Diamond’s Domain

Diamond’s first day in the dorm

Diamond’s (POV)

Fifteen years later:

Today I get to move into my very first dormitory room. My roommate and I have been texting each other for two months. I already know we are going to be best friends. She lives near the Palace. Her parents both work for the Crown Prince Amadeo. She talks about him a lot. I think she might have a crush on him.

I have never met the Crown Prince in person. The King, has always hired private tutors for him, plus he has to learn to rule over our Domain. Domain law states that as the Crown Prince, he is to take over the throne on or before his eighteenth birthday. If the King had died before Crown Prince Amadeo turned fourteen years old, then the King’s brother would have been King Regent until Crown Prince Amadeo turned fourteen years old. The legend is the King is so paranoid of his brother taking over the Crown, that he hid himself and his son behind the Kings Guard.

CMy aunt Ruby has been teaching me about The Royals for as long as I can remember, she even told me that the King had a hybrid warlock and elf put a protective shield around the Palace. To keep his brother away from the Palace.

I love all four of my Aunts. They adopted me as a young baby. They have always taught me to respect the old stories passed down by the ancestors. My trainers also taught me how to respect the Domain’s history.

I feel the panic start to set in, I know she will not move here until tomorrow because today is The Crown Prince’s birthday he is turning eighteen. She said The King will not allow anyone in or out of the Palace grounds, so she had to delay moving into our room until tomorrow. I will be here tonight by myself.

Aunt Lavi said I can feel your panic all the way down at the moving truck, what is wrong Dia? She is the only one who ever uses my nickname. I think she does it to rebel against Aunt Serenity and Aunt Soteria (she prefers I call her Aunt Ria). Serenity and Soteria are the two females of quadruples. I have heard about their brothers, the ancestors prohibited my aunts from speaking the brother’s names. I was also never allowed to meet them. I asked Ruby one time why, and she just looked at me with tears glistening in her eyes, then told me not to worry about things that the ancestors decree. I never asked again I just follow the rules and study hard as I was told to do.

Aunt Lavi pulled me into one of her hugs and asked me again softer so only I could hear her, Dia my sweet baby what is worrying you? I cannot hide anything from my aunts they can all feel my emotions. I have never felt a need to deceive anyone.

Oh, Aunt Lavi, what if she doesn’t like me? What if they all call me a baby again? What if they call me the nerdy orphan, like others in school? What if, what if, what if I can’t do it? I don’t want to bring shame to onto our family.

I all of a sudden felt four hands rubbing up and down my back. I feel Aunt Serenity giving me her feelings of peace. Aunt Ria is sending protective love, and Aunt Ruby is sharing her heart with me. I looked up and saw my the loving family who chose me. They chose to adopt me. They love all of me.

I slowed my heart rate down with the breathing Aunt Serenity taught me. I hugged them all one at a time to let them know I love them. I rarely use our private language in public but no one was around so I open my heart and let them each feel my raw emotions, and I could feel theirs.

We hugged each other for a few more minutes before I hear the familiar sound of Serenity snapping her fingers. I knew immediately she was shielding her emotions by decorating my dormitory room. Serenity and Ria both share a love language of showing service. They do not openly talk about love, or openly share their emotions very often, like Ruby and Lavi do. I think it has to do with their brothers. I feel the love they have for their brothers, I also feel some weird feelings that I do not understand. I do not question them about it, I know they love me with their whole hearts and that is what is important.

Aunt Ria is the one who keeps us all together, she protects and keeps us on her schedule. I knew we were out of time, Ria started to scrunch up her face. She only does that when she knows one of us not going to like what she is about to say. I knew what was about to happen, so I started telling my Aunts ciao. (We do not say goodbye, we say ciao, that way we do not temp the fates.)

Aunt Ruby taught me about the power we hold on our tongues and words. We must be careful to speak only positivity into the Domain and each other. We do not want to temp the fates by putting negativity into our hearts and minds.

Serenity made me promise to come for family dinner on Friday after I left the orphanage and to bring home any of the children who needed a night out. I was giggling in my head as I thought about my aunts, trying to be tough, yet they are all truly marshmallows. They love openly and fiercely all of the pure in our Domain. I was in my head so I missed Lavi pulling back from our hug to give me a love tap. Dia I know what you were thinking, you better stop or I am going to tell her your secret. My eyes snapped to Lavi, I saw the smile form on her whole face, I dramatically put my bottom lip out in a fake pout, gets her every time.

Ria cleared her throat and I pointed to the door. It was time. I think Ruby is going to change the tide waters with all of her tears. She is the most openly emotional of my aunts. I shut the door and slid down to the floor. Serenity really out did herself this time with the decor. I looked around for a moment missing my aunts, then they all sent me their love.

I smiled and gave myself a quick pep talk. I got up and I grabbed my laptop and popped one of the prepped meals into my microwave. My aunts prepped enough food for the whole dormitory. I started reviewing my class syllabi and organizing my classwork when I heard a series of knocks and giggles. I opened my door to five girls knocking on my door and giggling. I told them that Hatte would not be here until tomorrow.

One of them introduced herself as our resident advisor, I think she said her name was Aria, I honestly did not pay much attention to what they were saying, I was still thinking about my schedule. That’s when Aria waved her hand in front of my face and snapped her fingers. Diamond? It is Diamond right? Shaking my head I said yes I am Diamond it is a pleasure meeting you all.

We came to see what smelled so fabulous, that can wait, now I want to know where you were at when we were talking. I looked at them with all the shame I deserved, I bowed my head and apologized. I was about to tell her about my schedule when I heard him. He said Diamond hold your head high and never bow to those who are not of your station. What? Who? Huh? I must be really tired. I heard the microwave ding and Aria reach in to see what was in the microwave. I heard Ruby next, Diamond mind your manners, she admonished me. I shook my head and said I have plenty would like to join me for dinner and a movie?

They all pounced crossed legged on my bed, bean bag, and stuffy couch. We ate and we laughed. We compared our schedules and study groups were formed. We made plans for more dorm dinner nights. Yes, so I guess that is a thing now. The next thing I knew there were five girls snoring in my room.

I grabbed an available pillow and knelt by the northern window to thank the ancestors for all of their love, knowledge and blessings bestowed upon me. I blew a kiss to the sky trusting the ancestors to give me a mate created especially for me. Lavender says everyone has their One, who was created just for them. I could feel my face heat up as I blushed just thinking about my One. I turn sixteen in a month or so we think, and then I should be able to sense my One. I said goodnight to my aunts and they all replied with love in my head and heart, yeah so that is new I guess I’ll ask Ruby tomorrow about this talking in my head.

I laid the pillow down and snuggled with my unicorn stuffy, she has been with me since I was in diapers. I never go anywhere without her in my backpack. She is my best friend. Serenity keeps her looking brand new. I love my aunts snappy fingers they come in handy.

Just as sleep was about to take me to the Sandman, I heard him again. His deep throaty voice said sleep well my precious.