Pandora and the Blood Ring

Chapter 1 Before It All

Have you ever woke up one day to realize something wasn't right? I did and that's how all of this started my life is forever changed and all I did was wake up on my 16th birthday begrudgingly and accept a present from a stranger now I find out I'm the last hope for peace between races I never knew existed.

"Happy Birthday to you Happy Birthday to you Happy Birthday Pandora Happy birthday to you"!!!!!

I was startled awake today by a lot of loud singing. 10 years ago this was funny and enjoyable lately not so much, so I just stared in horror out of one cracked eye as they kept joyfully singing and jumping on my bed.

Temperance Falcon my foster mother was the worse she sat on the bed and tried to pry my eyes open with her fingers.

  "uggggggh god Temperance do we have to do this every year?  I hate birthdays I don't want or need the extra attention."

As she replies I know exactly what she's going to say.

"But you are special honey and since it's your birthday that makes today super super special and we need to celebrate."

 "No we don't"

"Well were going to so just deal with it. Now get out of bed get dressed and put on a fake smile."

Finally they all left my room and I lay there for a few minutes longer just staring up at the ceiling studying the castle on a cliff with a setting sun on an ocean, I had drawn there a few years before I had just woke up from a dream and suddenly felt the need and I had done a beautiful job if I do say so myself.  It was calming to look at and I don't know why but the mural just felt homey sometimes when I was dozing off I could feel the salty warm breeze and watch the waves move out to sea.

 "PANDORA LETS GO!"

 I finally managed to crawl over to the closet and pick out an outfit leather corset top and black leather pants with my knee high boots.

As I finally managed to make it to the shower and lather up with my coffee scrub which always wakes me up. Clean and dressed I stomp downstairs half way down I smell bacon,  omg how I love bacon the woman always knew how to get me coffee and bacon. I jumped the last few steps to land in the entryway to the kitchen everyone was in there crowded around, all 12 of them when there was barely room to breathe with 5 people in there but that's how it is in a foster home,  overcrowded we were all lucky though Temperance was one who really cared about everyone and took good care of us even the oldest few got to have their own rooms for privacy which I was grateful for.

 Once everyone was in the kitchen we all ate and they headed to school all that was left was me and Temperance on your birthday you got to stay home and spend the day shopping and movies and all sorts of things which wasn't really my thing but I always went along with it because she always looked so happy to do it and she was rarely truly happy ever since her husband died in a freak accident which she won't talk about.

 "So birthday girl what is in our plans for today any ideas or am I the one doing the plans today?"

  “You can decide, as long as it's fun and eventually involves food I'm in."

Her bright jade green eyes sparkled at the opportunity of planning things fun to do especially with me I was the oldest in the group and I had been with her the longest, after my parents died when i was 3 another foster family died in a fire when I was 6, I was finally chose to go live with Temperance and it turned out well she was weird and secretive a lot but her kindness always outshined the weird.

6hrs later

Finally after 2 movies endless shopping coffee at Starbucks and ice skating in central park we finally found somewhere to have dinner this new restaurant that opened today called Forbidden somehow she got us reservations.