From the Ashes

~Maria~ Sitting on the ledge of the large bay window, I gazed out across the vast beautiful gardens. Acres of green lawns mowed into perfect straight lines, fountains and statues and water features. It was a breathtaking sight to behold. I could barely believe that after today this would be my home. The place was a hive of activity  with  both servants and security. Hundreds of employees carrying endless arrangements of flowers. The place was completely a buzz, I could hear my mother and sisters voices giving orders and ensuring everything would be complete perfection.  Still In the middle of all this chaos my eyes gravitated to one person in the crowds, I could still find him in an instant. Tall, Blonde curled hair and a sharp chiselled jawline. My mouth trembled and his name fell from my lips without a thought Porter Ghiaccio. For a second I allowed my mind to wander away from my current position and reflect on what had brought me to this moment. Porter had been in my life forever. There where days between our birthdays and he was as close to me as a brother growing up. The Ghiaccio family had a long standing relationship with ours that had gone back for centuries, Porters father Eric was one of my fathers most trusted friends and allies, so much so that when Porter turned 18 he joined my fathers security detail. Just days after our joint celebration he was sent away to our training facility. I wasn’t a woman of short stature but Porter has always towered over me in height. When he returned from his training his shoulders had suddenly broadened, he was muscular, confident. Suddenly all feelings of familiarity turned to lust between us. So when my father announced he had arranged a match for me my heart hoped he had chosen Porter but seeing him standing in that crowd today meant that he was not infact my match.  *there was a light tap on the door*  ‘Maria it’s time sweetie’ I heard my mother’s voice as she opened the door. My eyes where then drawn to the wedding dress hanging on the rail before me. She was right, it was time. Time to put my fantasy’s to bed and honour the traditions of me people, honour the match my father had made. I turned to face my mother and sisters all ready to help me dress. I couldn’t help but smile. They all seemed to elated by the whole occasion. Just as I was when we celebrated each of their matches before. My sisters Gianna and Ariella where so much like myself. With flame red hair, eyes of amber and Olive skin. There where several years between each of us but it was a regular occurrence we where taken for triplets. Nothing at all like our mother, with emerald eyes and raven hair.  After my mother and sisters helped me to my delicate French Laces dress I stood back before them and watched the tears fall.  ‘Maria, you look so perfect’ Ariella sobbed. Gianna was silent as ever, composed and but she looked back in complete awe of me. She then approached me slowly and turned me to face the mirror, adjusted my hair slightly and whispered in my ear ‘You are the prettiest bride of us all’.  My mother opened her bag and I knew then and there it was time for me to be presented with my first sighting of the man I was to marry. She handed me a photo of an extremely handsome man. His hair so black it looked almost like it had a blue tone to it, broad shoulders, wide arms almost bigger than Porter (OH WHY CAN’T I BRING MY SELF TO STOP THINKING OF PORTER EVEN IN THIS MOMENT - I shuddered) His name is Logan Liellula’ I heard my mother say and suddenly the room began to spin, the world went dark.  When I awoke I was on the floor, my sisters fawning over me and fanning my face.  ‘That Christ you’re awake’  ‘Mother, mother, she’s stirring’  ‘Thank god, someone call the doctor tell him he won’t be required’ I was able to focus on Gianna’s voice first, always the voice of reason in situations.  ‘Did I hear mother correctly, did she tell me that this man, this man father has decided I will marry is a Liellula’ I urged at my sisters.  They both starred at me with blank expressions merely nodding like two dashboard ornaments.  I felt rage tingling in my toes and rising through my body, out of nowhere my hair began to flame my sisters and mother where frantically trying to calm me while removing my dress as they could sense what was about to happen  ‘THAT f*****g BASTARD WANTS TO MARRY ME OFF TO THOSE MURDEROUS BASTARDS...’ as I let out an almighty screeched that echoed through the entire grounds.  As quickly as I’d screeched I saw a familiar sight a large orange bird landed on my balcony, and shifted Into my father, he opened the doors and approached and with a firm tone ‘Maria, calm down, put your dress on and let’s get on with this. Marrying this man will ensure you a good life’  ‘A good f*****g life... you’re marrying me to a f*****g monster, a monster. Of all the clans in all of the world you’ve decided the best fit for me is to marry me into the f*****g mob? You might as well throw me to the f*****g werewolves’  ~Logan~  I looked down at my watch, growing ever so impatient. This was the longest wait of my it has been over 30minutes since I heard my future wife screech across the grounds. She clearly didn’t react well to the news she was marrying into the Lieulla Clan. Which I must admit has taken me by surprise. Most spoiled little Rich girls with old family money and a long and prestigious bloodlines would usually jump at the chance to experience the Power, might and fear that comes with holding the Lieulla last name. There is no bloodline that carries more prestige than Maria’s, they are the longest line of our species. Clearly Maria was not what I anticipated, I haven’t even laid eyes upon her yet and the woman was already surprising me. She was also ruffling my feathers, how dare she be so late. I was becoming consumed with temper and the fire within me was becoming hard to suppress. I rolled my neck in an attempt to contain my rage. I’ve never been made to wait in my whole f*****g life. Who does she think she is.  Suddenly, the doors swung open. Maria marched up the aisle, hair ablaze. Her father behind her head in hands. She grabbed my hand and dragged me to the side room just by the stage. ‘What the f**k are you doing woman, this is not how things are supposed to be done... there is a procedure a tradit...’ my words tailed off as  off as looked at Maria. I’d heard tales of the beauty of her and her sisters for years but nothing could compare for how captivating she truly would be.  ‘Now listen hear’ she ranted as she paced the room speaking with such determination ‘I fully intend on honouring every tradition. I am a  Bruciando and I am aware of my duty to my family name. I will be a dutiful wife. HOWEVER I will not have my home the place for your atrocities. If you bring your family business to this home I will burn it to the f*****g ground.’ I stood back and watched her pace the room and despite the fact she was ranting and raving like a raging lunatic, every word that fell from her lips calmed me and captivated me. She stopped pacing started staring at herself in the mirror. In her beautiful lace wedding dress, with a simple elegant diamond pendant around her neck. Our eyes met in the mirror those beautiful Amber eyes...I felt the fire within me still and the Flames above Maria’s head start to die as I approached her and put my hand on her waist.  Why did it feel so good to have this woman in my grasp. I turned Maria to face me and I stared into her eyes. She was so intense, so serious. Her soft nose wrinkled and her brow furrowed she trying to hard to keep up this pretence of anger. I saw in her eyes, the eyes of a woman who had lived a thousand lives.  ‘Look Maria, we have a lifetime to argue and scream, but when you’ve quite finished acting like a raging bull there are 800 people sat in that room next door who are waiting for us to get married. So let’s go and get this over with’  The next 20 minutes flew by in a blur till I heard our fathers dictate that our families where now one and I was to kiss my wife.  I leaned forward to place a kiss upon her lips and sparks literally flew across the room. She was intoxicating. I was hooked.