Crown of Fire

Chapter 1

Okay guys so I've been working on this story for the past few months and I got to six chapters. But I hope you guys enjoy this! So this is just a preview. So things might change. Hahaha I hope you guys enjoy!

Gabriel lifted his head to feel the wind brush a sweet kiss along his neck. Ever so slowly, it trailed up to his cheek, then left like a thief in the night, not before making the trees bow before the young princes and princesses. Gabriel opened his brown eyes and glanced at his beloved siblings. Eveyln, the eldest girl in the siblings, sat a few spaces ahead of him, taking in the serenity and tranquility of the great lake that laid ahead. The soft waves of Lake Ob brushed against the shore where the rest of his siblings played, dancing along their toes. Gabriel could be like this forever. Peace. It was peaceful. How could it not be? The only sound besides the laughter of his younger siblings was the sound of the birds and the wind.

Gabriel was so caught in the tranquility that Lake Ob gave off that he completely forgot to thank his parents for taking them to a place like this on such a beautiful day. The sky was so blue that he could have sworn that it was the ocean had he not been from this realm. It was so random, this trip, it was as if they were on the run and had to escape quickly. But Gabriel dismissed that silly thought and focused on his siblings. "Stand down, General Aiden!" demanded his fourteen year old sister, Layla. She deepened her voice to sound like a gruffy old pirate.

"General?" Aiden gasped, placing his hand over his heart. "Why, I'd never! It's KING Aiden to you, nasty pirate!" Gabriel let out a soft chuckle as he watched Layla trying to scan her mind for a come back. While the young teen was distracted, Aiden shouted, "Now! Attack!!" Like they planned it, Ezra – Aiden's twin brother – leapt out of his hiding spot in the bushes and jumped on Layla, pinning her to the ground. Gabriel winced as he heard the thud of the two bodies gnawing and scratching at each other.

"Edwin! HELP ME!" Layla yelled, trying to wrestle herself away from Ezra. Although the two were separated through time, Ezra seemed to outnumber her through strength. Which was surprising since Ezra and Aiden were only ten. Gabriel turned his head to the youngest of the family, Edwin, who was shifting his feet in the sand.

"It's not like he would stand a chance compared to me," snapped Ezra, his eyes gleaming in victory as Layla huffed beneath him. "He's only eight."

"Hey! I'm just as powerful and mighty as you are!" Edwin growled. The boy lifted his wooden sword, and faced Ezra.

"Oh yeah?" Ezra grinned, lifting off Layla. As he did, Layla scrambled to her feet and ran over to Edwin. "We'll see about that–" Gabriel turned his head away. Although they were on a small vacation he had no need to listen to the two brothers fight about who was stronger. Gabriel already went through that phase and he hoped that he'll stay away from it. He took a quick glance behind him and saw his mother, Queen Josephine, looking directly at where Gabriel had once looked. Her bright green eyes flickered in sorrow. Queen Josephine's eyes were one of a kind. None of the other siblings had the same eyes besides Edwin. When he was born some of the townspeople were wondering if Edwin was really part of this family, mostly due to his eyes but was also his unearthly pale skin that he wore that unsettled people as well, but it wasn't until they saw Gabriel's mother did they realize it was from her. Gabriel tried not to dwell on the fact that Queen Josephine was watching Edwin and stood up to walk over to Eveyln.

Maybe Mother was just dozing off, he thought. It happens. Eveyln's brown wavy hair blew in the wind, some strands going all over the place, but other than that, she stayed completely still. Layla would tell him otherwise, but ever since she turned fourteen, Eveyln had been acting strange. It was like this large cloud of despair and pain and suffering clouded her. Everywhere she walked, every room she walked into, you could sense it. Gabriel never wanted to ask her why she was like that. He didn't want to intrude on her or cross a boundary. When Evelyn was ready, she'd tell him why. Until then, Gabriel just prayed to whatever gods that were out there that Ezra or Layla never noticed the difference until she told them. There was no doubt that those two would be the one to pressure her into telling them.