The lion blood princess

they called me lion blood

but what did i get for it?

I don't know, but mother said

to keep on fighting for those who can't fight for themselves

that's when I decided to become a a vessel for my people.

my mother the queen gifted me the name elowen

as part of my initiation into my new role as princess of the shield marrow kingdom. I was only five at that time when mother got sick, i felt myself growing up.

i was still small then and didn't fully comprehend the magnitude of my new responsibilities as the only heir to the throne.

but soon enough the queen had passed, I was ten. not only had our kingdom lost our queen but I had lost my mother, I was then forced to take up her duties, only then I realized how much I would need to sacrifice to fulfill them.

"Elowen, it will begin soon," a voice calls out from behind me. It's my grandmother, mother's mother. She smiles sadly at me from where she stands near the door, she has the same kind eyes.

"It's time dear."

Chapter 2

it was night when it happened. we were all asleep, my grandmother had just gone to bed and so had everyone else. even though i was still awake, i found it difficult to fall asleep. i laid awake listening to the wind blow gently through my window. i knew it wouldn't do any good, i knew there was nothing i could really do but try to sleep. my poor mother was to be laid to rest in the morning. no one should have to see their mother die, least of all me.

when i hear something shift next to my bed, i turn over slightly to see what it might be. in the darkness it looks like a person standing beside my bed. my heart rate quickens until i realize it's actually a crow, large and black so dark I thought I could see the whole expanse of the night sky in his feathers. I looked into his eyes and froze a cold sweat breaking out all over my body I screamed. it wasn't long before the entire castle woke up. everyone rushing into the rooms screaming for me to wake up. i stayed silent, my eyes wide open staring straight at him.

"ELOWEN!" i heard someone scream out. suddenly they had yanked me away from the crow.

"Elowen?" the voice asked again, this time closer than before. "you're awake now, you need to tell us what you saw." a young woman, presumably one of the maids, stood by my bedside. "can you tell us what was happening?" i couldn't answer her. "Elowen?"

I managed to finally speak " I'm okay just a night terror is all I'm sorry to have woken everyone" I said with a small smile. everyone left and then I fell into a dreamless sleep.

the next morning came and it was time to bury mother,the maids ran around me and fussed with me to get me dressed and ready for the worst day of my life. once everything was done, we started to leave the castle to the family crypt,they pulled me onto the carriage and sat me down on one of the cushions. as they drove I noticed there was more than one guard riding ahead of us.

as we neared, I saw the crypt large and marble with a huge iron gate at the entrance, a marble statue of an angel adorned the top of the crypt the lifeless look in the angel's eyes made my stomach feel like it was twisting itself in knots as we approached the tomb, we arrived in front of a group of guards with torches. they stood at attention and nodded towards the cart which the servants rolled forward. the driver stopped the horses right by the entrance, the knights dismounted first and stepped to either side. one knight held an iron key that he handed to another knight.

first the knights and father the king walked into the crypt with mother's casket. they each picked up a corner and carried it into the crypt, the maids followed carrying the torches. they laid mother inside and covered her face with her veil. mother always looked beautiful even in death, maybe especially in death. father spoke to the servants, telling them that they should clean out the chambers once they are done. they agreed and left the room. once everyone was alone, father took my hand in his own,he squeezed it gently then let go.

"remember to pray," father said looking directly into my eyes. " he had such a heart renched look on his face father looked much older now, he has aged so quickly I thought to myself.

"Elowen " grandmother called to me to sit with her, she gave me a warm smile, " remember when mother died, your father would carry you around while singing that song you liked so much." i giggled then remembered back to when my mother used to sing it to me as a baby. the song of the crows ."weather wind or rain take me away I will always come back on the wings of the crows they know my face they know my place they will bring us home".

I smiled back up at her, tears welled up in my eyes. "I'll never forget the sound of mother's voice. I will sing it everyday for the rest of my life, she is the reason why I am alive."

mother used to say that sometimes the birds can sense that you need them.

the service was long and sorrowful I went to take one last look at mother before they closed her tomb. the lanterns lit the way for us the crows follow as we made our way home.

Chapter 3

I don't remember much after my tenth birthday. The year was a confusing blur. When I did figure it out I wished that I could just stay that way forever. My life had changed drastically since the day mother had passed.

my father told me I would be leaving to learn how to be a good queen to rule one day, I fought at first then gave in I was young and needed to be taught. so off I went to mother's home kingdom the land in the middle of the sun they called it. it was in the relm of the fae folk I would spend ten years here at court then would I be sent home to rule??

Chapter 4

.the king said I would only get stronger if i learned how to be a better person.

after several years at court, I began to see how wrong I had been.

people were cruel, my father was distant and angry, mother's brother was abusive and abusive towards me.

"Elowen " a voice called, my name echoed throughout my halls.

"yes mother" I replied turning around. mother wore a blue gown adorned with jewels and pearls and she carried herself as proud as ever. she placed a finger over my lips to shush me " you mustn't talk so loud." I giggled and so did she "oh mother how I've missed you" I cried and hugged her tight, burying my head in her shoulder

she returned the embrace, "and i've missed you dear Elowen," she said. "we should return to our palace, father is waiting for us to greet you." mother led me out into the hallway leading to the royal gardens. she opened the garden door and ushered me in. then I looked up at the sky as it grew dark and eerie I watched as a red light bloomed over everything. the sky filled with cawing crows and I turned to look at mother and as she turned to me, I saw the bones in her face where her skin should have been,she opened her mouth to speak and only dust escaped her gaping Maw, I screamed then I woke with a jolt, just another dream I thought to myself ,I was covered head to toe and sweat shaking heart racing " calm down Elowen "I said to myself I had to stop doing this.

I got up and slipped out of bed quietly. I wrapped a robe around myself and left the bedroom, my bare feet making no noise against the cool tile floors as I made my way towards the stairs. I made my way downstairs and headed towards the library, opening the door I was met with silence.

I stayed there all night enjoying the silence. I picked up many books tried to read them but I can only think of my night terrors, I thought of them for so long the sun started to peek through the windows and I sighed, another sleepless night.

the other thing I dreaded that came with the dawn was my lessons with my mother's brother he was a cruel man he wanted me to call him my Lord. he would beat me if I uttered a different name he was Lord Baron second in line behind my mother he would take over this Kingdom after his father my grandfather passed I never dared to speak out against him, I feared what he would do if I told them of how he treated me. he was an ugly little man but strong, he was trained as a knight but never saw battle, behind his back the maids called him the strong coward and I agreed.

this morning we were to be practicing etiquette.

"elowen? elowen?" I heard a snap then my hand was burning Lord Baron had hit me with the ruler he was holding in his hand, I gasped "sorry my Lord I was somewhere else". well don't let it happen again he said between gritted teeth. I finished my etiquette lesson early and wanted to head towards the gardens but first I needed to stop by my room to get my over coat, it was still cold and most of the ground was still ice covered and frozen. I found a note waiting for me in my room I opened it carefully with the letter opener on my bedside table, the letter said I was to change and head to the gardens grandmother was waiting for me in the gazebo for tea, just thinking about it made me happy I got see grandmother I did not know she had returned.

she sat at the table with her cup of tea in hands and smiled as soon as she saw me " hello little one you look very tired today" she said pouring me some tea " yes grandmother my lessons didn't go too well today.

then we talked about trivial things and enjoyed each other's company.

i ate dinner with Lord baron, grandfather and grandmother. we drank a toast to mothers memory and grandmother asked if my education has been going smoothly