Bloodmoon

chapter17

Shaking my head I put my attention back on the letter,

“Dearest Winter,

I cannot express my sorrow at what I have let happen to you. Sorry will never be enough. One I allowed your memories to be altered then I began doing it also. I thought, at the time, I was protecting you then in my quest to keep you safe I allowed your siblings to become awful leaders. They harmed you, I’m… I am at a loss for words. I have been trying to find answers about your powers with no luck, I am afraid. I have enlisted help from other kingdoms. I have enclosed a necklace with a magical stone. It is called a the crimstone. This is not the same one your mother wore but it is similar. We had this one conjured on the day of your birth. We both blessed it as well as your father. This stone has many wonderful attributes, one as you may or may not be aware can hold memories if there is something you wish to reflect on or are afraid will be taken since some have chosen to mess with you that way. Another is it can be used much like a recorder in this date and time, you can record messages on it, and it also has protective properties. In someways this stone also has protective properties as well. Every ruler in our family has held a stone similar to this one. It will help you harness your gifts and strengthen them. You will have gifts my darling girl I feel it in my soul. You will understand more about it, the more you investigate and the older you get. I had hoped I would give this to you at your coronation. However, I feel there are dark and dangerous times on that horizon. I am even afraid the walls around us have ears my pet. Keep this close and always wear it on your person. It shall help you in many ways. I know you have gifts and with each passing day they get stronger at least your aura does. Unfortunately, a strong aura doesn’t allow me to hand you the throne. I am going to seek refuge for you with the Fae king. If I must officially hand over the throne to Jasamine. Hopefully this stone will be enough for now. Come seek me when you return and do not worry even, I will not notice your aura, changes in your scent or even the emergence of powers should they start now unless you see fit to tell me also No one will be able to see the stone around your neck. You will notice DeJa’Vu. I have shown you this and blocked the memories, but it was for your own good at that time. I am sorry again my darling never doubt that I love you. Winter Melanie Blackheart. I will keep looking for answers for you until my last day on this earth. Love Grams.

I look at the necklace, “Refuge”

“Well first thing first, my Queen let’s put this on.” He helps me, “Secondly, let us have Alpha father Alec call her highness asking for you to come to pack lands. It is no secret that he and your parents were close or that he has kept tabs on you your grace,”

“Hunter, please stop calling me that nonsense Have Ethan”

He laughed, “He is filling in old Pappy as we speak.” His face turned crimson, and he busted out laughing.

“What”

“Apparently Ethans dad didn’t like me calling him old pappy and there was a string of profanities and laughter from the group link.”

I could imagine and I too started laughing. “Let’s go before they send a search party.” I grumble “I am severely late.” We make our way up the large steps just as the door opens.

“There you are stupid. Did you forget your way home?” Jasamine’s voice yells, “Grams was sending us to search for you. Who’s this loser?” She stares at Hunter.

“I beg your pardon” He speaks formally. “My name is Hunter BlackRaven; I am visiting from the hollow. I met the princess.” He pauses, “Princess Melanie, wasn’t it?” He fakes forgetfulness “I met her at the gate, and she graciously offered to assist me, may I speak to her highness Queen Blackheart? If it would not trouble taking away from your duties to get her for me, please?”

“My duties???” She turned a color of pink I hadn’t seen before, “I am Crown princess Jasamine Blackheart not a maid. One would think a subject of the Hollow would know better.”

“My apologies your highness” He bow, “I would never believe a princess never mind the crown princess would speak so brazenly.”

Her face continued to turn shades, and I could have sworn I saw smoke come out of her ears. She adjusted her dress and took a deep breath, “Princess Melanie,” She spat “Well my apologies Mr. Blackraven, I wasn’t aware of your connections we were not aware of you arrival.” She moves back to allow us entry, “Melanie here may have been born royal, but she is powerless and has been demoted. so, I am afraid she has led you astray with her title.” She turns to me her fangs elongated “The kitchen is in shambles, and we are starving, go fix it.” Turning back to Hunter, who had a perplexed expression, I could tell he was struggling not to intervene, “If you will follow me. I will escort you to her highness office as I am the crown princess.” She shoves me down. Hunter pivoted to help me, but I stopped him with a look. My hear clenches and I know I am feeling my mate, his pain and anger at seeing me pushed. Hunter’s eyes spaced out for a second and I know Ethan is talking to him.

They turn and move up the large staircase while I head to the kitchen. “Grams, why are you in the kitchen?” I blurt out instantly knowing better.

“Looking for you, come” She stood.

