One True Queen: A Wings of Fire fanfiction

51.

content warning: snowfox is in this one, you know what to expect at this point. also, body horror/general horror themes in various sculptures and paintings (it'll make sense when you read it, i swear)

Eclipse

"Eclipse? You need to get ready for school."

One of my guards has decided to start waking me up in the morning. I still don't feel like I should be up, no matter how hard I try to get used to a diurnal sleep schedule.

"Oh. Thank you." He nods, stepping out of the room to give me some privacy. I always try to talk with him beyond the little gestures, but he never seems to want to. Maybe he's worried he'll get in trouble.

I lie in bed for a few minutes. It's so warm, and I can feel how cold it is out there.

Maybe just five more minutes...

Nope. I am not going to be late for school. Come on, Eclipse—up.

I brace myself to do it all over again.

***

I don't think I've ever been this tired in my life.

I thought it would be fun, to sign up for choir—that everyone would be too busy singing to give me any weird looks. I was sort of right about that. But I did not read the fine print about how this class meets at six in the morning, adding an extra hour and a half to my already long school day. I fight off another yawn.

"Again—sopranos, from the top." That's me. I glance down at our music, reciting the lines for what feels like the billionth time.

"Let Queen Khione guide us

through winter days, so long

Let the spirits deep below the ice

Keep our kingdom strong," the soprano section sings in unison.

"That's good. Now, let's try that verse again, this time with the tenors. One, two, three..."

***

My guards' orders must have changed because ever since the chess match they've started giving me a lot more space; standing by the classroom doors rather than leering over my shoulder all the time.

"That's good, Squall," Professor Marble says, making a note. "Everyone, watch how he's doing it. That's right—one step back, one step forward, one big step right, change places with your partner. Then...."

"Bow, flare out my wings, and repeat," Squall recites. We didn't get to pick our partners for this assignment, and Squall keeps looking at me like some kind of venomous snake and flinches every time we have to join talons or brush wings.

"Eclipse, stop slouching, and stay on the tune." One lucky student is playing the piano in the corner while Professor Marble walks around, critiquing us.  It's a pretty song; IceWing music is simple and intricate all at the same time, while all the NightWing songs I've heard are complicated and extravagant, requiring at least five different instruments to properly play.

"Right. Sorry." I wince, running through the steps in my head again.

"From the top," She instructs us.

***

"Some of the dragons I knew at Prince Brumal are off to fight in the war, you know," Harp says, tilting her head at me as we trudge through the fresh powder. You could walk forever in this kingdom, I think—and the landscape would still look more or less the same. It's kind of offputting.