Glory

Glory did her best to maintain a patent and thoughtful expression whilst enduring the seemingly endless babble of the Kingdoms healers.

"I would suggest bathing in a mixture of two parts elephant milk, and three parts fresh ox blood. It will help promote overall health and strength," one told her importantly.

"You Jackass, that method was used by our ancestors to thicken the skin. Your majesty, " Another interrupted and bowed deeply in Glory's direction.

"May I please recommend you intake a daily mix or frog brains, honey, wolf spiders and lavender? I know for a fact that it can help eliminate some of the more disagreeable side affects of your condition."

"Oh yes, that will definitely help, of course through death, one eliminates all of their problems. I suppose she may as well feed herself poison while she's at it for all the good it will do. Who taught you your craft? Show me proof of your passing all of your exams. Do it."

"You two are full of manure. What her majesty should really do is a daily ritual of cleansing her body of evil spirits. In my experience-"

Glory stopped the elderly Rainwing healer before she had the time to start another ridiculous argument.

"Thank you everyone, your ideas are most helpful,  but I'm sorry I have a meeting to attend to, so if you'll excuse me-" 

"If I may your majesty, when in a condition such as yours it is unwise to take part in such things as meetings and battle discussions. Your only job should be to rest and prepare yourself." The Rainwing said sternly.

Glory resisted the urge to point out that what she did to help save the Kingdom really wasn't any business of theirs, and instead smiled and said brightly,

"Unfortunately this is of the utmost importance . Thank you again for your wise words of council, I shall be in contact with you if I need anything at all. You may be dismissed."

The obeyed, several of them glaring at each other.

Glory made her way to the council room, trying to ignore the fact that she was absolutely helpless.

"You look terrible." Grandeur commented when Glory joined her by a large table.

Glory rolled her eyes. "Well three days without sleep will do that to you."

The old woman shook her head. "You shouldn't be depriving yourself of rest like this, especially not now-"

"Oh yes because I'm totally doing my best not to fall asleep." Glory snapped.

Grandeur narrowed her eyes. She opened her mouth for a moment as though she were about to snap impatiently, then her gaze softened and she turned her weathered face towards the window, where a steady rain was rushing down, as though the skies themselves were weeping for the sudden misfortunes of the young Queen to be.

"Of course. It was thoughtless of me to make such a remark. Truly I cannot know what you are feeling. Though I see what you are going through, the burden is not mine. Forgive me."

Her eyes returned to her granddaughter.

"I'm worried about you. This . . . ordeal is bringing back unpleasant memories of my daughters death."

Glory felt her heart tighten slightly at the mention of the mother she had never met.

"I never told you what happened did I?" Grandeur asked.

Glory shook her head. "All you said was that she had died, and that her name was Rain."

"Yes." Grandeur settled herself down at the window seat.

"I gave birth to Rain when I was only a year older than you are now. She lived for t nineteen years here with us. When she was sixteen she had your brother Jambu. Three years later, she died, shortly after bringing you into the world."

"Oh."

Glory wrestled with the words in her mouth before allowing them to tumble out. 

"And my father?"

"Mmmm. Bazil. Rain met him when she was thirteen and became enamored. He was guard. A noble guard. After she died, he took his own life. Come to think of it, you've never looked much like your father. You have Rain's hair, Rain's skin, Rain's face. The only thing you have of Bazil Is his eyes."

"His eyes?" Glory asked.

"Yes. Brilliant green. I remember whenever I would ask what in all the hells she saw in him, she would always answer, "It's his eyes mother, something in his eyes, they fascinate me."

"Really?"

"Yes."

Grandeur frowned for a moment, then smiled, grudgingly.

"It seems that you have inherited those fascinating eyes. After all, they've captured the heart of a NightWing haven't they?"

Deathbringer.

Once again, Glory's heart felt as though it were in the clutches of a giant hand, the fingers digging into her flesh as her heart was squeezed.

"Stop it."

"Stop what?"

"You know what!"

"If I knew I wouldn't have asked you to clarify."

"Oh shut up."

" . . . ."

"And stop grinning like that!"

"Like what?"

"Deathbringer!" Glory let out a frustrated breath of air. "Stop grinning  as if you enjoy playing with me!"

"But I do enjoy it. Would you have me be dishonest with you?"

" . . . I am this close from hitting you right now."

"I'm absolutely terrified."

"No you aren't! Just . . . stop staring at me! It's creepy."

Deathbringer laughed, but it wasn't a scornful laugh.

"But I don't want to, you . . . "  he smiled at her. 

"You have such fascinating eyes."

"Glory?" Grandeur touched Glory's shoulder with a hesitant hand. 

