~Mirandiona💎

"Squaaawwwk!"

A loud shriek comes from the base of my bed. Followed by an insistent tug on the blanket.

The tugging pulls the blanket off of me inch by inch, exposing my bare body to the cool morning breeze, and the warm sunlight peaking over the distant mountains and shining through the archway onto my pale skin.

Ignoring the gryph and the blanket steadily being dragged off me, I curl my legs up and use the wing not pinned beneath me to wrap around my body and block the light from reaching my eyes and trapping the heat still around my body.

A disapproving squawk sounds from the end of the bed. The light scrap of talons and the sensation of air ruffling my feathers and moving across my skin are the only indications that the irritated gryph has moved.

When the slight wind created by the gryph stops I wait a moment to see if he does anything. When nothing happens I allow myself to relax and start drifting off to sleep.

A shift in the bed makes me roll forward and forcing me to use my hands to keep myself from hitting the body now laying next to me.

Lift the wing still cover my face just enough to see past; I peak open one eye and am met with the sight of a black and gray gryph with its ears pined back and face twisted into an annoyed expression.

Letting out a sigh of defeat I roll forward onto my front, forcing the gryph to back off of the bed, and push myself up into a sitting position, with my wings folded beside me on the bed.

"You are very irritating." I grumble halfheartedly at the now pleased looking gryph.

I watch as he trots to the door with a self satisfied sway in his gate. Annoying little snipe. I cursed to myself as I stood up on the bed before half jumping half dropping to the floor.

Ovah was now sitting by the door waiting for me to get dressed and follow. Taking a deep breath I stretched my arms above my head while flexed my wings and abdomen. Making sure to take my time and go slowly.

A low clicky growl from the direction of the door informs me that my antics are not appreciated.

The corners of my lips twitch up and I begin my daily ritual of going to the next room clean my teeth, removing and cleaning my swords, and standing in a bucket of fresh water brought to my washroom before I woke every morning and begin scrubbing away any filth on my body with oils and soaps gathered from across Skyris, the Angelo kingdom.

There was always the option to have a servant to help clean my body and it was even expected. Both Nani and Zazi had servants wash them, at least from what I remembered of them they did. But I could never bring myself to have others do such simple task as self cleaning for me.

The sound of impatient talons scraping against the polished floor make me speed the process up a little. I didn't want to annoy the poor gryph too badly.

Rinsing off the soap and oil, I step out of the now soapy water and grab a towel to dry my hair and skin, shaking my wings to get out as much water as I can before stroking the towel down my feathers to get the rest.

Grabbing my swords I resheathed them and walked out into the main bed chamber I drop the towel by the washroom door and stride over to my wardrobe to get clothes for the day's events.

Opening the ornate dark wooden doors I search around the clothes both hanging and folded within the large piece of furniture.

Most of my clothing was black with the occasional dark purple, red, or blue. Any other colors looked bad with my completion or clashed with my wings. The fact I had to match it with the silver and blue lavalliere around my neck did not help matters either.

I often wondered what happened to the other lavalliere, it had been made of gold metal and a beautiful dark blood red gemstone. The last time I saw it was when I had hugged Nani goodbye when she and Zazi left for some stupid meeting in Darqira.

Shaking the memory from my mind I turn my attention back to the wardrobe and away from the two women I hadn't seen in more than a century.

I quickly grab something black and go with it. It's not until I'm putting it on that I realize what it is. A thin silver chain runs through a black skirt that lightly drags the ground behind me with white swirls and embroidery along the bottom going a third of the way up the skirt in smooth arcs. The skirt was split all the way up the side allowing one leg to show.

I reach for the drawer at the bottom of the wardrobe and pull out a pair of simple black silk underwear and slip them on.

A snicker like sound from the door has me sending a quick glare at the gryph still sitting there waiting.

Grabbing the black top that was with the skirt I slip it over my arms and buckle the silver chain, attached to the cloth across my breast and wrapped under my arms, around my neck.

Pulling my hair out from under the chain I leave it down in its natural waves that turn to large curls at the ends of my hair as I usually do.

Brushing the long bangs the same length as my hair from my face I start towards the door and smirk as Ovah jumps up happily, ready to leave the confines of the bedchamber in search of food.

Opening the door I step through with Ovah obediently following behind.

