Little Moon (Completed)

Chapter Fourteen (Edited)

We walked through the doors elegantly, and stopped at the top of the stairs. I watch as everyone bows down before us, the sight making me want to puke. It was a sign of respect, bowing, but I hated it. With my bloodline and rank, every single creature in this room wanted to bow. When we started to walk down the stairs, everyone rose and watched as we glided down the staircase and onto the beautiful marble floor. 

Everyone goes back to chatting, eating, and dancing while the pianist plays her song. I keep my regal posture, even though it's killing me. Fleet talks to some council members, and I pretend to listen. Smiling here and there, laughing and nodding when necessary. 

"Butterfly!" I hear a familiar voice shout joyously, I turn on my heel and see Uncle Jaymes weaving his way towards me with a grin. I giggle and run up to him happily, wrapping my arms around him and squeezing him tight. He laughs and holds me close. I can feel Fleet watching us intently. I know he's not listening to the council members anymore. 

"Uncle Jaymes! I missed you! Where's my family?" I demand, he chuckles. He turns around and gestures with his hand, a few moments later a guy approaches with a girl around my age and a boy maybe twelve years older than me. 

"Butterfly, this is your Uncle Josh. These two are your cousins. Sahara and Lake, Uncle Josh's kids. Sadly, your Aunt passed away a few years after you disappeared from cancer." Uncle Jaymes informs me, sorrow passing in his kind blue eyes. I sniffle sadly, tears gathering in my eyes. I never had a chance to meet her. 

I glance at Uncle Josh, who's watching me with a pained expression. "You look just like her, you know." Uncle Josh's unusual silky voice murmurs, pain hardening his words. I take a hesitant step towards him, trying to remember. He has blonde hair, much younger than Uncle Jaymes, and he has warm hazel eyes. 

He seems almost wary, but he's waring in his mind on what to do. I step close to him and wrap my arms around him, immediately remember his embrace. I loved to sleep in his arms and I always demanded as much bedtime stories and cuddles as I could. He wraps his arms around me, making me feel complete. I realized that after my father left, I mean killed himself, Uncle Josh stepped up and became a father figure. 

Even with it being years later, I still remembered him as both my uncle and father. Uncle Josh pushed his head into my hair, inhaling my scent. 

"Bean, I missed you. So much. After your mother died... I lost all hope that you could be alive too until that news show." He whispered tearfully, his pain clutching my heart. He pulls away, stroking my hair. His watery eyes studied me again, as if he was trying to memorize my face. 

"So, Little Bean is Queen?" Lake, my cousin, teased. I stared into his blue eyes, feeling a sense of familiarity with him. A small scene of him playing outside with me while Sahara ran after a kitten with grabby hands filled my mind. He used to watch me when I was little. 

I jumped into his arms and he swung me around just like I remembered. "Lakey!" I mumbled into his ear, making him laugh loudly with a mix of happiness and shock. 

"I haven't heard that in forever!" He exclaimed, as I stayed in his arms a bit longer. I finally turned to Sahara and hugged her. She was like my sister, I remember that now. She hugged me back, and she must have remembered me because she was a couple years older than I was but acted as if she was my age. 

"Saharie?" I murmured, testing out her nickname. 

"Yes, Tanya?" She hummed, I kissed her cheek. 

"I remember all of you." I say loudly enough for my family to hear. They grinned and hugged me tightly in a group hug, until someone cleared their throat. We pulled away and I saw my family that I've known most of my life shifting uncomfortably. I grinned, not caring as I bounced towards them.