No other witch could travel through the mirror realm world as Rouge May could. It was her one gleaming talent, she was only one of around five witches to ever have lived, that could go into the mirror realm and not lose herself. Not only did she not lose herself, but unlike the others, she could draw on a power she didn't have herself to perform spells directly from this realm. As well as using the mirror realm like many would a Pegasus, she could move quickly across continents floating through it. Her mother had been beside herself when six-year-old Rouge May had climbed into a mirror for the first time. She was too young to know it was considered dangerous, she'd just felt it calling to her and placed her hand on it. She didn't know where the words had come from but she'd muttered them and found the cold smooth surface had become a warm inviting barrier and climbed in.

Merlin had been furious when she'd returned, he couldn't traverse the mirror realm and they had assumed she was lost to it like so many witches before her. But Rouge had found it a warm and comforting place, she'd floated about as if she could fly in this new bright silvery rainbow world. It was a place like no other like the world had been replicated in reverse and given a mirrored surface. It was bright and beautiful, unlike her grey dark home. From the mirror realm, things and people seemed to move so slowly, like time for her had sped up and for them slowed down. Having never been able to leave her subterranean home before the curious child couldn't help but explore. She discovered if she looked into the odd black voids that adorned many walls she could see into other people's homes as they appeared in her realm. She saw other children for the first time, animals and sunshine.

Hours passed and she grew hungry, finding her way to her bedroom mirror that also looked like a black void from the odd realm and climbing back through the blackness. For her half, a day had passed, for her family only about half an hour. Her mother was hysterical thinking her child had been lost in the mirror realm forever. As Nimue had thrown her arms around her daughter sobbing loudly that she was ok, her father had glowered at her. When Nimue had finally calmed herself Merlin had berated her for being so selfish and scaring her poor mother. Rouge didn't understand what she had done that was so wrong. Taking Nimue with him, Merlin had told her to stay in her room and think about what she had done. Days later Merlin had made a passing comment to August while they all ate lunch that at least she wasn't completely useless. August had just been angry and jealous despite his many powers that she possessed one so rare. He couldn't bear for anyone to have anything he didn't.

Finding her mother's mirror she knocked gently in case she was out of sight of the mirror, no answer, her mother couldn't be in her bedroom. She tugged herself through the mirror and landed weakly in a heap on the cold hard floor.

"Mama? Papa?" She still felt so weak even with the small energy boost the mirror had given her. When no one came she called again as loud as she could "Mama? Papa?" Moments later her Mother came running through the door.

"Oh my, Merlin, Merlin! It's Rouge, she's hurt." She dropped to her knees by her daughter and cradled her head in her lap.

"Oh my darling, what happened?" Before she could answer her father came rushing in. He was exactly what people expected Merlin to be, tall and thin with a long grey beard and small black eyes and wearing a long blue robe with a gold belt. She wondered briefly if he dressed like that because it was expected or if it was expected because he dressed like it.

"What have you gotten yourself into child?" He knelt beside them and placed his hands on her arm and muttered under his breath. She whimpered as her burns began to sizzle again, only this time they started to heal. She wanted to say it's you that got me into it but kept her tongue at bay. Her mother stroked her hair

"It's OK my sweet, you'll be all better soon." Nimue's voice was always singsong and soft. Ten minutes later Merlin stood up and wiped his brow.

"All better. Now, do you want to explain this?" She looked from her father to her mother.

"August said I would be safe at his palace, I let my guard down and two of the staff tried to grab me." Merlin sighed heavily.

"You can't blame August for this Rouge. He's a busy man and can't watch you twenty-four hours a day." Nimue gave her husband a look but said nothing.

"Of course, it's my fault I was attacked by your ex-lover's minions while under my brother's protection and saved by...." she faltered "a friend, I should have been more careful and not just assumed August would be as good as his word."

"Good girl, it's very mature of you to take responsibility for yourself. And bravo on making a friend. You always wanted one, or is it another bird?" Getting up off the floor Rouge was about to point out she was being sarcastic not caring that her father would freak out when Nimue spoke up.

"My love, I think I need to talk to our daughter woman to woman."

Merlin looked from one to the other.

"Ah yes of course. She can't keep playing the victim when it comes to August. A good motherly chat will help." He strode out of the room waving his hand so the door shut behind him. Seconds later Nimue called out.

"No listening Merlin." In the distance, they heard another door slam.

"He's always been the same. Now, what happened my sweet girl. Was it Mab again? If it wasn't August who saved you who was it'' Rouge took a seat at her mother's vanity. Nimue seated herself on her bed.

"Two dwarves threw a suppression net on me while I was at August's ridiculous weekend of showing off and throwing his weight around. I thought Mab would get me this time but I was rescued, I'm rather sure it was by my Fated one." Nimue stared at her speechless so Rouge May related the whole tale to her.

"Well, I did pray to Hecate for a strong fated one for you who could protect you from Mab and anyone else who would come for you."

"But he's a Vampire Mama, a lower creature. Papa would go insane if he knew. Plus how can a Vampire protect me from magic?" Nimue thought a moment.

