PROLOGUE

2547 Words
Wiped slate to write new beginnings.   One needs to wipe the slate out to write your own story, their own beginnings that cannot be just written over an already filled slate. Great achievements do involve a few sacrifices, that is just how things work. Dark yellow golden eyes, burning like fire from the pit of hell, watched the entire castle, the pride, and joy of Kingdom of Valor, crumble down to just ashes. The fire was burning all around the kingdom, people were running around trying to save what they could, and screams echoed throughout the cold dark night. With a satisfied glint in his eyes and an evil smirk on his mouth, enough to intimidate everyone and anyone, he turned around to make the last move.   Check and mate.   The sword slashed through the rabid rogue’s throat as King Dimitry cleared the path to find an escape from the ambush they never saw coming. “Run Maria, run”, he desperately pleaded with his mate to save his family.  “No, I won’t leave without you Dimitry, I cannot,” she said while slitting the throat of another rogue with her clawed hands. “I will be right behind you, my love. You have to take kids to safety first” He said as he looked at the small bundles hugging each other behind a pillar. Maria looked in the same direction to see the frightened look in their eyes. Without any further arguments, she took them in her arms and sprinted towards the escape door.  “I will wait for you my darling”, giving a last glance towards her mate, she disappeared through the door.  “Mummy why is daddy not coming with us?” Maria looked down at her eldest boy. The poor little thing was trying to put on a brave face for his mother. “He is a king, Dev and as a king, you have to fight for your people. Always remember that when you become one” “Yes, mummy I will be a brave king just like daddy” “I know yo….aaaaaaaaaa”  “MUMMY….” Before she could say anything, Maria felt a piercing pain in her heart. The force of the pain was so unbearable that she fell down on her knees as her eyes watered. She knew what this meant. Her wolf wanted to howl to the moon in the sky and tell everyone in the kingdom about their loss, about what she had lost. But she cannot. There were little innocents dependent on her, needing her protection.   I have to take them to safety first. Amara, please you have to pull it together. For our kids, For Dimitry and Asher.    Amara, Maria’s wolf knew that her human was correct. The pups were their priority now and she will make sure they are safe, even if it was the last thing she did.  They were not far from the castle and enemies would soon catch up to them. She needed to be fast and fight to give kids enough time to reach the safe place. With a lot of strength and will, Maria stood on her knees and called for Dev to come close to her. The crying child immediately went to his mother. “De..v…., baby you remember the hidden room which daddy showed you last week?” Dev nodded in affirmation. He was a smart kid and always remembered what was told.  He would one day become a fine king. Just if we could have seen him become one. Clutching her chest, Maria looked at her son with pride in her tear-stained eyes. “You have to take your siblings there and hide. You will not come out before someone gets to take you. Do understand me, baby?” “Yes, mummy. We will wait for you and daddy. You will come for us, mummy?” Maria’s heart shattered listening to her six-year-old little boy.  “Oh darling, daddy has gone to Mother moon, she needed him there. Now I have to go with him” “Because you love him” Dev innocently asked his mother. “Yes, baby because I love your daddy and I love you too. I love you all” she said looking at the little baby sleeping in the cot. Her heart was bleeding.  “So don’t leave us too mommy”, cried Dev. “Don’t cry, my child. I will always be here in your heart. Mother moon needs me too and I can go there knowing my big brave man will take care of all his siblings and the kingdom.” “NO MUMMY, NO. Take me with you” “Eros Devereux Valor you are my big boy. I know you can do it. We don’t have much time. Remember my child, you have to protect the secret at any cost. You do not share it with anyone, not even the people you consider family. Promise me Dev, promise me. “Yes mother, I will take care of them and the secret will remain secret.” Sniffled little Eros as he ran and embraced his mother. He knew it was the last time he would touch his mother and he wanted to engrave her smell in his memories. Maria took off her locket and snapped it around Eros’ neck after embracing him for the last time.  “Take this and always keep it with you until you find your mate. Give this to her on my behalf. Okay? Now run away from here as fast as you can. Do not stop in between. Keep running.” Eros heard his mother calling him as he turned towards the bushes hiding the trail towards the cabin.   “We are the children of the moon. Light will shine on us….” “till we stick together even when the night seems dark” completed Eros.   Maria had a sad smile on her face as she watched her precious stones going on their own journey. She knew the life of a werewolf was cruel, even more so for those in power. She just didn’t want her child to be forced to grow up so early. Her train of thoughts was interrupted by the sound of the crunching of leaves. She knew it was her enemy as the smell of her mate’s blood was all over the person. But nothing could have prepared her for what she saw on turning around.   “YOU”   **   As the loud thunder broke the silence, King Alistair found himself watching the rain from the window of his room. He often found himself standing at this particular window gazing down at his kingdom. This solitary time gave him a sense of serenity like one gets while stargazing in a clear sky. The view of the seemingly endless walls of the Sioux Castle gave him peace of mind, the sense of the safety of his subjects and family inside the majestic and impenetrable fortress. But that particular day, Alistair was unable to find that serenity and peace. His mind was chaotic and as dark as the clouded sky. Even the massive fort walls seemed to be made up of paper instead of thick sandstone bricks as they crumbled under the weight of raindrops pouring down on them as thousands of cannonballs, no longer able to save his heaven.  It was the day of the Festival of Sun. Every year, standing there by that window with a satisfied smile on his full lips, he watched children running around and laughing without a care. They would flock around the musicians practicing ballads for their performance later that evening. Young maidens would help their mothers in decorating the streets and their houses with lanterns and flower garlands. Men would be walking in groups with woods and other pieces of equipment to make many bone fire pits and set up the roast.  