The Crown Hackura Prince and His Dragon Princess

Shift in the World Pt.1

Hastein is Twenty-Seven

Hastein was sitting in his Aunt Haley and Uncle Eric’s home. I stared outside wondering if everyone felt a shift in the world that I just did. My Aunt came up behind me, “Hi, H.” I turned, “Hello, Aunt Haley.” She asked, “Are you alright?” I felt her studying our bond. I asked, “Do you feel like everything just changed?” She answered, “No, but if you do, my advice would be to find out why you feel that way. People don’t f*****g listen to me though.” She was pissed because she wanted to hunt dark Witches down and was being told no again.

I nudged her, “Hey, when I become King I’ll let you go on a crusade.” She grumbled, “That’s not going to be for a long ass time.” I put my arm around her. She may be my Aunt but I was older than her. She leaned her head into me. I said, “Dusk is almost on us. What do you say you pop us to that mountain and we sketch, like old times.” I’d gotten her to open up to me that way. She was quite talented, which didn’t surprise me. She had Fairy blood.

She grinned at me and popped us to the mountain. She snapped her fingers and everything we needed appeared. I felt better when we started sketching the sun set. I felt the concern in my connections. My dad was frustrated. He wanted to give my Aunt Haley everything she wanted, but he didn’t want her to regret it. I, personally, thought he was thinking about it wrong.

He always tried to view her thoughts through the lens that she was jaded because Witches had hurt her. He was right and wrong. If Haley was a full blooded Hackura, then he’d be dead on. Aunt Haley didn’t really have bitterness in her that a Hackura would if we’d endured what she had. She was light itself and while cautious and sometimes outwardly hostile towards Witches and warlocks. She never hurt one that didn’t deserve it.

I told her, “You should talk to them the way you want to.” She glanced at me, “What the f**k do you mean? I talk to them how I want. They don’t f*****g listen.” I reasoned, “You don’t and neither do they. You hold back because, well you hide behind walls I can’t get past in the bond so I don’t fully know. I know part of it is you still feel guilty for how you came to us.” Her face closed off but she was listening.

I told her, “It wasn’t your fault.” She replied, “I broke them and you know that’s a fact.” I argued, “It’s not.” She replied, “I broke you too.” I went to talk and she shook her head. She looked off into the distance. I stayed quiet because that served me well with my Aunt.

She admitted, “Being here I see it more. I’ve grown and learned more. Supernatural’s don’t do well with failure. You all think you failed me. It doesn’t matter that there was magic blocking in the bond. Or that I don’t blame you. The fact remains that goddesses stood in our way. You had no way of knowing anything was wrong, and Alania chose dad to have me with. One reason had to be she knew he couldn't get to me in Faerie, as far as he knew anyway.”

She pointed out, “I didn’t know anyone wanted to sit down and sort through their feelings in the bond with me until a year after Eric got shot.” It hit me, “But you knew we did.” She nodded, “Yes, I spied on you guys all the damn time. I thought it was different because I was a partial.” I winced, “Aunt Haley, you have to tell them that.” She asked, “What purpose does that serve?”

I used her own logic against her without remorse. We had to fix this as a family. “You spied on us. So, you know we sit through and go through the bond. I think we need to do it and go back to when you arrived and you can’t hide behind your walls.” She frowned, “It’s better that I do.” I argued, “The hell it is.” She reasoned, “It f*****g hurts them when I’m honest and I feel it.” I said, “As a therapist you know that healing comes from that hurt too. You can’t keep hiding your hurt and they need to stop not explaining theirs.”

She asked, “What do you mean?” I answered, “You don’t understand that their pain about your past and all that comes with it aren't on you and they don’t think they are.” We finished sketching and I yanked on my family bonds. I called, “Javi.” He faded in. He said, “Bring my cousins, “I inclined my heart to Haley even though he knew I meant her family, “and my Uncle Eric. We need to talk as a family.”

