O'Conner's School for the Light challenged

[The Madame Red]

Anya's people began to pass out blood bottles to the vampires and meat to the lycans without her instruction. She guided Emma and her family back to the castle to take refuge for the night. There had been too many events as it was for one day.

Celia watched as Lucas cried along with his mother. It made her look to her mother to see the strength her mother possessed. Such pose and calm that it was like she didn't lose her sister just the other day or her children were threatened. Celia waited for Lucas until she made her way back as Luna clung to Lauchlain's arm as they returned. When they returned to the castle, Alexei didn't even try to separate Lauchlain or Luna seeing how Lauchlain lost his home in the fire.

Luna held Lauchlain's hand in her own, "It would be improper if you stayed in my room with Celia, but Mother said you can stay on the same hallway as us as long as you promise not to be in our room."

Celia glanced as Lucas, his eyes were still puffy from crying and he was still shaky. A part of her was greatly annoyed that he couldn't even man up to kill a few without caring. She knew that she would have to be the one that wore the pants in their little duo. Celia patted his shoulder, giving it a tight squeeze, "Get some blood in you and calm down. If we're attacked, just let me get them."  

[Hikari_Mamo]

Lucas took great offense to her words. "No We'll do it together." He mewed. "I'll get better." Emma's people were grateful for what Anya's were doing all apologized and made peace with each other. Lauchlain frowned. "I'm sorry but I'm not leaving your sight until I know that you're safe." He said bringing her close. "I don't care if it's improper or not We almost lost each other today and I'm not convinced this is over." He seemed to be better as hiding his emotions than Lucas. However, Lucas had not been as exposed to war and death so he was reacting differently to Lauchlain who's entire race was almost destroyed. Which was probably why most of the lycans of Emma's court didn't stick around long.  

[The Madame Red]

"No, you can help keep my sister safe and I'll do the fighting," Celia wouldn't budge on the matter as she walked away from him, "Let the warriors do the fighting."

Luna blushed at the thought of Lauchlain sharing a room with her and stammered, "B-but Mother said that's inappropriate! You c-can't be in my rooms, we're not even old enough."

"He's not going in your room," Alexei stood besides Luna, "I can take care of my sister when you're not allowed in a certain area. If she's outside her bedroom, then by all means help me care for my sisters, but now that you're in my home you will respect my mother's wishes."

This was not a matter that would be argued. Both Luna and Celia were under-aged and unmarried, if Lauchlain or Lucas entered their bedroom without Anya's permission all four of them would be in high amounts of trouble for such a discretion.  

[Hikari_Mamo]

Lucas folded his arms and walked away from her too going straight to his mother sticking out his tongue at Alexei while Lauchlain was staring the other down. "Lauchlain!" Scarlette called. "Can you help us? Jamie's upset and that song you sang her before helps settle her."

"This isn't over." He growled to the brother and went to the twins knowing if Alexei tried to hurt him the Twins would prevent that easily. Scarlette helped him hold Jamie as he sung an old Lycan lullaby to her. He could literally feel the twins and Jamie's parents eyes burn holes in him as if daring him to drop her. It made him a little nervous but he knew the song helped the baby sleep. He'd teach it to Emma so she could sing it if he couldn't.

Emma watched still clinging to Oscar, ready to drag him over to the trio if Jamie even made a coo out of place. Lauchlain was good with her, for only being eight years old. Plus she figured his standing with Luna would triple now that she was watching him with a baby.  

[The Madame Red]

Anya had returned to her castle that bustled with life preparing the many rooms for those who wished to stay. She figured the lycans still didn't trust her and understood, no matter how much she could apologize for herself and for her sister, even allowing her daughter to pair up with one of their kind, the lycans would never forgive and for good reason. There were plenty of rooms within the castle and the lively city around the castle for anyone as Anya helped Emma and her kin to the castle.



Oscar wasn't too happy that a child was caring for his newborn, but the lad seemed to be able to keep his Jamie calm. Plus, there were several other sets of eyes on the baby so there would be enough reaction time to help the newborn. He held onto Emma as he went to Anya, "You have our appreciation for letting Emma and her court to join yours. We promise to be on our best behavior and give great respect for your customs."

"We are allies and family," Anya smiled as best as she could as she gestured for the couple to take the second largest bedroom, "There is a connecting hallway to two other rooms for your children and another room in case you need it. The two boys who have paired with my daughters are welcomed to stay in that room or with their families, I do not mind as long as they sleep in there."



