Winter's Dead Bride

Chapter One

Saturday 17th November, night. Land of Seven Winters.

I'm named Azalea Chióni, after a poisonous, red flower that is beautiful yet so dangerous. I was named after it as I was born a feisty child, also bizarrely cold at birth so my parents thought I'd die straight away but I somehow braved through so it was as if I had survived a poison. So came my name. Azalea.

***

I couldn't wrap my head around the fact that my little sister died on an unlucky Wednesday, her birthday on top of that! I had even promised to bake her a cake...she was my only remaining family, all I shared my blood with. It broke me that Fortune seemed to despise me so much. Everyone vulnerable keeps dying now that the virus is spreading a lot more even when they're warned to stay indoors. The Second Minister of Winter had told us that we shouldn't be shocked by it or we'd be more easily targeted by the brutal illness. I hated it, I hated it so much, I wished it could just end already! A virus in a place where an illness so strong has never been seen. 

I lost both my parents on my thirteenth birthday, being stripped of more happiness. That was when the virus first broke out and acknowledged. My parents were the first to die, a mark that we were destined for doom. Ten years have passed from that, I'm already twenty-three. No known antidote has been found yet and now I've lost my precious sister. Right, I'm just a dull-witted, poisonous flower who keeps losing everything essential and a complete nobody who deserves no one in their life to make them feel any safer.

I held my head low, thoroughly disturbed as I made my way home after visiting my family' graves which were ditches rather than graves. Additionally, it was troublesome always having to wear masks because they had to be strapped so tightly over the mouth and it terribly hurt. 

If only the Seventh Minister of Winter was still here... He would have definitely known what to do... But awful Rumour has it told that he was either assassinated in his sleep or he was banished from his position for an unknown reason. He disappeared some time ago, leaving everyone worried until protests broke out. The Government tried to reassure everyone but there has still been a lingering mistrust in the people since then. The Seventh Minister was the second youngest son of the Emperor of the neighbouring Land of Never-Ending Autumn. Every girl definitely had a crush on him, I included. He was well-built with fine black, hair and a pair of golden, honey eyes that shimmered like crisp autumn leaves. I heavily sighed beneath my mask. He was unlike us Winter Citizens, he was knowledgeable in a lot of things as he came from a place where every herb had a specific role - which meant he should know a lot about medicine. And antidotes.

I was trudging down the last alley to my house, tearing off my facemask when a sudden hiss almost ripped my skin right off my bones! I whipped myself around, warier than I was courageous, to find that there was hardly anyone to be seen in the gloomy alley. I gulped down some fear as I stuffed the mask into my bag then began to rationally decide that it was just a frightened cat that had been ousted by an old woman's tattered broom. "Hisssss!" There it was again. I swallowed even harder than before. I stopped walking now, gripping tightly on to the bag that I had taken the flowers in.

"Hello? Anyone there?" I bravely proceeded, my voice wavering as I spoke.

I waited for about a second for the reply. No answer. Oh well, I tried! I started to hurry away again, determined to get home when I was suddenly taken from behind. 

Was I being kidnapped? Wait. Of course, I was being kidnapped!!!

The person covered my mouth, still not allowing me to look at him or her. The person was pretty strong as I attempted to struggle... Crap, I was trapped and no one ever strolled along this deserted alley, especially at these dangerous times... I'm already dead! I tried to cry but all that came was a muffle, hardly elbowing the person as they continued to hold me tight. This was tiring me out and I merely gave in and stayed still. Well everyone is either dead or dying...why should I have a special reason to remain living?