She ran as fast as her legs could carry her through the woods, breathing heavily, she skipped and jumped the dry woods. She almost lost her balance, but she stumbled and found herself and continued into the forest, the sun was coming forth as the darkness was quickly fading away. The leaves slapped her face hardly while she ducks some and her hands pushing others away. The birds were chirping and some singing melodiously in harmony. The owl rotates its large eyes like it scanned the early morning dew. The frogs croak and jump, even the little creatures ran away in fear, to avoid being trampled by the princess of the forest, she was happily racing through the woods with her companies.
"Come on Mercury" she laughed as she jumped and landed safely on the ground, she spins and continued further, she was getting to the finish line. "Yes!" She exclaimed as her feet almost touch the line, but a rabbit ran below her leg, she stopped her feet on the air and lost her balance and tumbled in.
She groaned in pain and winced when the blood appeared below her knee, but she looked away from her injury to check if she got to the finish line. She saw Mercury doing her victory dance and laughing happily as the referee gave her a hand shake. She hurriedly got up, swallowing the pains she felt from the knee.
" I won right?" She asked as she hopped closer.
"No baby, Mercury did", The referee answered.
"Thats a lie daddy, a referee got to be fair", she said to the man, "Mercury used her wolf speed when she got to closer to the finish line" she complained to her father almost in tears.
"Is that true Mercury?" The man asked, and Mercury nodded shyly and buried her head sadly.
"Jupiter always emerge the winner, but I know Im faster in my wolf speed" Mercury complained.
"You need to be partial Mercury", he smiled as he wiped the tears from their faces, "you both are good in what you do, you are my girls and my girls are the best".
The girls smiled happily, and they embraced him, but as soon as they separated, Jupiters face became Moody and gloomy.
"Whats wrong?"the older man asked as he squatted by the child, but she bowed her head to the ground, not saying anything.
"Jupiter?" The man called again.
"My wolf ability" she shuttered " I still cant get mine, Ive watched other kids gain their ability and even the older ones displaying their abilities, but I cant get my ability" she cried and buried her face in her palms, her father brought her closer and placed her head on his shoulder and patted her back.
"Youre still twelve Jupiter, before eighteen you would gain your abilities" he assured her with a smile, but she refused to buy it.
"Mercury is twelve too, shes my twin daddy but she got hers" she cried harder " the people hate and neglect me"
"No one dares neglect the Alphas favorite baby" he said trying to assure her "youre their princess and they have no say"
"Sooner youll get your power", Mercury comforted", you could probably be stronger than I, princess Venus and prince Mars"
And that did the magic, Jupiter took up her face, her face was pale and read and she quickly covered them with her palms and the other two laughed.
The day was already bright, they began to stroll out of the forest, back to the castle, chatting and cracking jokes. The twin was courageous and bold, they had the same statue and size, but had other differences.
Mercury was tall, dark skinned with a milky blonde hair, while Jupiter was as tall as Mercury, light skinned and got a red curly hair which stopped at her shoulders.
They were both fierce, but Jupiter was fiercer and would barely give up. They loved themselves equally.
Princess Venus, their older sister disliked Jupiter for the same reason the people of the community hated her for, she took Jupiter as an abomination, for she was the first wolf in the clan to have no ability, she felt Jupiter was unfit to be a princess.
The little family were closer to the castle, everyone they passed by bowed respectively at them. Yes, they were the royalty, the Alpha king and his daughters.
"Mom! mom!" The children screamed as the jumped on the older woman with genuine smile on their face.
"Good morning my children, good morning his Royal Highness" the queen greeted her children and then her husband, she walked towards him and kissed him slightly on the lips and he smile.
"I need to have my shower now" he said as he strolled away from the happy children and their mother.
"Guess what mom?" Jupiter said happily "Mercury won me in the race today" she added immediately.
"I cheated a bit and dad said it was wrong" Jupiter chirped in.
"Yes darling, cheating is wrong" Queen Irine admitted as she walked to the courtyard and the children trailed behind her.
"She used her wolf ability" Jupiter added.
"That was wrong Mercury baby".
"Why do I feel it wasnt wrong?" Another familiar voice added and they all turned to meet the beauty queen of the house, the older princess, princess Venus." its not wrong for her to use her ability, its not her fault that Jupiter doesnt have a wolf ability" the seventeen-year-old princess rolled her eyes at Jupiter.
Jupiter held her face high, ignoring the things her older sister had said, she wasnt going to let her see her weakness, she wont be intimidated. Mercury frowned slightly and held Jupiters hand.
"Venus!" The Queen shouted with great authority in her voice, " what is wrong with you? That was wrong and immature of you to say"
"Its the truth mom, a simple truth, you cant stop Mercury from using her powers because of Jupiter, nobody wants to be deprived of what they have and not even because of their twin, give the little child her freedom" Venus tried to explain.