Aunt Haley yanked back in the bond. I pointed a finger, “Don’t do that. We need this. I need this.” I pushed all that need at her. She sighed, “Alright.” I added, “You should talk to Aiden too. He’s not my favorite person, but I know that his hurt over what happened to you hurts you both. I obviously care about your feelings but it should probably be addressed.” She shrugged, “He doesn’t want to talk about it.”

I replied, “So make him. You are Haley Melody Holloran Cambridge Conners.” She’d changed the order so Cambridge was closer to last. She’d almost dropped the Holloran name at one point. She bartered, “Ok, I’ll do all of this. So long as you look into why you think everything just changed.” I agreed, “I don’t know how I’ll look into that, but I promise you I will.” She hugged me.

She sighed, “Alright, let’s go do this.” I felt her nerves because she let me. I considered it great progress. Clearly I just needed to have more drawing sessions with her, but she wasn’t wrong. We all held back from the way we were with each other with her. I’d never let anyone else in the family get away with what we let her do. It wouldn’t matter who they were to me, it would stop.

I remembered Uncle Eric had been PISSED after we went through all her feelings in the bond and he pointed out that would’ve been good to do several times prior. He wasn’t wrong, but he did eventually understand why it had happened.

I came through with my Aunt and led her to the main room. I noticed Alexander standing at the edge. I went over to him and he popped me away. I said, “I do need to get back.” He studied me, “Mom dreads what you’re about to do.” I winced, “I know that, but we need to discuss it. It’s how this all works. It would be one thing if she talked to someone but she doesn’t. Which is ironic because if it was anyone else she’d have them talking because of her degree.”

I assured him, “She’ll be ok. You go do five year old things.” He scoffed, “I don’t know what that is. IN my realm, the humans don’t do the things I want to do. Then in the pack I have my wolf and they don’t.” I frowned, “That’s a good thing.” He nodded, “I think so.” I asked, “Does someone not?” He replied, “Grandma Cassandra is jealous.” I snorted, “She’s a Troll.” I used a word he’d know was a definite insult. He grinned, “She is.” I ruffled his hair, “Go to the gym if you’d like. Watch movies. The realm is open to you, little cousin.”

He nodded, “I’ll go see what Cassie and EJ are doing.” I laughed, “I’m shocked.” He said, “You should’ve gotten mom to promise to explain all her feelings.” I inclined my head, “Probably.” He said, “You want to ask me something else.”

I asked, “Have you ever felt everything shift? Like something is different but you don’t know what it is?” He answered, “Yes.” I stared at him then laughed. I asked, “Are you going to tell me about it?” He said, “In December everything shifted.” I asked, “Last month?” He nodded. Interesting. I asked, “Any thoughts on it.” He shrugged, “It’s dumb probably.” I prodded, “Tell me anyway.” He said, “Later that same night Jase called and said Melanie was born.” I thought about that and then said, “Thanks.” He shrugged and popped away.

I’d doubt my mate would be this much younger than me, but maybe I was going to find her soon. Maybe we were in the same realm for the first time? God, this was crazy. I opened a portal back to the family room. Everyone was here.

My dad asked, “Why are we here, son?” I answered, “Because we need to go all the way back in time and go through our feelings.” Aunt Haley groaned, “We can’t go back in f*****g time.” I felt something in the bond from her and jumped on it. I asked, “What can we do?” She jolted, “What?” I grinned, “There’s something we can do though.” She sighed, “We could use a charm to allow us to go into certain memories. Well, Aiden can perform it.” We might have to do that.

I nodded, “Let’s put a pin in that.” She asked, “What the f**k would that do?” She conjured me a pen and paper. I laughed, “I do love you, Aunt Haley.” She replied, “I love you too, H.” My grandpa asked, “What’s going on?” I said, “We never sat down with Aunt Haley in those days, weeks, months, or years after she came home. There are misunderstandings and guilt hanging on that we need to get rid of.”

