CONTENT WARNING: violence, blood, discussion of conflict
Alistair
There are many theories as to why we transform upon the full moon.
An ancient story dictates that Lunvin and the Sun were once mortal enemies; this is the one I truly believe in.
The phases of the moon - and the shift from day to night - were Lunvin slowly losing the battle with the Sun over dominance over the skies. When She was completely invisible to us, She would regain Her strength, revealing more and more of Herself until She reappeared in the form of the Full Moon, ready to war with the Sun once again.
When the full moon reappeared, people who revered Her but did not have our blood celebrated and feasted. Her children, the Lunvinchenaîné, we took on Her rage during Her battles with the Sun, powerful enough to turn us into our true forms.
Even after all these years, I still struggle with Lunvin's gift. I am trying to teach Róisín how to control it, but it is difficult enough for anyone her age to control their feelings as it is. It takes many, many years to learn how to cope. Even now, it's overbearing and impossible to ignore.
I know that we are on the edge of yet another conflict. I am sure many live in fear, but I refuse to. I did not back down during the Bloodmoon, and as its only survivor, I will not back down now.
I fought for many years to defend witches, and I will fight to defend them again if I have to. It is why Lunvin gifts me with the fury of her own battles. It is the duty of any member of the Lunvinchenaîné to defend their pack, after all.
I come here not only to honour Lunvin in this time of conflict, but to honour my fallen former superior and my friend. I often think of Oskar's regret in his last days, feeling as if he dragged his men to his deaths when it was Oskar who had kept everyone alive for so long. Oskar had inspired a confidence in me I'd never had before.
Oskar had told me that honour meant nothing to the dead, and I remember what he said: that he felt he only cared for bloodshed. I will not do this for honour. I will do it for the sake of the peace that we deserve after all these years.
A part of me wonders if the 'gryphon' that supposedly almost killed Volpe was the same one I heard rumours of during the Bloodmoon - the occasional stories of the eccentric Jonah Annorin and the 'little bird on his shoulder' that appear to have been true all along.
I will fight not only for the witches, but for the vampires and werewolves that lost their lives during the Bloodmoon. I will fight for every name on this memorial.
Perhaps one of the most difficult parts of Lunvin's gift was learning how to give it purpose. Something I learned from the years of resistance was that the glory is not in the lives taken, but in the lives saved. My hatred of the witchfinders can never cloud my desire for justice.
The last name carved onto this memorial is less worn from time and weather than the others - that of Oskar Nivelheim.
As the sole survivor, I owe it to these people to continue what they could not finish - with Lunvin as my guide, just as She was back then.
Róisín
I have confined myself to the basement of our house, where my father used to confine himself during the Full Moon. It's unbearable! It feels like fire in my veins! Why does Lunvin's 'gift', as Alistair calls it, have to be so utterly horrific to deal with?
There are many old artifacts and decorations down here, and claw marks all over the place. It only makes my anger worse to see what Father had to hide from the world. I know Alistair is a different man now, but if only he had done better to my father - perhaps Father would not have struggled, and perhaps Aunt Clem would not have any of her scars.
The moonpetal is a sacred flower to us. I try to keep my focus on it to calm me down, but the moonlight it radiates from its petals only seems to make me more furious. If only I could turn - if only I could give in and take the form of a wolf, and yet I still have two, three, maybe even four years until that happens! Until then, this rage is entirely meaningless!
Alistair tells me that the anger we feel upon the full moon is Lunvin's 'gift' to us. It is to remind us of what we deserve, and to remind us of how it is our duty to protect 'our pack'. Long ago, it only specifically referred to family, but Alistair also believes this extends to people in need, and to the witches, something of an 'extended family' to us. Some did turn on us during the Bloodmoon, but many helped to try and save what was left of us.
Some of these pieces are nearly ancient, including part of a stone tablet and a broken bowl. Father said that he believes these to be from the era of the Myshupotamians, who believed the greatest minds were reincarnated into wolves who howled their wisdom to the Moon.
The Lunvinchenaîné existed for thousands upon thousands of years, and in such a short space of time, it may be that the Morgan family are all that is left of them! They saw us as monsters and they slaughtered us - not just us, but the vampires as well! To everyone else, this is just a sliver of history scrawled into a book. To me, it is the blood and tears of my ancestors.
Lunvin...What do I do?
Owen
I still have some minor aches, and it still hurts to keep my eyes open - but I feel as if I have recovered a little. Valravn has not let my side. A nauseating anxiety is creeping up inside of me...I am torn between my own responsibility for what is to come, and the inevitability of it all. Volpe would have been killed eventually by someone. All that would have changed was when the uprising on either side would begin.
Lydia enters, saying Eli had a letter for me. I would have appreciated a chat with my little brother, but he must be busy. I don't recognise the handwriting.
It appears to be from... Eli's sister?
[Letter to Owen from Áine]
Dear Dr. Owen Annorin,
I understand that we have not met, but your little brother speaks highly of you. I have heard about what happened in Henford - I cannot thank you enough. Thanks to what you did, we can finally begin looking forward to a peaceful future. I hope that you are doing well.
Eli tells me you are out a job, and fears you may 'go mad' without something to focus on. I have currently established a magic school for the younger people in the settlement here in Glimmerbrook. Unfortunately, I am the only one here with enough in-depth knowledge of magic and its history to properly teach to the younger generation. Not only that, but my knowledge of spellcasting far exceeds my knowledge of alchemy. You may no longer have a license to practice medicine, but that does not mean you cannot continue with your alchemy. I hear you have quite a talent for it.
I have enclosed a rough map to Glimmerbrook. It is mostly a case of following the River Glimmer upwards. You will know you are in the right place when you see the old arena, glowing with colourful crystals. I hope to hear from you soon,
- Áine]
Well, it's interesting that she still uses a title I no longer have. I assume it's meant to be out of respect.