"And I never complained" Mercury said in anger, "why not face other things and mind your business, we can manage ourselves".
"You little dummy", Venus laughed, "sooner youll be complaining, maybe not now but soon".
"Venus!" Queen Irine shouted, "I forbid you from speaking this moment".
The older daughter sealed her lips before walking away angrily. Jupiter created a weak smile and looked at her mother.
"I hope you dont regret having me as a child", she tried to speak out, but her voice betrayed her, and it only came out as a whisper.
"No baby, youre the best gift I ever had, you and Mercury worth more than anything. I love you both so much", Queen Irine gave a weak smile and they nodded happily, "now go on, your food is at the dining, you two must be starving.
They smiled happily and ran into the castle, they catch up with their older brother at the castle hall.
"Prince Mars". They called and ran up to him.
"My little kittens" he teased rubbing their head, "what are you both up to?".
"Racing through the woods as usual with the Alpha king", Mercury replied.
"Dad would never let my little sisters rest, he wants to train you till he stress you" he laughed "Im having the reminiscence of the time I was younger".
"My teacher calls it nostalgia", Jupiter smiled.
"You got that right" he smiled, "dad stopped taking me to the forest when I was eighteen and probably when you both are eighteen he would let you be".
"We actually dont get tired, do we?" Mercury asked referring to Jupiter and she shook her head negatively with her palms opened and the prince laughed.
"If I could remember, tomorrow is my little twin sisters birthday, oh how can I forget, I can never forget that" he teased.
We are going to be bigger and when we add up our age, we would be older than you and princess Venus" Mercury explained.
"Thats accurate"he laughed, " but you cant grow older by just adding ages".
"That is true, but we can grow older by just assuming, so we would assume we are older" Jupiter spoke, and Mercury nodded in agreement.
"Alright, you both won, Ill be heading off now, Ill be having a council meeting now and if I arrive late I would be queried. But Ill look for you both when Im back, now go have your breakfast and then go prepare for your birthday, I want to see you in your best tomorrow", he kissed their cheeks and rubbed their head individually before heading off.
The twin hurried to the dinning, the foods were well arranged on the table, different meals lay open in front of them and the food were still very hot. Venus sat at the opposite end of the table, the girls ignored her and concentrated on their food, they hurriedly swallowed the meal, smiling at each other, they drank from their glass quietly, ignoring the devilish glare they got from Venus.
Immediately they were done with their meals they ran to their room to check out their birthday dresses. They opened the door to the room which they shared, their personal maids were in the room already, they stood quietly beside their bed respectively and bowed as the princesses got closer and went back to their duty.
"Its that our birthday gown?" Jupiter exclaimed happily when her eyes finally met the dress which were hidden, she was known for her sharp eyes and sensing hidden items. She pulled out the gown from the wardrobe and Mercury stood beside her and got her own dress.
"Wow" Mercury grinned "they are beautiful".
"Its our favorite color. Yellow and black" Jupiter jumped excitedly."Ill take my black while you do for your yellow".
"Its the same design with different colors, I wished you loved yellow, it would have been more perfect", Mercury frowned.
"And if only you loved black too" Jupiter grinned and rolled her eyes.
"Bla bla bla, black is boring" her sister teased
"Youre never know how amazing it is" she blinked multi times.
"Im so happy" Mercury jumped and sat on the bed.
"I wish I could have my abilities tomorrow" Jupiter face changed suddenly.
"Dont give me that face, youll get it tomorrow, we just need to pray to the moon goddess tonight" Mercury gave her an assuring smile.
"Youll be with me, right?".
"I promise with my pinky finger to be with you and stand by you always, fight for you, run with you, play with you, defend you and I will do all that because I love you" she smiled
"Youre the best sister ever" Jupiter couldnt hide her happiness as she lay on the bed.
"You dont need to worry about Venus".
"She hates me so badly" she complained.
"And thats out of envy and jealousy".
"Why do you think so? What do I have that she envies me? I dont even have an ability", Jupiter asked obviously confused.
"Shes jealous that youre still loved even when you have no ability, youre our parents favorite, she isnt given much attention" Mercury explained.
"Our parents loves us equally, I know she wants their attention,
Ill could give her all to gain her love too" she frowned.
"Why are you so bothered about getting her love? Isnt mine enough, prince Mars love you, our parents too and even some people, our love overwhelms any kind she could offer" Mercury spoke loudly.
"Okay, fine" she rolled her eyes "I have an idea".
"Whats that?" Mercury asked curiously.
"I want to go back to the forest, alone, or maybe with you".
"Why?" Her sisters eye widens "we cant go there alone, dad wouldnt approve that" Mercury pushed away the idea.
"Dont you see?" Jupiter asked sitting upright "maybe I have to be alone and try the transformation, Ive never been left alone to have my privacy, they are always watching, I think my wolf is scared".
"Do you feel it?"