Once Upon a Child of the Stars

Eleven- Years

I toss my covers off myself and rub my hand across my face. I stand up beside my bed just as I begin to hear the footsteps of my nine year old brother, Zenith, and my nine and a half year old cousin Wynn.

Zenith was born nine years ago a few months after Wynn, who was my Uncle Zor and Aunt Harper's first child.

Zenith looked identical to my father with his black hair and purple eyes. The only difference they shared was that Zenith's eyes do not change color, unlike mine and my fathers. We assume this was due to the human half of his genetics.

Wynn, Uncle Zeek and Aunt Harpers daughter, held a combination of her parents' features. She also has purple unchanging eyes like my brother. She has Zeek's white hair but her facial features are more of that of my aunt Harper's.

Uncle Zeek and Aunt Harper also had a second child a few years after Wynn. They had a son, Ryker, who is now four years old. Honestly, he is the spitting image of Zeek.

To everyone's surprise, Uncle Zor and Aunt Mia had another child as well. She is six now, two years older than Ryker. She has Mia's brown eyes that occasionally change like mine and sports white hair like Uncle Zor.

To say the castle is busy nowadays is an understatement. Children fill the halls and adults are always in conversation. I am somewhere in the middle to be honest.

I never got my wings and I also never made a connection with anyone. I just assume now that if I have a mate I will never meet them or I do not have the ability to connect like a normal dragon. The saddest of all the thoughts is the possibility that my mate died before I had the chance to meet them. All these thoughts always pull at my heart, filling it with this anxious sadness.

I also never saw the Hellian princes after the day they left. After that day, we ended all communication with Hellian.

My personality has changed as well. I dropped the rebel act and turned myself into a working machine. After realizing I would never turn into a dragon, I began to train with the warriors not just for my own protection but to prove my worth.

I also began to shadow my father and mother as I am the oldest child and I will someday rule the kingdom. It has been a touchy subject though, as I hadn't found a mate and I am already twenty three. This gives me only two more years to find a mate, but I refuse to be with anyone who isn't a true connection.

This being the reality, it may mean there will be no heirs to the throne from me, making it so I will have to pass the throne to Zenith. Honestly, even though I have been training for it since I was sixteen, I'm not sure if that is indeed what I want, to be come Queen.

A few small knocks came to my door and I smiled to myself. I adored the younger ones and I've always had a knack for taking care of them.

"You may enter!" I yelled and as soon as the words left my lips, the door came crashing in and two nine year old figures came rushing in followed a four year old's. Within seconds the little brats had me tackled to the floor, laughter filling the air.

"Who's the one who gave you permission to attack me?" I laughed out.

"Uncle Zeek did!" Zenith said.

"How about I make you a deal?" I said with a devious smirk.

"What deal, Lulu?" Wynn asked with an excited smile.

"How about we all go tackle Zeek down and jump all over him and I'll let you all go free without tickles?" I asked the children.

"Yes! Let's go!" Zenith said as the three youngsters jumped off of me, allowing me to stand up. I pointed towards the door, signalling for the children to run out.

I followed them all the way to where Uncle Zeek was standing next to my father in the open throne room. They stopped at the doorway, peeking in for a moment.

"You ready?" I whispered to them. They all gave me nods before I gave them the final signal which was more like a yell to be honest.

"Attack!" I yelled and the children did their job, running to Zeek and tackling him to the ground.

I walked out from behind the corner, my arms crossed and a victorious smile plastered on my lips. I made my way over and stood by my father who towered over me.

"I told him it wasn't a good idea," my father said with a chuckle. His posture was the same as mine, arms crossed and legs firmly planted. I suppose I must have gotten that from him.

"Indeed it was not," I said, still smirking.

My father and I have grown extremely close over the passed nine years. Working beside him, I have grown to respect him more than ever and see what an amazing man and ruler he truly is.

"What's on the agenda for today, Dad?" I look up to my father as I ask him.

"We are working on some new alliances and repairing old ones," he says, sounding as if he is hiding an important piece of that statement.

"Which ones?" I ask.

"We can discuss this later," he says, trying to avoid the subject. I glare at him, and I can see the warning glance he gives me not to pressure the subject, but one thing I have not outgrown is my persistence.

"Dad. What alliances?" I ask again, toning my voice down to show how serious I am.

"Luminara," he says, warning me again but I am not affected by his authority tones.

"Tell me. Who is it that you're trying to hide from me?" I ask the irritation evident in my tone.

"Just tell her, Xen. She is going to find out soon anyway. Better she has a heads up to prepare for the trip too," Uncle Zor approaches us.

My eyes snap from my uncle back to my father. I see my father visibly sigh and then his eyes meet mine.

"We are working on the alliance with Hellian. We will be leaving in a weeks time to meet with King Xavian,"