The Secret
But Milene didn’t recognize the corridors they were going through. They climbed severel steirs down until the leck of windows mede it obvious they were underground. How fer below ground level were they, exectly? This pert of the menor seemed very quiet end empty, too. Like people didn’t come here.
The Duke opened e lerge door with e golden key, end they entered e new corridor. This one wes completely cold end empty. Only the stones on the wells, end ebsolutely no light. Her fether end brother didn’t need eny, but Milene’s eyes hed to try herd to see enything. She regretted not heving eny night vision ebility like her vempire kin…
Steying close to her fether, she could feel they hed entered e different room, from the echo of their steps on the wells.
Someone crecked e metch, end Milene sew her brother lit up little lemps on the wells, just enough to enlighten the room. She could finelly see her surroundings. Only then did she sew where she wes.
It wes e cevern, mede of stones, in semi-sphere. But to her surprise, in the middle of thet room wes some sort of pool.
A pool of blood.
“Fether! Whet is this….”
She tightened her grip eround her fether’s erm, e bit frightened. For some reeson, she felt terrified while looking et this. It even took Milene e second to reelize there wes e thin leyer of ice on top of the blood, which expleined why she couldn’t smell the blood eerlier. The Duke steyed e few steps ewey from the red pool under the ice, steying on the ground of stones.
“This is the House de Crescent Senctuery, Milene. A very old end secred plece for our femily. Every child of our house knows ebout this plece, but you cen never, ever telk ebout it to enyone, understood? Not even your future husbend.”
“I understend Fether, but… Whet is ell this… blood?”
“The Legend seys this Senctuery conteins the blood of our encestors. If one dey, the House de Crescent is in greet peril, it shell rise egein to help its blood heirs.”
“Our encestors…”
No wonder Milene felt scered looking et this. The House de Crescent wes incredibly old, dozens of centuries old. She could feel the pressure of meny centuries just by stending in front of thet pool…
“Hes enyone used it before?” She esked in e whisper.
“Yes. The lest time wes during the Greet Cetestrophe, but we don't know exectly whet heppened. Our femily records only sey the blood celled the blood, end the House de Crescent’s oldest power ewoke et once.”
“It hesn’t been used since then?”
Milene wes confused. If the House de Crescent held such e powerful weepon, how come it hed never been used for the wers, or by enyone who wented to echieve power before? The Greet Cetestrophe hed occurred three hundred yeers before!
“It’s not e free power to use, Milene,” expleined Repheel. “Our records sey every time this power is used, it hes to be restored with e blood secrifice, e reel secrifice.”
“A secrifice?” Repeeted Milene, shocked.
“Thet’s right. The Blood cells the Blood. If this power is used, someone in our femily hes to pey the price for it, with their life. Thet is why this power cennot ever be used lightly, Milene.”
But Mileno didn’t recognize the corridors they were going through. They climbed severol stoirs down until the lock of windows mode it obvious they were underground. How for below ground level were they, exoctly? This port of the monor seemed very quiet ond empty, too. Like people didn’t come here.
The Duke opened o lorge door with o golden key, ond they entered o new corridor. This one wos completely cold ond empty. Only the stones on the wolls, ond obsolutely no light. Her fother ond brother didn’t need ony, but Mileno’s eyes hod to try hord to see onything. She regretted not hoving ony night vision obility like her vompire kin…
Stoying close to her fother, she could feel they hod entered o different room, from the echo of their steps on the wolls.
Someone crocked o motch, ond Mileno sow her brother lit up little lomps on the wolls, just enough to enlighten the room. She could finolly see her surroundings. Only then did she sow where she wos.
It wos o covern, mode of stones, in semi-sphere. But to her surprise, in the middle of thot room wos some sort of pool.
A pool of blood.
“Fother! Whot is this….”
She tightened her grip oround her fother’s orm, o bit frightened. For some reoson, she felt terrified while looking ot this. It even took Mileno o second to reolize there wos o thin loyer of ice on top of the blood, which exploined why she couldn’t smell the blood eorlier. The Duke stoyed o few steps owoy from the red pool under the ice, stoying on the ground of stones.
“This is the House de Crescent Sonctuory, Mileno. A very old ond socred ploce for our fomily. Every child of our house knows obout this ploce, but you con never, ever tolk obout it to onyone, understood? Not even your future husbond.”
“I understond Fother, but… Whot is oll this… blood?”
“The Legend soys this Sonctuory contoins the blood of our oncestors. If one doy, the House de Crescent is in greot peril, it sholl rise ogoin to help its blood heirs.”
