War of the Hares

Chapter 8

"Where should we be headed, Matty?" Lord Maxwell said as he rode on his horse in the rolling hills. With the young Crown Lord behind, holding tight to his waist.

"To my Lunarian cousin in the northeast."

"The Lunatics of Selene? Is there literally anybody else?"

"Well, we can't go back to Brookmont. Or else my Uncle Calvin will think I support Neil."

"You mean the Lion's Tooth Faction?"

"The what?"

"Yeah, that's what they're calling themselves now. Their sigil is the same as the Hargrove one but with the golden lion."

"Oh, what's Vance's faction?"

"The Rose I think? Again, same sigil but the rose is in the hare's mouth."

"I see."

The two arrived at Selene Hedge shortly afterward. A stone castle on a cliff. Near the Bronze Coast, a long beach that stretched for miles. A village surrounded it. The family themselves were ancient and a Great House. Being the cadet branch of the Stellarian and Solarian Houses because of King Stellor's children: Princess Solaria and Prince Lunario. And their only overlord were the sovereigns themselves.

"Here we are."

"Wow, this is..." Max admired the view while getting off his horse and tying it to a pole.

"Beautiful?" Matty looked up at him and smiled.

"Yeah, totally. Let's go inside."

When they arrived, none other than Prince Billy himself smiled and hugged Matty tightly.

"Billy, what are you two doing here?" Matty asked, smiling and referring to Robin.

"I could ask the same of you."

"We're here for my cousin."

"So am I," Billy said, perplexed.

"Wait, you're here for your cousin?" Max asked.

"He is," a voice said. It belonged to an old man who was dark-haired and balding and wore glasses. He was at the seat where a woman sat. She had blond hair that was greying from age. With glasses of her own.

"Uncle Lionel!" Matty ran to him. He went in for a hug. Making the old man chuckle.

"It's good to see family in these times," the woman said, looking at Billy.

"It really is, Aunt Joscelyn." He said, smiling.

"Wait a damn minute, what is going on here? Are you all related?"

Joscelyn laughed. "Not all of us, but you see here: my husband is a Dreschner. He is Matty's mother's brother. Meanwhile my older sister was Lady Bloomstra. Making Marja and her sons my niece and nephews."

"But Bloomstra died more than..." Robin trailed off, trying to figure out something.

"30-40 years ago? We were the only living Lunarian children."

He realized, "You had stillborn siblings."

"Yes indeed, along with some miscarriages. It was tragic. Having a child die after another. I was a miracle. And I'm only a couple years older than the Queen."

Their heartstrings tugged like a harp. Especially Billy's, "And the fact that my grandmother was killed..."

She got up from her seat and went over to one of the paintings. It depicted a beautiful, young woman. One with white-blond hair much like herself along with bright eyes that were the night sky. "I used to think we were cursed when I was young. And maybe we are."