Alana

"Alana" resounds again. Startled, Alana opens her bright blue eyes. Her heart races in her chest and makes her round, full breasts move hastily up and down. A honey blonde hair rests between her rosy lips. She looks incomprehensibly at the bright sunlight that peaks between the imperial red curtains, matching the raspberry-colored walls. Confused, she stares at the gold ceiling. The black chandler is decorated with black pearls. "Alana" she hears again. She sits up straight. Alana rubs her bright eyes and gazes at the soft white carpet for a moment before she regains a sense of time and place. "Alana are you awake?" "Yes, I'm up" she shouts loudly, her voice still trembling. Blowing, she places her head in her hands. She takes the book from her pillow and looks at the title; The legend of the curse. How knights earned a bad name. She takes a deep breath in relief. "Idiot" she blows with relief. A loud knock echoed through the fresh room. "One moment" Alana shouts, and hastily hides the thick book under her wooden single bed. The bed, a copy of the second bed in the bedroom, was decorated with sangria-colored bedlinen. "Alana, are you presentable" she hears grandma ask behind the thick door. "Yes" Alana yells and throws the sheet over her bed. She quickly stands up and looks at her grandmother, who walks in. "Alana, it's almost noon child" she says. Her narrow lips are clenched on each other. Alana nods remorsefully and looks at her grandmother. As always, she wears a burgundy-colored cloth tiara on her forehead. Her gray hair, neatly tied into a loaf knot is decorated with red pearls. The high front of the tiara neatly hides her pointy ears. Her slender body is wrapped in a ruby-long red dress. The high white collar of her dress hugs her pointed chin, making her old face look even more stern. Around her, long fingers adorn some rings that click gently together as she folds her hands. "Alana" she repeats. Alana looks up and swallows. "Sorry," she asks. Grandma sighs and rolls her silver prominent eyes. "I'm not going to repeat myself all the time Alana, you know what we expect from you. She sighs and leaves the room. Alana lets out a deep sigh. "Yes Grandma" she mumbles and takes a long dark purple dress from her wooden wardrobe. She drops herself with a sigh on the sangria-colored couch and rubs her eyes "Finally I've found you again" she hears again. How did she come up with that? She curses her own fantasy and dresses in a tight dark purple dress. she ties her corset laces to her belly and walks out of her bedroom. Grandma is too focused on her sewing to notice Alana, who slowly walks into the dining room. Their farmhouse was silent as the night. There wasn't a sound to be heard. Alana could almost hear her own heartbeat. A wicker basket with fresh apples adorns the long dark oakwooden dining table. Alana takes a blood-red apple from the pile and looks around innocently. She carefully bites into the juicy fruit. "Alana" her sister yells loudly. Startled Alana almost chockes on the piece of fruit. She pushes her fingers to her lips and turns her eyes at the red-haired girl who enthusiastically rushes toward her. "You're late" she exclaims. "Good morning to you too Katinka" Alana mocks. Katinka shakes her head, causing her long red wavy hair to slide down her back. She takes the apple out of Alana's mouth. "They are for the cake" shouts Katinka indignant, and puts the apple back in the basket. Alana shrugs innocently. "What is the occasion?" "The return of father of course" Katinka laughs and rolls her grass-green eyes. Her pink lips and light tanned skin give her almost a European impression. Alana always said that her sister was the most exotic and beautiful girl of this town. Long wavy red locks, A hourglass shaped, slender body with round breast, not to tall but not to short. Deep green monolit shaped eyes eyes and heart shaped pink lips. dark brown steep arched eyebrowns and small pointed ears. Her soft warm ivory colored skin was almost perfect. Her heart shaped face, was decorated with little freckles that adorned her small nose. As alway she wore two sidebraids in her hair, right above her pointy ears, who come together at the back of her haid in one waterfall braid. Was it a stereotypical elfish hairstyle? Yes? Did it fit Katinka? Yes! Alana barely can remember her sister without that braid. "Alana" asks