THE ABANDONED LUNA

CHAPTER 2

The guards opened the doors and they entered the Luna's chambers. They stepped into the large sitting room decorated with luxurious chairs and tables. Fruits and so much food was available in the room at the centre table. Jade found herself salivating at the sight of the ripe apples and grapes. They looked so juicy. Only if...

"Rachael, is that you?" A thick voice called. Jade smiled. It appeared that the Luna hadn't yet awoken from her night rest.

"Yes, Luna." Mama answered in a neutral voice.

A loud yawn was let out by the Luna before some shuffling and footsteps could be heard. A tall white woman came out from the bedroom wrapped in a silk coverall. Her brown eyes stared straight at Jade immediately. Jade dipped into a perfect curtsey with her head down and waited. She wasn't opportuned to gaze at the Luna's features as she wanted to. Mama also curtsied. "Good Morning, my Luna."

"Who's this, Rachael?" The Luna asked. Her voice was much more clearer than before.

"My daughter, Jade, your Highness." Rachael answered.

Seconds ticked before the Luna spoke. "Rise."

Jade took care in rising well even though her ankles hurt by a fraction already. She would have to practice more of this curtsey.

"Come closer." The Luna ordered. Jade wasn't scared of her. She had no reason to fear. She was strong, yes and also the Luna of their Land but that is all there is to it. Jade walked towards the Luna with determination and bowed. She felt the Luna's eyes, studying her. Jade made sure to place a smile on her face.

"She looks... nothing like you, Rachael." The Luna said.

Rachael took in a deep breath. This was exactly what she didn't want, Jade hearing people tell her she looked nothing like her mother.

Rachael calmed herself down and recalled that they didn't know she wasn't her daughter, neither did Jade knew. Their secret was safe.

"I have mama's fair skin, my Luna." Jade said in a soft voice. "The rest is from the lineage, i hear."

Rachael forgot for a moment that her daughter was outspoken. She might have offended the Luna, but Rachael was happy her daughter could stand up for herself. She was more than capable.

"Forgive her, your Highness. We are still learning etiquette." Rachael said. To quickly change the subject, she added, "I shall have you ready for bath." But the Luna had other plans.

"Not a bath. Breakfast. Ring the bell."

Jade watched as mama went by the drapes to ring the bell. Jade wondered what all those foods on the table was, if it wasn't breakfast. Surely this was enough to sustain someone for a week.

Mama rang the bell and in no time, servants swarmped the room with trays.

"What will you like to have?" The Luna asked. "I've gotten bored of choosing what to eat these days. Do help me, Rachael."

Jade watched as mama approached the servants, checked what they had available before picking out some dishes for her.

"I chose the roasted chicken, bread, soup and some fruit mix, Luna." Rachael announced as she kept the dishes on her dinning table. The servants bowed and left with the other dishes that weren't chosen.

"Katherine, Rachael. I've grown tired of this Luna of a title." Katherine addressed to Rachael with kind eyes. Although it has been years, Rachael had never called the Luna with her name. Katherine considered Rachael a friend but Rachael never once thought of Katherine as a friend. Katherine was her master, the Luna of the entire Kingdom.

"Yes, sit." Katherine addressed to Jade. Jade was taken aback. She had never been invited to a royal table and she definitely didn't think the Luna would welcome her to her breakfast table.

"Jade, is it? Serve your Luna her breakfast." Katherine commanded.

Rachael knew what Katherine was trying to do. She was testing Jade's capabilities. Jade thought nothing of it. To her, it was an honor to serve the Luna.

She served a generous amount of chicken and soup on her plate, before skillfully cutting the bread and placing it by the right side of her plate. She took another bowl and served a small quantity of the fruits.

"Tea?" Jade asked before reaching out to the tea jug placed on the table. She poured it skillfully and placed it by the Luna's side.

Katherine nodded. "I knew you will groom her properly. I am impressed. Do sit down, my dear."

Jade took the compliment beautifully and sat down with a smile on her face.

"She's eight and ten, right?" Katherine asked.

