Memory

This is Alex's dream of the first time she met Clay.

“Come on Alex!!” Bell yelled running out of the house past Mom and Dad.
“Where are you two going?” Dad asked in the driveway.
“Swimming!!!” I called running past him.
“Not past dark!!” He called.
“We have to be at the castle tonight!!!” Mom yelled.
“We know!!!!!!” Bell and I yelled together. We ran straight through something. It was a fog like thing of the most gorgeous blue color.
“Come on the spring’s going to dry out soon…” Bell begged me to hurry but I still bent and picked a purple rock for Mom.
“Now maybe she won’t be so upset when we get home late.” I laughed throwing it to Bell.
“Oh… Purple… that’s rare.” She smiled.
“I know.” I laughed as the rock faded back to the normal red.
“Alex. It’s not fair to show off your powers. You know that I haven’t gotten mine yet.”
“Yes well…” I shrugged, “That’s not my fault.” I laughed and ran straight off the cliff.
“Wait!!!” A male’s voice yelled and he quickly turned his car so that I landed in his seat. “Didn’t you check before you jumped?” He chastised and I blushed.
“It’s too early for it to be dried up. Father never let’s us come out when there’s a chance.” I tried to explain sitting up to look at the dried spring and then up at Bell.
“It dried last night. It will be a bad winter.”
“Give her a break Elliot!” Another male, this one I recognized immediately as Clay. “She’s obviously in her first year.” He laughed flying over to us quickly. “How many Winter’s have you seen anyway?” He asked.
“This will be my one hundredth.” I sat up a little straighter and he chuckled.
“Well forgive me.” He laughed, “I didn’t realize that we were dealing with somebody who is one.” He held his hands up but then he and Eli cracked up together. I didn’t bother to correct them about the fact that I wasn’t one yet.
“We have to go Clarence. Mother will want us home soon to help prepare for the feast.” Eli told him.
“Well of course. Here let me fly her up. Mother will be expecting me to be late.” Clay told him and Eli nodded passing me to Clay like a fragile egg. He flew up the cliff and let Bell into the car.
“Please thank your friend for saving my sister.” Bell whispered.
“Of course.” He smiled. “You never did tell me your name.” He looked down at me.
“Alexandra Faith Carmicle and this is my sister Isabella.” I whispered.
“It’s a pleasure.” He smiled, “I will take you home.”
“Sheesh Alex you’ll be lucky if you ever get to leave the house again.” Bell laughed.
“I know… I probably won’t even get to go to the feast tonight.” I sighed, “Mom will just use some power to read our minds.” I shook my head.
“At least you’ll have your powers to protect your mind. Mine… well it will be all too easily read.” Bell sighed but then we pulled up to the house.
“Thank you Mr…”
“Prince Clarence!” Father bowed quickly and I blushed.
“Prince… as in…?” I stuttered.
“King tonight.” He nodded with a smile. “It was a pleasure to meet your daughters Mr. Carmicle.” He promised. “I would like Alexandra to sit beside me tonight.” He added and I looked down quickly.
“Of course.” Father promised quickly.
“Thank you for giving the girl’s a ride home.” Mom whispered.
“Please take the girls inside.” Father whispered obviously knowing something I didn’t.
I quickly lied to Mom and said I was going to the restroom so that I could go hide within hearing distance. “She’s mine.” Clay was saying.
“She’s not even one.”
“This is her hundredth winter. It isn’t too early for me to…”
“She was born on the first day of Moon Ceremony.”
“I am asking for her early then. We will wait until the Moon Ceremony to perform a ceremony but you cannot ask me to stop seeing her.”
“You will be king. I can’t tell you that you have to wait.”
“You are her father and will always be.” Clay assured him, “I would like for your whole family to join mine at the royal table.”
“Thank you.” Father nodded, “What happened today?”
“She was being careless and jumped before checking to see if the spring was still wet.” Clay shook his head, “Elliot got to her in time.”
“Thank you. Thank Elliot for us to. We would have lost a daughter without him.”
“I will. Trust me he will be rewarded for his actions.” Clay promised and then added, “I should get home. Mother will be worried.”
“Of course.” Father nodded and then bowed.
“None of your family should bow to me anymore.” Clay added and then drove off. I went inside quickly.
“Where’s Bell?” Father asked walking in.
“Upstairs getting ready.” Mother promised, “She’s unable to get dressed as quickly as the rest of us right now.” She looked over at me, “You will be one strong witch.”
“If you survive.” Father frowned, “Prince Clarence told me about this afternoon.”
“I’m sorry father.” I promised quickly, “I promise I will never even think about jumping without checking for the water again. I was scared.”
“Good.” He nodded and then turned to Mother. “We need to talk about something.”
“He claimed her already.” She whispered.
“He was under the impression she was already of age.” Father turned to me and I blushed.
“They were already teasing me about just being one. I’ll be one within the month anyway and I didn’t know I was speaking to the prince… It didn’t seem like the lie would mean anything.”
“You aren’t going to ask what he’s claiming.”
“She snuck outside to listen.” Mom laughed. I looked at her quickly, “I would have done the same… in fact I did when I met the man who was mine.” She smiled at father. “Don’t yell at her. I’m sure she just didn’t know what she was feeling.” She looked at me.
“I’m still confused.” I admitted, “What does all of this claiming mean?”
“It means that soon… you will be having a ceremony.” Bell said at the stairs, “It means that my twin will be the queen of our planet.”
“I’m too young to get married.” I shook my head.
“You’ll have to discuss that with him.” Mom nodded and then stood up. “Come on get ready. If we are to sit at our new kings table then we must be there early.”
“Yes Ma’am.” I whispered but when I looked down I was dressed.
“Yes he is definitely hers.” Mom smiled, “He’s sparked her full powers already.”
“No these aren’t her full powers.” Father shook his head, “If the king is hers than she will become the most powerful female.”
“That makes me feel better.” Bell laughed.
“Bell… you’re dressed too.” I whispered and she looked down.
“Who else did you meet today?” Father asked.
“Just the man that saved me.” I whispered.
“Okay.” He nodded but looked at Mom.
“Of course our daughters would meet them early.” She sighed and Bell suddenly looked excited.
“You mean?”
“The man who saved your sisters life must be your mate.” She nodded.
“We could have our ceremonies together!” I yelled excitedly.
“No my mate isn’t a king. We’ll have to wait until after our birthday before we’re allowed to see each other.” She frowned.
“No you won’t.” I whispered in her ear, “I’ll make sure of it. I mean it shouldn’t be too hard to convince him to let you hang out with us… especially if your mate’s there.” I pointed out and she smiled.
“Why my queen I think I love you.” She laughed as we all climbed into the car.
“None of that in public.” Father warned, “This isn’t to be public yet.”
“Yes sir!” We promised together. It was a short ride to the castle and Clay was waiting outside.
“I was hoping you would come early.” Clay smiled helping me out of the car. I looked to the other side to find Elliot helping Bell. “I recognized the claim.” Clay told me and I blushed. “I assume that your parents told you.” I nodded shyly. “Good.”
“I should tell you.” I whispered nervously, “I don’t want to have my ceremony until father is okay with it.”
“I wouldn’t want to upset him either.” He promised, “After all without him I wouldn’t have you.”
“Does that mean that I’m no longer in trouble for jumping?” I questioned hopefully.
“Of course you are. That was a stupid thing to do. If you are ever that careless again I will step in.” He warned, “I’m not losing you this early.”
“I promise I’ll be careful.” I smiled some and he smiled too.