Katinka once more. Alana takes a deep breath and nods. "Ofcourse, how could I forget?" Katinka grins. "Father will be so pleased!" Their father, Nalin, was a merchant and a farmer. It happened now and then that he had to sell crops on the market. But since this was a small town he had to travel to the big city in order to make profit. It wasn't so far from home. Only a three days travel. "What's the matter? Didn't sleep well", Katinka jokes and wipes her hands on her long dark orange dress. Alana ignores the question and tucks some of her honey-colored hair behind her pointy ear. Katinka places her hands reassuringly on her woven belt around her waist. Alana smiles as she observes the bronze buckle that holds her braid on his place. Goldcolored and in the shape of a rose. "Come on, if we want to bake a cake we need sugar," she says and nods to the door. "Are you sure mother allows this?" she laughs. Katinka laughs. "You know we can't just leave the house, right" Alana mocks. Katinka smiles. "Like you don't like it," she jokes. Alana laughs and follows her sister. The warm sunlight caresses Alana's jaws and conjures a golden sheen on Katinka's long red hair. "Katinka, are you sure father is coming back today?" Alana asks. Katinka looks at Alana doubtfully. "Of course. He's always gone for nine days." Alana nods in agreement. She takes a deep breath and closes her eyes for a second. "What is it, Alana?" "Nothing" she lies and smiles forcedly. Katinka frowns. "You know you can tell me anything, right?" Alana nods. "You ever had a weird dream, that didn't feel like a dream?" "Did you have to much sugar before bed again" asks Katinka. Alana chuckles. "Probably, Let's get that sugar" she mocks. Katinka nods in agreement and hastily makes her way to the village. While Katinka cheerfully talks about everything she would tell her father, Alana's thoughts drift back to her dream. It was so strange. It seemed so realistic. So intense... And yet? The cursed book she thinks. "Alana" repeats Katinka. Alana looks up in surprise. "Sorry Katinka" she blushes. Katinka shakes her head with a smile. The village was a ten-minute walk from their farm. Their parents preferred to live a little further from "the crowd" as they put it. Two farms surrounded them and, for the rest, nothing but grassy hills and a clear stream. Alana enjoyed the peace, but Katinka preferred to be among the villagers. Its cobbled streets, bustling Market Square, and overwhelming smells of baked goods and crackling campfires charmed Katinka. Alana didn't like it that much. She preferred to be alone, quiet, and with her thoughts in the clouds. And as always, Alana was once again engrossed in her own dream world. "Alana" asks Katinka amused. "Huh?" she asks. Katinka laughs loudly. "What was it this time? Trolls? Mountains?" Alana shakes her head. "Sorry Katinka, I really can't focus today" Alana apologizes. Katinka chuckles. "Today" she jokes. Alana rolls her eyes and follows Katinka to the stall. "Alana look!" Katinka exclaims enthusiastically and points to the colorful ribbons that adorn the beams. Everything is ready for the winter party tonight! Alana frowns. "You know Mother didn't give us permission." Katinka laughs. "They go to bed at seven anyway... Well, what you don't know doesn't hurt", Katinka laughs. Alana laughs. How could she forget this year's festival? Everyone always looked forward to it! The winter festival wasn't bad; just busy. But the food and music were always good. And not only that. The fact that the whole village would be there means she could see him again. "Lady Alana, Lady Katinka" greets the fat salesman. His oily skin glows in the winter sun. A crooked dark beret rests on his frizzy hair. "What will it be?" he asks and rubs his dry hands. "1 pound of sugar please." "That's 6 Shillings" the man answers and hands over a burlap bag. The coins change hands in silence. "It seems like every week everything just gets more expensive," Alana says as they slowly walk on. Katinka nods. "The economy isn't what it once was," Katinka replies with regret. "Oh, we'll get there anyway," Alana says. Katinka smiles."Why isn't the master doing anything about it. Instead of worrying about who has the highest wall," Katinka laughs amused. "You know, in spite of everything you would be a good leader. Maybe you are wrong and this is exactly where you should