Glory closed her eyes.

"I don't know what I'm going to do." She admitted, and from the weight of her words she might have just confessed her darkest sin.

"It's not over," Grandeur said.

"Perhaps an opportunity will arrive."

Winter

Winter tossed his head to the side, then shifted over.

After several minutes of shuffling around he realized that sleep would not be coming for him, and sat up.

Moon and Qibli's wedding had been moved forwards to the end of the week.

Part of him said that he should pack up and leave that night, so he could miss out on suffering through the ceremony, and spare himself a great deal of pain. The other part said that if roles had been reversed, and It was Qibli who was to be watching his former lovers wedding to his best friend, he would stay and watch, and offer congratulations afterwards, even if his heart was ripped in two doing so.

And Winter was not one to willingly let Qibli beat him at anything.

Maybe, he thought.

Maybe this will help. Maybe this will give me closure.

He flopped back down onto the bed and covered his eyes with his hands.

Then, in a few years, maybe I'll meet some bland, simple, emotionless IceWing girl. We'll get married simply because no one else will marry us. 

We'll live in a small, boring house, in separate rooms. She'll have a few bland, annoying, gossipy friends who she'll complain about me to.

One day, because we may as well, we'll have two children together. 

The girl will grow up boring and emotionless like her mother, and the boy will grow up cold and stupid like me.

I'll warn him against ever falling in love, and both my children shall be extremely disappointed in my, while my wife will dally with other men, knowing full well that I know.

She'll bring them home and have them entertain her in bed even when I am in the next room, though I'll pretend that I don't realize.

Once a year I shall visit Hailstorm and congratulate him on his amazing life, while telling him that I am the happiest man alive.

When I go home after one such visit I shall find that my daughter has run away to wed a NightWing  she met under a tree during some rainy day that I had no idea about.

My wife shall blame me for it, and I shall, (being me) blame her for it.

Our son, annoyed by our constant arguing, shall leave home to join a circus or some sort of parade.

My wife and me shall live the next few years in constant anger, constantly calling each other by our favorite pet names, Icey Bastard and Stupid Wench. 

One day she tells me that she's baring another mans child and tries to make me jealous, but I'm not and just tell her to get out, so she does, while telling me that this is all my fault and I deserve all of it.

I'll spend my next few days alone, before deciding to go out and stare at fish in lake, because fish don't have sharp tongues so you can tell them that they should go beach them selves and die without having to concern yourself with viscous replies.

Just as I finish telling one, particularly ugly trout that he's a disgrace to his breed and that he should go choke on a fishing line and die, a huge wave summoned up by god, who misunderstood and thought I was talking about myself, (which I kind of was) rises out of the lake and splashes down on top of me .

I get swept into the endless bounds of that stupid lake while sort of but not really trying to break free of the fishing wire that's caught around my throat.

The last thing I think of is Moons face, and the last thing I see is that abominable trout who has the audacity to blow bubbles in my face as I die a slow and painful-"

Winter was jolted out of his steadily growing darker fantasy by a soft knock at the door.

"Who in all the hells would be coming to see me at this hour?"

He got up and walked towards the door.

When he pulled it open, his heart nearly flew out of his mouth.

The woman standing in his doorway was unmistakable.

She wore a light, white Nightdress, that accentuated the midnight black of her hair. Her eyes were the most beautiful forest green.

She looked up at him with her delicate face pinched with worry.

" . . . Moon?" Winter asked.

"I'm sorry for disturbing you so late, but . . . can we talk?"

Sneak peak into the next chapter . . .

"I won't keep you a prisoner any longer."

"Qibli . . .

"I'm setting you free. Now spread your wings, and fly where you wish to go. I won't hold you back any longer. Be free, my beautiful bird. Don't let this cage hold you any longer."

Deathbringer's mind whirled with indecision.

"Fine then, I'll buy her. "

Shock.

Shock was mirrored on all their faces, but none as shocked as hers.

"Right then," the SkyWing said, handing him the leash to which she was attached. "Take your pet, do as you will with her. Bed her, kill her for all I care. Slit her dirty throat. I don't give a damn about another mans property,"

The shadowy figure sitting in the chair gave a throaty hiss.

" . . . perfect."

Poor Winter. It's pretty easy for those fantasies to take a dark turn.

Anyway, I'll try to update everyday until I'm finished.

If you are enjoying this book, please consider giving it a vote and a comment, it would mean a lot :)

Love you all, and thanks for putting up with my terrible updating schedual. 

All I can say for myself is . . .  LiFe.

If you don't understand what I mean, I won't bother explaning, you'll find out soon enough.