Reyna was a young woman who lived on the edge of a poor village in a little rundown cottage just on the edge of the woods with her sister, Corinna. Well, they called each other sisters, but the relationship wasn't by blood. Reyna was just a young babe when Corinna's mother had taken her in when she was found abandoned in the woods just nearly two decades ago. The speculation was that Reyna's father had passed of disease, and her mother may have been taken just as many young women have by the Half-Born. But I digress.
Corinna's mother and father died, and the girls remained unwed. With only each other, they made do, just barely. This particular winter, however, was not so forgiving. No crop could grow under the frigid air, no animal dared diverge from their hibernation in their burrows and nests. The egg harvest from the chickens was few and far between, and the goat's udder was run dry. Winters like this were not foreign to the sisters, but they would only just barely survive each year.
Not only would food stock go barren, but so would the village. It was no mystery why young, fertile women would go missing every year, for the beastly tribe that resided in the woods would snatch them up and make them bare their spawn. The story goes that the "Half-Born", as they were called, could not reproduce within their species, for only male Half-Born were ever born. The story also claimed that during times when the human villages were desperate and starved, particularly during harsh winters, that was when maidens were snatched right from their homes.
The Half-Born were always described as savage, lustful brutes. They were human, yes, but the stories claimed they had yellow eyes that could pierce the soul, wretched sharp teeth that could puncture the skin with ease, and terrible claw-like nails that could rip flesh at whim. Not to mention their immense strength. The legend claims that the Half-Born appeared this way because of a witch's curse put on the entire tribe generations ago. No woman's ever told the tale of a Half-Born's real appearance after returning from being missing. Rather, those who returned always returned confused and disoriented with no memory. It was all a rather strange phenomenon indeed.
Reyna never entirely believed that story, although it was common that women would mysteriously go missing in her village. Some would return after a few days, and some...never did. She always chalked it up to possible death or hysteria, as did the rest of the village. It wasn't uncommon for many women to die from starvation and disease, and it was the far more logical conclusion. Nonetheless, the legend still circulated, being told at night to young girls and women that if they were not careful, the fierce Half-Born men would carry them away.
"Silly," Reyna murmured to herself one lonely winter night as she stared out the frosted kitchen window. The forest was visible, supposedly where the Half-Born resided.
She always liked the idea of some scary creature out there. It made for entertaining stories to tell herself while doing chores and farmwork. Still, by the end of it, she knew well enough that they didn't exist.
She was preparing dinner from what she could afford to buy from selling her goat's milk that morning. Just some bread and a little bit of meat. She managed to make a broth with a little addition of salt in some water over the fire, but they needed more money soon if she and her sister were to survive the week. Oh, how she loved her sister. Corinna was older by three years; Reyna was twenty, and Corinna was twenty-three. Ever since Reyna was found, they had never left each other's side. Quite practically sewn at the hip, her mother would always say.
They had always insisted that they were sisters as well, and they were in their right mind, although they looked quite opposite. Corinna had always had a cold complexion with strikingly green eyes and hair of raven black. Reyna, on the other hand, had always had a rosy tinge to her skin with soft blues and hair of curling gold. Corinna was taller as well, and she had certainly grown into herself as she aged. Corinna was always the more attractive sister, and Reyna didn't mind. She loved admiring her. They loved each other like no other, and they loved being with each other too. In more ways than one would expect for two sisters, that is.
Reyna heard the creak of the doorknob. She turned, and Corinna entered hastily, slamming the door behind her before a gust of frigid wind could enter the house. "God above, I wouldn't think this night could get any worse. Can't see a damn thing out there in that blizzard." Corinna muttered to herself while she attempted to comb her fingers through her snow-peppered hair.
Reyna giggled as she approached, "You know you'll only jynx us if you say something like that. The winter would get colder just to spite you. You'd wake up tomorrow morning and everything would be frozen over. You'd have to skate along the roads to get to the brothel."
"Mm, anything to get a break from that place." Corinna always spoke rather coldly, but Reyna was never deterred.
Reyna reached for the clasp of her sister's cloak and undid the loop, removing the garment from her shoulders. Underneath, Corinna's bodice was laced tightly to show off her natural curves, her red blouse swooped low to accentuate her breasts, and the fabric of her long skirt swished against the shape of her long legs if she moved just right.
Corinna was what the villagers called a Black Dove. Or--to the more casual ear--a whore. She spent long days at the brothel, mostly overnight to bring in enough money to support herself and her sister. This particular night though, there was only a sparse amount of clients to tend to. It seemed even this gale was enough to deter even the bravest of man's desires. And so, the girls were let go early, and Reyna was so excited. It was rare that she got to spend these nights with her sister.
"I've got some broth over the fire and some bread from the market if you'd like dinner, or I've already boiled some water for the bath," Reyna said as she hung her sister's cloak by the door.
"Mm, a bath. I'm freezing. You'd think we'd get to wear some warm dresses in this weather but the mistress believes such garments would only conceal her 'merchandise.'"
"Did you bring in a good sum?" Reyna's face lit up in anticipation.
Corinna looked downtrodden. "Only two clients today. It'll be enough to buy us meals for two days. Perhaps three, if we're careful."
"Wait but...usually even just one client can get us two days' worth of food?"
"Let's just say that the demand for more...'expensive' services has hit a low this winter." Corinna could see that Reyna had lost that hopeful glow in her eyes, and she softened her expression. "Come on," she touched her sister's arm. "Let's get into that bath together, yes? I'll brush your hair for you." That was all Corinna had to say to return that light to Reyna's eyes.
~
The girls undressed quickly and slowly lowered themselves into the tub. With the two of them, they barely fit, but they didn't mind the closeness at all. Corinna lowered herself into the tub first, and then Reyna settled herself down between her sister's legs with her back against her chest. She always loved the soft feel of her sister's breasts; it was always cozy and welcoming.
Corinna then reached for the hairbrush and began to untangle Reyna's hair. The curls had always seemed to find themselves into a mess, and Corinna made a *tsk* sound.
