Sorry for the delay. I needed a day off after the first day of school and I fell asleep before I could write my update. I will try to get you a double update over the weekend. Thank you for your patience.
[Carnelia]The darkness takes me again, but this time, I have learned how to navigate it. The seemingly limitless void takes on shape and form. If I can find my anchor, I can find my way.Remembering the last time the shadows tried to take me, and how I used the shadows to take me to Primus instead, I focus on his voice, his scent, and the way I feel in his arms. He will be my anchor, my mate.The darkness slowly recedes and the silence is replaced with the sounds of my children crying as Primus calls my name."Oh gods, Carnelia," he weeps along with our babies as his hands grasp mine.Looking up, I see a dark, unnatural cloud looming just above the exit to Elfholm. Thalan doesn't plan to let any of us escape after all. I thought my uncle had at least a little bit of honor, but if I think about it, I can see the advantage of keeping us here. Ona and Primus he might let go, but me, my babies--we're his blood. His brother's legacy. Had I been born powerless, he might have let me go, but
[Carnelia]"I refuse," I hold my head high. "Allies do not treat one another like prisoners. If you wanted my help, you should have asked rather than chain me to this realm.""We're sorry, Your Majesty, but we feel it is necessary with your history to keep you contained. It is for your safety as well as the safety of all gathered here," an elderly drake steps forward, the starflower jasmine glowing blue throughout his long tendrils of hair."It took three of us to bring you back from the shadows when you unleashed your small nightmare," he explains. "We must keep you powerless or risk your wrath. We know the pull of a mother to her children. Why did you try to flee? You are safe here?""Why would any mother feel a need to leave quickly with her children and family--fear for their safety." I glare directly at my uncle. "As you say, I am too powerful. If someone were to threaten their lives," I refuse to remove my eyes from my uncle, who matches my gaze with his steely hardness, "I might
[Ona]She didn't warn us. She hardly even said goodbye. She looked at us with such sad eyes as she swept her hand upwards and we became encased within a sphere of darkness."I am so sorry..." Her last words faded and distorted as my brother screamed her name, screamed for her to stop.But she couldn't hear him.I held my little brother close while the darkness swept our little family, our remaining guards and nurses, up and out of Elfholm to Luxandra above.Freedom. She sacrificed herself for freedom.When the inky darkness receded, we were only footsteps away from the Eastern Gate in the Realm of Air, close to the home duchy of Eleanora the False Queen. Carnelia used her newly developed abilities to phase our entire number across a vast amount of space.Not even the Elf King himself was able to move us all so far so quickly.What is she becoming now that she is growing up into her power?"We need to get moving," I try to urge my brother, who has fallen to his knees, his hands reaching
[Kora]I tried to call the Celestial Kingdom using the shared communications devices between our two countries. I wanted to update them on Orion's situation, to ask for aid and counsel. Elfholm has stopped sending messages demanding my presence at their Moon Council. I have tried sending my messages only to find my signals blocked.The False Queen demands my presence at Skyfall. With each refusal, she sends me a new piece of my love. At first, it was just a bit of hair, an article of clothing to remind me of his fragile situation.But it has been weeks.So now it has become talons and horns, fangs and scales.How long do I have before it is fingers and toes? His arm? His manhood?I am tired of being stuck here. I am tired of waiting.My father kept many labs. He was an anxious sort, very suspicious, and tended to over-plan. I can appreciate this about him as these are traits the two of us share. The colossus at my castle was not the only one, and while I am tempted to take this other
[Primus]Her face haunts me in my dreams. My beautiful wife. I can't stop thinking of our last evening together when we finally reconnected and pledged to do whatever we must do to stay together.But she isn't here with me and I can't find her. The way to Elfholm is a mystery as no traveler who has encountered the elves remembers where. The illusions are so thick that they often lose themselves. It seems that the harder I search for her, the more difficult it becomes.Fate can be brutal. It doesn't matter how strong you are, how honorable or just, fate doesn't care. A king can be brought to his knees by it's whim. Carnelia is not with me but when I close my eyes, It's almost as if I can feel her in my arms again. Carnelia. My sweet and wonderful mate. It has been two weeks since I last held her. Two weeks since I heard I saw her through a film of darkness.She was so brave. So strong. But I can feel her pain. She needs me more than ever. Whoever has her, they are treating her cruelly.
My husband, Primus. Is dead.My mate gave his life because he loved his wife and children so much that he was willing to die for them to have a chance at life.Primus was the very best of mates. He taught me how to love.I would gladly die a million deaths to have him by my side again.But he died at his own brother's hands, another victim of the Starfell War.Or at least, that is what I need to tell myself, because to admit the truth would be madness.My wings, as black as night, float around me as they transform, and I fall into my preferred form, one more human than dragon. Now they are the gossamer sleeves of an elegant silk gown, my scales are gold sequins that make up the bodice and skirt. My hair, braided in hundreds of golden tendrils, is piled upon my head, the crown gifted to me on my wedding day woven between the strands.On my wrist, a black bangle connects me to the Celestial Realm. On my hand, the ring that once connected me to my love.I never thought I'd return to this
[Carnelia] The dead, cold, glare of Primus’ eyes followed me on my flight back home. He survived, and I know I should be grateful that my mate still breathes, but I am having a hard time finding my gratitude. I want to take him into my arms and fly him back with me. I want to do a lot of things that just aren’t possible. As I approach the closed gate, I take my fourth form, becoming a dragon made of little more than light in the shape of my winged self. I’ve only been able to take this shape in recent weeks, even with an entire kingdom of others to learn from. Despite being a universal dragon who can take the form of any other dragon I encounter, there are still a few things I need to learn the long way around. Ona is waiting for me when I materialize within the landing dock of our closed gate. Princess Ursa, who is officially our heir, is standing by her mother, learning from her as she once learned from her grandmother, how to rule the Celestial Kingdom. After the events of the
[Carnelia]I tried to stay strong and be regal and centered, but seeing my babies suffer made me hesitate to leave them even for a moment. What if I took a selfish moment to be somewhere else only to find they had taken a dark turn? Could I forgive myself if they stopped breathing while I was off attending to a personal need?What kind of mother am I to leave them like I did when they were suffering? I should have sent someone else to speak on my behalf.After seeing them struggle, I stayed there with them all night, refusing to leave. I also had all my food and other essentials brought here, setting up camp in a comfortable corner of the infirmary. I plan to be here for every moment they have left even if that means I do nothing but watch for the next week.This situation feels so impossible, I can't think of anything better to do.I place a hand on my two smallest babies, Nyx and Nox. They are both shadow dragons and hatched on the same day within minutes of one another, giving them