"Who's it from?"
"Eli's sister, Áine. She's in Glimmerbrook and has started some kind of school. She wants my assistance as an alchemy teacher."
Lydia lifts an eyebrow. I'm torn between multiple outcomes in my mind.
"You know as well as I do what people are going to think of you, Owen-"
"They'll see me as a rich man who started a conflict and left the poor to fight it to the end. I know. And if I fight in this conflict without Valravn by my side, then I'll very likely die - and then I'm no use to anyone."
There isn't an option that pleases everyone. If I leave and go to Glimmerbrook, my family will miss me. Josiah may need my assistance.
If I stay, then I will no doubt lose my mind staying in the laboratory or my bed all day. I fear Lydia and I will end up with a strained relationship. As Lydia says, I shouldn't doubt Josiah - he knows exactly what he's doing, and almost everything I know is in one of my books and journals in the basement. More importantly...
"The longer I am here, Lydia, the more they will target the mansion. I believe going to Glimmerbrook will be a good idea."
"And who's going to look after the mansion?"
"Valravn will. She will stay here, if that's okay with her."
Valravn nods, fluttering her wings. I will miss her, but I will need her here just in case. I'm not sure what distance I can still communicate with her from; there's a chance I can call on her if I need her for anything.
A good part of me feels optimistic about this. I feel as if I will fall apart without something to focus on - then I'm no good to anyone. If I stay here and stagnate, then I'll do nothing but bother everyone. I've had plenty of experience teaching the apprentices, so I doubt it's much different. Eli has told me before of Áine's bravery and how she has fought fiercely to defend multiple people.
Josiah knows what he's doing and has your books if he doesn't. Lydia knows what she's doing. Your children have Tilly, Alex and Miss Oakley. Why are you still pondering? You've made your decision.
Alex bursts into the room, heavily breathing, telling us to follow him to the other room.
"The children are terrified," he says, with fury on his breath. "What's their problem?"
"If any of them try coming into this house, then I'm getting my bone saw."
"I'm sure a horse's hoof to the face will teach them a lesson."
I've never seen Alex like this before. I'm so used to his cheery demeanour. It's a little unsettling, but not quite so unsettling as the mob outside.
"That does it. Lydia, I cannot stay here any longer. The witchfinders will keep targeting this place for as long as I'm here."
"What? You're leaving? Now?!"
"Relax, Alex. I'll only be in Glimmerbrook. It isn't far. Valravn will remain here and defend the mansion."
"So then you'll lead the witchfinders to Glimmerbrook instead?"
"It's a risk I'll have to take, Lydia. I'd rather lead them to a settlement of witches who know to defend themselves than to my young family, and to Tilly and Alex."
I tell Valravn to create a distraction in a moment. I tell her to fly out of the window, hide, then ambush the witchfinders - dead or alive, I do not mind. Whilst she does so, I will pack a satchel with essentials, take a horse and follow the river. First, I must say goodbye to my family.
* * *
Understandably, no-one is happy about this decision, but it has to be made - for everyone's sake.
"I understand that this is sudden, but I must do it to keep all of you safe. I am a likely target of the witchfinders, and if I am away from this place, they will hopefully try following me instead of coming here. Valravn will be staying here to protect you all. Please be good to her."
"Father, are you coming back?"
"Of course. I won't be far."
"What will you be doing, Father?"
"I'll be teaching alchemy to young spellcasters for a while. The more of the younger generation who know magic, the less the witchfinders can try and take it from them."
"Will you teach us one day?"
"Of course I will - when you're older."
The children's faces leave a hollow feeling in my chest, but I'm doing this for them. If I'm far away from them, then the witchfinders will be, also.
I tell them how proud I am of them, and I ask them to be good for their mother, Miss Oakley, Alex and Tilly.
Alex and Tilly tell me they will do everything in their power to fight off the witchfinders. I tell them I don't want them risking their lives, but they insist. They tell me that I have given them a life that would be denied to them otherwise, and that they wish to repay the favour somehow.
"Well, if I can't talk you out of it, then I suppose it leaves me no option than to raise your pay, does it?"
Lastly, that leaves my darling wife Lydia. I know that Lydia would not want to join me. She said it herself - she will stay here no matter what. Should conflict arise, they will need a surgeon, after all. We may love each other dearly, but we would never let that get in the way of our duty towards the people of Henford.
"And you're absolutely sure about this, sweetheart?"
"Absolutely. I believe this is the best for the both of us."
Lydia gives me a subtle smile. "If you say so, my love."
I will miss Lydia's love whilst I am at Glimmerbrook, but it seems the children won't. Ophelia and Constance even walk away from the two of us. We eye each other for a moment, both likely thinking the same thing - hoping that we will make it through all of this.
I hear Valravn's call from the bedroom and make preparations.
* * *
Epione, usually the most nervous of the three horses, blows air loudly through her nostrils, stomping the ground towards the men outside. I try to calm her as best as I'm able, loading the saddle bags with necessities.
Valravn makes short work of the witchfinders. The screams and the crack of bones spooks Epione and, before I can try and guide her, she takes off as fast she can towards the river.
Valravn tosses the last witchfinder into the grass as Epione and I fly past at a dizzying speed.
I find myself second-guessing my decision, but I believe leaving Valravn at the mansion whilst I help Áine seems the wisest decision. Once the witchfinders realise I am no longer in Henford, the distraction of looking for me will buy the people of Withernham and Finchwick some time to deal with them.
Valravn wishes me luck. I look forward to Glimmerbrook, even if I do not quite know what to expect. The young witches need to know all they can about the arcane crafts if they are to survive what is to come.
* * *
