Legend Of The Moon Princess
Episode 40

Riley’s POV

Mistress Melody and her companions looked at Kai and I with shocked and sad expressions. I have always tried to be one with a constant smile so I didn’t have to see such expressions directed at me, but if it eases this young wolf’s bleeding heart, then I will endure and tell him a little more about us. “W-w-what do you mean?” The one known as Tucker asked. “To fully understand I will tell you about how we came to be.” I said, with a straight face. “Mother told us the truth about how we were born. She was never one for hiding the truth from us.” Kai added. I took a deep breath and began telling our story…

~Flash Back~

*(4 Years ago) Riley and Kai are 6 years old*

Kai and I had gotten home from training one day. Mother was making dinner, her lovely red and white hair pulled back into a ponytail. It looked like a candy cane like that. “Mother, how come we don’t have a father like the other young ones in the village?” I asked. Mother stopped cutting the vegetables and looked at the sky through the kitchen window. “Hmm. I guess you are old enough to hear this story.” She said in a kind voice. Mother’s voice was always filled with kindness and happiness whenever we were around her, but her eyes always held such sadness. Even with the mask she always wore over her eyes, I could tell.

Mother made a quick snack and tea for us and we sat at the table and waited for mother to tell us. “You see I was careless one time and was hurt badly. A male beast-human had trapped me while I was on a job. He used silver and demon metal to bind my arms and legs. There he forced himself on me for three days and nights.” Mother said, as she ran her fingers through our hair. “Mother, what do you mean he forced himself on you?” Kai asked, gripping mothers shirt as if it was a life line. Mother took a deep breath. “It means that he mated with me against my will.” she said. I gasped and hugged mother, while Kai still just held onto her shirt, but gripped it tighter.

“Mother Selene is protective over children, so those that would harm them like this are always mateless. On the morning of the fourth day, your uncle Parker finally found me. He killed that man without a second thought and took me to the healers. Once we got there, we discovered that I was with child.” Mother said with a small smile on her face. “Others wanted me to get rid of you two before you were born because I still had a chance to replace my mate once I came of age, but I could feel it in my heart, I was supposed to bring the life I was carrying inside me into the world. Mother Selene made a purpose for you even if she herself never planned for how you were conceived.” Mother paused and placed a soft k**s on both of our heads.

“Then have you not found your mate yet? Is that why we don’t have a father?” I asked. Mother shook her head. “No, that is not the reason, my love. Do you remember Dreyfus?” She asked. “You mean that man that tried to kill us on our birthday?” Kai clarified. Mother nodded. Kai and I looked at each other and then nodded to our mother. “Well he was my mate. He gave me a choice. It was either him or you two.” Kai and I gasped, as mother continued. “I didn’t hesitate. I chose you two over him without a second thought. You two were my whole world and still are no matter what. No man would ever come over you.”

Mother squeezed us to her as she spoke. “So he rejected me and I accepted, but his beast went mad. His beast took over his body and tried to kill you two. He blamed two innocent young ones for the choice his human side had made. Instead of loving you and caring for you as if you were his own, he tried to be rid of you all together.” I remembered that day. It was the first and the last time I ever saw our mother cry.

She came home holding an unfamiliar man’s hand and he was smiling too, but as soon as mother introduced us to him as her young ones… his smile vanished. He led mother out to the back garden to talk. We never heard what they were saying, but after a few minutes. A wild beast had crashed through that side of the house. Snapping its jaws at Kai and me. I screamed and clung onto my brother. Mother had transformed into full beast mode and attacked the other beast.

It kept trying to get around mother to get to us. It seemed as if it didn’t want to hurt her in any way. I closed my eyes and cried until the sounds of growling and fighting had become silent. I slowly raised my head and saw that mother had killed the beast, both of them had transformed back into human form. The beast that tried to kill me and my brother was the man mother had brought home with her. After catching her breath mother dashed over to our side and checked us over. When she saw we were unharmed she hugged us and cried until her tears ran dry.

~End of Flashback~

“After mother finished telling us why we have no father, she sang us the lullaby she had sang to us every night before we fell asleep.” I finished telling them the story. Mistress Melody looked both murderous and heartbroken. Lady Star was crying, and all the males here had clenched their fists. Master Tucker seemed to be regretful he asked to know our reasons for yesterday. ‘Riley, why don’t you sing for them? It may help with the pain in his heart.’ my beast-soul, Ember, suggested in my mind. ‘Good idea, Ember. I will sing mother’s lullaby.’ I smiled.

(*I love this song and I thought it would be perfect for this part of the book. This song is called “You’ll Be In My Heart” By, Phil Collins.)

