“Welcome,all.” The hostess cried, “Please sit!” Lady Edlynne threw a tea party for all of her

colleagues. Just an innocent get together for those of noble blood. Unfortunately her manor was a bit unnerving. It was in the middle of the woods and was rather dark. Edlyne was quite kind however and she enjoyed the dark, as she so often said, because it gave her cause to enjoy the light. But it was no secret that dark was truly her color pallette. Most things were a dark burgundy or a dark navy or, most often, black. In fact lady Elynne’s dress was as black as coal dust, though it had a beautiful form.

The tea party went splendidly with each lady talking amiably with the next… until dessert. There was a little cake, dark chocolate of course, for each guest with cream icing on top and in the middle. On the top, however, decorating this little cake were the petals of a black rose. The other ladies went silent as they each got their cakes. A black rose can symbolize mourning, deep emotions, or new beginnings. But these ladies all knew something was off.

Lady Edlynne smiled at each of her guests and they each smiled politely in return, to wanting to seem rude. They ate their cakes and continued the conversation as if nothing at all was wrong. They all assumed her to be simply unknowing that this rose meant so. The guests left with bellies full and hearts alight.

The very next day there came news that Lady Edlynne’s husband was dead and the estate and money had been left to her.

The black rose came upon every ladies mind that attended the party that night. The black rose that meant mourning, deep emotion and new beginnings.