Trinket (Reverse Harem)

Sing, Little Birdie, Sing Until I Die

Ethat swished his withered tail and hissed while Ormiss crackled with lightening. Ormiss advised Soir, "Choose your next words very carefully, Lord-Raven."

I nervously shot a glance at Ethat and silently prayed he wasn't of a mind to eat Soir.

But he totally was. He drooled black, buzzing flies, jaws slightly parted.

Soir glanced briefly at the ravens circling the temple yard, and then his gaze drifted down the street towards the shifting, curious crowds. Then he pressed his palms together and ticked his nails together once more. He paced away from the stone, past Ormiss, commanding the attention of everyone looking at him. Itek's body clenched and tensed under me and he rocked back onto his hind legs, wings tense as his cat-paws tested the stones. He raised his wings higher to shield me. Ethat clicked his teeth click click click and pivoted to track the Lord-Raven's every breath. Asund slipped behind Ormiss and then--was gone.

How did he do that?!

He re-appeared on Soir's other side, weaving his way through the crowd, unnoticed and ignored, but he watched Soir like the predator he was.

"The only words I offer, Lord-Regent, are congratulations," Soir raised his voice slightly, and his Song carried to everyone listening, seemingly sincere and banal, like most politicians offering perfunctory words to acknowledge something he had no choice but to acknowledge. But under that was a different Song--one he didn't want anyone to hear.

Except maybe me. But maybe he didn't know I could hear that Song. The private Song. The one that hooked into my seams and scars.

Maybe he did know I could hear it. Was he testing me?

"When in living memory have the gods chosen two mates from the Churn for one person, much less five?" Soir inquired, playing to the crowd, who obliged him by gasping and murmuring over this delectable bit of gossip/scandal/holy drama. On cue, his Ravens ruffled their feathers and bobbed back and forth. "And for a foundling who came to this city quite alone, in only the company of a water-cart handler who found her... where? The barrens beyond Haven?"

"Behind you," Asund said pleasantly, somehow now right behind Soir. He leaned forward slightly on his toes, bending a bit to tell Soir, "Yes, quite so, Lord-Raven. Quite so."

Soir grinned. A werewolf sneaking up on him past his raven guards -- who had suddenly appeared in the crowd but Soir held them off with a hand signal too subtle for most to notice -- didn't phase him. Sure as hell pissed off his guards though. And they'd catch it later. The Captain of the Raven Guard fumed at the edge of the crowd, and Asund rewarded him with the slightest glance back, which visibly incensed all the other Guards.

Soir turned back around to the crowd, acting like Asund was his Captain and he had big wolves randomly appear behind him all the time. "A mysterious foundling with five esteemed consorts. A puzzle no Raven can resist."

"Oh, I think the Ravens should find some other puzzle to occupy their clever minds," Asund suggested, speaking over the Lord-Raven's shoulder like he was Soir's Captain giving him some good advice.

Ormiss pointed his staff at Soir. Wind began to tug at his skirt hems.

Soir grinned at Asund. "You misunderstand, Captain, just like you all misunderstood several nights ago and caused such damage to my home. I'm stating the obvious. Have you not contemplated it? A mysterious foundling of unknown species, origin, or purpose, paired with five consorts. Surely, all of Haven is curious. Or should be."

Korr stepped up to Ormiss' shoulder. "That sounded like a threat, Lord-Raven."

Ethat growled like rattling bones and mournful breeze.