Raven and Rose

Chapter 4: Black Magic

"Rosey- Rosey- wakey, wakey!"

She groaned in response to Brent. After 6 years of late nights she had grown accustomed to day time sleeping. The whole waking up at 5am was not her cup of tea.

She felt him chuckle as he moved out of bed to get dressed,
"I am getting the horses ready, you are on breakfast Sleeping Beauty. Can't keep prince charming waiting you know!"

She heard him exit. She sat up rubbing sleep from her eyes. She quickly wiped herself down and threw on a riding frock and her boots. It was a warm day all ready so she twisted her hair in a knot, taking her time to loosen it enough to cover the scar on the back of her neck. It had been 2 years since she removed the wretched choker that was infused to her spine but the scar still reminded her of her magic block and the depth of the black magic.

Magic was not suppose to be used around people who did not process it as it scared people. It's why devices like the chokers exsisted. Magical blockers were dangerous to witches, it took a lot of experience to know how to remove them. Rose would always be thankful of May, Brent's mother's best friend. Even if May did curse Raven, effectively tying the girls together indefinitely despite their bad blood.

Jasen's dark eyes came to her mind. She thought of the warm early mornings with him. He would soothe her bruises from dancing all night with light kisses. They would be entwined in his bed until Rose would have to sneak back into her shared room with Raven.

Raven often would be sneaking into the room too. Normally she was with Charlie so she could avoid dancing shifts. Rose had become accustomed to dropping her clothing, she had learned to just let men love how she looked. As long as no one touched her it was what it had to be. Raven however had never been good at dancing. She felt too exposed and hated when people would point Rose out as the "better" twin.

So Raven would stick to serving shifts by sleeping Charlie, who scheduled all the women. And if he passed out from drinking too much she sometimes would also sleep with other men so she could collect money.

It was a dirty life for both girls.

Luckily Rose had Jason. Rose loved Jasen. He promised her he would help them escape. He was forgiving of her when men would leer so heavily at her on stage. He said with her mask on he could pretend she was someone else, not his girl. He was even nice about Uncle Herbert, even as she cried into Justin's shoulder after being forced to spend time with Herbert.

When Uncle Herbert came to the lodge, a few times a month, he would make her walk through the crowd on his arm "to show off his best." She would have to pretend to love everything about him. He would bring her to the highest paying tables, he wouldn't let any of them pay to sleep with her but he would make her take off her dress to show the rich dirty men how truly beautiful she was. Sometimes they would pay him to touch her, which he allowed occasionally. He told her he wouldn't sell her until she was 18, as he had a highest bidder contest going for her virginity. And the bids were unbelievably high. It was sickening. But it did stop him from sleeping with her.

She couldn't do anything to fight Herbert. With the magic blocker on her energy drained quickly. If either girl left the property the choker was designed to eliminate them.

Herbert also controlled her with Raven. Raven was hot headed, even with the magic blocker. He would threaten to kill Raven if Rose refused him in any way. And if Rose was caught by him slacking or not giving a good enough attention to him he would always make Tiffany cut Raven's hair. Raven loved her hair long. One time Rose was seen by Herbert enjoying herself talking to Prince Mark on his birthday. In response to Herbert's jelousey Tiffany had to shave off a whole side of Raven's head "to give her a tough look." Raven cried all morning and refused to talk to Rose for a month.

Rose had never felt so lonely. After that month Raven had made up with Rose. Herbert would not do anything to ruin Rose's looks and Raven knew he messed with her hair to hurt Rose too. But Rose knew deep down that all was not forgiven after the head shave.

Jasen was Charlie's cousin. He would come to the lodge on and off to help bartend or bounce. He loved to tease the girls and because he was so handsome he got away with it. Brent had told her when he first saw Rose he was "caught, hook, line and sinker". He never got tired of asking about her. Rose was very careful about paying any of the men on staff attention to keep Herbert's temper at bay. So slowly Jasen wormed his way around Herbert. Soon he would help Charlie with dance rehearsal just to speak to Rose.

One night Herbert drank too much and took off with Tiffany. Rose was tipsy that night too and feeling braver than normal. She was so angry at her situation that she decided to sleep with Jason. It started a 3 year secret relationship. Herbert never found out and Raven always covered for Rose. She told Rose she was proud of her for defying Herbert. Until the head shave.

Looking back Rose had seen something admiss. Raven was too friendly. When Rose was on stage Justin would leave suddenly. He told her he didn't like watching her dance because it reminded him "he was failing to save her." Meanwhile Raven would exit through the other door because she had started bar tending more. She told Charlie she was "stocking."

Even the night Brent told Rose that May was coming; that she now knew how to unlock the chokers. Rose in her excitement ran to her and Raven's room. She yanked the door open and Jason was sitting on Rose's bed. He smiled sheepishly and said him and Raven had just been "talking about her" Raven stood by her dresser, no doubt having just changed. A strange expression on her face. But then she smiled happily at the thought of escape and Rose put it almost out of her mind even as she smelt Raven's perfume on Jason's skin that night.

He came with them the night of escape. Brent followed behind them, he had paid for a year's rent on a small cottage in a near by town. Rose and Raven were letting their magic flow, as well as the alcohol, in celebration. They sealed Herbert from the property. Then they regenerated the dead vines and flowers. Brent kept looking his upset face at Jason who stealthy avoided his gaze.

Rose looked up at Jason as she wrapped her arms around him,
"Maybe we can get married soon?" A look washed over him that she couldn't read but then he kissed her in response. Over his shoulder she saw Brent give Jason a darker look until Raven grabbed Brent and led him out the cabin.

Rose cleared her mind with a deep sigh as her arms raised a cool shiver down her arms. Despite the warm weather she still wrapped up a light cardigan. Jason had been her confidante. He knew her more than Brent and almost as well as Raven. She hated that despite everything she still missed the feel of his arms.

Walking out the tent she headed towards the water with a pot to start breakfast. The day had to begin.