Luna Ceremony

Third Person POV
It is the morning of the full moon, the morning of Emma’s Luna Ceremony. Peter has been hunting for his mate so long that he is determined to make this the event of the decade.

There is to be a large formal ball, with guests invited from all the friendly species, a representative of the royal house has not only been invited but has accepted. Food tables for the massive buffet required have been set up on one side of the entrance hall, and the other side has been opened up to create a massive space for mingling and dancing.

The entire area has been decorated in silver sparkles and fairy lights, and currently Emma is wandering round the space looking worried, she knows her dress doesn’t ‘match’ the colour scheme and is wondering if she should have just gone for the traditional white or ivory. No one else, apart from the half goblin dressmaker knows what the dress looks like, as she wants to surprise them.

The guest floor has been made up, and guests who will be staying the night are expected to start arriving mid-afternoon; the entire pack-house is a hive of purposeful activity.

Emma is walking through the guest floor when a bauble rolls under her foot, sending her flying. Her reflexes have improved, and she angles her fall into the bannister. She can feel the crushing bruise forming on her hip. She looks round for the source of the bauble, and, of course, there is none. This is not the first ‘accident’ she has had recently, and it is getting more difficult to hide the bruises; at least her skin didn’t break, Peter is becoming suspicious, and if he realises what is going on there is going to be real bloodshed.

Emma finishes her tour and heads to the kitchen for some ice and witch hazel. Sarah finds her in a storeroom.

‘Another?’ Sarah asks.

‘Yeah,’ Emma responds. ‘Any closer to the stairs and this could have been fatal. I think they are trying to scare me off, not kill me though.’

‘Let me.’ Sarah gestures for the ice pack and liniment. She then gently applies them. ‘You are going to have to do something about this, you know.’

‘I know. I need to find a way to make them respect me, I am not sure what will work. I have been flat out trying to be a good Luna. I have helped at the hospital and the school. I have even got upgrades put through, and a counselling service set up. I have listened to petty arguments and ruled on them until my bum is numb… and still I have these hazing attacks nearly daily. At least they leave Rosie alone now… honestly, I don’t care if they are a werewolf, I will rip the throat out of anyone who touches her.’

Emma is referring to an incident a week previous when Rosie had been locked in a cupboard in a quiet part of the house. Emma had lost it when she found her granddaughter terrified and in tears. Barlas had helped her track down the perpetrator, who was currently chained in the prison awaiting Emma’s sentence.

Emma had deferred deciding on the punishment until she was calm, because she had wanted to murder the woman when she found her. However, the woman is mated and has pups, one not much older than Rosie, and the other was one of the missing. Peter had told her that for the crime of harming a pup, and specifically the pup of the Beta, as well as the Luna’s line death is an acceptable sentence. Tonight, after her ceremony she would sentence the woman, and she still hadn’t decided on what it should be.

After lunch Emma met with Peter and they greeted the early arrivals; Daisy and Oak Verdant from the fae; Prince Leon and Lady Ariella Dillion from the castle; Cadmus Chiquita, a rare dragon representative; Elise the dressmaker from the city; Sofia Lumin, a white witch; amongst others. Each important guest came with their retinue, so by teatime the headcount in the house had swelled by nearly a hundred.

Elise offered to help Emma get ready, which she was grateful for, and the two women disappeared upstairs to get ready for the ball and ceremony.

Sarah had drawn a bath for Emma, scented with moon flowers, their petals floating in the water. Once Emma has bathed, she pulls on white lace panties, and strapless bra, then puts on a robe, while she does her hair and makeup. The dress will wait until the last moment.

Her hair is put up into a loose bun style, reminiscent of Belle in Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, with a delicate tiara. The make-up is light, with a silver shimmer across her skin and a midnight blue used to accent her eyes, and compliment her gown, her lips a deep berry red.