"Do you like him my sweet?"

"I... don't know him. We've barely exchanged twenty words."

"Is he good-looking?"

"Mama!" Rouge was shocked that her Mother would ask such a thing.

"Oh hush child. I too dreamed once of a handsome man to sweep me off my feet. I thought I'd marry a prince and one day be the queen of his country."

"And you got Papa."

"Tsk, I wouldn't change your Papa for all the world. You need to give him more credit, he does love you Rouge, in his way. He may not be happy if you choose to accept this Vampire. But remember it was your Papa that left Queen Mab herself and accepted the lowliest fated one of them all. He accepted a human."

"Mama, you're not lowly."

"Many questioned your father for accepting a human as his fated one. Many felt he should have rejected me and stayed with Mab. Your brother had to work twice as hard for his rightful seat on the council because of what I am, he has to work even harder to keep our families secret. I know little of Vampires, but I'm sure if the Fates have chosen him for you he must be a good and strong protector from magic or whatever comes for you. He has already proven himself as one, has he not?" Rouge nodded "then go back and get to know him, if it's anything like me and your Papa, then it's already love at first sight and it'll only grow the more time you spend with him. I'll deal with your Papa when the time arises."

Rouge hugged her mother tightly and nuzzled into her long thick black hair as she had as a child, it always smelled so clean and fresh.

"What about Mab?" Nimue looked down sadly

"Mab wants me dead and to punish your father for locking her in her dark Fae realm to protect me. The only way she can get out is with his blood. That runs through your veins my love and you're the easiest to reach, she'll never give up. She's a nasty vengeful creature. August is too powerful for her minions to touch him. That's why I had your father summon Hecate to us, why I prayed to her to give you immortality and power. It's why she promised me you'd be given a strong Fated one to protect you. If Hecate sent him to you then you'll be safe with him." Rouge studied her mother for a moment. It had always seemed so unfair that because her father had been Mab's lover before meeting her Mother that Rouge's life had been spent in hiding and dodging danger. Her life had been wrecked because a father who disdained her used to have sex with the dark fae Queen. Maybe she should just accept the Vampire, her father be damned, and try to have a happy life with him.

"Thank you, Mama."

"It's what I'm here for dearest. Now get yourself back to that Vampire of yours before your father comes back to find out what's going on."

***

Rouge climbed through the mirror in the bedroom her brother's butler had shown her to. She would get changed then go and find the Vampire and decide what to do from there. One day at a time as her mother had always said to her when her powers never became as strong as her older brothers.

"What the Hades have you been up to?" She had to stop herself from squealing in shock at the sound of her brother's voice. She span round to find him sitting in the armchair by the window.

"For God's sake August, you scared me." He stood up and strode across the room to her, before she realised what he was doing he slapped her hard.

"Scared you? You're lucky we share a mother or I'd have killed you." Falling back she grabbed her face and gave him a venomous look.

"As if it's not bad enough I have to keep up the ridiculous charade that you're not a pathetic weak half-human but now you're humiliating me in my own home, making yourself the subject of gossip and intrigue." he swung to backhand her again but she ducked and backed away from the irate wizard.

"Not a problem, I'll be out of here by this afternoon then I won't be your problem again. Not that you did anything to ensure my safety and thus avoid the problem." He grabbed her by the hair and pulled her up to his face.

"Oh no, you'll be at this afternoon's meeting and this evening's departing ball. You'll plaster a serene smile on that pretty face of yours and you'll be the graceful hostess. Completely unfazed by this morning's... silliness."

"Oh yes, such silliness, I just had a power suppressing net thrown over me and would have been dragged away if that Vampire hadn't saved me." Again August backhanded her across the room.

"Watch that mouth of yours sister dear. Or mother or not, I'll kill you if you humiliate me again. Am I clear?" Rouge rubbed her cheek as she glared up at her older brother but didn't answer him as tears pricked at her eyes.

"AM I CLEAR?" He strode across the room in a few steps and grabbed his little sister by the hair again dragging her back up to her feet.

"Yes, brother." She ground out between her teeth. He released her and made his way to the door.

"Don't try me Rouge. Our father has no love for you and will do nothing if I... remove your embarrassing stain on our family. Oh and one last thing, it seems there's a silly rumour in the servant's quarters that that filthy animal that paraded naked around my garden this morning is your fated one. I've decided to quash that rumour before it gains traction, you're to pair with a friend of mine's brother. Henry Horncastle the third, his family are old enough to bring respect to ours and he'll keep you out of my way. It's all been arranged. He'll announce you're his fated one at tonight's ball." With that, he strode from the room. Rouge was horrified, Henry Horncastle was a slow-witted bore who only had any respect in the witch community because he came from a great family.

August's announcement only made Rouge determined to be done with her family and to try for a life with the handsome Vampire. She loved her mother but she knew Nimue would do little to protect her from her brother and father, she wasn't sure she would even do much if August ever followed through with his growingly frequent threat to kill her.