Mischief in the Stars

Aurora Lucina

Aurora's closest friends were Eira and Channing. They were from two families who remained loyal to her family. Eira was from the Haunani family- who was apparently known for their ability to control the snow along with ice and wind. She had bright white swirls on her tanned skin. Designs covered her skin elegantly, the white swirls glowing and fading. She had been her closest friend since she was a baby.

They became close with Channing a year before Aurora's mother murdered her father. He could turn into a wolf along with the rest of the Lupus family. His dark brown skin was a stark contrast to his white wolf. Along with the Lupus family, three jagged black lines streaked his face diagonally in his wolf form to go along with the black tip at the end of his tail and his strong, black paws. To protect Aurora, and with the help of a warlock, each of them sent a piece of their power into her room to protect her, weaving around the walls. They combined it with a protection spell from one of their family's witches to create a secure boundary around her room; this had protected her against enemies who sought her ability.

"He's a werewolf?" Rory clarified with slight amusement. "Please tell me he howls at the full moon."

"He's a what?" Aidan asked, squinting his eyes at the strange name. Rory exhaled deeply, remembering that this world didn't seem to share all of her terminologies.

"A shapeshifter that can turn into a wolf."

"Do you mean a lycastral?" he asked in a high-pitched tone, and Rory tilted her head at this new word before shrugging her shoulders.

"I suppose so? God, it's like every fairytale and story that I've ever heard is coming to life," she said as she let out a tired sigh, closing her eyes as she continued to stroke the fox's vibrant red fur.

"What will you name her?" Maximus asked with a slight smile on his face.

"I'm not sure..." she trailed off, gently picking up the vixen and holding her out in front of her. Her wings fluttered again, wind blowing her hair back. She squinted slightly as a laugh escaped her lips. Letting go of the fox, she immediately began to fly around the room. She soared around the brothers, hitting them both in the face with her tails. "Maybe Aliya, I think it fits her well."

Aliya let out a bark as she flew back to Rory, who grinned as she swooped in behind her, wrapping herself around her back. The vixen rested her head on Rory's shoulder and her leg gently resting on her back, wings pumping to stay in the air. Rory turned back to the brothers. "Tell me more. Tell me about who I am."

"Well, you've always been relatively quiet. You're kind to everyone you meet, and you see the good in everyone. But something about you has changed... I can't explain everything about it, though. You seem more adventurous and... less cautious. You're louder and more outspoken. Even when you went outside, you had a connection with the animals which is something I rarely see from you. It's not that you didn't like animals- you just didn't go near them much," Aidan rambled on, he clearly adored his sister and Rory almost felt guilty for not being her.

"You love deeply," Maximus interrupted his brother, eyes darting towards Aidan. Rory could immediately tell they were keeping something from her, "even when you know you shouldn't... you do."

"Tell me," Rory said quietly with a blank face, "tell me what you're hiding from me. Does it have to do with what's happening tonight?"

"I think that's enough for today-" Maximus told her pointedly but was interrupted by her scoff. He gave her a stern look in which she returned with a cold glare. Aliya growled from behind Rory, baring her teeth slightly.

"No, you'll tell me now."

"It's complicated-"

"I don't want to hear any more excuses. This is my life, isn't it? I only want to hear the truth." She knew she was pushy, but to live through this mess, and she needed all the information she could get.

Aidan let out a deep breath as he rubbed his face with his hands while Maximus shook his head. Turning to his brother, Aidan gave him a pointed expression. "She should know who we're fighting tonight."

"Fighting?" Rory repeated in horror, pushing her head forward slightly to turn their attention back on her.

Aurora saw the good in everyone and everything- even the people who were thought of only as evil. Whether it be a stranger she happened past or an animal who tried to attack her. There was a man who hated the Lucina family. Her father, Richard, had killed the man's father to keep the peace in their land. Their father started a war with the Valford family, and their son sought revenge on the family. He wanted to destroy their reign and take the kingdom for himself. His name was Malakai. He was quiet for years, never alerting the Lucina family. But that changed when their father died, and their mother went mad. After that, he made it clear of his intentions- kill the last of the Lucina family and take the throne.

However, when Aurora heard word of this, she wanted to meet him. She stopped at nothing to meet the man who wanted her dead. Her brothers and friends tried to cease her attempts, but she was relentless. One night, Aurora managed to escape outside and go into the woods. Once she was far enough from their castle, Malakai was able to capture her. Immediately, she saw the good in him. Aurora saw a man who missed his father and wanted to avenge his death. She never condoned his actions, and she only tried to understand them.

Similarly, Malakai saw a light in her. He saw an innocence that he wanted to preserve. Although he never fell in love with her, he tried to protect her.

Malakai was cunning and ambitious. Aurora would never call him evil- simply misunderstood, as she would put it. He had great powers, but he sometimes found that the strength of his mind could be his best weapon. He could create strong green walls and shields. With this, he had manipulated his power significantly. He had used it to be able to defeat numerous enemies. He was incredibly smart, never to be underestimated.

Aurora and Malakai shared a connection. They seemed to understand each other. She tried to convince him not to go after the throne, but he did not oblige. His desire for revenge and justice was stronger than his feelings for her. They never had romantic feelings for one another, and he simply saw a light and beauty that he wanted to protect. Malakai vowed not to hurt her brothers, but he told her he would take the throne for his father. She never felt hatred towards him, understanding his motives.

"I agreed to fight him?" Rory questioned skeptically, not understanding how Aurora could fight someone she cared so deeply for.

"He is a threat to our family and our peace. We decided to cage him, not kill him," Maximus said, but Rory could tell he was hiding part of it. Not wanting to anger him anymore after her amount of prying, she let it go.

"If I really am who you say... why can't I remember? Why do I have different memories?" Rory pointed out as she stood up to walk around the room. She studied the portraits of her friends and family, not feeling any connection to them. Shaking her head, she turned back to her brothers. "I feel nothing right now- I don't remember either of you."

"We think it's some sort of hex from the same coven who hexed our mother," Maximus said, seeming very sure of himself. Rory paused, contemplating it. She supposed it was possible, but her memories of her old life and all the details were too strong to be part of a spell or hex.

"Fine, let's say that by some unlikely chance, I am who you say, and I really am hexed. How do we fix it?"

"One thing at a time. First, we deal with Malakai. It's happening tonight, and we need you to be there to draw him in. Once he finds you, we'll lock him down," Aidan explained to her, waving his hands frantically as he went into their plan.

"Just to clarify- I'm the bait?" Rory snarled out, rolling her eyes at the plan. "Can't I do something? I mean, you said I get strength from the stars, right? Does that strength really only feed my visions? Can I do something else?"

"Aurora, that is enough. We will not allow you to fight, you don't have the power to do so," Maximus snapped defiantly as his eyes glowed purple, immediately silencing Rory. "Eira and Channing are on their way, we'll explain everything to them. Then after that, we will begin. We will have finally put a stop to Malakai."