El stood, and Trishanna watched as she gave the couple now holding each other in a comforting embrace one last look before she headed out the door. Trishanna followed and sensed that El was moving a bit faster. "So... I'm guessing that those were the princess's parents and a big party will be held today". El just nodded and led the way down another flight of stairs that led to the side of the house. "This is a different place, a part of your world, yet hidden by a veil that separates the natural from the supernatural. The people here gain gifts on their fifth birthday during the ritual to awaken them. This is the realm where all supernatural beings began centuries ago." Trishanna was shocked, "So Dracula didn't come from Transylvania?" El lifted her head and laughed, "He did not, but whoever was the originator of vampires in your realm came from here." They made their way to the shrubs close to the house and soon a bit of white amongst the green leaves caught her eye.
She peered closer and could see what appeared to be someone, a small one hiding in the bushes. It was confirmed as the branches shook while a small giggle escaped her. Before she could ask El a question, voices floated through a few of the open windows. A gasp of, "Oh no, they're gonna find me", came out of the shrubbery followed by a small girl appearing. She wore a white dress with small pink flowers, trimmed with matching pink lace. She had long brown hair and a chubby round face, the kind that looked healthy for a child. She looked up, and it appeared as if she looked straight into Trishanna. Trishanna's mouth fell open as she saw those eyes as blue as the sky, eyes exactly like hers. The little girl ran through Trishanna, the sound of her laughter on the evening wind. Trishanna just looked at her, questions racing through her mind. She recalled the inscription above the door and wondered if this was some ancestor of hers, but if that were the case, then did it mean she had some kind of spiritual power? Was she a descendant of royalty?
They both watched as the little girl ran across the ground, only to be caught by the young boy from earlier. By her body language, she was not pleased to be found, but she soon complied as the boy pointed to the castle and leaned down to whisper in her ear. Her smile could be seen and she quickly made her way inside. El walked towards the woods and just inside the tree line, she sat down, resting her head on the front paws. Trishanna followed her, lowering herself to the ground, and leaning her back against the tree, surprised that she did not fall through. El smirked at the look of confusion on her face. "So, how long are we gonna sit here?", Trishanna asked, looking around, admiring the way the evening sun painted the white stones of the castle with a golden glow. "Not long, but you should be aware". Tishanna looked around again, but everything seemed fine. She plucked a fern growing close by and observed it closely. It looked just like the ones from the forest surrounding Bloodmoon, so maybe El was right about the worlds being connected. Her mind drifted and she wondered what Rosie would have said if she could only go back and tell her about this crazy adventure or was it a hallucination? She leaned her head back and closed her eyes, allowing the scents of woods and earth to calm her even more.
Soon though, her brows furrowed. She wasn't sure how much time had passed, sure it was less than an hour, and now the woods were silent. There was the wind in the trees, but the rustle of animals was no longer heard and an unsettling hush fell over them. Trishanna opened her eyes, her senses peaked as she looked for what it could be. She observed El's ears turned in one direction in particular, and she slowly stood, looking there as well. For a moment she wondered if she imagined the shifting, but as she peered into the shadows of the trees deeper in the forest, she realized there was something moving towards the building. She took a step behind a maple trunk and realized there were multiple figures moving and judging by the stealth they did not want to be detected.
El stood up, the fur on the nape of her neck standing on edge, but she didn't do anything else. The shadows stopped all at once as if there was a command, and they lowered themselves to the ground. A door opened and a few servants came, hands laden with food and drinks, aiming to set up the tables that were already there. Others came to light a few of the lamps close to the table, and the sound of instruments being primed could be heard. El's ears flicked and she turned her body, a soft growl coming from her. Trishanna watched as one of the shadows detached itself from the group and carefully stepped closer, using the growing darkness to his advantage. Trishanna stepped back as the person drew closer, and she recognized it was the build of a man. He approached, never taking his eyes off of the activity of busy servants. He passed right by Trishanna and she gasped as his face came into view. Her head began to pound, her eyes became blurry and her breathing came short and fast. She would never forget that face, once handsome, as handsome as the King's but an ugly burn marred one side of it, making it look like something from her nightmares and it was. "I know it is hard, but I need you to focus Anna". El's voice brought some calm and Trishanna took a deep breath, steadying her nerves.
The servants finished their tasks and headed inside, while the music began to flow out of the open windows. The man retreated, gesturing to his followers with instructions only they knew. Soon they dispersed in different directions, and Trishanna heard the low growl of his words. "Soon brother," he spat, "we will see who was wrong". An ominous feeling followed those words and Trishanna wished she could do something. She turned towards El, "Do something. You're part of this world, of this place. I know you know the king and queen, can't you do something?"
El sighed, "I am here just like you. These are memories. It can't be touched or altered, no matter how much I want to." Trishanna clutched her stomach, a very bad feeling rising within her, it was like she knew whatever was happening next she would not like. Another door opened and the princess stepped out. She had changed and was in a beautiful blue dress the same colour as her eyes. Her brown hair was in curls and she looked like the bell of the ball. she peered around and when she saw no one around, she ran toward the table holding the deserts. She took a bun and with a look of pure child-like joy, she took a bite. "Run," Trishanna whispered, then her voice grew in panic, "run", but of course, her voice was not heard.
