Council of Fae - The Alpha King's Sister

Delphine Two enormous leather trunks were open on my bed, and Leora was packing them with clothes and shoes as swiftly as she could. “I cannot believe that you have not packed your car is picking you up in 15 minutes and you have absolutely nothing ready to go! “, She glared angrily at me as she stuffed a pair of Black Christian Louboutins into my trunk, uttering a low snarl. I nonchalantly glanced up from my book and shrugged my shoulders at her as I sat in my usual location by the window viewing the ocean and cliffs. She glared angrily at me as she stuffed a pair of Black Christian Louboutins into my trunk, uttering a low snarl. I nonchalantly glanced up from my book and shrugged my shoulders at her as I sat in my usual location by the window viewing the ocean and cliffs. My mother once described a room as having almost a baron worth of personality, yet she was still able to add several of her own touches to it, such as the rose gold bed and fittings, the pale pink velvet armchairs, and the throw rugs. Of a night I would sit in one of the armchairs facing the ocean watching the waves crash against the cliffs and listen to the sirens sing, I lost count the amount of time I woke up in that chair never returning to my bed. Still looking at Leora over my book I thought to myself that she is manifesting more stress than what was required over packing clothes and she really should be allocating that level of stress to more important tasks, however I did happen to believe that Leora was not actually happy unless she was stressed which I gave chuckle about. “With the way you are acting Delphine one would believe that you are less than thrilled to be returning to school, you should be excited! you are now old enough to attend all the social events!” She exclaimed as I rolled my eyes… of course Leora thought that all the social engagements of college were the most important aspects rather than the actual learning part of it. I did however understand that there should be a level of excitement now that I could attend all the official events compared to last year being excluded due to being too young. It had been four years after my parents and my brother Sebastian were killed in a car accident, so perhaps I was less than thrilled because I knew that none of my first experiences would be shared with them. It was then that my older brother Varouk became King of the Burvich Kingdom, a sizable territory home to sixteen packs and an estimated twenty thousand wolves. Even though he was just 23 years old when he ascended to the throne, no one doubted his ability to lead because of his reputation as a fierce warrior. My sister Leora (Sebastian’s Twin) spent a year working with an alchemist in the Scorpion desert, putting her training in ancient Elvish philosophy to good use, before coming home to us last year. Fortunately, on return Leora met Varouk’s new Captain of the Guard Arlo, A skilled warrior wolf who was raised by hunters, Arlo had been sent to us from them after our old Captain retired. Varouk and Arlo had served in almost every battle together and he had been one of the hunters that trained me when I was younger and even accompanied me for my first battle. Before Arlo and Leora met, I assumed she would have returned to Providence City to continue to work and live away from the training and the battles which were never really her thing. The fact that she would find reasons not to be at home, signing up for classes over holidays, choosing topics that would see her travel distances to complete gave me reason to believe she had difficulties being here. Home was hard for her, everything about this place reminded her of our parents and of Sebastian, Varouk said that although it was hard to lose parents and a brother neither of us would truly understand what it would be like to lose a twin as to sever that bond would be devastating. Thinking of Varouk I started to wonder where he was? He wouldn’t miss sending me off without saying goodbye. Just as I was about to pick up my phone to send him a text the door swung open and a thunder like sound of Varouk ’s footsteps entered the room with a white gift bag in one hand. “I am glad I didn’t miss you” Varouk said as he smiled handing the white bag to me, as I peeked inside, I could see three books. A smile rose from my face as books are my most favourite item in the world. I launched myself at him and hugged him or he hugged me, although I would be considered as tall with average build, I was small compared to his 6ft6 stature. Our matching hazel green eyes smiled at one another; I always miss him the most which I know is not fair to Leora, but we had always been so close even more so after our parents died. “Why is Leora packing for you?” he remarked eyeing Leora frantically gather my belongings from around the room and packing