O'Conner's School for the Light challenged

[The Madame Red]

"Daad~" Celia whined when she shielded her eyes away from her parents, "Can't you wait until you're in a bedroom..."

"I hope I marry someone who shows their love for me like that," Luna acted like she swooned as she turned away to give her parents' privacy, "It's romantic, Celia."

"It's disgusting," Celia stuck out her tongue.

Anya chuckled at her daughters' response as she kissed Conrad sweetly, "Perhaps we should be more private. Though...I wouldn't mind kissing you now."

She stood on her tiptoes, kissing him deeply.



"I have my two adopted children and my own child with the love of my life in the same room," Oscar commented as he entered the now clean bed as he cuddled next to Emma with their child shared in their arms, "I am the happiest man alive. There really isn't anywhere else I'd rather be."  

[Hikari_Mamo]

Conrad chuckled at his twin daughters reactions watching as both boys pouted at each girls statement. Lauchlain cause he already felt the pull of his wolf self telling him Luna was his, and the thought of her marrying anyone else made his young body react in ways it wasn't ready for, and Lucas because Celia called affection like that gross. Conrad, however, returned the kiss pulling his wife up and resting her feet on his so she didn't have to stretch. He wasn't planning on it going further, he just wanted to show her, through the kiss, how proud he was of her, how brave he knew her to be, and that he loved her deeply.


Emma blushed softly cuddling him with their daughter snuggled safely between them. The twins managed to cuddle comfortably despite the fact the bed was too small for them all to fit. "And I the happiest woman." Emma replied reaching over to trace his bottom lip with her thumb. "And I hope for more moments like this our family together growing slowly bigger and bigger." She said letting him know that despite the fact that it was painful Emma wanted more babies with Oscar. "Though I have a tiny feeling after the drama that happened with my carrying little Jamie, once I start to show you'll either force me to bed rest or carry me everywhere so you know I'm safe." She gave a little giggle but the smile in her eyes told him she wouldn't mind, would actually like it in fact. And give no objections. At all.  

[The Madame Red]

"Yuck! C'mon, guys, this is too gross," Celia grabbed her sister's hand and led them out of the birthing hallway.

"But I want to see the baby," Luna whimpered as she turned, but Celia yanked her back, "Celia~"

"You'll see the baby all the time after today," Celia grimaced, wanting to make her sister happy but also not be around when their parents' were kissing like that, "How about we play knights and princesses? I'll be a knight and you can be the princess again."

That sparked Luna's attention as she happily nodded, "But if you're a knight, what will Lucas be?"

Celia smiled at the vampire, "He can be a knight, too. We fight together instead of him saving me. That way we're a team willing to help Lauchlain. We'll rescue you from marrying an old man."

"That's funny," Luna chuckled, "How did you know?"

Celia looked confused, "Know what?"

"Auntie Katya had me arranged to marry that Original vampire from Italy that visited mother when i'm old enough. I'm not supposed to say anything, but I thought it would make mother and father happy," Luna was quite naive at what she was saying.




"Because of the violence in the pregnancy, we'll wait a short while before we start the processes of 400 more," Oscar teased as he kissed her nose, "C'mon, i'll carry you two upstairs to our bedroom. Sebi, Scar, can you make sure my sister and Connie prepare a blessing ceremony for our new child? Anya would have a ball at preparing a ceremony, and Connie can help out if he has the mental capacity to do so."  

[Hikari_Mamo]

"NO!!!" Lauchlain roared pulling Luna close. "No! I won't let that happen!" His eyes flashed ice blue his chest heaving. "That's gross and wrong and your father would never allow that!"

"Allow what?" Conrad asked having heard the noise and dragged Anya with him. Lauchlain explained and Conrad turned to Anya. "I gather you will take care of this before I do? Because you know how I'll take care of this my wife and you will hate me for it. She has gone too far now."


Sebastian and Scarlette nodded smiling and running off to find them but stopped short hearing the conversation. "Is step aunt Katya getting killed? Should We tell Edgar? He might want to educate Katya on the laws." Sebastian said simply. His face blank but his tone filled with emotion.

"Brother don't be simple, that woman has broken more laws than I can count she can't go unpunished any longer. The vampires of Anya's court will smell the weakness if she lets her sister live after this."

Emma nodded and snuggled with their daughter closer to her husband. "I was thinking a year or two." She replied. "And I don't want that sort of fan fair until she's weened. I want it to just be us bonding for a while. Please?"  

