The Night's Curse #3 (Waverly Stump and The 7 Realms)

Chapter 14

Waverly stared at her dress on the bed, secretly itching to know what it looked like and how it would look on her. It was the evening before the big wedding and the realm still buzzed with activity even as the moon snuck out into the evening sky.

The dress was still folded neatly inside its translucent bag. Cassiope had brought her a light purple flower wreath earlier to go with it but Waverly was still very nervous about trying it on.

"Go on then. I assure you it does not bite." Came a laughing voice from behind.

Waverly turned and found Selene leaning against her table in a beautiful silver dress with a bronze, armor-like vest over it. Her thick hair was braided back neatly and held together in a single bushy pigtail. She looked even prettier than the last time Waverly had seen her.

"I. . . I do not know if it will look good on me." She complained quietly.

Selene smiled. The crescent under her eye gleamed on her dark skin. "Why not find out?"

Waverly let out a deep sigh and picked up the dress. She walked into her bath and tried it on. It was very comfortable, soft and airy and it fell to the ground concealing her legs. She gathered up the dress, stepped out of the bath and walked back into the room.

Selene gasped.

"You look lovely." She gushed, spreading her arms out. Waverly took it and allowed her mother pull her close.

Selene touched her face and smiled, a sort of sad yet proud smile. "It seems only yesterday you were born. Now you're becoming a woman right before my eyes."

Waverly smiled too then her face straightened. "Mother. Tell me about your dealings with Oculmus in the past."

Selene looked slightly taken aback but she smiled nonetheless. "You should not worry about that."

"I am worried." Waverly stated and stepped back. Slowly, a lot of questions began to pour into her mind. "Your temple here is always empty, your statues are the smallest. Back home you have no statues at all and only a few people pray to you. You told me that my father was the last one to oversee your temple. Why is that? Why do people forget you so?"

Selene suddenly looked pained. She hooked her index fingers together and lazily pushed herself away from the table. "There are so many things you will not understand, dear."

"Tell me anyway." Waverly urged. "I will only believe what you tell me. I don't want to believe anyone else."

Selene smiled weakly and came over to rub Waverly's arms. "It makes me glad that you have decided that."

Waverly leaned forward to stare at her in the face. "Will you tell me now?"

Selene nodded gravely. "You were bound to find out someday anyway. I was only afraid that you will hate me after you did."

"I can never hate you." Waverly said softly, reaching up to trace a line across her mother's forehead. "I love you very much, mother."

Selene smiled again and gave Waverly a gentle shake. "And i love you too. You are my lovely brave little girl." She pulled Waverly into a hug and stroked her hair.

"Now come!" She said and led her to sit on the bed.

She took her hand and tapped it gently. "It was so so long ago, Waverly. Back when the world was new, there were only four gods - the primordials; Nalie, Cret, Nys and myself. We were the only ones the world knew and back then there was no Enton so i spent a lot of time down here. I was called Alluna."

Waverly gave Selene's hand a gentle squeeze in the same manner Dermot used to comfort her countless times.

"Oculmus found me easily. I was the one who lit up the night sky - the moon cannot be ignored. He was a force of chaos and was not so distinct from who i was. We became lovers for a long time."