Thread: Thieves of Innocence [ Karameida x Crystal Raine]

Dhalia Panic had started to set in as a knock came to the door of her home and Dhalia quickly ducked into the hall so she could not be seen from any gazing through the windows hoping to see if anyone was there. She just knew it was the tax collector coming round again to claim the money her family owed for the home she had lived in her entire life. Things had started going downhill steadily since Dhalia had turned eighteen years of age. First her younger brother had grown ill, some unknown wasting disease ravaged his body until his lungs had grown to weak to breath and his heart had lost its will to beat. Not long after her parents had put their son in the ground the girls mother had been stricken with the same strange disease. Dhalias father spared no expense in trying to cure his love but all his efforts were to no avail and soon another grave was dug within the yard that had brought such fun to the family for so many years. It had taken a good deal of time, another year or so, before her father too became the victim of the disease that was wiping her family from existance. Their neighbors had shunned them now, claiming them to be cursed...and it wasn't until she had to dig a third grave by herself that Dhalia began to believe the rumors of a curse. Her last year alone in her family home had been lonely but livable, but now that her twentieth birthday had passed and she showed no signs of illness those seeking money had grown bold and braved the rumors of curse to come to collect. The lonely girl had very little coin as it was, most definitely not enough to pay the debts she owed...so she hid and hoped that they would not force their way in to collect one way or another. Another loud knock pounded on the wooden door before a small shuffling noise sounded in the dead silent house. One alabaster hand stayed pressed to her own mouth to muffle her breathing as her delicate ears listened carefully for any other noises. As the minutes ticked away without further sound she peeked around the corner and saw a slip of paper on the floor where it was slid from under the door. Steeling her nerves Dhalia moved to the letter, that black dress she had worn to mourn her loss flighty dusting the floor with each step until she bent down and picked up the unadorned letter with her seemingly fragile fingers. The letter didn't bear any seals which brought a look of confusion to her tragically beautiful features but she threw caution to the wind and opened the letter and read its contents... That letter it turned out was from another family a fair distance from where she was living who was offering her shelter away from the horror that was her childhood home. It had been quite some Tim now since she read the letter and decided to accept the strange offer, one that would allow her to start her life anew. After nearly a week of travel, hitching rides with travelers who knew not the history she bore, Dhalia managed to get ever closer to her new home and her new life. By now the debt collectors had surely seized her home and whatever was left inside to cover her debts. This of course meant that she had no chance to turn back now, and she no longer had coin enough to start anew on her own. The only option left was the large building she was slowly approaching on foot. She had been walking for the better part of the day since the last traveller had told her that he would be heading away from the building she was trying to reach and that she would have to walk from that point on. Dhalia wasn't worried though, depute her China doll-like appearance she was made of much tougher things and would not easily be broken. After the long journey she had finally reached her destination, the building that promised to be her new home. Stepping up onto the porch and moving to the door she was about to knock when she had caught a glimpse of herself and cringed in disgust. She was covered in dust from the road from head to toe. There was little that could be done about all of the mess but a rigorous flirting of the black Gothic style dress she wore broke loose most of the dirt and a bit of spit on her handkerchief cleaned her face back to its almost bone white complexion. A sharp pinch to each cheek filled them with a healthy color and a quick but light application of her mothers favorite Ruby red lipstick added even more to Dhalias beauty of contrasts. Raising her hand she rapped hard on the door three times before grabbing the handle and opening the door, as the invitation had instructed, and her soft bell like voice rang out through that barely ajar door, H-Hello? It is Dhalia, I was invited...I do hope I am not intruding... As she spoke her voice gained confidence and the door opened further as she walked into the home. Her eyes scanned the room briefly before alighting on a beautiful woman standing beside a mirror...no, it was two women whom were identical to each other in every noticeable way. Had they not been standing in different positions she would surely have not been able to tell that one was not truely a reflection. Holding their gaze with her own she let the door fall closed behind her before clearing her throat and saying, Are you the ones who offered me salvation?