[The Madame Red]

Anya stood besides herself with fury. Luna was meant to remain free to choose her husband since Alexei has accepted his arranged marriage. What Katya has done... It cannot go unpunished. Anya swiftly left the others and made her way to her castle where her court seemed abuzz with confusion. What she saw next will forever haunt Anya's soul. The doors were slammed shut as those who followed Katya's orders stood guard. The rest of the court parted as Anya stood in the middle and alone. Katya sat on a lone throne with a knife aimed at Alexei's neck, threatening to decapitate him.

"Why are you doing this?" Anya's words were sharp, not making a step closer.

"I've given you everything without thinking of myself," Katya stood up, moving her and her nephew closer to Anya through the crowd, "And you give it to that oaf you call a husband. I told you to kill him while you had the chance! You could've been Queen without anyone holding you back!"

"You tried to steal my daughter's rights away. It was only luck that Conrad became my husband, but Luna won't be so lucky to marry that disgusting Original," Anya remained still, waiting for the right time.

"Mother..." Alexei breathed, but the knife gently poked his neck to remind him who held him.

"You call it luck to be the dog on the leash to that whore who sits on the other throne!? You call it luck to be a prisoner in your own home!? You call it luck when everyone around you calls you a false Queen when you have been anointed and given the blessings of one!? You call it luck that the same people call your children bastards!?" Katya yelled, "If you are going to throw away all that I've given you, then i'm taking it back. You will never be good enough to be called Queen."

Anya watched as Katya shoved Alexei back to Anya's arms as Katya backed away slowly. Katya held a smirk on her face, "Mother was always right, you know. You were always the weaker sister. You're just someone I always had to look out for."

"Forgive me, sister," Anya whispered as Katya seemed confused.

In the blink of an eye, Anya held Katya's throat. Tears streamed down Anya's face, "I may be the weaker sister between us, but I always knew when to take a step back and be thankful to what's been given to me. You...you were always greedy, wanting more. I'm going to kill you because I love you, Katya. Because you would suffer a worse fate if I let my husband, King Conrad, kill you."

Katya's guard went into kill Anya, but it was too late. Anya severed Katya's head from her body as her blood spilled on the floor. Her tears continued to fall as she turned to comfort her son, shading his eyes from the view.



Oscar placed Emma in her bed. He could smell blood shed from there. Worry crossed his eyes, fearing that Anya was hurt. Turning his attention back to Emma, he said, "Anya would be disappointed if there wasn't at least a small ceremony for you, me, Jamie, the twins, and her family. Think about it at least, it won't be for a few days anyways."  

[Hikari_Mamo]

Conrad decided for once to put the needs of his family over politics and brought the group together. "Luna, you will marry whomever you want not who someone tells you to marry. None of you will be forced to marry who you do not love." He pulled his twin girls into his arms pressing kisses to their cheeks. Sebastian and Scarlette kept close both keeping their senses open. "Bass, maybe it would be wise for us to go to our Babushka." Sebastian nodded and they departed knowing the Novra would follow them. When they arrived. Edgar grabbed Alexei and Anya holding then close while the other's kept Katya's guards them. Sebastian stood up to the throne with his grandmother. He touched her arm and then turned to the court. "My grandmother is a wonderful person. Just because our people don't like her doesn't mean that she's anything but wonderful. We are working on our people. We hope one day our kingdoms will unite. Though the Novra don't accept Grandmama's claim if we wish it they will protect her. I know that our papa wishes it as well as mama. It will be done. The High Alpha had a little girl. There will be a ball to celebrate. Everyone is invited to attend. Vanaema, come, someone will clean this up I think it best we surround you with family." He noticed a young vampiress eyeing him blushing softly and gave her a soft smile. His hands gently turned his grandmother away from the scene and the Novra escorted Anya back to Emma's castle, where Conrad was waiting with open arms for his wife and son.

Emma sighed. "Fine. A week, we can have the fan fair after a week. Will that give people enough time?" She could smell the blood. Could sense her father's controlled panic but kept a calm expression, for their daughters sake. "My love, we must bond with Jamie," She bit her finger and fed her infant daughter her blood. "Please, come join us."  

[The Madame Red]

"Long live Queen Anya!" the court yelled, cheering for their beloved Queen.

Some felt it was disrespectful for Sebastian not to call his grandmother by her title, but remained silent knowing his loyalty to his mother came before. Alexei, however, cheered with the court for his mother. Anya left without showing any emotion though. She was neither proud or pleased having to kill her sister and wanted to be left alone. Though she was happy for Emma's birth, the death of her sister kept Anya from fully enjoying the moment. When she was back at Emma's castle, Anya was swift to go to her old room when she had first arrived it the castle once belonged to Conrad. It was still untouched, thankfully, as she went to weep in the privacy of her room.