Uncle Eric threw his arm around Aunt Haley but his expression was grateful. My dad was cautious, “What do you mean?” My mom threw support at me as my brothers threw pride. I explained, “She was spying on us.” My mom now physically sat forward in anticipation, but I wasn’t going to go over what she wanted to know. Aunt Haley might say, but I doubted it.

She huffed and sat back. My dad asked, “Astrid?” She waved, “One day and all.” I laughed while everyone looked between us. We’d known that my Aunt had killed people who disrespected the members of this family that were put down as natural causes, but we had no proof. I winked at my mom while my dad’s head shot back and forth between us.

I cleared my throat, “She knows we sat down and had meetings, but she thought she wasn’t included because she was a partial.” Uncle Eric’s arm locked around her. My grandpa jumped up, “Princess, that had nothing to do with it.” She muttered, “I know.” I added, “Now, because four years ago we had it out over everyone’s feelings about Uncle Eric getting shot.”

No one missed her flinch or the bolt of pain that went through the bond from her. I said, “She has beliefs that are wrong that can only be helped by talking through all this.” My grandpa leaned forward, “Alright. What’s going on here?” I sent Aunt Haley strength. She said, “I broke you guys.” Uncle Eric frowned and seemed surprised.

Uncle Ubbe said, “How strange. I don’t feel broken.” Aunt Haley stood, “Don’t f*****g do that. I did! Everyone was talking about here!” My grandpa motioned for her to sit back down. He said, “I thought we went over that when you got into college. We explained we always planned to take a break to get to know you.”

She didn’t fight the tears that filled her eyes. She said, “But you didn’t expect a broken girl who wouldn't talk to you. I made your fears come to life. I hurt each of you by being afraid, but you didn’t get it. It was never you I was afraid of.” My dad said, “You told us that. We know you were afraid we’d go away. Hell, Logan told us before you did. He has a better sense of those walls you use.”

If she was surprised she didn’t show it, and the bond wasn’t giving surprise so she must have known. I hoped she wasn’t already putting them up since we’d just started. She pushed back, “That doesn’t make a f*****g difference! You didn’t know that then. I hurt you and I kept hurting you. I was selfish in trying to put myself back together, but I held back because I just knew it would be one elaborate trick if I gave in. People talked behind your backs all the damn time because of me.” That might bring about the conversation my mom wanted.

Grandma Veronica said, “They do that all the time. People gossip.” It clicked for me and I couldn't believe I’d never seen it before. My dad’s eyes snapped to me sensing I caught onto something. I stared at my Aunt in horror. She blinked at me, not understanding.

My mom asked, “H?” I said, “But in Faerie when that happens families fall out of power and die. You think you were about to plunge our realm into a Civil War.” Her face didn’t change but the blocks went up. Uncle Logan ground out, “Don’t do that.” Uncle Marcus asked, “Little one? Is he right?”

She answered, “Families do fall in Faerie when people start gossiping about them, especially if they sense a weakness.” I closed my eyes, “Which is why Aiden and Arion were fed bullshit about letting people hurt you. So, they wouldn’t be seen as weak. We gave you a guard and didn’t let anyone say shit.” While she’d been worried we’d be fighting the whole realm for her.

Grandpa Titus explained, “Surely you saw in our history books our family has always been in power.” Uncle Harper said, “And she worried she’d be our downfall.” Aunt Haley shrugged, “I don’t think that now.” It’s why she’d killed so many people for their disrespect. I locked eyes with my mom knowing our rules and this fear she had drove her to act. She couldn't deny the insult to her blood, but it overcame her fear the Fairy’s had put in her.

I chimed in, “You think you broke us, but you didn’t.” I felt her intense annoyance. She argued, “I did. I hurt you guys.” Uncle Benjamin said, “That’s not breaking us.” She said, “You wanted a sister that would be fun and have fun with you. I wasn’t that f*****g person when I got here.” Uncle Drake said, “You are now.”

