~Ioana~Boom.Lightning streaked the sky followed by the roar of thunder.I jerked awake, gasping. My chest heaved with each huge intake of air, the world split into two, merging back.I fell back, my back resting against something. My ragged gasp in my ears.Disoriented. I shook my head from side to side, but that didn't make it any better.Just then.Lightning cracked once more, lighting up the sky for a split second.And my heart stopped alongside with it.Something stood before the entrance—no, it was someone.A hulking mass, like a statue. 'Calm down, it's probably…' my voice trailed off not knowing what to say.But I didn't need to make that decision because it did for me.It took a step inside, water pooling behind it, leaving trails with each footstep.His head snapped up, molten pools of gold locking on me. Immediately, my emotions took a plunge, despair enveloping me like a tsunami.It's him.He found me.Scampering to my feet, I realized how foolish my decision was.How cou
~Ioana~But that didn’t make my mind any more silent. The ringing only got louder.A warning.Urging me to—run.My heart dropped to my stomach.And run I did.I skirted to the side, making a dash for the exit, the same time he moved.I caught a flash of something primal in his eyes.Something I had seen numerous times. Once their wolves were let out. Weaving through the trees.A shudder ran down my spine, the bony fingers of fear clinging to me.I didn’t outrun him. Instead, it was he who let me.That was my last thought as I broke through the entrance. A flash of gold staring at me,And how far I could run. If I could escape at all was…It was the hunt.*****My breath came out in short pants."Faster," I urged.My feet flew through the forest ground, over the tiny twigs, browned leaves, darkened soil."Faster, faster…"My heartbeat pounded in my ears.All of a second, I'm hit with a feeling of déjà vu.As if I’ve experienced this before.His casual footsteps like thunder to my ears,
~Ioana~Numb.That's how I felt.My eyelashes fluttered open, light flooded in, floor-to-ceiling window barred with delicately crafted iron rods.Even in captivity—in such a rushed work that didn't forget to make something so gruesome look luxurious.My fingers dug into the satin bedsheets, attempting to push myself up, only to wince in pain.Turning my head to the side, a girl looked back at me, complexion pallid as death, dull hazel stared back at me.Resisting the agony,I swore my muscles creaked like the hinges of an old door about to fall out, but that didn't hold me. Crawling forward desperately, I gripped my mirror with my hands.I saw it, and once I did—tears.It was as if something snapped in my mind.Drip, drip, a drop of liquid fell on my exposed lap,Tears soon following after, gushing down.Choked sobs wracking through me.On my neck was a silvery pale mark like a crescent moon. It wasn't a tattoo—it was the mark.I flinched involuntarily, my teeth dug into my lips, draw
~Ioana~ "The Queen-to-be, Ioana Blackmoon, now enters!" I could hear the shrill voice of the Royal Announcer booming even from behind the door. The moment his words ended, without a second to calm my raging heart, the guards beside yanked the door open. I felt a slight push from behind, causing me to stumble forward. "Is this our future queen?" "Hmph, such an ungraceful entrance." "Can she support the prince with such an embarrassing posture?" Snide, dagger-like comments shot towards me. Heat rushed to my cheeks, burning with shame. I dropped my head to the floor. Who stumbles in on their wedding day—but this couldn't be called a wedding anyway. I snuck a peek behind me but saw no one. My fingers wrapped around the Moonweave silk, wrinkling it. The corset dug into my sides, suffocating me. It felt like the air I breathed wasn't doing its work properly. I sucked in a huge breath. The chandelier suddenly became too bright, stinging my eyes. Tears welled up, blur
~Ioana~“Outrageous!” the elder yelled, his face red, flushed from the pressure behind his words, hands trembling, blue veins visible underneath his semi-transparent skin.Despite the pressure bearing at me from various gawking parties, I found myself straightening my hunched shoulders.Facing him, I asked, “Why not? You said should any party refuse, didn’t you? Or perhaps my ears are beginning to fail me.”The audible gasps that rang out from the crowd cleared my mind. Immediately, I felt like slapping myself. The courage drained out; it carried with it the weariness that plagued me.“That doesn’t give you the right to refuse.”“So you’re saying it’s just for the sake of formality?”I sighed, taking a step away, but still pressed on.“No, it’s not—”He smirked. “It’s for people who had the decency of waiting. As far as I’m aware, the both of you have already completed all the rites, or have you not?”“B-But,” I stammered, “but what you said has nothing to do with whether the rites we
