Twin Stars
POV: Alexandra
I looked at the Grand Pretre who was now hugging my arm, “Wait, I’m not supposed to work? Did you really clear this by His Majesty?” She nodded enthusiastically, “Yep, it is a blanket excuse. He said I could talk to you whenever I need to.” I sighed and shook my head, “I don’t want to assume. Let me go see him and make sure it is okay.” I turned toward the castle and walked inside and up the stairs. I walked into the office, “Hi Malinus, is he available?” Malinus shook his head, “He’s meeting with his mother and asked not to be disturbed. Is there something you need to ask him?” I nodded, “Grand Pretre said I was excused for the morning but I wanted to ask if that was okay.” He looked over my shoulder at the group standing behind me, “New guards?” I looked back at them, “Yeah, Jheelis there is appointed from Seely, and Jynx there is appointed by House of Dark. Of course, I also have Toby back there. You know Grand Pretre.” Teddy straightened up in his seat when I mentioned Toby’s name. Malinus nodded and wrote something down, “You don’t have permission, currently, from His Majesty but since this is a favor for Her Eminence, I don’t think he would have a problem with it. I will let him know when he is available and you can go.” I turned back to Grand Pretre, “I guess I am available then. Let’s go.” She shook her head, “I need Ashton too. Could we figure out a way to get him here?”
Jynx stepped forward, “I can fetch him for you, priestess.” Malinus raised an eyebrow, “Priestess?” I sighed closed my eyes, pinched the bridge of my nose, and sighed, “It’s a long story that I will have to explain later. Add that to my growing list of the things people call me. I’m beginning to think that I cannot hold any more titles.” Teddy chuckled, “It’s what you get for being so well-loved, Xan.” I looked at him over my shoulder, “Perhaps I just need to adopt a more Melody Maigny personality.” I heard in unison, “NO!” Even Grand Pretre piped up and said that. I laughed, “Relax, I would never. Anyhow, Jynx, please go fetch my brother. I think we really need him to talk to Her Eminence as well.” Jynx nodded, “I will be right back.” She opened a portal and stepped through. Grand Pretre clapped her hands, “It’s so handy to have the witches around, especially when you need someone fetched from House of Dark. I cannot wait to talk to the twin Batiste, I have so much I need to discuss with him. It’s always fun to set someone on their spirit path. Oh but I’ve said too much in public.” She clapped her hand over her mouth. Seraphia never had any self-control when she was around me. I am told she usually acted pretty dignified around others but around me, she sometimes acted more like Nystasia. Jheelis leaned in and whispered into my ear, “Is this your seer?” I nodded and he shook his head, “She’s just like the princess, don’t you think?” I giggled softly and whispered back, “I was just thinking the same thing.” She was shifting on her feet impatiently, “How long does it take to fetch him?” I sighed, “Well she has to portal outside of House of Dark since there is powerful magic cast on the castle to prevent enemies from portaling into the castle directly. Only royalty which means only Mordred and Vanessa can do that presently. Then Jynx will have to find Ashton in that vast castle. You should probably be patient.” She stopped shifting and looked up at me with her eyes widened, “I hadn’t heard someone speak to me that way in a while. I almost forgot how she sounded.” I raised an eyebrow, “Who is she?” She smiled, “My mother…well she wasn’t really my mother. I was adopted you see but she was better than my original mother. Not to say my mother didn’t treat me well before she died but she was too busy to care for me the way Mama did.”
A portal opened up near us where Jynx and Ashton stepped out. I smiled at my brother who was dressed up in his Citadel blue, “Ashton, meet Her Eminence Grand Pretre.” He bowed at her the way others would greet her but she was quick to tap him on the head to indicate he could get up. He also didn’t look her directly in the eye as others who were around her did. I think the stigma was that if you looked her directly in the eye, you might see something there that will age you to the point of death. People in Vellum, I found, were often superstitious but I figured that came with being supernaturals. That always came with problems of their own, I never knew I was one so it didn’t scare me to look at her plus I had permission from her to do so. She embraced him, “Ashy, nice to meet you.” I widened my eyes at how she was acting around him as well. He looked over at me to figure out what he should do with this sudden hug. I indicated to him that he should wrap his arms around her to return the hug. It was awkward but he heeded my advice. She grabbed his hand, “Come on, let’s go have a talk!” She drug him behind her and we all followed behind. She stopped short of the door and gasped, “Oh! Stay here Ashy, I need to go get something for you.” She ran out of the door to her carriage and grabbed a long black robe. She ran back inside and handed it to him, “Here you go. There are enemies nearby that are looking for you. Put it on.” He put the robe on and she pulled the hood over his head enough to where you could not distinguish his face. He looked like he was one of her special priests, “Just in time.”
