Chapter 1
Oriana Fallon slowly lowered herself onto the floor by her father’s bed, engulfed in the dark shadows of the dusky sky and the promise of the terrible days to come. The freezing floor stung her thighs as she sat down. She shivered, though she couldn't feel it through the violent sobs already shaking her body. Tears streamed down her face, forming a small puddle where she was sitting crumpled on the cold wooden floor. He couldn't be gone. Not yet. She still needed him. Who would guide her? Who would help her understand herself? She needed him for those things. Without him, she was lost. The thousands of paths through life she could take stretched out before her. Without him there, the one she was meant to take seemed unclear.
Oriana pushed away from the floor, taking one last glance at her fathers soulless face. His face had adopted an even paler pallor than it used to have, his dark freckles appearing gray. His light orange hair hung in a greasy mop over his forest green eyes, the only part of his body that still shone with the brightness of his kind, compassionate self. Or at least that’s what he used to be. She forced herself to avert her gaze away from him. She tried to convince herself she would turn back around and find him sitting up, perfectly healthy and well. She imagined him flashing his warm smile at her, arms stretched wide, preparing for one of his hugs. One of her most favorite things in the world. Another tear silently leaked though her eyes, slowly trailing down her already tear stained face as she opened her eyes once more to face the dark reality she lived in. That’s how it was in this cruel world. Bad things happen. The darkness ruled over every aspect of their lives.
Oriana tore her eyes away from her father, who had just minutes ago taken his last breath and given her his last smile. A ghost of that very smile still remained on his face, making him look the most peaceful he’d ever been. Oriana prayed to the God’s above that wherever he was, he was getting the care he deserved.
“Inola!” Oriana called.
“Yes, milady?” Replied Inola, the Fallon housekeeper, quickly rushing to the master bedroom doorway.
Inola’ s gaze wandered past Oriana to her father’s still body, face paling in understanding.
“I’ll send for a doctor.” She said, her quiet voice strained, tears welling in her eyes as she curtsied and hurried off.
The thin black fabric of her plain, knee length servants dress trailed behind her as she rushed down the hall, dirty blonde braid swaying as she jogged. She had been working in the Fallon household since she was 21, so she had grown quite close to the family over the past 7 years. Oriana knew Inola would miss her father as well.
Oriana waited until Inola had turned the corner before heading across the hall into her younger brother’s room. Her hand hesitated above the knob, unsure of what she would say to him. She pushed open the door, seeing him sitting on the floor playing with his small stuffed rabbit, oblivious to what had just happened. She didn’t know what to say to her 4 year old brother about her father, so she decided it was best if he just didn’t know. For the moment, at least.
“Hey Oryn, we’re gonna take a trip to see Lucian.” She told him, deciding that was the best plan for now.
She needed to tell her best friend about her problem anyway.
Oryn shook his fiery auburn hair out of his forest green eyes, gazing up at her with a look that reminded her far too much of her father’s. She bit back tears as he told her, “Okay.”
Oriana took his small hand in hers and guided him into the kitchen, where she scrawled a quick note for Inola on a scrap piece of paper.
“Went to Lucians. We’ll figure out what to do from there. -Oriana”
She rushed Oryn out the door and slipped on the first pair of shoes she could find. They walked the path to Lucians house, quickening their pace to beat the growing dusk. Oriana and Oryn lived on the outskirts of the city, so everything was a little more spaced out there.
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Once she reached Lucian’s door, she quickly kicked the dust off the black flats -that she had just realized were Inola’s- on the doormat. No wonder those shoes were outside the door and not inside. She left in too much of a hurry to pay attention to who's shoes were who’s. Their current situation was much too dire.
She knocked on the door with a trembling first, praying that Lucian and Ms. Valley were home. She didn’t know where she would go from there if they weren't. But apparently luck decided to support her all of a sudden, because their housekeeper, Brenna, opened the door for her. Brenna only opened the door when Lucian and Mrs. Valley were home. Oriana let out a breath she didn’t know she had been holding.
“Oriana? Oryn?” Began Brenna, looking puzzled. “What are you doing here so late at night?”
“Our father… he’s gone.” Oriana replied quietly, voice breaking.
An uninvited tear slipped down her cheek as Brenna let her and Oryn step inside, an apologetic look on her face.
Brenna guided them down the hall into the cozy sitting room where Lucian and Ms. Valley were sitting on a worn brown couch. Oriana always loved going over to the Valley’s house. All the rooms gave off a cozy type of vibe that made Oriana want to encase herself in it other than think about her dead father.
“Oriana, dear, what are you doing here so late at night? And with Oryn?” Asked Ms. Valley.
Oriana could tell that Lucian had that same question.
“Our Father is gone, ma’am.” Oriana said quietly, looking down at the floor as a few more stray tears slipped from her eyes.
Ms. Valley instantly stood up and encased Oriana in her delicate arms, while Lucian followed, placing a sympathetic hand on her shoulder. Oryn seemed to figure out what had happened and began to cry, hugging his sister’s leg, burying his face in the fabric of Oriana’s dress. At that moment, Oriana wished her little brother wasn’t so smart.
They sat like that for a minute, all silent tears for her father running down their cheeks. The Valley’s and the Fallon’s had been quite close, so Lucian and his mom were both sad over her father’s death as well.
“It’s okay dear.” Whispered Ms. Valley, breaking the silence.
They all pulled away from the hug.
“You can stay here with us until the school year begins.”
Oriana’s eyes shot open. She hadn’t realized the beginning of the school year was already that close. The past couple of months she had been fixated on her father’s sickness, constantly taking care of him and worrying over his health. And now the start of school was only 2 weeks away.
“Is something wrong?” Ms. Valley asked, brows bunching together.
“Oh no, it’s just I hadn't realized the school year was already this close.” Oriana answered, trying her best at a small smile. “Thank you for your hospitality. Inola should be here soon, she is just taking my father down to the hospital.”
“Not a problem, dear. Always happy to help a family friend.” Replied Mrs. Valley, giving her a small smile.
Oriana had always loved spending the night at the Valley’s as a child. She would always have sleepovers with Lucian and stay up all night talking and making memories. But it just didn't feel the same right now. Lucian and Ms. Valley had always been like a second family to her, but now they were her only family.
Brenna escorted her up the stairs into the guest room she had always stayed in as a child.
“Inola is welcome to stay with me in the servants quarters when she arrives.” Brenna told her as she curtsied and closed the door.
“Is daddy really gone?” Oryn sniffled.
Oriana hated seeing her little brother like this. It broke her heart all over again. “Yes. I'm afraid he is” Oriana told him reluctantly.
“Forever?” Tears began to well up in his small green eyes.
Oriana nodded, a fresh set of tears silently running down her cheeks.
Oryn climbed up on the bed and sat beside her, hugging her as they cried together.
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