Moon Kissed (Currently Editing)

Chapter 2

Three figures wearing black cloaks with the hoods on had walked into the store. As they gently pushed back the hoods - simultaneously - I felt a breath hitch in my throat. In the last few months of their stay, this was the closest I'd ever been to them.
"Lissa, these are three of my children. Serena, Ivan and Nolen. I'm sure you all know Lissa." Zach introduce.
Suddenly, I felt compelled to look at Zach. When I did, I noticed how incredibly young he looked. And judging by the look of the people standing before us, not one of them could be his biological child - even if he wedded at the age of 18.
Something else caught my attention. There was a noticeable trait they all shared.
Beauty.
They had an air of danger and mystery that mixed with their pale skin and vivid eyes.
They were very beautiful indeed.
Just like the blood lily.
"Its nice to meet you." I politely said with a curtsey.
All I received in reply were frowns and shocked stares.
Just as I'd begun to wonder what I'd done wrong, I heard Alexa yell from the store's inventory room.
"Darius! I can't find the dew roots!"
"Dew roots? Oh yes. They should be around here... Somewhere." Darius gazed helplessly at the numerous rows and columns of potions and herbs before him.
I felt the sapphire necklace my grandmother gave me tingle lightly and I knew what was coming. Unable to stop myself, I said;
"Dew roots - fourth column, three rows to your right."
Darius knew what I was capable of so didn't ask but, followed my directions and retrieved a pouch of roots.
The Salvatores - as well as Eric - stared at me. One look in particular stood out - from the boy... Nolen, who glared at me, jaws rigid and eyes burning in hate.
Luckily, my savior - Alexa - walked in, putting an end to the flood of questions going through my mind.
"Lissa! How are you?" She smiled, hugging me.
"You know.... Just there. I was just passing by." I shrugged with a smile of my own.
She turned to Darius and dropped a basket of herbs and potions on the table in front him.
"I found everything except the dew roots." She stated with a slight frown.
"I found that one... Well, Lissa did. Thanks for all your help, Alexa." Darius beamed, gratefully.
"Anytime." Alexa nodded and tuned to me, "Ready to go?"
I nodded and turned to face Zach and his family.
"It was nice meeting you all. Bye Darius. Bye Eric."
Alexa and I left arm in arm, walking towards the woods.
"So... What do you think of the Salvatores? The ones you met anyways." She questioned.
"They seem nice."
"Care to elaborate on nice a little?"
I blushed and looked down at my feet.
"You'll think I'm weird."
"Lissa! Have I ever thought of you as weird?" She asked in mock hurt.
"Founders carnival?" I folded my arms with a quirked eyebrow.
"That was a year ago. And, I was still working on the half faerie thing." She defensively stated.
"Fine. I - I thought they were beautiful. Angelically beautiful."
"Sadly, that's not how most people see them."
"Why is that, anyways? Why are they being treated as outcasts? Zach seems wonderful. And from what I've heard, he's miraculous when it comes to healing."
Zach volunteered to work as the town's physician in his free time and he could cure and heal almost any injury or illness.
"They're different. They look inhumanly pale. Have you noticed how they are always together? At public gatherings, the Salvatore children always sit together and always walk about together. They are also never seen eating in public."
"That just means they're very close and they probably feel shy or something... You sure know a lot about them though."
"The boys are fit to be gods. Even Zach - forgive me for saying that."
I nodded, "It's fine. He is quite... Young, so you're not wrong (AN; That rhymed😊!)."
"And good looking." She added.
"Alexa, you think every boy is good looking."
We giggled a little, then I noticed a patch of blooming daisies a few feet away.
"Can we make a detour?" I asked softly.
A few minutes later, I lay a small bouquet of daisies on my grandmother's grave.
Grandma Verdona was faerie. A very powerful one at that. After my thirteenth birthday, I realized I could perform little acts of magic. I also had a strong connection to nature and elements. She taught me how to harness, develop and control my abilities. Then I found out later on that I wasn't fully a faerie. Only half. My family doesn't know what I am. Or what Grandma was. The only people who know about me are Layla - given that she was really close to Grandma Verdona and she's a Salem witch as well - and Alexa. And Darius. That's why he didn't question me when I helped him find the dew roots.
As to how I was able to find them... I really don't have a clue. I can track stuff and locate them but most times, it happens subconsciously due to my lack of control.
I talked to Grandma for an hour, telling her about Etrigan's latest ... Everything. Alexa respectfully sat on a wooden bench outside the cemetery, waiting for me.
"... And the Salvatores .... They seem different. But I don't think they like me. One of them gazed at me with hate. So harsh and intense... It was like staring at me brought him pain... Well, that's about it Grandma. I miss you, so much. I hope you like the flowers. I know they're your favorite. I love you." I finalized, standing up as I fought back tears.
                                                                                                          ***
"So.... Have you heard from Arielle? Her birthday's coming up and I know she must be writing up her usual wish list." Alexa pointed out as we walked back home.
I didn't feel like going to the woods anymore so we decided she'd come to my house and spend a few hours with me.
"I haven't heard from her. You know she doesn't write me letters."
