Rising from the Ashes

It was a loud pounding that had woken her up not one hour after she managed to fall asleep. Lydia and Ardon had stayed until the sun rays shined through her window. Suffice to say she had gotten very little sleep and so she is not in the mood for whatever it is they are dragging her out of bed for. “Are you up Princess Muriel?” A small meek looking maid peeks inside of her room before smiling brightly, ignoring the glare Elenora sends her way she steps forward “I have been ordered to get you ready for breakfast with the royal family. It is important you dress up.” The girl explains before yanking her covers off and dragging her out of bed.

“Dress up? For breakfast? With my blood family?” Elenora shakes her head before burying herself under her covers once again. It is far too early for this and she had gotten far too little sleep. Since when does she dress up for the king anyways? Screw the king!

“Oh dear.” The small maid whispers “It looks like I will need help with you.” Elenora had barely any time to process what she said before she bellowed out “Girls!” Just like that the covers were yanked off once again only this time Elenora saw three more girls added to the mix.

“You are not going to eat with the former king and queen looking like that.” One of them -the tall black haired girl that reminds her far too much of Cadence growls. The girl yanks her out of bed in a very rough manner before shoving her in the chair.

“Careful Rosanne! That is the princess you’re yanking about.” The small girl seethes, her eyes apologetic.

“I will start treating her like a princess when she starts acting like one.” With that Rosanne starts combing through Elenora’s tangled locks roughly before twisting them into a braided updo so tight Elenora’s head starts to ache. Another girl is quick to do her makeup while the last heads towards her closet to pick out a dress. It is the small girl that gives the orders on what to do and it was barely four minutes before she was considered ready to go. Elenora hardly recognized her own face when the small girl showed Elenora her reflection in the vanity mirror. The dress Elenora wears is far fancier than Elenora feels necessary

“Why is it so important I look like this?” Elenora questions

“Not only is the king and queen going to be attending breakfast but the former king and queen as well. It is only on special occasions -NO!” The girl squeaks out the last bit around the time Elenora burns the dress off her. It falls to the ground in flames and ash. Elenora checks the closed door one last time just in case Rosanne steps in to check on them. Elenora pulls on a pair of pants and a shirt instead. It is not necessary to burn the heels but Elenora finds herself lighting them on fire as well. The small girl watches, her eyes widened as Elenora pulls on a pair of boots.

Elenora then wipes her face of any makeup they had forced on her before pulling the pins out of her hair and starting a much looser side braid. “Much better.” Elenora offers to the vanity mirror before stepping out of the room. She comes face to face with the three maids that had done her up to look like she was going to some ball and smiles at Rosanne “I am not your doll to dress up Rosanne. You will find me unwilling to pretend I am.” With that Elenora follows the scent of food. The doors are already closed which should mean Elenora is too late.

Elenora thanks the lord for her luck and swings around to leave instead. The tall double doors swing open before she makes it to the archway. “Come in Muriel. It is just the royal family so we can set formality behind us.” Elenora turns to meet Zathrian’s wide grin as he eyes her outfit “Not that you haven’t already. Must have given your maids a heart attack!” The former king throws his head back in a deep laughter before gesturing for her to follow him in. Elenora does so rather reluctantly. Other than Prince Ardon, Elenora is the only one who is not dolled up.

“Mother and Father both thought it an amazing idea to have breakfast together before you sneak away.” Lydia explains through a yawn the moment Elenora sits down beside her. The king is the first to start eating and the rest of them follow his lead immediately “I wish I would have known the dress was optional.” Lydia grumbles to herself

Elenora laughs “The pants were an act of rebellion on my part. Rosanne looked furious.”

“Rosanne? Oh she will never forgive you!” Lydia looks as if she is speaking from experience. Elenora merely shrugs her shoulders and looks to Prince Ardon who sits across from her with his eyes half closed. Elenora grabs some of the bacon and throws it at him. He doesn’t stir and Lydia giggles. Elenora glances towards the king and queen and smiles as she sees them in a deep conversation with Eileen. With a grin Elenora sinks down and grabs some eggs “Bet you I can get it in his mouth.”

“You are so on!” Lydia whispers “If you lose, you have to stay another day.”

Elenora nods her agreement. The first try hits his nose and Prince Ardon sneezes. He’s already snoring. “Last try.” Elenora promises before tossing. It lands in the small opening of Prince Ardon mouth and the prince wakes with a startle, spitting out the egg. His eyes go to Zathrian and Eileen first before he turns to glare at Elenora and Lydia who look anywhere but at Prince Ardon.

“Now children.” Eileen interrupts King Stavros without so much as paying them a glance “Must I remind the group of you that you are adults?”