Filigree silver with moonstone gems attach to each ear, the Eclipse necklace stands proud. It only vanishes into her flesh when someone threatens to take it from her. It is an ancient piece rumoured to carry the power of the eclipsed night, and last seen over a thousand years ago.

The shoes are midnight blue with a small wedge heel and emblazoned with crystals that pick out the shape of her star sign.

Finally, with Elise's help she pulls on the dress. The underdress is white, and looks like a traditional Luna ceremony dress, but this is covered by a deep blue chiffon material… it is not a single colour, and like the night sky it holds lighter and darker hues. Gems glitter across the skirt; then pick out the moon and her star sign across the bodice. Tonight, there is no doubt that Emma is the embodiment of the Queen of the Night… The Moon.

Peter wears a tuxedo and bows deeply to his queen as he escorts her to the main staircase and down into the party below.

As the Alpha and Luna descend the stairs the band strikes up the Moonlit March, and all eyes turn to watch them. Spontaneous applause echoes through the space.

For the next few hours, the couple circulate, talking to wolves young and old; rich and poor; high status and low. Peter dances with her, and she tries delicacies from across the supernatural world.

Then it is time.

Midnight and the moon’s high point approached. Peter leads Emma to a circular platform in the entrance hall area… It stands between the two grand staircases, and the light of the moon is coloured and diffracted through the gigantic stained-glass window.

‘Emma please repeat the Luna’s Promise.’ Peter says as he leads her onto the platform and to a table with a large silver chalice and silver knife on it.

‘I, Emma Ecles, Luna of Whitewater pack promise with my heart and my soul, and by my blood,’ she says, slicing her palm and allowing her blood to flow into the chalice. ‘To serve, protect and defend every member of my pack regardless of status. I will bring strength to the weak, celebrate the weak, and judge the guilty with compassion.’

Then she lifts the chalice to the sky at the moment that the moon peaks. The platform is flooded with silver light; the chalice begins to glow; Emma seems to glow.

Every person in the hall kneels at the sight of the new Luna receiving the Moon Goddess’s blessing. A priestess emerges and takes the chalice which is brimming with a silver-red liquid; she uses the liquid to draw a moon symbol on Emma, then Peter, then she moves through the room repeating the symbol on every guest, on all the servers, even on the woman awaiting sentence. When every person in the room has received the Goddess’s symbol, the priestess turns to the room.

‘Whitewater is truly blessed. Their new Luna has been marked as chosen by the Goddess. The temple will be open tomorrow to bless those who could not be here tonight.’ With that she turns to leave, carrying the still full chalice with her.

The final action of the night is to push the woman who locked away Rosie. The woman is in silver shackles, and tears run down her face; she keeps glancing across at a brown-haired man who looks away from her.

‘Saffron Ledova,’ an official announces. ‘You stand accused of cruelty to a pup, adopted child of the Beta, granddaughter of the Luna. Additionally, you are accused of disrespecting your better. How do you plead?’

The woman looks at Emma, defiant for a moment, then her shoulders sag. Even now the Luna glows with the blessing bestowed on her.

‘Guilty,’ Saffron whispers. She looks at her mate, the man trying not to look at her. ‘I am sorry, I didn’t realise… I thought she wasn’t a real Luna… I just wanted to scare them away.’

‘You have pleaded guilty to the charge,’ the official continued. ‘Therefore, we will skip directly to the sentencing. As this is a crime against the Luna and her blood, she will sentence you, and by right, may ask for your life. Luna…’

Emma draws herself to her full height, still looking like a child in the presence of all the tall supernaturals, but her voice is firm and fills the hall.

‘Will any plead for this woman?’ she asks, looking round. For a moment it appears the woman’s mate will, but he turns from her and starts making his way from the room.

‘No one?’ Emma says. ‘Saffron Ledova, for the sake of your child, and your heart-broken mate, for the sake of the missing, and because this is a blessed night, I will not send you to the Goddess. Your punishment is fifteen lashes, to be administered by your mate, and a year’s service in the Omega’s house… learn humility by service to those who serve us.’