O'Conner's School for the Light challenged

[The Madame Red]

Alexei, shamed by his father, glared at the ground. He didn't say anything in respect to his father's words, though he felt no man, mate or not, was good enough for his precious sisters. They were his blood kin. That meant not man was allowed to go near them or let alone hurt their feelings. If either of those new boys made his sisters' cry...he'd tear the boys to shred.

"But the girl I love is a princess and someone that I will be nice to my sisters," Alexei responded to his father in a calm manner, "Celia and Luna deserve the best of happiness, and I don't want either of those...boys to hurt them or even come close to it. Father, you should be protecting them as much I want to."




"Just as long as you honor Liam, you can see Oscar as your father as much as you like," Anya gently tapped Scarlette's nose, "We are born with what we have. I was born with two peasants for parents and look where I am now, but that still doesn't make me different than where I came from. I am still the daughter of a turnip farmer and his wife as you are still Liam's daughter. But I know Oscar sees you as his daughter, and I applaud you for seeing that you have more than one set of parents."  

[Hikari_Mamo]

Conrad smiled. "I know my son. I am protecting them. I know the parent's of Celia's mate, he's a good noble boy that will treat her well, and both boys know that if either of them make my daughters cry there will be severe repercussions to those actions. But I believe they'll give the twins the best happiness has to offer. If not even better. But you have to let the girls grow up and make their own decisions, you can be over protective all you like with your daughters, just let me do my job too though please. We can do it together you know, those boys will know our wrath if they hurt our girls,"


Scarlette smiled softly. "I know, but he doesn't like me." She said sadly. "Because he thinks I got all of my mum's bad traits. He said I'm just like mum. He said he loves Sebastian more because he likes daddy and does what he says and even goes along with the bad mouthing of mama that Liam does. I don't want him as my daddy if he talks about mummy that way." She started to cry. "I don't want him in my life if all he does is talk badly about mummy. Sebastian does it only to stop the fighting. But I can't listen to it. It's why I let that thing bite me. . . So mummy would keep us from him."  

[The Madame Red]

"Scarlette, you should never had one that," Anya slightly scolded as she gave Scarlette a stern look, "You put yourself in grave danger and worried Isolde. She believes she's the reason why you are hurt. My sweet, granddaughter, did you want to cause pain for that poor woman?"

Anya took a breath as she gave Scarlette a concerned look, "You have your mother's best trait as well, but you will soon learn that hurting yourself will only get you little guilt from others. After you have healed, you must admit to the others so that Isolde and your fathers won't be worried about you. If I had believed it was my fault that you were hurt, I could never forgive myself. Please, for me, at least apologize and explain yourself to Isolde. She cares for you like her own."

The sun was already up. She would have to remain in Emma's castle if she were to protect herself from the sun.




"I would like that," Alexei agreed with his father, then turned when he heard the familiar cry of Luna.

The girl was instantly in tears, wailing loudly as she held her knee. Celia rushed to her sister's side and examined her twin, "You just scraped your knee."

"B-but it hurts!" Luna wailed as tears streamed down her face.

Ceila could see that her sister was obvious a cry-baby, but she wouldn't have her sit there and act like a spoiled baby in front of the others. Carefully picking her sister up to stand on her good leg, Celia then looked to Lauchlain, "Lets play hide and seek. You two hide, and we all have to find you."  

[Hikari_Mamo]

Lauchlain gasped and went to her looking over her leg. It wasn't that bad a scrape so he took out a anti-septic wipe he kept in his pants and wiped it over. "There." He smiled happily. "All better." He grinned an adorable lopsided grin that would make Luna's heart melt when she was older. Conrad watched like a hawk keeping Alexei by his side the whole time. He looked up at the sky. "All right kids bed time!" He called breaking up the play. Lauchlain pulled puppy eyes but Conrad shook his head. "Her mother misses her Lauchlain, you can play tomorrow." The boy grinned and rushed off to his mother as Conrad picked up Luna and took the three into Emma's castle. "Did you two have fun-? Celia?"

