Sioggard - The Moon Flower Luna

10.

"Slow down, Beta Viktor won't run away if he's back and getting tired isn't good for you." Georgianna asked, running after her worried, but Isadore didn't listen to her.

Continued to descend the stairs in a hurry regardless of her condition and the girl's hesitations.

She was better and it didn't matter anyway, what she wanted was to talk to Uncle Viktor.

Isadore had to ask him about Aileen.

She hadn't heard from her for weeks and was starting to worry.

Sure, Aileen was often gone for long periods in search of herbs and roots that weren't found in Sioggard, but this time it was different.

The last time they'd spoken Aileen sounded different, tired and worried.

Because of her, Isadore was sure of it and needed to meet the woman and ask for an explanation.

Locked up in the castle, however, guarded on sight and followed everywhere by Chlea, even if in the last week Georgianna had replaced her caretaker at her side, it was impossible to get away.

She therefore had to ask, no, demand from Uncle Viktor for him to bring Aileen back or to let her join the woman wherever Aileen was, even though Isadore knew it was impossible.

Uncle Viktor would never let her leave, especially given her condition. He'd always been terribly protective of her.

Enjoying the freedom she had been afforded, Isadore had not resented the limits of Uncle Viktor's affections much. She for one had never been interested in leaving the confines of Sioggard or getting away from home.

But now Isadore began to feel trapped and the oppression that stirred her heart badly pleased her.

In a week and a few days she would have turned seventeen, Isadore wasn't an adult yet but she considered herself old enough to be able to decide about her life by now.

If only Uncle Viktor understood that too.

"I don't think it is a good idea..." seeing her head towards the internal gallery, Georgianna began to worry because access to that wing, just like the west wing which housed the royal quarters, was forbidden. “Isadore please do not..”

However, she ignored the girl again and, regardless of the armed guards, Isadore advanced undaunted, determined to meet Uncle Viktor.

No one dared to stop her, despite some looks of disappointment that were given to her, the guards and warriors she met didn't even try to hinder her.

On the other hand, by now all Sioggard was aware of her presence at the castle, even if Isadore had spent almost all of her days locked up in her rooms, the news had spread rapidly.

"Isadore, please…" Georgianna pleaded, increasingly nervous as she opened door after door looking for Uncle Viktor. “Let's ask Chlea, she'll know where to find him..” the girl added, flustered, but promptly broke off as they rounded the corner shortly after.

Surprised by her sudden silence, Isadore found herself shivering in annoyance as she discovered the cause.

"Princess." Kellan greeted, coming towards her after gesturing to the warriors accompanying him to continue without him.

“Where is he?” Isadore asked him without even returning his greeting.

"Who?" Kellan wanted to know, raising an eyebrow without, however, minding her questionable manners.

He had gotten used to them because Isadore had never treated him with the respect his title bestowed on him.

“Uncle Viktor.”explained Isadore.

“It must be urgent if you bothered yourself, personally.” Kellan commented, giving her an inquisitive look.

"It doesn't concern you." she replied impatiently, ignoring the interest in his dark eyes.

Physically, Kellan and Rhys shared only the height and nothing else, they were as different as night and day.

With his black eyes and hair and imposing physique, Kellan could intimidate easily but Rhys's blond hair, gray eyes and icy gaze were far more disturbing.

"I see you're better." Kellan answered, looking at her carefully as well.

"Where's Uncle Viktor?" Isadore asked him impatiently, she certainly didn't have time to waste on pleasantries with the future Beta.

“I didn't even know he was back.” he informed her, making her frown for a moment. “I'll ask someone to trace him if you wish.”

"There's no need." Isadore replied dryly, annoyed by his solicitude.

Kellan had always been willing to satisfy her whims whenever the opportunity presented itself, but his being so diligent deeply annoyed her because she knew she didn't deserve it and hated feeling guilty.

She had never asked to be treated with such respect and attention, the only thing she had wanted was to be left alone.

Without even saying goodbye, Isadore turned away from Kellan and headed toward the vestibule, intent on finding Uncle Viktor herself.

"Isadore.."Georgianna shook herself out of her apathy to join her with a somewhat worried look.

"Don't say anything." Isadore replied irritably.

“You can't search the whole castle, let me ask Chlea and if Beta Viktor is back..”

"Do you feel it too?" Isadore asked, interrupting her.

"Feel what?" Georgianna replied, surprised to see her suddenly stop.

But Isadore didn't answer, too busy trying to calm the beating of her heart that suddenly seemed to want to leave her chest.

A sense of intense unease pervaded her, wrapping her in a crushing embrace and a fire lit in her heart, making her breathless.

"Isadore?" Georgianna asked in alarm as she suddenly turned pale.

"The appeal…" she replied in a whisper, unable to resist.

She felt totally at the mercy of a dark force that called to her with desperate urgency and, as much as she tried to resist, she couldn't. Her feet began to move, driven by their own will and Isadore lost herself in the soft rhythm of her heart, which continued to grow in intensity, exploding in her head.

"Isadore.." Georgianna called to her in fear, but the girl voice came as a distant and indistinct rustle.

"I have to go..." she replied without seeing her, continuing to move, unable to deny the burning call of her own heart.

It was the moon, a golden arc in the dark sky that shone with the intensity of the storm in her chest.

It was calling her, screaming in her head, making the blood pound in her veins.

It was claiming her, driving under her skin with a strength she had never known.

It hurt, the pain came dull and sudden, exploding in her heart with horrific intensity.

Isadore cried out, unable to fight it, in agony as she felt a rush of energy touch and fill her.

It tasted like eternity.

"Isadore .." Georgianna cried, scared seeing her collapse on the ground helpless and her eyes wet with tears of pain. “Please..” she added, but was too scared to be coherent.

Isadore wanted to answer her, tell her that she was fine but didn't find the strength within her, all her energies were aimed at the moon that was consuming her soul, taking her life one gram at a time. “Kellan…” Kneeling beside her, Georgianna cried out for help as she wept convulsively, terribly frightened.

"Isadore..." Kellan was not long in coming, he was beside her in an instant and with him a group of warriors who crowded around her also taking away the little air that was left in her lungs to breathe. "Look at me, breathe!" Kellan ordered her, taking her face in his hands.

Isadore felt his touch, heard his voice and the torment in his tone, but couldn't see it, before her eyes the golden mirror of the moon that covered the pitch sky continued to shine.

And the pain intensified as the moon continued to violate her heart, piercing her flesh, soaking her blood.

"Breathe Isadore.." Kellan ordered her again and his voice kept floating in the air somewhere nearby. "Stay with me .." he asked her with a sense of urgency that tinged the darkness of the night with gloomy shades.

"Isadore.." she also heard Georgianna call her and could hear the tears in her voice, but couldn't either see the girl among the indistinct shadows that surrounded her.

Then everything changed.

Her heartbeat got faster, the call of the moon became deafening and her blood started to burn, but the pain started to disappear.

To make room in her heart for an even stronger call.

Rhys.

His touch made her shiver and his gaze pierced her chest, reaching her most hidden strings.

"You'll be fine." Rhys assured, taking her in his arms.

He forcefully snatched her from the grip of the moon, which began to fade before her dull gaze.

Feeling her strength leaving her, Isadore gasped for air but she was losing, she knew it.

She could no longer breathe.

Before she died, however, she had one last thing to say to him.

"Rhys." she called, fighting desperately not to give in to unconsciousness. "I am not your mate ..." she whispered sadly, then closed her eyes and abandoned herself to darkness, letting herself be carried away by the last weak beat of her tired heart.