At the end where Destiny awaits: Book 6 of the Kinstone series

I feel something warm on my face. I slowly open my eyes to see the sun shining through the window, its beams stretching over the floor. I peer through the window to see the skies covered lightly in clouds. I look around, seeing that Marron isn’t with me in the bed. She might have left sometime after I fell asleep last night. I sigh softly and slowly sit up on the bed.

Over the edge of the covers, I peer out and find both Fenris and Athena resting beside the bed. I smile softly, wondering if they elected to be there while Marron tended to me.

I roll my neck, feeling my body ache. Maybe it’s a combination of lingering fatigue from the battle and the aftermath of the rest, I don’t know. I do think that most of the tension from yesterday has somewhat melted away. At least that’s a positive.

I roll out of bed, trying to not to wake up my wolves and head for the bathroom. As I enter it, I glance down to see my suitcase. I nod quickly and head inside.

A few minutes, and a very hot shower later, I walk out and head for the wardrobe. I pry it open and start combing through it. I actually stop, reminding myself that this isn’t my room in Dewloura. Well it and the obvious fact that none of its contents are in my size. I sigh and walk back to my suitcase and rummage through it.

I pick out some clothes that I haven’t laid eyes on in months, nearly finding them strange. I smirk, you spend a third of a year in the past and you quickly get used to the fashion there. I shake my head and slip them on.

I crane my head over, seeing my wolves rising from the floor and stretching. They yawn widely, baring their gleaming pearlescent fangs in the morning light. I smile to them as they rise to their feet. “Morning.”

They pan over to me, both smiling as loving parents. They saunter over to me, nuzzling my face.

“Good morning, Little Aria,” greets Fenris.

“Good morning my little one,” adds Athena.

I blush and smile, hugging their heads, stroking them. They in turn groan softly as they nuzzle my face. My tiny fingers dig into their soft fur, clinging to them. I pan over to my bed, seeing my bag on it. I sigh softly, knowing I have questions to answer, and a story to tell.

I pull back from my wolf parents and smile. I step over to a desk, seeing my Dewloura journal, pick it up and gripping it tightly. I stare at it for a moment, thinking it holds more secrets than when I first arrived at this place. I take a deep breath and nod, turning for the door. Behind me I hear the heavy padding of my wolves, smiling as we head out into the hallway.

We stroll down the stairs and into the corridors. The lights on the walls once more flicker on, seemingly knowing where to lead me, thinking it’s Marron telling me where to meet up for the morning. I remember when I first come here at how odd yet homely it’s felt. Upon spending time in Dewloura for so long, it just feels like home. Now I know how my knights felt when we arrived here. That day seems a mere memory for me, as it was the day before I was transported into the past.

I glance over to each of my sides, seeing both wolves at them, keeping in step with me. I smile, as at first I only had Fenris with me. I grin softly as I feel the occasional nudge and nuzzle from them. I reach over and stroke both of them.

We peer around a corner to find the large parlor I found that fateful day. Inside I see my sister and knights all sitting in the center, enjoying some breakfast along with three maids standing at the ready.

I stop just shy of the door, still slightly out of sight. I watch them, just taking a moment to gather my thoughts. I take a long, deep breath, knowing I have one hell of a story to tell. To say I’m nervous would be an understatement. I then nod and step inside.

Orga looks up and sees me, followed by Kateryna. Both knights quickly stand and give a quick bow to me. “Good morning, Your Highness,” they greet in unison.

I smile, dipping my head to them. “Verish, tovla soliov.” Again their eyes grow wide at my greeting. I smirk, “Sorry, just a habit I picked up.”

Marron looks to me, head at an angle. “Now what did you say?”

I giggle softly, stepping to her open arms as she hugs me. “Just saying hello,” looking up at her. “Thanks for last night.”

She shakes her head smiling, and then places a kiss onto my forehead, “You’re welcome sweetie. Knowing you, you have to be hungry. Little Miss Piggy.”

