O'Conner's School for the Light challenged

[Hikari_Mamo]

"Not very patient is he?" Emma observed.

"No." Scarlette replied then turned to Keagan. "Fine. You want to be turned without any consideration to your human life at all?" Her eyes flittered colours like her mothers did as she pulled him away from her mother and her sister. She pressed him into his back then loomed over him. "I cannot guarantee you'll turn out vampire." She admitted. "You might turn out Lycan. Or both. I've not done this before." She brushed his hair from his face and neck. She was true to her word. She was gentle. Touching him and taking his blood like she was his lover. The Lycan part of her rebelled against killing him but she didn't let him on. Instead she made her monster add to her bite. She didn't know how he'd turn out. How he'd react to what he was when he awoke. But if his heart was still beating when he woke up and saw her, she hoped her lycan self had picked wisely.

"Mummy, what's big sis doing?" Jamie asked still clutched in her mothers protective embrace.

"Protecting our kind." Emma replied simply.



"Why not?" Lucas whispered in Celia's ear. He wanted to flaunt what Luna could have had in front of her. He took Luna's hand. "Yes a pleasure to meet the woman who broke my best friends heart and forced him to disappear. It was horrible you know? Not knowing whether he killed himself because of what you did." He pulled his hand away and pecked his mate's cheek. "If it's been sent then I will return to other duties." He didn't even spare Luna a bow or a glance. It was obvious he had no respect for her any more.  

[The Madame Red]

"I'll be staying with my sister since you have no respect," Celia shrugged, if he had no desire to treat her family with any type of kindness neither would she, "Touch yourself tonight for me, because you're not getting any for a few thousand years."

"Well..not exactly welcoming," Luna shrugged, "Seems like those outside the court are the same."

"Any one outside the court is the same," Celia sighed, "They will never understand the hard decision you had to make."



"Get off of me!" Keagan forced himself away from Scarlette, the pain was too much.

He felt his teeth grow as well as his hands and feet, a great power loomed inside of him that felt as if it would kill him. His heart beat faster, impossibly faster until he felt it stop. But, it did not kill him. Instead he felt more alive. Keagan took a ragid breath to realize he was not dead from cardiac arrest. It scared him stiff. Keagan's eyes shuffled to this person and that until he realized he was standing. A beast inside of him wanted to come out, but he fought the beasts' spirit until he felt more control over his body.

"You've cursed me," Keagan growled beneath his breath as he stalked further away from the women, "I am nothing more than a beast and a monster."  

[Hikari_Mamo]

Lucas stopped. "Really?" He asked turning back. "You would punish me for protecting my friend?" He narrowed his eyes. "After she went against your brother?! It had already been decided and she chose to go against him. You know what? You can touch yourself for a thousand years! I'm going to Emma's to fill in my report. I'll come back when you realize this is all her fault! That you shouldn't be coddling her. I show no respect to those who betray their family." Then he turned and stalked out of the gates.


Scarlette stared at him taking slow deep breaths. "You're right." Emma said before Scarlette could speak. "But one word from Scarlette, and you'll have to obey it. That's how the Bond works."

"Mama-" Scarlete began but was silenced by Emma's hand.

"You are childer of my daughter, she is your sire, until she releases you, you are her's." Scarlette didn't want that. She didn't want to control him.

"Mama, please." Scarlette began tears welling in her eyes.

"No Scarlette, with your first childer, you have become an adult. That comes with responsibilities. He is now yours. If he steps out of line, you both will be punished."  

[The Madame Red]

"Are you so sure about this, Celia?" Luna looked to her sister, "Your husband just pitted you against me, and you've chosen me. Why is that?"

"Because in the darkest of times, I know you would do the same for me," Celia gave Luna's hand a strong squeeze, "He is punishing me for protecting my friend, my family, my sister. Either way, I choose you always. Besides, i've put up with his terrible mother and sister for far too long. They can all spend a few thousand years at Emma's and realize the s**t I do for them."

Luna felt more than flattered and hugged her sister tightly. She could not have asked for a better sister in this lifetime or the next.




