The Isle (Chronicles of the Irish Princess Book 1)

It had been about a week and a half since Sarah and Luca's wedding. I was still finding it difficult to sleep after my vision I'd had that night. The images I saw kept me from finding peace. Luca was so busy planning and dragging this out that our people were beginning to wonder if anything was really going to happen. Even with our mother locked away in the dungeon, nothing happened. I kept waiting for her followers to come in and try some thing. I was anxious and afraid, but I was doing well at keeping my emotions in check. Kai had come back most nights that he basically fell asleep before hitting the pillow. Most nights I'd lay with him at first, but would end up getting up from either stress, anxiety or the baby. Sarah had a very small bump, so she had been pretty much locked up. Mine wasn't as visible yet, but some of the wolves were beginning to suspect. Being who I was, it was harder to stay secluded from everyone.

Luca was still pushing me to come up with some ideas. I was helping Anabelle train and grow her power. We were sort of learning together, about her abilities. According to Emilia it was going well, but I could tell she was concerned too. It was thoughts like this that would keep me awake. I had tried to push them away, but that was my distraction to fight the memories from my vision. I had tried to settle in with Kai, but after tossing and turning for over two hours, I knew it was pointless. I tried not to let the images in, it wouldn't do me any good to dwell on it. Instead, I had picked up a book about pregnancy and began reading. It was pretty typical stuff, nothing that the moms at Court hadn't already told Sarah and I after they found out about my pregnancy. We were still keeping Sarah's condition under a tight wrap, but there were a few representatives' wives who had been trusted.

As I read on, I kept thinking about what she'd look like. I had seen her a few times from a distance and once up close, but it was hard to remember her. Our oldest at least. I knew she would have dark hair, like her father, but the rest was hard to imagine. The more I thought about her the more relaxed I felt, as if she was calming me from her presence. I wanted to be creative with our girls names too, it was something I new needed to be discussed with Kai though.

My darling, why do you fret? The Great Mother's voice came to me.

The vision, it has unsettled me. So much bloodshed. Do we really need to wipe out that many people? Is there not another way? I asked.

Can you come up with a better way to protect your future? Your brother wouldn't mind this plan at all. He would welcome it with open arms. Has my sister affected you, or is my sweet daughter this caring?

Mother, you know that answer. Believe me I know that empires are built on conquests, but to wipe out so many, we cannot guarantee that everyone would be taken care of. Its is not something I want my daughters and their cousins to inherit. I sighed.

I felt the Great mother embrace me. Although she was not visible to me, I could still feel her presence. It was comforting, but I could also felt her power trying to overpower my own.

Mother, please do not try to control me. I am confident and I trust you, but there must be another way. Vanquishing Aideen may be a better solution. I've been looking into the Crannaugh family and their power, is there anyway that my power could be used like theirs are they not an extension of our own power?

That family, I wondered when they would darken our doors again. Let me think it over, little Ana is so young, her path is yet to fully unfold. As for your daughter, thinking of her will bring you peace. I can send her to your dreams so that you may sleep tonight.

I understand Mother, please tell Papa goodnight for me.

I felt them both embrace me as I crawled back into bed with Kai. As they left me Kai pulled me closer and rested his hand over my side gently resting on my belly. As I closed my eyes the peace remained and visions of my daughters playing around on the island with their cousins filled my dreams.

We were woken up by a guard who had come in urgently.

"Your Majesties, you are needed in the throne room immediately."

When I looked at the clock, I realized I had only been asleep three hours. Groggily, we got out of bed and I slipped on a cardigan over my pajamas. I walked like a zombie with my eyes half open, partially guided by Malakai's arm on my backside. We followed the guard through the halls, but stopped in the hall across the throne room.

I was thrust awake by the sight of homes and businesses on fire outside of the castle gates.

"Have we deployed the wolves to help? Do we know what caused this?" I demanded.

"Relax sister, I've got it under control," Luca reassured me. "The female wolves are preparing a site outside of town for burn victims and for those effected by this. It seems that the followers of Aideen are trying to start this war for us. By setting those who side against them on fire."

