TWENTY ONE YEARS AGO IN THE MAGICAL REALM.

Lady Ruby lungu, mate of lord Davon lungu warden of the Great Mountains in the Crystal Kingdom is known for her Magic. She is one of the few witches who can perform magic using all four elements of nature. She is mated to lord lungu even though she is not his fated mate. After the war that almost wiped out the entire magical realm, her family arranged for her to be mated to lord lungu even though she wanted to wait and find her mate. Her parents convinced her that the possibility of her finding her mate was slim because of the war. But last year after lord lungu found his mate she wished she had not mated with him but what could she do? She already has two daughters with him, the older one is five, and the younger one is three years old. All she can hope for is that the dragon princess does not change her mind about not wanting to be lord Lungu's second mate because If she changes her mind and comes back to the Crystal Kingdom lady lungu will lose everything. Princess Rose has more claim on Lord lungu than Lady Lungu because she is his fated mate. Their bond was blessed by Amoraea and Votalis, the god and goddess of union themselves.

"Lady Ruby," Lady Lungu hears someone call her name snapping her out of her mind. She looks around in the garden where she is sitting and finds no one.

"Lady Ruby, it's me, Princess Rose. I need your help." Lady Lungu turns around and finds a raven in front of her.

"Princess Rose?" Lady Lungu asks in confusion.

"Yes, it's me, lady Ruby. I need your help." The Raven responds in Princess Rose's voice.

"What kind of help?" Lady lungu asks.

"I can not tell you this way. Come meet me in the dark gardens and please don't tell anyone that I contacted you, not even Davon for the safety of your family." Princess Rose says.

"Why do you want me to meet you in the dark gardens of all places? Are you planning on killing me and taking my place? Is that why you don't want me to tell anyone? I will not fall for your tricks."

"Lady Ruby, listen to me, it's a matter of life and death. If it was not important I wouldn't have contacted you. Please come and meet me, you are my only hope." Princess Rose says desperation in her voice.

"Okay, I will come and meet you and I will not tell anyone but if you try anything sinister I will make you regret it." Lady lungu says.

"Thank you so much lady Ruby. I will be waiting for you and please don't tell anyone you are meeting me" Princess Rose says as the raven falls dead on the ground. Lady lungu sighs and goes back into the house. 

Before lady lungu leaves to meet Princess Rose, she puts a protective spell on herself in case it is a trap.

"Are you going somewhere?" Lord lungu asks startling her with his sudden appearance.

"Oh, yes, I am going to take a little walk and maybe gather some herbs in the forest on my way back," Lady says, carefully not to arouse any suspicion. 

"Are you sure? The way your heart skipped when I came in suggests otherwise."  Lady lungu swears in her heart at her mate's statement. She sometimes forgets that he is a very powerful hybrid. Who can hear every single sound, so of course he didn't miss how her heart skipped the moment she heard his voice.

"I am fine, I was just so surprised by your presence that my heart skipped. I have been feeling restless lately. I just want to clear my head and get some herbs that are not in my garden." Lady Lungu says to her Mate trying to convince him that everything is alright.

"Okay, don't forget to carry guards, there is some report that the Brotherhood has recruited the dark witches, you know how those can be. The times are hard and we don't know who to trust anymore, for all we know someone from our ward could be one of them." Lord lungu says.

"I don't need any guards, I will be okay. I am not going far so you don't have to worry. I will not be long." Lady Lungu says as she takes a basket she uses for picking herbs.

"At least go with one that way I won't worry about your safety." Lord lungu says.

"Even if they come along the guards won't be able to go where I am going." Lady lungu tries to explain to her mate without letting anything out.

"There is nothing I can say that will convince you to carry guards is there?" Lord lungu asks with amusement. Lady Lungu's heart skips a bit at seeing a smile on her mate's face. She rarely sees him smile these past few months. It's like he is a different person now.

"No, there is nothing you can do or say to make me change my mind." Lady Lungu says.

