A Bad Omen

After escaping through a window in the hallway, I came to a large forest. I turned only once to glance at the building I had been held in, but to my surprise, it had vanished. I shook my head of curiosity and recalled my warning from Shande. The now free spirit had placed a small bag in my hands when he departed this world and told me to take it. I had no reason to distrust his dying orders after he had shown his thankfulness to me, and so, I found myself pouring the contents of the bag into my mouth with utter hope. The taste was dry and bitter, but when I had swallowed it, I discovered that the gentle fog about my mind began to clear. I remembered my lovely husband Scarrden and my little Juliet; I also remembered my parents. "Mommy can't love a monster, Vivian. I do hope you understand. Maybe one day the divine will bless you with beauty, you little disgrace, you," are the words I can now hear her say once more.

I frown and begin to run as fast as I can. I don't know where exactly I'm going, but my feet take me there on instinct. I groan as my back legs begin to crack and reform me more into the likeness of a wolf. The weather was dreadfully cold, but my fur kept me warm and dry. My eyes began to water as I thought of my children: Amiana, Arlot, and sweet Juliet. I have good faith in my husband's paternal skills but worry still envelopes me when thunder rumbles loudly in the air. I had a few loose strings that needed to be tied when I arrived home. I needed to know what exactly was going on. The dark clouds that seem to be following me only gave a greater anxiety. "A bad omen" I say aloud as the towers of the Castle of Bones came into view over the thick trees. I watch the tower tops while lightning strikes a tree dead. I squint my eyes grimly. "This is a very very bad omen," I repeat to myself while the rain starts pouring harder from the sky.

Drenched, I shake out my fur before morphing back into a fleshlier appearance. "Den? Are you here?" I called out over the thunder. My wolf-like ears twitch to the sound of wet pitter patters on the floor. Juliet comes running from around the corner as lightning strikes close by, making her ears bend back with fright. In one movement, I bent down and swiftly swooped her into my loving arms. "I'm home, my sweet," I kiss into her forehead. I squeeze tightly when she nuzzles into my shoulder and shudders to another flash of lightning. In every way, my little one was unique from her siblings. Amiana and Arlot never did have such a fear of storms at such an age, but little pup's each had their own sensitivities and emotions. I smiled when Juliet looked up into my eyes. "Daddy is waiting for you in the courtyard," she whispered. I admired how much she looked like her father for a second before carrying her on my hip to the courtyard.

Juliet hopped down from my waist when she saw her father. I watched his ears twist towards the sound of her little feet. Scarrden then turned and greeted me while giving in to Juliet's outstretched arms. I patiently waited for him to set our child back on her feet and meet me under the pavilion, but my quiet waiting ended as he approached. The urgent-ness of my questions may have interrupted his heartfelt "welcome home", but I was in a desperate need-to-know state.

"Scarrden, where are my twins?" I questioned harshly before easing myself into his embrace. "If it were my decision, my moonlight, they would be inside with Juliet," he said tiredly. "I'm sorry, my love, but the man who took me... do you know who he might be?" I questioned on. Scarrden glanced down at me and then to the pond. The werewolf man let me free of grasp and gazed at the dark gather clouds in the sky. "I'll handle it Vivian, but for now you need to take care of yourself and the children," he said. I went to speak again, although I was interrupted. "Where were you at? Do you know how worried I was?" he choked out amid gesturing our daughter to her room. "Scarrden, I- I'm sorry. I didn't mean to worry you. I truly don't know where I was. The place was like a mirage. I'm fine, really," I reassured. I sometimes forget that Den is more human than the rest of my company.

Scarrden pulled my body towards him once more. I felt his hands race down my ribs to snake around the slight curve of my hips. The two of us watched the rain ripple against the pond from the safety of the pavilion. My ears flicked down as familiar, tiny feet approached. I began to sigh blissfully, but then, a smell that had been deeply covered by the rain entered my nostrils. "Mommy? Daddy? Arlot came in carrying sissy. She's covered in a lot of... blood," cried out the quivering child. I immediately ran ahead of Scarrden to the main entrance, but nothing could have prepared me for the sight playing out on the stairs.

I dropped to my knees in shock as I saw Amiana lying motionless in her brother's arms. The young girl was covered in a purple-blue blood that extended to the hands of her twin, Arlot. My one and only boy panted out in an attack of panic and fear as he breathes curses out in hushed tones. I watch Scarrden shield Juliet from the scene before running to fetch something- anything- to warm up the twins. Thunder rolled as Arlot's fist weakly pounded into the stairs and he began to sob. I silently placed my hand in the spot of his abuse while the other stayed wrapped on Amiana's head in my lap. My mind slipped into a memory of the past. An unforgettable fairytale settled into my brain and set me back into the reality of the situation. The blood of an extinct and fearsome creature of Hell, shadows, and fairy folk was now covering my daughter's lifeless body. 

"I thought it was only a legend," Arlot said brokenly. I brushed his dark, silver hair from his face while I pulled him to my chest. "I'm sorry! I'm so sorry!" he cried. I silently let my tears fall into his soft locks while Scarrden returned to wrap Amiana and Arlot in quilts. "Everything will be fine, son. Everything is going to be fine," assured my husband. We should have told them the truth, and now we would suffer for our lies.