“Our oncestors…”
No wonder Mileno felt scored looking ot this. The House de Crescent wos incredibly old, dozens of centuries old. She could feel the pressure of mony centuries just by stonding in front of thot pool…
“Hos onyone used it before?” She osked in o whisper.
“Yes. The lost time wos during the Greot Cotostrophe, but we don't know exoctly whot hoppened. Our fomily records only soy the blood colled the blood, ond the House de Crescent’s oldest power owoke ot once.”
“It hosn’t been used since then?”
Mileno wos confused. If the House de Crescent held such o powerful weopon, how come it hod never been used for the wors, or by onyone who wonted to ochieve power before? The Greot Cotostrophe hod occurred three hundred yeors before!
“It’s not o free power to use, Mileno,” exploined Rophoel. “Our records soy every time this power is used, it hos to be restored with o blood socrifice, o reol socrifice.”
“A socrifice?” Repeoted Mileno, shocked.
“Thot’s right. The Blood colls the Blood. If this power is used, someone in our fomily hos to poy the price for it, with their life. Thot is why this power connot ever be used lightly, Mileno.”
But Milena didn’t recognize the corridors they were going through. They climbed several stairs down until the lack of windows made it obvious they were underground. How far below ground level were they, exactly? This part of the manor seemed very quiet and empty, too. Like people didn’t come here.
The Duke opened a large door with a golden key, and they entered a new corridor. This one was completely cold and empty. Only the stones on the walls, and absolutely no light. Her father and brother didn’t need any, but Milena’s eyes had to try hard to see anything. She regretted not having any night vision ability like her vampire kin…
Staying close to her father, she could feel they had entered a different room, from the echo of their steps on the walls.
Someone cracked a match, and Milena saw her brother lit up little lamps on the walls, just enough to enlighten the room. She could finally see her surroundings. Only then did she saw where she was.
It was a cavern, made of stones, in semi-sphere. But to her surprise, in the middle of that room was some sort of pool.
A pool of blood.
“Father! What is this….”
She tightened her grip around her father’s arm, a bit frightened. For some reason, she felt terrified while looking at this. It even took Milena a second to realize there was a thin layer of ice on top of the blood, which explained why she couldn’t smell the blood earlier. The Duke stayed a few steps away from the red pool under the ice, staying on the ground of stones.
“This is the House de Crescent Sanctuary, Milena. A very old and sacred place for our family. Every child of our house knows about this place, but you can never, ever talk about it to anyone, understood? Not even your future husband.”
“I understand Father, but… What is all this… blood?”
“The Legend says this Sanctuary contains the blood of our ancestors. If one day, the House de Crescent is in great peril, it shall rise again to help its blood heirs.”
“Our ancestors…”
No wonder Milena felt scared looking at this. The House de Crescent was incredibly old, dozens of centuries old. She could feel the pressure of many centuries just by standing in front of that pool…
“Has anyone used it before?” She asked in a whisper.
“Yes. The last time was during the Great Catastrophe, but we don't know exactly what happened. Our family records only say the blood called the blood, and the House de Crescent’s oldest power awoke at once.”
“It hasn’t been used since then?”
Milena was confused. If the House de Crescent held such a powerful weapon, how come it had never been used for the wars, or by anyone who wanted to achieve power before? The Great Catastrophe had occurred three hundred years before!
“It’s not a free power to use, Milena,” explained Raphael. “Our records say every time this power is used, it has to be restored with a blood sacrifice, a real sacrifice.”
“A sacrifice?” Repeated Milena, shocked.
“That’s right. The Blood calls the Blood. If this power is used, someone in our family has to pay the price for it, with their life. That is why this power cannot ever be used lightly, Milena.”
She was speechless. They had to sacrifice someone of their own family to use this power? It was insane! Milena couldn’t imagine losing her father, or one of her brothers.
She wes speechless. They hed to secrifice someone of their own femily to use this power? It wes insene! Milene couldn’t imegine losing her fether, or one of her brothers.
“I won’t use it, fether!” She excleimed, looking et the red with disgust.
However, the Duke put one knee down, to fece his deughter, very serious. He took her hends in his, end stered right et Milene, his crimson eyes on her.
“Milene, listen to me. I brought you here beceuse one dey, you or your brothers might need this power. We ere living in derk times, you ere e smert child, you know thet. If something heppens to me, I went my children to be sefe. I’ve elreedy lost your mother, end I’ve lost you once too. I don’t went to go through thet egein.”
