Chapter 8 - Sebastian
2260 Words
Giselle
“Who brought this wolf in front of us for the life ceremony?” A councillor looked up.
“We do.” Mom and Dad answered. I nearly stopped breathing, holding tighter onto Leo’s arm, not realizing I was so tense.
“Who is the witch who wishes to enter into life with the wolf?” Another council member asked.
“Our daughter … Giselle Moonwater,” Dad answered, and the member looked up at Dad slightly, co.cking his eyebrow.
“You are the human that took on the life ceremony of Lorelei the witch?” He asked Dad.
“Yes, I did.” Dad answered confidently.
“Good and this is your daughter? Does she have gifts or is she a mortal human?” The head council member asked and he sounded really snooty.
“Would I be standing here if she weren’t?” Mom chirped at him, and he looked at her over his professor's glasses. I felt a pain in my chest!
“Fine.” The man sighed. “You may sit. Bring forward those who wish to enter into life.” What just happened? I looked at Mom, who sat down smiling. Oh crap! She probably caused problems, and now we are going to pay for her attitude. We were escorted by the guards who had earlier opened the doors and showed us to stand on the grid. Each of us was standing on our own side. Leo looked nervously at me and I felt like crying.
“I don’t know ‘Mine’. This is a first for me as well. Please don’t reject me?” Tears started to brim in my eyes …
“I am not going anywhere, beautiful.” He calmed down and smiled at me.
“Eyes front!” I heard someone order. Sebastian! I looked through the council members, but he wasn’t there, thank goodness, but unfortunately, I found him standing right in front. Of course, he would be there! He was the head of the warrior guard. I took a deep breath to steady my nerves and looked up at the council.
“Are you Giselle Moonwater, daughter of Lorelei and Patrick Moonwater?” The questioning started.
“Yes, I am.” I focused on the council.
“Are you Leo Wolf of Shadow pack?” The same councillor asked while scribbling on something in front of him.
“Yes, I am.” Leo answered, and I took my first breath, or what felt like my first breath since we walked into the chambers.
“Leo Wolf of Shadow pack … Do you wish to enter into a life ceremony with Giselle Moonwater, knowing that she is a witch?” The councillor continued, and it almost felt as if I had chest pains!
The council members were taking turns asking questions, trying to confuse Leo or rattle him. They always wanted to see how strong you were. You were joining the coven, and they couldn’t allow the coven to be weakened by one wrong choice.
“Leo, where is your pack situated?” It was a clear trick question.
“I am sorry, council member, but just as you have your location protected, so does my pack. We need to keep our members safe.” He was amazing with his answers, and I was getting excited. I heard someone scoff from the general region of where Sebastian was standing and just ignored him waiting for the council to ask me a question. If you hesitate, it might influence their decision.
“Leo, Wolf of Shadow pack, have you taken into account that future daughters may be witches and will have to spend their first thirteen years living here, so they can attend school?” Oh, for f@ck’s sake! I didn’t take the time to discuss all the details with him and our link was blocked during the ceremony. I should have waited and spent more time getting to know him. Panic was growing inside my stomach again, and I had to calm myself down quickly, before the council caught wind of my nerves.
“Yes, I know that, and we have already decided to move here at that time, should it happen. We both want our pups or witches, whoever they may be, to be the happiest and best they can be and want to be.” I watched them waiting for the fire to consume him. He was clearly lying, and he wouldn’t get away with it! My concern grew and almost started to show on my face.
“Is something wrong Giselle?” A member took note of my state.
“Are you ill?” He asked, looking almost smug.
“No, councilman. There is nothing wrong. I unfortunately misjudged the heat from the grid and am finding my dress a bit hot. Please do continue.” I smiled at him with my most charming smile. This was a game of will. They weren’t really able to “know that you were lying”. They simply read your body language. If you seemed too nervous, they decided you weren’t meant for each other.
This was unthinkable! So many Mine’s lost their lives and witches spent months and sometimes lifetimes with the Seekers because of the council making rash and incorrect decisions. Let’s play this game. Leo was strong enough to follow my lead, and after we were mated, we would take down the council. The council member’s smile disappeared the second I stood up straight and smiled at him with no sign of feeling ill.
“Leo, you know by now that the Life ceremony means that you and Giselle can never die. Do you realize that she could be injured?” I frowned, thinking that the councillor probably tried so hard to ask a trick question that his question ended up making no sense.
“Yes, I do council member. I also know that, unfortunately, she does not heal as fast as a wolf. She has taught me what the list of ingredients is that is required to heal and how to help her, so she can heal. The only part she has to do is the spell.” That council member didn’t ask any more questions.
“Giselle, have you had any feelings for any other ‘Mine’s’ before?” Their attention turned to me.
“No, council member. I have waited for Leo for millennia. I was a virgin when we met, and he has been my only.” I blushed having to share such personal information.
“WHAT?” Sebastian looked offended.