Arielle is my sister, who's two years older than I am. When we were younger, we were inseparable. All of a sudden, she wouldn't talk to me anymore. I've tried everything to find out what went wrong between us, but in the end all my efforts seemed futile.
"You'd think by the time she heard about the Salvatores, she'd leave that flea infested kingdom and come back home." Alexa mumbled.
"Peruto isn't flea infested.... According to Arielle's letters to father, its monkey infested."
We both laughed before I continued, "And this exchange mission is important. AND its not forever. Etrigan and Peruto both agreed that this would be a good way to end the war."
For decades, a pointless feud existed between Etrigan and our neighboring kingdom, Peruto. In an attempt to bury the hatchet, both kingdons agreed to device an exchange mission in which they decided to send ten young people - five boys and five girls - older than fifteen, younger than twenty to the other kingdom and have their ambassadors experience and learn the kingdom's culture and way of life.
Ariell was chosen as one of the first batch of members. I'd told her right before she left that I would miss her and then in reply she laughed and said in a very distainful tone "Unfortunately, I don't feel the same way. At least I get to spend a little time some where without your selfish attitude for a while."
Those words cut deeper and hurt more than mere words can describe. I was left confused and really upset, wondering what I'd done to receive such harsh words.
As we got closer to my home, Alexa felt the need to state matter-of-factly,
"Still, I thought - don't take this personally, but we both know how much she loves to gossip. I'm sure one of her whisper buddies told her about the Salvatore family."
"While you have a solid point, like I said - the mission of peace between the two kingdoms is important. No matter how juciey the scoop that was dished out to her was, she'll have to come back home when - and IF - its time for her to."
Just as the word left my mouth, we stopped in out tracks as we finally arrived at my house. A few feet away, my parents stood embracing none other than Arielle.
"I guess it is time for her to come home.... Does she seem perkier to you?" Alexa asked quietly.
"Nothing escapes your keen observation, Alexa. Absolutely nothing." I mumbled and she shoved me playfully.
My parents finally noticed our prescence and turned to us with bright, happy smiles.
"Lissa, won't you come and greet your sister? She just got back." My mother said.
Arielle gave me a distainful look full of loathe and hate and I quickly averted my gaze to the ground.
"Welcome home, Arielle. It's good to have you back." I softly stated, keeping my gaze down.
"Alexa, you should stay for dinner." My father offered.
"It would be my pleasure, my lord." She smiled with a curtsey.
After dinner and Alexa's departure, I went upstairs to rest and met a hot bath waiting in my chambers.
"You look stressed. Do you have anything to talk about?" Layla queried kindly.
"A lot. I've got a lot of thing to talk about."
As I soaked in the bathtub, letting the hot water soothe all my tired and aching joints, I told Layla about my day.
".... The Salvatores... Zach seemed nice but his children just silently stared in what appeared to be hate. I know most people don't like them but... If they think I'm like that, they're clearly misguided."
"Clearly. Or they're afraid." Layla said as she loosened by braid.
"Afraid? Of what?" I asked with a frown of confusion, keeping my gaze on the array of bubbles in front of me.
"Of being rejected. It probably has something to do with their past."
"Whatever the reason is... Its no qexcuse to glare at people. Its really rude."
"Really Lissa, was rudeness on your mind when you met them?"
"No... I - I couldn't understand by people didn't like them. They look normal. Beautiful, actually. I could stare at them all day long."
"Ah... Lissa, my sweet. If only people saw the world through your beautiful eyes."
I smiled, blushing at the compliment and pulled a hand out of the soapy water. With a flick of my wrist, a bubble containing water came out of the tub and hovered in the air. With my other hand, I divided the bubble of water into smaller bubbles. Turning to one of the candle that illuminated My room, I drew some fire out and suspended it in the air. Then I moved the water balls into different positions surrounding the fire ball.
The room glittered as light was projected at several points at the same time, giving off a glittery effect.
"You're getting stronger." Layla commented as I mentally willed the flame to return to the candle and the water to my tub.
"Why does Arielle hate me?" I asked suddenly.
"She doesn't hate you, my sweet."
"Well, she doesn't like me either. Every time I talk to her, she shuts me out. What did I ever do to her?"
Without giving her a chance to respond, I went on;
"When we were kids, we were inseparable. We did everything together. I know she's not mean. I know how selfless she can be. Why won't she just speak to me so we'll work things out? Whatever I did, I'm sorry. I'll do anything if it'll get her to act like my sister again."
Layla gave one of her signature sighs that said I'm way too old to be doing this, before replying;
"Lissa, you are beautiful. You are pure of heart and mind. That is why you will always be a the strongest half-blood Fae I know. Don't ever change because of anyone or anything, okay? Things will work out between you and your sister. I'm sure of it."
As I lay in bed that night, I thought about what layla had said earlier. She had a solid point.
If I'm a half-blood Fae, why am I this powerful?
Every faerie has a mark he or she is born with. A crescent moon on their right shoulder, visible to only supernatural creatures until the the faerie turns fourteen, then humans can see it as well. The crescent shaped mark is usually colored in.
However, mine isn't. All that can be seen are black spirals that's supposed to look enchanting with the natural sky blue.
Grandma Verdona always told me I was special. Faerie or not.
Without her, I don't know what to think any more.