Dream of Us

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Dyani’s POV.

Neither my auntie nor I have had breakfast when I get to her house. She picks up two net bags and suggests that we walk into town to visit the market. As we walk down the cobblestone streets, she tells me about the adventures she and my mother got up to as children.

When you’re in foster care, or haven’t known your parents, you always try and imagine what your family was like or would have been like if the worst hadn’t have happened. I’ve lost track of how many times I’ve thought of my parents and wondered who they might be. I think we can all agree that my sperm-donor of a dad was a complete write-off. My mum, however, I would have loved to have known her for longer.

I’m excited to get my memories back so that I will be able to recall all of the good times with my mates, but I’m also excited to know the memories I have of my mother too. She must have played such a big role in my life as a child, I feel awful that I can’t currently remember her well. Aloria however is more than happy to fill in the gaps in my memory.

I listen avidly as she tells me tale after tale, tearing up at times and laughing at others. We fill the net bags with fruit, vegetables, and some bread. She points out different parts of the town, telling me stories of how my mother used to live in the village outside of here and would bring me in at the weekends. She even takes me to an old toy shop when they bought a rocking horse for my third birthday. It’s a literal trip down memory lane, even if I don’t recall the events, it’s nice to relive them through words.

When we get back to Aloria’s house, I help her wash the fruit and we chop it up into two bowls for us to enjoy as our breakfast. We sit outside in her garden, the morning Sun soaking into our skin.

We don’t stop talking outside until our stomachs start to rumble, and we realise that we’ve forgotten about lunch. I help her in the kitchen again, noticing how small the place is.

“Do you think you’ll move now that he is gone?” I ask her.

I don’t use Inteus’ name on purpose, I’ve noticed the way Aloria tenses up at the mention of it.

“I think so, I just don’t know where,” she replies quietly.

I don’t say anything as she looks around the kitchen, her expression wistful.

“This has been both my prison and my home for so many years, I don’t know where I would go. I wouldn’t want to leave this town.”

“I think my mates are going to discuss options with you this afternoon if you’re up for it.”

She nods, her expression turns thoughtful.

“I gathered as much; I think I know what they’re going to suggest too.” She turns to me and frowns. “According to my parents, your grandparents, I met my mate when I was a toddler.”

I’m startled by her revelation, I thought she had never met her mate. There is no mark on her neck, and she is past the age that most people have met their soulmate.

“I was too young to remember him, but apparently our bond was obvious. He was the son of a lord from another country and had to return home, but our parents agreed that we would be reunited at sixteen,” she explains. Her eyes turn sorrowful. “He was killed by greedy humans in a raid when he was fourteen. We heard news of his family’s death and my parents had to tell me that the mate I had never truly known was now lost to this world.”

My heart aches for her. I cannot imagine what it is like to lose your mate. Mine were taken from me, but at least I have them back.

“Seeing as our bond had never had time to progress, my life wasn’t threatened. I felt the heartache and the loss, my parents knew I would survive it. What no one considered I might experience would be the loneliness. To have others around me find their mates and achieve such happiness was a constant reminder that I never would.”

“Aloria, I’m so sorry,” I whisper.

She gives me a sad smile. “It was a long time ago. Anyway, my parents had always planned for your mother and I to marry nobility. They were Alphas and as such, that put them above lords in the hierarchy. When your mother met her mate, Inteus,” she grimaces at saying his name, “he was in line to take over the throne. They were overjoyed that Caterina was going to become queen.”

“What did my mother want?”

Aloria turns around and places our plates on the table. We both sit opposite each other. I wait patiently for her to continue.

“She was excited of course; I think a lot of people would be at the prospect of ruling a kingdom. Admittedly she had some fears, who wouldn’t? But Inteus, although a little controlling, was supportive of her. We had been raised to be able to lead, so she knew what she was doing. For a long time, I think they were happy together.”

The thought my mother being happy with that bastard sits uneasily with me. I stare down at my food, pushing around my plate as I try to find my hunger once more.