Lucas had pulled Celia aside and produced a rare flower for her blushing and smiling shyly. "I thought I'd show this flower how pretty you look." He admitted still blushing brightly.


Scarlette frowned. "I'll apologise when Liam does." Scarlette growled pouting. "Not a moment before."

Emma roused a bit moving to sit up and pulled a little string the nurse had installed for if Emma went into labour. The nurse, a midwife and a doctor rushed into the room in a panic and Emma frowned. "I want a cheeseburger and roast lamb." She said. "Smothered in whipped cream and pureed broccoli." She said when they realized she wasn't in labour. The nurse smirked. She supposed Emma didn't want to disturb Oscar while he slept so pulled on the string. "As you wish my Queen." The nurse purred ushering them out to fill her order.
"And don't forget my Orange and cauliflower thick shake!" She called then settled into bed waiting for it.  

[The Madame Red]

Celia's eyes widened slightly as a blush tinted her cheeks. She wasn't as girly as her sister to be bashful, but not brash enough like Alexei to shove the boy away. Standing, too shocked to speak, fiddled with her thumbs before taking the flower, whispering a 'thank you', and rushed off to her father and siblings. When she returned, she saw a bright smile on Luna's face as her twin looked at the flower, "Well what are you smiling at?"

"He gave you a Moon Flower," Luna smiled at Celia, "It blooms only under a full moon and dies when the sun comes up. The story behind the flower is romantic. Any boy that gives a girl a bloomed Moon Flower is actually a proposal of marriage in certain countries and-"

"No one is getting married," Alexei took both his sister's by their hands to go up to their bedroom, "Not until they go through my trial first."





"Liam protected you and killed the creature that hurt you," Anya added as she continued to run her fingers through Scarlette's hair, "But I trust your judgement and hope he apologizes first."

Exhaustion waved through her. Anya then whispered, "Shall I join you so that I may sleep? I'm quite drowsy from getting my court all the way over here in one night and worrying about you and your mother."




"Your taste in food sucks," Oscar turned over as he lit a cigarette in his half-awake state, "If I could eat any of that, I'd barf. Blood and cigarettes. I'm sure if I were ever mortal again i'd probably starve."  

[Hikari_Mamo]

Conrad laughed softly following his little trio into the castle and to their rooms. He took the flower and put it in a special solution so it would never die it would take a while but it would be ready for Celia when she woke. Petrified forever. "He's just getting ahead of the others Alexei. He wants to make sure he's the only one in the running. Same with Lauchlain. It's nice not having to worry about searching the globe for ones other half."

Scarlette nodded making room in the bed for her babushka. "Night vanaema." She whispered giving a yawn and settling down to sleep.

Emma growled and flicked the cigarette out of his hand not around me while I'm pregnant please." She said with a sigh. "Please, I'm scared enough as it is without inhaling dangerous toxins that could harm our baby." She mewed with a small pout snuggling close as her meal arrived. "Oh yay!" She called happily eating most of it with gusto until she got to the thick shake. "Yuck oh my god are you trying to poison me?" She asked the nurse. The nurse shook her head and replaced it with a bag of blood which Emma was pleased with. The nurse changed over Oscar's IV line too and frowned at the dead cig on the ground picking it up and grabbing Oscar's supply of the horrid stuff and gave him a good scolding over it reminding him about the stress Emma's been under lately and the fall and that she doesn't need cigarette smoke to push her over the edge. "I still love you though, and once our child's immune system isn't dependent on mine you can start up again." Emma kissed his head. "Now go back to sleep. It's still daylight."  

[The Madame Red]

The three siblings were one of the few to wake first where they were greeted with three fitted crowns that bore their personal emblems. Alexei wiped the sleep from his eyes before going over to them. There was a small tap on the door before his aunt opened it and leaned against the doorframe, "Your mother had them specially made for you in her court's prized jewel, amber. A way for all three of you to remember the roles you were born with while you are here."