As I walk down the hall toward the inner ring of the tower I watch with both amusement and annoyance as the servants quickly bow flitting their wings before scurrying out of the way and as far from me as they could.

I knew I instilled fear in others with my status and the way I carried myself. The aggressively protective gryph by my side and my less then friendly reputation for insubordination didn't help matters either.

But that was fine with me, for the most part. Their fear of me made them do as they're told without question or complaint. There was nothing I hated more than people who didn't do what they needed to.

I was fine with bending or breaking rules if it had a purpose, but blatant ignorance irked me to no end.

So I kept my expression impassive as I walked by with long confident strides.

Making my way down the tower through various slopes and stairwells I reach the last floor of the tower and enter into the main castle structure. I continue on through several more hallways and corridors until I reach the dinning room.

As I enter, the room comes alive with a buzz at the arrival of the Queen.

"My queen! How lovely to see you." A deep voice booms around the room. Fyko.

It has been three days since I brought him to the castle and even though I consistently tell him I don't like men, he continues to flirt and pester me. I would have taken care of the issue days ago but I needed him and despite his irritating personality, he was the only person that would actually talk to me like I was just another person and not the queen.

He still used formalities of course, he did want to keep all his body parts intact, but he didn't shy away from conversation even if I rarely replied back. He could do enough talking for the both of us and four other people.

It was also quite comical to watch him and Ovah fight over the smallest things. He would try screaming his point at the gryph and he would glare back snapping at his fingers or growling when he got too close. Needless to say, he didn't like Fyko all that much but then again he didn't like anyone that wasn't me.

On that note, the same could be said for my general. Katal seemed to have a particularly strong dislike for the man. She was a stickler for rules and diplomacy where he didn't seem to give two shillings about either of those things.

I had learned the first day to avoid being in the same room as both of them together. Even Ovah found the tension between the two overbearing.

"Fyko." I great, not changing my expression as I take my seat at the head of the table.

He had taken to eating breakfast with me and informing me of his findings and speculations about my parents former adviser. Now my constant pain.

He rattles on about some mundane news as the servers bring our plates. He was at least smart enough to not speak of important matters in front of the staff.

I think about the day's events to come as I let his insistent chattering filter through like background noise when something he says catches my attention.

"What did you say?" I question as my head snaps up to meet his startled gaze. He knew I didn't really listen to most of what he said and I responded even less, so getting a reaction from me was surprising to say the least.

"The guards went to Lockren to collect tax but found the town had been attacked the day before." He answers in a smooth tone.

"Lockren, that's one of the farther villages in the Shattered Mountains, why would it be attacked?" I question myself as much as him.

He waits until the servers are gone before clearing his throat and talking in a low voice. "I heard the guards saying something about the villagers, they had said seven guards had already come the day before and when they couldn't pay the whole tax the guards attacked and several rebels showed up and killed them, taking a few of the villagers with them when they left back to the rest of the rebellion camp." He whispers.

"That can't be right. Guards are under specific orders not to harm or kill unless necessary." I state, trying to click things into place. Someone else must have told them to attack. No guard would dare defy orders from both the queen and the general. As I muse this Fyko continues to speak.

"I know. But here's the strange part." He says, pausing until he knows he has my full attention. "They told this to Avar when he asked, and he told them not to tell you." He informs with a serious look as he studies my reaction to the information.

Taking a deep breath I let it out in a slow sigh. I don't speak for several moments, taking a bite of my food and rolling the information around in my head. Swallowing my food, "When did you learn this?" I ask in the same easy conversational tone I had been using throughout the meal. One I'm afraid I've become too accustomed to using.

He audibly swallows a quick drink before answering. "This morning, your majesty. A little under an hour ago." He answers in a low voice, trying not to show any of the fear my reaction, or lack there of, has given him.

"Could you point them out from their faces or wing patterns?" I question before taking another bite of meat from my plate.

"Yes, your majesty." He answers quick and sure.

Nodding my head I wait until I've finished chewing and swallow my food. "Good. Go to Katal and I want the two of you to bring every one of them to the throne room." I inform him.

He simply nods his head and excuses himself from the table, not daring to complain about having to spend time with Katal. Not at the moment.