"I am no one's," Keagan growled as he stood on his haunches, his eyes flashing a bright golden, "I am my own, and all of you can be my next meal!"

Keagan lunged at the youngest, Jamie, biting into her shoulder before dashing off into the forest with her blood dripping from his jaw.  

[Hikari_Mamo]

Emma and Scarlette screamed. Emma pulled her treasure into her arms while Scarlette raced after him.

"Mummy." Jamie whimpered around her mother's wrist.

"Ssh baby it's okay calm down mummy's here, ssh." Emma whispered as she fed her child her blood.


"Kegan!" Scarlette's voice took on and Alpha tone. She hoped some of her Lycan side leaked through him. If it did she'd find him a lot easier. "Keagan stop right now!"

She felt her body and found him her eyes glowing. She had scented him and Jamie's blood on him. "You will sit." She said when she got to him. Her hand gripped him and shoved him on the ground. "You will not touch anyone of my family. Ever!" She found a stick and shoved it in his shoulder. "I said I would be gentle. I would be a good sire to you and then you go and do this?!" She twisted it. "If I have to punish you with pain then I will do it!" Her Lycan self rebelled again but she reminded it that he hurt her little sister and it grew angry too. For a moment she saw red then shook her head. "My god I'm my mother a hundred years ago." She breathed pulling him up. She was natural born and a century older than him. If he moved she could snap his neck.

"Scarlette?" Emma's voice sounded in Scarlette's ear but she wasn't in the mood to hear it. She dragged him back to her father and threw the man at his feet.

"Tell him what you did!" She hissed feeling her wolf skim over her skin. Emma was holding Jamie in her arms. Blood stained Jamie's clothes and Emma's hands. "Tell my father what you did to his little girl!!!" Scarlette roared to Keagan. "Tell him how you repaid my kindness!"  

[The Madame Red]

"You're kindness?" Keagan spat up blood, a wicked grin on his lips, "Your kindness is a wolf in sheep's skin, a lie by any other phrase is still a lie. You took away my life so it is only complimentary that I take something precious away from you as well. It might as well be another freak."

Oscar let a cigarette, his eyes glazed over as he looked down at the man that gradually stood up. He said not a word as he looked the piece of trash over, "So, you hurt my daughter."

"You could possibly be next," Keagan grinned, "I know every organ in your body, it's placement, it's function, and now it's taste. I could bring you to the brink of death and bring you back to life if I so choose. Who really has the power here? Some little whelp like you or someone who actually knows how to hurt you like me?"

"Perhaps someone who has far more experience than you," Oscar took a long drag of his cigarette, "And someone who's more charismatic."

In an instant, Oscar disappeared and had Keagan on the ground with his foot on his neck, "Someone who has seen death far too many times and visits him on occasion and holidays."

He was close to severing the lad's head until Nyx ran in and forced her father's leg off his neck with a charm, "Stop! He's just scared, leave him alone!"

"Nyx!" Astrid rushed in, trying to take Nyx away but the girl fought back as she held Keagan's head in her lap.

"Forcing him into our kind has scared him," Nyx washed a calming spell over him as she looked up at her parents' and sisters, "Hurting him like this into submission is wrong. He needs time allowed to him to understand what he is now instead of beating the sense out of him. We are not animals and we shouldn't treat him as one!"

"Nyx," Oscar spoke sharply, "Get off that man, now."

"But Dad, I-"

"That is an order!" Oscar's voice rose, causing silence to break over the area.

Nyx had never been spoken to like that before and her eyes welled up. She bit her bottom lip as she rose and took a few steps back into Astrid's arms. The spell that washed over Keagan had him sleep as Oscar put out his cigarette, "This is enough, get him out of my sight. Nyx, go to your room for the night."

"But-"

"You've been a bigger disappointment tonight than you have ever been," Oscar spoke sullenly, "Don't make me regret ever being your father again."

Tears fell from Nyx's eyes as she and Astrid went to her bedroom.  