Alexei placed the small crown on his head as he felt how it was supposed to fit. He saw his sisters do the same after they climbed out of their beds. Katya smiled as she loosely crossed her arms, "Your mother is proud of you three, as am I. You may be in Emma's territory, but you are still royalty in your mother's court."

After their aunt had walked off to go to her current affair's, Alexei turned to see his sisters were already dressed and fixing their hair. It was easy to see they loved the crowns their mother had made for them. He didn't keep his on, though. The others knew he was a prince without having to wear a silly crown.




Anya woke before Scarlette and covered the girl back up as she got out of the bed. Placing a skin on each twin's forehead, Anya then left the room and castle to head back to her own. Her back was aching, not used to sleeping in something other than her own bed. When she returned, she saw that there was a growing village just beyond her castle where her people were making a settlement. A bit surprising but Anya was quick to flit through the village and back into her castle. Bathed and her ladies primped her up for the night's duty, Anya first went to see her children.

Alexei and his sisters were currently studying their vampiric history. Good, Anya thought as she let them continue their lesson. She then went to look for Conrad to see he had torn up their bedroom somewhat. Placing a hand on her forehead, Anya looked around at the small mess her husband had made, "Were you unable to get comfortable last night, dear?"



Oscar woke before Emma. He needed a cigarette and badly. Sneaking out of their room, he went to the back door of the kitchen to find one of his hidden stashes. Taking out a pack, he went outside to enjoy the sweet aroma of nicotine. With so much going on at once it was a wonder he wasn't huffing and puffing in his sleep.

"Still smoking like a fiend?"

He nearly jumped at the surprise when he turned to see Liam with sweat beading down his body. Oscar grimaced, "Still smell like a wet dog..."

"Well, how's my daughter?" Liam asked gruffly as he approached the vampire, "Still hates my very existence?"

"Just like her mother," Oscar smirked, causing Liam to shrug, "But, yeah, she's fine. The wound is cleaned and Anya stayed the night in her room."

"Probably giving her ideas on how to kill her old man," Liam rolled his eyes, "Isolde gave birth last night. Let'em know that their three half-siblings will be nursing and bonding with their parents."

Oscar watched as Liam jogged back to the pack. He was amazed how oblivious the wolf was to how much he was treating his children with Emma differently than with the ones he had with Isolde. Perhaps it was just because Emma wasn't the one for Liam that he didn't give her the time or day but smothered Isolde with all the love and affection he could muster. Oscar put the cancer-stick to his lips and inhaled deeply, such a strange world.  

[Hikari_Mamo]

Conrad felt pain in his belly and frowned. Maybe Anya or Emma was feeling sick? He didn't know. But he didn't want to rush over there. He had his own dependent issue to deal with. He needed to let Oscar worry about his older issue. That was Oscar's job now.

Scarlette didn't stir much but Sebastian joined her when Anya left. He checked his sister's bandage and smiled. Well she was healing nicely. That was good. "I'm sorry." He whispered to his sister. "I'm sorry I couldn't protect you myself."


Emma woke in heavy discomfort. She was moody and just wanted the baby out now. But she wouldn't let the rest of the court know how she was feeling. She got up slowly and with great difficultly and after throwing on a dress that was designed for a fatter person than she was, waddled to the council room and got an update from Nyssa.

Nyssa had helped Emma into a comfy chair and had begun soothing her back explaining that Isolde had given birth and that she or Liam wouldn't be seen for a while. "Good, keep that idiot and his nice mate out of my sight for a while and away from Scarlette." She mused. She gave a hiss but dismissed it when Nyssa asked if she was okay. "All right is that both councils caught up on Nyssa?" Emma asked with a smile.

"Yes my lady, but they'll be coming in very shortly- Your Grace are you sure you're all right?" Emma nodded at Nyssa's concern and with her help walked to the throne room. "Do you wish me to retrieve Oscar?" Emma nodded her mouth set against pain and Nyssa knew then Emma was in pain. But where was Emma going? Emma made a turn down to the hospital wing and to the birthing room. "Oh my." Nyssa gasped and got a servant to run for Oscar.  

