The Prophesied Triplets

Book 1: Chapter 5

Note: The gift of earth allows that person to not only control rocks, but trees and plants as well.

Serafina’s POV (Age: 15)

I am training harder today. I hit the makeshift punching bag I made myself over and over again. I filled a thick leather bag with some gravel and river rocks. I punch it as hard as I can to improve my strength. Mama hates watching me train sometimes because I don’t stop until my hands are bruised and bloody.

I need to train harder, I can not let down my guard and fail my duty as the crown prince’s bodyguard. Some male demons tried to get a hold of the prince while we were out in the woods the other day. They almost got both of us, because they hit me with some kind of drug filled dart.

If Papa hadn’t been on his way to get Ian to his check up at the clinic. I shake my head to get rid of the memory, I need to be stronger, faster, and more durable. I went to punch the bag again, but a large hand grabbed my arm gently.

I looked up to the owner and saw it was Uncle Julius, or as most people knew him as King Julius. He had sorrow in his eyes. He brought my bloody hand to his lips and gently kissed my bloody knuckles. “You shouldn’t hurt yourself like this little one. It breaks our hearts to see you harm yourself. Hurting yourself is not how you become stronger.” he said, never breaking eye contact with me.

I looked confused for a moment and tilted my head to the side. ‘Our?’ As if hearing my thoughts he turned his head to the side and I followed his gaze to see my family and his family all standing there, watching me. “What? How long have you all been standing there?” I asked, feeling the heat rise in my cheeks. I always felt nervous when someone watched me train.

They all smiled and came closer. We sat in a circle. Uncle Julius forced me to sit on his lap like a child, while Aunt Emeline came forward. I noticed she was holding a first aid kit. She cleaned my hands and bandaged them. “Now no training until they fully heal.” she ordered. Everyone laughed as I pouted. “Now we can head to the falls for a family picnic!” Ian shouted. We all laughed again. My little brother trying to keep the happy atmosphere going, especially when I feel down.

I loved the falls, everything was clean and fresh here. I soaked my feet in the water as Uncle Julius, Ian, and Prince Andrew swam around. Mama, Aunt Sophie, and Aunt Emeline were cooking the caribou that Uncle Tom caught along with the fish Papa caught barehanded.

I looked up and saw my little brother, Ian, climbing the cliffs. “IAN!? What are you doing up there?!” I cried out, turning everyone’s attention on me and Ian. Mama gasped and was frightened, Ian was precious to her. Papa growled. “Get your ass back down here now young man, or you're grounded!” he roared.

“I’m fine papa. I wanna see the view from the top.” Ian called out, but as soon as the words left his mouth. His foot slipped. Ian started to fall. Ian was only 9, he still had a long life ahead of him. I reached out in reflex to catch him, but I was on the other side of the river from where he was falling.

Just then a large tree from the other side reached out its branches and caught Ian. Something inside me told me I was in control, so I lowered my arms to the ground. At the same time I started to lower my arms, I watched the tree branches moved with me.

Once Ian was close to the ground he jumped off the branches. “Woha, big sis I didn’t know you could do that.” Ian said, looking at me with stars in his eyes. I just looked at my hands and said in a still shaky voice. “I didn’t either. What is happening to me?” I turned to look at my parents.

Everyone was staring at me with blank expressions. I couldn’t read any of their emotions. Fear started to set in. ‘Are they scared of me now? Do they think I’m some kind of freak with powers? Or worse, do they think I’m a monster?’ The thoughts started to pile in my mind until I felt eight strong arms wrap around me and hug me tight, pulling me from the fear filled thoughts of my own mind.

I looked around and saw who was hugging me. Mama, papa, Uncle Tom, and Ian. They were all hugging me so tight it hurt. “You're not scared of me, or disappointed?” I asked them in a tiny voice. If they were not wolves they would never have heard me, but they heard me clear as a bell.

“Oh, no sweetheart. We would never be disappointed in you or scared of you.” Mama cooed as she squeezed me tighter to her. “We were just shocked is all darling. It is rare for even shifters to have gifts from nature.” Uncle Tom said as he started to stroke my hair.