“I haven’t a clue what you mean Eileen.” Elenora is the first to say, her smile far too innocent. Zathrian snorts and with a shake of his head he kisses his mates cheek

“Let them enjoy their last morning together Eileen. You must admit it was an impressive shot.” Eileen manages a glare at her mate before she softens immediately with one more kiss to the cheek. It is almost hilarious how quickly the cold queen warms when it comes to Zathrian. Or at least it is amusing up until Elenora realizes she would give in to Nakoa just as quickly.

The rest of breakfast finishes rather quickly and most of it is spent goofing off with Prince Ardon and Princess Lydia. They are the first to hug her when she stands to leave and it is closely followed by Zathrian. He does end up giving her a set of knives. Three of them for throwing, one for if an enemy steps too closely to her. Elenora manages to hide them all in her outfit before she thanks him with a hug. Eileen is next and her cold eyes rake Elenora’s body from head to toe. “I look forward to seeing you again little flame.” She offers no physical sign of affection before she turns around and follows her mate out of the room swiftly.

The tears are already in the queen’s eyes as she pulls Elenora in for a quick hug “Come back to me.” She whispers so quietly Elenora hardly hears her before she wipes her eyes and disappears out the door. The last one in the room is King Stavros. He stands at a distance, his eyes everywhere but her. “You will be escorted back home by fifteen warriors. One of them being Warrior Hans who will be your only protector until Warrior Dennis arrives at Bloodmoon a day after you do. Warrior Dennis had asked for an extra day so he can say his goodbyes.” Elenora merely nods, part of her wondering why Warrior Hans didn’t make the same request. Surely he has people he would like to say goodbye to?

“You will write the moment you arrive safely won’t you?” King Stavros questions. His eyes still refuse to meet hers.

“Yes father.” Elenora steps forward and lays a hand on his shoulder. It is no hug but Elenora offers a smile “And you will get that letter in the blink of an eye. I have fifteen warriors to escort me home. I will be okay.” Even the king’s eyes go glassy. Elenora understands more than anything. She had been just as worried, just as concerned when it was time for Charlotte to go back. She had wanted to go with because part of her thought only she could protect Charlotte.

“And you are certain this cannot wait? We still do not know who is after us.”

Elenora shakes her head and she admits out loud what she had been thinking to herself “I think I am ready to become his Luna, father. I can hardly do that from here now can I?” Elenora gives into the hug. It is quick but it seems to be just enough for King Stavros to let her go. Elenora grabs her bag and steps out of the room only to be tackled into one last hug.

“We will miss you.” Ardon whispers

“Remember to write!” Lydia demands and they both let go.

Elenora tries to say something but nothing comes. Elenora clears her throat before smiling “I will return.” Elenora promises before stepping out the door. The warriors stand in an unmoving line in front of three black vehicles. Elenora is led to the middle one and she slides into the back seat, placing her bag on the floor. The warriors move together, all of them knowing exactly where they are supposed to be. Elenora shares this vehicle with four warriors. Two in back with her. One driving. The other in the passenger seat.

The one on her left explains all the safety precautions to her as they head out the gate. They have planned exactly six stops throughout the trip not including the borders. The vehicle in front will always be fifteen minutes ahead in order to stop at each designated stop and scope out the place. If she requires a bathroom stop she will need to tell them ahead of time so they can make sure there are no threats.

Elenora realized something was wrong when she went from feeling fifteen warriors to feeling over fifty new bodies. Elenora looks back. The castle is just out of sight when they take the turn into the forest. “Something is wrong.” Elenora whispers, her eyes flitting about in the trees.

“This close to the castle? Unlikely princess.” The driver chuckles her fears away but Elenora reaches for the knife.

“Are there warriors in the forest?” Elenora eyes the driver who shakes his head. One of the warriors grab her hand -the one with the knife but Elenora glares at him “Are there warriors in the forest Warrior,” Elenora glances at his badge “Warrior Vanquez”

“No Princess Muriel. There should be nobody but us and the creatures of the forest here. That is why we are taking this path. Princess Lydia’s magic will protect us here.” Elenora is not reassured though she should be. Her gut is rarely wrong and right now it tells her to turn back “Call them. Tell them we must go back. Right now.” Elenora had just enough time to tell them that before the car behind them flipped over and landed on its side in front of them. The driver had to make a sharp turn to avoid hitting the vehicle. A voice in her head muses that the profanity leaving the driver is unfit for royalty.

