Feathers of Bravery

King of Neros

When word came to me that the Queen of Baldir wanted to meet and discuss the attacks on our kingdom I was very skeptical. That, and since asking the tutors to bring me all the books on magick and the ones my daughter was reading, I rarely focused on anything else. Not that anything could pull me away at the moment. There was a lot in them that not only I had never heard of, but much that were the stuff of nightmares. At some point, I almost considered banning all magic in the kingdom. My eldest son, Radi, helped me to see reason. He had changed a lot in the previous years. I still remembered when he would give anything to ignore his studies and duty to play with his younger siblings. Especially Aihla. But then, from one day to the next, he went from being this happy child to being scared to being so determined and focused. I couldn't recognize him, neither could his mother.

I knew something had happened when he came back from the market. I never asked him. Not out of neglect, but I didn't want to pressure him into speaking when he was not ready. All I told him was what my wife and I always told our kids. No matter what it is, they are always allowed to speak their minds and hearts to us. So I knew that eventually whenever he was ready, he would come to me.

When he spoke to me about what the mage and showed and said to him, as a father I was furious. How dare she not only put fear into my son but tell him that he must make a sacrifice along with my youngest daughter. Somehow the anger subsided, and when it did, as King I saw how her words were both daunting and needed. If light was to prevail over the darkness then, we couldn't be coddled. We needed the cold hard truth to prepare us fully and not give us any reason for doubt.

But again, the clashing inside me between father and King were always present. I wanted and needed to protect all my children, my family. My heart knew though that I couldn't do both, I couldn't have it all. In order to have one, the other had to be given up. Everything had a price. I had left Aihla with her tutors and I went to see the mage myself to speak with her. Much like she had with Radi, she spoke of my own choice that I would have to make. While my son was to be the "first domino", she called me the one of the "Bishops". She went into more detail about what that meant for me and who was the second since she said plural.

We had are parts to play. Life suddenly felt like one giant children's game board. Over the years, all the pieces were moving and getting into position. With the attack, the game had started. Only it was infuriating to not know who we were playing against.

With deep breaths, I appointed and allowed my son to take his guard and meet with Queen's own appointed. I wished to send more but this was to be a diplomatic meeting. Any more and it might be perceived as an act of war towards them. But war had already been declared on us. By evening I saw my son's guard struggling to stay in the sky as he came towards me. Nearly falling rather than landing, I rushed him when I saw just how badly he was wounded. Two warriors rushed him to our healers and I looked to the sky hoping to see the shadow of my son following behind him. Praying that it was all a mistake.

When I saw nothing, the pain nearly brought me to my knees. I wanted to cry out knowing exactly what this meant. The mage was right, there was no mistake. My son, the first domino, has already fallen. I can't even imagine what Aihla must be feeling right now. Knowing that she felt his death and his power surge through her. Does she even know what's happening to her? Trying to regain my composure, I followed my men to the healers and sent word to my wife to come as well.

It startled many of us as Dray told us the account of what transpired. We certainly never heard of this enemy before. Nor why he is choosing now to come. But something about it sounds very familiar. The young guard kept weeping and apologizing to my wife and I for abandoning his charge, even if he was given the order. Without hesitation my wife went to sit on the bed and cradled him like he was a hatchling. I know his heart was breaking just as all ours were. I had watched both of them come up the ranks together and stick with one another. He was an only child and an orphan so my son was the only family he ever had.

The following weeks, he barely ate and when he did sleep he would wake up screaming. My daughters stayed with him and we discussed the information he relayed and how to continue to be in contact with Baldir. I never thought I'd see the day where we would allying ourselves with the crows. Of course, we didn't tell the kingdom that my first heir had been killed nor that we are in allegiance with the dark feathered birds. For the time being, the less that knew the better. The only ones who knew where the ones that were in the healing chamber when he was speaking to us and my two daughters.

Not wanting a repeat of the attack, we had to devise a way to send messages to Baldir. We had to assume that they knew about all our spies and hidden soldiers. So the easiest and most discreet way was sending fireflies. Many years ago, some owl created a language using light. As the fireflies lit up, the message would be delivered. It was difficult at first since we had to teach the crows the language but soon we would be sending intel and plans every day. Eventually, we began sending beads and instructing them how to make charms. That way, they too can have magick.

We had to send them in the day. At night it would be too obvious to see fireflies going back and forth between the two kingdoms. However during the day they could hide amongst the other insects flying about and then wait until night to start their little lights.

Part of this was also a tribute to Radi. He always called Aihla his little stella which also meant firefly. I can clearly recall him starting to call her that weeks after him meeting the mage. A clever boy indeed he was. I pray his death and those to come will not be in vain.