I smirk as we sit down on the couch, with my knights sitting across from us. I pan over, watching the wolves lie down to the right of me. I smile to them as they watch me. A maid then walks over and fill a cup with fresh, hot tea. I smile to her, before taking a sip. I breathe in the bitter, rich aroma as the hot drink rolls over my tongue, loving the flavor of Angarmon, a tea blend my friends turned me onto while at school.

Marron looks to me as I pluck a pastry in my mouth. After downing it, I take another deep breath as I feel her pulling me gently into her. I take another sip of my tea, letting the flavors again simmer within me.

“Are you ready to talk, sweetie?” she asks gently. “You don’t have to if you don’t want to.”

I hold the cup in my hands, rolling it slightly as the heat starts to sear into my hands. She’s giving me an out, knowing I might burst into tears again. However…I need to explain it.

I nod, leaning over and place the cup onto the table. I take a deep breath and slowly exhale. “Remember yesterday when you said that we parted ways was only five minutes ago?”

She nods.

I turn and look up at her. “Well, for me and Fenris that was a little over four months ago.”

The eyes of my knights and sister fling wide open as Orga nearly chokes on some coffee. Marron’s mouth hangs open like a fish. “Four months? How is that possible?”

I sigh softly, “The rubble you found around me were the remains of a time portal. Something took control of me and compelled me to open it.” I lean back, “It was like I was in a daze or a dream. When I came to, I was transported over r years into the past. Not only that, I was teleported to Dewloura.”

Once more I see the shock on everyone’s faces. To be honest…I really can’t blame them. Granted…we’ve been flung to the other side of the world after Diana attacked us, and came out two and a half months later. So…this should be kinda in our wheelhouse of shenanigans.

“I saw wolves in the streets,” I continue, “but in collars and being paraded around by Drakthul.” I let out a disgusted huff, muttering a Dewlouran insult under my breath. “When they passed, Fenris hopped into my shadow and I started strolling through the streets.”

Marron looked shocked and sternly to me, “You walked around wearing modern clothes four hundred years in the past?”

I smirk, shrugging, “Yep.” She sighs, shaking her head.

“To be fair, my Lady,” interjects Orga, “given the outfit Her Highness wore yesterday, she wouldn’t have stood out all that much. Seeing how similar the fashion was for young ladies at the time. Granted, mostly by merchants and some lesser ranked noble maidens.” Marron groans softly and nods.

“Although… she might have still garnered a few passing glances out of curiosity.”

Well…he’s not lying. I did in fact get a few odd looks at me.

I then go onto explain my run in with Drakthul. I smirk, talking about my “escape” through the city. Marron smirks, ruffling my hair, “Orokana kitsune.” I giggle but then talk about my capture.

“Someone actually caught you?” asks Marron.

I nod, “The guardsmen were good, really good. I did everything I could apart from either transforming, actually fighting back, or using magic to get away. If I did, I would’ve been in even more trouble.”

She nods.

I explain my interrogation by the emissary. I glance at Athena when I tell of her arrival. The wolf perks up, puffing her chest and beams with pride. I blush softly to her as I talk about Celes’ arrival and her subsequent rescue. I glance up at Marron, still seeing the connection and more.

I move on to traveling to the estate, describing it, my meeting with Serasfall and Rhea, and our first night there, and how Serasfall gave me a room. I smile, talking about my dinner with Celes that night.

Marron tilt her head, “You call her Celes, why is that?”

I blush, smiling, “Well that came later, but she wanted me to call her that as opposed to Celestine.” Marron smiles.

I then smirk at both my wolves, regaling the playfulness of Athena to Fenris and how affectionate she was to me. The wolves smile with Athena nuzzling the bottom of Fenris’ muzzle with him doing the same to the top of her head.

“When I met Serasfall, she actually was terrifying to me,” I say, “but she was very gentle. Albeit in her own manner.” Marron nods softly with my knights smiling as they listen.

I describe how nervous I was there, always watching my step. Saying how the sparse information I had on the customs, even with my knights’ help, was still so limited. I couldn’t help but be nervous. Not to mention affecting the timeline.

