Annabelle's POV
There was so much fear in me when I walked into that room and saw that small girl attacking Jace with her words. I may have believed in what she was saying only months ago. However, I knew Jace now and I understood his position and what he meant for our cause. What caused my rage, however, was not for some higher reason. It was because the thought of anyone hurting Jace caused my heart to race too fast and my world to spin, and not in a good way. All I could see was the threat.
It took a moment to even notice that Jace had stepped over to me. By the time I looked up at him I felt ashamed of how I reacted but his reassurance made me understand that he was proud of the way I stood up for him.
Elizabeth asked us to calm down and we took our seats as she made a speech about dialogue and understanding. I barely understood it, as my ears were racing with adrenaline from those events that had just taken place.
"Jace, why don't you start."
I tuned in and stared at Jace, who was tightly holding my hand but staring straight ahead. He stood up, I stood up with him.
"For a long time, I believed everything that my father told me. I believed that us, the vampires, were the good guys. We were putting a stop to the savages. I believed this because as a young boy I was taken by werewolves. I was tortured. I watched as my sister was tortured."
Jace squeezed my hand a little tighter.
"I made it home. My sister didn't."
A man, a wolf, sitting down the other side of the table, spoke up "we remember the stories. I am very sorry with what happened to your sister, and to you." The man took a breath. "What those wolves did was wrong. It reflected poorly on the wolves in charge."
"The thing is, I am not sure that it does. I have reason to believe that those wolves who tortured my sister and me, were being led by someone else. If what I am beginning to understand is true, my entire understanding of other peoples communities is wrong. I am here to understand the truth."
I looked at Jace, his eyes closed, mentally steadying himself as he continued.
"Some of you, or I am sure all of you have seen my relationship with Annabelle. She was brought to me by Flynn. She was meant to be my pet, however, as we know now, this has not, or really has never been the case. I care about Annabelle, and she has completely changed the way I view the world. She is my equal and there is no other way to see it. Annabelle, getting to know her, gave me the push to see past the lies."
My heart swelled. Flynn stood up, smiling at Jace. Rose stood up too, creating the solid front.
"I saw something in Annabelle that day. She could change him, she could change everything, she was just... good. I knew that all Jace needed was a little push, he was almost already there. I have been there for a long time. Things aren't right." Said Flynn, looking down at Rose who smiled up at him.
"After things changed, my pack was split up and I was a slave. I will admit I wasn't a very obedient slave. The day Jace saved me, I was left for dead. If it wasn't for him, I wouldn't be here today. Things need to change, and not with war, with one side winning. They need to change with revolution. With a proper way for all." I reached out my other hand for Rose.
I looked over at Elizabeth who was looking at me. I guess it was my turn to speak. My adrenaline was gone from the previous events, and I felt my throat dry up. I may be much braver than I once was, but this was more than I was used to. However, things don't change unless people like me speak up.
"I had a family once. I mean, I am sure that I had a family of shifters once, but I never knew them. I was raised by witches, and I had a happy childhood in the countryside. Things changed once the world changed."
I gulped, skipping over the abuse and the fire. My families death. There are memories that I still don't want to relive.
"I ended up with Jace, and I was so scared. Quickly, things changed, I relied on him and I wasn't so scared of him anymore, but I believed that he still thought of me as his pet, of his property, and I thought that of myself. After escaping the castle, he made it clear to me that he does not think of me and it was the first time I really allowed myself to believe that something could change. I am here because I am ready to fight alongside all of you. I am ready to help others understand that they are not property, or worthless. We are equals. I can't be silent."
I stopped. My heart beating too fast. I looked up at Jace, who was smiling and looking at me with such fire in his eyes, I believed it could be just the two of us in the room.
Elizabeth thanked us and we all sat down. I could feel the tension in the room die down a bit as each person spoke, telling their side of the story. The human sitting next to Jace looked less stiff and the rough looking werewolf looked less rough.
The wood fairy sitting close to Elizabeth told a story of falling in love with a werewolf who was killed in the war. All they wanted was to start a family together. She blamed the vampires for a long time, and although her kind was allowed to live in relative freedom, she never allowed herself to be okay with it. She explained that now it's less about revenge and more about change. She smiled at Jace and my hand, still wrapped around each other.
She caught my eye, "Everyone should be allowed to love who they love. It's as simple as that." I blushed.
There was a dark angel who had lost half her right wing when she was young and always felt a little different. She never felt it right to judge someone based on what they looked like.
Stanley, the angry wolf from before, had lost his son in the war. Then his wife to sickness from injuries that the vampires refused to treat. He was angry and I understood why.
There was a young boy, no more than eleven, who had escaped from a blood bank years before. He was sitting in between two witches. They were smugglers. They smuggled human babies and raised them as their own, or gave them to other witches to raise. They taught them how to fight and to defend themselves, and they protected and loved them because no child should be forced to grow up as a blood bag.
After the meeting was over, everyone felt they knew each other a little better. I saw many people mingling.
The wood fairy, her name was Jennifer, came over and apologized to Jace. She smiled at me, sadly, and took my hand, "you know, my wolf looked a little like you."
"She must have been very beautiful then." Said Jace. I blushed.
Jennifer released my hand and nodded. "Beautiful and kind. She was going to be a great mum someday."
I hugged her. I felt that's what she needed.
"I'm sure your family would have been beautiful."
She held me tighter. "I lost my chance at a family, now I will fight to make sure others can have that chance." She released me and walked away.
So many of these stories are so sad. My story is sad.
"Okay, I think that is enough for today," said Frankin, who was standing by the door. Everyone is welcome to stay for dinner and the night. We have more than enough room. We will start the real meeting after breakfast, and I have a feeling that it will be very productive."
People murmured their agreeance and started to shuffle out of the room.
I looked at Rose "do you think we can still watch the movie today?"
Flynn responded, "I don't see why not."
"Let's get our dinner and watch it in front of the TV," said Jace, smiling down at me and placing his hand in the small of my back.
"I love that idea."
Jace walked over and tole Elizabeth our plan and she smiled and laughed, nodding at us to do our thing. "You don't have to ask you know. Go be young."
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They should get their chance to be young - in the next chapter, you'll see that. Maybe a bit about what Jace was talking about. :)
There are also things that are hidden about Annabelle and her past? Will those be brought up?
What about the inevitable battle??
I added a little nod to Princess Jasmine as I LOVED the new live-action Aladdin.
Can you find it???
Did you like the movie??
Please comment, like and follow <3
Love you all.
Kayla