Her eyes were open and her ears heard the singing of the birds outside her window, but her brain wasn't functioning yet. 

        How could she possibly think? Today was the day. The day she had been waiting for all her life.

        Dawn sat up in bed slowly, her mind racing with thought of fear and excitement, danger and happiness. She was a relatively positive person, but today was a day she had both dreaded and anticipated all her life, and she wasn't sure which emotion was stronger.

        She knew that for her sister, Adriana, it wasn't a decision at all. Adriana wasn't afraid of anything, which is what made her so terrifying to everyone else. Dawn's sister had been ready for this day since she learned what it was, and nothing was going to change that excitement.

        Dawn pulled herself out of her bed and began to dress herself. She combed through her long blonde hair and picked out the perfect gown for the ceremony, laying the less-formal dress for the Spring Dance out on her bed.

        Knock, knock.

        "Come in!"

        Adriana entered the room. Although the two were polar opposites, both were gorgeous; Adriana's silky black hair was pulled back into an elegant bun, and her dark brown eyes were wide with excitement. She wore a deep plum-colored gown that hugged her curves and made her look taller than her 5'2" self...or maybe that was the silver 4" heels talking.

        "Aren't you excited?" Adriana whispered to her sister happily. Even in her heels, she still had to look up at her twin, who was still three inches taller than her. While Adriana was short and curvy, Dawn was tall and thin, her bright blue eyes and long blonde hair making her appear as a magical being, long and willowy.

        "I guess." she replied shortly, her eyes not meeting Adriana's. "Aren't you the least bit nervous?"

        "Nervous?" Adriana laughed. "How could I be nervous on a day like today? Dawn, we're getting our powers. It's exciting!"

        Dawn looked her sister up and down. Usually Adriana kept to herself, not talking to many people besides Dawn, and certainly never looking like she was about to burst with joy. If something could possibly make her this excited, then what was Dawn to worry about?

        "Plus, we get to see Aunt Rissa."

        "We do?"

        Adriana looked at her like she was out of her mind.

        "Duh. Who else would give us our powers?"

        "But Mother doesn't like Rissa." Dawn replied shortly. Where Adriana resembled Rissa's coniving and concealed nature, Dawn exemplified her mother in everything she did: she was confident, hard-working, and friendly to everyone around her. It was only when the girls were alone that they switched natures; it was often Adriana encouraging Dawn to try new things.

        "She's Father's sister, and the most talented sorceress in the entire kingdom. She gave us our prophecy when we were born."

        "Yes, and that's why Mother hates her now." Dawn snapped, turning around. "Tie me up, will you?"

        Adriana rolled her eyes and began the tedious task of stringing together her sister's emerald-green gown. "Also, Rissa's the only adult who doesn't treat me like I'm something to be tip-toed around as if I'll blow up at any given moment."

        "You know why they do that."

        "Yeah, because they're a bunch of blundering idiots who don't realize---"

        "Ad, it's because you're "the dark one""

        "I know that." Adriana replied angrily, stringing the dress tighter and tighter. "It's like they think I don't know what they're doing. I know I'm destined to be dark, but because I know that, I can change it."

        "You don't exactly emulate light everywhere you go."

        "No, that's your job." Adriana muttered, finishing the dress. "I can be myself without being dark. It's not like---"

        Adriana's rant was inturrupted by a knock on the bedroom door. Without waiting for a reply from the girls, the door swung open.

        "Girls? It's time." Jasmine stood in the doorway, dressed in her best outfit for Rissa's arrival. 

        "We'll be out shortly." Dawn smiled graciously as the nurse left the room.

        "Are you excited?" Adriana asked as the two looked at themselves in the mirror. Their matching tattoos shimmered in the light from Dawn's open window. Dawn's white tattoo reflected the light in a rainbow of colors, while the light only served to make Adriana's black tattoo stand out more sharply against her pale skin.

        "Yes." Dawn lied, her mind whirling and her hands shaking. "Let's go."

***

        "Adriana! Dawn! Come give Auntie a hug."

        Both girls stood still as Rissa approached them, squeezing them simultaneously and letting go quickly. "Excited for the big day?"

        They nodded slowly, unsure of why Rissa was suddenly so bubbly.

        Then Lisabeth entered the room. The girls exchanged glances as the two women nodded coldly to each other before Lisabeth approached her daughters.

        "Ready?" she asked, smiling. "This is a big day for you."

        "Ready as we'll ever be." Dawn replied, smiling widely. Adriana nodded curtly as Lisabeth embraced the two in a warm hug. 

        "You'll be great." their mother whispered as trumpets sounded.

        "Well, that's our cue." Dawn said. The two girls linked arms as servants held the doors open for them. They ventured out onto the castle's balcony and were met with roaring applause from the citizens below.

        "WELCOME!" a booming voice sounded from their right. King David was standing at the edge of the balcony, Rissa's fingers at his throat to magnify the sound to the crowd. "TODAY IS THE DAY WE HAVE ALL BEEN WAITING FOR FOR SIXTEEN YEARS. TODAY MY DAUGHTERS, DAWN AND ADRIANA, WILL BE GRANTED THEIR POWERS TO CONTROL THE KINGDOM WHEN IT IS THEIR TIME. RISSA, SORCERESS OF GREGORIA, WILL PERFORM THE CEREMONY."