Though on that night, there was no joy in sight. There was no melodious music reaching his ears, no lanterns to light up the sky and  no happy crowd with their spirits up high,  just the deserted streets in front of his eyes. There was no serenity or peace anymore, just the empty weight of the moonless dark sky on the shoulders and the deafening silence echoing in the ears. Alistair could feel the fear and uncertainty of the people of Sioux. His hand felt clammy as he clearly remembered the screams of the mourning families who lost there... His thoughts were cut short as the dainty hands encircled his waist as the petite hands encircled his waist from behind. As the fragrance of jasmine with a hint of baby powder reached his nose, he knew it was his wife, Queen Meredith.  “Hello, my love,” he said as he turned and kissed her forehead. “What are we going to do Alistair,” she sighed as she looked beside them.  Alistair followed her vision and looked towards their little angel sleeping peacefully in the newly restored family crib. The answer to her question was undeniable. The uncertainty was whether to tell her the complete truth or not. The fear and desperation in her beautiful chocolaty eyes was something he never wanted to see, ever. He knew that he had to tell her. “It is time, my Queen. It is time we call them”, he said with a clenched jaw and hardened expression. A fire was burning in his emerald eyes, which seemed darker than ever.  Meredith gasped at his words. “It will go against The Concord, My King. It will only lead to war and bloodshed. Wars only lead to destroyed families.” cried Meredith with desperation and fear for the torn families and lost children, the future, plaguing her mind. With a tense posture, Alistair again faced the window looking down towards his kingdom.    Yes, it was an extreme step but a needed one.    “Our people are already hurting Meri. The Concord was broken as soon as they stepped inside our kingdom without permission,” he said with gritted teeth.  “It is a declaration of war. There is no other way than to face it.” He stood beside the crib and softly caressed his sleeping beauty’s face.  “I cannot let her grow in a world of constant fear and is confined in this castle. I will not let anything happen to her or any of the other young maidens of our kingdom. They are destroying innocent families, Meri. It is time we defend our people, our homes.” Deep down, Meredith knew that there was no other choice, and she trusted her husband. She interlaced her hand with his to show her support. It felt like a weight had lifted from his shoulder as Alistair felt his wife’s resolve and support. He knew that this was just the beginning, and dark times were ahead.   He had to fight for his family.     **       The day was warm and the sun shone brightly as it seemed to gaze happily upon the little angel grazing the surface of the earth. Nature rejoiced in the melodious sounds of the giggling as the tiny 3-year-old girl ran around in the garden. Bare feet and wearing a light blue dress, she was collecting flowers so her mother could make her a flower crown. Oh! how exciting. A smile tugged on her lips as she watched the pure happiness and obvious excitement on her child’s face. She knew it was dangerous to be out alone, but they were still within the limits set by her husband. Moreover, it was a very fine pleasant sunny day.   I will not let this affect our life. She will grow in a free-spirited and love-filled environment not cooped up inside her bedroom.   The mother constantly watched the girl’s action while knitting and enjoying soft grass underneath. She was wearing a cream-colored ankle-length summer dress, enjoying the cool breeze gliding over her face and hair. “Lady the new batch of vegetables and spices have just arrived. Will you come and check them yourself?” An attendant in her early twenties, wearing the standard maid uniform came to ask the mother, also the lady of the house. While the attendant took the attention of the mother, the little girl made a new friend. The colorful butterfly was fluttering around her. After a few minutes, the butterfly started to fly away making the girl sad. Getting a wonderful idea, the girl turned to make sure her mother was not watching her before printing to chase the butterfly that disappeared behind some trees in the nearby forest. The mother was still talking to the attendant when a shrill loud voice of the bell tower rung around them. She stood up abruptly as it was the warning that some intruders have entered the city. She turned around to get her little angel so they could go home to safety but to see no sign of her. The panic rising inside her was beyond comparison. “LINA……. LINAAA……. ADELLINNNAAAAA” A few more people came to help look for her child but even after a few hours, there was no sign of little Lina. The lady was aware of what had happened to her child but she was in no position to accept this fate. She was crying hysterically in the arms of her husband, who just sat there stoically. He knew what this meant, he knew his angel was gone and he also knew who was behind all this. He also knew that there was nothing he could do right now. But that did not mean he would give up on his girl.   I will find you baby, Just hang in there. Be brave, papa will come for you.   The sunny day turned gloomy as the dark clouds hid the sun. Heavy rain poured as Olivia put the last batch of cookies in the earthen oven newly installed. She knew her daughter liked to eat these special cookies with milk on a rainy day. She smiled thinking about the small child sleeping upstairs in her bedroom painted in red and white covered with pictures of large beautiful flowers. This home was her happy sanctuary, far away from the cruelties taking place and will happen in this world. Her child was far too precious for this world.   Soph will be down any minute. I should hurry up!    She was running around her small but cozy kitchen when the front bell of the house rang, immediately halting her actions. She knew he was here.   Oh! my moon goddess. He is here. With trembling hands, she opened the front door to be met with the haunting and intimidating golden eyes. The fiery fire of hell was lit in them as they shine with pure evilness in the dark. She saw an unconscious little child in his arms increasing the fear inside her.   “Hello, darling. Missed me”
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