The End of Innocence: Book 3 of the Kinstone series
Chapter 8: Leaving at last

Miriam and I spent the next couple of days going over a few details of my previous trip to Japan that Rachel hadn’t told her about. I think the matriarch wanted to wait until she was with me so that I could tell her in person. I even showed her my festival performance, which she feigned having not seen it, but I knew better. Regardless, it was great being with her.

The past few days were also the longest I had spent with her, so I was really enjoying it. You never really learn to appreciate having a grandparent until they’ve all been taken away from you. So being with Miriam, and my time with Hashibaba, was simply amazing for me.

The morning of the gathering, we all got up really early just to leave the Manor and head to the airfield. Along the way, I thought that it was funny how barely three weeks ago I was just riding back this way after Japan. Granted, I was asleep for most of the return trip.

I gaze up into the cabin of our limo, seeing how cramped it is. Even with the interior of the car being rather spacious, fitting four adults, a tiny teenager, and a wolf still proved to stretch its limits.

If I thought the car was going to be cramped, just imagine how overcrowded the plane was going to be. There’s also how Orga and Kateryna were going to respond to being inside a thin metal tube flying thirty-thousand feet in the air for an hour.

Well…they did fly here from wherever they were sleeping so I’m pretty sure being on a plane wouldn’t be all that bad. I smile, flipping another page in my book.

Speaking of the couple, I wonder how everyone was going to react to me having a pair of knights in tow. I know that some of the younger boys would instantly gravitate to Orga, wanting to learn all about him.

Yes, the idea of a boy growing up into a knight is kind of still prevalent in the minds of some kids these days. It wasn’t the romantic aspect that they liked.

No, boys love anything with a huge massive sword and wearing gleaming armor into battle. Makes them feel powerful. Hey, it’s one of the reasons why Iron Man is still popular, that and he’s a superhero.

The girls on the other hand would want to meet Kateryna. Elves are still highly popular amongst girls, who often fantasized of becoming an elven princess or something along those lines.

I had also garnered the strange reputation of bringing something new to the gatherings, even though this is only my second one. Last year being that I was now Rachel’s daughter and brought Fenris along.

The girls all rushed the wolf, wanting to pet him, feel his fur, and just gawk at him. Needless-to-say, the oaf took it in stride with him even playing with the younger kids much like how he does with the twins.

The boys all were a little more hesitant, wondering what he’d do if they got too close to me. I shook my head and had to just wave them to come over. They slowly did, soon discovering the massive wolf to not be quite as intimidating as they once thought. When all of the kids and teens had their fill of my bonded, many left. Some stayed behind and gathered around him.

The gathering last year was such a big deal for me. It had been four months since Rachel adopted me and everyone wanted to talk to me. This also served as my second real chance to see most of the Coven again after the winter festival. I was still kind of new to the idea that this was my new reality and I was fully part of the Coven, not to say that I wasn’t before.

I wasn’t assaulted with mothers desiring to set me up with their sons, thank God, but they still wished to at least have me meet them. This time however, it was Fenris and Miss Elizabeth who stepped in to “rescue” me from the horde of mothers.

One little fact about New Orleans…there are actual vampires who live there. So during the entire event, I chose to be extra cautious whenever I spotted one. At the time I didn’t know whether or not Beltrok had contacted them in order to seek revenge on me. Nothing happened of course, but I still was wary of them.

This was also still a couple of months before I met Master Andriy and had my opinion of vampires change slightly. He’s still the only vampire that I like and trust.

Aside from that little caveat, first gathering was a ton of fun. I really was able to spend the most time with everyone since I first met them. New Orleans really was just as amazingly beautiful then as it was during the first time I ever visited it when my family was there from the Southern District convention back in 2000.

When out in the city, we all of course traveled in groups, with mine being made of my friends, a few other kids, and a couple adults acting as chaperones. Walking down Bourbon Street brought up a lot of old memories, remembering a few of the places that I had been to. I even found the little café across from Jackson Square where I sat down and enjoyed a hot drink in the middle of swelteringly humid evening.

