~Serana⚜

A week has passed since the first meeting with all the delegates. And because of my 'unique' point of view, in comparison to everyone else's, I was completely attached to Mirandiona's side through everything. I had never really appreciated how simple and unextraordinary my life was until I had to sit through what the queen did.

Meeting after meeting that got absolutely nowhere, riots breaking out in the cities, and to top it all off Helton was doing everything in his power to thwart all our efforts to bring peace back to the kingdom. Rebels were openly attacking the guards on the walls now, even here in Algrie, and the man himself seemed to turn tides with the delegates and got them to dispute over the tinies of things.

He was trying his damnedest to keep Mira and the Royal council too busy with protecting the cities and getting the delegates to agree so he could enrage the citizens into a full on revolt. And we'd all be burned to ash to argue that it wasn't working brilliantly.

Treale, hadn't told Helton of our secret and for that I was eternally grateful. I hadn't talked to him since that first day; it was far too likely that he would have to pay a hefty price if they ever found out of his betrayal.

Mira seemed to be worked as ragged as I felt. The day after the first meeting, news of the riots reached Algrie and the day after that the wall was attacked with vigor.

The guards all across the city were tense and weary, the city's inhabitants even more so. The only really good sign from the past week was when the rebels nearly broke through the guards and the civilian bystanders nearby started attacking to keep them out. No one in the cities seemed to like the rebels the way people from the villages did, but if tensions didn't cool down soon, those people would turn their hate on the queen instead.

Sighing I continue down the hall. It wasn't often I was let away from the queen's side but Katal had wanted to speak with her so I was given the option to walk around if I wished. The sound of talons clicking on stone reminds me that I'm not quite alone. Mira wouldn't let me leave unless Ovah went with me, the gryph for his part didn't seem too upset about following me around.

When something soft yet sharp is crushed under my foot I pause and look down to see what I've stepped on. A lone gray feather lay on the ground. Swatting it to the side with my foot I continue on my path. Glancing at my own wing I see a good number of my own feathers missing and new ones quickly growing in to replace them.

A full molting usually took about six weeks, so most or all of my feathers would be completely replaced before autumn was over and hopefully before the first snow fall of the year.

Pausing again, the conversation between Mira and Nani comes back to me. With everything that was going on, Mira had put a hold on my dancing lessons for the time being, so I hadn't seen Nani since she first started molting. Making up my mind I search through my memory and start walking in the direction I think Nani's room is.

They had said something about dyes and not having them. So if Nani needed dye for her wings but couldn't get it, then the new feathers would still be their original color.

Rounding another corner I come face to chest plate with a very large man. Reeling back I look up to see Helton standing in front of me with a raised brow.

"Your majesty." He greets with a slight bow and flick of his wings. Flicking mine in kind I notice him glance around for Mira before his eyes come to rest on Ovah now stand at my shoulder with a threatening glare. "A handsome gryph. Where ever did you find him?" The man ask conversationally.

"You'd have to ask Blue." I reply cringing internally at using Fyko's nickname.

"Is this her gryph?" He inquiries reaching to pat Ovah's head. The gryph snapped his beak at Helton and nearly took one of the man's fingers in response.

"She is the one who found him." I answer vaguely. I had absolutely no idea if that was true or not, but I wasn't about to confess that the gryph was in fact not mine.

"I see." He responds looking at the agitated gryph a moment longer before turning his ice blue gaze on me. "You seem to be in a rush. Would you mind a bit of company to your destination?" He offers with what would look to be a kind smile on anyone else's face.

"No, thank you." I decline forcing as believable a smile as I could. "As you said, I'm in a bit of a rush." I excuse stepping around his broad frame.

"Of course your majesty." He says in farewell.

Trying not to walk too fast I continue down the hall. I could feel my feathers bristling as his gaze followed me until I turned the next corner.

Sighing in relief I have to force myself not to sprint to Nani's room.

The guards standing outside Nani's door give me a once over but don't say anything or try to stop me when I move to enter the room.

Walking in I spot Nani seated at a small desk that was placed in the corner. Looking back I make sure Ovah is in the room before closing the door with a soft click.

"I'm not hungry, thank you." Nani's voice cuts the silence.

"Well I didn't bring any food, so I hope not." I respond turning to see her reaction.

Her whole body froze at the sound of my voice, not even a feather twitched.

I take the opportunity to glance over her wings noting the new black spots on the main body. One of her flight feathers was missing, being replaced by the beginnings of a new quill that had a distinctly blackish blue tint.

Taking a deep breath I begin to speak. "Anything you'd like to share?" I ask. "Maybe elaborate on what you didn't want Mira to tell me. Or you could start with why your feathers are turning black, and I'm guessing your flight feathers are blue?" I continue.

With a sigh she sets down whatever she was working on and turns around to face me.

"I guess I could have given you a few more lessons on tack." She comments, now fully turned and giving me her undivided attention.

"Look, I didn't come here looking for a fight." I start. I pause fully expecting her to interject some snide remark, when none came I glanced back to her and continued. "All I want is to know the truth. Don't honey the words, just tell me the most honest answer you can. That's all I want." I breath stepping farther into the room.

She sighs and motions for me to take a seat on the bed across from her.

"There is a reason I didn't tell you Serana." Nani begins fixing her gaze on the floor. "I knew how you felt after..." She trailed off for a moment but forced the next words. "When he died, it changed both of us." Her voice was no more than a bare whisper.

Clenching my jaw I stay silent and let her speak. This was the first time I'd listened to the woman since I was a child, and I wanted to hear what she had to say.