Celia basically had to drag Luna away back to the castle. She and Alexei took their youngest sister with them to the training room far beneath the castle. It was a secret area that was designated for the three royal children of Anya's blood.

"But I want to see the baby~" Luna whined as she crossed her arms.

"Times are getting heated," Celia took off her dress to reveal that she wore regular clothes beneath and pulled out her two daggers that were strapped to her back, "We've got to train harder and become stronger. Luna, our duty as princesses are to protect the royal line. You don't have the choice to back out."

Luna sighed as she watched Alexei grab his sword from the side. She nodded reluctantly as she pulled a whip out from the bodice of her dress. They would have to train harder and longer if it meant surviving this ordeal.  

[Hikari_Mamo]

Emma allowed herself to be dragged away from the group that watched the child like a hawk. She gave her thanks but kept her eyes on the infant who seemed to drop off without a problem. Damn it she had to learn that song! But then her baby went out of sight and she struggled not to make a slightly distressed noise. She didn't want to let go of Oscar. And she didn't want to lose sight of her infant. But she trusted Scarlette and Sebastian with their little sister so thought she should calm and spend time with Oscar.

"Thanks Lauchlain, you'd better go, your mama looks like she's about to explode." Sebastian commented taking the infant from him. "Don't forget to write down that song for mum okay?"

"Okay!" Lauchlain called with a grin and grabbed Lucas' hand and took him too. Both boys had become fast friends and Lauchlain knew Lucas was not comfortable staying in this place if he couldn't share with Celia. Lauchlain was the same. They bowed to Conrad as he made his way to his grandchildren. "Grandpa, why are you covered in blood?" Scarlette asked with a mew. He seemed a little out of it too. At least for a moment.
He pressed a kiss to his three grandchildren and made his way to Anya. His expression blank, expressionless. His eyes seemed dead no light in them but he managed a smile for his distressed daughter. "I need to speak with you my moon and stars." He whispered low to Anya. He couldn't use old Estonian as only Emma knew, of the group, how to speak it. So he used the Russian from When Anya was human. He knew she'd know that. The blood smelt like an original.  

[The Madame Red]

Anya smiled as she followed Conrad until once they were alone the smile vanished. The pain of the last few days began to emerge as her tone became cold, "Do not speak to me in that tongue. Not even Oscar has the very right, at this time, to speak to me in the sacred language of my people. That's only for...for..."

She couldn't bear it. Just even the fact that Conrad would dishonor Katya's spirit so easily tore her heart apart. Anya felt her eyes tear up once again, but she forced them back as she took a breath, "My apologies, my love. I still feel that fate has smiled upon me for so much, but still was cruel enough to darken my sister's heart. Enough of that. She's dead and I'm alive. What is it that we must discuss, my sweet?"




Oscar led Emma back to their infant and the twins. He was happy to see that they cared very deeply for their new sibling.

"I'm sure you two will be staying with us here? Or will you be joining your father and his pack?" Oscar asked as he began to play with Jamie with his finger, having her try to grasp it and bite into it.  

[Hikari_Mamo]

"I have sinned." Conrad said caressing her cheek. Slowly his eyes and expression grew emotion. "I have sinned against you. But. I was not unfaithful. I swear to the gods I was not unfaithful to you. But. . . I sought revenge. A revenge that was yours to take and not mine." Edgar had spared him judgement but that didn't erase the fact that he had taken the place of the one he killed. He brushed any tears from her cheeks that had fallen. He was so tender so kind. He needed to comfort her like she needed to comfort him. "I love you so much. And the thought of our babies in danger. . . It makes my blood boil. I didn't intend for it to go that far. Just a scare, just a simple gesture to show him who was King. . . Now he's. . . And now I. . . Oh God Anya I f**ked up."

Emma knew where they were going and even though her hold on him didn't loosen at all she was excited to be in the sight of her infant again. The twins' hackles seemed to raise at Oscar at the very mention of staying with their birth father. Jamie's eyes went to her siblings and her body moved in an attempt to hug them. "Nmm~!" She gave a coo unable to form any words with real meaning. But the twins seemed to calm at her noise.
"No pa," Sebastian said handing Jamie back to Emma. "We will not be staying with Liam at all. He has shown that he doesn't want us. Has proven that we are not worthy of his time or notice since his new female has borne him the males he needs. Besides, what use did he ever have for b*****d children like us?"