Celia looked to Luna, both could smell their aunt's blood on their mother. They each took their hands. Silently promising never to get to that point between them where it was one or the other.



Oscar wanted to comfort Anya like he used to, but instead joined his mate and daughter to hurry up the bonding. He didn't trust what Conrad would say to Anya, he didn't even respect her as a Queen. But, Oscar would wait. Connie would just make things worse. Calling back out for Sebastian and Scarlette, he asked, "Could you keep your grandfather from seeing Anya for a a short time? Have him play with his kids or something useful."  

[Hikari_Mamo]

Conrad followed and instead of talking just was her silent comforter. He wouldn't stop her from crying. He would let her grieve, let her know he would always be there for her. He gingerly pulled her into his arms giving her room to break out and kick him out but he felt she wouldn't.


Emma frowned. "Behave." She poked his side. "We're bonding with our infant. Running to your sire sister will have to come later, let her husband care for her. You're mine unreservedly without distraction for the next week." Jamie turned her head toward her father and smiled up at him, an arm waved around in his direction. She made a cooing noise and Emma smiled. "You tell him Jamie."  

[The Madame Red]

Anya stood and took a step away from Conrad, "I'm sorry, but I want to be left alone. Give Emma my regards. I need to give my sister a proper burial."

Giving a kiss on a cheek, Anya left in the dead of night to gather her sister's remains and headed back towards their home village. Though Katya committed a treasonous act, Anya still had to care for her sister's remains. She patted her children's heads as she took a horse-drawn carriage to travel. The frozen remains of her sister's body were placed in a coffin that rest on top of the carriage.

Luna waved a handkerchief as she watched her mother depart into the night as Celia remained stoic. She looked to Celia with a worried look, "Sister...do you think..."

"Auntie and mother were not as fortunate as we are," Celia reminded her sister, "They were born as servants, we were born as princesses in our mother's kingdom. And there will never be a day when I could hurt you, Luna."

"Oh Celia," Luna's eyes watered up as she hugged her sister tightly, "I could never hurt you either!"

"The court won't go in mourning for Auntie's death, but they seem proud of our mother for sticking to tradition," Alexei approached them, "They're more fixated on our mother, the Queen, than our sister giving birth."

"Let's not start that," Celia nudged Alexei, gesturing to Lucas and Lauchlain, both who supported Emma and not Anya.




"This time then don't poop in the bed," Oscar took Jamie into his arms as he walked around the room, "You can bond your way and i'll bond my way. The thought of staying in one room for a whole week sounds worse than death. As long as Jamie's in my arms and I give her my attention, I think I can do what I want and eat my cake too. Besides, you're stuck with me for all eternity, I don't need to bond any closer to you than I already have."  

[Hikari_Mamo]

Lauchlain and Lucas kept their mouths shut but shared a glance. Conrad had emerged after Anya and kept his children close. "Come, it's time for lessons." He said guiding the three to following their Niece and Nephew to a class room. Lauchlain and Lucas followed behind reluctantly. They hated school.


Emma sat up and frowned. "That was mean." She growled. "Fine, if you wish to not be in a room for the whole week then we'll go and perform our respective duties as Monarchs." She got up off the bed and walked slowly through the pain out the bedroom door waiting for him to follow. "I have a month an a half of managerial problems to fix and I'd like your input. Oh, and don't let any nurse maids near our baby. That is one tradition that can be shoved up Nyssa's a** for all I care."  

[The Madame Red]

Being back in her home village humbled Anya. She was not greeted like a Queen, to the village she would forever be a peasant's daughter. Anya buried her sister personally between their father and mother. After saying a blessing for her sister's damned soul, Anya then stood to say a final goodbye in their native tongue, "You have always looked after me, now it's my turn to look after you. As the only remaining daughter alive now to carry on our traditions, I promise to never forget you. When I look at my twin daughters I will think of you and me. When I sit on my throne and wear my crown, I will think of you. I hope you can forgive me, Katya, I didn't want things to end this way. One day, when I am killed, I will seek you out in the purgatory where all our kind's souls go. Perhaps there we can finally make peace again. I love you, Katya, and I will see you again."

Anya left the gravesite and decided to rest until the next night in the house she grew up in. It was very, very small, but it reminded Anya at how lucky she was now.



Celia and Luna could not pay attention, they spoke to each other in their mother's Russian dialect and the tutor would become angry with them. Alexei noticed his sister's distance from their studies but did not scold them. He understood that the recent events were jarring them up moreso than they had realized. Instead, he kindly reminded his teacher of their recent loss and that he should go easier on them today.



