Land of the Moon

Chapter 14

You could feel the change in the air when we crossed the border of Aleris into the land of the ancients now known as Zephoria. We could feel the faint hum of it in the air all around us, as we ventured farther in. The forest we were in was called The Howling Forest it got its name from the way the wind blew through its trees. Creating its beautiful haunting melody. Of course, I am sure that the wolf packs that lived here helped bring its name to life. Nikolaj explained to Ema and me that there were two packs that lived in this vast forest. They had a treaty and shared the land. Since Zephoria is where most of the shifters reside, it is basically a country of shifters. There are many different shifters that made Zephoria their home. Here they do not have a king or have one race that rules over the others. Instead, they have a council made up of all the leaders and the elders to help advise them all.

Since Nikolaj was born in this country and knew more of it he took the lead of our little group. He was taking us to the Northwestern pack lands. They have a town that even some humans lived in and mingled with the pack. Since sometimes when shifters find their mates they are not always another shifter, they are sometimes of another race mostly human. The Northwestern pack was run by Nikolaj’s uncle Dreyfus who has been the alpha for five years now. Nikolaj said we would be safe in his pack lands and more than welcomed.

From the border of Aleris, the town Farvein which was in the northwestern pack's territory was a good day’s journey. To the west of that was the town Flamemire where most of the Avian shifters resided. The Northeastern pack resided in the Dewgrove town about a day and a half's journey to the east. Once we left Farvein we would have to travel further south before heading west to go straight into the Land of the Moon or if we started west from the town we would have to travel through the Dwarven Kingdom and then south through the Fairy Kingdom before finally reaching the Land of the Moon. Depending on how things would play out from here would determine how the rest of this journey would go.

Ema walked with Vladimir for the morning until we stopped for a short rest when the sun was at its highest. It was just a short break mostly to grab a bite to eat. Ema came and sat with me. She seemed to have something rolling over in her mind that was starting to slowly eat away at her.

“What are you letting eat away at you?”

She let out a slow quiet sigh as she glanced over to where Vladimir was sitting with Cairo and Nikolaj before finally looking at me. “Perhaps I should have taken your advice.” She turned her eyes upward watching as small white clouds float by. “It hurts Cecily. I can not tell him who I truly am. In this short time of being with him, I have come to trust him and have fallen so deeply for him. Cecily, I love him, how am I supposed to leave him now to go marry another that I was promised to when I was just a baby. Keeping this from him is breaking my heart. I know I promised father and when we give our word it is binding in its own right. I know father has told me to follow my heart though because of who I am and the blood that flows through my veins I am restricted.”

“Ema I have been with you since you were still fairly young and I have seen you grow into who you are now becoming a beautiful woman with an even more beautiful soul. You know I could have been more forceful of putting an end to it before it began. Yet I do not want to be the one to control your heart, to lock you in a cage. I want you to at least enjoy this small amount of freedom with its joy and sorrow before you are to become a queen. To live with what is expected of you, the obligations and rules of the station you will be in. I know you will keep your word no matter how much it may hurt, but I want you to be able to keep the love you have found in your heart and never forget it. To be able to have experienced something like that and then share that love with others. I know it may seem impossible right now but in time I know you will come to understand.”

Ema had stopped looking at the sky and had returned her gaze to mine whispering “Thank you” as her eyes shined with her unshed tears. “I thank God that I have you in my life, Cecily, if I did not I would not have been able to make it this far on my own.” Ema whispered.

“We may think we can face the world on our own, but that is not true. Even if we are physically by ourselves we are never truly alone.” I gave Ema a small smile as I recited the words that an old blind woman that had cared for me for a time had told me many moons ago.

“Oh, what are you two talking about over here so quietly about?” Louisa asked as she sat down next to Ema. When she saw Ema’s eyes she wrapped her in a hug. “What’s wrong Ema?” Louisa looked at Ema. She seemed to have become like an elder sister to her. Protective, guiding, and loving towards her.

