O'Conner's School for the Light challenged

[The Madame Red]

"Older sister? You mean my mother?" Alexei asked.

Luna listened as Celia read one of her stories to her, but she was no fool. Mother was no longer in this castle. She couldn't sense her anywhere. Shifting in her spot, Luna sighed, "I miss Mother. When is she going to come back? Will Father take a new bride?"

Celia's skin bristled as she looked up from the book. She closed the text and sat it in her lap. As much as she hated the thought of Father getting remarried, it would only be appropriate. Celia looked away from Luna, "Wherever Mother is, I don't know if she will be returning soon. Father may be placed as Regent until our brother is of age to take the throne."

The younger sister began to tear up. She didn't want to be without her mother just yet. What if Emma's court tried to take over now? That would mean that Alexei would be usurped and then she and Celia wouldn't have any option than just to marry their mates without any purpose for their lives. Celia stood and approached Luna, "C'mon, we'll go find Mother."

Luna nodded and followed her sister to the window where they leaped to the ground and began walking towards the moon.  

[Hikari_Mamo]

"No I mean Emma." Conrad replied. "I still feel your mother. But only just." He sighed softly and rubbed his temples. He didn't know what to do.

Emma made a bee line for the room in which she knew was the nursery. Jamie was there about to be fed by a wet nurse. They were worried as Jamie didn't take to anyone. "Get away from her!!!" Emma roared taking her infant back and feeding her with no problems. Her most precious treasure. Well, one of them. The other two were probably in lessons.
"I'm sorry Miss-"
"Your Grace!" Emma snapped. "I may not be queen of this court but I am still a queen you sad excuse for a vampire now get out!! Get out before I teach my infant how to hunt!"
"Master, maybe it would be best to calm yourself. The infant is upset." A made tri breed said looking down at the floor. Emma turned to the group of vampires, lycans and tri breeds that followed her like lost puppies. She looked down at her child who was feeding with gusto not paying attention to her surroundings. She sighed. They were afraid of their "mother" losing control without her mate. "I am sorry." She said to the wet nurse. "I. . . after the things I've seen it's hard to keep my temper in check." The woman bowed and left. When Jamie finished feeding on Emma, the queen turned and gently gave her to the closest tri breed. "You will protect this child and her two older siblings with your lives." She instructed them. "If any harm comes to them I will making you long for something as sweet as pain." Then she took a deep breath through her nose and picking up on Oscar's faint scent went after it.  

[The Madame Red]

Alexei felt his sisters leaving and gave a solemn sigh. He then turned to his father, "It seems Celia and Luna will be tracking mother. I will be joining them if you're going to go after Emma. Though...I do have to say how calm you are during this ordeal. Are you somehow apart of Mother's disappearance?"




Celia and Luna held hands as they walked far. Eventually they had to tear their dresses up to their knees so they could walk through the forest without getting stuck on anything. Their mother's scent was no where close by. In fact it seemed that it was just a faint whisp that disappeared every so often. Eventually, they made it to an abandoned campsite. The wood from the fire was still warm as it emitted a small stream of smoke. Luna checked the ground, "They're tri-breeds alright. They stink."

"But Mother's and Uncle's scent are dispersed within this area," Celia noted as she shifted through the ashes, "They're not dead. No sign of a struggle either. Something is off."

"We just have to keep going," Luna went up to Celia, both nodded and continued.  

[Hikari_Mamo]

"No. I'm trying to be an anchor for your sister, you weren't alive during the last tantrum she had. If I am emotionally unstable, then she will and start killing. Come. Let's go find her." He sat up slowly. He didn't bother getting on anything but his tight black jeans. He caught up with the twins easily even in his injured state. "Are we having an adventure?" He asked with a smile. He didn't need scent he had the link with Anya through the blood they shared during their love making. He scented Emma close. She seemed to be on a bee line in a particular direction. "Let's follow sissy eh?" He said turning to follow his eldest. But he was walking slowly in case his youngest two weren't following.  