[Hikari_Mamo]

Scarlette spared no glance for Nyx. But she grabbed Keagan by his collar. "I'll take care of this personally father. . . I apologize for my choice. I thought he could handle it but I was wrong. I'm sorry I disappointed you." At that moment she really wanted her twin with her. To tell her she was wrong. Or for her mother to speak up and say it. But she knew she'd done wrong. Her actions had lead to her sisters being hurt. Guilt weighed heavily on her shoulders. "I'm sorry daddy." She said in the old tongue wiping away tears as she dragged Keagan to the East Wing to be dealt with.

Emma's heart broke to see her little girl like this. But Jamie was clinging to her so tightly she couldn't go and comfort the other. She turned her gaze to Oscar hoping he'd say something to give a little comfort to his child. Hoped deeply. But maybe, maybe he wouldn't with the fledgling around. "He is not to have a daylight bracelet until he proves himself." Emma added to Scarlette. "And if he steps out of line again. I'll kill you both." She couldn't show favoritism over this. Scarlette knew that. If she did her their people would never respect the royal family again. Jamie let out a whimper and Emma loosened her grip. "Oh ssh baby girl I'm sorry." She whispered kissing her daughter's brow.


Scarlette threw Keagan in his room. Her eyes were a little buffy from the tears she hadn't let him hear her shed. Once the spell wore off she'd begin.  

[The Madame Red]

"No more babying," Oscar stated as he glanced towards Jamie, "If Nyx is in trouble for trying to save the human, why was Jamie out there as well? Why was Jamie even near a human? Put the child down and send her to the infirmary where she'll be treated and sent off to bed. We're not raising little princesses, we're raising future women that will be fighting along side their people."

Nyx waited until the early morning hours to sneak down to the holding cells where Keagan was being held. She would not allow her family to mistreat and hurt a creature that never belonged to them. Along with nature, he belonged to the wild as the wild belonged to him. Letting him out of the cell, Nyx lit her hand in order to see him, "Come, I will lead you out of here to your freedom."

Keagan woke up groggily and began to move towards the light. Freedom, it was what he wanted. Nyx led him to the back gate where she allowed him to lick his wounds and dash off into the forest. She felt a pull to enter the forest as well, but her time was here. As a witch, her desire for the surroundings of the wilderness gave her a home beyond that of her family's.




Alexei joined his sisters in the feast with his court. He noticed Lucas was not by Celia's side and asked, "Where is your husband?"

"Slowly becoming our enemy second by second," Celia shrugged, "He'll be back later."

"And Luna? Where is Lauchlain?" he asked as he sipped the blood.

"I do not know where the Alpha is," Luna shrugged as well, "For all I know he is with his pack and possibly at Emma's."

"It might do you both good to go see our half-sister," Alexei mentioned.

"I'll send her and Oscar a letter requesting our visitation. Emma doesn't like us coming by without saying so, but Oscar never seems to mind," Celia wrote the letter and had it sent out, "Perhaps his allegiance to mother never truly died afterall."  

[Hikari_Mamo]

Emma nodded but said anyway. "Why am I getting into trouble?! I told her to stay with you!" She huffed her head snapping away from him adding "Meanie head." As she guided Jamie to the infirmary.

"Daddy's upset." Jamie said as her mum fixed up her neck.

"Scarlette's childer hurt you. And Nyx, Nyx was naughty I'll have to go see her next." She pressed a kiss to Jamie's head. "But your dad is right, you shouldn't have gone out there. You, you scared us." After a long pause Emma stood up and took Jamie to bed. "No snuggles tonight. If you have a nightmare hug Nick." She handed the doll to her.

Scarlette couldn't sleep, she was going to Keagan. Going to apologise and ask to start over and teach him when she heard noises. She followed the noises to the back gate and her eyes widened. Oh god. No! No what was Nyx doing?! She had to know a fledgling was dangerous! Especially one who was made under duress!!

"Nyx!" Scarlette hissed. "What have you done?!" She added eyes glowing red. She turned her eyes to Keagan. "You idiot?! How could you?! You've put everyone in danger! Do you know what hell you've caused?! Do you care not for anyone of your family?! Guards!" Two tri-breeds grabbed Nyx tightly so she couldn't activate her powers. "Put her in the special cell and tell father what she's done! I'm going to find him before he hurts anyone else! I am ashamed to be your sister right now Nyx. You have crossed the line." She dashed into the forest after him using their connection to track him.

