Chapter 1: Bedtime
Wednesday 8:03 PM January 4th 2012, Carpathian Mountains, Romania,
Night-time was upon the Carpathian Mountain Range in Romania. Townsfolk in the various towns have retired for the night, intent on cuddling up in their thick blankets and crackling fireplaces. The blizzard that was going on right now was the most intense, but that was fitting as the mountains were in their coldest month of the year.
A two-storey home stood in the outskirts of a small town that was much closer to the mountains than the others. Once a house that stood without an owner for a little over a decade, it was now renovated and restored to an appearance that said to the townsfolk that it had inhabitants once again within its rooms. Lights were switched on at both floors, but the one in the left wing downstairs was lit only by the fireplace within.
In the upstairs right wing of the home, in a children's bedroom, a mother was tucking in her two daughters to bed. It had been a long day for the family, but it now was time to rest. The family's day in the town had been cut short by the sudden blizzard that had dominated the latter half of the day. And it may continue on for the rest of the week.
The mother herself was a strikingly beautiful figure. She looked like she was in her mid to late thirties. Despite being the mother of two children, her beauty had not faded a bit since she conceived. Her brunette hair cascaded down past her shoulders on top of her sleepwear. Pale blue eyes and lips that would put the most red roses to shame adorned her face. She was tucking in one of her daughters, tenderly and motheringly.
The children themselves were both girls, but different ages. The elder 8-year-old had pale blue eyes just like her mother, but had long blonde hair like her father. If a little bit lighter. She slept at the left side of the bedroom under her thick quilt. As the older sibling, she understood more about the world around her, but she couldn't help but feel like her parents were more than what they appeared to be.
Her name was Rosemary, but she was sometimes called Rose.
Once the mother was finished with tucking in Rosemary, she moved onto her sibling. The sibling in question, a six-year-old, lay in her bed on the right side of the bedroom. She had brown hair just like her mother, but green eyes just like her father. Being the younger sister, she had a bit more cheeky demeanour, but that was fitting for her age. Regardless, she loved her sister and parents all the same with her small, but happy.
Her name was Eveline, but she also like to be called Evie.
The mother finished tucking in Eveline gently into her bed, intent on making her as comfortable as possible. Her motherly instincts were as strong as ever and the love she felt for her children knew no bounds. Her family was the light of her life, after all. She cupped Eveline's cheek and gave her a kiss on the forehead.
"Goodnight, Eveline."
The mother stood up and looked at her daughters with a smile.
"Sleep tight, sweethearts. And don't let the bedbugs bite."
The mother turned and walked towards the door. She was just about to turn the knob until the voice of Rosemary stopped her.
"Mama, can you tell us a bedtime story?" asked the older sister.
The mother turned around. It was past their bedtime and she was beginning to get drowsy herself. But she could never refuse to tell a bedtime story to her precious daughters. Smiling, the mother closed the door behind her and pulled out a rocking chair from the corner of the bedroom. She had that since she went through with her pregnancy with Rosemary and later with Eveline, but she kept it with her for all the happy memories. And she would sit in it whenever she had a bedtime story to tell. She placed the rocking chair in the middle of the beds and walked to a nearby bookshelf.
"Of course, sweethearts. What would you like it to be about tonight?" asked the mother, looking through all the children's books, intent on finding a bedtime story, "Would you like me to read you Village of Shadows tonight."
"No, Mama,", said Eveline, "Not that one tonight."
Eveline looked at Rosemary. From their eye contact, it seemed like they had the same idea about what they wanted to hear tonight from their mother.
"You never told us about how you and Papa met," said Rosemary, "Can you us the story about how you met him?"
The mother was caught off-guard by this request. The circumstances that she had met her beloved husband under were… unique to say the least. She had hoped to maybe tell this particular story when they were a little bit older because of the greater story behind it. But like with all mothers who cared about the well-being of their children, her mind was already at work to cut and piece a story together.
"Alright. Get comfortable, girls, because it's a long one. Maybe longer than any story I've told you before." said the mother.
She sat down in her rocking chair, getting comfortable on the cushions on the bottom and on the backrest. She knew it was going to be a long story to tell and she had to tell them in a way that they would understand, but she had to leave out the details that would arouse unwanted questions.
"It was just another day in my village…," began the mother.
The mother's mind went back to the day in question as she recited her memories to her children. Despite intending to tell the story in a way that the children would understand, she knew the details were much greater than she let on.
Greater than what her children could hope to understand at their current age.