by Jones, L. A.
For the next hour, Rhonda obsessively talked about her plans for the prom from the clothes that even D would wear, to the name and type of restaurant they would go to afterwards. Aradia had to admit it that it was very boring, but she was happy just to have her best gal pal talk to her again. However, as Rhonda started to describe the appetizer she was thinking about ordering at the restaurant Aradia felt a tap on her shoulder.
She turned her head, and scowled once she realized it was Tristan.
"What do you want?" she snapped.
Ignoring her rudeness and obvious displeasure, Tristan went on to say, "The council is having a meeting this week. My dad just wanted to let you know that they expect you to be there."
"Why should I?"
"If you don't attend, it could be considered an act of treason," Tristan said smiling
Aradia scowled deeper while muttering, "I will be there."
"Damn right you will," Tristan said still smiling as he turned on his heel and stalked off.
Aradia stared at his retreating back angrily before turning back to Rhonda who stared at her curiously.
"What was that all about?" Rhonda asked.
Aradia shook her head and said, "Nothing. It was nothing."
She then forced a smile to her face.
She was so eager to divert Rhonda's attention that she took a deep breath, and asked, "So tell me about the shoes you are planning to wear?"
This helped to launch Rhonda into yet another long description that lasted until the lunch bell rang.
The meeting came quicker than Aradia would have liked it to and without even asking or setting foot through the door of the lodge Aradia knew what they were going to ask her.
However, to honor their people's right to know or perhaps just to put Aradia on the spot the council repeated the offer they had made to Aradia in front of everyone in the entire lodge. The whole crowd grew ghastly quiet; some even had their jaws drop right open as they stared in disbelief, both at their leaders and at Aradia.
For a few long but tense filled moments, no one said anything until finally the vampire leader asked, "Well have you made your decision?"
Aradia inhaled deeply, glanced down at the ground, and cast one small last look at Dax who was sitting with his family behind the vampire leader.
She then finally raised her head. "If it pleases the council and the whole hidden community I accept the title and position of Witch Queen on the High Hidden council of Salem."
Although all the members of the council looked like her decision did not please them, but they agreed.
"Is there anything else I must do?" Aradia asked.
The shape shifter answered her by explaining that in order to official recognize her as a Queen, and member of the council there had to be a coronation ceremony.
"When will that be?" asked Aradia barely being able to contain the excitement in her voice.
A coronation ceremony, she thought, for me!
The shape-shifter shrugged uncomfortably before saying, "By the next waxing moon, I suppose."
"Okay," said Aradia still not being able to believe that this was actually happening.
For more tense moments, no one said a word.
Everyone felt awkward except Aradia who felt exalted.
The shape-shifter cleared his voice and said, "Well unfortunately that's all that we felt we needed to discuss and since we have resolved it we now declare this meeting adjourned."
Quickly, everyone started to sit up when suddenly Aradia called out, "Wait!"
Everyone stopped to stare at Aradia who now looked awkward and nervous as she said, "About the coronation ceremony..."
"Yes?" the shape-shifter began uneasily.
"The thing is um...what should I do? Is there anything I should say at the ceremony that is?" Aradia asked.
The shape-shifter grunted and shrugged. "No. Just show up and be ready that's all."
"Okay but one more thing," said Aradia.
"What?" he snapped.
Aradia gulped as if to gather up enough courage to ask, "What should I wear?"
A few people in the crowd laughed under their breath. The shape-shifter, however, just looked at Aradia and raised an eyebrow. Finally, he gave her an answer. "Wear clothes."
After everyone in the lodge had, left Keon finally stepped out from behind the shadows of the wooden columns. The vampire leader knew he had been there since the beginning of the meeting, and was just thankful no one had sensed or smelled him. He did not worry about explaining Keon's presence to the others, but what he did worry about was how many people he would have had to kill to keep Keon hidden.
However, since no one had discovered him the vampire leader had had nothing to fear and had been awaiting him long after the others had left just to say, "And so it is done my lord Keon. The witch has accepted the position."
"I figured she would," Keon muttered, "The little bitch is so wrapped up in her own importance that she doesn't even realize what declaring herself as a brand new leader will make her look like to the other hidden leaders around the world."
"What will it make her look like?" The vampire leader could not help but ask.
"An enemy! Which I can honestly say is what she is. She is an enemy to be feared and squashed like a bug! Her new changes and ways of tolerance and 'laws'...My God it makes me sick to my stomach! Hell if I wanted to abide by the same laws and notions that humans do, I would have stayed human in the first damn place!" Keon stamped his foot in rage almost cracking a hole in the wooden floor.
"Calm yourself my lord!" the vampire leader protested, "If giving that witch this title will make people see what a threat she is than all we must do is wait a little while longer. Soon she will be out of our hair and dead in the ground!"
"And I can't tell you how much I am looking forward to that!" Keon snapped with an evil sneer.
