A Witch Story-Introduction

The Merode sisters were born under strange circumstances. Both came on separate moonless Wednesday nights, This is either strangely coincidental or coincidentally strange. Either way they were wicked from the beginning. They didn’t cry, were given awful names, (as wealthy children are prone to have) and at the age of zero were able to worry their nurses to illness. By the time they could walk and talk they realized that the things they could do to get what they wanted were things other children could not do.
They spent most of their childhood without much tending because the family could not pay a nurse enough to stay. So they knew hardly any company besides each other until Taris went to school. However she didn’t manage a single friend and then a year later when her sister Moiva joined her they were again inseparable. They got perfect grades and the only blemish on their records was a note that the other children seemed to be scared of them. This was from the year they discovered that their unique abilities could be purposely directed to reach their goals. They learned most of their tricks from books -for rivals burn a lock of hair and a picture and spread ashes on doorstep- for coveted items describe on willow parchment with toads blood and swallow.
Now while the girls were wicked they weren’t cruel. They would only use hurtful spells when they were crossed and as the girls grew less petty with age these were used less and less. However they maintained the horrid gossip and mischievous demeanor with a vengeance. It was much more useful and entertaining to be mysterious and feared. They allowed all mishaps in the town to be blamed on them which was quite easy as they had to do nothing; people from small country towns always have a very good imagination. They were blamed for everything except for when the piano teacher’s house blew up. Weirdly people seemed to forget about it as soon as the fire was out. In fact nothing was said or heard about it at all but a small black bird that while the merode sisters were passing under his perch with singed skirts heard Taris say “too much black powder” and the response from Moiva “too much rat tail, but I do suppose we came up with something useful after all.”
Sadly not even murder stories will keep suitors away when there are rich pretty daughters to be married. Their father and their money were only half to blame, because they were quite beautiful. They managed to vanquish all annoyances until one day a dark and handsome set of identical twins arrived. This is when things got interesting for Taris and Moiva. As intriguing as their childhood was, as life usually goes it only turns into an adventure when there’s a force to work against, and that usually comes in the form of people. So the day the Merode sisters found their match in questionable behavior is when the fun really began.
“Good morning Taris”
“Good morning Moiva did you sleep well?”
“Always, you are covered in feathers and blood so I assume you were out delivering our gift to the Lloyd twins?”
“Yes and I’m afraid I was caught.”
Moiva grinned “ Were they more shocked or disgusted?”
“They thanked me”, said Taris defeatedly “And they said the boiled frog eyes we gave them were quite good on toast, they also wanted to know if I would stay for breakfast. I only got away when I told them I had more chickens to kill”
“Sister I think they’re loony, frog eyes really are only good for scaring people, I haven’t read a single spell that has any use for them, we only started keeping them when we found out Old Lady Harris has a spectacular gag reflex. So even if they are like us there is something else wrong with them besides that.” Taris thoughtfully pushed her dark bangs back from her deep steel colored eyes. “We’d better figure something out quickly or were going to end up married to them I heard father asking to speak with their parents when they came to visit last.”
“We could burn down all the churches from here to Canada, that will buy us some time.”
“ None too subtle Moiva”
“Oh like how subtle you were when you tied Michael Jones to a cross with braided duck intestine?”
“ I was ten and I didn’t get caught”
“I’m sorry” sighed Moiva “ we shouldn’t argue we need to come up with a real working plan.”
The girls pulled out a few of their favorite books to look for ideas but were interrupted by the doorbell and their father calling them to greet guests. They were horrified to find the Lloyd twins and their father about to bite into a shiny piece of toast.
“Daddy your cholesterol!” said Taris as she nimbly snatched it from him mid bite.
“Ah yes of course” Merle Merode hugged his eldest daughter tightly “what a good nurse you are, Any man will find himself well off with you as a wife” He guffawed at his smooth match making skills, then cleared his throat, “However down to business these fine strapping boys come with an invitation” He handed Moiva a dark purple and gold embossed card.
“ A dinner party” read Taris over her sister’s shoulder “ At Collins Hall Friday the 13th”
“ Of course” muttered Moiva.
“What say you?” their father almost shouted.The sisters shared poisoned winks. “ We accept” they said in unison, as they walked off only a spider and Taris heard Moiva say “ This we can work with.”