Lol. I know, I know, this is a really late update. I have to fill up my university application and guess what? I was supposed to get those done at least within the span of three years but in my defense, I never thought I would enter Creative Multimedia and Graphics course! So, you can imagine me drawing houses and landscapes as well as creating graphic designs. Please, do bear with me. My university officially starts on 25 March.

Pray that I can get a few chapters posted before I am on hiatus. *fingers crossed*

EDIT: Dedication to VortexxOfShynexx because he's been amazingly supportive! I hope you B. Immortals are like him; sticking till the very end <3. The next chapter will be dedicated to one of you B. Immortals as long as you guys comment and vote!

~~~

Out of the night that covers me,
Black as the Pit from pole to pole,
I thank whatever gods may be
For my unconquerable soul.

In the fell clutch of circumstance
I have not winced nor cried aloud.
Under the bludgeonings of chance
My head is bloody, but unbowed.

Beyond this place of wrath and tears
Looms but the Horror of the shade,
And yet the menace of the years
Finds, and shall find, me unafraid.

It matters not how strait the gate,
How charged with punishments the scroll,
I am the master of my fate:
I am the captain of my soul.

~William Ernest Henley 

   With a suppressed sigh, I cast my gaze on the landscape and did my best to clear my cluttered thoughts. I knew that I had to face the music instead of running away from my problems. The consequences of my ignorance cost the happiness of people and maybe, their lives. I quickly threw away the mental image of someone who I once dearly cared about before tears would fall from my cheeks. 

   "I can't act like a child now," I mumbled to myself in an attempt to muster enough courage. "I need to find my grandfather and the key."

   Stuffing the scrap of paper inside the back of my pocket, I tucked a stray hair behind my ear before drawing one last breath and slowly walked back to the nightmare fuel which I probably once called home. The occasional breeze caressed my cheeks in a motherly fashion; allowing me to recollect my memories. Eyes drifting away from the road and towards the blue skies, my mind wandered back to the earliest signs of suspicious activities. The feeling that someone watched us from a distance when King Marcus was teaching me how to draught. That one time when I swore I saw a silhouette entering the forbidden maze and how the key vanished not long after. Grinding my teeth to hold back the waterworks, the memory of the burning mansion and the disappearance of King Marcus as well as Picasa remained fresh in my mind like it just happened yesterday.

   How can I not remember? King Marcus is my grandfather and the other is my odd but lovable tutor... A bitter voice in the back of my mind spoke.

   The wooden building soon came to view, sending shivers down my spine but this time, I wouldn't back out anymore. The blue tiled roof became a few shades lighter compared to my memory and the wooden walls looked strong and sturdy even though it seemed more intimidating when I was younger. Most likely because I was shorter back then. Shaking off the last remnants of hesitation, I stepped into the front door.

   Only to be greeted by Lincoln.

  "Where have you been?" His voice became so calm it almost unnerved me. Almost.

   "None of your business."

   A gasp of surprise left my lips when Lincoln's fingers wrapped themselves around my slim wrist, jerking me back to his side. His next words sounded more like a command instead of reassurance. "I told you that I would help you."

   Something within me changed. I could not respond to him with my usual emotion filled spat or petty gestures. I stared into his crimson colored eyes, searching for any signs of weakness before replying with a similarly cool tone. "I know."

   With that, Lincoln released his grip on me and I retreated back to my childhood room. The sight of Fennel curled up on my bed gave me a strong urge to stroke her beautiful, long fur so I did just that. I planned my next step whilst playing with the surreal beauty in a mindless way. The moon soon replaced the sun, surrounded by twinkling stars as well as one or two fluffy clouds. It was a pretty clear night, overall.

   The Ragdoll cat meowed in protest when I got up from the bed and left my bedroom with a gentle click behind my back. Despite dimly lit halls and utter silence, I managed to not topple anything over thanks to my heightened senses. A dark shroud of darkness gave me extra protection from prying eyes as soon as I summoned it; allowing me to explore the place freely. Determination filled my chest when I turned a random doorknob in hopes of regaining my old memories. The wooden door gave a small creak due to old age and lack of oiling before revealing a dusty room filled with papers scattered everywhere. 