Mira knelt down in front of us giving Ema a reassuring pat on the knee. “We are here for you Ema, you can put your trust in us that we won’t let anything hurt you.” Mira gave Ema a king smile.

Sniffling a little Ema gave them a small nod in reply. She was doing her best to keep herself together at the moment. Not only had she found and was experiencing love but she was also experiencing friendship for who she was and not who she was born to be.

“Is everything alright with you girls over there?’ Nikolaj was watching our small gathering as well as the rest of the males of our small group.

“We are fine just,” I fisted my right hand making a nail sharp enough to cause a small drop of blood to form. “Ema was helping me get out a deep splinter.” Mira and Louisa both looked at me with questions in their eyes as to why I told that lie. When the men had stopped looking I was about to explain when Ema spoke up.

“I do not like letting people see me when I am close to crying, I have always had so many people asking questions and worrying over me.” Both Louisa and Mira cast their eyes down after that. “I am not saying I am upset that you both came to check on me, it actually makes me very happy that you consider me a friend and worry about me.” Ema gave them a small smile reassuring them. “It is just that when I was younger it happened so much that for a time I did not feel comfortable around a lot of people at one time. When I met Cecily she was the first one to notice this and would help me by making it about something else, or to where I needed something so that others would not see me crying and come crowding around me. So please do not be upset with her.” Ema kept her voice at a whisper as she explained.

“It is alright Ema we are not upset, we were just curious as to why is all.” Louisa gave Ema a small squeeze as she said this.

We noticed the men started to make their way over to us, it seemed it was time for us to continue on our way. Nikolaj told us that we would reach Farvein by dusk and that tonight we would get a good meal and some nice beds to sleep in. This news lightened the mood of everyone. I kept an eye on Ema as we continued on our way. She was walking with Vladimir again her unease from earlier was washed away with the small smiles he gave her as they talked. Now and again I would catch a glimpse of their hands brushing against each other.

“You seem to be keeping a close eye on those two.” Zane’s breathless whisper sent chills down my spine.

When I turned to look at him, his face was still close to my own. He gave me a crooked little smile when I glared at him knowing he was getting a reaction out of me. “And you seem to like getting under my skin,” I hissed back at him. We were all spread out a bit in our group so we all had our own space. Though with a lot of us having heightened senses it was mostly to be respectful of others conversations.

“What can I say I like the way you look when you get riled up, and I think you like it when I can get under your skin.” He left me with a wink and walked up joining Nikolaj at the front. I really wanted to punch him at the moment.

“What is bothering Ema? Does it have to do with Vladimir?” Mira had taken Zane’s place at my side.

“Yes, there are some things in her life that will be changing and they won’t be able to stay like they are now.” I replied, as I glanced at Mira.

“That should not stop them. Vladimir is a good man. I am sure they could figure something out.” Louisa answered as she popped up between Mira and me.

“It has to do with family matters.” They both glanced at me, we were a little farther behind the group so that Louisa could put up a privacy bubble so that they would not overhear our talk. “I told her if she continued liking him it would not end well. I can see that he has a good heart and that he does care for her. Though in her family they often have arranged marriages. We are not just traveling to the Land of the Moon to see her grandmother in Moonhelm, but it is also for her to meet the man she has been promised too.” Louisa gasped as she learned now why Ema was feeling torn.

“Then why let her follow her feelings instead of stopping her?” Mira’s stare was pointed at me now. Her and Louisa had become protective of Ema in the time we have all been together.

“If I fought her on this she would only resist more. As well as I wanted her to at least have her freedom to experience something she has not had before. She has never been drawn to someone the way she is to Vladimir.” I explained trying to ease their angry stairs at me.

“So it is a love that is destined to die.” Louisa wiped a tear from her eye. “They do not deserve that, they have such good hearts.” She was doing her best not to let her sadness take hold.

“Is there nothing that we could do about it? They are still young and innocent in their love.” Mira asked.

