The Awakening Of The Luna

014: Queen Brulina ✨✨✨✨

Chapter Fourteen

The palace was grand, as any palace should be, the walls were painted in gold and the architecture was one for the eyes. The girls were taken into the Alpha’s palace where Alpha Gonzalo addressed his court. Marceline had figured that much out as they passed through the very well-guarded halls. She thought to herself, ‘For werewolves, they sure had lots of security’. She was sure to have said that to herself, but the snicker from one of the guards made her doubt herself. They walked and walked through dark halls but still no sign of the Alpha or anyone but themselves. Marceline was now exhausted and so were the other girls. She had gone from the top spot ahead to trailing behind the back of the line with Odette, who was barely keeping up.

They walked for another five minutes, before the guard in front stopped. He swiftly turned around and Marceline looked up, finally taking a good look at his face. ‘’You are only to speak when spoken to, and no hissing or side talk. If any of this is done, I won’t hesitate to kill you’’. He turned back around and signalled to one of the guards ahead to open the huge double doors that towered over them.

The doors opened and the guard in front walked first before they all followed behind. The room they entered was brighter and more visually appealing to the eye. It was not like what Marceline had expected, it was quite different but still very beautiful and oddly simple. Leather arm chairs circled around an oak table that had a gold ball inside, a Persian rug laid rest on the floor, Velvety rugs were draped over the door-sized windows that opened themselves proudly to let air and light inside.

Marceline looked around in awe. She restrained herself from opening her mouth but her eyes did the talking as she looked around with wide doe eyes. She felt a hand tap hers causing her to bring her sub-consciousness back, she traced the hand to the person, to see Delphine bowing her head. She did not bother to look back up and simply bowed her head as well.

‘’WE GREET YOU ALPHA GONZALO OF AGRED!!’’, The five girls said in unity with bowed heads.

‘’Ha, Ha, Hmmm’’, A dark chuckle resonated. Throughout the room, Marceline shook on her feet as she kept her head bowed. She knew one wrong move would be the end.

‘’The Five’’, Alpha Gonzalo teased as he glanced at his wife, who kept her eyes on the girls, scanning them one at a time. ‘’What do you think of them?’, He asked and she trained her eyes a bit more on them before looking back at her husband, ‘’We would get to know them after the test’’. Luna Brulina said.

‘’Test?’’ Marceline whispered, confusion clear in her eyes.

‘’Never one to agree with Lina?’’, Alpha Gonzalo said while chuckling. His Luna snickered at him and he stopped laughing, getting serious, ‘’Okay Rise!’’. He ordered them and the girls did so.

Marceline’s eyes widened slightly as she laid eyes on the couple in front of her. Beautiful, she thought to herself, Alpha Gonzalo was surprisingly casually dressed. He wore a black suit and kept his jewelry simple. Alpha Gonzalo was not a young man, but he looked younger and happier and his eyes glowed when he smiled, which was something he did quite often. He was of fair skin and his eyes were sky blue. He looked lovingly at his wife, who seemed to be a clear contrast to her husband. Luna Brulina was just as beautiful as her husband. She had blue eyes as well but long black hair that she set free. She was a slim, fit woman and for her age she looked very beautiful. She wore a velvet blue dress that flowed to the ground and matching gloves while a diamond crown sat on her head. Her makeup was simple, a natural shade of lipstick and barely anything else there.

‘’You !’’, Queen Brulina pointed to Giselle, ‘’Step forward,’’. Giselle did so and stepped to the centre of the room.

‘’Seven sisters went to the cottage and every single one of them decided to start doing something. The first one started reading a novel, the second one started frying pancakes, the third started playing chess, the fourth started doing crosswords, the fifth started doing the laundry, the sixth started watering the plants., What is the seventh sister doing?’.

‘Giselle thought for a moment, she looked behind a few times before shaking her head no. Delphine sighed.

‘’You do not know’’. Queen Brulina said more of a statement than a question. Giselle shook her head again, ‘’I do, she is probably playing chess with the third’’. Giselle said casually, The king smiled, ‘’Correct’’. He giggled out like a child. Marceline noticed a slight stretch of Luna Brulina’s lips and she realised she didn’t want them to know the answers. What a selfish queen!

‘’You’’. Next was Delphine, who seemed readily prepared for her question already. Marceline noticed how they looked at her with intriguing eyes and she smiled. She knew they could already tell she was wise, and it warmed her. Delphine stepped forward and Giselle stepped back, also releasing a breath of relief, while the other girls, including Marceline, tensed up as the second question was thrown.

‘’One young man inherited two factories where very beautiful ladies’ shoes were produced. All was going well until the man noticed that the employees had started stealing beautiful shoes for their girlfriends and wives. And there was no way to catch everyone!

What decision did the young man make to decrease the number of stolen shoes?’’. Queen Brulina asked .

‘’The owner ordered one factory to produce only the right shoes and the other one — only the left shoes.’’ Delphine answered calmly.

Brulina turned to her husband and smiled, she urged Delphine to step back while Renee stepped forward.

‘’What belongs to you but people use it more?’’, Renee giggled softly, which caused Luna Brulina to smile brightly for the first time since they had arrived, ‘’My Name, Renee’’. She said before taking a step back to meet her sister.

Queen Brulina said nothing and let the girl do as she pleased. Odette painfully stepped forward. Queen Brulina noticed her limping and the smile on her face instantly disappeared. Alpha Gonzalo also noticed how she limped and he sighed as well.

‘’When does Christmas come before Thanksgiving?’’ Queen Brulina asked Odette.

‘’There are many answers to that , Luna’’, she said calmly as she adjusted her feet. Alpha Gonzalo raised a brow and glanced at his wife, who did the same, ‘’State all the answers then’’, Queen brulina challenged.

‘’Anywhere but the calender’’. Odette said with confidence. Brulina looked on at her and she sighed, ‘’You just said it yourself, it can happen in books, dictionaries and even in our speech. Christmas , Thanksgiving, I just answered it.’’

There was a calm silence, no one spoke, not even the Alpha. Marceline looked at both parties, wondering the reason for the sudden silence. Then Queen Brulina spoke, ‘’Wise beyond your years, step back’’. Odette did so and stepped back. Marceline gathered all her breath in her chest and took a step forward. It was hard with the chains on her legs still on, but she did so either way.

Queen Brulina looked at Marceline with pure intrigue, something Marceline was used to but not totally fond of. She pried her eyes away from the woman to see the Alpha looking at her with just the same intrigue as well.

Unsure of what to do, Marceline took a bow, causing her hair to fall down and cover her face. Queen Burina got up from her seat and walked swiftly over to Marceline. She raised a hand and Marceline flinched away, but she only moved closer and she pulled the hair that had fallen away, revealing her beautifully bruised face.

‘’Marceline’’. The woman said with a sad smile, Marceline’s blue eyes met hers, and she looked away , she gently touched her cheek, gave her a soft smile before turning and heading back to the seat.

Alpha Gonzalo got up as well, but he did not approach her, rather he addressed her, ‘’I would give you a chance to run away for two minutes, but if you get caught you die and your parents get their freedom and, gold a new daughter with your memory gone, would you take it?’’. Alpha Gonzalo stared at her as he spoke and Marceline closed her eyes. Her heart thundered out of her chest, she put her hands into fists and, without warning, she sprinted out of the palace.