Gifts from nature? “Now we know why you are so strong, my little princess.” Papa said, then he kissed my cheeks. When he kissed me I felt a wetness on my cheeks. It just dawned on me that I was crying. My fears of being rejected by my family made me start to cry without realizing it. That must have been what brought them out of their shocked state.

“What do you mean?” I asked Uncle Tom. He picked me up and brought me to the picnic area and we all sat around our lunch. “Gifts from nature are just that. Gifts that were given to you by the gods. Those gifts always have some connection to nature in some way.” Uncle Tom explained as we ate. Well I mostly nibbled here and there because I was still a bit too scared to relax and eat.

Papa joined in the talk. “You my princess, you have the power of the earth. It is what gives you the speed and strength you had at such a young age, but now that you are older. Your body is strong enough to handle the strain of your new powers.” he said. I looked at my hands again. Still wondering what happened. I held my hand out and imagined the tree behind Aunt Emeline moving to the right to cover her in the shade, and the tree did what I wanted it to do.

Aunt Emeline smiled sweetly now that she was in the shade. Papa said I had the power of the earth. I wondered if I could move rocks too. I reached my hand out and thought of the rocks moving as I did with the tree. They wouldn’t move as easily as the tree, but I felt something. I strained a bit harder and lifted 5 rocks about the size of Ian up into the air at once. I couldn’t hold them for long. It was just a few minutes before I dropped them and started panting.

Mama rubbed my back as I caught my breath. Uncle Julius spoke up “Looks like the heavier the objects you try to move the more energy it takes from you. I think meditation and stamina training should help with your powers.” After catching my breath I nodded. “So this is a good thing?” I asked everyone, just wanting to squash any doubts about them fearing me in the future.

They all smiled brightly. “I think it makes you even more of a badass than normal.” Prince Andrew said with a wink. Ian nodded his head really fast to agree with him. Aunt Emeline and Mama both gave Prince Andrew a glare for cursing. The men just chuckled as he slumped down in his spot.

Uncle Julius turned back to me and said “It is an extremely good thing my dear. Gifts of nature are rare and are said to be blessings from the gods themselves. You have nothing to worry about being different.” He smiled and I felt all my worries disappear. I would learn to control this power and use it for the kingdom.

Prince Andrew’s POV (Age 18)

Serafina and I have kind of smoothed out our relationship pretty well considering how things started when I returned from school all those years ago. She wasn’t kidding when she said she would put me in my place if needed. Sparring with her was also a lot of fun.

She helped me get a lot faster than before. Mostly because I wanted to keep up and catch her when we goofed around. Even my wolf, Aztec, loves being around Serafina. He loves when he gets to chase her in the woods.

It was about a week after some demons had drugged Serafina and tried to kidnap me. Uncle Roland was on his way to take Ian to a check-up and saved us. Serafina hasn’t been able to look me in the eyes since.

I get up and go find my parents. I found them in the library. “Mom, Dad. I need your advice and some help.” I said in a quiet tone. They looked up from what they were reading and gave me their full attention. “What is wrong sweetie?” Mom asked. “It’s Serafina. She has been acting strange all week. I hardly see her as often and when I do see her… her hands have been looking pretty bloody and bruised. When I ask her what happened she just tells me she is training harder so she doesn’t fail again.” I said.

“She must still feel responsible for what happened last week.” Dad said, as his expression turned worrisome. I felt heartbroken and Aztec was howling. He hated seeing her hurt, even more so when we know it is something she is doing to herself when she trains.

She is pushing herself too hard for something that was out of her control. She was drugged. She could barely stay awake, let alone fight off a handful of demons. “Let’s go check on her and take the family out for a picnic.” Mom suggested. Dad and I both smiled and nodded. I would try anything for my Serafina to smile again.

When we got to Serafina’s house we could hear her grunting and the heavy sounds of something being punched over and over. Dad knocked on the door and Uncle Roland answered. “Hey, Roland. We wanted to check up on Serafina and take you guys to the falls for a picnic.” Dad said.