Looking up to me she starts again. "Your Vavi and I were both nobles. We grew up in Kenysiz, he was almost a whole century younger than I." A smile ghost her features at the memories. "When it was discovered that he did not have arc colors he was treated as an outcast, by his family and mine, along with all the other noble households. In my fourth century, his third, he came to me and asked if I would go with him. That he was leaving Kenysiz and traveling across the region, maybe we'd go to the Broken Peak and fly over Algrie. And I went." Her voice was a little thick and her smile had turned bittersweet. "I loved him more than anything in the world. Of course during all of this, people would see the gold in my wings and they would judge and make comments, just this and that, so I took up the habit of finding dyes and using them to cover my wings. It took quite a bit of trial and error but I eventually made a blend that could completely cover the gold and wouldn't just wash off." The thickness to her voice was clearing up as she refocused on the ground for a moment.

Closing her eyes with a deep breath she kept them that way as she spoke. "When I got pregnant the first time we stoped in a village called Marbrick. I didn't make it past five months before the baby miscarried. Then the second time we hit Lockren and, of course, we stayed there. Kynix, he was your brother." Her voice cracked on his name. I was close to choking on tears myself watching rivers run down Nani's cheeks. "He was thirteen, just learning to fly, he followed me across the river to gather flowers and cottons. When you ran off that day and I thought I'd lost you to that damned cliff the same way I lost him I..." She choked, her tears cut her off.

"Nani." I breathed moving off the bed. "I'm sorry." I didn't know what else to say. What else could I say?

Getting on my knees in front of her I place my head in her lap and wrap my arms around her waist. "I'm sorry." I whisper into her. "I'm so sorry."

"It's okay sweetheart. My sweet baby girl." She coos running her fingers through my hair.

I had run off and left her. I'd nearly gotten myself killed. I'd be dead out there now if she hadn't somehow convinced the queen to search for me. And I had been so angry at her. For all of it, I left because I was angry with her over something she didn't do. I screamed at her because she did the only thing she could to save my life.

All my life it always seemed as if she didn't care, but loosing that many people. I couldn't imagine the kind of pain of losing a child, let alone two.

As my early memories began to resurface from whatever dark corner I had shoved them in I started to think on the belief I'd held for so long.

There was one question I wanted to know the answer to. I had spent the last century running from it, but now I wanted, I needed, to know. "Why'd he do it." I choke through a voice thick with unshed tears. Pulling back to sit on my feet I looked up into her bright orange eyes.

Cupping my face in her hands, she shook her head. "I don't know love." She admits. "I wish I did."

~Mirandiona💎

"What do you mean it was falsified?!" I shout.

The boy cringed at my tone. When Katal had asked for me, I knew it was something dire but I wouldn't have imagined this. Serana was skies knows where with Ovah, I hadn't figured she would want to listen. Now I was thankful she had left so she wouldn't see me like this.

"It's just what I heard. One of the higher officers was talking with Helton about it, I don't think they even knew I was there." He answers quickly.

"You mean to tell me, they have forged and intercepted highly sensitive communications between Skyris and Ocenalos." I ask one more time for complete clarification on the matter.

"Y-yes your majesty." The boy stutters nearly shaking in fright.

Heaving a sigh I shut my eyes for a moment before looking back up at the young man. I had only met him once, all I knew was that he was a close friend of Serana's and that she trusted him. Now it would appear I would need to do the same. "Thank you. What was your name again?" I ask wanting to address him properly.

"Treale, your majesty." He answers curtly.

"Treale." I repeat under my breath before properly addressing him again. "Thank you, Treale. If this turns out to be true, you will have saved countless lives." I tell him.

Looking over his shoulder I motion for Fyko to come forward. "See to it he is not harmed. Helton may already know of this change in alignment." I order before motioning them out of the room.

When the door is closed behind them I turn to Katal and Saltur. "General, I want you to personally pick one guard to accompany Saltur to Ocenalos." I inform her.

"You wish for me to travel the whole way myself?" Saltur ask in shock. "But, no Angelo has set foot on Ocenalos in centuries. We use gryphs to carry the messages." He argues.

"Yes. There's noway to know where the interception is happening. Our best shot is to have you go all the way. I know it's risky sending you and not someone from a lower shelf." I speak up before he can protest farther. "I will not force you, but I plead that you go. It may be the only thing that can save us from this war"

He opens his mouth to say something but hesitates then falls silent with a nod of acceptance and steel in his eyes. "As you wish you majesty. I will fly as fast as the winds will carry." He affirms.

"Good." I accept his statement. "Katal, take Saltur with you. I'll meet you at the western gate with the letter.

Both nod in turn and exit the room. Leaving myself, I cut a straight path to the nearest opening to the outside.

Coming to the open wall of the building, I take a few quick steps to gain speed before jumping and planting one foot on the white stone railing to launch myself out into the open air. Beating my wings with hard strokes I curve around the castle and head for my chamber.

~💠~

Once the letter is done I roll it around a metal rod and stick it into a protective sheath. Screwing the lid shut as I speed walk out of my chamber and onto a balcony I try to focus my thoughts on the most pressing matter. Leaping off the edge I head straight for the western wall.

Spotting Three figures standing atop it I dive and land with a solid thud a few feet away.

"Saltur." I call holding up the cylindrical casing. He trots over and accepts the letter.

"Zyna." I greet upon spotting the maroon wings of the other woman.

"Your majesty." She greets in turn. "We will make sure this letter reaches Ocenalos." She assures.

"See to it that it does." I respond, the steel in my voice causing her to stand up straighter.

Both turned away with a bow before taking off.

"It will take a few days longer than normal since they are the only ones traveling." Katal informs me.

Taking a deep breath. "I know." I breath. "By the Drace let them be fast enough." I whisper, watching their silhouettes disappear into the cityscape.