***Calliope silently mused, returning her attention to the conversation at hand only when her grandmother squeezed her hand reassuringly and granted her a small smile."I know that this is more of a fated, arranged union. That it may be somewhat political as well but that does not mean that you do not treat my granddaughter with the respect that she deserves. She is a true gem, a radiant star that shines brighter than any other. She is a gift, Lucien Gray, and I trust that you shall cherish her more than anything else. She is the future of Ikraseon and should anything happen to her, believe me, I will rain down hell on you like nothing you have ever seen-all extenuating circumstances be damned. I would die for my family just as much as I live and breathe for them. Do not forget that even as we venture forth towards an amicable discussion on the reclamation of Ikraseon and the benefits we shall both accrue from this partnership."Elisen's words were clear, firm and with the right infl
***Although the forest would have been dark and ominous were she venturing on her own, calliope felt a sense of security as she walked the path towards what she assumed was a portal made by the man walking beside her to his Realm. The prospect of travelling through a portal to another realm for the first time was daunting but exciting for the young Princess.She could sense the unique energy signature she had been taught to look out for when it came to inter-dimensional jumps- which was essentially what travelling through realms was. It was crazy to think that her life had shifted so much and so had she to the very core of her being.She knew she was not the greatest at magic casting but the mere fact that she could sense it was a wonder even to her trainers- her grandmother more specifically. Memories of the time they had spent together ran through her mind, giving her the strength to put her best foot forward and continue on towards the clearing where, sure enough, a portal awaited
***Calliope stared up at her home, ignoring the taxi that pulled away after dropping her off. Fall was here and so was thanksgiving, a tradition and holiday that no one was allowed to miss. She had left the confines of the small town, of her grandmother and mother so that she could spread her wings and fly- despite her love for the crazy traditions her grandmother always had them celebrate.Although her mother, Ira Kain, disliked the said traditions and had been the one to encourage her to leave before it was too late, her grandmother, Elisen Rowenys had been of a different opinion- choosing to follow the customs she claimed were passed down from her ancestors.Calliope had always known that her dear, sweet grandma had always been a little wacky from when she was a child.Back then, Elisen's stories of the Fae Kind, most especially the Elves, the werewolves, vampires, and more had been intriguing to her. She had soaked it all up, enamored by the way her grandma spun the tales- almost
***Calliope stared up at the faux stars lining her childhood bedroom's ceiling. She had not been in the room in some time and yet nothing had really truly changed. Memories of moments spent within this same room came to mind, taking her through a trip that warmed her heart as she slowly began to nod off.The night had been successful, and her mother and grandmother had celebrated her achievements by toasting her and dancing the night away. It was very late by the time they each said goodbye to the neighbors and retired away to their bedrooms. Although Calliope had noted that her mother's anxiety was still hanging over her, she was too exhausted to think much of it- choosing instead to broach the subject in the morning.I'm happy I came...I am happy I was able to spend some time with them, just like we did when I was younger...The dreams started soon enough, thrusting her into what seemed like a garden of roses. Fresh, blooming with an intoxicating scent, she was enamored by the beau
***"Do you have something to tell me, mama? Because what the hell was that?"They were back in the house now, the cold bite of the night now finally settling on Calli's skin. She shivered violently, more so due to the encounter rather than the chill of the night. Everything had shifted right before her eyes, and she could not imagine being in the situation she was now in. Nothing could have prepared her for her entire life coming down all around her.Her grandmother was uncharacteristically silent, choosing instead to cover her with a blanket as her mother began to brew some coffee for all of them. Whereas Calli was craving something stronger, she knew she needed to have her wits about her for whatever it is the matriarchs were about to reveal."Why did you stop me, mother? Now, he has seen her and he will never let her go!"The emotions seemed to burst out of Ira, all of them channeled at her mother who stared squarely at her, revealing no kind of remorse. Elisen knew what she had d
Calli watched the trees pass by in a blur, a mindless task to distract her from the multitude of conflicted emotions that were going through her. Although she had spent much of the early morning in bed, contemplating everything that had happened and processing it all, she still could not find a solution to the task ahead of her.She was also deathly terrified of closing her eyes, lest the Beast King changed his mind and decided to take her before she could fully comprehend what was ahead. He had already proven that he could do just that- infiltrate her dreams and declare her his Queen.The conflict within her surged at the realization that she was not as aversed to that possibility as she thought she would be. That the thought of becoming His Queen was not as unrealistic as she expected it to be.And now I'm on my way to discover even more about this new life I am expected to live, all in preparation for a man I barely know to come claim me as his own….It sounded absolutely unrealist
