Rise to Reign: Growing Up Young

A lot In Common

*Grace POV*

Today was the first day I had used my wings in a few months. It felt good, and I felt free. I hate when I can't let them out, because it feels suffocating.

If our wings were meant to be hidden, the goddess wouldn't have given them to us, but reality is, humans freak out if we show any type of traits of the supernatural.

Hopefully, one day, things will change, and we can be free to walk with our wings out, or release our wolves anywhere we want, but until then, we can only show our human side.

Every night I write in my journals. I want all of my life documented in hopes that it can help with our history. As soon as I found out about my future, and could write, I have been documenting everything.

At dinner, my uncle Caleb pulled me aside to speak to me about my relationship with his daughter Abbie. It's not that I hate her, because I don't. I love her deeply. However, I refuse to allow her to boss me around and make me feel less than dirt under her feet.

I've never understood why she treats me differently than the other girls in our family. We were fine until I got my wings. After that, it progressively got worse.

He asked me when things changed, and why I thought they changed. I told him the truth. I told him that things started when I got wings. Every time we saw one another, she would turn into a major b***h to me. I couldn't do anything right, and she would take every chance to try and put me in my place and boss me around.

Once I explained my side of things, Caleb apologized to me on behalf of his daughter. It wasn't his fault and he shouldn't have felt the need to do so. He knew I was telling the truth, because Adama and his other kids had told him the same thing.

He explained that I wasn't the only one she treated out of pocket, and that she had even gone as far as treating Freya, Ian and Lucas badly.

He promised me that it would stop, and he was going to make her give me an apology when she came to Brave River to get her things. I asked him not to force her, because I didn't want her to think it bothered me, because honestly, it didn't.

By the time we left, he hadn't said anything else about it, and I didn't want it brought up again. However, deep down, I knew it would be brought up again at some point.

I slid my journal under my pillow, and pulled my blanket up close. Even though it was late summer, it was chilly here at night.

I don't know what time I fell asleep, but I was rudely awoken by obnoxious loud banging early the next morning.

I opened my door, and listened to where the sound was coming from, and I followed it outside of Sterling's bedroom.

"Dammit Sterling! I was trying to sleep you asshole!" I yelled as I pounded on his door. Seconds later, his door flung open, and it wasn't my cousin I saw.

"Um, who are you and where is Sterling?" I asked the man standing before me.

"My name is Jameson Lowell. I'm one of the warriors who also handles maintenance around here. Your cousin requested his television be mounted on the wall, so River sent me. I'm sorry I woke you," he replied.

I felt a lump form in my throat, and I couldn't take my eyes off of him. He was taller than Sterling, and he had a body that looked like it had been chiseled to perfection. His dark hair and gray eyes gave him a mysterious look that I should probably stay away from.

"Uh, it's... it's fine. I need to get up anyway. I have training soon. I apologize for yelling at you," I said. I quickly turned away from him and practically ran back to my room.

I shut the door quickly, and slumped down on the floor. I buried my head in my knees, and I wanted to kick myself for acting like a complete i***t.

I decided to get up and get ready for training, and grabbed a pair of yoga pants and a sports bra out of my drawer. I put them on along with my sneakers, and walked into our little kitchen.

I made myself a peanut butter and banana sandwich, grabbed a bottle of water and left for the training fields. I was close to half way there, when I felt someone coming up from behind me.

"Your highness, wait," he yelled. Your highness? I'm not queen yet. I didn't know how I felt about being called by my title until then.

I turned to face him, and when he finally caught up with me, "I'm running late, did something go wrong at the cabin?" I asked.

He shook his head, and asked if he could walk with me to the training grounds. I didn't see anything wrong with it, so I agreed.

I found out that he grew up in Starry Moon before it became Amber Moss, and that his dad was close to my uncle Jason. It was Jason who suggested he move to Brave Moon and train for the Elite Squad, but when he got here to train, he took on other responsibilities to keep him busy.

"Tell me about yourself, princess. You have been awfully quiet, and I feel like I have been rambling on this whole time," he said.

I gave him a shy smile, and stopped walking. I noticed that we had made it to the training fields, but I was early instead of late. I sat on the grass and pulled my knees to my chest, and decided to carry on with the conversation. "Well, there isn't much to tell. Everyone seems to know a lot about me already, but I can promise you, I'm not as fabulous as the rumors make me out to be," I laughed.

He laughed with me, and told me that he hadn't heard many rumors, but he still wanted to know more. So, I chose to amuse him.

"Well, I'm the middle child in my family. I didn't choose to be royalty, I was born chosen by the goddess. Um, I'm a complete nerd who hates most TV, loves to read, and listen to music. I find peace in the forest when I can be my true self, and I don't have many friends," I explained.

"We have more in common than you would think. I don't watch TV, I don't even own one. I have a huge book library, and read mostly biographies and history books. If I'm in my car or at home, there is always music playing. What is your favorite genre of music, and who is your favorite to listen to?" he asked.

Talking with Jameson was easy. Much easier than I thought it would be.

"Uh, that's a hard one. I love 90s grunge music, and I think my favorite would be anything that Chris Cornell is involved in. I also love female singers from the 70s and 80s. My grandma Mel says I have an old soul because of the music I love. I love biographies as well, but horror-themed books are my favorite," I replied.

His mouth fell open, and quickly shut again. "What?" I asked. He smiled broadly, and answered my question. "Nothing, I just didn't take you for someone who enjoyed horror. It's cool though," he replied. I shrugged my shoulders, and told him I was full of surprises.

As much as I enjoyed our conversation, I had to go. Sterling, uncle Gunner and uncle Phoenix had shown up to start training, and were giving me the death glare.

I told my new friend goodbye, and went to join everyone to start our workout. I don't know how long he sat there and watched, I just know that one second he was there, and shortly after, he disappeared.

I don't know why I felt ridiculously drawn to him, but secretly I hoped to see him again soon.