Ancient Mystic's War of the Realms Saga - Lady Adellandra Dratianos (read me a book TXT) 📗

"Where all Dwellers in your Realm go to Rest when Dawn came."
"So, you're a Dweller, too?" Airmed asked. "Who is Sheba?"
"Like I said, later, child." Dracora supplied. "I know why you both are here. Newly Bound, am I correct? An Ancient Mystic to a Sun-Dancer?"
"Yes, Countess." The Unicorn asked, astonished. "How did you know?"
"You are an Ancient Mystic. You figure it out." Countess Dracora announced with a grin.
"I'm only an Ancient Mystic by the Blood-Pact made with my sister Amethyst and the Young Guardian." The Unicorn supplied.
"Ah, now there's a name I have not heard in awhile." Dracora said.
"You've met her?" Airmed asked.
"She wasn't the first Ancient Mystic I met, but she was the only one who intrigued me." Dracora told them. "So that makes you, young man, Aaron Theodore."
The Unicorn nodded.
"And you, child, are Airmed Starchaser?" Dracora asked. Airmed nodded. "The family name has not become extinct. That is good to know." She looked at Airmed's eyes one more time. “You still don't know what a Dweller-kin is, do you?"
Airmed shook her head. "I just recently learned."
"Thought it was all witchcraft, did you?" Dracora asked with a grin. "I can say I am not surprised it came to witchcraft. Shem always was the sort."
At the name Shem, Airmed's ears perked. "You knew Shem? What can you tell me about him?"
"He is my Blood-brother." Dracora said softly. "His Bondmate Sheba, who you bear an uncanny resemblance to, was an Ancient Mystic. Now this was long before the last four sisters fled the Outer Realm for the Dream Realm. Sheman, as he was called then, Bound with her, but she could not bear not being in the sun. She went mad, and destroyed an Apprentice-kin Youngling named Neptune, not even knowing what she was doing. Shem was Blood-brother with a Jewel Elder-kin named Diamond, so he knew what happened through the blood-link. Diamond and his sister Emerald were known as my Blood-brother's seconds-in-command. They took it upon themselves to cast their King and his Queen out of the kin-clans. Shem stood by Sheba as they were exiled as Drifters."
"Blood-brother?" The Unicorn asked.
"Blood-siblings are those who do not share familial kin-Clan blood, but have exchanged at one time or another." Dracora explained. "I did not share kin-Clan blood with Sheman, the last of the Ancient Watcher-kin. Shem was the Prince of his people, watching as his mother and father were destroyed in war. We were close, as brother and sister, so I agreed to blood-bind myself to him."
"Did he die?" Airmed asked.
Dracora shook her head. "No, not yet." She said. "Thanks to Shem, I can Feel all Dwellers, especially him. He still lives, and only he, Sheba, and myself know where."
"You say you can Feel all Dwellers." The Unicorn spoke up. "Did you feel us Bond?"
"Would I know about it if I hadn't?" Dracora supplied. "That is why you are here. To learn more about what it means to be a Dweller. Or, in your case young man, an Ancient Mystic Watcher-kin Sun-Dancer."
Dracora looked to the confused Airmed. "Child, you are a powerful Watcher. You know some of this already, or you would not be here. You learned from Red-Shawl and Malayna what we are." At this, Airmed looked up into her eyes, amazed. "Yes, dear child, I know them as well. They are my grandnieces, and also Watcher-kin Sun-Dancers. I also know all about you."
"It seems everyone knows more about me than I do." Airmed looked down to the ground, depressed.
Dracora took Airmed's hand. "It may seem that way, but I assure you, it isn't." She said. "I only found out about you through Lord Guardian O'Dell and Mistress Enchantra."
"Malayna -- I mean, Mother, didn't tell you?"
"That mother of yours has issues no one but her Bondmate can help her with." Dracora sighed. "Ah, well, onto business then, shall we?"
Countess Dracora led them to a nearly hidden antechamber. It had a set of twisting stairs that led deep underground. Seeing candelabra peppering the walls, the Unicorn picked one up and carried it.
"You are afraid of the dark, Unicorn?" Dracora teased.
"If you knew Young Guardian as Ariana Moon, you would know why." The Unicorn supplied.
"Young Guardian has told me much about you, but that was years ago."
"How did you meet her?"
"She was trapped in this Land." Dracora explained. "Not yet knowing how to get back to the Dream Realm, I had her be my advisor for a delegations conference I was holding with the Mortallan leader, Yorn. Thanks to her, Yorn and I saw the love we had for each other, and married, merging not only each other's warring lands, but giving them a peaceful future."
"Young Guardian has done so much good for so many people." Airmed replied, still following her down the stairwell.
"That's her job." Dracora remarked. "I'd be surprised if she remembered me. She was a little young when we met."
"Did you tell her about the Dwellers then?"
Dracora shook her head. "I made her believe we were vampires."
"She wasn't afraid?" Airmed asked.
"Of course she was afraid." Dracora said. "She was in a land she knew nothing about, with a scary vampire woman breathing down her back."
"You're not scary Countess." The Unicorn grinned.
"I'm glad you think so." Dracora smiled back at him.
They stopped at the end of a hallway, where Dracora outlined a door with a claw. The door glowed, opening to reveal a dark chamber.
Keeping her grin on both of them, Dracora announced. "Because I will be the one to teach you what you can do with your Watcher-kin powers."
The couple looked at each other and gulped.

