PROLOGUEIt was a starless night, not that you could tell, the night sky was so thickly covered in trees. The only light to be seen was that of a dim candle being carefully embraced by a small cloaked woman. She didn’t necessarily use the candle, except for the occasional peek over her shoulder to see if she was being followed. However, shed been down this path often enough to do it blindfolded. She stopped to sit at a large moss laden log. A few moments went by in silence, when a sudden rustle came from the bushes near her. Slightly startled, she breathed a name. “Alu..?” a deep sigh came from the bush and a tall man came out slowly. “Jocelyn..” He was strong and well dressed, and had shoulder length dark brown hair. His face and hands were tan and somewhat leathery, from excessive sun exposure. He had a large mustache and a deep scar going down his left cheek. The woman he called Jocelyn took the hood off her cloak and pulled out long black wavy locks. Her emerald eyes glimmered in the little light they shared. He sat next to her on the log and kissed her passionately. She looked at him and he whispered “Jocelyn.. Your eyes..” she tried to look away, embarrassed, but he grabbed her chin and looked at her again. “No, their beautiful..” he seemed mesmerized by her eyes. “You like them?” she said in her heavy Latin accent. “Of course” he replied. “Alu.. There’s something I need to tell you..” she said quietly, looking down to her belly. “Sure love, tell me any-” his voice was cut short by a scream coming from their large house. “Papa! Aah!” came the voice. The man whispered “Rain..!” He began to look worried. Jocelyn sniffed the air. “I smell smoke!” he stood and began to walk quickly to the house. “Grab water. NOW!” he yelled as he started running. She ran to the well and grabbed two pails full of water. She ran too the house to find a group of frightened people huddled around It.” its ok. Someone didn’t put her candle out correctly and its flame caught to a curtain. Were lucky that’s all it got to..” the man said. The young girl standing in the crowd burst into tears. “Oh, papa! I am so stupid!” she cried, her long brown hair sticking to her wet face. “Rain, don’t say that..” her father said comfortingly. “Master de Dracule, is there anything we can do?” asked one of the older slaves. “No, Claire. Go upstairs, and bring the others.” He replied. As Jocelyn started up the staircase with her fellow slaves, she turned to have one last look at her lover..who was kissing another woman..