***Calli stared out at the party that was currently ongoing in the grand backyard of the Wysteria Estate. It had been two days. Two harrowing days of training, studying and discovery. The entire process had been more harrowing than the hell she went through during final exam week.Although Kelsey Reilly had been an incredible teacher, she was also thorough in her teachings as was her grandmother who had been in charge of teaching her Elven lore and some aspects of Elven magic. Calliope had discovered more about Ikraseon and her ancestors, some of which was truly remarkable.But nothing was as remarkable as when she looked upon her Elven form for the very first time. That had been the beginning of her education with Kelsey lifting the spell she had placed upon her when she was a child. It was a fascinating experience, one marked with chants, glowing magical circles and a rush of warmth and power that was truly exhilarating.Watching it had been the beginning of Calliope's acceptance t
***Lucien's PoVThe stars shimmered down on the Castle balcony where they were seated, the cold breeze wafting through the two men who didn't seem to register it. Smoke billowed from their cigars, neither one of them saying much as they simply took in the landscape of Traecan, the Vampire Dynasty that was a grand Kingdom spanning across the horizon they were now looking upon.''It seems it is almost time for you to leave and collect your bride, brother."The crimson-eyed man spoke up, letting out a low chuckle at the sound of his friend's deep grunt and shake of the head as he took yet another large gulp of his whisky."Don't remind me of one of the worst decisions I have ever made yet."Lucien murmured, turning to stare at his oldest companion, Zaros Dracul- otherwise known as The Blood Immortal and King of the Traecan Dynasty. They were an unlikely pair, prompting confusion amongst many who knew of their existing friendship that spanned over centuries. Vampires and Werewolves were
***Although the forest would have been dark and ominous were she venturing on her own, calliope felt a sense of security as she walked the path towards what she assumed was a portal made by the man walking beside her to his Realm. The prospect of travelling through a portal to another realm for the first time was daunting but exciting for the young Princess.She could sense the unique energy signature she had been taught to look out for when it came to inter-dimensional jumps- which was essentially what travelling through realms was. It was crazy to think that her life had shifted so much and so had she to the very core of her being.She knew she was not the greatest at magic casting but the mere fact that she could sense it was a wonder even to her trainers- her grandmother more specifically. Memories of the time they had spent together ran through her mind, giving her the strength to put her best foot forward and continue on towards the clearing where, sure enough, a portal awaited
***Calliope silently mused, returning her attention to the conversation at hand only when her grandmother squeezed her hand reassuringly and granted her a small smile."I know that this is more of a fated, arranged union. That it may be somewhat political as well but that does not mean that you do not treat my granddaughter with the respect that she deserves. She is a true gem, a radiant star that shines brighter than any other. She is a gift, Lucien Gray, and I trust that you shall cherish her more than anything else. She is the future of Ikraseon and should anything happen to her, believe me, I will rain down hell on you like nothing you have ever seen-all extenuating circumstances be damned. I would die for my family just as much as I live and breathe for them. Do not forget that even as we venture forth towards an amicable discussion on the reclamation of Ikraseon and the benefits we shall both accrue from this partnership."Elisen's words were clear, firm and with the right infl
***Calliope's PoVThe mood seemed to have changed within the Wysteria Estate as every single woman gazed up at the sky. The full moon was at its peak, the clouds seeming to part almost symbolically in preparation for the man who ruled over it. The celebration was forgotten and now, each of the women seemingly sending the incredible force of power that was approaching."He's right on time."Ira murmured, seemingly displeased by the Beast King Immortal's affinity for keeping time. It meant spending even less time with her daughter. It meant letting her go and allowing her to leave the safety and confines of Earth realm. It meant living life, for a time, without her daughter by her side as she had always been. Everything was changing and she didn't know how to feel."Alright, my love. Its time for you to venture forth into your future. Remember, you are so strong and so brave. You are a Rowenys and that will Never change. I am so proud of you, my beautiful Calli. And you look so beautif
***"I trust you, brother. It is them that I do not trust. How sure are you that they weren't bored and fabricated some shit ass story to mess with us?"It sounded far-fetched even to Zaros but the question had to be posed. They had to be sure."I was doubtful too. You know I never take anyone's word as Gospel without doing my own