Kateryna bows her head, “Please forgive us, Your Highness, for not properly instructing you.” This is followed by Orga.

I smile to them, “No need to apologize you two.”

I then describe our first full day, strolling through the manor, dodging Serasfall, and finding the training terrace. I smile softly as I described watching the knights as they trained, almost wishing to join them. I moved on to ducking into the alcove upon seeing the both Orga and Kateryna.

Orga cocks his head. “I do recall seeing something large and dark moving into the alcove that day.”

I smirk, “Yeah…that was me dragging the big doofus over there,” pointing to Fenris.

He huffs, feeling the back of my head being slapped by something. I turn to see a shadowy tendril in the form of a tail. Marron glances at it, looking even more surprised, no doubt adding even more questions to her substantial list.

I grin softly as I then talk about finding the cemetery and tending to Tobin’s grave, cleaning it and placing the flower wreath upon the gravestone.

Their eyes grow wide. “You…you did that, Your Highness?” asks Kateryna. I smile nodding. They look to each other with the elf turning back to me and holding her hands over her mouth with tears form into her eyes. “We…we assumed Princess Celestine did that, seeing how she would on occasion.”

I smile to her and her husband. She smiles, wiping her tears. “Thank you, Your Highness. We often would visit his grave before setting out on a mission for Her Grace.” I nod my head to them.

I move onto my encounter with Piotr, and again rescue by Celes. Speaking of Serasfall asking if I’d go with her daughter to the residence. I beam softly, describing the ride through the city, how everything was vibrant and alive, at how unlike it was to anything in the world at the time. How I marveled at how modern, yet fantastical it was at the same time. I talk about how I really wanted to pull out my phone and take pictures of the city.

“You brought modern technology into the past?” she asks.

I grin to her, “Yep. I did have my bag with me.” She shakes her head, pinching her nose.

“I might as well have been dropped into an Isekai,” I say grinning. Marron chuckles, ruffling my head. I grin more, explain the residence and then frowns at my encounter with Selene. I groan, saying I really fought hard in restraining myself to not kill her right then and there. Really thankful for Fenris also helping to hold me back. Everyone nods at this.

Marron looks to me, “I have to ask, you said that Selene thought you looked familiar to her back in July. If she met you in the past, why didn’t she recognize in the future?”

I think for just a moment. “A few reasons come to mind. 1. That night my mana aura was different, meaning I still had the mana from my old self within me. Even as the battle went on, traces remained, shielding me still. 2. My face was also different, for the same reason. After it went away, I appearance changed along with it. 3. I’m thinking her resurrection might’ve also left out certain details.”

My sister nods. “The first two I can possibly get behind,” she starts, “but as for the last one…it’s possible.” I nod, it’s really a guess.

Necromancy is the highest taboo subject that no one teaches. I never pursued it in the slightest as it held nothing for me. Mom held nothing on the subject in her personal collection and Xiphos never possessed any books but did tutor me in certain aspects of it. Not to where I could practice it, but merely to be informed.

I then grin, talking about meeting the pups, by way of them tackling me to the ground. I giggle, “For being so little they hurt.” Everyone grins and chuckles. I smile, moving onto meeting the pack. How we played together in the den, watching as the wolves marveled at Fenris with a few talking with him briefly.

I then sigh, regaling the following morning and how Serasfall confronted me about my true identity. Explaining how terrified I was. The group nods.

“I actually believed she was going to banish me that morning.”

Marron strokes my hair, “You would think that, given how paranoid you are.” I nod.

I continue on about her outing me as her descendant. She explained how she already guessed who I was, but wanted to observe me to confirm them. I then move onto talk of how apologetic she was, hugging and how the conversation turned more cheerful. How I was loving those first open moments with her.

I then grin softly on how Celes walked in on us and her mother explaining the truth about me. I moved onto her teaching me Alcoran, being introduced to the knights, Fenris being trained by Rhea and the pack.

