Legend Of The Moon Princess
Episode 41

Melody’s POV

“Beast-humans never get a second chance mate?” I asked, making sure I heard right. Riley nodded. “That is correct, Mistress. There has never been anything recorded in the history of our kind that states that anyone was fortunate enough to be granted a second chance mate.” Riley replied, smiling again. “Riley you don’t have to call me ‘Mistress’ or anything like that. Just Melody is fine.” I said. With everything else we were talking about I never found the right time to address that little issue.

“But it is part of our custom that we address you and your mates properly. Kai and I were born to protect, serve, and train you four.” She said in a stone face voice. I give her a nervous chuckle. “I understand that, but it would just feel too weird for me to have someone address me like that, especially someone so much younger than me.” I say honestly. Riley looked a bit lost. “But mother and the others always called Lady Belialuin… ‘Mistress’ or ‘M’lady’” Riley thought for a moment. “We could call you Lady Melody, Would that sit well with you.” She asked. I sigh. “Riley, please just call me Melody?” I begged. I may be the Moon Princess, but I draw the line at people calling me weird names like mistress or lady whatever.

“Alright, I will try to keep that in mind. Melody.” She said, though she said my name slowly as if it was a struggle for her. ‘I guess it will just take time. They must have grown up in a different time than we did.’ Artemis suggested. I thought for a minute. ‘That would make sense. They called the airplane a metal bird after all.’ I decided to test my theory by pulling out my cell phone. I opened it up and went to my pictures. “Hey Riley, check this out.” I said, showing her a picture of my brothers and I by the falls. She looked at the screen and then back at me. “Oh, did you draw this yourself?” She asked.

“No, my mama took the picture. See there are more.” I said as I flipped through the pictures while she looked at the screen in amazement. “Wow, how does this little thing hold all of these drawings?” She asked. She poked the screen and it zoomed in on a flower. “Ah! Sorry, I didn’t mean to ruin your drawing.” She quickly said, as she pulled her finger away. We all laughed. “You didn’t ruin it. This is a cell phone and when you tap on a photo like that it zooms closer.” Star explained. Riley nodded her head but still looked confused. “It will take time. Meanwhile, why don’t we put Kai in the bed so he can be more comfortable.” TJ said as he picked up Kai’s sleeping body.

Riley turned to him and seemed surprised for some reason. “How are you doing that?” She asked TJ. He raised an eyebrow. “What do you mean?” He asked back. Then she pointed to Kai in TJ’s arms. “How are you holding Kai while he is asleep? Kai uses a magic barrier on himself when he sleeps in unknown territory. The barrier should have sent a bolt of lighting through your body the moment you touched him.” Riley explained. Oh so that is what she meant. “Well I was gifted by the Moon Goddess like Melody, Star, and Ethan. Lighting and electric currents don’t affect me.” TJ told her.

She still seemed confused, so TJ took Kai to the back and when he returned he showed her his gift. TJ made little bolts of electricity dance in his hands. Riley was so cute. She looked like a kid seeing the circus for the first time in her life. Then she looked at Star and EJ. “Can I see your magic too?” She asked. Star lifted her hands, taking the water out of mine and my mates bottles. Then she made different shapes with the water. A horse, a bear, a dragon, and a wolf. Riley was having a blast and really showing her age. EJ made a small fire shaped dragon that he made dance around Star’s water wolf. Riley looked mesmerized by it and then a bit sad. “What is wrong, Riley?” Tony asked.

Riley shook her head and smiled. “Just a bit homesick. Kai and I have been here for months and I just miss seeing my mother and the others.” I felt like someone had hit me in the gut. Of course she would miss her mother, she was only ten. Yet since meeting them, this was the first time she was showing her own feelings. “Won’t you be able to go home sometime?” I asked. Riley shook her head. “No. Once we become someone’s guardian, we are by their side until we die. We become their shadows, their shields. Even if you order us to return home, our beast souls would turn savage. That is what a beast-human is in our world. Back in the old days our kind was bred to be tools and shields for war, nothing more.”

‘What kind of world did they really grow up in?’ I thought. EJ picked Riley up and hugged her tightly from behind. “We will replace a way for you to see your mother again.” He told her. She just smiled the same smile she has since we met. I wonder, what sadness does her smile truly hide?

Unknown POV:

“How could he have failed?!” I screamed in an empty room. “I don’t understand. That was an elixir from Edolas… nothing in this world should have been able to even come close to being able to beat it, even if it was only a fraction of power he had.” I run my hand through my shaggy hair. ‘Her guardians have appeared. You will need to up your game if you want to get her.’ a soothing voice said in my mind. I snarled. “DAMN YOU, YOU WRETCHED MOON MOTHER!!!” I cursed to the heavens. I want what that meddling, so-called deity took from me all those years ago. I will get it even if I have to open the forbbion seal and release pure hell on this poor forsaken world, then not even that girl’s little guardians could protect her.