Wings and flames

Chapter 71

Emerald was up at dawn. She'd switched guarding duty with Aeck. He'd fallen asleep at last. She watched Viri come basked in the morning light - she'd tried maintaining eye contact with the green for a few days now.

Viri : Good morning Emerald

Emerald : Good morning. Should I know what the plan for the day is?

Viri : I have an audience with the king. Which should be interesting, I've always wanted to meet the ruler of Athoms.

Emerald : You haven't met the king? Ever?

Viri was wearing her usual white shirt with a pair of suspenders. It was her practical outfit, Emerald thought it brought out all the right features of her. Viri shrugged and somehow, for a second, she was a little less intimidating.

Emerald : I thought all greens got to meet the king.

Viri : You forget, I haven't been a green for too long.

Emerald didn't forget. She'd been positively devastated when she'd learned of the promotion. She'd joined the brown line hoping to get trained by Viri but these new turn of events have been great.

Emerald : He's very...charming. They say he terrifies our neighbours but I think a king aught to be like that.

Viri : I think he's a fair king, given how the land runs.

Emerald : He is. But as you know, it's the queen who does most the diplomacy. The two of them, together, are a vision to hold. I think that's my favorite bit, the way he looks at her.

Viri looked at Aeck then. He looked peaceful, leaning against the window glass, his hair starting to curl. Emerald caught that.

Emerald : He's the lost heir, isn't he?

Viri brought her eyes back to meet Emerald. Emerald's eyes were the oddest blend of her own and Sam's. The green and the blue came together in the most mystical way. Half dragons often had heterochromia and she knew Emerald's were Sam's favorite. His mind would often repeat that particular thought over and over again, as if to seek warmth.

Viri : Yes. Yes he is.

Emerald : You're going to present him to the king today?

Viri : If he's ready, yes.

Emerald : Don't worry, it isn't goodbye.

Viri looked back up at Emerald. And she smiled. There'd be no goodbyes between her and Aeck, not in a long while. Emerald left for the doors, probably to freshen up and come back. Viri didn't ask, she looked down at Aeck and left him to sleep a few more minutes.

Sam woke up with a lazy smile on his face. His eyes rested on a smiling Viri. She looked fresh as ever, with an odd sense of calm that meant something was extremely wrong somewhere. But he couldn't be tense, not with Jade cuddled up next to him, his sleepy head heavy on his arm. The shapeshifters arms were around him, Sam was almost certain he'd shifted to a koala or atleast those instincts were coming up.

Viri (whispering) : Can we talk? Once you're up?

Sam made a move to get up but Viri's eyes changed and he froze in place. He looked up to find the demonic eyes paired with a calm face. She wanted him to take his time, ofcourse she did.

Viri walked back upto the window and carefully dropped herself near Aeck. Freedom looked good on him, he was still in a dungeon but everyone knew he was here by choice.

Aeck's eyes opened slowly. It was still dark. No...it was black, leathery. God wings. He turned his head to where he felt a familiar stare. Viri was sitting where Emerald had last been. With her legs pulled up, she was displaying perfect balance. She'd summoned her wings, all dragons could do that, they rarely did. At the moment, she looked like a demon resting with an innocent face while her wings reeked of threat.

She slowly folded her wing back. She didn't take them back in. Aeck realised slowly that this was Viridian being vulnerable, showing him control she'd learned with her dragon parts. And it didn't go unnoticed that she'd wanted him to sleep without the sun bothering him. He smiled carefully.

Viri : You're up.

Aeck : I am. When did you...have I been out long?

Viri : Not long. I've been here half an hour. You sleep at odd places.

They both looked down. If he'd turned wrong, he'd fall and break a bone or two. But gods don't fall easy, lucky for him.

Aeck : You have beautiful wings.

Viri looked at him. Her mind seemed blank. But something about the stare pulled him forward, towards her. The next thing he knew, he was gently moving his hand on the lines of her wings. He knew how it felt, he may have taken advantage of that knowledge.

Aeck : You're angry.

Viri didn't move. Her eyes were following his fingers.

Viri : Yes.

Aeck : How can I fix that

Viri : You have bigger problems for the day

Aeck's eyes found their way back to her's. He knew they'd have this talk. The one where she'd take him to face his father. The one where she'd tell him he doesn't have to do it. The one where she'd look at him like he hadn't said hurtful things.

Aeck : You want me to be sure. Reconsider.

Viri : I can keep you hidden. He doesn't have to know you're a god. Since he hasn't seen you, I don't think he'd recognize you.

Aeck : Gods can feel each other, I feel you, all the time.

Viri : Yes. But not if we're together. I can cover you. Change the air to cover your warmth. If you ...if you let me.

Aeck understood now why her wings were out. She wanted him to trust her, like she trusted him. It was silly, he'd let her consume him anyday, the last god could do such a thing. He wouldn't mind.

Aeck : You want to try?