"Sebastian!" Scarlette and Emma hissed at the same time. "We don't use words like that brother!" Scarlette added. "We shall be staying close to our little sister pa." She ammended for him. "We know the song she likes."  

[The Madame Red]

"You stink of the tri blood creatures," Anya spoke flatly as she held Conrad's face, "You ill man, you've been conked on the head. The only sin you have made against me is being covered in this tainted blood and destroying my dress with it. For that, I will forgive you."

She kissed him tenderly before taking his hands within her own, "In time I will heal like the others over the loss of my sister. I know you thought ill of her, but the Katya you had seen was not the same as the one I remember. But..it's over now. You should tend to your grandchildren, or even have them train with our children in the dungeons below. However, when you are finished, we must plan together on dealing with the tri bloods."



Celia panted hoarsely as the last dummy fell to the ground in pieces. With the help of Luna, they were able to take down any puppet Alexei used at them to train them equally. At this point, they have trained from the day they could walk and were born killers. But, only for the protection of their brother and any other royal blood from him. Celia went over to Luna and smiled, "You're getting stronger."

"I am still no stronger than you," Luna gave a weak smile up at Celia, "We are twins, yet you are better. I don't want to hold you back."

"Together we can take down any foe," Celia took Luna's hand, "I'm only as strong as my partner who fights with me."  

[Hikari_Mamo]

Conrad kissed her back holding her close. "All right." He said simply but didn't move. Just held her close. He was so scared he'd lose her for his sin that he gave no thought to anything else. "I love you." He whispered leaning down and nuzzling the curve of her neck. He wanted to leave and spend time with his children but he didn't want to leave her either. And he doubted she'd want to go and watch him train. Train. . . Yeah he should probably brush up on his skills as a warrior again.  

[The Madame Red]

"Well, good," Oscar smiled as he stood next to Emma who held their child.

He had figured that Liam was happier with his new family, leaving Oscar the only father figure for the twins. Parts of him were angry with the lycan for abandoning his children, but he could see why. When Emma had chosen Liam in the beginning, he had abandoned everything to get away from her. If he had been chosen and left for another man after giving her a child like Liam...well, Oscar could possibly say he would have done the same thing. But now was not the time to side with his children's father.

Oscar then turned his attention to Emma, "Maybe you should work with Anya about this new arrangement with your court mixed with hers. I will come with you to offer support."




The twins scented their father and looked to each other before Alexei approached them. He patted his sisters' heads as he spoke, "Don't go too hard on Father. It looks like he came from a blood bath when killing a few of those creatures."

"Oh heck no!" Celia smirked as she toyed with her daggers, "If we're going up against enemies like those tri bloods we can't go easy on anyone. You haven't gone easy on us."

"I want to see Lauchlain..." Luna grimaced as she toyed with her whip.

"If Lauchlain is killed defending you, how are you going to defend yourself to get revenge for his honor?" Celia asked as she raised a brow, "If I'm protecting Alexei and his kin, you, and Lucas, I know I can't back down from a fight."

"You kind of got paired with a wimp..." Alexei commented dryly as he poked Celia, "But the heart wants what the heart wants."  

[Hikari_Mamo]

Conrad walked in with a frown. He eyed Luna and her mewing cry for Lauchlain. He went to her and pulled her up into his arms. "Would you like me to get him for you?" He asked smiling kindly to Luna. He figured if she took to him so quickly he might be able to train her. He'd know just what to do to make her angry and want to fight. "He and Lucas are training too right now I'm sure they'll let you in with them." He turned to Celia and Alexei with a grin.


Emma nodded. "Yes but not now." Emma said holding their infant close. "I'm in need of something else."  

[The Madame Red]

"You just had a baby today, that something else will have to wait," Oscar gently reminded Emma, "We'll have to wait a little bit so you don't get pregnant right away again. I don't know about you, but I don't think we need any more children."

He knew Emma wanted more, but having the twins and now Jamie with Anya's three kids was starting to get a bit crowded. Oscar loved all the children, every single one of them. However, he needed more time for his work, playing with Emma, giving Anya a shoulder to lean on, and have time for himself. Turning back to the children, he then grinned, "Why don't the two of you find your cousins, eh? Celia and Luna adore you two to pieces, and Alexei can learn to take the stick out of his a**."