A smile then rose on my face, remembering taking the picture with Marron and I in front of the cathedral. It really was a great long three days with everyone. I even went out partying with the girls on the second night, hence why Rachel got me a new dress.

To say that I have been looking forward to the next three days would be an understatement. Given how the month started, I definitely need it.

We arrive at the airfield, feeling the car slowly coming to a stop on the tarmac. I peer out the window, seeing the plane waiting to take us to Dallas. Well…to be more precise, we actually would be flying into a small airfield south of Irving and then drive out the where the gathering was to take place.

The doors soon open and all slowly exit the car. The sky is awash with greys and blues as the sun still slowly made its climb upwards. I temporarily stash my book away into my satchel and pull out my headphones, looping them around my neck.

My eyes scan the airfield, thinking that the last time I was here, Fenris and I were on our way to Japan. I let out a soft sigh, realizing that it’s been three months since that day.

A hand then rests onto my shoulder, turning to see my mother stand beside me, “Ready my love?”

I readjust my backpack and stare at the plane, “Yeah.”

A kiss is then planted into the top of my head, watching her walk towards the plane, followed by Miriam.

I pan over to see Orga and Kateryna standing like statues as they gawk at the plane. I huff a slight giggle, “You two all right?”

The couple turns and quietly strolls over to me. “This is how modern people fly through the skies?” asked Orga, still glancing at it.

I give him a short nod, “Yep and I can’t even begin to tell you how many times I’ve flown on that thing. Well over a dozen I think. I should be grateful that this is more of a hop rather than a long flight.” The pair looks to me.

I smirk, gazing at them, “We should go, my mom’s waiting on us,” walking off to the plane, seeing Fenris already sitting at the top of the stairs. My eyes roll as I ascend the stairs, “I know, I know. Just reminiscing.”

The wolf huffs softly as his ears twitch, “You do that far too often, little Aria.”

I ignore him and slip into the cabin, quickly locating my seat, and plop down into it. The chair was just as comfortable as always, and just as big. My bonded then saunters over to me and lies down at my feet.

My knights (yeah... still getting over the idea that they're mine) slowly enter the plane and become confused.

Rachel looks up to them, “Pick any seat you wish, there are plenty to choose from.”

She is partially right. The plane was indeed big enough for everyone to sit comfortably. Yet given how it typically had either been her and I together or just me, it felt a little cramped. The couple soon found their seats near the front.

I smirk, pointing to my seatbelt, “Might want to put this on.”

They then reach around their waists and hold up the buckles, staring at the halves. They eventually figure out how it works and buckle themselves in.

I lean back into my seat and pull out my book once more and bury my nose into it, having already raised the headphones over my ears and started playing some music.

I glance over to see Rachel tapping on the intercom, seemingly to tell the captain that we were ready to leave.

The plane soon rumbles to life, looking up to seeing both knights jump slightly. You can stare down death on battlefield and yet a plane’s engines make you nervous. I know that this is all still new to them so I didn’t want to feel like a complete jerk.

I pan over to see Miriam also with her nose in a book. It looks old with the binding having seen better days. She glances up at me, giving me one of her warm gentle smiles. My cheeks turn warmer, quickly hiding my face in my book.

The plane then lurches forward as it begins to head towards the runway. Once more I am heading out onto yet another trip, albeit a much shorter one. I had been doing a lot of traveling ever since I first met Rachel, and I do mean a lot. I’ve gotten used to it.

One prayer I have is that after this trip is I don’t have to do anymore for a long time. Oh who am I kidding, there’s bound to be more in the future.

My body leans back into my seat, planting my feet onto the cushion. A moment after the plane rolls into position, it the rockets down the runway, slowly lifting off of the ground and climbing into the air. In less than a couple of hours, I will be reunited with all of my friends for the first time in a year.