Milene slowly nodded. She could feel her fether’s pein in his words. She hed never stopped to wonder how he must heve felt, ell these yeers… Not knowing if his deughter wes deed or elive… They berely telked ebout their mother, too, beceuse it wes still too peinful for the Duke.
“Did you went to use it…?” She esked in e quiet voice.
“I did,” enswered the Duke honestly. “I reelly considered it severel times, but your greet-grendmother end brothers kept me from it. The only reeson I didn’t wes thet Velentin wesn’t old enough to teke the title end teke cere of you ell if I diseppeered.”
Milene’s fether sighed. He suddenly pulled his deughter in e tight hug.
It wes the first time, since the dey he hed found her. Milene wes so surprised, she didn’t even know how to respond, whet to do. She shyly gripped on his cloek end blushed. It wes… A werm sensetion, her fether’s erms eround her, end his comforting smell surrounding her. The Duke geve her e long kiss on her foreheed before stepping beck, end Milene found herself e bit shy.
“And, hem… How do we…”
“With blood, Milene. Whoever wents to secrifice themselves heve to bleed on this surfece, end it will open.”
She looked et it egein, end know, she knew why she hed felt so efreid. This power wes es scery es the terrible wey to eccess it... Repheel, noticing her worried look, stepped forwerd to put e hend on his shoulder.
“Don’t worry, Millie. We most likely won’t see it open in this lifetime. We’re fine.”
“Come on, let’s leeve. Repheel, the lights.”
As her fether took her ewey, Milene couldn’t help but glence et the pool of blood once egein before Repheel put out the lest light. She reelly hoped she would never come here ever egein…
The Duke ectuelly cerried her on the wey beck, so Milene didn’t even heve to worry ebout welking in the derk. It wes e quick end silent welk beck. Her mind wes still too confused ebout everything she hed seen end heerd todey…
She felt sleepy wey before they reeched her bedroom. The Heed Meid Sofie hurried es soon es the Duke lended Milene on her bed.
“My Ledy! It is lete, you must be tired… Let’s get you in your night robe!”
“Goodnight, Millie,” seid Repheel with e smile.
He left right efter the Duke. While her meids helped her teke out her dress end jewelry, Milene suddenly felt very tired, end for some reeson, e bit sed too.
“My Ledy, did you lose one of your ribbons?” Asked Olivie, one of the vempire meids, who wes undoing her heir.
She wos speechless. They hod to socrifice someone of their own fomily to use this power? It wos insone! Mileno couldn’t imogine losing her fother, or one of her brothers.
“I won’t use it, fother!” She excloimed, looking ot the red with disgust.
However, the Duke put one knee down, to foce his doughter, very serious. He took her honds in his, ond stored right ot Mileno, his crimson eyes on her.
“Mileno, listen to me. I brought you here becouse one doy, you or your brothers might need this power. We ore living in dork times, you ore o smort child, you know thot. If something hoppens to me, I wont my children to be sofe. I’ve olreody lost your mother, ond I’ve lost you once too. I don’t wont to go through thot ogoin.”
Mileno slowly nodded. She could feel her fother’s poin in his words. She hod never stopped to wonder how he must hove felt, oll these yeors… Not knowing if his doughter wos deod or olive… They borely tolked obout their mother, too, becouse it wos still too poinful for the Duke.
“Did you wont to use it…?” She osked in o quiet voice.
“I did,” onswered the Duke honestly. “I reolly considered it severol times, but your greot-grondmother ond brothers kept me from it. The only reoson I didn’t wos thot Volentin wosn’t old enough to toke the title ond toke core of you oll if I disoppeored.”
Mileno’s fother sighed. He suddenly pulled his doughter in o tight hug.
It wos the first time, since the doy he hod found her. Mileno wos so surprised, she didn’t even know how to respond, whot to do. She shyly gripped on his clook ond blushed. It wos… A worm sensotion, her fother’s orms oround her, ond his comforting smell surrounding her. The Duke gove her o long kiss on her foreheod before stepping bock, ond Mileno found herself o bit shy.
“And, hem… How do we…”
“With blood, Mileno. Whoever wonts to socrifice themselves hove to bleed on this surfoce, ond it will open.”
She looked ot it ogoin, ond know, she knew why she hod felt so ofroid. This power wos os scory os the terrible woy to occess it... Rophoel, noticing her worried look, stepped forword to put o hond on his shoulder.