"Okay, then I will let you go, but please be careful." Lord lungu says as he leaves the room. Lady lungu sighs the moment her mate leaves the room touching her chest. She stays in her potion room for a few minutes to calm her racing heart. After her heart is calm enough she leaves the room and heads to the dark garden.

Even though Lady Lungu has agreed to meet Princess Rose in the dark garden. She Is scared of the spirits that still roam the gardens. The dark garden was once the most beautiful and most cherished. It was considered sacred until three years ago when some witches and warlocks cast a forbidden spell to stop the war, the spell worked, and the brotherhood was defeated but the witches and warlocks who performed the spell died after casting it. One of the warlocks was Lady Ruby's grandfather, one of the most powerful warlocks to ever live. The dark garden is still beautiful but most species are afraid of visiting it because of the spell which was cast on its sacred ground. Lady Ruby visits the garden from time to time to be close to her grandfather.

As Lady Ruby walks toward the dark garden she can feel someone's eyes behind her. Lord lungu must have told one of the guards to follow. Lady lungu lets out a chuckle as reaches the entrance of the dark garden, the guard will not enter the garden because of fear of the spirits of the dead witches and warlocks like most species do.

Lady Ruby notices Princess Rose the moment she enters the dark garden. She looks just as beautiful as ever. Her beautiful long hair is down as always.

"Lady Ruby, how are you?" Princess Rose greets.

"I am fine thank you, how are you?"

"I am trying." 

The two women stare at each other for a while not knowing what to say to one another. The last time they spoke, Lady Ruby was begging Princess Rose to agree to become lord Lungu's second mate. That was months ago, they haven't seen each other since then.

"Thank you, Lady  Ruby, for agreeing to meet me. I know this is not easy for you." Princess Rose says after some time with a sad smile on her face.

"Well, it is not every time that my mate's fated mate sends a raven to summon me." Lady Ruby says.

"I know I am sorry for what happened. But I need your help with something." A smile breaks on Ruby's face.

"Wow, today must be my lucky day. The greatest hybrid needs my help. So tell me, Princess Rose, what do you need help with?"

Princess Rose looks at Lady Ruby with sadness, tears coming out of her eyes.

Princess Rose places her hand on her stomach revealing her pregnancy.

Lady Ruby looks at her with so much hurt in her eyes. She opens her mouth to say something but closes it, unable to say anything. She just stands there looking at her mate's true mate.

"Did you call me here to mock me? To show me that you are carrying my mate's child. Is It a boy?" Lady Ruby finally asks with a shaky voice.

"No lady Ruby, that's not why I called you here. As I said earlier, I need your help with something. And no it's a girl." Princess Rose says moving closer to Lady Ruby and touching her on the shoulder, calming her. One of Princess Rose's dragon abilities is being able to calm other species down. Some species say it's a dangerous ability because it messes up someone's state of mind if the person doing it is not strong enough.

"What is it that you need help with that you cannot ask one of your people to do? I am sure there are a lot of people who would be willing to help you. You are the hybrid princes after all" 

Princess Rose pulls down the collar of her Dress and chants revealing five dark lines. Lady Ruby gasps and puts her hand on her mouth. She looks at the lines and then at Princess Rose's stomach and tears start to fall from her eyes not believing what's in front of her.

"How did this happen to you Princess Rose and the baby? What's going to happen to her?" Lady lungu asks fear in her eyes.

"I was attacked two days ago. By the brotherhood. They have managed to recruit the dark witches. They had some kind of stone that they used to make me powerless. As for the baby, she is going to be fine. I put a protective spell on her the same day I put on a cloaking spell on my stomach and managed to hide her heartbeat. When they started changing me the baby was not affected and those idiots were more concerned about my powers that they did not notice that I was pregnant."

Lady Ruby looks at Princess Rose with sympathy In her eyes.

"Are you going to go through with the transition and become a vampire and if you do, will your child be affected?" Lady  Ruby asks after some time.

"I am not going to let those monsters have me or my daughter as a weapon," Princess Rose says with tears in her eyes.

"Listen to me, Princess Rose, we can figure things out. l know it seems like there is no option right now but later I will find another way I am sure of it. You just have to hold on." Lady Ruby says holding Princess Rose's hands.