Aunt Astrid said, “But presentation is everything in Faerie. You were telling us without us. Always saying how you weren’t presentable and we must be disappointed. No one was.” Aunt Haley replied, “I was watching balls and you all hoped I would come down. I sat on the stairs dressed, knowing it would mean the f*****g world to you if I came in.” She looked down and whispered, “But I couldn't.”

Uncle Evin said, “You went through severe trauma. Would you expect any of your patients to do all those things?” She didn’t answer but we all felt it. He added, “Why do you expect so much of yourself when you have so much grace to give others?” She shrugged.

My dad said, “That’s not going to work, little one. We feel you know the answer, you just want to say it.” Uncle Eric had stayed quiet, but I assumed he was linking her encouragement. My Grandpa Titus looked conflicted. This is where they usually gave in and let her hide, but I sent him all my feelings that he needed to push. Just like he would if it was anyone else.

He looked at me and sent me a small smile and pride. He turned, “You can wait to tell us, but we won’t be leaving this table until we have the answer.” She asked, “What?” He explained, “That’s how this all works.” She blinked in surprise several times.

My brother, Louis, asked, “So, what gives Aunt Hales?” Her brow furrowed. Uncle Logan laughed. I asked, “What?” Uncle Eric answered, “She’s annoyed she can’t lie.” I would be too. I pointed out, “That doesn’t help because with the bond we’d know.” Uncle Histeck prodded, “So, why do you give everyone but yourself grace?”

She didn’t reply. Uncle Drake said, “You’d brow beat any family that pushed a victim to open up. So would our Aunt Valia, you remember her. She was one of your therapists.” Ophelia ended up being her main one because she was Grandma Veronica’s friend, but my great Aunt would step in because Ophelia had missions. They moved theirs opposite of each other to be there for Aunt Haley.

My Aunt’s annoyance flashed through me. I knew what my Uncles were doing. I’d seen them do it a lot in these meetings. They’d goad the subject until they yelled out the problem. Something our blood had us doing innately, they’d just never done it to her. Uncle Eric raised an eyebrow at them but they didn’t glance at him. I wish I had a bond with him because something told me he’d be happy.

My Aunt Haley retorted, “Of course I remember her.” Uncle Ubbe said, “Phew. One might think you’d have forgotten her, Ophelia, and all the studying you did for that fancy degree.” She argued, “It’s not that fancy…” He cut her off, “Because no victim should have to move before they are ready. I’m impressed you got ready for the ball. We did that because you told Marcus and he told us because you said it was ok. Also, we have cameras. So, we watched you almost come down multiple times.”

That last part surprised her and her eyes shot to Uncle Gunner. He snorted, “Why is it whenever we have meetings with Haley I get shot in the damn foot? Every time.” Aunt Haley’s brows knit together in confusion. Uncle Gunner muttered, “I’m over here catching strays for existing.” Aunt Cali kissed him, “I’ll kiss it all better.”

Uncle Benjamin said, “You’d even call the progress remarkable if you were your own patient, little one. You have a family of your own now. You keep popping kids out…” She interrupted, “Sneezing.” He continued as if she hadn’t said anything, “and are so desperately in love with your mate. You’ve released magic because of how much you love him and he pleases you. You’ve participated in orgies, which to be honest we never knew how that would go over with you. Your progress is remarkable.”

My dad chimed in, “It is. Everyone thinks so.” Aunt Haley snorted, “I don’t.” Uncle Marcus said, “Then you’d be a hypocrite and you aren’t.” She exploded, “I wasn’t supposed to hurt you! All I ever dreamed about was dad coming for me when I turned sixteen. I f*****g dreamed about having more siblings. Ones who could f*****g love me like I loved them! Then I got them and I just kept hurting you and retreating to watching you from the damn shadows!”

I clenched her hands, “I know it’s not true now, but I heard people. I was worried I’d be your downfall because I couldn’t be f*****g normal. You didn’t go on missions. I took you away from your families.” She pointed at me. Her intense guilt had me tearing up.

