Part One: Oh Castitatis Lilium (So far)

Prologue
The mountains looked a dark amethyst in the sunset, the sky a rainbow of colours. I was lying on the green grass as the breeze swayed slightly tickling my face with my hair. There was a noise in the background. It took me a minute to realize it was speech.
“Wake up.”
“Grandpa?”
“I hate the color you painted the walls.”
With that he began to melt, twisting in sickly ways, turning in on himself until he was an unrecognizable red pile. My dream began to follow suite until there was only darkness. I tried to scream but there was only darkness, no sound. I lurched awake to a room with red everywhere in unnatural clumps. Blood. The scream stuck in my throat escaped reverberating off the walls. 1

Chapter One
Tired. Hungry. No. Thirsty. There’s a difference you know. Hunger is when you need sustenance but can hold out. Thirst is an insatiable need that must be fed NOW!  No matter what the consequence. I forced my eyes open at my bloodcurdling scream. I tried to stand up but failed as my knees protested forcing me to the ground again. It was everywhere; I had to escape this room where death hung like smog, where it suffocates like a veil. It was then I heard the soft musical voices. Instantly I hid. They couldn’t see me but I saw them.
“Lucian’s never been out this…” The tall striking blonde fell silent as she entered the room.
“Katerina… it’s… Lucian all over the walls and floor.” The boy- for that was what he really was; he was probably 13 or 14. He had chin length ash brown hair with a slight curl and the clearest ice blue eyes with full flawless lips- wrinkled his nose disdainfully.
“The insolence!” Katerina replied, before he could reply she struck him hard in the face. He staggered and fell.
“Mother, I…” he dropped his head at her infuriated glare. Mother? This is how she treats her child?
“Whoever has taken Lucian from me will pay with their life. Blood for blood. There will be nowhere they can hide. Come we have a date with Emanuel.”
With that Katerina swept dramatically out of the room her white dress trailing behind her, followed by her son. Like a silent movie playing behind my eyes, the memories came flooding back at the sound of my great-grandfather’s name. 
                                             2

I was in Milan for the show just like last year. I enjoyed the carnival like lights of the city. I had an unlimited supply of money thanks to Ms. Larissa Baudelaire’s generosity and her love of jewellery. The IJS (International Jewellery Show) was beginning tomorrow and I needed to check into a hotel. My phone began to vibrate and blast “No Air” signalling that James was calling.
“Hello?”
“I’m glad you made it.” A deep irresistible voice like the calm after a raging storm answered.
“James.” I answered, relieved it wasn’t Larissa; I don’t think I could have handled her right now.
“Arianna I’m at the Imperial. Why don’t you swing by for a chat?” I could just hear his eyebrows waggling, I suppressed a laugh.
“You’re in luck. That’s just where I was heading. You must have some telekinetic hold on me.” I teased laughing as I ended the call. As I checked into my room I felt the gnawing of the intense thirst I had forced to the back of my mind.3


I pulled myself from my reverie. When did that happen? It seemed so long ago but it was only three days. I moved as quickly as my battered legs dared and went to the window and jumped into the cool ocean that was the night. The air smelt of unshed rain and felt good on my overheated skin. I ran. I had no destination; I just had to move, to get away. Eventually I found myself in a naturally round meadow with an unusually large sized lake occupying the middle. The fresh grass was filled with orchids that shone an unearthly white in the pale moonlight. I bent to pick one up. The inside was pure black with yellow pollen stems; the colours contrasted starkly against the white.
“What’s wrong my child?” The voice behind me was like a soft caress from the wind. I whirled around hand flying to my throat. There was a beautiful woman with soft butter-cream skin, long straight moonlight coloured hair that began turning ocean blue near her hips and continued to her knees. The woman wore a pale blue silk dress that looked as if it could be blown away with the wind. Her eyes a beautiful stormy blue that expressed so much and so little at the same time were fixed on my face. I looked away from the intensity of the gaze. She was standing in the middle of the water and beginning to look impatient.
“Who are you?” I asked
She smiled showing a flash of perfect white teeth.
“Why I am Amelia Lady of the Water.”
“Lady of the Water?” I pondered this for a moment. “Please help me I’m being chased.” I barley recognized that small frightened voice as my own.
“What is your name my beautiful child of darkness?”
“Child of darkness… my name is Arianna. Arianna Penna.”
The beautiful maiden of the water suddenly looked sad.
“That is not a name I have heard for a long time, it was thought that the line had perished.”
“And with it the reign of the Reyes began.” I stated unconscious of the acidity in my tone.
“As long as you are within my barrier no harm shall come to you Arianna. How you broke through my barrier though I don’t know, perhaps you are stronger than you look. Come with me.” She held out a beautifully shaped hand. It was only as I took her hand did I feel the pain of injuries I hadn’t noticed before. I felt everything I had been blocking out; the pain, panic and tiredness that seemed to have seeped into my very bones and tissue. As we descended into the lake I felt a heavy stupor settle over me and my eyelids slid closed.4