Scarlette held her sunlight necklace to her chest to stop it thumping against her skin. Dammit! How could Nyx do this?! Send him into the wild without a daylight bracelet? The forest had no caves that would be able to shield him well enough from the sun. She had to find him before sun up. Or he'd fry up. And she'd spend the hours it would take in agony with him. Did Nyx even think of that?! The more she thought of it the more she realized. "I don't want him to die."

"King Alexei!" A messenger cried giving him a letter. "This came from your sister. She wants you all there." His face flushed. "Also. Ambassador Lucas. . . He asked me to ask you Captain if you've seen his travel papers. If you ask me I think he's manstrating he just started crying." the woman giggled. "He seems to be very sensitive. Should I get him a binky?"  

[The Madame Red]

"The only reason you think i'm wrong is because all of you only believe in 'beating into submission'!" Nyx roared out with an unknown fury only a witch could muster.

There was no vampire blood in Keagan so there was no fear he would be hurt by the sun's rays. No, the stranger was blessed to be given the majority of lycan blood within Scarlette. Once the tri-breeds rounded a corner, Nyx used a spell that made her skin like liquid and fell through their grasp before solidifying once her feet reach the ground, "When my father hears of this, he will punish all of you!"

"Nyx, what are you doing?"

She turned to see her father smoking a cigarette. Nyx brushed the dirt from her nose as she spoke, "Why do all of you treat people like this? We're not all animals. Just because someone that doesn't belong in this kingdom comes by does not mean we have to beat the daylights out of them to make them follow you and...your wife."

This was the first time Oscar heard Nyx ever speak of Emma anything besides her mother. She did not know who her real mother was, but she knew she did not come from Emma. Nyx placed a hand over her heart, "True leadership comes from guidance, from leading a team instead of bossing them or hurting them."

"Nyx, I understand where you are coming from. I honestly do, but he is dangerous, he hurt-"

"Jamie shouldn't have been there anyways!" Nyx raised her voice.

This was highly unlike his daughter. Nyx then continued, "I don't see anyone punishing her for disobeying your wife! I see everyone beating the stranger and yelling at me, and all I did was give him a second chance at freedom."




"Lucas already went to Emma's" Celia shrugged, "And that's General, please. I got promoted fifty years ago. I don't know what he did to those papers."

"I'd go, but my kingdom and my family are here," Alexei gave his sisters a sympathetic look, "I wouldn't leave my people stranded if something were to happen while I was away."

"And I wouldn't trust our the health of our mother's people to go back to Emma's court willingly," Celia spoke the truth, most of the court hadn't forgotten what happened to them when their father was the sole king or when Emma threatened to kill them all if they didn't side with her when Anya had died, "Luna and I will go swiftly."

"Let us be off then," Luna stood as both sisters headed out the door.  

[Hikari_Mamo]

"I'm disappointed in you Jamie." Emma said when she woke.

"I'm sorry mama-" Jamie began but Emma held up her hand to silence her.

"I told you, gave you a direct order to stay here with your father and you disobeyed me! How can I trust you again?!" Emma had to keep a stern face. Not let her little girl see that getting upset at her when she got hurt was a hard thing to do. "You went behind my back when I knew it was dangerous and you got hurt! What if he'd been a tri-breed!" Emma stood up and started pacing so she wouldn't cry. "Had you got bit by one of them you'd be dying right now, Jamie! Did you even think?! I thought I taught you better-"

"Mama I'm sorry." Jamie sobbed over her mother. "Please, I'm sorry I won't do it again I'll be a good girl. I promise. I won't disobey you again. Or Papa. Please-, what are you doing? Where are you taking Nick?" Emma picked up the doll that was given to Scarlette a long time ago then closed the shutters.
"I'm punishing you. You disobeyed me and unlike my packs I cannot shove you into the dirt. So I will take something you love until you understand that your betrayal of my trust has wounded me deeply. And you will stay in here to reflect on your actions." Then Emma closed the door behind her screaming, pleading child. She stood there for long moments just listening to it then forced herself to go to Oscar. She stopped nostrils flaring. Nyssa was back. Nyssa, had caused her such heartache she'd lost her unborn son from the trauma. "Sound the alarm!" She called to the Tri breeds rushing out to go find the woman.