The little girl took another one, but before she could eat, there was a scream from inside. The princess turned and Trishanna followed her gaze. Through the windows, they could see the frantic movement as chaos ensued. it seemed as though the entire building was quickly engulfed in flames, and the cries of the dying could be heard amongst the shouts and clash of weapons. Princess Annalise dropped the bun, her mind swirling with what to do, and for Trishanna it was like she was inside her mind. She felt the need to run inside, to find the comforting arms of her parents, but there was a painful howl and somehow the little girl knew that her mother had died. "Papa", she whispered, fat tears rolling down her cheeks. She knew her home was now a war zone and her father always told her to never run between fighting men. She stood frozen, unsure what to do. She glanced behind her at the forest, but it seemed so dark. A sharp pain struck her suddenly and Annalise gasped, her little body falling to her knees at the force of it. She sobbed the knowledge one she did not want to accept, but reality appeared before her.
Her uncle stepped out of the flames, his scarred face like that of a demon from hell and in his hand he held the head of her father. She cried, knowing that if this monster killed her father, the strongest and purest werewolf then there was no hope left. "Well, well, well, if it isn't the little brat that made my brother weak. I think it would be a shame if I didn't let you meet your parents. After all, you were always clinging to them anyway." He dropped his prize and it bounced once, rolled and stopped right in front of the trembling child. Annalise looked down into the shocked and empty eyes of her father and her breathing stopped. She knew that he was caught unawares and his death was swift and without mercy. She looked up at her uncle, the one who tried to kill her two years ago. He never liked her, hating that he lost his right to inherit the throne to a mere girl.
It was the fact that his attempt to kill her caused his burns. He snuck into her room one night and tried to choke her, but she was able to use the secret training her father taught her and managed to escape. She ran down the room, screaming for her father. The guards rushed to see what the problem was. By this time, her father appeared and his brother was being held by two of his loyal servants. The guards that were placed to protect the princess at night could not be found. It was later discovered that her uncle had paid them off. He of course tried to deny his actions, stating that the little girl had a nightmare and he just so happened to be passing and rushed in to comfort her, but the bruises on her arm and around her neck spoke the truth. He was immediately stripped of all titles and power and was held in prison until the morning. His trial was first on the agenda and it was decided that he would live with a reminder not to threaten the royal family. Guards held him still as the king himself delivered the punishment of burning him with fire laced with magic. It was not commonly used, but this burn would never heal, leaving the mark of a traitor. The king kicked his brother out of the territory and ordered him to never return. Annalise had sneaked away to see what was happening and she will never forget the smell of burning flesh and the disfigured face of the man standing in front of her.
She scooted backwards as he approached, afraid of what was to come. "Now, I can finish what I started some time ago, eh Princess?", he sneered, reaching for her. Someone called to him, giving her a chance, she kicked at his knee, the one her dad said he had damaged as a pup while climbing a tree and I made him lose his balance. She quickly stood and headed to the trees, now painted orange with the flames of her burning home. She ran as fast as her legs could carry her, the sound of his frustrated roar her shadow.
Annalise ran and ran, afraid that her lungs would burst, but she kept going. She wove through the trees, a small voice guiding her. there was rustling and the faint sounds of leaves being crushed under running feet. She began to pray, hoping that there was a way to escape. Ahead of her, a shimmering portal opened, and with one last glance behind her, she ran into it, wishing with all her heart that this was just a terrible nightmare, one she wanted desperately to forget.
Trishanna fell to her knees, tears streaking down her face. She was the Princess. This was her past and now she knew where she came from and how she ended up with the Bloodmoon territory. El looked at her and she knew now that this was her wolf, the voice that guided her through the woods and used her power to open the portal, something that could only have been done after years of training. She turned to the other part of her, "How did you open the portal?" El sighed and looked back at the burning castle, quiet now as the flames stroked the sky, "Usually it takes practice, but your fear, the urgency awoke the powers in you. This would have been the day I awoke through the ceremony as it is for all who live here when they turn five, but dire circumstances and stressful situations can cause someone to tap into their power. That's what happened, but because of this, I could not appear, not until you found your mates." Trishanna sobbed and hugged her wolf. This means that she was not an omega, but in fact, a Princess with powers most in the regular world knows nothing about.
"Another thing, the young siblings you saw are your proctors and were able to follow you to your world, but my magic was not strong and they ended up in a different place. But now they have found you and they will tell you all that they can. You can trust them." Trishanna, no Annalise just hugged her tighter. "I want to see my mates," she whispered.
El told her to close her eyes and think of them. Following her instructions, the memories drifted away and soon she was enveloped in warm darkness, nothing like it was before. She felt her body relax and she knew that she needed to rest and recover. Soon the warmth seemed to be focused at her front and back, and she slowly drifted to consciousness with the touch of James and Bradley gently stoking her as they wrapped her in their warm embraces.