The Lunar Guardians

Prologue

The night air was cool as the Full Moon of Lunare shone brightly against the inky black of the night. There was no stars in sight. Several men waited silently outside a house. There were six of them. They were dressed in black and blended well into the shadows. Warm golden light radiated out of the house while the chimney spewed out a steady smoky stream indicating there were people home.

A man completely stood out from the five other men. He was dressed lavishly in a navy suit and tie. He strode out to the front of the door, showing no hesitation in his steps. He raised his hand and balled them into a fist and knocked on the door. 

Inside the house, Zira was seated at the dining table next to her older twin sister, Zorya as the both of them watched their mother waltzed from the kitchen carrying a dish of steaming braised pork belly. Zorya scooted closer to Zira, her chair tilted ever so slightly before righting itself as their mother placed the dish at the center of the table.

Both sisters got up and knelt on their chairs as they waited patiently for their mother to bring the most important part of dinner: the steamed buns. It was their first attempt at making the buns with their mother, who, had coached them through it for the first time ever. They had spent half a day making them and Zira could not wait any longer. She was ready to dig in.

When the knock came, Zira looked at the door and hopped down from her seat and ran to the door to answer it. The King of Lunare, King Ciaran stood at the door. He was a towering figure against Zira's small frame. He looked down at her and smiled, his teeth all pearly white.

Before he could say anything, Zira's voice ran out, "Mom!! The King is here!"

Mom emerged from the kitchen with the steam buns and quickly placed them down on the dining table. "Go back inside and start eating with your sister," she told Zira as she smiled before dipping into a low curtsy to the king.

"Estelle. You must come with us. There has been," King Ciaran paused, "a situation with the one of the Guardians. As the leader, you must be held responsible and be put on trial."

Zira bounded down towards the dining table before stopping in her tracks and turned around at the sound of her mother's voice of shocked and disbelief, "What do mean by this?"

"The Guardians only move on your orders," King Ciaran said, "you have power unrivaled after mine but is this how you use it? To order an attempt on the life of my wife and your Queen?"

Mom's eyes widened and she opened her mouth to speak but no words came out. She was at a loss of words before shaking her head, "There must be an misunderstanding. Twyla is my best friend. She's like a sister to me. I would never harm her. I have not had a meeting with the Guardians since the previous month's New Moon."

"Then explain why your right hand was caught escaping from Twyla's room after stabbing her?"

"I ordered no such thing! If anything, Yiska must have done it on his own accord," Zira could see Mom's body had stiffened and full of tension.

King Ciaran took a step towards her and, she took a step back, "The fact you knew who before I could say has proven your knowledge on this matter. And as such, you must stand trial for your involvement." 

Two men appeared behind King Ciaran and reached out to grab Mom by both of her shoulders. Mom took a step behind and ducked. She came out of their reach. She turned and looked at Zira. Zira could see fear in her mother's eyes. Zira had never seen her mother afraid before. Her mother had always appeared brave and strong. She had never once waivered in the face of danger because she was a warrior. She was a Lunar Guardian.

Mom took another look at Zira and turned to Zorya, "Run! The both of you! Run now!" Mom's voice was desperate. It was a plea. It made Zira very afraid. Zira was scared now as she moved her little legs towards Zorya.

Zira grabbed Zorya's hand and pulled her down from her chair. The chair titled to the left from the force and cluttered to the ground. Zira didn't know where to run. She ran towards the stairs and she turned around to see if their mother was behind them. Zorya had tugged free of Zira's grasped and had ran ahead of Zira.

Instead, Mom had her sword in her hand. Zira did not know where her mother got her sword from.

There were more men in black in the house now. They too, had weapons. Each of them like Mom, held a sword and they were swinging it at her. Mom dodged each swing as she backed further into the house and into the dining room.

The men advanced on Mom before she grabbed the dish of pork belly from the dinning table and threw it at them. One of the men, cried out in pain as the meat and sauce scalded his hand causing him to drop his sword.

"Do not run Estelle," King Ciaran's voice echoed through the house. It was strangely loud in Zira's ears. "It would only make it harder on you and your girls."

At that, Mom looked past the men and towards the king, "If I were to go with you...willingly," Mom turned to look at Zira, frozen in place at the steps. "You swear to me that nothing and no harm will befall my daughters."

"Very well. I swear. I am a man of my word after all," King Ciaran said dismissively with a wave of his right hand. Zira could see that they were bejewelled with multiple rings with various colours of different gem stones. "They will be taken care of."

At that very answer, Zira saw her mother smiled at her reassuringly. A smile where Zira knew no matter how bad the situation, it would be okay. Mom then let her sword clutter to the ground. She placed both of her hands up in surrender as one of the men stepped forward and took her mother's hands and restrained them behind her back. The sound of metal clanged sharply as she saw the man placing her mother's hands in silver chains.

Zira stared at her mother before she cried out, "Mom!" and she ran towards her. She clutched her mother's leg. Zira was scared but she knew that she couldn't let the bad men take away her mother. 

"Little moon," Mom's voice was a gentle whisper as she kneeled down to Zira's height. "Listen to them. You and Zorya must be brave. I won't be long. I promise I will return to the both of you very soon." 

Mom looked at Zira and kissed her forehead before the man who had chained her, yanked her up and dragged her away from Zira, the chains clangged with each step.

"Take her and the other one as well," King Ciaran ordered as another one of the man scooped Zira up in his arms. Zira could feel big fat tears welled up and she began to sob and sob, calling for her Mom to not leave her. She sobbed against the man's chest as he went up to take Zorya as well.

They found Zorya in their room. She was hiding underneath her blanket. Zira could see through her blur of tears that Zorya was shaking. She was scared too. The man took Zorya up and held both of them in his arms.

"Shhhh," the man whispered softly as he cradled both of them in his arms. He sat down on Zorya's bed. Zira continued sobbing and looked up at him in between tears. He was looking down at the both of them, a small gentle smile tugged at his lips. 

Zorya has stopped shaking and had reached out and was holding onto Zira's hand. Zira felt better with Zorya next to her. The three of them sat there until Zira's sobs quieten and she was hiccupping. 

Zira looked at Zorya and Zorya looked at her. They stared at each other until Zira felt her eyes were heavy and she shut them.

Zira did not know what happened next but when she woke up, she and Zorya was in an unfamiliar bedroom and their mother was nowhere to be seen.