Charmaine POV
Mom and dad were back from the Lycan Kingdom, and I couldn´t have been happier. With Mom back at the healing facility, things were a bit easy and a lot of fun with Evangel doing rounds along with me.
He has become a good friend of mine, especially because he sees me, the real me. We have developed this silly game where we hum a tune and others try to guess it. It helps us with the boredom of the healing facility because, let's face it, aside from one or two training injuries, nothing goes on here.
I was surprised to find out that Evangel is the younger brother of Engel. Engel is such a cool guy, but he is strong and a great warrior. Despite being good friends with Mia, he was quick to judge me, like me… and never gave me a chance. On the other hand, Evangel is sweet, funny, and an overall goofball.
Serena has been hanging out more and more with the guys that I have been feeling left out of, especially since I decided to stop transforming into my alter ego. I yearned to be treasured and seen, and Mia, despite being a great outlet for my loneliness, covered up the real me, and that frustrated me to no end.
As if things were not bad enough, Mom decided to throw into the mix some extra healing lessons for me. So that meant more time at the clinic than what I regularly had. I felt like protesting, but Ayla quickly butted in and said that as princesses we had to do what was needed, not what we wanted…
Ariel usually did both, what was needed of her, as a warrior princess, and what she wanted, because newsflash, she wanted to become a warrior princess in the first place. For me, there was no choice, and I think that what bothers me the most is exactly that… the lack of a choice to become whatever I want. The lack of the opportunity to do what makes me feel good and alive.
Don't get me wrong, I love healing… the feeling of having a life, or making someone happy is priceless… but I never had a choice to be anything else but, the ultimate healer.
With time passing so fast, I have become used to my new routine. Morning classes at the academy, followed up by a shift in the clinic and then two hours of extra healing training. The spare time I had left was spent on homework, eating, and sleeping.
The overload of activities numbed my senses, and it brought some comfort because, at the end of the day, I was so exhausted that sleep came fast, taking my mind away from my upcoming coming-of-age ceremony.
As royals, we have this big ceremony followed by our wing reveal. I was a late bloomer. My powers came to me when I was almost 19 years old, while the average angel gets them at 16. The whole thing made me feel anxious. What would happen if my wings failed to show at the exact moment I needed them to? Would my family accept my failures once again?
Mom always says that they are all proud of me, and I want to believe her, but I am sure that deep down, for them, I am also a big disappointment.
“Come on Char… lighten up…” Ariel came bouncing into my room. She has been very busy with training and constantly dating Jaziel. The sister that was closest to me had become almost a stranger.
“Why would I? I have no idea why they insist on having this big party for something that we don't know would happen!” I said, exasperated, while someone worked on my red locks.
“I know you don't feel like it, but it is going to be fun! Besides, It is your birthday… and the birthday girl is forbidden from frowning…” She tickled me, making me halt, to the utter annoyance of the hairdresser behind my head.
Ayla walked inside my bedroom as well… “So how about we have some refreshments?” She was followed by a service angel with a little cart of treats.
“Only if they are adult refreshments, sister... Because, as of today, we are all adults!” Ariel jumped up and down, while Ayla gave her a soft smile.
“What do you mean by adult refreshments?” I asked curiously, while the hairdresser scoffed. I had no idea what her deal was, but it annoyed me to death her silent closed captions over my conversations.
“Sweetie, you are too innocent for your own good…” Ariel pointed out, and I shrugged my shoulders.
“What she means is little mimosas, and alcohol drinks… baby sister!” Ayla playfully said, dismissing the way it annoyed me the way she condescendingly said ´baby sister´.
Ariel passed some flutes around, and we toasted and had the fizzy orange-tasting drink. It was good, and I have never had anything like it before. “Wow, this is good…” I beamed,
“Wait until you try margaritas or some beer…” Ariel said excitedly.
“I am not sure if I should get drunk before knowing I can pull my wings out…” I mumbled,
“Hey, you can get crunk, and heal yourself…” Ariel said and then added, “And then heal us, so nobody finds out how drunk we are before the party…” she wiggled her eyebrows, followed by a small smack to her shoulder from Ayla,
“Nobody is getting hammered now… She needs to be relaxed and that is what we are doing… we are taking the edge of…” Ayla said to Ariel, while Ariel mocked her off making silly faces.
Yeah, those were my older sisters, two opposites that worked together perfectly, and I was the little oddball addition…
I actually don't mind having another mimosa, and a good book…” I softly said,
“A BOOK?” Ariel almost choked on her drink. “Why would you need a book right now?” She lifted her eyebrows.