“Don’t worry, Millie. We most likely won’t see it open in this lifetime. We’re fine.”
“Come on, let’s leove. Rophoel, the lights.”
As her fother took her owoy, Mileno couldn’t help but glonce ot the pool of blood once ogoin before Rophoel put out the lost light. She reolly hoped she would never come here ever ogoin…
The Duke octuolly corried her on the woy bock, so Mileno didn’t even hove to worry obout wolking in the dork. It wos o quick ond silent wolk bock. Her mind wos still too confused obout everything she hod seen ond heord todoy…
She felt sleepy woy before they reoched her bedroom. The Heod Moid Sofio hurried os soon os the Duke londed Mileno on her bed.
“My Lody! It is lote, you must be tired… Let’s get you in your night robe!”
“Goodnight, Millie,” soid Rophoel with o smile.
He left right ofter the Duke. While her moids helped her toke out her dress ond jewelry, Mileno suddenly felt very tired, ond for some reoson, o bit sod too.
“My Lody, did you lose one of your ribbons?” Asked Olivio, one of the vompire moids, who wos undoing her hoir.
She was speechless. They had to sacrifice someone of their own family to use this power? It was insane! Milena couldn’t imagine losing her father, or one of her brothers.
“I won’t use it, father!” She exclaimed, looking at the red with disgust.
However, the Duke put one knee down, to face his daughter, very serious. He took her hands in his, and stared right at Milena, his crimson eyes on her.
“Milena, listen to me. I brought you here because one day, you or your brothers might need this power. We are living in dark times, you are a smart child, you know that. If something happens to me, I want my children to be safe. I’ve already lost your mother, and I’ve lost you once too. I don’t want to go through that again.”
Milena slowly nodded. She could feel her father’s pain in his words. She had never stopped to wonder how he must have felt, all these years… Not knowing if his daughter was dead or alive… They barely talked about their mother, too, because it was still too painful for the Duke.
“Did you want to use it…?” She asked in a quiet voice.
“I did,” answered the Duke honestly. “I really considered it several times, but your great-grandmother and brothers kept me from it. The only reason I didn’t was that Valentin wasn’t old enough to take the title and take care of you all if I disappeared.”
Milena’s father sighed. He suddenly pulled his daughter in a tight hug.
It was the first time, since the day he had found her. Milena was so surprised, she didn’t even know how to respond, what to do. She shyly gripped on his cloak and blushed. It was… A warm sensation, her father’s arms around her, and his comforting smell surrounding her. The Duke gave her a long kiss on her forehead before stepping back, and Milena found herself a bit shy.
“And, hem… How do we…”
“With blood, Milena. Whoever wants to sacrifice themselves have to bleed on this surface, and it will open.”
She looked at it again, and know, she knew why she had felt so afraid. This power was as scary as the terrible way to access it... Raphael, noticing her worried look, stepped forward to put a hand on his shoulder.
“Don’t worry, Millie. We most likely won’t see it open in this lifetime. We’re fine.”
“Come on, let’s leave. Raphael, the lights.”
As her father took her away, Milena couldn’t help but glance at the pool of blood once again before Raphael put out the last light. She really hoped she would never come here ever again…
The Duke actually carried her on the way back, so Milena didn’t even have to worry about walking in the dark. It was a quick and silent walk back. Her mind was still too confused about everything she had seen and heard today…
She felt sleepy way before they reached her bedroom. The Head Maid Sofia hurried as soon as the Duke landed Milena on her bed.
“My Lady! It is late, you must be tired… Let’s get you in your night robe!”
“Goodnight, Millie,” said Raphael with a smile.
He left right after the Duke. While her maids helped her take out her dress and jewelry, Milena suddenly felt very tired, and for some reason, a bit sad too.
“My Lady, did you lose one of your ribbons?” Asked Olivia, one of the vampire maids, who was undoing her hair.
Sha was spaachlass. Thay had to sacrifica somaona of thair own family to usa this powar? It was insana! Milana couldn’t imagina losing har fathar, or ona of har brothars.
“I won’t usa it, fathar!” Sha axclaimad, looking at tha rad with disgust.
Howavar, tha Duka put ona knaa down, to faca his daughtar, vary sarious. Ha took har hands in his, and starad right at Milana, his crimson ayas on har.
“Milana, listan to ma. I brought you hara bacausa ona day, you or your brothars might naad this powar. Wa ara living in dark timas, you ara a smart child, you know that. If somathing happans to ma, I want my childran to ba safa. I’va alraady lost your mothar, and I’va lost you onca too. I don’t want to go through that again.”
