Chapter I

 Chapter I
 

           Long ago, in the 1200's, the years of war and rage, four goddesses took the form of humans, but had their magical abilities to stop the madness of Earth. Nyx, goddess of the night, Eos, goddess of dawn, Selene, goddess of the moon, and Aphrodite, goddess of love. When they were reborn as humans, they did not know of their relationships of each other. However, at the age of sixteen, the prophecy said, their paths would intertwine and they would find each other. And they did so. At the age of sixteen, Nyx's host Elizabeth Doyle, Eos's human form Aurora Luther, Selene's rebirth Luna Barton, and Aphrodite's human form Felicity Lamport, they met at a market place in Luna's lord's manor. The lord was Felicity's father and she snuck out of her estate to meet with some of the peasant boys she had flirted with at every chance she could get. Elizabeth and Aurora's family were travelers and could leave and root in any manor they wished to stay in. The Doyle and Luther family traveled to the lord's estate and decided to stay for a while. They built a home far from each other and worked for two years without ever knowing of each other's existences. The morning after their sixteen birthday, they shopped at the same market and their paths intertwined.

          Aurora boredly walked a long distance to the middle of town to buy her goods from the market. She hoped that maybe she would meet some boy that would strike her fancy and marry him instead of the obnoxious Simon Locke her parents love so much. She dressed in her white dress her mother sewed for her birthday. It was a simple floor length and brought out the beautiful highlights of her auburn brown hair. Aurora's long hair was set in beautiful wavy locks that flowed in the light breeze. She had a pale face that looked deadly, but the rosiness of her cheeks made her look more lively. Her eyes lightened up into a turquoise blue when early sunlight hit upon them, but they were just a normal electric blue during the afternoon and night. She was indeed the beauty on the north side of the village, at least that's what everyone had told her. She felt utterly repulsive every time she compared herself to the Greek goddesses and the other girls in the village. Then again, she was taught no one believes in the Greek mythology anymore. Now it's Christianity, Judaism, or Atheism. She wondered why the pope of the church and the king are fighting, but back when people did believe in Greek mythology, no one fought over power. What confused her even more was why anyone was fighting when Christianity was all about peace and living in a sinless world? When ever she would ask the friar, would just say, "Aurora, with that attitude about your faith, you will never get married." The comments always hurt her. She was the only sixteen year old in the north part of the village that had not married or even met a boy that wanted to marry her. She felt it was pathetic to have her parents buy her a marriage and to the most obnoxious boy she could have ever met. Aurora loathed Simon with a passion so powerful, no one could break it. She was supposed to go to his cottage today to celebrate her birthday, but she would much rather spend the day at the market place despite how much trouble she would be in if she didn't show up before dark. But she didn't seem to care. She wanted to get out of her house and go further into town to get away from the foolishness that followed her.

          "Where is Felicity," Lady Lamport bellowed. "She is yet again late for her tea lesson, which is going to make us even more late for her other lessons." Felicity stayed out of sight behind her wardrobe, waiting for her mother to leave her room. As soon as she did, Felicity forced the doors open and gracefully rushed to her window. She opened it and slowly breathed in the fresh air and the aroma of the rose vine around her bedroom window. A gentle gust of wind hurried into the window and swirled into her long, platinum blonde hair, making it look alive. She opened her Granny Smith apple green colored eyes and smiled at the sight of her father's manor. Indeed the peasants were working, but it was nice to see the young men working in the fields without their blouses on in the hot sun. However, there was one boy that really attracted her the most. The farm boy who tended to her mother's garden, William was the man she dreamed of marrying. In fact, he looked as though he was on his way to the market place, a large basket full of food in one hand an empty bucket in the other. She wanted to follow him and then "casually" happen to be there. She tried it before, but he never seemed to look her way. She didn't understand why William wouldn't even give a glance at her direction. Felicity felt confident that day. She knew William was going to pay attention and kiss her feet when he sees her. After all, her maids and guests always said she was the most beautiful girl in the land and resembled a celestial goddess, but according to her uncle, she has competition with three peasant girls who work for her. She felt no threat, even though she never laid eyes on them before. Felicity had a very unusual, but beautiful look to her. She had unusual eyes and a strange hair color. Her bust was seemingly big, but proportional to her petite body. She was slim and slender and her face was thin, with high cheekbones. She always used her physical appearance to bring attention to herself, especially when boys were around. However, the attention of others doesn't satisfy her anymore. The only person she wanted attention from was William and that's all that mattered. She stretched out of her window, and climbed down the vines, avoiding any thorns that were yearning for skin to prick. As soon as she gracefully hit the ground, she ran as fast as she could to the market place to meet up with William, and to get a head start before her mother saw her sneaking out.

