Awakenings: The Rise of an Empire

Victoria

Kristoph

       Finally, we are heading home. Ever since our warriors discovered Cadoc’s men on the alliance lands I have been on edge. Every moment of my day was spent planning and protecting my most precious thing in this life, Annie.

       I sat watching her desperately trying to keep her eyes open, trying to take in her surroundings. I smiled and decided to take her below deck to one of the bedroom suites to get some rest.

       “Come; Meine Liebe, you need to rest.”

       “I’m okay, I’m just enjoying the view.” She said in the middle of yawning.

       “I insist,” I say as I stifle a laugh as I watch her desperately try to keep her eyes open.

       “Okay, okay, but I’m only going because you insisted.” She says as she bats her eyes at me with a sly smile.

       As I led her, I tell staff to please bring two fresh bottles of blood to our suite for when she wakes up. Once inside the suite I watch Annie admire how comfortable and welcoming it is.

       “This is so beautiful, Kristoph. That bed is calling my name.” In a flash, she is across the room bouncing on the large bed laughing.

       Her beauty and laughter capture my heart. I watch as she falls back against the pillows laughing with curls surrounding her face. I hope to always see her this carefree.

       Her energy draws me in, in this moment I just want to be next to her. The next thing I know I am on the bed with her trapped beneath me I capture her mouth in the middle of a giggle that turns into a moan.

       I pull her into me and deepen the kiss, she wraps her arms around my neck and places her hands in my hair pulling me even closer. We fit together like perfect puzzle pieces truly created for one another. I can never get enough of her. But I know when to end it as well. We made a promise to each other I intend to keep.

       “Okay; Meine Liebe, time to “sleep.” I pull her close and whisper, “Ich liebe dich.” As she closes her eyes she whispers, “Ich liebe dich auch.”

Annie

       I love it when Kristoph says I love you in his language. He pulls me in closer as I drift off to sleep. I feel so safe in his arms. I am exhausted and overwhelmed by all the changes. It feels good to finally get some rest.

***

       I awake suddenly, I rub the side of my face feeling the sting of a brutal slap. I look at my surroundings and I notice I am no longer on the boat, but in a concrete cell the walls are lined with silver. I am laying on a damp floor in the middle of the floor. “Where am I, what is this place.” That is when I hear a menacing laugh.  lookup and see a man before me, he is pale with black eyes, and jet-black hair to match. He glares at me with such hatred it makes me crawl back against the wall.

       “Hello Annie, we finally have a chance to meet.” He sneers. “Sorry I had to slap you, I needed you awake to deliver my message.”

       “Who are you! What do you want!” I can feel my anger rising, but I can not seem to tap into my powers, but I can feel my strength building.

       “Who I am is of no consequence my future queen. But what I want you will give, or you will suffer. I want your death and the death of the others. You are destined to have a son and he will be more powerful than all of us. I will see you dead first!” He shouts. He crosses the room in a flash drags me to my feet and digs his nails into my flesh.

       I scream in Agony, uncertain if it is due to the pain or to the threat to my unborn child. “No!” I scream, I grab him by the throat and throw him across the room. He looks at me and sneers cruelly with a wicked smile.

       “You are strong, but playtime is over. I can reach you anytime in your dreams and in your subconscious. I will destroy you and your precious love ones!”

       “NO!!, I won’t Allow It!” I SCREAM!!

       “Annie, Annie! Wake up!”

       I felt someone shaking me and I started to fight them off. “Annie, wake up it's me, Kristoph. It's ok you are safe. It's ok now. He pulls me into his arms and I willingly curl into his embrace. Before I know it, the tears began to fall, and my sobs pierce the silence in the room.

       I tell Kristoph my dream and how it felt real. He notices the bruise on my face and the blood on my arms. I can feel the anger rolling off him. “It wasn’t a dream Annie, its Cadoc he can reach you in your subconsciousness. It's one of his powers. I will kill him myself before I ever allow him to touch you again.”

       “How can we stop him. He had silver chains on the prison walls he must know I have powers and used the silver so I could not defend myself. But he didn’t count on my strength.”

       “Here, I had a bottle of blood delivered while you were sleeping, it will help you heal. You have already started to heal. We are about to dock in Victoria, my home. We will meet with the elders and the others once we reach the castle grounds.”

       After I drank the blood, I felt rejuvenated. “Can we go above deck now? I would love to see Victoria as we enter.”

       “If you feel up to it, nothing will make me happier than to see it through your eyes for the first time.”

       We rushed to the upper deck just in time to see the boat enter the portal through the waterfalls to the immortal lands of Etolis. Victoria would be our first port.

       The falls open like a curtain allowing us to pass right through, we excited through the fall towards a huge opening in the cave. The sun showed through in glorious rays. It was as if nature was welcoming us home.

       I gasped at the sight before me, Victoria is breathtakingly beautiful with its rocky coves, a mix of modern and classic Greek architecture with whitewashed structures and colorful roofs.  You can see Castle Zelig in all its glory at the top of the city. Kristoph said the name of the castle means “blessed one.”  

