The Two Moons

The Rose

POV: EdenMoon Pack, Omega Rose

Dishes. Laundry. Sweep. Scrub Floors. Garden harvest. Help Belinda with dinner. Start tomorrow's bread.....

I focused on repeating my chore list for the day.

Today is .. Wednesday ... I need to get baking ingredients for this weekend. That means I need to go to the market today. I need to get a list of ingredients from Belinda .... My thoughts ran together in a constant stream, trying to distract myself from my boredom and most irritating surroundings. Staring off into space, I once again repeated my list for the day. Looking over at the 5 loaves of dough proofing on the large wooden table, I sighed, this was the last loaf of dough to kneed for the morning bake. Shaping the soft dough next to the others, I drizzled each with a few drops of oil to prevent them from drying out and covered them in a thin muslin fabric. Wiping my hands on my apron, I sighed and untied the apron straps, folding it neatly and leaving it on the table next to the bread dough. Grabbing a large basket off the shelf, I weaved through the Manor staff, quickly making my way to the servants' passage at the back of the room.

Stepping out into the cool morning air I inhaled deeply, the air a welcome comfort after being cooped up in the kitchen all morning. Reaching up, I made sure that all of my hair was neatly tucked back into my white bonnet while making my way toward the garden at the end of the property. My wolf Melody sniffed the air with a soft groan, alerting me that the smell of a high-born wolf was near. Stopping along the side of the gravel walkway, I kneeled in anticipation and bowed my head, watching as several pairs of feet walked past me. The last pair of feet wore dainty black-heeled boots surrounded by a train of silver silken fabric that dragged on the ground. Odd ... Why would the MoonShield Priestess be this far south? The Goddess knows that they are rarely seen outside the Temple and even more rarely outside of the snowy areas.

My breath hitched in my chest as the small black boots stopped directly in front of me and turned in my direction. A soft cold hand reached down and hooked my chin with a finger, turning my face upward to look at the person infront of me. Staring down at me was the most beautiful she-wolf. I could tell by the look in her eyes she was older and much wiser than anyone at the Estate. The most amazing white hair hung around her shoulders in soft curls, and her eyes the softest sage green i had ever seen. Both Melody and I gasped, this was definitely a Moon priestess. She smiled at me, a soft warm smile as she let go of my chin and turned to look at the Manor Steward who was a small, annoying man.

"Such a beautiful she-wolf you have here, let us go. I must speak with the Alpha."

She smiled down at me once more before turning to continue following the Steward. As soon as the group of guards and the Priestess had passed completely, I stood wiping the dirt off my dress and picked my basket back up, continuing to the garden.

Walking through the garden, I took stock of what could be used for dinner and sat on my knees in the dirt. Using my hands, I dug through several plots of potatoes, looking for all of the ripe ones that were left. I knew this would be one of the last harvests for the year before the cold had completely set in, killing whatever had not been harvested for the season. Zoning out, I continued digging through the dirt, filling the basket with all the colors of potatoes, big and small. Whatever was leftover would all need to be stored for the winter. Amber's low growling shook me out of my daydreaming just in time, catching the scent of a highborn coming close to the area. Looking over the garden plot to my left, I assessed if there were any tomatoes that would be left for harvest or if i should head to the orchard. Gathering the rest of the potatoes into the basket, I froze, the sound of footsteps closing in behind me.

The hair on the back of my neck stood on end, it was too late to react when i felt the armored hand of a guard grasp my upper arm lifting me up onto my feet. With a startled gasp I came face to face with the Moon Priestess who stood there staring at me. The Priestess reached to her side, dropping a leather pouch of coins into the Stewards hand without a word and then dropping two silvers onto the bag before turning towards the gravel walkway and heading towards the front gates. The MoonKnight who held my upper arm followed behind her, roughly pulling me along without so much as a word. Walking out of the gates there was two white chariots sitting on the road, small moonstones adorning the ornate flowered exterior causing soft rays of light to emit from the outline. The priestess walked to the first carriage, a knight opening the door for her and then closing it once she had gotten in. The door of the second carriage opened and the knight holding my arm pushed me forward into the carriage, causing me to fall onto the carpeted floor face first.

Sitting up, I pushed the curtains aside, looking out the side window as the carriage began to move. Melody whined softly in the back of my mind, neither of us knowing what was going on. I sat back on the floor with an irritated groan and closed my eyes, wondering how long it would be until we would stop moving. The soft rocking of the carriage quickly made me tired and Melody took the lead, telling me to get some sleep while I could. I did need sleep. I had been up since around 5am doing my chores and had worked late the night before salting and pickling vegetables in barrels for the storage room. I wondered who would be finishing my tasks, and if they would mess up my bread loaves or even forget to bake them for dinner. That was not my problem at the moment though, i needed to rest and try to figure out what was going on whenever i got the chance to get out of this .... oh so ... so comfortable carriage. Just a quick nap would give me enough energy to stay alert.

"Rose, wake up! We stopped moving and I need you to get up!" Melody screamed at me, startling me awake. It had apparently been several hours since we left the Manor and the sky was clouded over, causing the sky to look like the clouds were on fire. The sound of the lock disengaging startled me as the door flew open and a knight sat a square fabric package and flask on the seat across from me before handing me a blanket and promptly closing and relocking the door. Unfolding the blanket, I wrapped the fur-lined side around my shoulders and got up to sit on the seat next to the package and flask. Opening the flask, I took a sip, warm orange mulled mead hit my lips, slowly warming my body as I drank from the flask. Recapping the flask, I laid it on the carpeted floor and untied the fabric on the square package, finding; bread, cheese, grapes, carrot slices, and cherry tomatoes nestled in a bed of fresh sliced spinach. Sitting back on the floor with the box, I stared out the once again moving windows, slowly eating and savoring the food that had been given to me.

The next time I awoke it had been several more hours since we had last stopped and the sun had already set on the horizon. I looked out the window at the snow-covered mountains sparkling in the sunset and wondered where we were going. I missed my little straw bed on the floor of the closet inside the servants' quarters. I hated not knowing what was happening. Pulling the blanket tightly around me, I noticed that the air had gotten colder and I was starting to be able to see my own breath. We were far up into the mountains and farther away from the forests of the EdenMoon Pack. I hadn't left pack grounds after being sold to the Alpha when I was 8. A million thoughts raced through my mind as I finished off the flask of surprisingly still warm mead and curled back up on the carpet, falling into a slow and deep sleep filled with fitful nitemares. Melody's last thought to me was telling me that everything was alright.