III

Chikité "Red Wolf" Moondancer returned to the Canine Valley at Rest, when the rest of his Dweller-kin were beneath the healing earth. He knew he had to go back sometime; he was still a knight with knightly duties.
Besides, he thought to himself. I missed Celine.
There had to be something Red Wolf could do for his Sire and friend. Red Wolf and Wolfton have gone through so much together; it was hard to believe they were fighting now.
We are not fighting, Red Wolf sighed. We are ignoring each other. Wolf refuses to talk to me whenever I meet him eye to eye. He relies on Cyrix more than me for the Companions. Katherine's no help; she's more of a nuisance, trying to patch it up on her own. The cat does try hard, so I cannot blame her. She wants Wolf and me together as much as I do.
I do not want to invoke Wolf's anger should I wish to court his daughter.
Ah, what a mess! Red Wolf thought, going to his private rooms in Stargazer Castle.
He opened the door to his room and prepared to unpack. When he saw who was waiting for him on the bed, he dropped his pack to the floor and shut the door behind him.
"Celine!" He whispered.
Celine Stargazer stood and raced to hug him. "Red Wolf! You came back!"
"I had to." Red Wolf remarked, hugging her back. "You are not supposed to be here, Celine. What if your father finds out?"
"He already knows about us." Celine supplied. "Just kiss me, Red. I have missed you!"
Red Wolf took the chance and kissed her deeply. "As I missed you, my darling one." He said when they parted. "You still should not be here."
"I have talked to Pérat about us." Celine said.
"What did you tell him?"
"Basically to shove it," Celine remarked. "He claimed I was much too young for you, and it was a mere crush because you were someone new."
"Well, I am someone new to you, Celine." Red Wolf grinned. "Still, do you not have your own duties for your father?"
"I am your Page, not his." Celine supplied. "Besides, he has Nicky and Ronan as his Pages. He does not need me."
"You should train with them, you know." Red Wolf tried.
Celine stood back and placed her hands on her hips. "Are you trying to get rid of me already?"
Red Wolf took her paws in his. "Nay, my sweet. Never. I just do not want you to get in more trouble than you are already. I only wish to look out for you."
Celine hugged him again and her head hit his chest. Red Wolf's heart thumped at the touch, as it always had. It gave him more courage to face her father.
"I love you, Chikité." Celine murmured in his chest.
Red Wolf kissed her forehead. "I love you, too, Celine."
"I have a question for you."
"What is it, sweet?"
"When will we be Bondmates?" Celine asked.
"When you are ready." Red Wolf kissed her lips again. "There are still lingering thoughts in your head about your identity. You need to grow to learn who you are."
"For now, we stay near-Bondmates." Celine said softly.
Red Wolf made her look into his eyes. "For now, aye. I am afraid so." He said. "At least, until I can talk to your father about us."
Celine clung to him. "I do not want to lose you, Chikité."
"And you will not. We are meant to be Bondmates, but not yet." Red Wolf tried to explain. "Do you wish to die a horrible death if we Bond too soon?"
Celine shook her head. "Nay."
"Go see to your father, Celine. I need to change my gear and bathe." Red Wolf remarked. "I will see you later, whether he likes it or not."
Celine smiled at that, kissing him again before leaving. "See that you do, Sir Red Wolf."
"Aye, Princess." Red Wolf grinned back.
When the door closed behind her, he slumped on his bed and started to unpack.


Story #1:
Secrets and Lies

When Aimee went to check on her brother and Sierra the next morning, she found they were gone. She tried to sense them, but still couldn’t.
To her surprise, she sensed her almost-sister behind her. Without turning around, Aimee asked. “Can you sense them?”
“I sense something familiar, only I can’t remember right now.” Ariana supplied. “You?”
Aimee turned this time. “I can sense something, all right. It’s what you said the other day, something dark, but not dark.”
Ariana nodded. She sat on the bed, staring at the pillow. She saw a stain on the pillowcase and commented on it. “Aim, what’s this?”
Aimee looked, sitting next to her. “Oh, that.” She said. “Let me ask you this first.” Ariana stared, waiting. “Did you feel either of us in pain yesterday?”
Ariana had to think about that one. She closed her eyes and frowned. “Come to think of it, I did.” She supplied softly, turning to meet her almost-sister’s now-green eyes.