[The Madame Red]

Seeing as how Conrad didn't reply, Anya went back to tend to her own duties for the day. She finished some paperwork that needed to be filled out for the other territory she had created for her when this problem is ended with Emma. Anya found her children venturing outside and decided to join them as Ellaine remained as regent during Anya's absence. She felt more relieved leaving the lycan woman in charge rather than Katya.

Her son and daughters were thrilled to play with their mother as Anya chased after her children, all the while they laughed. Luna had fallen over, tearing her dress slightly and sniffled before going into a full-on wail. Anya scooped her daughter into her arms and soothed her to calm, "Shh, it's okay my sweet. Mother can make a new dress just for you. Are you hurt?"

"N-no," Luna whimpered as she clung to her mother.

"You may go ahead and play in this dress for now, but tomorrow it will go and you will have a brand new one," Anya let her out of her arms so she could play with her siblings.

"It's still hard to see you as a mother."

Anya noticed Oscar approaching with a cigarette in his fingers. She was surprised Emma hadn't beaten that habit out of him yet. As she stood, Oscar smiled as he watched her children run around and play, "You have some good kids, Anya. Emma's court has been saying all kinds of things about you to your kids and they haven't gone off yet."

"I've taught them patience," Anya gave a small smile, "We all don't come from clean slate paths nor do we not make mistakes. I want my children to know that there is still good in everyone and that we must learn to forgive those who know the mistake that is made."

Oscar nodded to Anya's words before noticing Nyssa running after him once again. He was getting tired of the girl going off on a drop of a dime. Emma was going into labor? Fairly early, but seeing how she had given birth to twins before he wasn't too scared. Oscar put out his cigarette before looking back to Anya, "I heard you have Alexei already betrothed. I'd think about twice. This court needs to be united by one couple, not four people reaching for it. Think about it."

Once that was said, Oscar calmly walked to where Emma was and found that she was in the birthing room. Taking a quick, deep breath, he walked in, "Did you pop out the bugger yet?"  

[Hikari_Mamo]

Emma held onto the railing for her life panting hard. Her eyes black she growled. She'd growled something at the nurse in Turkish and now the Nurse was hiding behind a bed scared. Emma gave a cry. "No I haven't! The contractions aren't that close together so no. I haven't popped out our baby!" The mid wife tried to soothe Emma but again another spout of Turkish had the woman taking a step back. "I ****** hate you all! Get it out!!"

"She's not gone into labor before Prince Oscar." Nyssa hissed at him. "She doesn't know how to cope help her!" She roughly kicked the man in the spine and closed the door. Another loud scream rocked the castle and everyone stopped in their work to realize it was a few weeks early. Maybe the stress Emma was constantly finding herself in had made the child come early?  

[The Madame Red]

Oscar sighed as he was 'kicked out'. Obviously she had gone into labor before since the twins are alive and well. Standing outside the room, he lit a cigarette and waited.




"Don't go too far!" Anya noticed her children were heading off the territory, "You can't go passed the markers!"

"Catch me if you can!" Celia called out as she dashed into the woods.

"Oh no.." Anya grimaced as she ushered Alexei and Luna back to the castle, "Stay with your father or aunt, don't stay outside."

She ran after her daughter into the dark woods that she traveled in once so long ago. These were once safe woods, but she could scent the dangers all around them. Then, Anya heard Celia release a shrill scream and she picked up her speed before watching her daughter surrounded by hellish creatures that wreaked of lycan and vampire. More of these creatures? No problem. Anya readied her claws as she leaped in front of her daughter and slaughtered all ten of the creatures where only limbs and a pool of blood were left. She smashed their skulls together, ripped out their hearts, and tore off each limb with such ease and dexterity.

When she finished, Anya was covered head to toe with black, tarry blood when she turned to see Celia frozen in fear. Her daughter was nearly catatonic from the terror she witnessed from seeing the beasts so close and her mother torturing them to death. Anya wiped the blood from her face as she bent low to Celia, "You can't run off like that, Celia. Come, we need to return to the castle before more come."