   Curiosity got the better of me; I walked in without checking if there was anyone in the room in order to pick one of the pages. One quick glance at it told me that it was a part of series of letters exchanged between two people. The yellowed, wrinkled edges contained the year it had been written. 1887. Reading its contents aloud, suspicion took over the determination I once felt.

   "January 4th, 1887, Madison County, Ills. Honored King," I began with a low voice. "I take my pen in hand to write you a humble request. Another civil war has begun in the place I am currently residing, taking lives of my comrades and servants. I ask for your permission to recruit fresh ghouls to bolster my army before joining you in the upcoming battle. Please pardon the poor quality of paper I am writing on, for I am lacking resources as time passes."

   "Respectfully servant of yours, Lincoln Morris." The letter ended with a brief note.

   I grabbed another letter from the floor and started reading. The majority of them discussed politics in the supernatural world but some mentioned the human world too. A few keywords stuck out like a sore thumb. Disappearances of the High Blood royalties. Mr. Edward's unusual activities. Predictions of rebellion for the throne. Biting my lower lip, I stashed a couple of the letters under my arm as evidence before turning around to leave until something caught my eye.

   "The disappearance of Princess Artemis and her mother, Princess Elizabeth." Was the title of an article attached to a letter.

   Breath caught in my throat, the name "Artemis" sparked an unknown feeling within me. Legs froze on the ground, I could not help but go through the paragraphs detailing the incident. A rather large picture of the grown up Princess Elizabeth hugging her child was pasted on the middle of the article - drawing my attention to it. A horrible headache immediately settled in the moment my eyes fell on Princess Artemis' ones. With increased heartbeat and unstable breathing pattern, I struggled to focus on the picture as the walls spun around me. Eventually, my legs surrendered and decided to leave me in a completely helpless situation.

   Another surge of memories threatened to invade my mind but this time, a barrier came between my weak state of mind and those flashbacks. Who knew how much time passed by while I covered my head in an attempt to make the hammering go away. After what seemed forever, the pain faded away little by little and realization hit me. My command over darkness to cloak me loosened. Panic bubbled up before I summoned wisps of the night in a hurry. 

   Little did I know that someone spied on me the instant my guard lowered down.

   Even though the headache left, its side effects stayed. A groan of discomfort escaped from my lips when I tried to stand on my spaghetti - like legs. Commanding my disobedient limbs felt like an impossible task. However, when I put my mind into it, it finally worked. I tripped and had to lean on walls from time to time but I returned to my bedroom without making too much noise. The second I plopped onto the comfortable - looking bed, sleep snatched my consciousness away.

   A sea of grass laid before my eyes. When I meant a sea of grass, I meant it quite literally. The blades of greenery brushed against my fur as I walked among them. Fur? I wondered to myself and that's when I noticed something very out of the place. The difference in height was drastic; I became shorter than a toddler! The urge to scream came but instead of my own voice, I found myself making a high pitched "RRRRROWWW!" instead. 

   Needless to say, that woke me up from my sleep.

   Rays of sunlight intruded the places where the curtains failed to cover, forcing me to shield my eyes from the sudden change of atmosphere. It appeared more cheerful compared to last night. Pursing my lips into a thin line, I ran my fingers across my mop of dirty blonde hair before scanning the room for Fennel. As expected, the Ragdoll cat was nowhere to be found. A bunch of crumpled papers fell off the bed the moment my feet landed on the carpeted floors. I hid the proof under the bed with a swift kick before leaving my bedroom.

   A new day, a new clue to uncover these mysteries.

~~~

A/N

LOL. It's been months since I wrote the A/N above. So sorry but like I mentioned, I AM BUSY with my university. I'm currently having semester break hence the chapter. Thank you so much to those who decided to wait and be patient with my slow updates. Once a B. Immortal, forever a B. Immortal. 

P.S: Yes, I've noticed that Artemis changed quite a lot in this chapter. It's due time. Of course, she will continue talking in her head with those funny, sarcastic voices but not as often as last time. It's finally time for her character development lmao!

P.P.S: PLEASE COMMENT AND VOTE <3

Much love,

~Jenny