“Quiet please.” Council ordered, but I was sure they knew what was going on. Mom and Dad would have arranged for an appointment for us, and he would have seen my name on the register. Before the member could carry on, Sebastian did what I was scared of and stormed to my side, grabbing me by the arm.
“That is a lie council member! She has been ‘Mine’ since we were sixteen!” Sebastian shouted, and everyone looked shocked. I looked at Leo, seeing the shock in his eyes. This was why I didn’t tell him everything, because I could see the hurt in his eyes, as it turned to hatred, and he turned into Eurus.
“You lied to us!” Eurus growled. “We were not your first!” The cloak ripped to pieces as he shifted and ran.
“Good! Now we can go through our life ceremony like it was supposed to happen!” Sebastian shouted with a crazed look in his eyes as he turned me around to look at the council.
“Giselle, is he talking the truth?” A councillor asked, and I felt broken by what just happened as tears were falling.
“No, he is not! He is lying! He has always wanted us to become Mine’s, but I never felt a bond! It is just like he is trying to do now. He has chased away the mate I was supposed to have been with. He has broken my bond.” I cried as I slumped on the ground on my knees. Mom jumped up with Dad following quickly after her and they both grabbed me in a hug.
“This is ridiculous!” Sebastian shouted at the council. “You know the truth. We are fated as the deity planned.”
“After everything that has happened, we will need time to discuss everything. There are so many emotions clouding the proceedings that we cannot make any decisions now.” The head of the council determined.
“Sebastian, since you are one of the parties, I will not call on you to find the wolf and bring him back. I command the second in command to find the wolf and return him to the chambers. Mr. and Mrs. Moonwater, you may follow your daughter to the Seekers. Both Giselle and the Wolf will be spending the night there until we return to our sitting again tomorrow. Sebastian, first warrior of the witches of the east, it is ordered that you be placed in the dungeons until such time as the council has made a decision on your true fate.”
“What is the charge??!!” Sebastian shouted as two guards grabbed him.
“… For unlawfully interrupting a life ceremony, with the clear intention of breaking up a possible match.” I was picked up and carried to the Seekers and must have fallen asleep on the way.
*A day later*
I woke in the morning feeling groggy when I saw a young girl walking up to me.
“Drink this, miss. It will make you feel better.” She looked kind.
“Who … Where …?” My head was pounding and I felt confused.
“You are with the Seekers, miss. I will call your parents.” I was with the Seekers? It all came flooding back …
“NO!” I screamed, and my mom ran to me, giving me a tight hug.
“He is not gone sweetheart.” She whispered softly while my dad prepared me some tea. I hate tea, but around here everyone wants you to drink tea filled with calming herbs.
“He ran off, mother! Eurus took over, and he is mean and evil and there is no way he will come back.” I cried.
“You forgot, my darling. Your mother is a power to be reckoned with, especially where my daughter’s happiness is concerned.” She sounded furious.
“Oh, Mother.” I cried. “What did you do this time?” If she abducted him that would just be the end of me.
“I followed council orders just in case you think I did anything illegal.” She looked offended.
“I am lost. Please stop talking in riddles.” Dad showed Mom to move and came and sat next to me.
“The council ordered that Leo be brought back to be kept in the house of the Seekers with you, only in his own room, of course. Thankfully, because of Sebastian’s behaviour, the council decided to postpone the ceremony until everyone had calmed down.” Dad patted my hand.
“Eurus thinks that I lied to him, he will not accept me anymore.” I said sadly, knowing Eurus and how stubborn he was.
“He will have no choice, my girl. You don’t know the council and their methods as well as you think.” Dad smiled, and I didn’t know if that should make me happy or if I should just get out of there and cut my losses.
“Child, get out of bed!” Mom sounded like she did when I was young and tried to avoid school. “You need a shower and the Seekers have brought you a new dress to wear for this morning’s ceremony.”
“What are you on about?” I sat up and felt my head pound.
“Get up, get your girly ass showered and into that dress, so we can go see the council. That is what I am on about.” Mom stomped out of the room. Dad followed her, shrugging his shoulders like he always did. I remember this … This was “de ja vu”. What was she up to? My head was hurting way too much to care, so I did as I was told. I got up, and the bed made itself as soon as I got out and walked to the bathroom. It was a beautiful soft room. There were soft carpets, and the light had a nice glow. It wasn’t sharp like the ones you find in a human city. For some reason, the mirror didn’t want to clean. It stayed steamed up even before I had turned on the shower. Weird, but then I was in the witch homelands, where anything was possible. The towels were baby pink and so soft that I almost didn’t want to let go. I opened the water, and it immediately flowed at the perfect temperature. I could see why people spoke so highly of the Seekers of truth. They honestly took care of those who were hurt. I climbed into the shower and a soft sponge found its way into the shower, softly soaping me up everywhere.
I was tired. I was tired all the way down to my soul and now Mom wanted even more out of me.
- Writer