"Lucas the cry baby wouldn't know how to train properly," Celia mused as she twirled her daggers effortless before sheathing them, "We've already mastered these weapons as well as most firearms that your old court had brought in. Mother won't be happy that we're playing with guns, but I think we could do worse than shooting our eyes out."

"Celia..." Luna grimaced, uncomfortable with her sister talking so freely to their father, "I would..like to see Lucas, too. Celia may not want to right now, but I think he's rather nice."

"So you have a crush on Lucas?" Alexei mused, causing Luna to blush, "Lauchlain is going to be very upset."

"He's a nice boy!" Luna tried to hide her blush, then thought of Lauchlain which made her swell, "Lauchlain won't be mad. We're all just friends for now so it's okay as long as it's for now."  

[Hikari_Mamo]

Conrad nodded to Luna then turned to Celia. "Hold your harsh words child." He hissed. "He is not a cry baby. And frankly if this is how you treat people who deal with death differently then you don't deserve him when the time comes." He turned and took Luna out of the training room. He knew Luna was the kinder of the two. He knew she'd understand more than Celia who had too much of a rough persona. He couldn't change that. Didn't want to, yet it didn't stop it being frustrating when she got upset over how people didn't deal with things the way she did. "Conrad." Delilah called with a frown. "I heard about Celia's unkind behaviour toward my son and I think it would be wise, until she gains the proper temperament of a lady that they not see each other. I will not have him hurt by her words." Conrad hugged Luna close and nodded.

"I quite agree. I think they should have some space since hurtful words can leave everyone feeling bad." He pressed a kiss to Luna's cheek. "We were going to see Lauchlain and Lucas weren't we Luna?" He purred. "I think maybe because they know her personality they'd have more success in training her than her abnormally violent siblings."
"As you wish M'Lord." Delilah replied. "I'll lead you to their training grounds."


Emma took deep slow breaths. She had protection. And he was wrong. She wanted to have a little boy with him. Not right away. No. She'd let their little girl run around and be free and have fun and grow up. She and Oscar weren't getting older in that respect so she could wait until his paternal heart yearned for it. "Celia's a bit too mean for us." Scarlette admitted. "We love her to pieces but we're worried if she pushes us we'll hurt her."
"Actually it's the same with Luna too." Sebastian added. "They're both so little and fragile. But I guess we could watch over them." They shrugged at each other and walked away after giving their mother a hug.
"We'll talk about the baby thing in a few decades." She said after the twins had left. Though for her decades could go into the double digits. It could be a hundred years before she asked him to have a son with her.  

[The Madame Red]

"No!" Luna tore away from Conrad as she went to Celia, "Just because Celia is different doesn't mean she's meaner. None of you understand."

She knew Celia meant well, and it was because it was her twin sister she would not abandon her sister to anyone. Luna looked to her father and the others who intruded on such sacred ground, "Those who are cruel and abandon my sister also abandon me. I could never abandon Celia the way auntie abandoned mother."

"I am glad to have you by my side, Luna," Celia hugged her sister, tears streaming down her cheeks, "I could never ask for a better friend and sister."

"Well, since Father has basically said we're not good enough for him we might as well leave him to his own affairs," Alexei commented dryly as he led his sisters away from their father, "Since Mother has us, she has no need of him anyways."

Alexei led his sisters outside where they could play instead of training. Throughout their years, they trained every day as long as they made time to play with each other and enjoy the little amount of freedom that they had together. And since Lauchlain and Lucas' family were breaking the pairs apart, that only meant Alexei could make sure his sisters' married into different families since the two boys were deciding not to go through with it.



Emma had no idea what she was thinking, but that was okay. Oscar understood that she wanted to ignore plain facts. He disagreed with the twins when they mentioned how mean Celia apparently was. In fact, he found her rather pleasant to be around and quite a lady. Oscar smiled, "Well i'm sure she'll eventually grow on the both of you one day. Better give her a chance now to make her an ally than an enemy later."

He had a thought in his mind that if things turned badly she'd end up like Katya and Luna would be the one cornered to kill her twin. If Lauchlain were like Connie and forced her to do the same, he feared Luna would. Oscar then turned to Emma as he responded, "I'm sure you're done with kids, too. After having two difficult pregnancies you're about over it. Well at least I hope you are because you have three beautiful kids as it is, no need to spoil it up anymore."