I finish my plate in silence, not even Ovah dared to make a sound. When I'm finished I stand from my chair and make my way to the throne room. Ovah quickly hops up and follows me through the castle.

When I reach the throne room doors, the four guards stationed there hurry to push open the heavy ornate metal doors.

Striding into the room I take a seat in the lone throne at the head of the room as the doors shut behind me. The other throne was hidden behind the wall, out of sight where I wanted it.

The one I sat on was as ornate as anything else in the castle, and though the whole structure and design of the castle was elegant, the throne was at another level entirely.

It was made of a solid gold metal accentuated with silver. The back was narrow allowing for my wings to surpass the back of the throne. The arms curved up from the seat also leaving a gap for wings between the arm and back of the throne. At the top of the back was a large diamond shape framing the royal crest, two slender dragon heads linked by the neck facing opposite directions in a circular pattern. The higher one had a large dark sapphire incrusted into its eye socket, the lower one had a deep blood red ruby in its eye socket.

Ovah takes perch by my side, his head reaching level with mine as we sat there and waited.

Several minutes passed and the light from the overhead glass ceiling became stronger and lit the room more fully.

My attention is brought to the doors as they open and five guards led by their general enter the room, followed shortly after by Fyko sporting a less than pleased look. Whether it was directed at Katal, the guards, or myself I wasn't sure, nor did I care.

My focus was on the guards practically shaking with nerves and fear. Standing, I walk down the few steps before my throne and make my way to the group gathered before me.

I ignore Katal's inquisitive stare and meet the gaze of every guard gathered before me in a perfect line. "What did you tell Avar this morning?" I question a particularly fearful looking one with beige colored wings.

Her voice quivered as she spoke. "We were on rout to collect taxes from the village of Lockren when we found the village had been attacked. When we questioned them about what had happened they told us a group of seven guards came the day before and demanded early payment, when their advocate informed them he did not have the money for their quota the guards demanded other payment and started destroying things. When the villagers started attacking back..." She cut off letting the sentence hang. "Then they said a group of rebel soldiers came and killed the guards taking a few of the villagers willing to go with them. Your majesty." She said in one breath and was practically heaving by the end of her speech.

"Calm Down." I try to ease and keep her from passing out on the ground. "It's alright, you're not in trouble. I assure you."

At this she looks up at me and her wide fearful eyes are questioning me, if I was telling the truth.

She was young, that much I could tell. Still well within her birth century. "Avar, and those guards are the ones who will pay for this. Not you." I inform her to keep her nerves down as best I could. She was young and inexperienced, fresh from training and still loyal to the throne. I didn't need to give her any reason to dissuade that loyalty.

"There was also something else, your majesty." A man farther down the line spoke up. Stepping away from the girl I make my way to him and look at him expectantly. "There was a woman there, who said her daughter was one of the ones who went with them and that she had something of great value to you, your majesty." He informs with a brutal efficiency, his eyes locked forward and never straying.

"Where is she?" I ask the man now truly intrigued by what the man had to say.

"We are from the East barracks and checked in with our commander before coming here. He told us to leave the woman there and to tell you, and only you, of her presence when we were able to gain an audience with your majesty." He says still looking straight ahead with a stony expression.

Good. I allow a small smile of satisfaction to cross my lips to let him know he and his patrol have done well. "You are dismissed." I tell them before turning to face Katal.

I wait until they have left the room and the doors shut again before speaking. "Katal I want you to come with me to the East barracks to question this woman. Fyko," I call turning to the talkative criminal. "Find Avar and follow him. I want to know every move he makes and word he mumbles." I command.

He nods before taking a few running steps away and takes off to go through the slanted gaps in the pains of thick glass that make up the circular roof of the room.

I look to Katal to be sure she is ready. She nods and waits for me to lead the way. Lifting off as well I circle the room until I'm high enough I can spin onto one wing through the gap in the glass and roll down the slanted slope, throwing my legs out to catch me on the metal rim where the pain of glass ends and leap off into the air.

I hear Katal following behind, her golden metal armor clanging against the glass and metal. Followed by another set of wings and a screech. Looking back I see Ovah beginning to follow. Making a repetitive clicking sound from my throat loud enough for him to hear I watch him bank and fly back toward the east tower platform.

Katal falls in sync beside me as we make our way to the East barracks.