        Rissa drew her hands away from her brother's throat as he finished his speech, which was followed by a round of applause and hollers from the people below. The sorceress approached her nieces, smiling ever so slightly, and beckoned for them to join her.

        "Dawn first."

        She placed her hands on Dawn's shoulders, having to elevate herself slightly to make herself taller than the girl. Dawn closed her eyes as she felt power surge through her veins. Although Rissa spoke in a normal tone of voice, Dawn knew the entire kingdom could hear the words she was speaking.

        "Dawn, Light Princess of Gregoria. The time has come for you to recieve the powers promised to you by your birth prophecy. You are a bright beacon in the kingdom of Gregoria, one who bestows happiness and glee upon all those who meet you. You are granted today the powers of light. Until you become a ruler, your powers will not take full effect. But until that day comes, you will have the option to exercise your powers to the fullest extent allowed by the forces of nature. You control the sun, the day, and the light in the world. No longer are those powers that of nature. As you and your sister are the seventh in the royal line, the power falls to you. Nature has now given it up. The power is yours."

        Dawn felt a rush of light and energy go through her body. She opened her eyes and saw the world for the first time; the way the sunlight hit the treetops in the Forbidden Forest and the way the villagers' eyes reflected the sky's radiance. She turned and saw her sister, genuinely smiling at her, and embraced her in a hug she wished would last forever. She had power. It was hers.

        The kingdom let out an "Awww" in unison with each other as the sisters embraced, before quieting down as Rissa beckoned for Adriana.

        "Adriana. It's your turn."

        Adriana approached her aunt, the only person besides Dawn who she had ever felt close to in her entire life. She closed her eyes as Dawn had done and felt energy course through her body. Unsure of what was about to happen, she stayed perfectly still as Rissa began to talk.

        "Adriana, Dark Princess of Gregoria. The time has come for you to receive the powers promised to you by your birth prophecy. You are a becon of truth and power in the kingdom of Gregoria, one who is confident in herself and knows her place in the world. You are granted today the powers of the dark. Until you become a ruler, your powers will not take full effect. But until that day comes, you will have the option to exercise your powers to the fullest extent allowed by the forces of nature. You control the moon, the night, and the dark in the world. No longer are those powers that of nature. As you and your sister are the seventh in the royal line, the power falls to you. Nature has now given it up. The power is yours."

        Adriana felt a darkness settle in her stomach that had not been there before. Her eyes stayed closed for a few moments before they shot open, her brain filled with the power that had just been given to her. She saw the darkness all around her; the way the shadows fell just right over the corner of the bakery to shield the couple hiding there. How the villagers staring back at her looked scared of her and her new power, scared of what she could do. But she smiled despite the dark all around her, and the kingdom erupted into cheers and celebration.

        Rissa gave Adriana a strange look  before placing her fingers on her brother's throat again.

        "THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO IS HERE TO WITNESS THE FIRST TRANSFER OF NATURE'S POWERS. THE SPRING DANCE WILL BE HELD IN THE SQUARE SHORTLY, WHERE MY DAUGHTERS WILL MAKE A SPECIAL APPEARANCE."

        Everyone cheered again before splitting up to go change for the dance. Dawn and Adriana turned to see Lisabeth and Rissa arguing fervently right inside the balcony doors. They hung back a bit after the rest of the royal servants had left, and listened to what was being said.

        "---very rare." Rissa's voice was deathly calm, while Lisabeth was emotional and worried.

        "And yet you let us go through with this!" the Queen cried, her voice a barely-concealed shriek. 

        "I had to, Lisabeth." Rissa snapped, all pretense gone. "It was in their prophecy, and no one defies the prophecies, not even the person who gives them. That would cause much worse consequences to your precious daughters." she spat out the last two words as though she didn't believe the twins were precious at all.

        "This is your fault." Lisabeth accused her angrily. "You and your stupid prophecies. I told my husband not to invite you, but did he listen? No. And now look where we are."

        "David invited me, and so there I was. It was sixteen years ago, Your Highness. I wouldn't still be holding a grudge. That could be as deadly to you as Adriana's powers will be to her."

        Adriana let out a small gasp, her eyes widening. Dawn shushed her quietly, her heart racing.

        "Then help me protect her." Lisabeth begged. "Help her keep her sanity, help her know that there is still light in the world."

        "I'll do my best." Rissa replied coldly. "I'm not the monster you think I am."

        The girls heard her high-heeled boots clicking off down the hall, Lisabeth's slippers pattering off after her. 

        Adriana stormed past Dawn, her eyes wet with tears.

        "Ad, wait up!"

        "I knew it!" Adriana screamed, turning around to face her sister. "Why couldn't they have just said it to my face?"

        "I---"

        "Don't pretend to understand, Dawn." Adriana yelled. "You've always been the perfect one! And now the power that I've wanted all my life is going to turn me into a monster!" she took off down the hall.

        Dawn didn't know what to say. Because if everything her mother and aunt had said was true, then Adriana had a lot more to fear than making sure the moon was in the right phase.