The order of the red snake

I do not want to go, but I have no choice. Well that is not necessarily true, I have a choice I could die. Glancing towards the window, I could run but how far would I get? The doorbell rang, the chime hanging in the air like a hummingbird. Sweat sprang out and lined my forehead. The doorbell rang again, my stomach lurched. How the sound of a tinkling bell could be so powerful was beyond me. My brain froze and my feet seemed to be glued to the wooden floor of my bedroom. Move, I ordered my legs, sluggishly they obeyed.

 Father had placed the trunk in my bathroom earlier, I had to get prepared. The ancient trunk, with its golden hinges and mahogany wood, set in front of my vanity. The trunks heavy ornate lock was gone, removed no doubt by father. Looking up from the trunk, I caught my reflection in the vanity and gasped, shocked by how pale I was.

“Get moving.” I jumped all over, I had not heard my twin enter the room, he was the only one who could sneak up on me.

“The last time I checked tee shirt and jeans is not what tonight requires, brother.” Laughing he did a spin.

“What you don’t think mother would approve? No little sister it will take you twice the time to prepare as me. So, get moving, tonight is not the night you want to get on mother’s bad side.” Moving as quietly as a minx, he left. I turned the shower on, he was right I could not afford to be late.

The hot water felt good, I wanted to linger or drown, but instead I turned the water off and reached for my towel. After pulling on my underthings and bathrobe, I called for Chloe.

“Chloe, I need my hair dried and braided. Do I need to express how important tonight is?” The woman has been my servant my entire life and would be until my marriage or one of us died. Chloe was not a friend, mother had seen to that, she was a servant and nothing more. The memory of the beating I received at six drove that point home, I shivered at the memory. It was a child’s imagination that had started the fuse that caused mothers explosion. Wanting to play, I talked Chloe into a tea party. Daniel was with father that day and I had no other friends. So, as I poured her a cup of pretend tea, a slap that rolled me across the room landed on my small cheek.

“How dare you act as if this woman was a friend, she is nothing to you. Nothing.” Mother’s spit hit my face as she screamed inches from it. Several punches later, mother regained her composure. Chloe was unconscious not far from me. It was the last time she tried to help or be friendly.

“No ma’am, you do not need to remind me.” Chloe’s voice was as quiet as a mouse fart, I often had to strain to hear her, no matter she knew what to do. As Chloe fixed my long black hair, I applied a very modest amount of make-up, just some foundation and lip gloss.

“Leave me.” Chloe hurried to obey, maybe I am channeling mother tonight. For the first time in I can’t remember when, I closed my bathroom door. Then I approached the trunk, walking on the balls of my feet, as if the trunk was an enemy. Well it was, I sighed. That trunk has tormented me since childhood. Mother and Father’s long talks of its importance, its history, its ties to the elitist families in the world, and most importantly of all that it remains an absolute secret. Never in my sixteen years have I been allowed to touch it, and certainly not open it. Brother’s was different, it had silver hinges and was made of tigerwood. The trunks would become permanently ours after tonight.

Despite the fact I had never opened the trunk I knew what waited inside. With trembling fingers, I reached out and opened the trunk. Only three items currently rested within the trunk, many more would be added within my life. The cerise colored robe with a solid white mink collar was very heavy as I pulled it free of the trunk. It was beautiful, I held it out in front of me, and admired the silver fasteners. Mother had told me many times the beauty of my Primis Robe, but she had fallen short. Running my hand through the mink fur I smiled for the first time today. Gently laying the robe across the vanity bench, I reached back into the trunk and pulled out a long flowing gown that exactly matched the deep cerise of the robe. I pulled the dress on over my head it fit like a glove, as I knew it would. The trunk held one more piece, a black leather belt with an empty knife sheath. Once it was fastened, I pulled the heavy robe on. Making the choice not to look at myself in the mirror I padded out of the room on bare feet.

Daniel was waiting at the top of the stairs. Stunning in his silk cerise shirt and black pants, his robe, matching my, was draped over his arm. Twins are rare in our family, I was so thankful for Daniel, I don’t think I could get through this without him. Tonight, so much would be revealed, tonight would change our lives forever, tonight would slaughter our childhood, and tonight would bring about equality in our home. Something I had no idea what was, after tonight my brother and I would be free. After tonight I would be allowed friends, after tonight I would be allowed to go to school, and after tonight mother would never be allowed to harm us again. If we survived. Daniel held his arm out and I took it and we made our way down the stairs.