"No! That will not do. It is too over the top. No. Not that one either it's too plain," Aradia said rejecting another outfit that her mother held up.
Liza just dropped her arms where she held the outfits, looking completely exasperated.
"Look Aradia it is not like you are being crowned at Westminster abbey. You don't need to worry so much about what you wear!" She cried out as she collapsed on one of the chairs in Aradia's room.
Aradia shook her head and said, "Mom I don't think you realize how important this is..."
"Honey I do..."
"No you don't!" Aradia snapped.
"Yeah I do Aradia I am your mother! I understand everything about you! So I understand that the reason you are freaking out is not because of the clothes!"
To this, Aradia said nothing.
She just backed up against the wall of her room and slid down trying to hold her back tears.
"I don't know if I can do this Mama," she groaned, "I don't think I can do this! I am not a politician. I am not a cop and I am sure as hell not a queen! I cannot do this! I cannot. I can't"
"Yes you can. You can do this Aradia," her mother said as she joined her by her side next to the wall.
"How can say that?" Aradia spat out.
"Because you are the only who can Rai! If you do not care or try to do anything, no one will. You think I haven't felt the effect of what your influence has done for Salem?"
"Mom no offense but you are a human," said Aradia, "What do you know about the hidden world?"
"Other than what you have told me nothing but what I do know is that ever since you started making a difference there have been less murders, less violence, and less fear" said Liza.
"When you first told me about the hidden race and everything else," Liza continued, "I won't deny I felt frightened but upon finding out that you were getting involved in the way it was being run I can honestly I felt safer walking alone at night."
"Which I don't normally do or on a regular basis," Liza added hastily to erase Aradia's look of worry. "But my point is this you have made a difference in the hidden community Aradia, and you shou
ld keep doing so because you are the only one who realizes that things need to change."
"In other words Rai Red Rose," Liza finished up by using her own personal pet name for her daughter. "You are the only one who can walk the walk, talk the talk, and realize it is important to do so."
Aradia laughed softly as she lifted her head to look at her mother.
"My god Mama," She finally said, "You are so good at this you should get a medal!"
Liza shrugged sheepishly and said, "Well I don't know about a medal but having a daughter like you I think is a great award to my mothering skills."
"But enough about that," she added before Aradia could say anything. "We need to pick out your outfit for your coronation!"
Aradia looked confused as she said, "I thought you said my coronation is no big deal!"
"It isn't," said Liza before she added a sly smile, "But it doesn't mean you can't look good for it."
Aradia laughed.
Chapter Twenty-One
Dax could honestly say he had never been more nervous in his life. It was not as it was his coronation or even the first one he had ever been to, but it still made him nervous as hell. He never would have figured that the woman he was in love with would be crowned The Witch Queen, but then again he never figured he would be in love with a witch either. He had truly believed that over three hundred years ago they had all been viciously killed. His mouth turned grim as he began to dwell on these thoughts.
He was up in his room picking out his clothes and getting ready for Aradia's coronation. There were no mirrors in his room or bathroom because since he was a vampire he had no reflection. However, thanks to the fact that no matter what happened to him, he always looked the same he never had to worry about combing his hair or anything else. There is a reason why we are called the undead, Dax thought grimly. We never age, our hair never falls out of place, and we stay the same like corpses. It was a disgusting way to look at it Dax knew, but alas he could not help but have depressive thoughts. He had always been like that since he was a child being raised by his mother and his father; being coddled and yet severally disciplined at the same time. His life had been one big therapist's nightmare complete with father issues, insecurity, and an overzealous Oedipus complex.
Now suddenly overwrought with depression, Dax clasped a hand to his face and began to massage his temples. Even he admitted that the love he shared for his mother seemed a bit unhealthy, but she had been the only person who had ever loved him amongst a crowd of people who merely tolerated or purely hated him such as his former best mate Jack and his father; the two people who had betrayed and disappointed him the most. His father most especially. His entire life (at least the human part) had been very bittersweet. At times, it was full of privilege where he got everything he ever wanted but other times his father ignored him, either insulted, or beat him whenever he was displeased. Therefore, it was no surprise to him why he was the way he was and why he had loved his mother so much.
However, because of Aradia everything had changed. No one not even his mother treated him the way she did as if he was something special, like he was amazing, but most of all like she needed him. The way she seemed to melt in his hands whenever he held her made him laugh softly because even though he had had lovers in the past no woman had been as in awe of him as Aradia.
I think my mother would have liked her, Dax thought smiling, which in his mind truly defined his feelings for her. Nevertheless, as he heard the grandfather clock strike the hour loud enough for him to hear even up in his room, his thoughts turned dark again. Aradia had thought that the reason why he specifically wanted to stay out of the limelight was the politics involved.
Unfortunately, this was only partially true. Sure, the mere sound of the word politics reminded him of his father, and that in itself made him want to hurl himself out the window. However, as he often said to Aradia nothing is ever that simple or easy.
