A Marionette's Dream
Prologue

Prologue: March 17, 1891

I cling to my brother’s hand as I watch him sleep, the light from the moon show’s his ill stricken face. His once rosy cheeks are now pale with sickness, dark rings of imposing death surround his once vibrant brown eyes. His shiny black hair has now dulled due to the illness bestowed upon him, I grip his hand tighter as tears stream down my cheeks. A four-year-old isn’t supposed to be plagued like this, no, they’re supposed to be happy and free from worry. The doctor’s say he won’t make it, they say he has about a week. Our whore of a mother doesn’t care, she never has, the she-devil ran father off. Always beating him, saying he was a terrible husband. He wasn’t terrible, she was, and now here is her son my brother laying in a hospital bed dying. It’s her fault that Aidan is sick, she wouldn’t let him come inside. All because he got a little muddy, she left him out in the cold, not giving a damn if he got sick.

The sound of Aidan’s coughing startles me, I look at him worriedly. He settles once more, I breathe a sigh of relief and gently stroke his tangled black hair. “You’re going to be okay...I promise.” I whisper as I place a gentle kiss on his forehead. I gently lay my head down beside his arm, I close my tired brown eyes and allow sleep to take over. “My my your soul looks so distressed milady.” A deep smooth voice startles me awake. I look around the room frantically, but no one is there. A laugh as thick as honey sounded from behind me, I looked back and saw a man. He was wearing a Noble man’s suit, dark brown hair covered his eyes; his skin was like a porcelain doll’s, pale and clear.

I grip onto Aidan’s hand tight and glare at the man. “W-Who are you?” I ask, the man smiles. He bows and glances up at me with red eyes, “Lucas Kane at your service milady.” His voice was smooth like a serpent’s skin. I stare at him wearily, my grip on Aidan’s hand was so tight that my knuckles begin to turn white. Lucas flashed me a malicious grin, he pointed his slender finger at my brother. “I can heal him.” His rich voice spoke matter of factly, I loosen my grip. Hope floods into my chest, no, the doctor’s said that there was nothing anyone can do to cure him. “You must be thinking that I am lying, but I can assure you that I am not. I will heal your brother, but on one condition.” He speaks again.

I straighten my posture and look him straight in the eye. “Heal him first, and then tell me the consequences,” I say bravely. He smirks slyly and holds his hand out to my brother. “May I?” He asks. I nod and move from Aidan’s side, Lucas places his hand on Aidan’s forehead. I heard my brother gasp for air, I look over to him in fear. To my shock, color had begun to return to his cheeks, the dark rings of death have left his eyes, and his beautiful black hair became shiny once more. I stare at Lucas in amazement, this man, no this creature has saved my brother’s life.

I wipe my shock expression away and replace it with a stoic one. “Alright, what is my consequence?” I ask. Lucas looks at me and grins from ear to ear, he removes his hand from Aidan’s forehead and approaches me slowly. I look up at him, my confidence is fading quickly. “One year from now, I will be coming to collect you. You will become my personal doll, you will no longer be human, nor will you no longer be with your brother.” Dread floods my stomach, Lucas continues speaking. “If you back out of our deal, I will take yours and your brother’s life.” He holds out his hand to me and gives me a wicked grin. “Do we have a deal, Scarlett Afton?” I swallow hard and stare at his hand, I take in a deep breath and take his hand in mine. “We do.”