“You know as well as I do that when an elf gives a vow it is not easily broken. Even just being half it is no easier. And she gave her vow to her father.” I was now watching Ema and Vladimir again while we talked.

We had just walked into Farvien as the sun had finally set on our day. Farvien was by no means a small town in the pack itself; it had quite a few shops, a school, and even a healer's house. Some homes were in town while others were a little farther out. Nikolaj led us through the town to a large house. The town was still alive and thriving with diversity even though it was on pack lands since they got travelers often we were not watched as we made our way through. Some people greeted Nikolaj while others paid us no mind at all.

Before Nikolaj could knock on the door, out through it flew a young girl right into his arms. “Cousin Niko your back.” She squealed in delight.

“Yes I just returned with my friends Sara,” he ruffled her hair playfully. “I need to speak with Uncle, is he in?” He smiled down at the little girl.

“Yes, DADDY COUSIN NIKO IS BACK.” She shouted as she grabbed Nikolaj’s hand and pulled him in after her.

We followed suit and were led into a big living room. “You all can sit and rest here for a bit. I need to let my Uncle the Alpha know the situation,” and with that Nikolaj had left.

“We might as well have a seat not sure how long he will be.” Cairo stretched out in a chair. Mira and Louisa sat as well. Vladimir pulled a small stool close to the chair Ema had sat in so they could be together. Zane seemed to prefer leaning against the wall near the front window so he could see out. Not wanting to move any further in the house I walked over and stood close to Ema yet far enough to give the two their space.

The house was made to look warm and inviting though there was no mistaking the alpha’s presence. A true alpha could have a fierce presence, though they respected their power. There are some alphas who abuse their power and could just make you feel sick from it. Though all alphas were different, Nikolaj's alpha had a very strong presence. Though if what I felt at that time at the ravine was real Zane was also an alpha. At times some shifters in packs have more than one person born with the power of the alpha and sometimes they get it all worked out to where someone becomes the Beta. Other times it will end in a bloody mess though there are times where they will leave the pack to start their own or end up becoming loners.

“Cairo it is good to see you again my friend.” Came a voice from the hall. Nikolaj had returned with his uncle Dreyfus. Their greeting was full of laughs as they exchanged their time from their last meeting. Louisa gave him a smile in greeting, Mira had then had her hands full as Sara had returned and was questioning her about her adventures. “Well, Nikolaj has said you are traveling to the Land of the Moon. You all are helping a young lady who is being chased.” Dreyfus voice was warm and wrapped with power.

“Yes sir, they have helped us out a great deal in the short time we have been acquainted.” Ema was now looking at Dreyfus.

“You all went from Hunters to being escorts? Though she is a pretty little thing. Seems young Vladimir thinks so as well.” This brought a blush to Ema’s face and that made three of the five men in the room break out into laughter.

“Ema, would you like to step outside?” I whispered as I was beside her now.

“No, it is quite alright. Thank you, Cecily.” Ema replied as she fought to reign in the blush in her cheeks.

“She, new with you all, or is she with the girl?” Dreyfus was now watching me intently.

“I am her protector.” I bowed my head in respect to Dreyfus.

“Hmm. Well, you all will be safe here on pack lands in Farvein.” He smiled now.

“The Inn’s right now are all full if that is where you were thinking of staying. You are welcome to stay in the spare rooms we have here or Nikolaj’s he has room at his house.” Came a delicate voice from behind Dreyfus which seemed to startle even him for an instant.

“This is my wife Arianna. She is quite light-footed as you can tell.” Dreyfus looked at his wife with affection. Trying to be discreet he still kept her at his side protectively, though that was understandable with strangers and his wife with her swollen stomach. Dreyfus affectionately ran a hand over his wifes pregnet belly.

Taking up their offer Cairo, Louisa, as well as Mira who was being begged to stay at their house for the night. The rest of us followed Nikolaj to his house. We were all wanting to get some much-needed rest after the events that we have all been through thus far.