them. “Because she enjoys packing for me” I exclaimed with a smirk “I do not!” she pouted momentarily then resumed to her tetris like style of packing, peeking into the trunks there was items in there that I did not even recognise but I was too afraid to tell Leora this. “Yet here she is packing my belongings” I said with a sarcastic tone, both Varouk and I laughed just as Leora slammed the trunk shut. “I do not know why you are laughing Varouk, if I didn’t pack for her, she would have just expected to go out a buy an entirely new wardrobe in Providence city on your card” Leora interjected! I could not deny Leora’s statement as I had been known in the past to have gone on the odd holiday without luggage. “Didn’t you go on a costly shopping spree in Paris earlier in the year Leora? I sarcastically remarked with a smug smile “It was my honeymoon, Delphine!” Leora retorted as she clicked the locks in place on my trunks and heaved them off the bed. Varouk gave a chuckle to which Leora elbow him in the side to make him be quiet as she walked to the window. I walked over to my side table and picked up a framed photo of my family, it was the last photo of the 6 of us before the accident and I was not leaving without it, I pondered in for a moment looking at my mother’s kind eyes, my father’s smile and even Sebastian’s strained face made me miss them. There was a knock at the door that drew Varouk’s gaze, Helena one of my brother’s soldiers entered the room holding a wooden box and strode right towards Varouk and I. “One last thing Delphine” she said leading back to a chair, Varouk took the box from Helena and took out the long sharpen bone and handed it to Helena who proceeds to carve marks into my upper arm in a small diamond pattern. “There! your latest achievement from the Harlivinn battle” Helena said as she wiped off the small droplets of blood from my skin. The tattoo did not sting, if anything the bone dragging though my skin was satisfying whether because I was averse to pain or due to the pride, I had for each battle success. At the slender age of 19 I had accumulated quite a collection I mused, nowhere near the same as Varouk or Arlo but at least half a dozen in the last 3 years that scattered my right shoulder and arm. Like my sister I have always opted for pale or tan tattoos which were more inconspicuous rather than the black ink which my brother and the other soldiers chose to drape over their bodies. Varouk’s ink was particularly impressive with markings not just from our kingdom but also from other Fae groups, he was notorious as a battle God where armies of thousands surrendering just at the mere thought of facing him, a reputation that was such contrast of the brother that I knew. “Thank you” I replied turning my head to look at the new addition to my arm. “Delphine! Your car is here!” Leora interrupted as she signalled two guards to take my trunks downstairs, I put the photo frame in my handbag, taking one final glance around my room as I would not be seeing it for a while. “I am coming” I said smiling at her. The three of us walked down the cream marble steps into a grand foyer, that was lit by an iron and crystal chandelier that my dad said was crafted by elves, there were still so many parts of this castle that are still a mystery to me. The Eastern wing was a complete mystery to me, Varouk’s living quarters consumed most of it however there was also offices, battle rooms and God knows what else. Leora powered through the double doors outside to which Varouk and I followed with a little less determination, the sun was setting against the mountains where fuchsia filled the sky where shadows of birds could be seen flying in the distance. Arlo was at the car already chatting the driver as Leora reached him their hands instinctively intertwining, I could see Varouk noticing them, and I felt pain for him. He was 27 and still had not found his soulmate, the older we get the more we long for them and the harder it is for us to live, I was told it like missing a piece of you and not being ever at ease without it your body being in complete discomfort. I had hoped that Varouk would find his soul mate especially now that Arlo and Leora were together, He really could use the distraction I mused. “We will see you hopefully before Christmas” Leora said whilst embracing me and kissing me on the check, her lip gloss leaving a sticky residue on my face that I tried to ignore not wanting to offend her by wiping it off. “I will miss you Delphine, please have fun and don’t make too much trouble” Varouk remarked pulling me into a bear hug then lowering me back onto the ground. “See you later! Delphine, remember two left hooks and one Right” Arlo said giving me a hug. I slid into the back seat closing the door behind me, As the car pulled away, I turned and gave one last wave to my family…freedom I thought!