"You know it was them? How?" Malakai inquired.

I saw Brayden and Alex over in the corner away from brother. I carefully approached them. "Are you okay?"

"The shop is a complete ruin, Mara's too. She only just made it out with a few others."

My heart jumps into my throat. "Is she okay?"

"Yeah, she was able to save a lot of people before it got really bad, some of her coven helped, but there were a few that, um, they got trapped."

I bring both him and Alex in a tight hug. "Go with the others and try to help as best you can please. I'll be along with Kai in a bit."

They nodded and followed along with Gran Kali to take the next shuttle to the make-shift hospital sight. When I turned back to Kai, he was waiting with open arms to bring me comfort.

"It's going to be okay," he said trying to reassure me.

"But when?"

"In time, this might be what we needed to figure out where they have defenses and such. Keep that in mind. Do you want me to take you over to the hospital?"

I nodded. "I need to change though."

I went back to our room and changed into a pair of black leggings and a black blouse. This way if there was any blood on me I wouldn’t be able to see it. I gently placed my hands on my belly.

"Can you behave for mommy please? These people are hurting and we need to make them better."

I feel her flutter like butterflies in my stomach and pause. After a moment, I realize it's not nausea and head back to the hall where I left Kai. We get in the carriage with some of our other healing staff and ride with them. They are all quiet, preparing themselves mentally for how bad it could be. I should be doing the same, but my little bundle is sending me happy thoughts as she distracts me with her butterfly-like movement. Sarah had told me in confidence during the wedding that here babies had been moving like this too. We both agreed that it was early on for it to happen, but according to Aunt Em, who had told me before about her miscarriages; it was not uncommon for babies with wolf blood to develop faster. She was the only one who had experience with the mixed blood, so we were both going to talk to her about everything.

A small part of us felt bad, but she seemed to have moved past that and was happy for us. Between her Kali and Arianna, they had each been fawning over us and being super helpful on the need to know. Kali was supplying all the herbal remedies, while she and Arianna filled our heads with stories from all of their pregnancies and births. Kai's parent's births was not on my list of need to know, but I knew.

The make-shift hospital was different than I'd seen before. The tents were still the same, but it was more clean and efficient. I found Em with a patient who was severely burned. I took a deep breath and a cloth that was handed to me by a she-wolf and headed over.

Lia you shouldn't be here love. It's not safe. They did this to weaken us.

Em, we can't let them think anything is different, I remind her.

You be careful. Maybe you should go be with the children, you do well with them & it seems their injuries are minor or non-existent. They will need someone to look up to and talk with, and hug.

Yeah alright, should we move them away from this though, they don't need to see it.

Yes, but not completely out of sight, take Kai and Sarah with you.

I nodded and grabbed my husband's hand dragging him over to where many of the little ones were. A lot of them were crying and frightened. One of the little girls spotted me and ran right to my arms, another little boy did the same to Sarah. Carefully, we both scooped them up and moved over to the others, but not without hearing voices in my head.

I love you mommy.

Thanks for saving us Auntie Leah.

My eyes snap to the children in our arms. They don't look anything like the babes in my visions with the Great Mother. The group curls around Sarah and I in a tight grouping.

"Come one lovelies, lets get some air."

They followed us over to a patch of grass near the trees that were near the tents. Random shade trees that were left for enjoyment. A perfect place for us and the littles to get away from the smells and cries of the wounded.

"How about a little story?"

Many of them smiled as they settled into the grass. "Yes please, Queen Leah."

I smiled back and sat there with my hand on my chin thinking.

"Alright how about I tell you the story of a girl who grew up in Oklahoma who found out she was a Princess."

Their eyes widened and some scooted closer not wanting to miss a minute.

"Her name was Irelyn, and her momma was a mean lady who took her and her brother far away from their family after their papa passed away. Irelyn was a strong and smart girl, she got good grades and had a best friend who treated her like a sister. Not long after her sixteenth birthday, Irelyn noticed that all sorts of animals and people began to like her more. The horses were calm for her, the cows lay down in her presence. All sorts of creatures small and large sought her out. At first, Irelyn didn't notice, until she encountered her wolf for the first time. It was big and beautiful, with a dark black coat & piercing green eyes.