Although he had no proof of it, he was very sure that the one who had helped to motivate the hidden community into killing off all the witches had had more incentives to do so than just charges of treason. What was worse Dax had not necessarily been truthful to Aradia when he had said that he had never met a witch before. Come to think of it, Dax thought to himself, there had been a cute little blonde witch I got to know really well in Devonshire...
However, his mood turned sour again once he realized no matter what the truth really was Aradia was still under the impression that he had not been around when the witches had been killed. Unfortunately, this was simply not true for he had been around and could honestly say he should have done something to stop it.
Worst of all, Dax had the feeling that he knew the person who ordered the witches to be killed.
No one else knew though so he was confident nobody would tell Aradia. However, there was one thing that gave Dax cause to worry. He of all people knew Aradia was clever, probably clever enough to figure it out for herself.
Groaning, Dax sat on his coffin with his face in his hands. He knew he should tell Aradia the truth, but the last time he had been brutally honest with her it had not ended well. Twice, he had disappointed her and he was worried that if he did so again Aradia would probably leave him. For good! And Dax would rather die than let that happen! He loved Aradia as he had loved no other, and he could not possibly live the rest of his immortal life without her. But then what could he do? He promised never to lie to her and technically, he was not but...
Suddenly, Xan interrupted his gloomy thoughts as he called from downstairs. "Dax, would you hurry up! We are going to be late!"
Dax instinctively shot up from his seat, and deciding in a second that what he was wearing was good, he headed downstairs. His mind still plagued with uncertainties.
Aradia could honestly say she had never felt more nervous in her entire life; not even when she performed in her first play and all she had done that time was say three lines! However, according to the shape-shifter's wife who had coached her into what to say and do for the ceremony she did not have to say much in this either. All she had to do was walk to the council table in front of everyone, kneel in front of the council members, and have them place their hands on her head one at time symbolizing their acceptance of her into the fold. She would then rise, walk, and finally sit in a specially made chair for her at the council table.
"I don't know if I can really do this!" Aradia gasped clutching her coat around her.
"Well it's too late now," Melina, whispered to her.
Marietta said nothing for she was too much in awe of the people in the lodge whom she now knew to be real werewolves, vampires, fae's and shape-shifters. Ross and Liza were in awe too. Although they had known about it longer than the girls had, they still could not believe that they were here.
Neither could the leaders.
"I can't believe she brought humans with her!" One of the alpha wolves snarled disdainfully.
The second alpha nodded and said, "This is a meeting of the High Hidden Council of Salem and they are clearly not hidden!"
"Apparently her reasoning is they are her family and at such an important event she wants her family near her," said the shape shifter.
"Aw that's so sweet," The vampire leader said, "It makes me want to puke!"
"I think it's understandable," said Roy's alpha, "Family is important after all."
"But they aren't her family," The vampire leader argued, "She is the last of her kind. The last witch. She has no family. She has no one! She is alone!"
"She sure doesn't look it," Roy's alpha remarked as he watched Aradia hug her parents, and sisters.
"I am so glad you guys came!" Aradia cried out.
"I got to admit it's a surprise that they even let us in!" said Melina who suddenly caught Roy's eye.
The two of them then just stared at one another until ultimately Roy looked away.
"Hey you guys are my family so it's perfectly understandable that they let you in," Aradia said as she drew apart from
them and let her arms fall to her sides.
"I am surprised you even invited us," Ross could not help but say earning him a mean look from his wife.
Aradia, however, just laughed. "Like I said you are my family."
She then turned to face the crowd. Although it was a mixture of people sitting and standing, everyone was talking and in their usual place.
"Well here it goes!" Aradia said inhaling and exhaling a calming breath while turning back around to face her family. "Dax and his family saved you seats so you can go sit with them..."
"Sit amongst the vampires that want to drink our blood and suck out our souls?" Ross interrupted, "I don't think so."
Aradia threw him a sarcastic look. "Daddy, they won't suck out your soul."
"How about drinking our blood?" Ross asked raising an eyebrow.
Aradia paused before repeating. "Daddy, they won't suck out your soul."
Ross shook his head, cast his eyes around the crowd, and said, "We'll be sitting with Roy's family."
"But..." Aradia started but one look from her father told her it would be useless to argue.
Melina, however, looked ecstatic as she quickly looked around and spotted Roy's family. Hurrying to find seats, she rushed over and explained the situation to Roy's dad who nodded his consent. However, the moment she scooted over to sit next to Roy she was dismayed to see him edge away.
Aradia was too busy to notice though. "So how do I look?"
Her parents both nodded with approval before walking over to where Roy's family sat, and taking their seats.
Aradia breathed deeply. Dax sensing her nervousness, decided to get up from his own seat, and make his way towards her.
"Hey love," he greeted her.
"Hey Dax," she said.
"Are you okay?" he asked with a bit of sarcasm in his tone.
Aradia just shrugged, not trusting herself to speak. She now looked towards where the council all stood expectantly.