          Luna looked boredly at the other older boys playing ball in the middle of the metropolis. She yearned to run over to the two teams and join them by kicking the ball past the boy blocking the alleyway between the two small shops. She knew she was strong and had the speed like a lion, but it wouldn't be the proper or lady-like thing to do. That's what her mother says anyway. Her mother and all of the other citizens of the southern part of the manor called her the beauty of those parts of town. Luna thought she was decent looking, but sort of ordinary. She had strawberry blonde hair and milk chocolate brown eyes. She had a small bust and a bigger hip, but only by a couple of inches. Her waist was small and it was normally unnecessary for her to where a corset, but her mother's critical mind always thought at public events she needed to. Her face was round, but heart-shaped. She had somewhat handsome features, but a very soft, feminine appearance. She looked like the perfect lady, but she always watched her older brother, William play in small games with the other boys when there was no work in the lord's garden to be done. He was so graceful and strong the way he would push the opponent to kick the ball back to the other side of the street. No matter what kind of team it was, William was insurmountable. No one could surpass him. . . except Luna of course. Secretly, Luna and William would have small practice games in secluded alleyways. At first she would never win, but as the training got more intense and the more they practiced, Luna began contemplating William's weaknesses when he does his small tricks. She realized while she would play, her senses would become more alert and sensitive. As soon as he would try and kick the ball into the goal, she would be able to protect the goal and prevent William to win the game. He would always complain about Luna was playing unfairly, but deep down understand that she was a skilled ball player. As Luna watched the boys have their fun, her mother tapped her shoulder for her attention. Luna turned around quickly and stared at her strict mother.
          "Luna, dear, stop daydreaming and help me sell the adornments. How are we going to get any vocation with you lost in your thoughts," her mother scolded.
          "Sorry, mother," Luna apologized, shamefully. She gracefully walked to the front of their tumbrel. In order to have dinner that night, she had to sell a conjecture of five hundred items to the the people of the manor. It was seemingly impossible to even sell two hundred items. Everyone in those grounds were poor and fended for themselves. The jewelry business was a failure. Her father was the only one who could bring our food home, and he would normally not bring that much for a good meal. Occasionally, men would purchase charms for their wives and rings that were at a cheap price. Sadly, those are at rare occasions. Luna just didn't know what to do anymore for business. Suddenly, she heard aggressive callings to a girl named Elizabeth. Then a scream.
          "William! Garrett! Come with me," Luna called to her brother and his friend. They obediently ran to her side as the three of them entered the alleyway.

          Elizabeth screamed and wheeled around and lunged toward the nearest dark alleyway. The older boys who passed their age of consent ran after her with broken bottles and their hands full of large stones. Elizabeth left her candles and herbs on the ground and allowed the elixirs to spill as she accidentally kicked them out of her way while she was trying to escape the drunken men chasing her. Halfway down the alleyway, Elizabeth's foot came down on an unexpected dole of parchment. She fell to her side, landing hard on her hip and right arm. She cried out in anguish. Behind her, the befuddled men neared her, laughing with a giddy and threatening tone to their voices.
          "Come on, Elizabeth. We just want to give the proper birthday gift," a short, stocky man said, trying to sound gentle, but Elizabeth could hear the hostility in his voice. It frightened her.
          "Stay right there, and be still," one man said. He was large and burly. Elizabeth stood with no chance. She turned over weakly on her back and stared at the group with wide chestnut colored eyes which looked almost drugged. As they approached, Elizabeth propped herself up on her elbows and shoved herself back wards with her feet, despite how much pain she held in her hip and arm. For a moment, she thought she broke something. Her dark chocolate brown hair, which was originally in a ponytail, hung in her face. Her pale skin was coated with perspiration; she could detect the weak stench. The faces above her were blissful, content, and almost lackadaisical.
          "No! Please! Please--" she pleaded before a lanky man flung himself at her, raising a broken, jagged bottle over his head and then bringing it down. Elizabeth shrieked and rolled to the left. Pain burned a line across her hip as the sharp glass tore her dress and grooved her flesh. Then she was scrambling to her knees, hearing and feeling the dress shred out a long unwinding strip.
          "You're not gettin' away," the lanky man stated aggressively. His hand closed upon her ankle. She looked over her shoulder and through the tangles of her hair she saw he was using his other hand to raise it over his head. Suddenly, the broken bottle was brought down and it drove into her right calf. The pain was horrid. She screamed and kicked backward, connecting with his nose, breaking it. The man grunted and coiled back, holding his nose, blood seeping through his fingers. Elizabeth got to her feet and was forced down again. Rough hands forced her to lay on her back as they tore at her dress and grabbed her arms. She shrieked and squealed as hands were exploring every inch of her body. One hand covered her mouth, resulting her screams sounding like muffled whimpers.
          "Hey! Stop," a deep voice cried. A punch sounded briskly through the air. Then a painful grunt, and another punch. Each time she heard the hits and grunts, hands flew off of her. The last grunt freed her jaw and mouth. She shuffled to the back of the wall as she saw her two protectors save her life, attacking the men who assaulted her. She curled up into a ball against the building. Then she felt a gentle hand on her shoulder. She looked up in alarm and saw a girl about her age holding her shoulder.
          "Don't worry. I'm not going to hurt you. Come with me," the girl calmly assured Elizabeth. Elizabeth whimpered and followed the girl's order and slowly got to her feet. Pain shot up her right leg and she fell right down with a cry. The girl gasped and held Elizabeth up for support.
          "Will! Garrett! Help me with her. She can't stand up," the girl called to Elizabeth's protectors. Elizabeth felt light headed and closed her eyes tiredly. She lost too much blood. Unanticipatedly, she felt two strong arms scoop under her back and knees, and swiftly picked her up. Elizabeth abruptly looked up at the person carrying her. He was very handsome with a strong jawline. He had crystal blue eyes and sandy blonde hair. He seemed a bit out of breath from protecting her from the men who nearly killed her. She laid her head on his chest to rest.
          "Will, be careful with her! I don't want her to be harmed more," the girl warned to the man holding Elizabeth.
          "I will, Luna. I may look lanky, but I am strong. Besides, she's not that heavy," Will assured Luna. Then Elizabeth drifted off into a deep slumber.     

Author's Note

Be nice.