Just then a carriage pulled up with the Maigny shield on the side and my eyes widened. I could feel the heat of jealousy prick under my skin and a hint of panic thinking she was going to steal a kiss from Lucien again. Seraphia shook her head, “Silly Xan, it’s her father. He’s here on official business but he's always going to try and talk up his daughter. It’s so stupid because she’s not fated to be Lucien’s anyways. She’s fated to be somewhere else.” I muttered under my breath, “Gods willing, it will be in the dungeon.” She frowned and shook her head, “There are justices beyond a dungeon, Xan. Fates worse than Vellum punishment.” I looked at her confused but she clapped her hand on her mouth, “Brigit is going to yell at me, I just know it.” Marquis Maigny stepped out of his carriage and strode up to the castle. He spotted me, “Aren’t you supposed to be working your apprenticeship instead of hanging around the castle with your friends? I cannot believe they chose you over my princess.” Grand Pretre spoke under her breath, “That’s all she’ll ever be a princess of.” He looked toward, “Did you say something, Your Eminence?” She shook her head, “I said absolutely nothing, sir.” He turned back to me and sneered but Jheelis didn’t let this slide, “She is on official orders from His Majesty to go with Grand Pretre. I don’t know who the hell you think you’re talking to, she is the Highest Highness of Seely and you should show her some respect.” Jynx nodded at him angrily in agreement, “She is doing her duties. Are you, sir? It seems to me like you are trying to tear down someone superior to you instead of meeting with the King. Perhaps you should be on your way?” He glared at my two guards and looked at Toby, “Do you feel like speaking up for her too?” Toby merely bowed at him, “It is only my place to guard Her Grace. That is all and I do hope she understands that.” I knew Toby was trying to stay out of trouble since it would probably reflect poorly on his family. I nodded at him, “It’s quite alright Sir Ligidew. You needn’t explain anything to me. You are quite right.” He smiled at me with relief, “Thank you, Your Grace.” Without a word, the Marquis walked on through the castle up the stairs.
He didn’t seem to notice Ashton standing next to Seraphia which was a blessing. It must’ve been what she meant by enemies were near. We knew that the Marquis had a bone to pick with my brother and he had a price on his head with The Order for going against it. For all the Marquis knew, Ashton still thought he was Meldon and was willing to kill his own son. That thought made me clench my fist but I felt cold hands wrap around it, “It does you no good to hold on to anger, Xan. Come, we need to discuss some things at the church.” She gently pulled me to her carriage and we all were on our way. It was not a very long ride from the castle to the church so there was little conversation. Seraphia led us up to her room in the tower but she asked the guards to wait in the tea room where they would hang out with Pretre Jean, drink tea, and eat snacks. Only me and Ashton were allowed to go into her room, she said it was of importance that what we discussed was kept between the three of us for now. Once we were all inside the room, she smiled and said, “To think I have the twin stars in my room now. The power of the sun and the power of lightning are both brightly shining. Let’s talk then.” She sat in the chair in front of us. She pulled her hand out, “I believe you both received a gift recently from the King of Witches. Can I see them?” We both placed our hands on the table to reveal our rings. She picked up Ashton’s hand, “The guardian of Gemini. You will hence be known as the Head Priest of Gemini. Do you know what that means, Ashy?” He shook his head, “I wasn’t told anything but the fact that constellations have significance to the witches.” She smiled, “Your constellation has significance for all of us, dear boy. The eclipse will soon be upon us and with Alexandra being gone, you will need to be our guardian.” I looked at her confused, “Wait, I’m going to be gone?” She smiled at me, “Oh yes, you are dear. Your fate is to go to a faraway land. I can’t tell you where but you have a duty to fulfill there, a mystery to solve. There are three who don’t know who their parent is and you will need to find that out for them. As such your fate is to be their guiding light as the guardian of Ophiuchus. The Priestess of Ophiuchus is the guiding light of all who are lost. That is why you play a very significant role in the child you protect. Some day she will greatly admire you for that and be a guiding light of her own.” She patted my hand and sighed, “Now, I need to tell you that you must speak with Aphrodite as soon as possible about your feelings. This is very crucial.” I looked down at the ring on my finger then back up at her, “Why is it crucial?” She giggled, “Your feelings can be the very difference in you fulfilling your destiny. You will need to make a decision very soon that will make or break those around you. You can choose to be the light of hope or the bringer of doom, your choice.”
