A beautiful party, a glass of wine, and a carefree smile.

"Ten!"

The castle fills with guests on this fine night, appearing from all over the land, eager to visit the young master on his 18th birthday. The festivities would last throughout the week, culminating in one last toast at midnight. A toast that would come, and end, in a wave of agony.

"Nine!"

The young master himself watches deliriously as the crowd swirls around, beginning a dance that would twirl him towards the front. The rush, the excitement, the feeling of freedom.

"Eight!"

Unknown to him, his brother trapped across the grounds, life slipping from his fingers. He had tried to stop this night, but he knew he would never succeed now.

"Seven!"

The Lord waits nearby, in his hands a precious offer. He had hoped, and waited, but would wait as long as it took for the young master agree.

"Six!"

A Gardner wrought with worry, inspecting each new masked face as they walked past him. He would never find whom he seeks.

"Five!"

Hands in the air as the music ends at a talented musician's hands. The Knight laughs behind him, swirling an old friend across the dance floor.

"Four!"

Soft eyes scan the crowd as he looks for his best friend. Beside him, the witch doctor and his guide exchange verbal blows.

"Three"

The glass presented by trusted hands. The chef smiling, oblivious of what was to come.

"Two"

A crooked grin, a well worked plan, and an evil intent vanishes into the night.

"One"

The young master raises his glass towards the crowd, for this was his birthday toast. He smiles at all he loved before he brings the poisoned glass to his lips. A tightening chest, a struggled breath, weakened knees, then a collapse. The young master fell dead into his lover's arms. The night had ended.

[=]

"I had the strangest dream last night!" Feliciano said over dinner. His brother shrugged in response, absorbed in his sketch he had brought to the table.

"Light or Dark?" Lovino asked, holding up his smudged drawing. Feliciano studied the drawing before answering, "Light. Light always wins. But there was a party!" He continued. "And it all looked really fun!" His eyebrows furled. "Well, it was fun. I think someone died at the end"

Lovino made a noncommittal grunt. "Don't all your dreams end like that?"

"Well, no not like this! It felt like it was real, like I was at the party!" Feliciano began to stir his tortellini around his plate. "Maybe it was a sign to have a party for our birthday?" He said, looking up hopefully.

"Nope, no way. You know I hate people"

"Not pretty ladies!"

"Do you know any pretty ladies we can invite?"

Feliciano frowned. "Not really"

"Case and point." And with that, the two fell into silence, each consumed with their separate thoughts. Feliciano with the soft dream of excitement and a party that ends in disaster, Lovino with images of chiaroscuro melting into his sketchbook. Times had been slow for the two brothers. Since their grandfather had passed away years ago and left them a small piece of property in the Italian countryside they had not much to do. There was enough money in inheritance to not have to keep a full time job and pursue their own interests. But within the gardening, sketching, painting, and writing, nothing exciting had happened in almost two years. With Feliciano graduating school that year with no plans to move forward in his life, it felt like nothing would continue to happen. That is, until the phone began to ring.

Both brothers turned to the kitchen wall, confused. No one ever called the house phone.

Lovino stood up, putting aside his sketch. He approached curiously and answered the call. "Pronto?"

"Is this the residence of Feliciano Vargas?" The caller asked, heavy with German accent, but the message was clear to make out.

Lovino tried not to scowl. "Yeah, he lives here. What do you want? Why are you calling? Am I paying for a long distance call because if I am-"

"Lovino! Don't be rude." Feliciano said, grabbing the phone away. "Pronto?"

He turned away as Feliciano began to speak to the mystery caller, but never left earshot. "Yes this is him…. Contest? I didn't enter any contest…." He fell silent, before "I won?! Evviva! How exciting let me tell- Lovino, did you hear! I won a contest! An all-expense paid vacation to the Black Forest!"

Lovino raised a suspicious eyebrow. "Someone calls you on the phone to enter a forest in some foreign country- someone you don't even know- and you're not convinced it's a scam? Give me the phone"

"He didn't ask for you" Feliciano retorted, before turning back to the phone. He was quiet, listening on. "I don't know" He finally said. "Can I bring a guest?" Silence, quiet and bated breath through the small house. Before finally, Feliciano smiled with relief. "Thank you, sir! I'll check the mail for the tickets, thank you!"

"They're gonna rob you of all your money" Lovino said, crossing his arms. But he said no more on the subject. The call was all Feliciano could talk about. All throughout dinner, and the next day, and the next. Lovino said nothing while Feliciano walked by the door time after time to see if the mail had come yet or not. Occasionally, he found himself checking too.

Then finally, finally the day came. A heavy yellow envelope closed with a red wax seal. Inside was two tickets to Germany, directions, and a short letter of congratulations. The letter itself was written in a fancy scrawl, quick and to the point.

Dear Feliciano V. and One Guest,

Congratulations.

I wish you safe travels as you come to visit Darkmoor Manor.

We've been expecting a visit for quite the long time

The letter remained unsigned, and once again Lovino had qualms about taking an invitation where he had no connections to the offerer. "Not even a name" He lamented to Feliciano, who remained determined to go.

"There's just something telling me this is where I am supposed to be" Feliciano said, and continued to pack.

Lovino studied his brother's set face. He had never seen him with such resolve. "If we die," Lovino said, pulling out his own suitcase "I'll never let you live it down"

[=]

Far away, a castle shrouded against light and time began to stir. "Did they agree?" The Lord asked, pacing up and down the hall. "Is he truly coming?"

"Patience" A voice responded. "You must not rush this"

The Lord paused, staring ahead. The large painting on the wall seemed to mock, the painted smile of the figure causing pain in his chest. The Lord closed his eyes, unwilling to draw out the pain any longer. "I promise, Veneziano, I will get you back"

He turned away, eager to prepare, leaving the painting of two brothers hanging peacefully in the hall.