[The Madame Red]

Wherever Father was going wasn't where Mother or Oscar were. Celia, Luna, and Alexei let Father follow Emma, knowing wherever they were going must be somewhere that didn't hold the missing people. Instead, they kept going in the opposite direction they were heading until they came across a barren field. It looked oddly out of place. Alexei fixed his glasses as he glanced around, "I don't recall this field being so...empty on the maps. As I recall, there was a river here that supplied water to the village across the way."

"From what it looks like the river was dried up," Celia noted as she gestured to the dirt like road.

"Or what they want us to think," Luna squinted to see in the distance, "This is either a trap or a decoy to lead us off. In that case, there must be a reason why the river is dried up."

Alexei went and searched within the river for a moment to see that there were other footprints. It looked like a fight too, there was even blood. Thankfully it wasn't their mother's, it was Oscar's. He waved down his sisters who joined them and showed them, "They were brought here."

The trio followed the footprints and squabbles before coming across a new path. They followed the path until dawn came, but thankfully being natural born they were able to withstand the searing pain of the sun. Alexei led his sisters to shade before having them continue on the search. The next camp they found was underground. There only way down to the camp was through a tiny hole. Luna gulped in fear as she took Celia's hand, "Are...are you sure they're done there?"

"I can smell Mother from here," Alexei nodded, "They're in there. Emma must have gotten a false scent."

Celia nodded as she was the first to go down, finding the coast was clear for the others. They stayed in the shadows as they kept their scents hidden until they found their mother's scent. All remained silent. Two coffins were on display in glass casing. Both their mother and Oscar lay dead within the confines. Luna whimpered as Celia turned her head, not willing to accept the truth. Alexei balled his fists. He couldn't fight the tri breeds all at once, he had to think straight in order to get himself and his sisters out of here. He'd come back to give his Mother a proper burial.  

[Hikari_Mamo]

Emma stopped at the cliff over looking the scene her chest heaved. "Father tell me my eyes are telling lies." She breathed. "Please."

"Go down and find out." Conrad replied watching as Emma jumped down landing on her feet hard rocked on the balls of her feet and took off to the site. "Father get my siblings out of here." She curled over the glass coffin that held Oscar. Her body shook. "Milaya." She sobbed. Conrad had to pull himself away. Had to not lose himself over the sight. He had to be strong for his children. But he wanted nothing more than to grieve over it. "Emma what are you doing?" He snapped as she broke the glass holding Oscar. She had cut open her wrist starting to feed him her blood. If she was doing what he thought she was doing. He just hoped it worked. Because then she could do it to Anya.
"Please take my love." She sobbed. "Please I can't. . . we can't live without you."  

[The Madame Red]

"They're both very much dead," a human walked out with the tri breeds following him, "I had them drained fully and pierced. You can see the blatant wounds. Anything you do now will be useless. It made perfect sense to bring both kingdoms down. Without the Solemn Queen, Anya, there will be no Queen. Without the Stern Prince, Oscar, there would be no more heirs for you, Emmaline. Now that you're here, you can accept death to go with your husband."

"Mother!" Luna cried out as she left the shadows as she attempted to force the glass coffin lid off, but she was too young and weak to let it off. Tears streamed down her eyes as she cried, "You can't die now...you can't... Mother I love you!"  

[Hikari_Mamo]

Emma turned. "You did the worst thing for your people you meat sack." Emma hissed low. Post mortem embrace. She held out for that tiny hope. Her body already shuddered. Losing control. She turned her eyes to the human. "Conrad. Stay back." She stood and turned her eyes to the group. The scent was. . . off. Not like hers. Hers was pure. Theirs wasn't. "Mine are safe. You and yours however. . . Are not. You will not live past this day." She rolled her shoulders.

Conrad kept the children close putting his wife and son in law in the same coffin giving Anya some of his blood then Oscar too just to try and help. If Emma's plan worked then Oscar would be altered too. Cloaks surrounded them. "Edgar!" He breathed.
"The Original council has decided." Edgar said. "The humans will be under our foot once again. These abominations will either submit to Emmaline or be destroyed. The Originals will post embrace the Pretender Queen and her family will be protected. If Oscar survives will will finish our terms." They turned to the human and the tri breeds. They were strong but not Original strength.  