Jade gave a firm nod. "Yes, my Queen."

"Yes. She's ripe enough. She shall soon find her mate and bear pups. Her hips are more than capable."

Jade bent her head low. She didn't like this topic, especially when it was related to her. She knew she would have to mate and bear children, but not now. She was not yet of age to do all those. She didn't even know about the process of mating. Mama never told her beyond a mating ceremony that was to be performed. And pups? She doubted they could come out of her.

"Any admirers, yet?" Katherine directed at Jade.

Jade kept her head low and munched on the chicken the Luna had placed on her place some few minutes ago.

"I've not allowed her to mingle outside more than necessary, Katherine. I doubt she had time for the players." Rachael answered in a soft tone.

"They'll want her, mated or not. I would have wanted her, if i wasn't a female. She's innocent and very very...clean. The men always want virgins." Katherine replied with a mouth full of fruits.

"I've educated her on that. She knows she's to stay away from troublesome men. They'll do her no good." Rachael replied with her eyes on Jade, who chose to look elsewhere, pretending to be bored with the topic at hand.

"That's not enough. They have new ways of luring someone to their bed, i hear. Spectacular, enticing ways." Katherine giggled. "Forgive me. I'm in the mood for some trouble this morning. It appears i might have to go for a run today. It will calm my wolf."

"No worries, my Luna." Rachael answered with a smile.

Katherine watched the glow on Rachael's face and smile. "I see Raphael is treating you good. Splendid nights?"

Rachael's cheeks became a bright red. Of course Raphael was a gentle lover. Gentle in all the ways possible, even in bed when making love. He was thoroughly satisfying.

"He discharges his duties just fine, Katherine."

"I have a proposition for you. You will receive enough gold for yourself and your family. " The Luna stated as she wiped her mouth with the white napkin. "Your Jade has captured my attention. She has a pure soul and is indeed, very beautiful. She will do him good."

Jade was confused. Who will she do good? What was the Luna talking about? She looked at her mother and found her wide eyes pleading with the Luna, who didn't mind her one bit.

"She might help calm him down, for the time being, before she meets her mate. Which i expect to be soon, seeing she's of age now. She could change him, that wicked nature of his."

"Katherine, please, she's just a child. She can't..."

Rachael was cut off her sentence by the Luna. "Oh huss Rachael. A child? She is eight and ten. right? He wouldn't lay a hand on her. She's not to breed for him, even though with her beauty, the genes will be marvelous, but i dread that. His mate shall be a princess from the neighboring clans, save for the Hermadale clan. She's to only attend to him as a personal made."

Rachael stood up with force. Jade became startled. Her heart raced and raced. She watched as her ma's face contorted into anger and annoyance.

"This is why you've been wanting to meet my daughter? How could you do this? Especially after knowing what he does to every female that comes near him? His wolf desires a mate. His wolf is hungry for a female, for love, for satisfaction and that can never be exchanged for some special maid to clean after him. I refuse this!" Rachael exclaimed in a high tone.

Jade was both lost and scared now. She understood that the Luna wanted her to be a personal maid but why was mama angry?

Katherine stood up and faced mama, all smile gone from her face now. "I see I've made you comfortable enough to challenge a Luna's suggestion. How soon have you forgotten that a Luna's suggestion is not a suggestion but an order?"

"Katherine you said..."

The Luna rose her hand up, stopping mama from saying what she wanted to say. "It's Luna, not Katherine anymore. It is clear, you lack respect. From tomorrow, Jade will be the one in the palace and she shall be attending the prince, Gregory, alone. You, Rachael shall start duties at the medical cottage tomorrow. This matter is dismissed. Get out of my chambers."

With that, the Luna disappeared indoors, to her bedroom. Jade was shocked. One moment the queen was friendly and the next moment she changed. Was this what the subjects meant when they called the Luna wicked and strict?

Her mama was dismissed from palace? She shall attend the Prince? The crazy prince who mama had described earlier? How the hell did all these happen in less than an hour? Jade looked up and prayed to the moon for her soul.