She wiped her eyes, “You all feel bad you never came for me. I got everything I dreamed of every damn day in the nightmare that was my childhood in Faerie. Then I couldn’t be f*****g normal and show you that. Then I had walls you didn’t. Everything was different for me and I kept f*****g it up!”

I said, “You didn’t take my dad from me.” She scoffed, “Yes, I did. He was worried about me and focused on me. Everyone said it.” I told her, “That’s not even remotely true.” She cringed, “Everyone stopped having kids.” Uncle Marcus said, “I recall you saving Spencer.” She replied, “You weren’t trying. You missed so much damn time with him.” She looked down at her lap crying, “You were always with me.”

Aunt Torvi said, “I’ll murder anyone who said that. I’m sure you remember the newborn stage. They sleep a lot.” Uncle Marcus winced, “You’ve thought that this whole time? You help people and still see your kids.” She went to say something then stopped.

I encouraged her, “Just say it. That’s why we are here.” She cringed, “You were my rock. I needed you all the damn time. You came back from missions for me and then I let you down.” I was not alone in being taken aback.

Uncle Marcus asked, “What are you talking about? You’ve never let me down. We did but you didn’t.” She argued, “You’ve never let me down and don’t’ think I don’t know what you’re talking about. Arion f*****g let me down. You didn’t and never have. Not a single one of you.”

I asked, “Then what the hell are you talking about?” She felt deep shame about whatever it was. Eric pulled her into his lap. Uncle Marcus told her, “Hales, you never let me down.” She yelled, “YES I f*****g DID! If I had accepted my Fairy side I would’ve known what Claudzilla did to you! I would’ve saved you, me, Torvi, Eric, and this family a bunch of f*****g heartache.”

She wiped away at her tears, “You saved me and I didn’t save you back. I let you f*****g down thinking you resented me because I was so f*****g needy. You needed me and I didn’t have your six!” She pointed at my cousins, Uncle Marcus’ kids, “My nephews went through all that bullshit because of me! Do you know how that feels? Oligar and Marcus struggled. Hell, all them f*****g did.”

Grandpa Titus said, “That wasn’t on you.” Aunt Haley yelled, “She did it to you f*****g too! I was too hurt and focused on myself that I didn’t f*****g see it! Then I run into her and barely manage not to kill her f*****g ass and SHE CHARMED MY HUSBAND!”

Uncle Ubbe said, “Because you were put in SIMS.” She threw her arms out, “Because I a f*****g i***t who trusted Arion. I should’ve known better. I should’ve known something was off. He didn’t come out to help me fight when I knew he would’ve unless he was part of it. I KNEW that he would fight with me. I didn’t hear him pop in. I didn’t think and turned my back despite all the training I was given here. He lost his mind because of me. He is dead BECAUSE OF ME!” I physically jolted back.

Uncle Eric said, “Arion is dead because of his actions and decisions. I wish you’d let us kill him.” Except that he still wouldn’t be dead. I would’ve preferred that but for my Aunt’s sake, I was glad he was just dead.

Uncle Marcus stood, “You had every reason to hate your Fairy side. You didn’t turn your back on it either. You didn’t have all the tools to grow yourself in your powers that you do now. So, you didn’t fully accept your light? What person who went through you would? Those partials you saved didn’t all come to your Fairy lessons. You don’t think less of them for it. They thanked you for telling them but rejected anything to do with the Fae. They are definitely well within their rights to do so.”

She agreed, “They are.” I asked, “Then why aren’t you?” She said, “That decision didn’t hurt their family. Mine did. I should’ve known Marcus would never act that way.” Aunt Torvi said, “You and me.” Aunt Haley frowned. Aunt Torvi waved, “I know this man inside and out. That vapid b***h wasn’t his type at all. I should’ve looked into it. I let insecurities flare up comparing her to me. No one is immune to that. I looked at her and myself then passed on a few desserts.”