The plane touches down onto the runway, causing it to jerk slightly. Surprisingly enough I actually didn’t fall asleep during the flight. The book I’ve been reading was too engrossing for me to put down and I really wasn’t all that tired to begin with.

My legs slip out from under me, groaning loudly as they stretch. I pan down to see Fenris already up and stretching out his body, hearing his joints pop, watching him yawn.

A grin rises on my face as I lean over and scratch him behind the wolf’s ears. His head rumbles with pleasure, feeling my fingers digging softly into his scalp. My attention is then drawn towards my knights, who both look relieved to be back on the ground which I again replace ironic as they both flew here.

Once the plane finally came to a stop, Rachel unbuckled herself and slowly made her way to the front of the plane. I stash my book away and did the same. I pop my neck, wincing as a joint shifts a little too much. I snatch up my bags and head for the door.

I was surprised to discover that the weather was actually rather pleasant. The skies are slightly cloudy and the air cool. I scan around and saw patches of water strewn about. Huh, must’ve rained.

I knew it wouldn’t affect the Gathering in the slightest, so nothing to worry about. In fact, the weather is supposed to be even cooler than normal for this time of the year, something that the entire coven is going to be grateful for.

I let out a soft smirk, knowing that everyone was practically going to jump each other the moment we all arrived. The image of dozens of teenagers colliding ran through my mind, with all our parents bursting into laughter.

I pan over to see our luggage being hauled out of the plane and rolled over to the car. I hoist my satchel over my shoulder and head for it as well, climbing inside and replaceing my seat. Everyone soon follows suit, each replaceing a place to sit.

My head rests against the backrest and stares at the ceiling. I look over to see my mother talking to someone on the phone, unable hear anything with music still playing in my ears. The car soon rumbles to life as it began to pull away.

Our initial trek led through the very heart of Irving. The majority of the area was very familiar to me as my paternal grandparents once lived here years ago. This meant my knowledge of the town was fairly decent at best. I roll around on my seat and lean into the backrest, watching as the car drove through the town.

At the moment, we are traveling north on Beltline Road, one of the major streets in the town. I could remember driving up here from Austin to visit Granddad after Mommom passed away and helping pack up his house.

When the car stops at the intersection with Pioneer, I couldn’t help but stare down the road. The image of his old house was still fresh in my mind, and so was his. My chin rests on my arms, letting out a sigh.

A hand strokes up and down my back, causing me to smile.

“You know this area, don’t you sweetheart?”

I lean deeper into the seat, eyes still staring down the street, “I do.”

She moves closer to me, feeling her hand still rubbing my back, “When was the last time you here?”

I take a long breath, “It’s been a few years. Never even came up here when I moved back to Austin. Had no need or desire to.”

The car then begins pull away from the intersection, allowing me to see further down the street. When it finally slips out of view, I spin around and plant myself back onto the seat, “Just one more piece of my past that holds little meaning to me now.”

Her arm wraps around my shoulder, pulling me against her body, “Ever the nostalgic,” whispering softly.

I lean my head onto her chest, hoping to leave to city quickly. The car didn’t take long for it to pull onto the highway and then east, heading for Dallas.

The total trip to the major city took us an additional half hour, and I should really be counting my blessings that we managed to avoid most of the traffic heading in.

Gazing out the window, the sight of the downtown skyline slowly came into view. The Coven was to meet up in one of the many parks near the outskirts of the city. I can picture many of the dads standing near grills, many with beers in their hands.

The Summer Gathering is more akin to a family reunion when compared to the Winter Festival. It's not meant so much as to celebrate to summer solstice as to just get together for a few days and have fun.

While the Festival was fun, everyone really looks forward to the Summer Gathering. It had been on my mind for the past couple of months and now we are here, bringing even more people along with us.

The car pulls off of the highway and down surface roads. My heartrate begins to swell as the sight of the park draws closer. My eyes then grow wider, seeing the far off faces of people I instantly recognize.