"You're the monarch here," Oscar pointed out, "I'm just the husband of the monarch. And i'd like to keep it that way. My duties keep me busy as it is without having the title of king at the beginning of my name."

He cuddled Jamie closer to him as he followed behind Emma. Oscar then made it besides her, "And I didn't mean that we had to go back to work today. I was hoping you could rest for the day and we'd spend the first few hours together like this. Then tomorrow i'll fill in the role for Nyssa and come back to spend time with you and Jamie."  

[Hikari_Mamo]

Emma stopped and sighed. "I'm sorry." She replied pressing her head on his arm. "I guess I still have some lingering baby hormones." Jamie cooed and snuggled more against her daddy. "Maybe instead we could sit out in the gardens together let people see our baby. Spend time together. I just want to bond with you. We've bonded as lovers, husband and wife but not as parents. I just. . ." She sighed and shook her head. "I want it to be just the three of us for a little while longer. A week is what I'd like but if you don't think you could survive a week alone with me and the baby we can spend it doing something together, the three of us."

Conrad sat with the twins knowing they were hit hardest by the incident. As a natural born he could pick up languages quickly. But he wasn't good enough to understand all the conversation just bits and pieces. When they were roused on again Conrad glared at the tutor. "King Conrad your children are disrupting my class." The woman hissed.
"Then I shall take my twins from the class and teach them myself since you are too incompetent to give my daughters an understanding."
"I am a teacher Conrad, I am not going to coddle your children like you do. Which I might add in some cases can bring about spoilt children. Perhaps if you spent less time coddling them they'd be smarter-" Conrad grabbed the womans throat.
"Are you calling my girls stupid?" He asked eyes black.
"No just your twins. All your children." She croaked back. Pathetic made vampire didn't know her place.
"I take it you're an independent. Well then, shall I make something quite clear. If you call any of these children stupid. . . No. . I change my mind. Children, this is what happens to adults who call children stupid." He crushed her neck ending her life. "Class dismissed. Come Alexei, Celia, Luna, gather your things I will teach you from now on."  

[The Madame Red]

At the sight of another death, Alexei was beginning to tremble. It was too much in one day. Even Celia and Luna were clinging to each other as Luna silently cried. Alexei gulped down his anxiety as he went to his sisters, doing his best to comfort them, "Lets just follow father and-"

"We don't want to end up like Auntie Katya!" Luna broke down, "She was Mother's twin and they were forced to fight and...and..!"

"You won't be like that," Alexei tried to soothe them, then looked to his father, "Let's take them to your room and let them smell Mother's perfume or dresses. At least something to calm them down."



"I say you ought to rest today. We can be alone, just the three of us, today and tomorrow we'll show the world our creation," Oscar kissed the top of her head as he led her back to their room to lay back down in the bed.

He cuddled next to Emma with Jamie between him. Oscar played with their daughter, having her grasp his finger before he pulled away and she would have to reach for it again.  

[Hikari_Mamo]

Conrad picked up both girls in his arms with ease and walked with Alexei back to their rooms putting the twins girls down on the bed with Alexei. "I'm sorry my children." He whispered to the three of them holding them all in his strong arms. "I guess hearing that Made Vampire call you stupid set me off, Daddy won't do it again." He promised. "Ssh." He knew Alexei was going to need coddling, but after the twins went to sleep. Then he'd be coddled whether he liked it or not.


Emma nodded and let him take her back to their room snuggling with him. "See? This is a reason why I love you, you make me think." She smirked and kissed his forehead since he seemed so busy playing with their daughter who was obviously having a blast.  

[The Madame Red]

The next night, the court gathered outside as their Queen returned. No one cheered though they all bowed as she passed them. Once Anya was inside her castle the rest of the court followed to offer small gifts and trinkets to their Queen, who openly loved them all and put the amber gifts in her Amber Room. After she was given gifts, Anya sat on her throne to make her announcements, "I have understood before the dark feelings most of you have felt for my sister, but I chose to forgive her many times because I was once the weaker sister. After my sister's death, I realized I was not the weak one. If I had been weak, she would have taken my throne from me long ago."

The court murmured among themselves for a moment before wanting to hear their Queen speak more. Anya then continued, "I have returned a much wiser, humbler Queen. However, I shall forever remain my court's servant."

"Long live the Queen! Long live Queen Anya!" the court cheered for her as Anya stood and went to see her children.




Oscar woke when he heard the cheering from the other castle. He threw on his clothes and thought about going to see Anya. Then again, she was probably going to come see the baby so he wouldn't have to leave Emma and get her all upset. He went back to the bed to grab Jamie, she looked and smelled full vampire, but he could see a few small traces of lycan in her. Either way, he loved his new daughter.