Elenora ignores that voice along with the urge to growl ‘I told you so!’ and she grabs her knives “Roll down the window.” Elenora snaps. She has three throwing knives for three of the people that attack the vehicle. The warrior in the passenger seat looks ready to protest for one safety reason or the other but the one on her right decides they have nothing to lose. They are unnumbered by many and their odds are lessening by the second. Elenora tries not to watch as a group of twenty creatures surround the vehicle they are steadily moving away from. It is likely all those warriors are going to die. It is just as likely they all had a family. Mates. Children. Now they are gone. “Kill nobody yet!” Elenora hears a woman’s voice call out. It is the only bit of hope she is given “Not until we capture the princess. If anybody has a mate, the bond breaking will be a notable sign that something has gone wrong. Fucking werewolves.” Suddenly the vehicle shakes to a stop.

“The tires. Warrior Vanquez. Warrior Hughes. Princess Muriel. You three are going to shift and then you are going to get out of this forest as fast as you possibly can. The village is closer to the gate. Run there and go straight to the tavern. From there you will have-″ The driver is unable to finish. His tan skin quickly turns so pale he looks blue, his mouth frozen open as his wide eyes stare at the three of them. Elenora has no time to process what the hell just happened before she is pulled out of the vehicle by Warrior Vanquez who shifts immediately. Elenora tosses one of her knives the moment a man with scales instead of skin comes into sight. “I fight better as a human.” Elenora tells Hughes

“We will die if we stay and fight. The best chance is running and we need to do so now Princess Muriel.”

"We will not die.” Elenora growls. The words scare her even though it is her saying them. Their goal is to kidnap her but everybody else will likely die the moment she is far enough away “This is an order to the both of you. Run. Run without me. Run as fast as you can because I sense more coming to help. We are outnumbered and I will be captured. The best bet is not about avoiding that. It is somebody getting to the king fast enough to tell him I have been captured.” Hughes does not accept this. Elenora can see it in his eyes. If he is to die it will not be running back to the village nor will it be running back to the gate. If Hughes is to die it will be protecting Elenora. “Go Warrior Vanquez.” Elenora watches his gray wolf run. He is gone from sight within a moment and they let him go. With a clap of Elenora’s hand fire rises from the ground. It shapes into wolves and men and with a grin Elenora pulls out the rest of her knives. Elenora will not be able to make it out of this. Elenora feels the emotions of those joining the fight and none of the people joining are on her side.

They are screwed from every possible angle but Elenora will be damned if she doesn’t kill as many of them as she possibly can. Elenora rips through every body that goes to grab her. Her blade digs into any part of their body she can touch and her flames reach out to burn the rest of them alive. The trees reach to help. The branches grab anybody that steps near her and the vines reach to grab their feet and bury them into the trees. For a moment it looks like they might get out of this. For a moment it looks as if there is hope and then Elenora hears the start of an incantation. A line of witches with white eyes and rotten skin step forward, raising their hands and speaking in perfect sync. ”Aftó pou zoúse kápote prépei na pethánei" They chant it until the trees start to blacken and rot.

“I have failed you Princess Muriel.” Warrior Hughes whispers as his blade stabs into a pale skinned woman. A vampire.

“Just fight!” Elenora shouts over the chaos and she swings around just in time for somebody to grab Warrior Hughes. They knock him unconscious and then she is alone. Alone to fight. Her flames blaze around her until they are snuffed out without so much as a spark to show they had existed. “The princess knows.” The old witch sings “She feels the forest dying.”

“Then let them all die.” Elenora hears the woman who seems to be the leader shout out. Elenora tries not to look as they execute the unconscious warriors from the flipped over vehicle. She tries to protect Warrior Hughes’ body but her own body starts to freeze. Elenora feels it in her very soul first. For the first time in years she starts to shake from the cold. For the first time in years the warm presence of the fire that burns within is gone. Elenora tries to call on the flames but comes up with nothing. She stumbles with the loss. It is her fingertips next. They go numb to the point she can no longer hold the blade. Elenora tries to shift but all she is met with is pain. Her bones break out of place only to break back into place. It is like her wolf is trying to force herself out but they are somehow forcing her to remain as she is. It is worse than a force shift and Elenora screams her agony as the ice moves from her fingers to flood her body. Elenora holds her head, trying to block out the pain and forces herself to stand. Her fist collides with a woman’s face but she laughs and kicks Elenora to her knees.

“It is too bad he needs you or I would keep you to myself. I wonder what the king of all werewolves would think if I twisted you into the dead. A servant to my kind.” The woman whispers as Elenora starts to see stars. The woman pulls Elenora up by the hair and forces her to watch as they drag a gray wolf to her. The wolf howls as his bones start to break and after a few minutes it is Warrior Vanquez sitting before her, covered in blood. Elenora watches one of the white eyed witches move behind him and slit his throat. The last bit of hope in Elenora dies with Warrior Vanquez.

The darkness grabs her. It drags her down into its pit and the world falls away.

THE END

I encourage you to read the next chapter as it is a very important authors note. I will have the same message on my wall.