Ethan’s POV

I clenched my fists in rage. For a young woman to have to go through with not only being raped then becoming a single mother, but to have her own mate reject her because she refused to abandon her children. I noticed Riley got up from her seat. She walked over to Tucker with a smile. Then in blinding speed, she kicked his feet out from under him. Making him fall on his a*s, and just as quick she sat on her knees and made him lay his head in her lap. “H-h-hey, what are you doing?” Tucker asked. Surprised that a young girl like her took him down so fast. “Just lay there and listen.” She said. Leaving no room for him to argue. Tucker just gulped and nodded. She smiled, then she closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

Riley then began to sing the most beautiful melody I have ever heard. Kai then got up from his seat and leaned his back against hers. He held his twin’s hand and interlocked their fingers as Riley started to sing the lyrics of what sounded to be a lullaby.

“Come stop your crying

It will be alright

Just take my hand

Hold it tight

I will protect you

From all around you

I will be here

Don’t you cry”

As Riley sang, she used her free hand to stroke Tucker’s hair. The air around us seemed to become so light and filled with a joyful arua. I noticed that Kai was sleeping while using his twin as a pillow.

“For one so small,

You seem so strong

My arms will hold you,

Keep you safe and warm

This bond between us

Can’t be broken

I will be here

Don’t you cry

‘Cause you’ll be in my heart

Yes, you’ll be in my heart

From this day on

Now and forever more”

As soon as she finished that verse, the space around us became something like the voids we enter when Melody connects us to someone’s inner soul… But this was different. There were poster size pictures all around us. I looked closer and saw a really young version of Riley and Kai blowing out candles on a birthday cake. ‘This must be their memories from their world.’ Apollo told me. ‘Their memories?’ I asked.

“Come stop your crying

It will be alright

Just take my hand

Hold it tight

I will protect you

From all around you

I will be here

Don’t you cry”

I looked at another one and saw a beautiful woman holding the twins. Her hair was split between the colors of flaming red hair like Kai and the pure white hair that Melody had. There were memories of her caring for the twins, training them, and playing with them. She wore some kind of mask over her eyes. Even with her eyes covered and her slightly pale skin bearing scars of all kinds, she was undoubtedly the most beautiful woman I have ever seen. Apollo seemed to agree as he, an alpha wolf, purred at the sight of her in the twin’s memories.

“’Cause you’ll be in my heart

Yes, you’ll be in my heart

From this day on

Now and forever more

You’ll be in my heart

No matter what they say

You’ll be here in my heart always”

I looked over to Terrance and he seemed drawn to the woman as well. Who was she? Why did this song pull at my heart? I looked at Riley and Kai. Tucker was completely relaxed as she continued to sing. I heard sniffling and saw Star and Melody looking at different memories while gently crying. They were a mix of sadness and happiness in their tears. Then all the memories merged into one. The twins are standing in front of some kind of spring in the dark of night.

“Don’t listen to them

‘Cause what do they know?

We need each other

To have, to hold.

They’ll see in time

I know

When destiny calls you

You must be strong

I may not be with you

But you’ve got to hold on

They’ll see in time

I know

We’ll show them together”

The twins in the memory were looking all around. Then they jumped into the spring. Next thing we saw was our 18th birthday party from a distance. The night we came of age. ‘That must have been when they crossed over into our world.’ Apollo said. ‘Yeah.’ I said.

“’Cause you’ll be in my heart

Believe me, you’ll be in my heart

from this day on,

Now and forever more

Yes, you’ll be in my heart

No matter what they say

You’ll be here in my heart

Always.

Always.

Always.

The memories began to disappear as Riley finished her song. Riley leaned forward and kissed Tucker on the forehead. “Mother Selene provides happiness to those that are faithful and loyal.” She said while looking Tucker in the eyes. Tucker just stared at her, baffled, as she just smiled at him. “What does that mean, and was that woman in those memories your mother?” Terrance asked. She nodded “That is something mother always says to us after she sings her lullaby. She said that a mate is only a source of happiness within one’s life. Others could be close friends, family, or in mothers case she always said it was us that brought her happiness.” Riley explained, as Tucker sat up from her lap.

“So what does that mean for her if you are here?” Jeremiah asked. Riley’s smile disappeared again. “I honestly don’t know. I have prayed to Mother Selene, since we got here, to keep mother happy while we are gone.” Riley answered. “Maybe she will be given a second chance mate.” Luca said, with a smile. I felt a pinch in my heart at that thought. Riley shook her head. “No, that wouldn’t happen.” She said, sadly. “Why not?” I asked. Riley looked at me. “Because beast-humans never get a second chance mate.” She said.