January 25th, 2010
Blackdown castle
Leo and I had never got along since we were kids. Forget that, we never got along period. Two years apart in age, he was constantly pestering and teasing me. And Stepfather was too. Two hypocrites with a crown on. For some reason, I find myself talking about them until I fall asleep.
The party goes on during the night all the way through the morning. I fall asleep with Huntress, my face pressed against her cool hard flank as she purrs all through my sleep. At times like this, I feel my most powerful, the powers I am forbidden to use stirring deep inside my stomach, racing to my chest through the veins leading to my heart. It was a good thing, however the sound of clinking wine glasses, the clicking of dress shoes and small gossip was enough to ruin the joy of resting with Huntress.
"Wake up, tiny lion, your family will be expecting you to support your brother today."
I realize no matter how bad I resent them, how bad I want to disrespect them, they are my family, and supporting them is the least that I can do. Picking my self up, I haul myself over to the wall, yawning, "I know, but I'm not allowed to stand in the presence of the elders, it's tradition, right?"
"Yes, but most likely, the ceremony of worthiness will be done beyond the garden gates, closer to nature so that Leo can gain wisdom from the three divinities, he'll be the future king so you being there will mean a lot for him, even if he's just a 16-year-old bird brain."
I nodded, looking back at the lioness, a strain of stray hair falling across my face, "Yeah, mother would be pleased if I came."
I'd imagined Leo standing before the elders, his usual smug look, stuck on his face and a fake smile. Dressed to the nines, dull blue eyes glimmering in the sunlight. The wolf at his waist, baring its fangs at the strangers. It was ways the same routine.
"If you ever feel like clawing him and that stupid ball of fur, remember that you are stronger than anyone out there would ever imagine."
I nod slowly, allowing her words to enter my soul, the lump in my throat suddenly tightening.
"I'm not that powerful, and you know that, soon, my powers will be kid's play once Leo is blessed by Shadow, Moon, and Sun."
A deep-throated roar of a laugh exited from Huntress's stone exterior, "Whatever lets you sleep at night."
Ever since I first used my powers in a duel against the youngsters of the British kingdom, father forbid me from using them ever again. Somehow, I managed to shoot violet sparks from the tips of my fingers, leaving the first kid gliding across the room, a permanent scar left on his jaw, it was all fun and games until I found out that little brat was next in line to be king and I was only a neutral. I was supposed to let them win regardless. The twins were guests, with their father to handle royal business.
I remember the way my little brother looked up to them, stars in his eyes as they pridefully made me bow before them like a servant of some kind. An evil emerald green flame deep in their eyes, reflecting off their hair, the color of midnight. Nico and Harry. Two serpents. It was terrifying seeing them corner me, closing in between me and a cold hard wall. At the time, my interaction with anyone other than the maids, guardsmen, gatekeeper, Huntress, or my family was either limited or plain out of the question. It wasn't the fear of those boys or their power that drove me to the wall, it was the fear of losing. Losing to them.
"Relax.", I tense when Huntress's usual relaxed voice turned into more of a snarl.
I stood frozen, feeling a sudden intense chill eat away at the tips of my toes, through my socks from the floor, tracing back to the statue which glowed violet like the sparks that floated through my veins, begging to be liberated. It wasn't painful, more like a tickle rushing up and down. Toes to the tips of my hair, causing the ends to curl and stand up as if I were standing near a static pull.
Huntress really couldn't be doing this at a more unpleasant time. Stimulating my mental strengths by wielding her ancient aura. She was begging for me to use my abilities in hopes to drain me. It had worked once in the past, but now, I was older and much stronger than I was at fourteen. I haven't used them since, leaving me with a weak form and rusty tactics. No one came out the womb of powerlessness and automatically knew how to command their inner energies without the top motivation forces - Anger, fear, and ancient force.
Another shock spiraled through my stomach, up to my clenched jaw. It was much like a claw being torn from my belly. Many claimed that pain didn't accompany the use of powers. Many like my mother who played the role of Queen and healer ever since our Eldest healer and herbalist, Quiet rain passed during the rebellion. Poisoned, like Avril's parent's fate. A plot to weaken our kingdom. I'm left being the only one here who will actually confess that it made us vulnerable. Those rebels played the roles of passing by royalleaves from the north that ended up lost and with one glimpse of their powers and business smarts, my stepfather was head over heels allowing them to infest the kingdom like mice on an unattended slice of cheese.