"You're naive Nyx." Nyssa's voice came from the shadows. "Some people, some species only respond to clear, and powerful leaders." She was covered in blood. Wasn't she always by now? "What you have done is stupid. Releasing him out there without teachings. Don't you trust your adopted sister to be kind to him? How do you know he didn't lash out at her?" She giggled. "Oh, here comes the little Queen."

Emma stood there in shock. Her eyes moved from Nyx and Oscar to the creature covered in blood before her. Her heart pounded hard in her chest. "Oscar, Nyx," She whispered hand out keeping her eyes on Nyssa. "Please, come to me. Please Dallim, aare," She whispered urgently. Treasure, she always called her children, even Nyx treasure. "I've put a guard around Jamie, please just come to me."



Lucas was walking sullenly through the forest to Emma's court. Damn it!! He always shot off his mouth when it came to Locky! Always! Damn it Locky was his best friend! Why couldn't Celia understand that to him Locky was like family too, and seeing him hurt made him upset just like seeing Luna hurt does for Celia? He ran into something hard. "Ow!" He hissed angrily.

"Sorry!" Scarlette replied. "Can't stop Luc, I stop he could die see ya later." She said running off.

"The hell was that about?" Lucas wondered and kept going.  

[The Madame Red]

Celia and Luna walked hand-in-hand down the path to Emma's court. Luna was calm, but she could see Celia was a bit jittery about going. She didn't have to ask to know that her sister was nervous about how this court would treat Luna. Almost everyone in Emma's court loved Lauchlain. His family was there as well, so she was not expecting a warm welcome at all.

"Calm yourself, sister. It's not all that bad," Luna gave Celia's a comfortable squeeze.

Then, they stopped. A new scent was approaching them fast. They hid in the trees as a lone lycan rushed towards them and sniffed the ground they had stood on. Celia immediately recognized him as Keagan, but now he wasn't a human. She pounced on him and sat on top of him as Luna observed him, "Well look what we've found. Who is this, Celia?"

"Get off of me!" Keagan struggled, but Celia didn't move.

"This is Keagan, and he's not with Scarlette for some reason," Celia looked around, "We better take you back."

"No!" Keagan struggled more.

The sisters grabbed two limbs from Keagan before taking him back to Emma's court. Keagan had given up at this point, being caught and dragged back meant he was going nowhere. Celia had him stand as he dusted himself off, "It's not a death-sentence. You just have to get used to yourself and to the others."





"So you can beat me into submission, too!?" Nyx stepped away, Oscar went over to her and took her wrist, "Let go of me!"

He pulled her into a tight hug as she kept trying to pull away. Oscar whispered, "You're fighting a battle that doesn't need to be fought, my sweet daughter. Somehow you've gotten my stubbornness."

Nyx gave up the fight and limply stood as her father hugged her. Oscar pulled away and got down on a knee to be eye-to-eye to her, "I can scent that your aunties are here. Lets forget this happened and go enjoy your time with them."

She didn't say anything as she turned and ran off to do just that. Oscar sighed as he stood back up, "She got too much of my fight in me. I was hoping that I wouldn't have a kid that would be just like me."  

[Hikari_Mamo]

Emma nodded keeping herself between her family and the monster in front of her. "Oscar I love you." She said to him not moving. "I love you so much." She didn't know that Nyssa was all in her head. Well someone was there. A Council member, but not Nyssa. The woman just stood there blinking at the Alpha who, from her end, was having some sort of mental break.