~Ioana~He dropped those words, snuffing out the flame within me.Speechless, what else could I say?Confusion swirled like a tornado in my head, wrecking havoc.A havoc that he never bothered to correct. He walked away, leaving a cold broad back which once protected me, igniting things that shouldn't have been within me.I collapsed on the bed, shielding my face with my arm,Coiling in on myself, arms wrapped around my legs, pulling them inward and head resting on my knees.I felt so open and vulnerable.A chill attacking my skin with each action I made, the bed was so cold, the elaborate painting on the wall seemed to laugh at me, invisible lips stretched in mockery.He abandoned me on my wedding night. I could already imagine all the whispers that will fly tomorrow through the kingdom.It made me want to wrap myself in blankets until I'm buried in piles of them, never surfacing again.Just then,A knock sounded on the door, short and heavy. I ignored it at first, not wanting anythi
~Ioana~I shivered violently. Something brushed over my skin, like silken velvet. My eyes fluttered open, light flooding my vision.I squinted uncomfortably, the sudden switch from dark to light stinging my eyes like the creatures of the night. I winced, shielding my eyes with my arm.A second later, dropping them slowly, and when I did, I couldn't help but gasp."Where am I?"Before me wasn’t the suffocating grand room but an open space. The scent of wildflowers blending in, butterflies fluttered their wings cheerfully from one flower to another. The grasses swayed calmly, undisturbed.I breathed in. The taste of freedom I never knew I missed so hungrily lingering on the air.I stepped forward, glancing around. It was wide enough that I couldn’t see the end.'Was everything just an illusion?' I loved to convince myself such.I parted the golden-eared grass-like things, moving through them.For the second time since I came here, my mouth dropped open wide."What is that?" I exclaimed,
~Ioana~ "The Queen's awake! Oh, thank the glorious Selenara!" When I gained consciousness, eyes snapping open to the familiar luxurious ceiling, along with the sobbing beside me, I knew without someone telling me, I am back. Footsteps sounded, the door burst open, slamming against the wall with a bang. "It's true! The Queen's awake!" 'Back to this palace.' "After a month..." 'Back to its people.' I thought my head would be gone this time for sure. It's truly a miracle only Selenara can do. 'And back to the chilling indifference.' " At least the coronation will no longer be postponed." " The prince is so pitiful. Even the world seems against him—but I'm not."
~Ioana~Alessandro gave me a lingering look. It was complicated—something I couldn't decipher easily—but something about it made my shoulders heavy. It descended on me like a blanket. My fingers went up to my chest, rubbing my heart to get rid of the stuffiness.He spun around, the first person to exit, his ceremonial red cape fluttering behind him, but for some reason, he looked desolate—lonely.But that shouldn't be possible… right?“The coronation ends here for now until we can get more answers to the peculiarity that occurred today. Until then, I bid all of you a goodnight.” That was Elder Thalvorn's closing message. With that, he stepped backward, away from the eyes of the crowd.But just as Elder Thalvorn got close to me, he paused, as if he wanted to say something to me. His mouth opened, then closed, a triumphant gleam streaking past his eyes that I couldn't understand.What’s he happy for?Elder Thalvorn continued walking out of the balcony through the doors. With his exit, t
~Ioana~“As our ancestors have said, a kingdom cannot be called a kingdom without having rulers above it. Great citizens of New Moon Kingdom, under the gaze of the most kind, Selenara, we have gathered to witness the coronation of our own prince, Alessandro Dragos—”“Bianchi,” a voice cut in. Gasps rang out from the crowd.As if ignorant of the reaction his words had caused, he repeated again, “I am Alessandro Bianchi—not Dragos.”The elder in charge exchanged a puzzled glance with Elder Ysara, who gave a curt nod.Clearing his throat, he swiftly switched his words, “Our own prince, Alessandro Bianchi,” pronouncing Bianchi awkwardly. Despite the elder trying to show that he wasn't bothered, it still showed clearly. He cleared his throat, moving on, “and his mate, Ioana… Blackmoon, now to be called…” He gave a pause, breathing in, “Bianchi.” His smile strained.The crowd was just as confused. Wasn't the royal family called Dragos? Why Bianchi?“It’s the prince's mother's name.”“Why…”
~Ioana~“Prince, you must understand that while even I do not wish to dress her down, but Prince, she doesn't even know basic etiquette…”But Alessandro didn't wait for him to continue rambling off, spitting excuse after excuse—he cut him short.“So the best way to correct her was in public before everyone? Elder Caldren, I am very well aware that you have a son, Frederick, or don’t you?”The elder's lips turned downwards. Jumping in, he hurriedly spoke, “Well, Prince, Frederick has always been…”But once more, not giving him the chance to weave up something, Alessandro interrupted him.“If you believe that your son, who is far older than the queen here, can receive repeated grace, letting him off the hook—oh, I'm well aware of that—then I believe that she can too.Not to mention, I've never once heard you chastise him in public. Should I say that your ability and the oath you took when you became an elder—might I remind you—to love and cherish like a father all citizens…”As the exch
