Pure Moonlight (closed)

[heartofcourage]

Selena nodded, not commenting on his choice. He had his reasons for not wanting to go and she would not press him. She rose a moment later and told the messenger that she would be leaving in the morning. The young man nodded and excused himself, heading back to Inverness. She then started the task of packing. Ruben would be upset at leaving his father behind, but she hoped that the little boy's love of his aunt would put him in better spirits.

 

[KieranSoares]

Kreston helped her all he could, and that night as they retired to bed, Kreston quietly curled into her side and laid his head almost meekly against her shoulder. "I love you," he whispered, hoping she was not still bitter with him and all they'd discussed that day.

 

[heartofcourage]

"I love you too." Selena said softly, her eyes turning towards his in the darkness. "This will all work out."

 

[KieranSoares]

Kreston's soft amber eyes almost seemed to glow in the dim ambient light that drifted through the window from the moon. His arms wrapped around her waist and he settled with a deep sigh. He only hoped she was right, and that, maybe after this war, he could come to Inverness and her family would accept him. If only more humans were like her.

 

[heartofcourage]

The sun rose much too early for her liking. Selena yawned and looked at Kreston, reaching out to touch his cheek gently. She didn't want to leave, but duty to her family called. She leaned in and kissed him gently.

"Maybe I should leave Ruben here." She said softly.

 

[KieranSoares]

"No," Kreston shook his head slowly as he woke at her kiss. "You need him... and I have a feeling Julia may need him too." He returned her kiss and curled closer with a sigh. He knew she needed all the time with him she could get, at least until he proved to her that she didn't have to lose him when he went through the shapeshifting.

 

[heartofcourage]

Selena nodded gently and let out a sigh. She knew that Kreston was conceding that their son needed her and she leaned forward, kissing her lover softly. "I'll go get him up and ready if you would make breakfast."

 

[KieranSoares]

"Of course," Kreston stole one last kiss before rising from her bed. He was unwilling to leave her side, but he forced himself to go and begin preparing a hearty meal for his tiny family. When Selena came to get Ruben, she didn't find him in his bed, instead he was looking at himself in his small mirror. In the reflection, she could see the first change had come over him. His eyes had changed from the dark Ghis color to that of Kreston's family, the Maliar. His eyes were soft amber and Ruben wasn't sure if he should be afraid or intrigued.

 

[heartofcourage]

Selena paused in the doorway as she noticed Ruben staring at his reflection. She knew that he was dealing with things in his own, quiet way and she didn't want to startle him any further.

"Good morning, love." She said softly, moving to kneel beside him and wrap him in a tight hug. She pressed a kiss to his cheek and smiled softly, not making comment about his eyes. "Your Uncle Brogan has asked us to come to Inverness. Aunt Julia needs someone to cheer her up."

 

[KieranSoares]

Ruben looked up at his mother, the soft amber shimmering in the morning sunlight. "Ma... I'm scared." Perhaps what he did in fact need was the rest of his family. He was afraid of the pains he was already feeling in his bones, ready to shift and change. Kreston knew that the next full moon would bring the full change in just one night.

 

[heartofcourage]

"There's nothing to be scared of, sweet Ruben." Selena said softly as she looked down into her son's now amber eyes. "You will always have our love and support."

 

[KieranSoares]

"When I turn... will people hate me...?" He asked quietly. "People hate Dad for no reason... they're terrified of him. Will that happen to me?"

It was then that Kreston, who'd heard it all, entered to comfort his son. He scooped Ruben up and hugged him tight. "Hopefully the world changes, Ruben... one day it won't matter what you are, only how you act."

 

[heartofcourage]

"No one will hate you, Ruben. Your family will always love you." Selena said softly, hating that her son hurt so much. "And I promise that when we return, you can go with your Da and meet the rest of your family."

 

[KieranSoares]

"You have to come with us," Ruben told her. He wouldn't take no for an answer, knowing how she felt about his changing and the fact that he'd need to live with his tribe soon. "I'm not leaving you behind, Ma."

 

[heartofcourage]

"We'll cross that bridge when we get there, Ruben." She said softly, kissing her son's cheek. "But now we have to eat and get dressed and get on our way to Inverness."

 

[KieranSoares]

The goodbye between father and son verged on tearful when they departed, but Kreston promised Ruben that, without a doubt, Kreston would be there when they returned. When they finally set out, Ruben was quiet and contemplative, and he would remain that way until he saw his dear aunts and uncles and cousins.

 

[heartofcourage]

Selena saw the sorrow in her son's eyes. She knew that being parted from his father would be hard, but she knew he would be his same bright and sunny self around his cousins.

"Ruben, you know that no matter what happens, I'll always love you." She commented, pulling her horse closer to his own. "Your change won't effect any of that."

 

[KieranSoares]

"I'm not worried about that," he told her softly. "I'm scared of breaking your heart, Ma... I know how much you always give up or go without, just for me, and I know we've been each other's only real friends for my whole life except for our family. I don't want to hurt you..." Most children of his age never dealt with such emotions and thoughts til adulthood. Having to grow up and mature quickly for his own survival had made Ruben a young man with an old soul, like his father.

 

[heartofcourage]

"Oh, love..." Selena said softly as she reached out and brushed her fingers through her son's thick hair. "Ruben Tamblin Ghis, you're not going to break my heart. It's hard for me to think about because you're all that I've had for such a long time, but you can't be scared of what will happen to me."

 

[KieranSoares]

"Someone has to be," Ruben told her quietly, knowing she rarely spared much thought for herself. With the horses side-by-side, Ruben climbed between the saddles to sit in front of his mother, keeping his horse's lead in his hands so it followed near behind. He settled back against her and he'd speak no more of the subject. She would not stop him from worrying.

 

[heartofcourage]

Selena wrapped an arm around her son's waist, kissing the top of his head as they shared the same saddle. He was a good boy, one that brought her so much joy. She just worried that he would become sick thinking about her well being all the time.

"How about we stop and lunch and fish? I can cook what we catch." Selena offered, knowing that he didn't want to talk any more about the situation.

 

[KieranSoares]

Ruben nodded at her suggestion, and when they came to a halt by the river, he dutifully tied up the horses and pulled down what gear they'd need while she put together a fire.

That night as they paused again further north, Ruben sat before the fire looking up at the moon as if entranced. It had always interested him, his family being Lunasian and his father being a Lunar. Now he was wondering why its next full phase would turn him into what he was meant to be. It was only a short while away. Ruben would probably return home a werewolf, if Kreston was right.

 

[heartofcourage]

Selena watched Ruben as she set out the bedrolls that evening. He was entranced by the moon, his eyes wide as he stared up at it. She knew how important it was to him to connect with nature at night.

"Tell me what you know about the moon, love." Selena commented, giving him a smile as he looked over at her. "Everything that you know about it."

 

[KieranSoares]

"I don't really know that much... I only know stories Dad and Uncle Brogan taught me about the Moon Goddess and the Lunar tribes here who follow her," Ruben spoke softly. He wasn't sure if he believed the stories, but the way his family spoke of that Goddess so lovingly, he wanted to believe.

 

[heartofcourage]

"Do you feel the pull of the moon?" Selena asked softly, patting her bedroll to encourage him to join her. "Because I know your Dad does intensely. So much so that sometimes he will sleep outside on a clear full moon just to feel in touch with himself."