If I was a kitsune, my tails would be wagging incessantly. My eagerness and desire to simply Rush out of the car mounted more and more, causing me to fight back against it. I could feel my legs bobbing on the floorboard of the car.

When we finally pull into the parking lot of the park and came to a stop, I looked over to Rachel, who gives me a soft smile, “Go ahead sweetheart.”

My grin grew massive, unbuckling myself and rushing out the door the very moment it opened.

My feet carried over the grass, seeing Coven members all standing about, talking to each other.

“Aria?” I hear being shouted out.

I glance over to see Jenn and the others all together, quickly turning and then bolt towards me. I grin like an idiot as I leap into them, tackling them to the ground, with us all grunting loudly.

“Geez girl, I thought kitsune were supposed to be light,” hearing her complain.

I pushed myself off of the ground, “I’m not that heavy and you know it.” She grins as the rest of the girls all sit up and hug me tightly.

I bury my face into the embrace, looking up at my friends. They smile and then the four of us burst into laughter. “The four musketeers have reunited once more,” exclaims Mandy.

Heather scowls at her, “You’re the only one who calls us that.”

The sandy-blonde shrugs, “Can’t help it if the name fits.”

There actually is some truth behind her self-imposed title for us, and strangely enough it didn’t start from last summer. The name came about from last April when word got around at how close the four of us had become. It soon came to a head during the gathering when we participated in a four-on-four match in the tournament.

We really didn’t have any sense of coordination to speak of, but somehow managed to win. It was then that she pointed her finger up and called out the old catch phrase, which prompted us to do the same. It…unfortunately caused her to start referring to us by the moniker.

I roll on my knees and look at my friends, all smiling towards me. Heather leans over and sits beside me, pulling me into her, “Everyone around here really did miss the both of you during the winter festival.”

I sigh, “Yeah I know. Last year was really busy; especially with all of the traveling I was doing.”

The brunet ruffles my hair, “That we got and are still angry that Jenn got to visit you back in December.”

Jenn crosses her arms, “Well it pays to be closer to her.”

Heather groans, “Hey, come September I’ll be closer as well.”

It then was Mandy’s turn to let out a huff, “You both are so lucky you know that? While you the three of you are going to be seeing each other more often, I’ll still be on the west coast.”

We then all laugh.

“Hey it could be worse Mandy,” I add, “If you were to leave L.A. you’d no longer be the queen of your high school. Meaning no more boy-slaves to worship at your feet.”

She tilts her head and taps her lips, “Huh, never thought of that. Could enslave new minions at the new school, just take too long.” I grin to her.

I lean into Heather as she holds me close to her. I’m still the smallest and youngest of the group, but they never babied me. That dubious honor fell to another person.

They’ve never once called me a “sheltered little princess”, instead was still sought after for my “sagely” advice. They do however love to tease the absolute hell out of me, which they did on a near-constant basis. Mandy and Heather soon crawl over to me, with Jenn moving to my back and Mandy to my left. All three girls hold me close, pressing their heads to mine.

“We’ve been so worried about you,” whispers Mandy. “We can’t imagine the hell you had to go through after learning you were an actual princess.”

I cling tightly to all of their arms, “Not going to lie, it hasn’t been easy.”

Jenn plops her chin onto the top of my head, “Then there’s the fact that we nearly lost you on that very same day. When everyone heard about it, there wasn’t a single person who didn’t want to just fly to you and see how you were doing.”

My cheeks blush brightly, “Thanks guys.” The trio squeezed me even tighter.

“No one messes with our girl,” added Heather. I grin.

“Aria?”

I look up to see a woman standing over us. I giggle, “Hey Miss Elizabeth.”

The woman kneels down and pulls me away from the girls, hugging me tightly against her, “Thank God that you’re here with us. I’m sure your friends have told you how worried we’ve about you.”

I bury my face into her shoulder as I cling to her, “They have.”

She strokes my hair, “We still can’t believe that someone would try and kill you.” I could think of a few people who might.