I smile, “They really took us in, making us a part of their lives.” The group smiles. I chuckle, talking about how the pups took to me as their elder sister, how they often slept with me in my bed. I spoke of how Leto idolized Fenris and little Nelly was practically my shadow.

Marron chuckles, “You and Fenris just have a way with kids, don’t you?” I grin.

I talk about properly meeting Tyrion and his family, how his became my uncle and his children my cousins. I talk about my conversation with him, how he wanted to become my uncle in order to ease the tension between us. Marron was thrown for a loop obviously the more I explained it. But over time…it just became the truth. I was a part of their family. I often bite back to urge to tear up again the more I reminisce about them.

I talked about how Celes and Serasfall both loved to take me around the city, exploring it. Even my cousins would drag me around to any location they wanted.

I blush softly, going on about how Darius and Galen’s wives, along with Veylana and her mother would take me to various shops and boutiques. Saying how Veylana loved the fact that I was officially the baby of the family. Marron grins with my knights beaming brightly.

I grin, explaining the day I transformed into a kitsune for the first time there, and everyone’s shock plus my explaining it to them. I go on about how Serasfall taught me about Dewlouran history and customs. My face warms up as I describe how close I became to them. Celes was obviously my sister and Serasfall... how she became like a mother to me. I slowly explain how hard it was not to call her my mother, still with memory of my real mother still being gone. Marron smiles, hugging me close.

One little fantasy I hold back is the idea of if Velkin and Belron were still alive. It was something I often thought about while in the past. Two older brothers who, according to Serasfall and Celes, would have loved nothing more than to dote on me as their little sister. Part of me wished hard they were alive and with us then.

I then look up to Kateryna, smiling, “You were right about her only taking her a week to get me into being a Dewlouran.” The elf grins broadly.

I grin, explaining how my training with other knights began with me first running through my drills, then my sparring match with everyone. Orga and Kateryna laugh as I talk of how Piotr started to grow feelings for me.

“Oh Piotr,” says Orga softly, shaking his head, “a truly wonderful young man. Although he did set his goals rather high.”

I grin, nodding to him, then blush softly as I explain how Celes claimed me as her sister in the crystal gardens. I hold back a bit more, knowing how much of a blathermouth I can be. Celes and I grew extremely close as sisters, but then there’s this…little fact that I don’t want to let out, so I bottle it up. Marron seems to pick up on this the further my story goes. I catch her looking at me whenever I mention Celes.

I look to my knights, “When I was there, I only saw the both of you that first day. Where were you guys after that? I’m pretty sure I would’ve run into you both or the others might have mentioned to you about me and Fenris.”

Orga smiles, nodding. “It is true we were not at home often, Your Highness,” he goes on, “Kateryna and I often were either at home, assigned to the residence, on missions or in the last weeks before going into our long slumber, a mission for Her Grace. This turned out to us coming here.”

I smile softly, were you really thinking that far ahead, Serasfall?

When I move onto the subject of meeting Selene in the crystal garden, both of my wolves’ heads rise up. Everyone turns to them as I start to explain it, how Selene for some reason took interest in me, even softly insulting my family. I smile, remembering both of them protecting me.

I then move onto explaining the incident at Court, how the king made a pass at me, and my unease around him. How Nethune was maneuvering around the throne room to rile up Drakthul and Laevatain. I can still recall it as if it were happening now. It still pisses me off.

My knights become angered at this until calming down, saying they learned of it from Norick and Kayle. I smile softly, missing them. I explain how I intervened when the tension was at its highest, transforming into a kitsune with Fenris backing me up. My knights listened in awe as I regale what I spoke to the Mansions. I blush, recalling the aftermath and Serasfall and Rhea’s scolding.

Marron shakes her head, “Crazy, crazy little fox.”

I giggle softly.

I talk about my sparring match with Fennec and the fear I felt in his sword. They nod.

I smile softly, summoning Astraea, placing it onto the table. Everyone marvels at it, with me explaining the day when Serasfall came into my room and asked me about having a weapon. I go through the entire events of the day.