       “Even with the stories and descriptions, you’ve given this is more than I imagined,” I said as I leaned into Kristoph and watched the boat come into dock. There were four huge black limos waiting for us at the dock, along with some of the people of Victoria waiting to welcome us. Some were vampires, others were something I could not detect, and some werewolves. They were waving and smiling, some with their families and small children.

       We waved back excited to see them here to welcome us. We each entered our limos and made our way through the narrow streets of the city towards the castle. Kristoph explained that werewolves, vampires, some witches, and Fae live here together peacefully. He said some choose to live here because of the colder weather. It is quite brisk here. Everyone chooses the region they are comfortable with. Except for Marcus’ pack, they prefer to live together whereas smaller packs are spread through-out Etolis.

       We finally reached the gates to the castle. It is a huge structure with four towers. The gardens around it are immaculate. There is a river that runs beside the road to the main entrance. It is reminiscent of a medieval fairytale. We are greeted by staff and our things are carried in. The elders await us in the gathering room off the main entrance.

       “Welcome home, your majesties.” One of the elders spoke first, he was a tall man with white and grey hair, crystal blue eyes like Kristoph and his parents, and a trimmed beard. He was dressed regally in an elegant jacket and pants that matched. Each elder looked young with grey hair, Kristoph said they were incredibly old, and one day our parents would join the elder council.  I suspected that this is Kristoph’s grandfather, as each elder resembled our parents.

       “You are correct, Annie.” He says with a smile, “and very observant I must say.”

       “You can hear my thoughts,” I say astonished.

       “Yes, I can, I can also see your heart. You are a pure loving soul. The goddess has chosen well. You are the perfect mate for my grandson, and immensely powerful. But you will face many trials. But your strength and bond will bring you through. Your full powers have yet to manifest themselves.”

       “Kristoph mind-linked us before you arrived about your dream and how Cadoc was able to attack you in your subconsciousness.”

“Alec, tell me how we can protect our child?” I turned to see my mother approach the elder as she asked him.

“Keba, we have consulted with a few of the spell-casters. They have come up with a way that even if Cadoc continues to seek Annie in her sleep, he will not be able to harm her. My fear is that he will seek to capture her. He knows she is the key to freeing Etolis of evil for good. I believe he will not stop until he destroys her.”

“HE WILL NOT TOUCH HER!” Kristoph and Marcus growl in unison. Dannie and I were at their sides at once, trying to soothe and reassure them. Marcus was shaking so violently it causes the floor to vibrate. Kristoph crouched at my side as if he senses danger.

We manage to somehow calm them. I wrap my arms around Kristoph, and he carries me over to the closet chair and places me in his lap. Dannie is at Marcus’ side rubbing circles in his palm it manages to calm him instantly. She has the magic touch.

After Kristoph and Marcus settled, Alec continued. “We will do everything in our power to protect Annie and the others. He introduced us to the rest of the elders, and they explained the events that would take place over the next few weeks.

They also informed us that there were several rogue attacks along the different borders of each city in Etolis. They were certain they were strategic attacks by Cadoc’s men. They were getting bolder, but not stronger than the warriors, or the trackers in the alliance.

 Kristoph and I would have a joint ceremony in Victoria to take our rightful place as future rulers, in a few days,  we would spend a week in Victoria, then we would travel to Atramentous; in the black mountains, Marcus’ lands, and he and Dannie would have their marriage ceremony, and marking ceremony he would mark her and she would officially join his pack. Kristoph and I decided we would have our wedding ceremony in; Khoisan, my lands to celebrate with my people.

We would begin training again first thing in the morning. Everyone was determined to make sure we were prepared for an attack. After we were escorted to our rooms, one of the spell-casters visited me and gave me a beautiful gold amulet embroidered with roses and thorns to wear around my neck. Once she placed it on me, I felt it burn my skin. When she lifted it a tattoo identical to the amulet appeared under it.

“if the amulet is removed you will still be protected, it will always find its way back to you. The rose and the thorns are a symbol of who you are, beautiful but deadly powerful. If Cadoc or his spies, try to harm you or poison you in any way your eyes and the amulet will glow bright red. Even in your sleep, he will not be able to harness your powers.” She hugged me and said “be well, I am Kat your personal sorcerer. Welcome home.”  

Cadoc

I wiped the blood from my mouth. I hated the taste of rogue blood, but I would not be disobeyed again. I called my men in to clean up the beheaded filth that lay in front of me, how could this rogue disobey my orders. I had been agitated ever since my encounter with Annie.

She was not what I expected. I expected she would be beautiful, but defiant and strong-willed I did not expect. There are fire and passion in her bright golden eyes. she did not back down or cower in front of me, she fought back it sparked something deep within me, something I long forgot… desire. Her brown skin and beautiful long curls; and her full lips, never had I wanted to taste anything as much as I desired the feel of her lips.

I will have her, and anyone who dared to stand in my way I will destroy. I will make her accept me and accept the darkness I know is within her she will be mine.