"Keagan!" Scarlette cried coming to a stop in front of her aunts. "Oh thank you so much." She wheezed. Lack of blood was getting to her. "Nyx tried to release him into the wild. Like he was a bird." She shook her head and cupped his face. "Ssh." She whispered to him caressing him gently to soothe him. "Ssh. It's okay, I'm not going to hurt you, not any more, I'm sorry. Ssh."

Jamie had cried until she felt numb. Guards had been posted at her room but she didn't under stand why. "It's not fair is it?" A voice purred from the balcony. Jamie gasped and thought about alerting the guard for a moment. "Aunt Chels?" She asked tilting her head. The woman nodded with a smile.

"So you remember me. Good. But that doesn't answer my question. Do you think you were treated fairly?" The woman replied.

"Yes. I openly disobeyed mama, Nyx is throwing a tantrum because she thinks she can play god and Scar and Sebby are fighting. And something's wrong with mama. I don't know what's wrong with her." Jamie sniffled. The woman frowned and walked into the room and sat on the far end of Jamie's bed.

"What do you mean? Something's wrong?" She asked confused. Emma of the Three? Acting weird? Oh dear.

"She's sleeping a lot, or crying a lot or seeing things that aren't there. Doctor says it's stress. . . but she hasn't shifted. Not since shortly after she and papa worked things out. I wish I could help. . . but I just keep getting in the way." She looked down.

"Certainly sounds like-" She paused. "I have to go. Don't tell your mum I was here. She's still upset with me. I'll come back later, when it's safe." Then she was gone.  

[The Madame Red]

"Stop holding me like that," Keagan pulled away from Scarlette, "Just because you made me into a freak doesn't make me your boyfriend. Can't you just leave me alone for two seconds?"

He walked down a nearby hall way to clear his head. If he was going to be trapped there like an animal, then he at least wanted some time to catch up on his thoughts or journal for a bit.

Celia looked to Luna until they saw their niece, Nyx, walk in from the same hallway. Nyx noticed Keagan walking back, they both shared a knowing look as Nyx approached her aunts. Luna could see there was something on Nyx's mind, "Is there something wrong?"

"Did she always act that way?" Nyx looked up at the two women, "Your mom knew her. Was she the same as she was back then?"

Luna and Celia glanced to each other. Their mother had told them very little on how their half-sister acted before, but apparently she had calmed down slightly. But their own experiences were a mix of both pleasant and not. Celia answered, "This has to do with Keagan, doesn't it?"

Nyx lowered her gaze. Luna could see Crystal in the girl's eyes and her desire for those hurt to be free. Eventually someone had to tell Nyx about her true mother's identity. She walked over to Nyx and placed a hand on her head, "Let's go for a walk, shall we?"

The young girl nodded and followed Luna to the gardens as Celia stuck around. Lucas was bound to be here if not ready to show up. She looked back at Scarlette, "He'll come around, the change is probably too overwhelming for him. Once you let the mark sink into him he'll come back and seek your guidance."  

[Hikari_Mamo]

Scarlette opened her mouth to hiss something at him but he left her before she could say anything. She resisted the urge to cry. Why did her mother have it so easy? How come she and father got together in a snap? She wanted to bash her head against a wall. "I know aunt Celia." She replied grinding her fingers in her eyes. "But it wouldn't be like this if he were more vampire, I've seen it, the sire bond is so strong for twenty years. But he wants nothing to do with me and it makes my wolf hurt and I don't know why." She scented Lucas and rubbed the tears away. "I have to go. Leave you two to talk." She bowed to her aunt and left to go find Sebastian. He'd know how to comfort her.

Lucas rounded the corner looking like a kicked puppy. "I'm sorry I got mad." He said eventually. "I mean, Even before all this Locky had no one on his side. His parents always took his sister's side in everything, and I've gotten so used to coming to his rescue like a sibling should," He sighed. "I know, you're my family now and I should come to your rescue when you want me too. But he's still my best male friend. And I don't abandon my friends." He touched her cheek. "Or my family." He pulled her close. "And you are my family Celia. We have eternity for adding to our line. I don't want to be a father yet. I just want to be your husband." He kept telling her this because he never wanted her to feel pressured to do anything she didn't want to do.