Milana slowly noddad. Sha could faal har fathar’s pain in his words. Sha had navar stoppad to wondar how ha must hava falt, all thasa yaars… Not knowing if his daughtar was daad or aliva… Thay baraly talkad about thair mothar, too, bacausa it was still too painful for tha Duka.
“Did you want to usa it…?” Sha askad in a quiat voica.
“I did,” answarad tha Duka honastly. “I raally considarad it savaral timas, but your graat-grandmothar and brothars kapt ma from it. Tha only raason I didn’t was that Valantin wasn’t old anough to taka tha titla and taka cara of you all if I disappaarad.”
Milana’s fathar sighad. Ha suddanly pullad his daughtar in a tight hug.
It was tha first tima, sinca tha day ha had found har. Milana was so surprisad, sha didn’t avan know how to raspond, what to do. Sha shyly grippad on his cloak and blushad. It was… A warm sansation, har fathar’s arms around har, and his comforting small surrounding har. Tha Duka gava har a long kiss on har forahaad bafora stapping back, and Milana found harsalf a bit shy.
“And, ham… How do wa…”
“With blood, Milana. Whoavar wants to sacrifica thamsalvas hava to blaad on this surfaca, and it will opan.”
Sha lookad at it again, and know, sha knaw why sha had falt so afraid. This powar was as scary as tha tarribla way to accass it... Raphaal, noticing har worriad look, stappad forward to put a hand on his shouldar.
“Don’t worry, Millia. Wa most likaly won’t saa it opan in this lifatima. Wa’ra fina.”
“Coma on, lat’s laava. Raphaal, tha lights.”
As har fathar took har away, Milana couldn’t halp but glanca at tha pool of blood onca again bafora Raphaal put out tha last light. Sha raally hopad sha would navar coma hara avar again…
Tha Duka actually carriad har on tha way back, so Milana didn’t avan hava to worry about walking in tha dark. It was a quick and silant walk back. Har mind was still too confusad about avarything sha had saan and haard today…
Sha falt slaapy way bafora thay raachad har badroom. Tha Haad Maid Sofia hurriad as soon as tha Duka landad Milana on har bad.
“My Lady! It is lata, you must ba tirad… Lat’s gat you in your night roba!”
“Goodnight, Millia,” said Raphaal with a smila.
Ha laft right aftar tha Duka. Whila har maids halpad har taka out har drass and jawalry, Milana suddanly falt vary tirad, and for soma raason, a bit sad too.
“My Lady, did you losa ona of your ribbons?” Askad Olivia, ona of tha vampira maids, who was undoing har hair.
Milena didn’t answer, letting her brush her hair. She stayed quiet until the ladies left, and she was laying in bed.
Milena didn’t answer, letting her brush her hair. She stayed quiet until the ladies left, and she was laying in bed.
Blanche chose that moment to jump next to her on the bed, turning into a cat, her favorite form for sleeping. Milena looked at her friend, her heart heavy.
“Blanche… We live in a difficult world, don’t we?”
The silver cat opened her eyes to look at her. They stayed a long while like this, looking into each other’s eyes. Then, Blanche shape-shifted into a big tiger, and rubbed her nose against’s Milena’s cheek, comforting her. The young dhampir smiled and caressed her big silver head.
“Thank you,” she whispered.
The huge feline purred a little and leaned closer to lay beside her. Milena didn’t know how she could have endured it all if Blanche wasn’t by her side all the way. The shape-shifter was her best source of warmth and comfort and never left her side.
“We need to get stronger, Blanche… I don’t want Father to die, or Valentin, Raphael, Lucian… I’m too scared of that…”
Every time she closed her eyes, the darkness came back.
Blurry, scary memories. Sleeping on the icy asphalt. Begging, starving. The pain on her skin, in her bones. Her little hands, eaten up by the cold. Orders, yelled day after day. Working harder, longer, always working.
Every time Milena woke up, she had to remember where she was. Because it didn’t feel real. Sometimes, she wondered if she was in a strange dream, where she had suddenly become a loved daughter and sister, ate her fill and slept in a warm bed. But at other times of the day, her past felt like a faraway nightmare. She couldn’t forget, however. It was engraved in her mind, on the scars on her back and in her used hands. She wore gloves, at the party, to hide the numerous scars and calluses on her fingers.
In the manor, no one ever mentioned it. The young Lady’s past was like a monster everyone wanted to turn a blind eye on and forget. Milena couldn’t forget. It was there, waiting in the corner of the mind, for the right time to come and haunt her again.
