Selene

Chapter 1

      As Selene and Winter chased one another around in the palace gardens, Selene noticed her Aunt Levana staring at her the way she usually did. By now, Selene had learned to ignore it, but there was a strange emotion she saw in her aunt's eyes, like a pure determination of some sort. Selene couldn't shake the feeling that her Aunt was up to something. She ran up to her mother, and grabbed her hand, and Winter followed behind. As if on command, Selene's Aunt walked up to Channary, Selene's mother. "Can we speak in private dearest sister?" Aunt Levana asked. "Of course Levana. Girls, go play in the garden." Both Selene and Winter ran off into the flowers.

     Selene sat down on the small dock that rose slightly above the small lake, and Winter plopped down beside her. The water in the lake was always so clear. Selene found herself wanting to dive right into the lake. To her left and right, were a bunch of roses, tulips, and other flowers. Selene loved the Royal garden. It was one of her most favored places in the entire castle. She also enjoyed the kitchen, because the chefs let Selene help them cook, and made her lots of tasty desserts. She recalled one time, when she had tried opening a bag of flour, and when she finally did get it open, the flour went everywhere. Selene thought she would get in trouble, but instead, everyone just laughed. She remembered one of the chefs taking her to her room, and giving her a nice warm bath. Later that same day, Selene walked back to her room after a study session, and finding a batch of fresh sweet rolls on her bedside table. She giggled, and popped one of the rolls in her mouth. They were delicious. Selene remembered wanting to stuff every single one of those rolls into her mouth. This memory reminded her that she was hungry.

     She dipped her barefoot into the water."Winter? Do you even like Levana?" Selene asked, sitting crisscross apple sauce. "Sort of. I always feel like she is up to something. Especially when she stares at us with her wild eyes." Winter said in her high pitched voice, but not before turning around to make sure no one overheard her. Right after Winter had finished her sentence, their talk ended when they heard a thump come from where Selene's mother  and Aunt Levana were sitting. The girls ran towards the sound, and found Levana faking a frightened face and mood, standing above Channary's slowly dying body. "Channary! Oh dear!" Levana screamed, but it was to late to help her, and it wasn't like Levana truly cared anyway. Channary summoned Selene, and she obediently ran up to her Mother. "Selene Blackburn, my beautiful daughter, I need you to know, that I have loved you, ever since the day you were born. Soon, you will be the queen of Artemisia, and everyone will love you." Selene heard her aunt choke on her own spit behind her. Her mother continued, "You are a strong, wonderful, and lovely girl. I love you very much." "I love you to mama." Selene said, as tears clouded her vision. As the Royal Lunar doctors finally showed up, Selene's mother grabbed her hand and squeezed it tightly. "I'll be watching over you in the stars sweet girl." Channary said, before being carried away by the doctors.

     Selene new Channary was going to die. No! Selene had thought, but it was too late. There was nothing that could be done. No matter how hard the doctors tried, Cannary couldn't be saved. Winter ran up to Selene, and hugged her tightly, just as Selene started wailing. Only when Selene had started crying, and she swore she didn't imagine it, she saw her Aunt Levana, role her eyes in disgust.