“I um… I found a wizard student out front. I was bringing him to you when Jasamine interrupted taking him to your office, telling me to return to the kitchens”

“Well good thing she isn’t Queen, come” I follow her toward her office.

“Queen grandmother” Jasamine curtsy then notices me, “I thought I told you …”

“Knock it off Jasamine” Grams scolded her opening her office door. “In fact, if Melanie found our guest, she should have continued to escort him not you. Interrupting them was rude and unseeingly to your station you should be ashamed of yourself. Now go to your room!”

I stand mouth wide open I never seen my grandmother discipline anyone certainly not Jasamine.

“Grams” She shrieks.

“Jasamine Rachel Blackheart, we have a visitor from another kingdom, I am not only your grandmother but also your queen!!! You have now embarrassed this family thrice times I will not have it be a fourth. Your behavior is despicable. Now go to your room of your own accord or I will call the guard and have your put under lock and key.” Grams fired back.

She storms out but not before hitting my shoulder as she goes past me.

The queen put her fingers to her lips shushing them both, “I apologize. I do not know what I am going to do with that child.” She put her hands up waving in front of the door a white light appeared and crawled up the walls until the whole room was encased in it, she turned “Now we can relax and speak at peace. Melanie darling, I am glad you found the necklace. Now Hunter why don’t you tell me why you are here.” She sat behind her desk looking at the regal queen she is.

“Well, your highness I am in search of my mate. You know we at the Hollow take fated mates seriously, so I am hoping to find mine while studying magic across the realm.”

“I’ll accept that, I sense it is better that way, but you are also a wolf, what pack are you from?”

“I’m sorry”

“You have a powerful wolf inside you. You are affiliated with at pack. Are you not?”

“Of course, but only through my father, my loyalty lies with the hollow in and Queen Rayne, and I recognized her highness Melanie right away.”

“I see, what pack is your father from?”

“Bloodmoon your highness.

“Bloodmoon is within our city not far from here why not seek shelter there instead?”

“Well as I stated before your majesty, I am studying magic, all magic around the realm. I have already read and researched Blood moon as a child. I was hoping to study what I can from here. IT is why I approached her highness Melanie and ask for quarter, and she brought me to your council your grace…”

“I see well…” She seemed to consider something silently, “You are from the Hollow coven. I recognize you from when you were younger. What are the Hollows stand on the coronations?” She says back.

I began to panic he couldn’t possibly know when he had been away for so long, she is going to see though his façade maybe we should come clean.

“We believe it Is a sham!” He says in the chair in front of her desk unphased. “Everyone knows the rightful heir is the eldest daughter of Queen Victoria, no offense your majesty but princess Jasamine is not who should reside over the hollow. We believe she will ruin us. It is the position of the hollow that and I mean no disrespect to either of you your majesties, but we would rather have the natural born Queen. Who may have no gifts or powers because we feel the moon goddess does not make mistakes rather than her youngest sister just because she has powers or gifts that can be seen. I have been asked by Hollow to relay a request. The hollow request that Princess Melanie take her normal place on the throne. Should you find that request unacceptable we ask that Queen Victoria’s sister that has been acting queen Rayne be returned to power in the Hollows and her daughter historian Jesse owlfeather be given the title crown princess and allowed to be her predecessor. However, we stress that we want our born and rightful princess Melanie to be given that which truly belongs to her. I also stress to you Queen Blackheart that the Hollow will never accept Princess Jasamine as our ruler, especially after the spectacle that has occurred here this evening.

“Well, I too have had that opinion voiced to me many times over and you have given me a lot to think over young man, thank you.” She stood as did Hunter.

“Melanie, what do you think?” She turns to look at me and points to a chair Infront of her. I had been in the corner of the room hiding like the servant I had been taught to be. “Grandmother?” I am not sure what I am supposed to think.”

“Well, it Is quite simple. Melanie either you want to return to the Hollow and become its Queen or do you want to hand it over to your aunt Rayne?”

“I was raised to be Queen but for the last few years I have been treated like a slave, while Jasamine or Vince rubbed it in. If I may speak handedly with out punishment?”

“please” She smiled but it was sad.

“I do not think that Jasamine or Vince should be a leader of anything. I do not remember my aunt or cousin, so I have no knowledge of who they are or what they stand for. May I go accompany Mr. BlackRaven back to the Hollow and meet the people I am meant to rule perhaps meet my cousin then make that decision.”

“Spoken like a true ruler. Mr. Blackraven, I will leave it to you to seek out the hollow and inform them of both of your arrival also for you to please stay by her side and help her.