[The Madame Red]

"You're wasting your time," the human sighed as more tri breeds entered the area, "Look at all of you. Feeding your putrid blood to the dead as if it could work. I had no idea your kind were so stupid! In any case, all of you royals will be dead soon enough. All I did was start the catalyst."

Celia pulled Luna away from the coffin that held their mother and Oscar. Alexei could see that the tide was turning and they'd have to fight. He tugged on Celia's arm as he gave her the signal. Celia nodded as she held onto Luna's hand as she whispered in her ear. The sisters nodded as their eyes turned to a bright red as blood began to seep from their pores. A dark aura surrounded them until they were ghostly white. There was no such power comparable to theirs at that moment.

Then, in a split second, the blood that left their skin began to attack the tri-breeds in a whip-like state. Blood splattered everywhere until the human called a retreat, though he and a small few had actually made it out alive. Alexei remained close to his sisters until the last tri-breed had escaped before having them calm down. Luna was the first to break the transformation and held the coffin that held her mother, "Mother...i'm so sorry you met such a cruel fate..."

"We need to give them a final burial with fire so that their souls can be free," Alexei spoke to his father, "Mother was a great honor to her kingdom and to her people. She deserves no less than a Queen's funeral."  

[Hikari_Mamo]

Emma had Oscar too the side clutching him tight to her body. No. No this couldn't be! The last things that were said! She gave a howl to the sky. Bone chilling scream. Conrad flinched and gently picked up his wife holding her close to his body and with his youngest children carried her back to the castle and let Emma grieve the lose of her mate.

Conrad was met by every one of the vampires and Lycan. They'd heard the cries of Emma. The few tri breeds stood on edge. They were afraid of the one they were created from. Scarlette and Sebastian had out moved the Novra to get to their mother following the screams. "Mama!" They cried rushing to her and just being there for her. "Mama we have to get him inside. The sun will take him if we don't." Sebastian said knowing his mother had heard him, for she stood and carried him back.  

[The Madame Red]

Anya's court greeted the deceased Queen with great honor. They would not see Conrad as their king in her stead, instead the crown that once held Anya's title as Queen was quickly given to Alexei. The court bowed as Conrad carried Anya passed, each closing their eyes in respect for the late Queen. Alexei stood at near the throne in which his mother used to sit. It would take a great deal of courage to live up to her and the court's needs.

Luna still weeped as Celia held her hand, refusing to cry in front of everyone. She had her and Luna stand by Alexei as they watched Conrad take their mother to their room, hopefully giving her a proper funeral dress to wear.

Marsha, their mother's highest in command, approached Alexei and placed the crown on his head, "Until you are of age, you, myself, and you father will be working together for your court. When you are ready, you will be titled King and rule as you desire."

"Have my mother be seen by her court so that they may give their final goodbyes. She was, and still remains, a great woman that deserves to die with her title as Queen," Alexei fixed the crown on his head, "My father will hold the title as Regent and still be apart of this court. He is a great man who has lost his wife, the court shall remain in mourning for some time."  

[Hikari_Mamo]

Emma and Conrad put them in glass coffins to preserve them forever. "Emma don't." He said but it was on deaf ears that his words were uttered. She turned from the room and stalked into the throne room sending the woman across the room. The crowd gasped but the Novra surrounded her. "Put him in his place." She growled. "Summon Crystal. Tell her what has happened and make her pray to her gods that she can bring them back. I will rule until my mother wakes up. Any one who has a problem with that will line this throne room with their hearts!" The Tri breeds stood behind her as did her court. She had Nyssa holding her infant and keep her children close. "Unlike the rest of you I will not accept this lying down. I will bring the wrath of hell upon those who dared to attack us. The humans. The cattle will return where they belong! Under my foot!"

"Emma calm yourself." Conrad growled. Emma turned her eyes upon him.

"You all have a choice. One choice. Be under one rule, or be destroyed. I am not as fluffy as Anya, Those who slander her name will be punished. But this is life. We prepare for war on the cattle. This is what they have started. This is how we shall finish it." The Novra took the crown from Alexei and gave it too Emma. "Allow the children to grieve their mother then they will start their lessons." She turned her cold gaze on the court. Her's knew. She had it turned off. Edgar guided the children from the room. The advisor to Anya shoved away to be dealt with. She sat on the throne glaring at them, daring them to challenge her. The Lycan would tare them apart. Her tri breeds would too.  

