The Royal Wolves

When I Was Young

* * * Queen Erin’s POV * * *

Amara is an absolute bundle of joy, in the two days she has been on this Earth she has brought immeasurable amounts of joy to all she has met.

Elsie has been wrapped around her little finger. She hasn’t cried once, and when I explained to Elsie that there’s something that tells me to feed, change, cuddle Amara, she told me that my baby could very well have telepathic abilities and her needs are simply projecting from her mind to mine. Initially I worried, but it is rather normal for witch babies.

“Has Betty been in touch yet?” I ask her, little worried that we haven’t seen her since she mentioned getting a vision from the ancestors.

“She’ll be here shortly, she had to find something located within one of our hundreds, maybe thousands of books,” Elsie tells me kindly.

“I’d definitely say thousands. I’ve sat in that room, remember,” I laugh.

“Books are valuable,” she smiles.

“Still. Isn’t it a little odd that she hasn’t been in touch? She was smitten with Amara.”

“And I still am, my dear,” Betty speaks from nowhere and then walks through the living room door.

She looks tired, her hair in chaos and as though she hasn’t slept a wink. And yet, in her face I find comfort.

“Did you manage to get a vision? Find a vision? I don’t know what the right term in,” my mum asks as she lays a tray of refreshments down.

“Either or is fine. I know your questions come from a place of love. Take a seat and I will tell you what I have found.” Betty says she ushers my mum to the sofa beside me.

“No interruptions please. Let me finish before you ask questions. Promise?” She asks us and waits for each of us to do so.

“Now. When I was young. And I mean a young girl, before I even knew if I would have magic, my mother would read me bed time stories every night. My favourite was about a destined child that would unite the species. She would be born of multiple species, hold immense power and save us all…..” she pauses for breath.

I’m speechless.

“Now it was my favourite, because at that age, it was widely known that witches were being persecuted, captured and burned at the stake. The humans simply didn’t understand us and saw us as a threat to not only their way of life, but their children. I lived in fear that one day they would come for my mother. I didn’t quite understand the term witch at that age. Based on the children’s books read to me, a witch was a wicked creature and my mother’s magic fascinated me. But this destined child, she held everyone’s hopes for a better future. Born of three species and fated to another. She would be marked by the gods by eyes of the gods themselves. Do you see?”

“You think Amara is this destined child you were told about as a child?” I ask.

“It was more then being told. When witches receive a vision, some mask them into innocent things to hide them. A lot of people would kill to prevent the species being united under one leader. It seemed too much like fate, which is why I went to the ancestors and of course my secret library,” Betty exclaims, her voice alive with excitement. Her whole body seems to be vibrating with energy.

“And did the ancestors speak to you?”

“They did,” she grins.

“Oh for heavens sake. Tell us,” Elsie scoffs at her.

“It was a long vision, my friend. I watched one of the original witches. Did you know we came to be because of a slight mutation of cells that connected us with the world, they gave us a great reverence for the power and mystery of nature and the spirits. Anyway, as our population grew, people became more aware of our differences, our powers. They feared what they did not know and so began the eternal persecution of witches. . . . . . . . only for some they persecuted other species too, just for the power . . . . . . . . . Back in those early days, a witch begged for an answer to the never ending war, she begged for peace amongst the species. . . . . . . The spirits heard her and thus came the first ever vision known to the world. . . . . The first prophecy. . . . They showed her a child with Raven hair and violet eyes. . . . The worlds first tribrid. . . . . Born of humans, witches and wolves,” Betty finally stops talking and throws herself into the armchair and gasps with dramatic flair.

“That still . . . . . . . . . “ I don’t get to finish, Betty waves her hand and a gust of wind flies towards me.

“I’m not finished, my dear,” she smiles, “unless you don’t wish to hear the remainder of the vision?” She asks me with a raised eyebrow.

“Mum?” I look to my mother who is sat as though she is watching a soap opera.

“I think we must know. If it is indeed fate, At least we can guide her to her path safely and protect her,” she smiles as she gives her advice, and I know she is imagining it as though it’s what she would do if I were the possibly the destined child.

“Very well. Please tell us Betty.”

“The child will have immense power and be able to live as a human, a wolf and a witch. However she pleases. The people will flock to her as their saviour. I dare say she will be the most powerful witch in history. But when her wolf recognises her fated mate, she will . . . . . . Well to be exact. . . . “

“Erin!!!” Stefan shouts. A door bangs, and he footsteps rush through. “Want to see something cool? It’s just hap. . . . .” His words falter as he pauses in the doorway. “What’s going on?” He looks around the room for an answer.