The wolf wanted to protect her, at first Irelyn was afraid, but she grew more comfortable around it with each passing day. It wasn't long before her brother and her realized just how different they were, so they ran away from their mean mom and back to their family, who lived on a big ranch in Oklahoma. The family rejoiced at the sight of her and her brother. It wasn't long after that the mother found them and tried to take them away. The family hid them away and fled back to their home country, telling the siblings about their family history along the way.

When they made it safe and sound to the homeland, they were surprised to find their father alive and well. He was also the King and quickly transformed his children into his Prince and Princess."

"What happened after that?"

"They lived with their father for many months, but eventually the evil mom found them again. She killed the king, leaving the Prince and Princess to rule their people. But, they caught her and took away her powers. Ultimately that destroyed the evil mom and the Prince and Princess lived happy together with their family and friends."

The little girl in my lap yawned. "That's a good story, you're Majesty, you're gonna be a good story teller to your babies one day."

Most of the other kids around us had drifted off during my story. I smiled down at her and watched as she too drifted into a peaceful sleep.

Kai watched as the little ones all snoozed on blankets that had been brought over from the packs. Many of the men were covered in soot and grime; their eyes red from the smoke. Their irises glowing ready for battle. I felt him place a hand over mine in love and reassurance.

"They will be okay. But the alphas will look to us now. The people will look to us."

"I know. But I don't want to think about that right now."

He looked at me with a slight smile. "Where dis you come up from the name for the girl in your story?"

"It popped in my head. I kinda like the way it sounds. Don't you?"

He nodded. "Its unique... just like she will be."

"But is the name meant for her or her younger sister?"

"I think we need to meet her before making that decision."

I agreed and took the small cup of water from him. "Where are all these people going to stay?"

"I don't know. We need to be careful on who we allow into the castle. This could have been a diversion to infiltrate our home for all we know."

"I know. But to leave them alone like this. It feels like they wanted our people to be abandoned to make it easier to side against us."

"Queen Leah," a little voice came to me from the pile of children.

"Yes?"

"I want to see my mommy.. Do you know where she may be?"

"I'm sure we can find her. What is your name darling?"

The little girl paused a moment climbing into my lap. "My name is Millie, Millie Sterling, my father's human and my mom is a shifter. Coyote to be exact."

"That sounds like fun Millie. I'm going to send my friend here, Corbin, to find them."

While Corbin may not have been looking at us he nodded and made his way over to the tent. After a few moments we heard a man cry out in agony. I wasn't sure if it was from loss or pain. A moment later Corbin stood at the end of the tent with his head low. It was a look I'd seen too many times on the people I cared about. It said someone was dead and it wasn't good.

"Millie wait here a moment with Queen Sarah." I said shifting her to Sarah's lap and standing.

On my walk over I saw a man holding onto a woman's hand. She was breathing but it was shallow and labored.

"Corbin, please tell me something good."

"The girls mother is alive, but she's not doing well. She was the leader of the Coyote shifters, but her pack is dead, save for her daughter and her best friends son. She's not healing properly. You aunt thinks it may be something to do with the smoke and what was burned."

"What were the buildings built of?"

"White Ash. Its toxic to most shifters."

I looked around and saw many others suffering like this woman. I looked over and saw Kali with some of the wolves they were burning sage over the dead out of peace and respect. A light bulb went off in my brain and I ran over to the medical supply table. Sure enough there was more sage and herbs lying there for use.

I grabbed a big bundle of blue sage, some lemongrass and chamomile and began grounding them up. I took those herbs again and added lavender and began burning it till it smoked. Now that the chamomile mix was ground I found a pot if water and boiled it pouring the hot liquid over the ground mix into a paste. Both Kali and my Aunt looked at me confused. I gave them a bowl of paste and some burning herbs.

"Walk around and let this fill the tent for those with sever symptoms use the paste on their chests near the sternum."

"Leah... I've never seen these together before. How do you know it will work?"

"Have faith in me."