The Twelve by S. E. Guiterrez (top 10 novels to read .TXT) 📕

Alexander - Gender: Male Age: 17 Role: The eldest of the king's thirteen children

Avina - (av-een-uh)Gender: Female Age:15 Role: The eldest daughter of the king

Briar - Gender: Female Age: 14 Role: Third eldest child of the king

Claree - (claire-ee)Gender: Female Age: 13 Role: Fourth eldest

Dela - Gender: Female Age: 12 Role: Elise's twin

Elsie - Gender: Female Age: 12 Role: Dela's twin

Fiara - (fi-are-uh) Gender: Female Age: 11 Role: Seventh eldest daughter of the king

Genevieve - (jen-uh-veeve) Gender: Female Age: 9 Role: Sixth youngest daughter of the king

Hollie - Gender: Female Age: 8 Role: Fifth youngest child of the king

Isabella - Gender: Female Age: 6 Role: Fourth youngest daughter of the king

Jettalynn - (jet-uh-lynn)Gender: Female Age: 5 Role: Third youngest daughter of the king

Kerralea - (care-uh-lee-uh) Gender: Female Age: 5 Role: The king's eleventh daughter

Lyrabell - (lie-rah-bell) Gender: Female Age: 4 Role: Youngest of the king's Daughters

Greyson - (gray-son) Gender: Male Age: 16 Role: N/A

It was Christmas Eve, and the annual Masquerade Ball was supposed to begin in one hour, except this year, it wasn't happening. I stared out the window as the snow fell. I watched as the powder white flakes landed on the sill, building themselves into piles. I picked at a loose string on my black dress, so garish compared to the dainty snow. It wasn't always like this, so dark and bleak, but a morning two weeks ago changed that. Mother had been out riding when the snow storm hit. The whipping wind and icy cold scared Tai, she reared back, and Mother fell. I was with her. I saw as the horse stepped back on her. I screamed when he unknowingly kicked her again and again. I stood there, shocked when I called and called, yet she wouldn't even make a noise.

I blame myself for her death, and I always will. It seems like forever ago that Mother and I would take long walks through the gardens, and teach my eleven little sisters how to dance, passing our brother, Alexander, around, so at least one of us could have a dance partner. It seems like ages ago that we hung bright red and gold ornaments on our Christmas tree, and made each other gifts to go underneath it.

I watched the snow for a while longer, admiring the perfection of each little flake as it floated down. I heard the door creak open, and the light footsteps of my brother. I heard him sigh as he came over to me.

"Avina. . . " he started.

"Alex," I say, "Please just leave me be."

He squeezes my shoulders with one black clad arm, but doesn't get up. We sit on the window seat for a while longer before he leaves.

"Av," he says, "I love you, Little Sister."

I smile a small smile, "Love you too, Alex."

Quietly, he closes the door, and is gone. He won't let himself take in the fact that Mother is gone until the rest of us do, just so he can stay strong while we can't. He's the best brother a girl could ask for, always there for his sisters. I sigh as I think about all the times he hugged me when I tripped down the stairs, or fell off Marmalade, my horse. He was two years older than me, at seventeen. I think of the loving look on his face when he saw Lyrabell for the first time. I think of her four-year old voice, and the way she squeaks when she laughs.

I know I should be with them, and that I'm being selfish for just sitting here while they need just as much comforting as I do. Slowly, I get up. I stretch my arms and back, sore from staying in the same position all day long, and I make my way out of the living room, and up the stairs to the girls' play room.

I stand outside the door, listening as Alexander tries to calm a crying Jettalynn. I open the door, and join the circle of girls and Alex. I hug each and every girl, telling them soothing things, and rocking the younger ones until all the tears stop falling. Alex hugs Briar and Dela, as I rub Genevieve's back.

Suddenly, the door opens, and Father enters the room. He looks at every single face, except for mine. He knows I blame myself, and he blames me too. I sigh, and exit the room, walking past the guards that accompanied Father. Guards means he leaving, and his leaving means more explaining, and more tears.

"Av, where are you going?" I hear Alexander say.

"Just gonna make the girls some hot cocoa, care to help?" I relpy.

He nods and walks with me to the kitchen. In comfortable silence, we make thirteen cups of steaming hot chocolate.

"He doesn't blame you." Alex says.

I stop what I'm doing and look up at him. "You and I both know he blames me, even I blame me. It's my fault she died."

"You know that's not true, and Father doesn't blame you." he argues.

"Oh, he blames all right, he couldn't even look at me. He has every right to blame me, I was there, I could have at least tried to stop Tai."

"If you had tried to go anywhere near him, he would've killed you, too. Avina, it wasn't you're fault. It hurts all of us to see you hate yourself for it."

I didn't realize how much I really had hated myself until he said it. I sighed as I stirred Hollie's cocoa.

A few minutes later, we brought the drinks up to the girls. Briar squeezed a smile out, and Elise whispered a "Thank You", but the rest of the girls just took their mugs, and stared wide-eyed at each other.

Sighing, I took a seat next to Kerralea. Her eyes shined with tears as I slid her into my lap and wrapped my arms around her. Her pale skin seemed even paler against her black dress. Lyrabell had crawled over and laid her head on my leg. Jettalynn had claimed Alexander's lap, and Isabella was snuggled up next to Briar. Claree and Dela were curled up next to the twins, Elise and Fiara. Genevieve and Hollie were wedged between Briar and Alex. We had incredible age differences, yet we rarely fought, and were always there for each other. I looked around the room, taking in all the grieving faces, all my sisters, my brother, and sighed. I loved them, and they loved me, and I hated myself for taking away the mother we all loved.

We sat in silence so thick it was almost tangible. The twins were the first to leave the room, Fiara wiping her eyes with her handkerchief. Lyrabell started crying, and Jettalynn had spilled her cocoa. Kerralea's shoulders were shaking with silent sobs as she slid off my lap and left as well. Claree held Dela up as they wobbled to their room. Genevieve started sniffling and Hollie ran out of the room wailing. Isabella crawled over to me and set her head on my lap, eyes watery.

After a while, everyone had left aside from me, Alex, and Briar.

"You okay, Av?" Briar asked.

I nodded, and picked a loose string at the hem of my skirts. I could tell Briar didn't buy it, but I heard a rustle of skirts and knew she had left. I looked up. waiting for Alex to give me his usual nobody-blames-you-you're-not-the-one-at-fault speech. He started, but at the glare on my face, he left. I sat alone, pulled my knees up to my chest, and I sobbed.

I stumbled through the woods, tripping over tree roots, and slicing my hands on thorns. I was determined to stay hidden. I was determined to remain unknown. I was determined to remain free. I could hear the violent barks of the hunting dogs trailing me. I could smell the blood that oozed from a cut in my side. I could hear the river. I could here my salvation.

Publication Date: 07-14-2012

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Dedication:
For my family and friends, the best people out there.