Carefully taking her daughter into her arms, Anya ran back to her castle to tend to her daughter's state of mind.  

[Hikari_Mamo]

Emma gave a cry then waddled over to the door clutching the door frame with a glare on her face that softened at the sight of him. "Oscar, why are you out here?" She whined. "I don't ant you to get out, I want the baby out, it hurts and is uncomfortable and very painful." She reached a hand out. "I need you."


Conrad rushed out to greet his wife fear in his eyes and arms our embracing both his wife and terrified child. "Ssh." He whispered to both of them caressing his wife's head, his child's cheek. "What happened? I saw you both go beyond the boundaries but then. . . nothing."  

[The Madame Red]

"They almost attacked Celia," Anya whispered to Conrad as not to alarm her other children though she was drenched with the creature's blood, "Those..things..that attacked Scarlette and the others. Ten of them surrounded our daughter. I had to kill them. If I could've brought one back, I would've but it was too great of a risk to put Celia in when she can't defend herself yet."

"I'm sorry..." Celia whimpered as she closed her eyes tightly, tears forming between her lids, "I'm sorry I..I couldn't fight back..."

"Celia?" Luna's soft voice echoed as she found her sister, "Celia!"

Celia ripped herself away from her parents' hold to go and hug her sister as she sobbed harder.




"If you want the baby out, you kinda have to stay in the bed," Oscar put the cigarette out and picked her up, "Jeez you're fat.."

He placed her on the bed as he took her hand, all the while in a calm manner, and took one of Emma's legs while he instructed a strong lycan woman to take the other. Oscar turned to the helper and stated, "This will kill you if you let go of that leg. You better hold on with your life."  

[Hikari_Mamo]

Conrad's eyes flashed black with deep emotion. He opened his mouth to say something when Celia rushed out of her mother's arms to his twin. He picked them both up and took them back to Anya and held them all together. "Oh my dear girls." He whispered pressing a kiss to each girl's head. "I'm proud of my you my brave Bride." He whispered to Anya pressing a tender kiss to her adorable nose.


Emma whined. "I'm not fat~" She whined snuggling close more or less clinging to him. But then people starting grabbing her and pain radiated through her body. Blood was hooked up and put into an IV line into a vein for Emma. She cried out breaking the hand of one of the Lycan men who held her hand. He managed not to make a noise even though every carpel bone in his hand was shattered.
"She's not ready! Oscar tell her to stop pushing!" The nurse cried.  

[The Madame Red]

"Well obviously the baby is ready to come out whether she is or isn't ready!" Oscar snapped back at the nurse, "Now either do your job or so help me I'll do it for you, which would you rather have!? Now get back to work and keeping my wife and child safe or you'll find yourself into little bits and pieces scattered across this room!"

His threats were real as his hair flashed a bright red and his fangs grew three inches, ready to claw out the flesh from the nurse's bones. He was in no mood for Emma or his child to be put at risk.





"Anya!" Katya rushed into the room, going passed Conrad and to her sister, "Anya, I had heard! You did manage to kill the beasts?!"

"Only ten," Anya reminded her sister, "For Celia's sake, I couldn't leave any of them alive."

"That's more than plenty," Katya's smile widened, "Also, there is a post saying the 'big hunt' is tonight from Emma's list of demands from you. Would you like for me to inform the others that we will not be attending?"

"No, no. Anyone can go as they please," Anya focused more of her attention back to her children.

"But..." Katya raised a brow, "You're being pushed around by your step-daughter, shouldn't you-"

"It's not being pushed around by anyone. It's learning to be more accepting and doing what's right instead of doing things a certain way," Anya spoke sharply back to Katya, "Perhaps you should follow my lead. In the mean time, you can make sure my son is in his studies and inform the girls' playmates that they will be sticking with their father and I today."

Katya nodded, aggravated at Anya's change in attitude before leaving to follow out the orders.