Uncle Roland looked down before shifting his gaze to the backyard. “She is out back. No matter what her mother and I say she still blames herself. Reminds me of the first time I thought I failed as your guard, Julius.” He said, with a dry chuckle.

We walked out to the backyard and I felt my heart hurt even more. Aztec whimpered in my head. Serafina was constantly punching a huge thick leather bag with all her might. The bag was stained in some areas with her blood. “How long has she been doing this?” Dad asked. Aunt Maria answered.

“She does this in every spare moment she gets. After lessons, chores, and her regular training. She then moves to the bag she filled with gravel and river rocks. She won’t stop until the sun goes down.” Her voice started to crack as tears formed in her eyes. “She won’t listen to us no matter how much we tell her she didn’t fail or it wasn’t her fault.” little Ian commented. I could see the sadness in his eyes as well.

Dad nodded and then walked over to her, mom grabbed the first aid kit off the counter. Serafina went to punch the bag again, when dad caught her hand gently by the wrist. I couldn’t hear what he was telling her clearly, but he brought her injured hand closer to his lips and kissed it. Aztec and I were now a bit upset. ‘No male should be touching her, including dad.’ He growled. I full heartily agreed, but I also know it was stupid to get jealous of my own father.

Then they turned and Serafina eyes widen, as if she didn’t know we were here. “H-how long have you guys been here?” she asked while blushing and looked down at her feet. She was so adorable when she blushed. Dad pulled her over to us and made her sit in his lap as mom treated her hands.

Once again Aztec and I were getting very jealous for the simple fact that Serafina was sitting in my dad’s lap and not mine. I glared a bit at dad. He caught me and smirked a bit. He must have wanted to mess with me a bit because he kissed Serafina on her temple and held her tighter.

I glared a little harder at him as Aztec growled in my head, but then Serafina looked at me and we were completely lost in her beautiful green eyes. We never wanted her to think we were upset with her. She was looking at our exchange. I heard mom giggle and turned to her. I guess dad mind linked her to tell her that he was teasing me.

After we patched Serafina up. We went to the falls for the picnic. Since it was so last minute Uncle Tom and Uncle Roland hunted for our lunch while the rest of us swam around and relaxed. Serafina was soaking her feet in the water. I couldn’t help but keep glancing at her.

Dad splashed me “Hey lover boy, keep staring and Roland is gonna get you.” I felt the heat in my cheeks. “Dad, w-w-what are you t-t-talking about?” I fumbled with my words. His laughter boomed.

“You honestly think you are being settled, son? Your mom and I have known how you truly felt about Serafina for years, and when that one boy smacked her ass at training last year. You beat the crap out of him and let out your first alpha roar.” He said while wiggling his eyebrows. I could feel myself turn even redder and just dove under the water to cool off.

I could hear dad’s laugh even under the water. I rolled my eyes and looked at Serafina from under the water. When I ran out of breath I came back up. ‘Please don’t say anything. I want her to like me back, but I want her to feel it naturally.’ I asked dad in a private mind link. He patted my back and told me not to worry.

I looked around and saw Ian was missing. “Dad where did Ian go?” he started looking around too until we heard Serafina yell “IAN!? What are you doing up there?!” Everyone looked at her then we followed her line of sight.

Ian was climbing up the freaking cliff. ‘s**t’ Uncle Roland growled at him to get down, but Ian lost his footing and slipped off. The next thing I know he was caught by a tree, bending it’s branches under him. ‘What the hell?’ I looked around and saw that Serafina’s arms were reaching out and just as she slowly lowered her arms. The tree did the same. Bringing Ian safely back to the ground.

I stared at Serafina dumbfounded again. ‘Holy s**t, she has the power of the earth. That is so cool!’ I thought, but Serafina started to cry. It snapped all of us back to the real world. She thought we would either be scared of her gifts or hate her for them.

I stood back and watched as her family comforted her. ‘I could never hate you, baby girl’ I thought to myself. She was mine! ‘Ours.’ Aztec growled in my head. ‘Ours.’ I agreed with him. Powers or no powers. Nothing was going to make me let her go.