"I am not sure I have any other option. I have to save my child no matter what happens because I am sure they won't rest until they make me their weapon. It's good they were so concerned about turning me into one of them that they didn't notice I put a cloaking spell on my stomach. I know we don't see eye to eye but I need you to promise me something." Princess  Rose says holding Ruby's hands.

Princess Rose sighs, her expression filled with a mixture of vulnerability and determination. "I need your help with protecting my daughter. There are forces at play who wish to harm her, and I fear I cannot protect her."

Lady Ruby's eyes widened in surprise and concern. "Your daughter? You're trusting me with the safety of your child? Why me? Why not somebody from your kingdom or even your brother?"

Rose's voice trembles slightly as she replies, "Because I know you are the only one who can protect her just as much as I can. Despite everything that has happened between us, I believe in your loyalty and strength. You have a unique set of skills that could prove vital in protecting her. Please, lady Ruby, I am begging you." Tears well up in Lady Ruby's eyes, a mix of pain, and gratitude. 

After a moment of silence, Lady Ruby takes a deep breath and wipes away her tears. "Okay, Princess Rose. For the child, I will do whatever it takes."

Princess Rose smiles, and relief is evident on her face. "Thank you, lady Ruby. I knew I could count on you."

"Anything you want, Princess Rose as long as it does not involve me taking your life ." 

Princess Rose gives her a sad smile takes out a pendant from her bag and gives it to her. 

"How did you escape? I have heard rumors that when the brotherhood takes someone they never come back."

"It was the baby. I think she can sense when I am in trouble. I felt her move in my stomach and then I felt my dragon. And so I just shifted and flew as fast as I could. I am sure the brotherhood is looking for me but the last place they will search for me is here."

"I am sorry Princess Rose."

"It's okay I am just worried about my daughter. I made this before I was taken and I put a spell on it. It will protect my daughter until she comes of age and can protect herself. I have made the same one for her. You should always wear the pendant that way you will know when my daughter is in danger. When the pendant starts causing you pain, you will know she is in trouble. I know this is a lot to ask of you but there is no one else I can trust with my child." 

"Don't worry, I will make sure your child is safe."

"What will the baby be? I mean you are a hybrid and so is lord lungu."

"I don't know lady Ruby, I don't even know if my being turned will affect her. and if it does she will be in more danger than I ever was." Princess Rose says pacing around.

"I can't even imagine what you are going through right now. I know I have said bad things about you in the past. it's not like you are a bad person, it's just that I was jealous of you because you are lord Lungu's, fated mate." Lady says.

Princess Rose smiles sadly and reaches out to touch Lady Ruby's hand. "You don't have to apologize. I understand the jealousy, especially considering the circumstances. But I want you to know that you are important too, and I trust you to protect my daughter. You and lord lungu, both have a special bond. The gods brought you together for a reason. Maybe this is even the reason."

"Thank you for choosing me to be part of your daughter's life, Princess Rose."

"I am sorry I brought pain into your life. It was not my intention. All I ask of you is to help me save my child. And promise me that lord lungu will not know about her. We both know if he finds out about her, he will want her by his side and that will put her and your children in danger. You will only tell him when you think she needs him"

"I promise you  I will protect her with everything in me. Lord lungu will not find out about her until It's necessary. I give you my word" Princess Rose smiles at Lady Ruby's reassuring words.

"Do not tell anyone about my whereabouts, I will have to leave now. I will find the guardians and leave my child with them. They will protect her until she is ready. I will come back once I am sure that she is safe." Princess Rose's skin is getting paler each second that passes.

"Okay, just be safe, I have heard that the human world is dangerous for us magical beings. Let me know when you get back." Lady Ruby says with genuine concern.

"Thank you again, lady Ruby. I appreciate this, and please remember not to remove the pendant because it's the only thing that will be able to lead you to my daughter in case something goes wrong."

"I promise I will always wear it. Let me know when you get back." Lady Ruby says.

Princess Rose opens up the portal and steps through it leaving Lady lungu filled with so many emotions.