Kateryna looks in awe, “Helgsven truly outdid himself.”

I blush but sigh softly, “I had to use my broken swords in order to have this made. It was like saying goodbye to more old friends.” Marron holds me close. I smile, gazing at the inlaid crystal, “Helgsven said it required quencher and a binder, water and earth from where I was born into order to complete forging.”

“What does that mean?” asks Marron.

“When a weapon was forged for a knight or family member,” explains Orga, “soil and water are needed from where that person was born. It connects the user to the weapon on a deeper level, and then there is the imbuing of the wielder’s mana into the weapon. These two acts make the weapon a true extension of the wielder, enhancing their magic in battle.”

Marron nods.

I smile to him. “But the thing is,” I continue, “when I peered into vial, I didn’t see Tennessee. For some strange reason I only saw my home at the Estate.” I stare at it, still confused by it. I never was able to figure why it happened, only that it did.

Marron looks to me, smiling as she strokes my hair.

I smile softly, sheathing my sword and placing it onto the table. “Then…two months ago for us, Serasfall decided to enroll me into school.”

Marron laughs. “Oh that’s rich, especially since you couldn’t dodge it like the last two times.” My knights also chime in with little chuckles. Yep…I remember.

I roll my eyes, “Yeah, yeah, Fenris brought that up as well.” I look to him, seeing the wolf grin brightly. I snort at the wolf.

Then seeing Athena, I smile to her. “In that time there, Athena and I also grew close, with her often being around me and Fenris when out in the city or at home.” I lower my gaze, “The same was with Rhea. She didn’t act like a mother as with Athena. More like a grandmother.”

I grin softly, cheeks blushing warmly, “Rhea talked about me potentially becoming the caretaker of a third pack with Fenris and Athena as its lead pair.” Both wolves fluff up with pride at the idea.

I giggle, “I think she even thought of Fenris as her son at times, especially when dealing with Athena.” My wolf father rolls his ear back only to have Athena nudge his muzzle. I grin at the pair, loving them both so dearly.

Marron turns to me, “Enrolling in school, watching of a pack, your ancestor was thinking ahead wasn’t she?”

I nod, “She couldn’t find a way of sending us home so she was thinking in the long term for us.”

I twiddle my thumbs as I explain the first couple of weeks at school, the mocking, bullying, berating, and mental torture I endured. Marron holds me even tighter, stroking my hair. My knights look on in horror the more I explain. I talk about how all the wolves would gather around me during lunch in the courtyard. I smile softly, saying I was given the title of “Wolf princess of Shyair”.

Marron smiles, “Well, combine that with you being known as the ‘Fox princess of Colburn’ to the other covens.”

I grin, but then recall something I haven’t thought of in nearly a year and a half. When Mom and I left France, the forest reached out and referred to me as the “princess of foxes and wolves”. Did it know what I was all the way back then? How? Ugh, more questions for later.

I move to when I describe the fight to put it all to an end. I smirk, saying it became something of a school legend afterwards. My sister sighs, still holding onto me.

I smile, saying after that, I earned the respect of my classmates, some begrudgingly. Part of me wishes that their descendants might follow suit. Yet knowing Lana and Mistral…I highly doubt it. After that, life at school became easier and lot more fun. I made friends, fell in love with school, and going to the café afterwards. I loved my teacher, the stern yet insightful and caring man I came to admire. Like with Tanith, I hope Lord Ashlan made it out.

Everyone smiles as I prattle on and on about school. I grin as I describe taking the pups with me, seeing how they hated when I was away. I explain about the first day with them, telling little Leto to walk proudly, to faithfully honor and represent our pack. Everyone smiles with me blushing softly. I talk about how I would sometimes have dinner with my cousins, and spend the night at the residence.

I spoke of the end of term ball, with many of the boys asking to take me with. I grin, saying that everyone was starting to plan out my life there when I made it to my second year, explaining the school structure. I blush, saying that Veylana and I were practically sisters in our own right while at school and not.