Elizabeth pulls back as she brushes some hair out of me face, seeing my neck, “Fully healed there sweetie?”

I rub my throat, feeling where the scars have since faded, “Yes ma’am. Had my aunt and a mermaid give me treatments for it.”

A tender smile stretches across her face, “Glad to hear that,” leaning in closer, “if you’re still worried about something happening, we take care of our own.”

I grin, leaning my head into hers, “Thanks.” She plants a kiss onto my forehead, and then helps stand me up, with the girls moving up as well.

I glance over to see Rachel walking towards us, brandishing a smile, “Hello Elizabeth.”

The woman holding me and nods to her, “Rachel. I hope you can forgive me cuddling your daughter.”

My mother grins, “Of course not.”

My old team leader wraps her arms around me even tighter, holding me against her body. She then looks up as Orga and Kateryna appear, looking both confused and relieved.

“And who might these two be?” she asks.

Rachel turns to me, “Want to tell them sweetheart?”

I bite my lip trying to draw up the courage to speak, “They’re…my knights.”

A calm eerie silence quickly settles over the group that surrounds me, all looking to me with mouths hanging open. Heather pans her head to me and then to the couple, “No…freaking way.”

My cheeks burn even hotter.

Jenn recomposes herself and walks over to them. She stares up at them, examining the couple, before folding her arms behind her back, “Thank you both so much for saving our girl’s life.”

The other three stare at her and then at Rachel, who looked shock, “How…how do you know that my dear?”

I raise my hand, “Because I’m the one that told her.”

They all then turn to me, with Mandy wrapping her arm around my neck and pulling me down, rubbing her knuckles in my hair, “You little sneak. Again you live up to your reputation of bringing something new to the Coven.” I giggle.

Elizabeth gazes at them, holding her arms, “I guess the rumors are true then. Our little Aria was indeed rescued by literal knights in shining armor. Some might call it romantic.” I blush even more.

Orga smiles, bowing his head, “Indeed. I am Orga, Her Highness’ sworn knight and this is my wife Kateryna,” motioning to her.

Kateryna smiles, “It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance my lady.”

My eyes flare wide open in embarrassment as I feel like fainting. Rachel drops her head into her hand. I look up to see three pairs of eyes gleaming deviously at me. Each set of eyes is matched with a devilish grin.

Uh-oh.

I slip out of Elizabeth’s grip and slowly start to back away. The trio of girls then begin to stalk towards me, all still baring their devious faces.

“Aria…” sounds Heather.

“So it’s ‘Your Highness’ now huh?” added Mandy.

I take another step backwards, holding up my hands, “We can talk about this girls. There’s no need to do this.” I then back up into something, replaceing Jenn standing behind me.

“Oh Aria…I’m hurt. You never told me that you wanted to be called ‘Your Highness’.” She then goes to grab me, but I slip out of her grip and bolt.

“Don’t let her get away,” shouts Heather, as the trio give chase.

Orga and Kateryna moved to run after us, only to be blocked by Elizabeth. The pair stare at her. She smiles, “She’s not in any real danger. I’m sure that they’ll tease her to no end, as is how girls these days often do.”

The couple looks even more confused, “Stranger and stranger how children act today.”

Rachel sighs, shaking her head, “That girl needs to get over being so self-conscious about herself. She becomes far too easily embarrassed.”

Elizabeth chuckles, “Rachel, she is still a child after all.”

My mother smiles, looking at her, “Of which I am acutely aware of.”

She then turns to the knights, “I should go and greet the others. I’m certain they’ll want to know how Aria is doing,” turning to see me running through the fields with my friends hot on my heels, “I suggest enjoying the show,” then walking off.

Elizabeth smiled to them, “We should talk more later on. I need to see to my children.”

She also follows after Rachel.

Kateryna tilts her head as I dodge Mandy as she lunges for me. “Our princess truly has interesting friends, doesn’t she my love?”

Orga nods, “That she does.”