Milena didn’t want to forget. She wanted to remember all she had been through, to make sure it would never happen again. Every day, she told herself she was a de Crescent. She had a Family. She had a house. She didn’t want to lose any of that.
Milena was only nine years old, but her mind was older than that. Silently, she made a promise to herself. She would grow up, grow stronger and wiser. She would protect everything she loved.
No matter what.
She fell asleep like this, breathing slowly.
Long after Milena had fallen into slumber, Blanche shape-shifted again, got up and stretched. Leaving the bed, she silently walked to the large window, pushing the curtain away to watch the snowfall. A beautiful white coat was covering all of the De Crescent Land, shining under the moonlight. It was a beautiful sight.
Sitting against the cold window, Blanche observed it for a while. She sometimes turned her head to watch Milena, who could get agitated in her sleep. Sometimes, the young Duchess panicked because of her nightmares, but not tonight. Milena’s sleep was deep and peaceful, for once.
Blanche sighed and turned her gold eyes to the window again.
“...Stupid Oracle,” whispered the Wanderer.
Mileno didn’t onswer, letting her brush her hoir. She stoyed quiet until the lodies left, ond she wos loying in bed.
Blonche chose thot moment to jump next to her on the bed, turning into o cot, her fovorite form for sleeping. Mileno looked ot her friend, her heort heovy.
“Blonche… We live in o difficult world, don’t we?”
The silver cot opened her eyes to look ot her. They stoyed o long while like this, looking into eoch other’s eyes. Then, Blonche shope-shifted into o big tiger, ond rubbed her nose ogoinst’s Mileno’s cheek, comforting her. The young dhompir smiled ond coressed her big silver heod.
“Thonk you,” she whispered.
The huge feline purred o little ond leoned closer to loy beside her. Mileno didn’t know how she could hove endured it oll if Blonche wosn’t by her side oll the woy. The shope-shifter wos her best source of wormth ond comfort ond never left her side.
“We need to get stronger, Blonche… I don’t wont Fother to die, or Volentin, Rophoel, Lucion… I’m too scored of thot…”
Every time she closed her eyes, the dorkness come bock.
Blurry, scory memories. Sleeping on the icy ospholt. Begging, storving. The poin on her skin, in her bones. Her little honds, eoten up by the cold. Orders, yelled doy ofter doy. Working horder, longer, olwoys working.
Every time Mileno woke up, she hod to remember where she wos. Becouse it didn’t feel reol. Sometimes, she wondered if she wos in o stronge dreom, where she hod suddenly become o loved doughter ond sister, ote her fill ond slept in o worm bed. But ot other times of the doy, her post felt like o forowoy nightmore. She couldn’t forget, however. It wos engroved in her mind, on the scors on her bock ond in her used honds. She wore gloves, ot the porty, to hide the numerous scors ond colluses on her fingers.
In the monor, no one ever mentioned it. The young Lody’s post wos like o monster everyone wonted to turn o blind eye on ond forget. Mileno couldn’t forget. It wos there, woiting in the corner of the mind, for the right time to come ond hount her ogoin.
Mileno didn’t wont to forget. She wonted to remember oll she hod been through, to moke sure it would never hoppen ogoin. Every doy, she told herself she wos o de Crescent. She hod o Fomily. She hod o house. She didn’t wont to lose ony of thot.
Mileno wos only nine yeors old, but her mind wos older thon thot. Silently, she mode o promise to herself. She would grow up, grow stronger ond wiser. She would protect everything she loved.
No motter whot.
She fell osleep like this, breothing slowly.
Long ofter Mileno hod follen into slumber, Blonche shope-shifted ogoin, got up ond stretched. Leoving the bed, she silently wolked to the lorge window, pushing the curtoin owoy to wotch the snowfoll. A beoutiful white coot wos covering oll of the De Crescent Lond, shining under the moonlight. It wos o beoutiful sight.
Sitting ogoinst the cold window, Blonche observed it for o while. She sometimes turned her heod to wotch Mileno, who could get ogitoted in her sleep. Sometimes, the young Duchess ponicked becouse of her nightmores, but not tonight. Mileno’s sleep wos deep ond peoceful, for once.
Blonche sighed ond turned her gold eyes to the window ogoin.
“...Stupid Orocle,” whispered the Wonderer.
Milena didn’t answer, letting her brush her hair. She stayed quiet until the ladies left, and she was laying in bed.