~Ioana~Chattering whispers filled my hearing from outside.A canopy of midnight blue, blanketing the sky dotted with twinkling stars, was breathtaking. I sucked in air, letting out a shaky breath, my hands cold and sweaty, fisted beside me only to unclench the next second, hiding them behind me, away from the prying eyes that swept and locked on me every few minutes.Before me was a glass double door, as elegant and grand as every other piece in the room, a balcony just beyond it and below crowds of people.'I wonder how many people they are?' The murmurs alone were a telltale sign that there must be a lot."Your Majesty, would you like a drink?" Vivian, the ever observant one, offered to get me something.But I waved her off. That wouldn't be enough to keep the stomach-gnawing nervousness that wracked my being away."I'll just sit for a while," instead I opted for something else. She led me towards the edge of the room, bypassing the group of elderly wolves— the elders chattering in
~Ioana~"Your Majesty," a body flew towards me with such speed that it left blurs behind. She skid to a halt right before me, dropping to her knees with a resounding thud.Her fingers wrapped around her white apron, wrinkling it as they trembled from excitement."Your Majesty, thank you very much," her eyes sparkled like diamonds.I chuckled, leaning forward. I placed my hand on her shoulders, the muscles under my fingers clearly tensed. "Don't stress yourself," exerting strength, I tried to lift her up. "There, there, you're just recovering. Don't put such kind of strain on yourself. If you fall ill again, who will be my personal…" the word maid felt a little bitter on my lips. Without blinking an eye, I swiftly changed the word, "who will be my personal attendant?"Her gaze fell to the floor. "Your Majesty, you may not really understand, but when I heard that out of all the maids you had chosen me, I was really…" she choked, lifting up her head, exposing her reddened eyes, gleaming
~Ioana~"So Easily Startled" a comment that shot straight to my chest.When your sister releases starving rats into the punishment room, a dark cramped musty place reserved for me alone just for the laugh one of her many "mischievous pranks" as my parents call it waving it off with a gentle light scolding while, I shriek in fright.Of course I'll be easily startled by unknown things especially in the dark. And that was only one of her "plays". Despite her never attempting to again— not because of her sudden awakened conscience nut because it was too dirty.instead resulting in other things, like pretending to he ghost.it brought up bad memories like a flood.I placed my hand on my pounding heart, shooting a discreet glare towards the man above me.'Who stands directly over someone in the middle of the night,' I grumbled inwardly at his words I took as mockery.His golden eyes seemed to glow in the dark, as he e
~Ioana~"Hmm."With a muffled groan.And a pressing weight sending me back to the bed, I sank in. Suddenly, it was silent and dark. Even with my eyes closed, I could tell, like an eclipse took place."Is Her Majesty alright?"Maybe the mirror didn't fall, and they managed to catch it."Quickly lift it up from Her Majesty!"Oh, they didn't. Then why don't I feel anything?"It must be Selenara’s will. Maybe she's supposed to pass away from here and the prince's side will be empty once again."I peeked from beneath my lashes. Something dropped on my neck, trailing downwards.It was a person—an unconscious one. That was what I was able to observe: eyes shut, lips pursed, bitten down by her teeth as if caging everything in."Lift! Or else you don't value your heads anymore!""Lift!"When the mirror was lifted, I caught a glimpse of myself—a woman, pallid, bloodless lips, a
~Ioana~ "The Queen's awake! Oh, thank the glorious Selenara!" When I gained consciousness, eyes snapping open to the familiar luxurious ceiling, along with the sobbing beside me, I knew without someone telling me, I am back. Footsteps sounded, the door burst open, slamming against the wall with a bang. "It's true! The Queen's awake!" 'Back to this palace.' "After a month..." 'Back to its people.' I thought my head would be gone this time for sure. It's truly a miracle only Selenara can do. 'And back to the chilling indifference.' " At least the coronation will no longer be postponed." " The prince is so pitiful. Even the world seems against him—but I'm not."
~Ioana~I shivered violently. Something brushed over my skin, like silken velvet. My eyes fluttered open, light flooding my vision.I squinted uncomfortably, the sudden switch from dark to light stinging my eyes like the creatures of the night. I winced, shielding my eyes with my arm.A second later, dropping them slowly, and when I did, I couldn't help but gasp."Where am I?"Before me wasn’t the suffocating grand room but an open space. The scent of wildflowers blending in, butterflies fluttered their wings cheerfully from one flower to another. The grasses swayed calmly, undisturbed.I breathed in. The taste of freedom I never knew I missed so hungrily lingering on the air.I stepped forward, glancing around. It was wide enough that I couldn’t see the end.'Was everything just an illusion?' I loved to convince myself such.I parted the golden-eared grass-like things, moving through them.For the second time since I came here, my mouth dropped open wide."What is that?" I exclaimed,