As I was finishing my bath my phone started blasting “Apologize”. It was a text-vite to a masquerade party to celebrate the IJS opening tomorrow. That was all good and well but what prompted me to go was that it was V.I.P only, which was good because I was hungry. I looked in the mirror and liked what I saw; a tall slender girl with pale skin, a tanned tint and hypnotic garnet eyes. I was wearing an off the shoulder purple silk dress that rippled when I walked and fit my sensual curves just right. For accessories, I donned an opal butterfly necklace with matching bracelet and ballet flats, no purse I would not be paying tonight. For my mask I had an artistic moment and decided to give myself a “permanent mask”. I took out my glitter and created a beautiful butterfly that spanned across my face in luminous blues, oranges, yellows, reds, and purples. I wasn’t vain enough to say I was beautiful but I looked good. With one last look in the mirror I left the room. When I emerged from the elevator I was surprised for there stood James looking quite stunning in a phantom of the opera mask and a crisp black tuxedo. “Hello young lady I seemed to have lost my friend, could you direct me to her”, he teased. “Shut-up” I said laughing and with that we set off for the party. Then nothing, I couldn’t remember what happened after the party. What had I done? 5


I jerked awake and regretted the movement at once as pain as fiery as scotch bonnet pepper laced my body. I bit back a rather unlady like curse as strong arms gently pushed me down again.
“You need to rest; your injuries will heal in one more day.”
“What’s wrong with me?”
“Nothing you can’t handle.”
I closed my eyes and fell asleep instantly. When I woke again I was in a large room with pale walls and a very young man was watching me with anxious eyes. I was instantly on my feet swaying slightly.
“You!” I exclaimed reaching for a dagger from my hair but to my surprise there was none to find.
“Where are my weapons?”
“Well since you asked my name is Julius, yours?”
I hesitated a short second, “Arianna.”
“You’ve probably met my mother Amelia.”
It was then I realized I knew those beautiful stormy blue eyes. He was very handsome with almost undetected muscles and that same moonlight hair only his steaks were baby blue like down on a new baby blue jay. He was wearing black linen pants and a red shirt the colours contrasted with his natural tones. I blushed at my rudeness and tore my eyes from his face to the floor.
With a swiftness I hadn’t thought possible he was in front of me, I hadn’t realized I was falling until I was in his arms. He looked down at me his eyes betraying nothing.
“Don’t tell me that beautiful blush is for me.” He said placing me on the bed “There is a change of clothes on the table; I’ll be back in five I hope you’ll be dressed by then.”
I could tell when he looked away that was the last thing he wanted. When he left I examined the new clothes. There was a dark purple linen tank with black linen pants and my white flats.
Julius soon returned with an arm load of weapons, when he placed them on the bed I realized they were mine. Everything was there: my Katannas, whip, dagger, and my sai.
“What I don’t understand is how you hid all this wearing a dress.” Julius asked with a chuckle
“Lots of practice.”
“I have never met a person with a need for so many weapons.” He continued pulling up a chair “It fascinates me”
“You say that like your ashamed.”
“Maybe I am.” He countered
“Maybe you shouldn’t be.” I countered back
“Well,” He said after a moment of thought “the reason I brought these is because I want to duel.”
“And?” I said deciding to make him work for it.
“Do you accept?”
“Without a doubt.” I answered smoothly.
“But before we go, what was wrong with me?”
“You had a broken rib, bruises everywhere and a concussion, like I said nothing you can’t handle.”
“It’s true my kind heals at a quick rate that would surprise any human doctor tending to our injuries,” I shrugged at the thought then stood up slowly this time “Lets begin.”
I chose the Katannas because I was still sluggish in my movements and wanted a good defence.
When we got to the arena we bowed and our soundless dance began- the only sound metal on metal. He used a rapier, lightweight and easy to manoeuvre as his choice. He struck looking for a chink in my defence but there was none to find. Finally he began to tire becoming sloppy when I made my move. His eyes widened when my blades created a scissor shape in front of his neck. He smiled and conceded with good grace. We were instant friends after that, but what I found out surprised me.
“Were underwater!” I exclaimed
Someone came to speak with him then. When he came back he seemed distracted.
“What’s wrong?” I asked
“The guards saw someone around the border”
“What did he look like?”
“Long midnight hair, violet eyes, tall, slightly built.” He shrugged
“I have to go! I know who that is.”
I said my goodbyes then Julius took me up.
“You are always welcome and if you ever need help use this.” He placed something in my hand “Don’t look at it until you’re outside the barrier.”
“Don’t forget me.” I said
“Never.” He replied, whispering
I looked into his dazed eyes and realized I would miss him and that it would hurt me to part more than it would hurt him. Unexpectedly I hugged him. He looked surprised but made no comment. I walked through the meadow to a road going nowhere both ways. I took one step out of the barrier when something whistled through the air plunging itself into my chest. A red haze clouded my vision. I didn’t even have time to scream. I looked down. In my hand was a lily, a beautiful unearthly white lily, the stem turning black. In the distance someone screamed my name over and over until sound eluded me.