till our fifteenth years we were inseperable.

Maria was a bit of a tom boy and I was the picture of a perfect princess but we didn't let that get in the way of our friendship. I showed her how to be more of a girl and she showed me that occasionally it's fun to get a little dirty. The night that started the descent of both of our lives was the night we both met him. I remember that night and every night after it till the end with perfect clarity, even through the slur of the years and the forgetfullness of time.

There had been buzz about in the castle weeks that there was to a large party on the first of June. On the day of the party Maria and I had spent hours in my chambers with my maids preparing for the party. Apparently there was a guest visiting the party looking for a bride. A prince, in fact. Both our parents had ordered that we look our best, for the family of the girl he chose as his wife would be made tremendously wealthy. He would be staying in my castle, as we were the closest to his family, till the end of the year. He was to attend all the royal court parties till he had found a wife.

Naturally our parent's expected us to try and win his heart, so for hours we sat in my room dressing up in our finest dresses and jewelry, doing each other's hair and make-up till we each looked our signature degrees of perfect. My dress was a shimmering silver dress with dark violet accents and small glass beads that sparkled in the light. The dress itself was striking against my pale skin.

Maria's, on the other hand, was baby pink with with skillfully places pearls and ribbons. The dress would have looked just plain trashy on anyone even slightly less dollish than Maria. I pulled her hair into a tight french twist with loss strands in the front that fell delicately into her cute impish face. Her pearl drop earrings were a nice added touch from my jewelry chest. I had an amthyst necklace with diamond and amthyst cascading silver earrings and my auburn hair falling down my back loosely. When we were finished we smiled at each other and arm in arm made our way to the ball room.

"Ladies Ariana of Lancaster and Maria of York" The crier announced grandoisely, slamming his staff against the marble floor twice as we descended gracefully from the top of the grand stair case. I reveled in the power I felt through the eyes of the men in the room locked upon me and my friend.

I searched the room with my eyes eager to set my eye on this mystery prince, but the ball room was filled only with the familiar court faces and the extra throne set up at the head of the room remained dissapointly empty, which led me quickly to the conclusion that the prince had yet to arrive. I immediately turned my expectation meter down a few notches. Maria and I were always 'fashionably' late to any and every party, by my internal clock, as I always knew the best time to arrive. Any arrival later than ours would only be natural to deem unfashionable and likely not worth my time at all.

Slightly discouraged we made our way out onto the floor and curtseyed to the court noblemen that arrived to have the first dance with us. After an hour of dancing we regrouped at the back of the room exhuasted. We had always been popular but tonight there seemed to be twice as many men than usual vying for the chance to dance with the two us. They probably were trying to get us to choose one of them before the prince had a chance to arrive and scoop us up.

Suddenly the crier's staff banged against the floor twice, bringing the room to absolute silence as we all turned to face the double doors at the top of the stair as they swung open creakily. "Hark. Here enters the slayer of dragons and bringer of peace, vanquisher of demons and one bles'ed by angels. His royal highness, Prince Henry of England" The crier announced in his dull monotone voice. Excited murmurs ran through the crowd and we fidgeted in our seats.

The figure that emmerged was undoubtedly the most handsome man I had ever seen. He brought about the immediate swooning of every girl in the room excluding myself. Men immediately begin to envy him as women began their plans to bed him. However, handsome as he was, I was not about to curtsey submissively and faint. I had my own brain and I planned to take a position in life that would allow me to exercise complete control over it, after all they do say that "Behind every powerful man is a clever woman pulling the strings." Do they not? I looked over at Maria only to see my tom boyish friend swooning in her seat like I refused to.

It was undoubtedly a surprise to see but I smiled at her endearing expression. She was like a little sister to me and already I could practically see little hearts floating above her head as she stared at the Adonis on the staircase. I snickered as she practically drooled at him. As he reached the floor he looked around identifying all the maiden's hearts his looks had captured, no doubt. He seemed more than just a little full of himself and his looks. He was handsome I could give him that much, just as people would say Maria and I were angels of beauty, this man was a God of lust, their was no other way to say it. But Maria and I were only angelic in our looks and the glare I shot him as I silently warned him not to hurt my friend was as good as any of the devil's own if I may say so myself! It added an unapproachable air about me that settled on my shoulders like a fine silk scarf.

His eyes matched mine as he turned toward Maria and I and the fine green orbs lit up. His expression was a cool and unfazed as my own and though I was impressed as he continued to slowly and deliberately make his way over to us, my face showed nothing but cool boredom. I had been sure my violet eyed glare would've been enough to deter. I relented and nudged Maria in the side, "He's coming over here." And giggling again lightly behind my hand at the awestruck look on her face I poked her cheek lightly, chortling to myself at the way her jaw dropped lower with each step he took towards us. Oh, how fun she was to tease! I turned to face him struggling to restrain my derisive snickers though I knew they still shone in my eyes, I always did have a horrendous pokerface.

His eyes appeared to be glued to Maria and I was glad for her. Prince or no he was not really my type. He was quite obviously all looks and no brain. I wanted someone interested in something other than his looks. I knew I was vain, and with good reason, but I also wanted someone who could see past that to the smart and funny girl hidden beneath it all like Maria did.

As he knelt before us I could imagine Maria's surprise when he kissed her hand, so simply imagine my own when before my very eyes he lifted my own and touched his warm lips to it oh so delicately.

"Ariana?" The shock in Maria's voice stung me only slightly since I was to over come with momentary shock that I was to brain dead for even my pride as a noble woman to feel that blow that came from how her utterance revealed how she too had expected him to kiss her own hand. But my friend loved him and I didn't. I definitely wouldn't be falling in love any time soon either I still had so much life left to let myself live in the freedom of a single woman at court, at least that's what I thought... But my heart had different plans for itself.


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