'Once In A Blue Moon' (ON HOLD)

Chapter Three

Genevieve's POV

We've been walking for days now, not changing direction, simply dragging our feet. We have not come across anywhere to begin learning, I am frightened that we have taken too long, that Artemis will no longer wish to help us.

"Where do you think we are?" Vi asks quietly, her voice croaky.

"I'm not sure sister, but we must keep going."

"I'm exhausted." She whispers, I look up to the sky and see the blue slowly turning darker.

"Okay, we'll rest here for the night." I open my bag and pull out some sheets laying them on the dry earth. I grab some wood from the ground and start a fire. "Do you think Artemis has given up on us?"

Just as Violet opens her mouth to speak a familiar voice sounds from behind us. "Never girls, why would you think that?"

"Because we have been taking forever, we just cannot find a place suitable for our needs." I say softly.

"It's okay, you will find one soon. Rest well and carry on tomorrow, I see some luck in your path." She whispers the last part and disappears from view.

"She's right, we can't give up. Not yet." Vi days before drifting off to sleep, I follow swiftly.

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We wake up quickly, grabbing our things and placing it back in our bags. We have a quick drink and a small snack before heading off again. Our hope renewed.

After two more hours of walking Vi begins to complain about how tired she is. I zone out from her whining and concentrate on something in the field in front of us. "Vi look!" I shout before pointing at the building hidden within the wild grass.

"We found it, we actually found it." She says before taking off towards the building me following closely behind. We reach it in seconds, marvelling at our new found speed. "It definitely needs fixing, but it's perfect. Artemis!"

The ghostly figure appears next to her, "Well done girls. Now we must fix this up before you try and live in it." She smiles and waves her delicate hand. The weeds fall away and the house begins to rebuild itself, the roof filling back in. "It's not much..." she trails off.

"It's perfect." Me and Vi whisper. We throw back the curtain and search the inside. A small area for a fire sits to the right of the door, to the left two beds one above the other. A private room to the back which is most likely the washroom.

"There's a well just outside for clean water for cooking and drinking. But that won't be needed soon." Artemis says.

"What do you mean?" Vi asks.

"The first thing you will learn is how to harness the elements. How to control wind, temper fire, raise the earth and flow with water."

"Brilliant." I whisper excitedly.

"For now girls you must rest, build your strength. We will start tomorrow." She says happily before vanishing.

"I can't believe it!" I say excitedly before collapsing on the bottom bed.

"Me neither... I wish Papa was here."

"I believe he is here somewhere, just hidden."

"Peculiar, but it is comforting. Could you light the fire please?" She asks kindly. I roll off the bed and walk straight to the fire. I arrange the logs and twigs before setting it alight. 

I spin around to see Violet's purple eyes shut, her brown hair covering half of her face and most of her back. She breathes evenly, signalling that she's already asleep.

I smile before climbing into my bed and closing my eyes.

"I do not understand this word, fasc-in-ating. What does it mean Mama?"

"It means very interesting."

"Oh, why must I learn these words?" 

"Because it will help you to get a husband, to become happy."

"But I am happy. Here mama, why would I ever want to leave?"

"One day you might my child, but for now be thankful for what you have because others do not have the same. Do you understand?"

"Yes mama."

"Good girl, now continue to read."

"A werewolf pack has an al-alpha, a Beta and when the alpha finds his mate she becomes a Luna.. I do not understand can girls not be alphas."

"In this world darling, women are seen as less than men, that we are not as strong or important."

"Why?"

"I do not know, perhaps one day it'll change but for now that's all we can do."

"Okay mama."

I jolt awake in my bed and shake my head, as if it would remove the memory. I get up and pull the curtain back from the door to get a good look at the sky. The sun is beginning to rise, which means it's time for the day to start.

"Sister you must get up." I say whilst shaking Violet's sleeping body.

"Why?" She whines.

"So that Artemis can teach us to handle the elements." She immediately jerks awake and locks eyes with something behind me.

"Good morning girls."

"Good morning Artemis." We say simultaneously.

"Get dressed and meet me outside we have much to do." We nod and she evaporates, most likely to the front garden. We dress quickly and walk into the brisk morning air. "First you will learn how to harness earth." We nod again and she gestures for us to come closer.

"Okay how do we do that?" Violet asks.

"Breathe deeply, clear your mind." She starts, I close my eyes and my mind is wiped clean. "Imagine what you want to grow, imagine it moving, pulling, growing." I feel a small tingle in my arms before it grows to full blown sparks.

I feel the plants brush against my legs, I open my eyes and stare at the beautiful yellow flowers that had grown at my command. I turn to Violet who is surround by red flowers. "Brilliant girls. Now we move on to something harder, a tree for example." I close my eyes again and wait for the sparks.

I imagine the bright green leaves, the trunk, and the apples that will sprout from the branches. I open my eyes and take a step back to admire what I had conjured. I grasp an apple in my hand and bring it to my mouth, the fruit is sweet and crunchy.

"It seems we chose the same thing to grow." Violet says as she takes a bite from the apple. I smile before turning back to Artemis.

"What's next?!" I say with a smirk, it won't be hard I know that much.