I groaned as I sat down on my bed with Loran. "What is going on sis?"
"I was sold by some guy into sex trafficing after I watched my Daddy be murdered." I spoke just above a whisper.
"Oh for the love of death." She said pulling me to her and hugging me. "You are still the same Vampire you were three weeks ago." She tells me. "Nothing you remember will make anyone here look at you differently. You are still the kind and strong Lady Arcaria soon to be Lady North and Queen of our people." I smiled at that.
"Dragon-Arcaria is what mom called me yesterday." I smiled and pulled her down to cuddle.
"Dragon-Arcaria-North a bit of a mouth full." She snorts.
"Dragon-Arcaria-Torent-North to be 100% accurate since apparently." I sighed.
"Are you your uncle's heir?" She asked me.
"Yes." I told her.
"Damn."
"Well yes if he doesn't make a child."
"Aww fun." She said and kissed my head.
"Yea." I sighed.
"Well, are you ready for next week?" She asked me.
"Yea are you ready?" I asked her, grinning.
"Fuck yes!" She grins and snuggles into me.
"How are things going with your lovely?" I asked her.
"Magda is great, we all see how it is going with Logan." She giggles as she holds her wrist.
"Five outings?" I asked?
"Yea she has been asking me out almost everyday. I may have ditched her but I am sure she will understand." She said laying her head on my shoulder.
"I hope so." I said softly.
"I love you sissy." as someone knocked.
"Yes?" I asked.
"Can I come in?" Xavier asked.
"Yea buddy." I called out as he came in and then crawled into bed with us.
"Hey buddy." Loran said as he curled up to me.
"Hi big sisters." He curls up and both the Shadow wolves join us.
"Hey Little Brother." Loran said.
"What's up?" I asked him.
"Nothing just figured it was another cuddle day." He said softly.
"Yea It's another cuddle day." I agreed.
"So I take it that the memories that are coming back are bad?" He asked me.
"Yea Buddy they are." I agreed with him.
"I'm sorry." He said softly.
"It's okay I just need a mopy day then I will get back to myself." I said as calmly as I can.
"I am sure you will be fine." He said curling up with me. A knock a few hours later made me jerk.
"Yes?"
"Is Xavier with you?" Mom asked.
"Yea." I called out.
The door opened as I looked at mom as she comes in.
"Time for the spell." Mom said as she sat on the edge of the bed.
"Okay." He said sitting up.
"Sibling cuddle pile." Mom said after she finished the spell.
"Sometimes it is the best medicine for a bad mind." Loran said and I smiled.
"Indeed." Mom agreed. "If you need anything." She smiles softly at us.
I sighed softly as I looked at the wolves then looked at my Siblings. "Who wants to go riding?" I asked them.
"I am game!"
"Riding?" Xavier asked.
"Yup." I said softly as I crawled out of bed and pulled on different boots and grabbed my gloves.
"What are we riding?" He asked me.
"Horses." I told him as I grabbed my sword and buckled it on. "Father." I said as I opened the door.
"Yes?" He asked me.
"Do I have a few hours or am I needed?"
"Why?"
"Loran and I are going to take Xavier for a ride if that is alright." I look at Mother.
"THe spell will wear off in three hours, so get him back before then." Mother said.
"Have fun." He said.
"Go grab Marga, I will apologize for stealing you." I said as I led her and Xavier out of the room.
"Okay."
I led him to the stables and got him a set of gloves and smiled at him. "Have you ever been horseback riding?" I asked him.
"No." He said as I grabbed the saddle.
"Well then you can ride with me plus I doubt you have ever rode anything like this if you had." I said with a laugh as he followed me as I opened the gate to my beast.
"Wow." He said as we looked at my black and blue stallion.
"Okay so this is Nightmare he is my fastest beast." I said putting my gear down and walking up to him. "Hey Night, are you ready to run?" I asked him. He growled and tossed his mane as I smiled and slipped his bridle on.
"Can I pet him?" He asked.
"Yea come on over." I told him to hold out my hand and he walked over and took it and then I held his hand up so Nightmare could sniff him. "Let him come to you." I told him then Nightmare butted his head against his hand. I smiled, moved back and got him saddled up.
"You ready?" I asked him.
"Yes!" He said as I walked Nightmare out of the stable and put Xavier on the front part of the saddle.
"Hey." Marga said joining us.
"Hey I am sorry about stealing Loran."
"I understand that you needed your sister and besides it's been a while since I took starlight out and it will be fun." She said as she mounted up. I smiled at that and Loran joined us.
"You guys ready?" She asked as I pulled myself up into the saddle behind Xavier.
"Hang onto the horn of the saddle." I tell him and he grips it and I take the rains and we set off south. We kept it at a steady pace throughout the town."Alright so we're ready for a run?" I asked them.
"I say we should slowly pick it up." Loran said, looking at Xavier.
"Point okay."
"I will lead."
"Where do you three think you're going?" Maxwell asked and I turned and looked at him.
"Something does not involve being stuck in the castle." Loran said.
He sighed. "Let's go." He said, pushing his horse forward.
I sighed and rolled my eyes but I was not about to let this ruin the fun of the ride. "Can't you run faster than the horses?" Xavier asked me.
"I can." I agreed as we headed to the lookout.
"The lookout?" Maxwell asked as we rode.
"We have to have Xavier back to Mother to redo the spell in 3 hours so I figured the lookout would be a good place to ride to." I said softly as I pushed Nightmare a little faster and Xavier started giggling.
"Can we go faster?" He asked me.
"Yup." I said pushing Nightmare into a gallup. My eyes were everywhere to make sure nothing came out of the dead forest.
"This is fun!" He laughed as I smiled.
"I know!" I laughed and I love riding and it seems something I can connect with Xavier over. I pulled on the rains to slow him when I heard something move through the woods.
"What was that?" Xavier asked.
"Not sure but let's not stick around." I said pushing Nightmare into a full on run.
"WHOA!" Xavier said. I let go of the ranes and wrapped one arm around him to keep him against me.
"Sorry buddy." I said as I slowed down. "But I wanted to get some space between us and whatever was in the woods." I told him.
"It's okay, that was fun!" He grinning up at me and I smiled at him.
"I am glad you're having fun kiddo." I told him. "Do you like riding?" I asked him.
"Yes!" He laughed as the others caught up with us.
"I forgot how fast Nightmare is." Maxwell huffed.
"I love him for that." I grinned.
"Can I take the rains?" Xavier asked me.
"Yea." I said handing him the rains and I grabbed the horn. "Let's go." I told him.
"Yay!" He said and set us off. I giggle as I would help guide Nightmare down the path.
We got through the forest up to the top of the hill. "What is that?" Xavier asked pointed toward the End. I looked and sighed.
"A rat stampede." I said as I watched trees fall.
"Are they that big?" He asked me.
"They are about your height." I told him as we moved up to the top of the hill.
"So do we have to worry about them?" He asked me.
"Rarely the river and the river beast tend to keep them out." I tell him.
"River beast?" He asked me. I scanned the river and then pointed toward the most northern part of it.
"There."
"I can't see it." He said softly.
"Well good because that thing gives many young ones nightmares." I tell him as I pull us to a stop and get off Nightmare.
"So why haven't you killed it?" He asked.
"Killed what?" I asked him.
"The river beast." He said as I help him down.
"Don't need to and it keeps the beasts on that side of the river.