Once Upon Many Times

The End of Hope

A week after the ordeal

“And as we are here, on this solemn day, to say our final goodbye, let us remember the happy times, the laughter, and smiles. Let us not hold onto the sorrows and pain as we lay our dearly departed to rest to be welcomed back into the loving arms of our Moon Goddess. May they know peace,” said Beta Roberto, as he looked around the heavily crowded burial grounds, the royal family sitting in the foreground, watching the coffin as it was lowered into the prepared ground.

Sitting with the family are Alpha Blake and his son, Adam, his eyes staring unblinkingly at the coffin, his tears gathered, yet refusing to fall. He couldn’t tear his eyes away, it carried his beloved, who had passed three days ago. His heart broke as he sat beside her, her breaths coming in raspy gasps, until she no longer could breathe. She never woke up, to open her eyes again, gracing him with that look he found endearing; to find out for herself that she was his Mate, become his Luna and bear their children; to grow old with him. There were so many things he and Brielle would never do, which saddened his heart. The further the coffin went, the more numb Adam became. His whole life is buried today. The black tendrils have finally taken over Brielle’s body. She just couldn’t withstand the darkness that had enveloped her, stealing her life’s essence each day. When the coffin was finally and completely placed into the burial plot, his tears fell as his body shook, his heart torn apart. It was done. He knew, now, there was nothing left to hold him at the palace. It was time to return to his pack and heal, if at all possible.

Alpha Blake sat beside his son as he felt him break apart, little by little, while the coffin was laid to rest in the hole. In a short span of time, his son had found his love, his future Luna, and lost her within a week’s time. It was too much for Adam to withstand. He felt it within his soul and feared the outcome. He laid a hand on his son’s shoulder, offering him his condolences, as there was nothing else that he could do for his only child. He turned his head in the direction of the family whose child they were burying, and again was struck hard with empathy for them, to have lost a precious treasure that was their daughter and sister. The whole ordeal will definitely leave a lasting scar within the family and the kingdom, yet he hopes for them to weather through this storm and come out strong, especially once they catch the young woman who had dared to attack the family like this. Already, there has been news of her travels. A sect of palace guards has been given leave to search and return with her to be brought to justice. Hopefully, the family and Adam will see this done soon, so they may move forward with their lives.

Months after the burial

A woman enters the borders of the royal family, seeking shelter and some food after traveling for many months. She has moved throughout the lands, doing odd jobs whenever she was able to find work, never staying in one place for too long. She works hard, keeping her head down, but her ears are open, hoping to gather tidbits of information that may be useful for her, though most gossip and information aren’t. She keeps her hair tidy, wrapped up by a white linen tied behind her neck. Little wisps of her light brown hair escape periodically, especially those on her forehead, which she huffs from her face occasionally. On this particular day, she had heard the palace was in search of servants to help maintain order, which was good news for her as this would allow her to find work within the palace. Her luck just might be looking good for now.

After going through a highly intensive interview and providing proof of her ability to complete tasks put before her, Adelia had accepted the job offer and had started working in the palace. She flits around the palace, cleaning the rooms assigned to her. It was during this time that she heard voices in a neighboring room she was cleaning. It was the voice of two girls gossiping, but what they said shook Adelia to her core.

“Rumor has it that the Queen keeps reciting some kind of prophecy the late princess was to fulfill, but with her death, it’s obvious it won’t happen. But the Queen insists it will. She told her husband, the King, that her seer said the princess would be the first to try, but that there would be others to bring the mission to life. That each born would bear the soul and spirit of our Princess Brielle. The seer said she would come back to finish it. Isn’t that just bizarre, for the Queen to believe in a fairytale?” the young maid asked conspiratorially.

“Reilen, one shouldn’t talk about the royal family like that. The seer, as I was told, was correct in everything she had ever told the Queen. I wouldn’t want to be caught spreading this around anyone. They are all loyal to the family, and you may very well be tossed on your ass if it were to be found you speaking ill of the Queen like that,” her companion said out loud as she hurriedly straightened the bed covers and left the room.

“Well,” was all Reilen was able to say before she too left.

“What?” Adelia asked no one. “This cannot happen. I won’t let it happen. She will not come back, I forbid it.”

Adelia illusion had begun to falter, her image changing from a helpful young woman, to the cold-hearted woman responsible for the Seer’s death as well as the princess, Athelyna. “I will have to find a way to ensure this will never come to pass. That pesky princess will need to die and stay dead. I didn’t lose my mother over her for nothing. I swear, I will find a way to stay alive and destroy that girl. I will find her no matter what I have to do.” With a quick glance, she leaves the room unfinished and walks out of the palace.