Welcome to Gaia! ::

Lucille Genevieve had been part of a small herd, rich with lore and history. She had, as custom dictated, been made a lavish mask as part of her coming of age ceremony, a mask she would also wear to her wedding.

She had not met the stallion in question, she had no need to. He was from a long and noble lineage that would bring their herds together. She would rule beside him as his queen.

It was all she had known, all she had ever planned for. She had not ever dreamed otherwise, for what were dreams but for those who had choices?

Lucille Genevieve was happy. Her father Gerard and her mother Monique had fasted with her and said the ceremonial prayers. Her sister Angelique had been betrothed earlier in the day, and she would soon wed the stallion she would meet today.

As one they would all journey into the new lands, three herds combined.

She placed the mask upon her face as the ceremony was called to order.

Lucille Genevieve stood with her bethrothed at the festivities before they were to be wed. He was tall with a nyctophin that made him even taller beside her petite frame. His colors were the browns of the earth and his eyes were just the same. His hair was also brown, sheared short without any kind of finesse or beauty. He was a great hunter of his tribe, renowned and awarded the name of Glory.

She was what he had expected, but Angelique Lenore, her sister was hardly very accepting of her betrothed. She stood beside him with flaming cheeks and eyes brimming bright with unshed tears.

Did she not know that this was how things were? This was how things had to be?

“Angelique Lenore,” Genevieve hissed at her sister’s retreating back. Her sister turned toward her eyes flashing with something so tangible it was almost flammable. “Don’t look at me like that. You’re disgracing yourself, your family and your bethrothed by the way you’re acting. Can you not even fake that you are happy to meet him?”

Her sisters eyes flashed darkly at her, but she continued on before Angelique could begin her tirade. “If you do not do this for our father or mother, or for our herd, will you not do it for me?” Her sister’s eyes softened.

“Low blow.”

“And what am I to do? If you do not accept him then the alliances will not work. My marriage will be for nothing and—” For a moment the pressure was crushing her chest. “Please for my sake Angelique.” She could not hide the begging in her tone. “For my love, do this please.”

“There’s never really been a choice and there never really will,” Angelique said sadly.

Angelique had moved off to blend with the crowd as Lucille moved forward at the sound of their father’s voice. He spoke of the ancient alliances of the herds and how this ceremony would forever bind them together. Then it was her turn to look at Glory and say the words.

“I bind myself to you. I promise to be faithful, to keep your secrets, and to bring you honor. I promise you this, until death might part us.” She took a small sip of the basin before Glory said his vows. They were similiar to hers, promising to honor and care for her all her days, to be her shield and her honor. The vows, of course, did not speak of love. She was not entirely sure that even now despite her parents telling her that she would love him with time—that they loved each other at all.

Leaning together toward the bowl, Lucille and Glory drank from different sides uniting the herd with their marriage.

Lucille Genevieve felt sick, at first she thought it was nerves and then slowly she realized she was not the only one acting strange. Glory was having a hard time standing, and her father and mother were coughing and wheezing. Her eyes searched the crowd and she found that everyone was doing the same, or rather almost everyone. A stallion stood in the midst of the crowd, his eyes steady and his body calm. But her sister was backing away from the stallion with fear in her eyes.


“POISON!” The words fell on her ears and it took her a moment to realize what they meant. That’s why she felt this way. Poison, it was in her body, running through her veins. Poison. She was dying. Sweat broke out on her brow and she formed the only words that meant anything to her, “Run.” It was barely a whisper and she forced the words out stronger. “Angelique, run!”


The first wedding guest collapsed as her sister fled. She struggled toward the stallion who’s laugh echoed in every corner of her brain. She had to make sure he did not follow her sister, she had not seen Angelique drink. She could live.


“Why?” The words were barely a whisper as she stood before the stallion, preparing to use every last breath in her body to throw herself at him to keep him from her sister. “You did this. Why?”

She could not fathom what he meant. Dusk. Twilight. Sinners. Liars. None of it made much sense. Her head felt heavy, her body overwhelmed. She tried to speak, but her legs gave out from under her. Lucille laid on her side as she watched the stallion move amongst the fallen. She shuddered, suddenly hot then cold and then bile rose in her throat and she vomited.


This was it, she would die here but Angelique would live somewhere out there. She would live. That’s what mattered. And then the world went dark and she saw nothing.