[The Madame Red]

Alexei took the crown back from Emma as Anya's crowd gasped in horror at such insolence and desecration to Anya's name and title. The Prince then stated, "And you believe you will take the throne just because my poor mother has passed? All you are doing is bringing dishonor to my mother's corpse. If you want only one rule, you will share it properly between the two kingdoms with myself and my sisters instead of forcing yourself upon us. We have respected you and your own thus far, sister, but you will not shove us aside because you feel that you can."

Marsha, unscathed by Emma's force, reappeared for the three royal children in Anya's court. As a special type of breed of vampire, her movements were swift and highly undetectable. Alexei turned to his court and Marsha, "We are all affected by the death of my mother and uncle, but we will not act like barbarians and be forced into a ruling we did not choose. My mother brought prosperity to her people who chose to remain faithful to her and I will continue to rule under her policies. We will not stand for this dishonor to her name and remember her as a saint!"

Though it probably meant certain death, those who followed Anya's ruling were swiftly leaving to head back to the amber castle. Marsha remained close to the children as Alexei turned back to Emma, "You may grieve as you choose, but you will not be cruel to me or my siblings."

Alexei took his siblings hands and had Marsha leave with them with the rest of Anya's court back to the castle. Within an hours time of returning, the castle seemed alive and well with the new court and three siblings. It had appeared that Conrad was going to stay with Emma. Alexei understood, Emma was his eldest and he had to be there for her first. He had his sisters go to their studies as he had his advisers discuss what was best for the court. In their eyes, he was a young man now and able to be known as King. In human years he was about 15, very young for the title but old enough to accept the responsibility.  

[Hikari_Mamo]

Edgar grabbed a hold of Alexei his grip tight and with intent to kill. "Insolent child. You are a child Alexei. A mere child who thinks himself a king. I dishonour no one but you in this. You think yourself better than me. I will show you exactly how much better you are."

"Emma. . . stop this now." Conrad growled.

"Why? I have no need to hold back! He is dead! My life is worthless without him! And it's this things fault! Kill it! Kill it and send the girls to their mates families. I work for the council and I will do what they instruct. You think us barbarians little king? I am not. I am retaliating against a blatant act of war. And unlike you, I rule the day." She turned. "Put him in the sunlight room. And kill that advisor." She turned and stalked to her people to ready for war. "Where is that Witch!" She roared. "She was part of him too! She should be here!" She turned to the left over tri breeds. "Those who will not fight in vengeance for their dead queen do not deserve to live." She said sending them out.
"Emma stop this." Conrad growled.
"No. You knew this would happen yet you didn't protect them. Either of them! You are lucky I do not kill you for this!"  

[The Madame Red]

Once Emma had left Anya's castle, Alexei reassured his people that Emma would not be their latest. Marsha disregarded Emma's less than important words as she watched the two sisters remain at their brother's side. They would not follow Emma add really as she thought they would. Celia turned to Luna as she held her hand, "Going against Emma may mean we don't see the guys again. Are you prepared for that? "

"Mhm," Luna gave a small nod, she wouldn't follow Emma's rule because it was not her own. Age didn't like how Emma bossed everyone around and had people killed because they didn't agree with her.

"Emma is no longer welcomed in my kingdom. Until she has proof that she is of stable mind, she is a threat," Alexei stated to his people and the army.

Crystal, who kept herself apart of Anya's kingdom, remained in the turmoil of Emma's dysfunctional kingdom throughout the ordeal. She approached Emma, she was not afraid of the crazed monarch. Speaking calmly, "The piece of Oscar's soul that I have is when he loved me. If I bring him back, he will have forgotten you and remain faithful to me. Hurting or killing Mr after I bring him back will only fuel his feelings for me. Are you positive you want this? TheQueen Anya will be restored through my memories of her and the piece of soul she gave me after the birth of her twins."