The Fate's Flaw

Prologue

ANNA

Momma cried in her chambers. Uncle Landen was in the room talking to her in hushed tones. If Anna could just get a tad closer to the door without being seen she was sure she would understand what caused her mother such sorrow. Anna didn't understand what had happened or why Momma was so terribly sad when her mother was usually in such good spirits. Papa had not come back two days ago as he was meant to and that was unlike him. Did he run off? Is that why she shed these tears? Anna needed to remember to fuss at him for making Momma upset. Inching closer to the door Anna stepped on the hem of her sundress. She tumbled into the room and her mother looked up with eyes so red from crying it looked as if someone had rubbed the itchy leaves on them.

"Come, sit with me my sweet," her mother ordered in a shaken voice that she could scarcely hear. Anna scrambled from the ground and walked over to the large bed where her mother sat. Uncle Landen looked to Momma and placed his hand gently on her shoulder. Just as Anna made it to the bed Landen walked away and Anna thought she saw a tear on his cheek as well.

"Are you okay Momma?" Anna asked her mother as she placed her small hand in her mother's. Her mother was shaking as if she were cold. Maybe she needs a blanket, she thought to herself. Surely if she was cold she would cover herself with the lavender blanket behind her as she had seen her do so many times before. Anna reached behind her mother and grabbed the small blanket that she had seen her father hand her countless times and wrapped it around her trembling mother. This made Momma cry more. "Why are you so sad Momma?" she asked still confused.

"Annalisa, you know how there has been a bad storm this week?" her mother asked with a fragile sense of strength. Anna nodded. It had been a very bad season and even the weather Fae could not control it. Many of her clan had left already to the Fates Mansion to seek refuge from the storm. They had stayed because Papa had been out when the storm hit. He had gone to visit Grandfather in a clan seven days away. He planned on stopping to visit his sisters on the way. This had caused Momma to keep us here. "Papa was on his way home and got caught in the storm. The lightning hit the big oak tree four miles out while Papa was crossing under it. The branch fell and- "she broke into tears. Suddenly Anna knew why her mother was so distraught. Her hearts sank with the realization. Papa was dead and that was why he had not arrived yet.

It was only a few months later that her mother held her small hands again. Though, this time it was to comfort Anna as she said a final farewell. Another foul storm had pushed its way through the area and Momma had gotten struck by flying debris. The healers worked with her for days but Momma didn't seem to want to be healed. So here Anna stood holding Momma's hand as she passed on.

"You behave for your uncle my sweet. Treat him as you would me and your father. He loves you and will never lead you wrong." These were her mother's last words before she took her last breath.

BRAVEN

Braven's skin stung from the sun's kiss. His arms were tired from swimming all day, but he wanted nothing more than to stay in the water with his sister and swim all day. He loved the water. He loved the feeling it left on his skin. Though he was only a child he knew he would live by the water one day.

"It's time to go," their mother called to them as they played in the creek. Luna and Braven had begged for one more hour the last time she called to them, that time was up. The sun was beginning to set and anyone with eyes could see that their mother was ready to leave. He sighed.

"Luna we need to go. Mom is getting grumpy." They both laughed and got out of the water. Luna and Braven were more than twins they were best friends; two halves of a whole and they loved to drive their mother crazy. Their mother would call them her twin tornadoes when they would act up.

He opened his eyes and let the memory of their childhood slip to the back of his mind. Luna brought the joy in everything they did. When they pushed their mother too far, it was Luna that smoothed things over. If not for his sister Braven would have no limits on the mischief he got into.

His next breath brought a memory he didn't want. The memory of the call that would change their lives forever played out in his mind. His sweet sister was sick for what felt like ages. They were in the store getting supplies for the house when Luna collapsed in the aisle. The emergency response came and rushed his sister to the hospital where they ran countless tests and collected blood samples.

After the samples were collected Luna begged the staff to send her home, saying she was just tired and that she was fine. Braven took his sister home to rest after much reluctance from the doctors and nurses. Three weeks had passed and Luna seemed to be doing a little better. That's what Braven thought until the doctors called wanting her to come in to go over the results of her tests.

After insisting to go with her, Braven accompanied his sister to hear what the doctors had to say. They sat in a little room for what felt like an eternity. The clock on the wall ticked each second by so slowly that he felt that the next one would never come. He had a really bad feeling in the pit of his stomach that he couldn't shake about the entire situation. When the doctor finally walked into the room, Braven's stomach was turning flips so fast that you would swear he was on a roller-coaster. He grabbed his sisters hand more to steady himself, but also in a silent reminder that she was not alone.

"Ms. Grashear the-"

"Just call me Luna please."

"Luna, after checking and double checking, the test we ran three weeks ago conclude Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia." The doctor waited a moment as if to let the information settle. Braven's heart sank. He looked at his sister and was stunned to see that she had no expression of shock. "I have some information I can give you on resources for treatments. Unfortunately, that will only prolong the outcome."

Braven, finally finding his voice, asked the question that he will never forget. "Is there a cure?"

"Unfortunately there is no cure to date. With as progressed as it is treatment will only serve to buy a little more time."

"Thank you doctor, but I have my own resources. I was informed of this about four months ago." Looking to her brother in a plea for forgiveness, she squeezed his hand.

Braven shook the memory from his head and focused on the here and now. This moment is where he needed to be. He wished more than anything he could go back and change the past two years. He wanted to take this from his sister, but that was never going to happen.

Braven sat with his sister in her hospital bed. She had been here for two months now. Luna was going to die and there was nothing Braven could do about it apart from being there with his twin as she suffered. Many tears and tests later they found out it was a very terminal cancer in her blood cells and there was nothing anyone could really do. Braven had never felt so helpless in his life. He was her twin, her protector, and her rock. Yet he could do nothing but sit back and watch as his Luna suffered and slowly died.

"Braven, do not punish yourself for this. It is not something that you could have fixed for me. It happens to many people and people far better than myself." His sister tried to comfort him. She knew he blamed himself even though she was right; there was nothing he could have done. "I need you to make a promise bro. Promise me that you will not let my passing keep you from living your life to the fullest."

"Sure." His response was to ease her mind. How could he live a full life without his twin? She was his other half. She made him be a better man. No, he would never be able to live a happy life. How could he? His world was crumbling.

"Find your love B. She is out there. You cannot continue to sleep around and play games. You need someone to love you." Luna was always lecturing him about settling down and even as she lay here dying she still wanted him to find love.

"I love them all sis," Braven joked.

"Good-night B. I need rest." She said as she drifted to sleep.

"Good-night Lu," He whispered his final words to his sister.