“might we leave at once?”

We stand, “but Mr. blackraven your research?”

“My Queen” He smiles, “My research will be here when we return, but helping our ruler would there be any more important task.”

“I guess I’ll go pack” I giggled and smiled at my Grams. I leave them to go to my room.

“I’m starving when is dinner?” Jasamine is standing outside my attic door that leads to my room.

“I don’t know ask the kitchen. I open the door, knocking her to the side.

“How dare you!” She raised her arm magically shoving me backwards into the wall. I felt rage as her laughter filled the room. I was shaking all over like I had no control. I screamed as she laughed going down the hallway. My hands raise and a blast of purple flame rushes toward her knocking her down the steps. Hunter gets to my side before Jasamine floats back up to in my face. “How dare you” She turns to hunter “Attack a princess. I am the crowned princess next in line to the throne of both house of black hearts and the hollow and you dare raise a hand to me.” she shrieks “I will have your head.”

“What on Earth” Grams Voice peeled out.

“Grams” Jasamine wailed. “This wizard struck me in the back as I was walking downstairs to check the staff in the kitchen since Melanie refused to do her job. So, I went to do it for her. When he struck me with a purple flame, the force sent me down the steps” She pouted.

“Purple flame” The old vampire pondered. Purple meant powerful old power, only one person she saw with purple magic and that was Melanie on her birthday right before it was restricted somehow. “Sir?”

Hunter straightened himself, “I came in search of my charge my lady as you ask, I saw her highness attack princess Melanie. I reacted foolishly to your grace. I am eternally sorry but as we discussed in your office, I felt I had to protect my princess, and I acted on instinct.” He kneeled before my grandma.

“Jasamine, did you attack your sister?”

“Grams, I…”

“She did with her powers” Melanie spoke softly rubbing her arm wear it hit the wall.

“Jasamine” She yelled “Vincent” She called her brother came up the stairs.

“Yes, Grams” He looked around “Who’s this? What’s going on?”

“Mr. Black Raven, my grandson who recently took over as coven leader. He has calmed down a little in the last few months, humbled for lack of better term. Melanie dear I forgot to mention your brothers return.”

“Mr. Black Raven, Pleasure, Vincent Jr. clan leader of the black heart coven.” HE introduced himself. My brother had gotten taller, he didn’t’ seem as arrogant as he did before either. He had been away training; Grams had sent him after he threatened me with an arranged marriage.

“Hunter Black raven wizard in training of the hollow.” HE bowed “Pleasure Is mine.”

“Melanie, can we talk before I have to leave, please?” Vincent asks me to look almost remorseful.

“Sure” I looked down.

“Vince takes your sister here” She waved toward Jasamine. “To her room and charm the damned door to make sure only one of us can open it. Apparently, she doesn’t understand that when she is sent to her room she is supposed to go there and stay.” Grams glared at her.

“May I ask?”

“No, you may not” She gestures for them to leave.

“I am totally confused at this point” I whisper to Grams, “Why.”

“Jasamine is getting jealous because she believes she should be queen and the more she does the more I feel she shouldn’t. Go get packed right this way Mr. black raven. I will give you a place to freshen up.

I watch them fade out before turning and running into my brother. “Melanie, I, sorry. I have done horrible and terrible things to you. I should have never treated you like that or let Jasamine treat you like that. Can we go back to when we were kids, when I wasn’t a giant jack ass.”

I was flabbergasted, “Wow you said you’re sorry. You were never as bad as Jazz. I forgive you but I don’t trust you.” I half smiled this was probably some sort of sick joke.

“I’ll earn your trust, I promise. I am telling Grams to make you queen. Powers or no powers. IT is your birthright and Black heart coven, and many others support you and no one else.”

“ME” I stood shocked.

“Yes, the more I have spent with the elders of our coven, the time I spent at the Hollow, the people of our clans and I have even been across the realm of the Fae. All of these places have one thing, the goddess is the most important thing. I know grams has her opinion but I vaguely remember mother use to tell me stories about the goddess love. I think we should get back there, and the goddess made you the eldest for a reason big sister.” HE smiled, “Id hug you but I understand that were not there yet, but I will take steps to get there. You will have everyone support I promise.”

“Thank you, I am leaving” He stops “Going back to the hollow for a little while, they still want me as queen even though I am powerless.”

“You were always good with potions and knowledge of magic. You should be Queen of the hollow as well as queen here. BE safe” with that he left me standing in complete awe. My little brother just apologized, and it seemed heartfelt.