The house was eerily quiet, we knew where we had to go. The ceramic of the kitchen floor was cold, we made our way past the refrigerator and turned into what appeared to be an ordinary pantry. Fear now ran around my stomach like an angry rat, I swallowed several times before I was sure I would not vomit. Daniel reached up and moved the sugar to one side and pushed the hidden lock behind it. The entire shelve swung in, we moved into a long stone lined hall, lit by torches. A little further down was an arch with these words carved above, “In Ordine Quem Rufus Draco.”

“The order of the red serpent.” Daniel whispered, I knew Latin as well as he did, but I said nothing. Daniel made sure the shelves was shut and we made our way down the hall. Soon the hall opened into an enormous chamber, with white marble floors, the marble quickly chilled me. There were six cloaked figures waiting for us near a dais. The dais caught my eye, it was yew wood and had many scars upon its surface. The figures wore cloaks, a shade of blue grey with wolf fur around the collar. Hoods of the same blue grey shadowed their faces, making identifying them impossible.

“Darnel, remove your cloak and step forward.” The soft whisper echoed around the room, masking who had spoken. Hastily I moved to obey. I stopped just in front of the dais and waited for further instructions. A hooded figure stepped forward and pulled their hood back. I tried to hide the gasp that escaped but I didn’t succeed. The woman’s face was hideous, thick ropy scars crisscrossed her face not an ounce of undamaged skin could be seen. Forcing myself to look away, I lowered my head and gave her respect. My parents would have been appalled at my behavior.

“Come child.” A soft chanting started, the room allowed it to echo and grow in volume.

The woman motioned for me to lay down upon the dais, I obeyed without thought. My head swam, and the room seemed to have gotten darker. The chanting became louder, glancing around I saw the room was now full of hundreds of cloaked figures. Something glinted just above my head, I saw the silver dagger as it passed my face and plunged into my chest. I writhed in agony, my blood flowed out across the yew wood and dripped to the floor. A cold penetrated me, my mind floated above the pain, and slowly I felt the yew wood warm. A strange pressure started in my back, a deep searing pain caused me to scream out, then the knife fell from my chest, followed by the yew splinter that had pushed it out. No more pain and suddenly memories flashed through my mind, but they were not my memories. Memories of battles fought and won, memories of the beginning of the order, in an instant the memory of every order member was mine. A memory rolled through of my mother and father embracing, I gagged. A chalice was pressed to my lips, “Drink Darnel, it will help.” The sweet liquid rolled down my throat and calmed the raging storm in my head.

Daniel laid down upon the yew, I knew now how he might die. The yew might decide not to heal him. It had happened before with twins, in fact it happened nearly every time with twins. But I know what the order is now, and I will not interfere. I would miss him if he died, but I would continue. Only a twinge of fear surfaced as I watched them plunge the knife in. If he did survive it would give us tremendous power among the order, I hope he lives. My hopes came true, soon the knife fell to the table followed by the yew splinter. The same chalice was pressed to his lips, I smiled at my brother.

The ceremony continued; I was called to stand next to my brother at the dais. The woman with the scars, Pessima was her name, came forward.

“You are now part of a society that goes back to ancient times. Your names have been added, as have your memories. From this day forth the only life you will have will be for the order, go out into the world and take what you want. The bond we all share can not be broken, and you two are special. Each of you give me your right arm.” We obeyed immediately, with the memories nothing was a surprise, we knew the ceremony as well as those giving it. A small nick, then I allowed my blood to drip upon the yew. The knife was then presented to me, I quickly lowered it into my sheath.

The ceremony was over now, I made my way through the dark house with ease. The new memories gave me so much knowledge it almost scared me. I knew histories of events that none outside the order knew, I knew things no sixteen-year-old knew. My life truly had been changed forever, starting tomorrow I would begin my new life. Yesterday I knew little of life, I had never socialized outside the house, I had been tutored at home beside my brother and mother kept close reigns on us. Now, however thanks to the memories I had all those experiences and so much more. The world was mine now, all I had to do was take it.