“Then she became ill. Shifters are usually immune to most diseases, but there are a few that can kill us. Your mother contracted one of them while visiting her subjects. She liked to leave the castle walls each month and meet the people. Inteus, of course, did not approve of that.”

“What did she contract?”

“It’s called wraith sickness. It develops slowly. It’s called as such because, towards the end, the person is described as a wraith of themselves, like a ghost. Luckily by that point, our parents had passed, they didn’t have to see their daughter like that,” she tells me quietly.

I can hear the pain in her voice. This poor woman has been through so much with the loss of her mate, sister, and parents. We really only have each other as blood family.

“Inteus banned everyone from seeing her and confined her to her chambers. He was never a great person, but he took a serious turn for the worst. He was angry at fate for making his mate sick, so he took his anger out on his people. He became a hated and feared ruler overnight.”

“Why did no one try to stop him?”

“A few did at the beginning,” she says, looking like there is a bitter taste in her mouth. “But the punishments were so heavy that no one else dared to try. Inteus had entire families slaughtered to set an example.”

I think of Sian’s parents. Inteus was responsible for their deaths.

“He had been suspicious of your growing relationship with your mates. You spent the majority of your time with them because he banned you from seeing your mother. You were in a lot of pain, and they helped you through it. Even as teenagers though, your power was palpable. Anyone could see that you four were going to grow into incredibly powerful celestials, far more so than any mage Inteus had working for him. It scared him, you threatened his position on the throne.”

“Did my mates or I ever talk about wanting to rule? None of us want to now, so did we want to then?”

“I think you were too young to decide. None of you had explicitly stated an interest in taking over from Inteus, it was simply a fear he held. When your mother died, he used the magic surrounding her death to do what he did, to separate you.”

Anger settles inside me again. I stab my food with my fork a little harsher than necessary. We finish eating and change the topic back to family, I ask her to tell me about my grandparents this time.

When the sun lowers and afternoon is upon us, my mates knock on the door. Aloria lets them in, and they squash themselves onto the sofa again. They ask how our day has been and Aloria and I share a smile. They tell us that they’ve been looking at houses, and they’ve already found one that they’d like me to see.

My mates know me well. They know that, as long as I can visit my foster mother, I don’t mind where we are. Laleston was only meant to be temporary for me, I don’t have any ties to that place, especially not to the diner. If Sian is going to remain here, and if Aloria is here and my home was once here, it makes sense to stay.

“There is something else we’d like to talk about,” Denali starts.

Aloria nods next to me. “Is this to do with the throne?”

My mates look surprised by her question. Aloria and I briefly spoke about it earlier. I wait for her to tell them what she told me.

“It is, yes.”

“You would like me to take over from Inteus,” she states calmly.

Calian clears his throat and nods. “Yes, we would like to propose that. We wanted to know how you felt about it.”

My aunt presses her lips together, her hands firmly clasped on her lap.

“I was raised to believe that leading a kingdom was a possibility for my future. While I had training, it was a long time ago and I would need advisors to help me.”

“That could be arranged,” Denali jumps in.

“And what about the Deputy General, Chogan?”

“He is willing to stay on as your General,” Nuka tells her.

She nods, thinking it through.

“My only reservation is the people. They have been through so much under Inteus’ rule, I worry that I would not be able to make up for the hardships they have faced over the last few decades.”

“They need a kind and fair leader,” I comment gently. “We think you could be that leader.”

She gives me a grateful smile.

“I would do my best...but I have one condition.”

“Which is?” Denali asks.

“We put it to a vote. This is a democracy, we let the people decide if they want me to be Queen.”

“That sounds very fair,” Calian observes.

“We can set it up for you,” Nuka offers.

“I am certain they will choose you to be their leader, Aloria,” Denali says sincerely.

I turn to her and smile. “At least this way, you might not have to look for a new house. You’d get a castle instead.”

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