be. As the leader of this village." "I'm the wrong sex for that," Alana sighs disappointed. "Who knows, one-day women, will be able to do just as much as men." Alana laughs. "Sure, maybe in the far distant future." "I'm glad you're my sister" whispers Katinka and wraps her arms around Alana. Alana closes her eyes for a second. She opens her eyes again and stares at her wrist in shock. Two bloody teeth marks adorn her wrist. Her mouth slowly falls open as her thoughts raced back to her dream. But how? Wasn't it a dream then? Don't be stupid Alana. Hastily, she folds her hand and pulls her wrist as Katinka straightens herself. "I need five minutes with Vania. Is that possible?" Alana nodded vigorously. She tries to control her breathing. Katinka grins gratefully and kisses Alana's jaw. She quickly disappears into the crowd and leaves Alana alone. Alana swallows and looks again at the red mark. She takes a step back and swallows. She closes her eyes for a moment and then sits down on one of the heavy wooden benches. Deep in thought, she looked at the crackling campfire. There is no other way, she hadn't bumped her wrist nor was there an insect that leaves this kind of imprint. Slowly she lifts her eyes to the older man who is sitting a little further. His beady gray eyes burned on Alana. She stands up suspiciously. "Hello Alana" says the old man. Alana knew perfectly who he was. Professor Jaspar, the old storyteller of the village. Everyone thought he was weird, but Alana had often enjoyed his stories in the past. He used to give them private lessons when they could still afford it. Alana swallows and secretly looks at her wrist again. Jasper didn't take his potruding silvr eyes off her.She hurriedly turns and looks for Katinka. It was time to go home. "Katinka" she whispers and makes her way to her sister. "Katinka" she repeats, and looks at the boy she is talking to. The baker's son, Vania, was a charming boy. Kind and hardworking. He would certainly be a good husband later on. And no matter how hard Alana wanted it for Katinka, now was not the time to work on that future. "Katinka, we have to go" she repeats. "What's up Alana?" "soldiers are being creepy" she lies. Katinka nods. She gives Vania one last kiss on his cheek, after which she leaves the village again with her sister. "Alana, everything okay" Katinka asks concerned. Alana nods and tries to control her heartbeat. "I'm just really uncomfortable if I see the soldiers abusing their power" she lies. Katinka nods and silently walks home with Alana. "Do you think the'll come to the party?" Alana shakes her head. "I don't know." She enjoyed the festivals in town, but her insides twist and twirl as if something was coming. "Alana, I know you are nervous about his return but you will see. He will be happy to see you" Katinka smiles and walks into the house. Frowning, Alana looks at the gray sky. A black falcon circles slowly above the lawn. Before father left, he and Alana had shared a few words. Alana was not satisfied with his future plans for her. He wanted her to get married. And not only that, he had chosen someone for her. Father was sure that Muriel, the captain's son, was a perfect match for her. Muriel had made it clear that he didn't mind, but Alana really couldn't imagine this. She'd never spoken to Muriel before, heck, she wasn't even sure she liked him. Why was father so eager to secure her future? It was her life anyway. When she made it clear that she didn't want this, her father got very angry., he even slapped her jaw What if he was still angry? Silently mother comes and stands next to her and rests her forearms without a word on the ornately finished patio fence. Her coconut brown long hair is carefully tied together in a tight updo. Alana smiles gently and turns her face to Mother. Her eyes are dull, like the sky after a summer storm. Her tanned face is sunken and her rosy lips are clenched hard. In silence they stand side by side, staring at the horizon. "You know he won't come back today," Mother finally says. Alana lets out a deep sigh. "I know" she answers softly. "Do you think he's already on his way?" Alana asks concerned. Mother doesn't answer. "Come, let's eat" she orders and walks with firm steps into the farm. Alana looks at the eagle one last time before obediently following Mother. The thick door closes behind her with a dull thud.