Love Or Die?

Somewhere near central Italy, at Tuscany, right in Florence, among the sunflowers fields, soft sunshine and breezy light wind of summer. There she sat, Mia, the farmer's daughter, the night before she had just celebrated her 25th birthday. Her reddish brown locks fly playfully with every being at the field. She had just finished her college life at Santa Reparata International School Of Art. Her family isn't the wealthiest one but she was lucky to have a full scholarship due to her excessive work, effort and passion.

This simple yet soulful way of her lifestyle was what she always needed, till the day she will find out that this wasn't the way she wanted. Or, is the fate who doesn't want it for her?

She's her parent's only child, their one and only grace. Her life had gone by so calmly and slowly.

                                                                      

Until, a one early morning she's woken up by a loud clash downstairs. She tiptoed till she reached the staircase, and waited to listen to some murmurs that followed up the clash and shouting, it looks like her father and a strange woman.. arguing and whispering about HER?  "Alesso, you have to tell her! She hasn't got any much time. It's not her fault she was born to our family with this curse. Does Gianna know? Or you haven't told her too I assume!" the stranger exclaimed. "Alessa, turn down your voice! Of course I haven't told them yet. Sister, you have to understand that it's aching for me! How can I tell my only baby that the sand in her life's hourglass is about to shed its last granule for you?! Oh what fate is this!" her father said with a drenching, clear grief and agony.

So this is my aunt? How Peculiar! My father hadn't mentioned that he has a sister, and she looks like she's his twin too. Oh, what secrets am I about to unveil.. And, Am I ready? Looks like I don't have much time to do that anyway. Mia's knees couldn't hold her any longer, so she fell down on the top of the staircase, causing a loud alarming thump. 

Her father and Alessa shared a concerning knowing eye contact and went for the staircase, and found her staring blankly with hot silent tears streaming down her cheeks. Panic and fright is swarming around her like hungry sharks, and she had sunken into their ocean like a helpless little fish.

"But, what does this even mean? I didn't even finish dreaming about my upcoming adventures and life routes." She stated weakly, the words falling from her insides into the void.

Her father rushed to her and held her, calming her down.

Alessa took a deep breath and without any hesitation decided to take the chance to confront her with this heavy dark secret. She went on telling her the tale of the curse.

 It all began when Alessa and Alesso's father, Mia's grandfather, fell in love deeply and destructively with a southern witch at Juliet's house at Verona. 

That witch was just a delicate young lady named, Mirabella who was praying to be loved, and have a fairytale like love story. That's when Pietro, Mia's grandfather, emerged into her eye level from behind the bench she was seated on. And in a flash of light, they fell in love at the cursed Juliet's house; but to their misfortune their love story became cursed as Romeo and Juliet's story as well.

His family came after him, trying to separate them, and then they came after her years after years, until they captured and banished her in an unknown place. Pietro searched for her over and over but he gave her up and moved on with his life. He got married and had the twins, Alessa and Alesso. 

Mirabella broke free after being abducted for 25 years, finding that he had already settled down and broke not only her heart but her whole being. Her powers became stronger than ever before and she became hungry for vengeance. She visited him one year after the birth of the twins. And cast her curse on them, overpowered and damned him that he shan't see his grandchildren live more her dark times. When, the twins shall give birth to a child after it turn 25 years, the same amount of time he let her rot and cry her soul out, will fall dead. Only, a pure sacrifice could be the antidote that shall left this curse. 

Gianna appeared with tears and utter horror mirrored in her eyes and expression, begging for her only child's life. Before anyone could utter a single syllable, Mia had decided her fate. She rushed down the stairs, running through the field, down the road, till she was standing in front of the grand old white house of her grandfather. 

She dashed onto the farmhouse, where he spends his early mornings, "Grandpa!" she called for him at the top of her lungs. But, when she entered the farmhouse, there was another surprising guest came for her grandfather too.. And probably for her too. The vigorous, devilishly beautiful Mirabella was waiting for her. "So, after knowing your fate, dear child. Which will it be? Sacrificing or dying?"  She wickedly smirked. 

Mia couldn't comprehend if this was the pure horror and confusion she felt, or her great fright on her family that came over her. Nevertheless, she had made up her mind. Numbness took over her, while she gave up her youth, soul and dreams for this hungry creature. 

Death for Mia wasn't a frivolous matter; it was just as essential and soulful as life. And her fear on her beloved ones was much stronger and urging than her own ego. At last, Mirabella was dead inside because of a broken heart and love. So was Mia.. Her death would be a celebration for love. Her one and true belief. May her soul fly above the wide sunflower field she had seen the first seed of love planted there.