Chapter 36 XXXVI Rosalie “Avalon?” I turn to Estelle in disbelief. “As in King Arthur and his round table of knights?” Estelle hummed her agreement, before brushing past and down the stairs. “Is there any fairy tale, that is just that?... A story to lull children to sleep.” “Oh, King Arthur was a very real person. As was Merlin.” I began to follow Estelle down the marble stairs, holding my hand above my eyes I an attempt to shield my eyes from the bright light, when I came to an abrupt halt at the mention of the notorious wizard. The idea of bumping into the Merlin, with his long white beard and wooden staff was enough to blow my mind. “And I am guessing that the lady of the lake lives in the glass lake along with Excalibur and a fire breathing dragon.” I did my best to sound as sarcastic as I could, all the while holding my breath that I wasn’t actually correct. Unfortunately for me, Estelle’s facial expression was enough to quash any thought that I had gotten anythin
Alexander “Goddess be damned!” I holler, the stacks of papers, missives and map of the coastline scattering across the floor with one swoop of my arm. “He is certainly playing the long game.” Arthur commented in agreement. My outburst not fazing him in the slightest. He had grown used to my mannerism by now. We had been friends since childhood. Neither of us ever thinking that the burden of running a kingdom and looking after the people within it would ever fall on our shoulders. “I like to think he is running scared.” I growl between my teeth in response. It had been four months since we had arrived in East Anglia. I must admit, as war hardened as I was, even to my eyes the sight off of the east coast was enough to terrify even me. You couldn’t see the horizon through the amounting fleet that had gathered. And if it were not for the magical mask that had been used to shield their presence from the lesser creatures living on this earth, every person, whether man or beast, would h
Rosalie “Helena Walker-Low” I read out loud, my heart soring. “Margaret had a child?” I turn to Estelle. “Yes Rosalie, Margaret had a child. And it looks as if Helena has also had a child born with magic.” She points to the unseen next branch, detailing the birth of another Margaret Walker-Low in bright crimson script. I clap my hands together in delight. I had never felt so much relief. And for the first time since finding out I was pregnant with my own little witch, relief flooded through me. “How do we find them?” I ask, my eyes trailing the paper for any indication of location. “Well, you see, that’s just it…” The dull tone of Estelle’s words were enough to drop me to earth with a bang. “What is it? I don’t understand.” “The Low’s are a very well-known wiccan family. Some may even call them royalty in the wiccan communities. So, it will come as no surprise when I tell you that their location is pretty well known as well.” “Isn’t that a good thing?” I question. My brow furr
Rosalie The wind ripped through my hair, pulling it from its formerly neat chignon, the long strands whipping my face as I the gale changes its course from one side to the next. The current weather was a reflection of the mood we all felt. After I broke the news of what I intended to do, the airy library soon began to feel like a prison. The four walls beginning to cave in around me. It didn’t matter how beautiful it was. I just wanted to escape. I needed air, and the familiarity of my own home. I needed Alexander. This was as close as I could get. Standing on top of an open hill, looking out across the fields, with the wind billowing around me. There was no Castle Black, no little creak in the distance welcoming me home. No flowery cottage, or even the screams of my happy children. But it was the country side, and it would have to do. The weather was growing worse with each minute that passed by, and from these great heights, looking out towards the west, black storm clouds w
Alexander The need to get home to Rosalie was becoming too much. It was like an incessant itch under my skin, and it was become intolerable. Connections to one’s own mate were something no one, in the written history of werewolves, had been able to explain or comprehend. But the connection was next to none. We could hear each other’s thoughts when we were within a close enough proximity. We could sense their pain, anguish, happiness even. And we knew when there was something that just wasn’t quite right. That sense of foreboding had been getting increasingly worse with each passing day. Always the sense that there was something going on that I should have been there for… That danger was nearing. And now that the threat of Xavier being on our boarders seemed to have disappeared on its own, I saw no need to be away from her any longer. I knew that what ever Xavier had planned was far from over. And so, with that in mind, I left my war council in place to continue monitoring the sit
Rosalie “Where have you been?” I spin on the spot. The menace in the words was beyond dispute. They cut through me like a knife. The shocked face of my eldest child, soon forgotten, as I took in the imposing stance of my very angry mate. His body shook with rage. Heat, visibly vibrating around his body. He stood naked. As if he had only just shifted. Doing nothing to cover himself. His eyes bore into mine. And where his eyes were usually blue, two black pits stared back at me, indicating that Silas was still very much present in his mind. “I said, where have you been?” His voice dropped to a deadly low. And knowing that they stood no chance against him, Lucille and Estelle backed away, ushering the children out of the room. Alexander didn’t flinch, didn’t move to chastise them, or refrain them from doing so. He simply stood, staring into my soul. “Your home?” I try to keep my voice light and even. I knew that Alex would never hurt me. But I also knew that when he was angry, not
Rosalie The rain had not stopped since returning from the Malificus Acus. It poured down like a wall of water. The village below the tower, had become a bog. The moat, flooded, and the even the distant stream had burst its banks… not that I could see it trough the gloom. Villagers had migrated into their little ram-shackle homes, and only came out when absolutely necessary. Otherwise, the streets and fields below were empty. Even the cows sheltered under the bushy trees looking for an escape from the impossible weather. The tone of the castle was sombre. Despite anyone else knowing the impending doom that was approaching, they could all still feel something was coming. Perhaps the people thought that it was the war that was causing such an atmosphere. But only a select few knew better. Estelle had taken the last few days to perfect her detection spell. And we had tested in several times to ensure that it would work. It was decided that the only way to ensure that Tenebris would th
Rosalie Pain radiated through my abdomen, and down my legs as my body convulsed, followed by the sound of water trickling to the floor. My waters had broken. What happened after that seem to all happen in a flurry of activity. Getting out of Castle Black and to the little cottage in the woods had been no easy feat. Especially due to the miserable weather still pouring down outside. By the time Lucille had found Estelle, Alexander was already by my side. And doing his best to move me from the castle to our planned birthing place. His arms wrapped around my back, and holding me up through each contraction as it hit. The journey was uncomfortable and generally miserable. And by the time we reached the little cottage, what had started out as light contractions ever so often, quickly changed to contractions every few minutes, and I knew the time had come to start pushing. And whilst my body begged to start doing so, I held back with everything within me. “I’m not ready for this Ale