"Loosen your muscles and let the sparks fly.", She's commanding what's inside of me. Not me.
My teeth clench together as another agonizing spasm rips through my body. My strengths fighting for dominance, ignoring all commands. This time, she finally lures them from deep inside of me, my muscles contracting like after a good vomit. A quiet scream breaks free from my lips, rattling off the mirror in the far side of the room, the gold frame trembling, almost as much as the glass inside. My eyes burn like they'd been turned into burning coals, my pupils enlarging. They usually turned violet like the color of my soul. The color of pride, mystery, and devotion.
I'm none of those. Maybe mysterious. But not prideful or devoted. Another bolt of pain rips into me, but this time, I'm prepared for it.
Catching glimpses of Huntress's coaxing words, slowly drift in and out of the world around me, the strange colored ceiling and the world around me twirl endlessly like a child's spinning top. My fingertips ignite violet for the first time in years, my eyes the very same color. I didn't feel like Draco. I felt like someone totally different. My balance weakened by a large measure, the strength that was once thick in my knees disappeared, throwing me to the ground.
Finally, the sparks exploded from my fingertips, glowing off my fingernails shaping into a blinding bolt of lightning slamming into the gold metal ceiling fan blade, denting it before bouncing back to the floor without any hesitation, ramming through the oak wood floor, probably through the basement, scorching some papers or old artifacts. My vision blurred as the sparks weakly appeared and disappeared around the spot. It was the first time I'd managed to break through anything made of sturdy solid matter. It was a good thing that the classical music and chit chat was too loud for any downstair guest to hear crunching wood or smell burning paper because all the vents were closed due to the winter weather that drifted during the late months.
"My cub has gotten strong but is still holding back what's hidden inside of him."
That's a compliment, still, I had no clue what she could possibly be rambling about. It was the same, I was holding back. How could I be holding back if I was laying on my back, eyes crossed up and fingers throbbing endlessly. I don't think I could squeeze another flare out if I tried. All books, even my worn copy of "The Royalleaf's book of capability by Linden Madison"- one of the most powerful royalleaves recorded in history- suggested that forcing power was one of the most irresponsible things one could do.
"I couldn't do that again even if my life was in danger.", My voice shook, cracking like an unoiled gate, my stomach shaking from the inside as if I'd eaten spoiled food.
Ignoring the pain, I pulled myself up from the floor, slowly moving my legs until I could grip onto an old rail on the wall, gradually coming closer to my reflection in the mirror, which had once shaken wildly. The man staring back was me, with violet enlarged pupils, curled brunette hair bristled up at the roots like a raged animal. His jaw is clenched tight and a stern frown much like the expression on the face of a rabid animal seconds before its fangs sink into your flesh.
"I can't go out there looking like- this!"
I scrubbed my numb hand over the scruffy hair of my steadily growing facial follicles. Mixed emotions decide that it couldn't be a better time to pile on top of the ones that I already had. The sight of myself like this was much like a slap to the face, unaware and agonizing, so hard that it cracked my jaw and left me dazed. A ticking time bomb.
"And, just why can't you be you?", Her voice was soft like cotton but didn't waver in power.
"Because you know father! My powers are prohibited by the king and the elders, they deemed me as worthless years ago, a mutt."
"Don't you dare repeat such rubbish, you aren't anywhere near worthless if they fear you.", Huntress glared at me with the most realistic eyes a statue could possibly possess. Lethal and protective.
"Then what am I, just another mouth to feed?, Another child to push away? Another monster to lock away?, They'll say anything to keep me out of the light."
The silence I was half expected failed. The other half of me that expected the lioness to scar me with her tongue was proved incorrect as well.
"They will say anything to shut you up and that's a proven fact, it's only because King Aries is afraid that you will out shadow his real son and the reason is that your kind is rare, very rare, and very powerful. That's the truth but every time I tell you, you brush it off as if I was a fly attached to your pelt."