investigation. I believed them because I dreamt of this Apocalyptic event two decades ago. For a straight month, it haunted me, and I thought I was dreaming of the Old Wars, but this was different. This was a massacre. Besides that, for the first time in centuries, I sensed fear from them. They're scared and don't seem as glad that we are the only ones who seem to be able to prevent this future from coming to pass. I don't know how we are supposed to do that, but they would not have come to me if they had another solution."Zaros mulled over this as he kept his anxiety at bay. Plans had to be formulated, a clearer understanding of who the enemy was had to be
***Lucien's PoVThe stars shimmered down on the Castle balcony where they were seated, the cold breeze wafting through the two men who didn't seem to register it. Smoke billowed from their cigars, neither one of them saying much as they simply took in the landscape of Traecan, the Vampire Dynasty that was a grand Kingdom spanning across the horizon they were now looking upon.''It seems it is almost time for you to leave and collect your bride, brother."The crimson-eyed man spoke up, letting out a low chuckle at the sound of his friend's deep grunt and shake of the head as he took yet another large gulp of his whisky."Don't remind me of one of the worst decisions I have ever made yet."Lucien murmured, turning to stare at his oldest companion, Zaros Dracul- otherwise known as The Blood Immortal and King of the Traecan Dynasty. They were an unlikely pair, prompting confusion amongst many who knew of their existing friendship that spanned over centuries. Vampires and Werewolves were
***Calli stared out at the party that was currently ongoing in the grand backyard of the Wysteria Estate. It had been two days. Two harrowing days of training, studying and discovery. The entire process had been more harrowing than the hell she went through during final exam week.Although Kelsey Reilly had been an incredible teacher, she was also thorough in her teachings as was her grandmother who had been in charge of teaching her Elven lore and some aspects of Elven magic. Calliope had discovered more about Ikraseon and her ancestors, some of which was truly remarkable.But nothing was as remarkable as when she looked upon her Elven form for the very first time. That had been the beginning of her education with Kelsey lifting the spell she had placed upon her when she was a child. It was a fascinating experience, one marked with chants, glowing magical circles and a rush of warmth and power that was truly exhilarating.Watching it had been the beginning of Calliope's acceptance t
Calli watched the trees pass by in a blur, a mindless task to distract her from the multitude of conflicted emotions that were going through her. Although she had spent much of the early morning in bed, contemplating everything that had happened and processing it all, she still could not find a solution to the task ahead of her.She was also deathly terrified of closing her eyes, lest the Beast King changed his mind and decided to take her before she could fully comprehend what was ahead. He had already proven that he could do just that- infiltrate her dreams and declare her his Queen.The conflict within her surged at the realization that she was not as aversed to that possibility as she thought she would be. That the thought of becoming His Queen was not as unrealistic as she expected it to be.And now I'm on my way to discover even more about this new life I am expected to live, all in preparation for a man I barely know to come claim me as his own….It sounded absolutely unrealist
***"Do you have something to tell me, mama? Because what the hell was that?"They were back in the house now, the cold bite of the night now finally settling on Calli's skin. She shivered violently, more so due to the encounter rather than the chill of the night. Everything had shifted right before her eyes, and she could not imagine being in the situation she was now in. Nothing could have prepared her for her entire life coming down all around her.Her grandmother was uncharacteristically silent, choosing instead to cover her with a blanket as her mother began to brew some coffee for all of them. Whereas Calli was craving something stronger, she knew she needed to have her wits about her for whatever it is the matriarchs were about to reveal."Why did you stop me, mother? Now, he has seen her and he will never let her go!"The emotions seemed to burst out of Ira, all of them channeled at her mother who stared squarely at her, revealing no kind of remorse. Elisen knew what she had d
***Calliope stared up at the faux stars lining her childhood bedroom's ceiling. She had not been in the room in some time and yet nothing had really truly changed. Memories of moments spent within this same room came to mind, taking her through a trip that warmed her heart as she slowly began to nod off.The night had been successful, and her mother and grandmother had celebrated her achievements by toasting her and dancing the night away. It was very late by the time they each said goodbye to the neighbors and retired away to their bedrooms. Although Calliope had noted that her mother's anxiety was still hanging over her, she was too exhausted to think much of it- choosing instead to broach the subject in the morning.I'm happy I came...I am happy I was able to spend some time with them, just like we did when I was younger...The dreams started soon enough, thrusting her into what seemed like a garden of roses. Fresh, blooming with an intoxicating scent, she was enamored by the beau