“Because if you want me to calm down, you need to stop hovering over me, and let me be… I enjoy reading, and that relaxes me…” I paused, “So pass me another drink and that book…” I pointed to the table where my latest romance novel was resting waiting to be opened again.
Three hours later, my unruly hair was styled to perfection, my sisters dressed me up in a beautiful gown and my face looked like I was pulled out of a magazine with beautiful makeup. I have no idea how they managed to make me look beautiful, but they did.
As customary of our traditions, I was wearing a white dress. The dress was something chic, and it was not as flashy as something my sisters would wear. It was actually romantic, flowy, and beautiful. Something I was comfortable with and completely my style. I am pretty sure that dress was picked by Mom, she knew my style completely.
I was done and walked out of my room. Ayla and Ariel were wearing cute dresses, but in pastel colors, as per our traditions, the only one in white should be me. Ariel wore an off-gold dress. While Ariel sported a pale yellow with flower appliques on top. Like an elemental angel, she always had a symbol of nature in her looks.
“Let's do this…” I sighed, while my sisters nodded. Both of them followed me. At the gates of the hall, Ayla stopped me and gave me a hug. “Charmaine, sometimes we don't show it, but we both love you… Whatever happens, whatever the outcome… you have us…” She reassured me.
Ariel gave me a hug and just mumbled in my ear… “Always…”
I took a deep breath and the double doors opened in front of me, announcing my sisters, and then the guard announced me, the birthday girl.
Everybody clapped, and despite asking for a small intimate ceremony, everyone was there, even people they didn't care to speak to at the academy showed up at this event. As royals, our events were always sought by many, and this time it showed.
I hated that people that didn't bother with me on a regular basis were now cheering happily, and clapping at my entrance. Hypocrites!
I made my way to the stage and hugged my mom and dad. “Happy birthday, sweetheart…” Dad said in my ear.
“Thanks, Daddy… but I don't want to display my wings in front of all these strangers…” I mumbled in his ear.
Moim gave me a reassuring smile… “We thought so, so when the time came, we had a small lounge just for the closest to the royal family and us…”
“By closest, you mean?” I lifted my eyebrows.
“Uncle Miguel and some advisors. It is the protocol…” Dad said and I nodded. The fact that being a royal made them entitled to have a say about my life and about my fate unnerved me.
“Hey, Char… let's go!” The cheery voice of Evangel broke my gloomy mood.
“I will be right back…” I said to Mom and Dad, making a run away from everyone and everything with Evangel.
We joked for a while. Later, Serena came to wish me a Happy Birthday, followed by Nathaniel. The other guys were keeping their distance, and that hurt, but I was happy with having just two true friends.
Around midnight, I felt the tingles in my back. It was time. I made my way to my sisters and grabbed their hands in mine. They understood what time it was. It was time for me to get my wings.
Mom saw us rushing towards them, and she took Dad's hand and made her way into the separate lounge prepared for my ceremony. I have to be thankful to Mom because she understood that I hated crowds, and designed something I would be comfortable with, an intimate ceremony.
The lounge was beautifully decorated, and several members of the council gathered there. “It is time…” My dad glowed, announcing my transformation.
A glowing light surrounded me, energy flew around, sparks and electricity covered everything, a sharp pain pierced my back and lifted my body from the ground, and my wings came out of me.
It was an exhausting process, and an energy-consuming one, but it was worth it. I landed on my two feet, my smile wide. Usually, people cheered and clapped when a transformation happened, but the reaction that happened next was something that confused me.
“Mom… what is going on?” I asked, confused.
“Engelbert…” Uncle Miguel yelled at my father.
Mom quickly came and wrapped her arms around my shoulders while my two sisters flanked me. “Mom?” I said. My chin was quivering, not understanding what was happening.
“You stay away from her!” Ariel yelled, and then I saw several counselors closing the distance between them and me.
“Everyone stay back!” My dad´s voice boomed, and he looked at Uncle Miguel.
“It doesn't mean anything…” Dad mumbled angrily.
“You know it does…It is not normal!” Uncle Miguel said back.
My mom moved a little and I was able to see my reflection in a close-by mirror. If I wasn't enough of a freak, this was the cherry on top of everything. But what does it mean? Why?
“Sweetie, pull your wings back… and don't let them out until we figure everything out…” My mom softly instructed while tears ran down my cheeks.
I did as she instructed because I was as confused as everyone in the room. The natural wing color of a healer is gold, then why the f**k are my wings bright RED?
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