I talk about my third encounter with Selene, how it unsettled me again, how one of my friends went missing afterwards. I sigh as I mention my “oh-so-encouraging” dealing with Aiden, but then turn solemn as I mention that classmates were starting to go missing. I pause for a moment. My thoughts slowly start to coalesce.

I smile softly. “Everyone was planning for what to do during the summer months. Celestine even spoke of Aurelian coming back.” I blush, “Serasfall always talked about how he’d instantly take to me as his own daughter.” Everyone smiles.

I sigh, “That however, changed. Two days ago for us, Celes came by to take me to the floating isle of Nikol, saying there was a café she’d been wanting to take me to. We entered a market on the second tier where we discovered a wolf going on a rampage.” I roll my fists tightly, “We…we fought it, just trying to settle it down. The wolf was Critias, Selene’s wolf.”

Orga and Kateryna both look at me in shock. I grit my teeth as the memory comes back, unfurling my hands and gripping my jeans tightly. “When we finally managed to contain him, he…he begged me to end his pain.” Both of my wolves look at me with worry, but don’t move as Marron holds me. “So…so I did.” Another tear rolls down my cheek and my chest seizes up.

“You did nothing wrong, little Aria,” says Athena softly and lovingly. I nod, smiling to her and to Fenris who nods in agreement. I smile to him.

Marron holds me even tighter, stroking my hair, rocking me gently. I smile, sighing softly as I wipe my cheek. “That…that then led into the city starting to fall apart. The necromantic magic that was being held back by the wolves vanished, and it was manifesting all over the city.”

I take a deep breath, “After we laid Critias to rest, we talked about what to do. Nethune had already started to move before we could act and city wasn’t fairing any better as time went on. Ideas were being passed around and I then came up with the idea to seal away to city.”

My knights look to me in surprise. I nod, “I was playing out history and I didn’t realize it until the very end. So…Serasfall tasked Celes and I to do it, which was yesterday for us.”

I go on to describe our ride through the city, fighting the first wave of undead, how the wolves came when Fenris summoned them, how my heart broke when I heard some of them being killed. I moved onto our discovery of the lab and finding my missing friend dead in a tube, next to Fennec and even more dead wolves that were experimented on. Both Fenris and Athena snarl the more I continue. I talk about us destroying the lab and moving on.

I explain our final encounter with Selene, how she nearly killed me, not knowing that I was in disguise as she detailed how she wanted to take me in and raise me as her own after killing everyone. I bite my lip, nearly drawing blood as I detail Serasfall’s intervention and subsequent execution by Selene. How I flung myself in disbelief and fought her off, shattering her sword and slashing through her armor and chest, with Serasfall delivering the final blow and watching Selene teleport away.

I grip my jeans even tighter, choking up as I describe how I held Serasfall, saying her last words to Celes and me before she died. Tears started to streak down my knights cheeks as Kateryna plunged herself into Orga’s chest and cried, with him holding her tightly. I’ve known that neither knew the fate of the one they served; I just wish I wasn’t the one telling them.

I move onto both Celes and I climbing the winding stairs of the palace. Fighting more undead, even facing the king before my flinging him to be killed by Fenris.

“We then used the Xur’canah to seal the city,” I continue, “using the sacred crystal to channel the mana in the ground and remove it before the corruption got too far.” I grin softly, “Then we leapt out of a ten-story building only to teleport back home.”

Marron looks to me, “TEN STORIES?!!?!”

I smirk nervously, “Well…the doors were being bashed in and a fairy road was out of the question. Especially with unstable mana percolating beneath the city.” She sighs, shaking her head.

I nod, “I then…said goodbye to Tyrion and his family as they elected to stay behind and guard our escape. Celes and I travelled into the manor, where we found another portal at the bottom of the Mansion,” looking up to everyone, “she then pushed me through it, and…that’s how I ended up back here.”

I let out a heavy sigh, finally done with my tale. Marron strokes me softly as I watch my knights still weeping from the shock.