Ever since there were dreams, there were stories. When there are stories, there are mysteries and secrets. In the realm known to many as the Dreaming, not too far away from the palace of the Lord Shaper, there stood two houses, one next to the other. One was the House of Mysteries, in there lived the first murderer. The other was the House of Secrets, in there lived the first to ever be murdered.
On a day no different than any other in the Dreaming, a friend came to visit the brothers who lived in the two houses. A young witch who had lost her way accompanied her.
"Hello Abel." Eve greeted the owner of the House of Secrets.
"Huhello, uh, Eve." he replied, he then noticed the witch. "Hm, who do we have huhere?"
The witch held out her hand to greet the man.
"My name's Molly, Molly Smith, of Hufflepuff House." she said as he shook her hand.
"Her classmate botched a dream potion and she got lost here. I thought we could have a little tea and tell a few stories until she wakes up."
"Suhsure, I'll uh invite Cuhcain."
Eve groaned. Molly was puzzled.
"Do we have to?"
"Yuhyou know how he guhgets."
"He always gets like that."
"Hey, what's all the hub bub around here?"
Cain hopped the fence between the two houses. He waltzed over and leaned on Abel's shoulder.
"Werwe were abuhbout to have some tuhtea and tell a few suhstories. Hm. Want to join uh in?"
"I'd be happy to join in." His attention was then drawn to Molly. "Who's she?"
"I'm Molly, of Hufflepuff House." She replied a little indignantly.
"Ah, a witch. It's been a while since we had a witch in our neck of the woods. I believe I know a few stories you little magic folk grew up with."
They entered the House of Secrets and sat in the parlor as Abel made the tea.
"So Molly," Said Cain, "have you read any stories by Beetle the Bard?"
"Actually no, I am muggle born, I'm afraid. I grew up with Grimm fairy tales."
"Then you're in for a treat," Eve said, "We know all the stories. I think I'll tell you my favorite story about the Fountain of Fair Fortune-"
"Boring!" Cain interrupted. "She's never heard of these stories before and you go straight to the boring one."
"Huhow about the Werwarlock's Huhairy Huhuheart?"
"Of course not that one, you sniveling oaf. I never liked that story, makes no sense."
Molly was startled by Cain's insults towards his own brother. But she ignored them when seeing no one else react and sipped her tea. The three pondered until Abel thought of another story.
"The um Tuhtale of the Thuhthree Buhbrothers."
Cain smiled the smile he would always give to his brother, as if he was deciding in what fashion to kill him (which was never too far from the truth for him).
"Perfect, perfect, absolutely perfect my dear brother. Maybe you're not useless after all. "
"I agree," Eve said, "I love that story. Molly, you'll enjoy it. It's a true story, after all."
"That's a secret, dear mother." Cain chided.
"First of all, I am not your mother. And second, we're in the House of Secrets. Should it matter that much if a secret is told within these walls? You don't forbid me to reveal a mystery in your house."
"Fine. Abel, you stuttering buffoon, why don't you see if you can spit this one out right."
Abel drank some tea before taking a deep breath in preparation to recite the story.
"There was a river that crossed a path. It was too deep to wade across and too treacherous to swim. Whoever would try to come across it would always drown. Because of this, Death was never too far away from this river..."