A hundred years following the death of Life, her daughters had grown to womanhood. The three sisters, Love, Hope, and Joy, were the daughters of Death, and every year upon their mother's ashes grew the wonder of their father's creation, a rose. These roses were not simply roses, but were a deep red, and said to hold the souls Death had collected.

Each sister had listened carefully to their father's words as he spoke to them every year about the roses.

"My little ones, these flowers are not to touch, they bring only misery and pain. The exact anguish I felt upon your mother's death."

Within each sister grew curiosity and wonder. They each enjoyed the beautiful roses, yet could see the pain the plant felt. Joy, the youngest of the sisters devised a plan to pluck a rose.

"Why not have a mortal pluck the rose?" Spoke Joy, "As to see it's effects Father so desires us to avoid."

Love, wishing much like her mother to avoid the pain and suffering of others shook her head and replied, "It is not wise to commit such treason against the mortals."

Hope, with her naive mind, could simply reply, "Why so pessimistic sister? Could this not grant them powers, joy, or growth? Is it not worth the risk?"

Joy nodded her head in agreement as she spoke, "Indeed sister, is this not your desire?"

Love, resembling her mother well, gave it thought but in the end her sisters swayed her,"Very well," she spoke, "We shall have a mortal pluck a rose."

This mortal was non other than a handmaiden wandering the woods, unknownly guided by Love, Hope, and Joy into the deep forest. The handmaiden looked upon the roses with awe and wonder as she knelt beside them thinking to herself.

"These roses appear to be stained with blood, but are dry to the touch. My lord would be pleased to gift such a wonder."

The three sisters smiled as the woman plucked the rose from the ground. Instantly her mood changed. Tears strolled down her eyes as she walked off into the distance.

Love, seeing the sadness in the mortals heart chased after the woman to comfort her. She followed her even to the sea shore where her lord rested.

The handmaiden had long sense dropped the rose to the ground. She wepted as her lord carried her off to sea. He asked her many times why she wept, but she gave no anwser. On the second day she was filled with rage, so much so that she slayed all that came into her sight.

She had killed her master with her hands, and traveled to a village where she murdered men, children and woman. She was ruthless and a cut throat. She had stolen an armory of weapons, and when confronted with a small platoon of armed men, she could not be slain. The flower had made her immortal. She was beyond Death's touch.

It came to point where armies could only submit and accept their deaths when the handmaiden was seen or challenge. Hope, Joy, and above all Love, were astonished at their nieve choice, and the great sin they had released on the world.

"What is the meaning of this?!" Death roared, "You have caused disaster, chaos and ruin among theses people! As such, you are punished with these titles."

He pointed to Love first of all, "Ruin", he named moving his finger to Joy, "Chaos" he spoke his finger falling upon Hope last, "and Disaster."

Each woman weeped upon their new titles. As Death removed himself from their presence. He looked at the woman, the handmaiden of evil his daughters had created. He looked toward her, disappointment obvious on his face.

"Who are you to defy me!" the woman yelled with rage, attempting to attack Death.

Death simply raised his hand holding the woman still, as he spoke.

"Let your existance serve as a testament and warning to mankind. Both of my daughters and of the rose. You cannot be killed and so I banish you to the sea, where you can do no living thing harm."

With these simple words, the woman was forced onto a small boat, where she could not eat, nor drink, and suffered for eternity in the Ocean.

Years from the very age, the handmaiden became known as the Maiden of Death. She is said to roam around the sea, in search of unfortunate souls to slay.

As for the three sisters, haven grown angered at their father, eventually became the embodiment of their to titles. Some still consider Death the true God of this world and the keeper. Others suggest the whole story a lie, that Death created the Maiden of Death to avoid or cheat his agreement of one life per birth to his wife Life.

Either or, beware the Blood Red Roses, and the Maiden of Death. Both will only bring, disaster, ruin, and chaos. Even the gods refuse those flowers, and you should as well. But who am I but a humble bard?