''Just a crow''

-Crow-

The kingdom had never lived through such a storm as it had that day.

Being to the south of Solor and bordering with the desert of Lazar and Skin-taker meant most of the time the sun shined, and their storms were never so strong, at least not the rainy storms; sand storms are another story.

But even after such a thing, the people moved on, the world on.

Despite the heavy political distress, the king's death having reached far and wide, reaching his eldest daughter who left the kingdom long ago, reaching his second oldest, his son on the front-lines of the desert, his third son, down in a brothel and his fifth daughter, locked away for her protection.

On his death bed, he had named his fourth son, Mar, as the next king.

And such unrest was no better then in the castle of yellow stones.

The arrangement of elder and youth loud in the halls.

Some hurtful words, some threatening gestures.

Hellebore just watched the oddity, her cage having been moved to the throne room once a servant tried to assassinate the queen and her cawing had woken her up, and so her cage was carried room from room to be sure there was always a look out to keep them safe 'as the bird seems to have more brains then our guards' had said Mar, having grown to not despise her because of saving his wife.

She was finally healed and she longed for the wind, for the sky, to be home.

Leira watched in silence as her husband fought with the third eldest who was drunk, she was aware how the king had broken the succession line by making his fourth king after him but the first was a court mage so she could never take the title and come home, the second was a war hardened man with not gentle touch, the third was a failure and the fifth was a girl so young she was calling her own brother 'dad' because of how only he cared for her, this kingdom would go up in flames if someone else had took over.

She had only been a noble woman when the new king chose her for some reason, being ripped from her family. Mar had spent night on his knees begging for her forgiveness for having made such a rash decision to be sure to secure the crown but he was so noble, so right, so just to the people, that she had had no trouble in accepting this with a smile and telling him to rise from his groveling.

They even developed a semblance of love that was still young, she just hoped it would be bigger and bigger each day and night. It would be better for them all that way instead of always being 'just friends' despite being married.

What was currently disappointing her was the bird.

It was a really intelligent bird, much more then any of them should be, and so she could almost see familiar longing for freedom in its eyes.

She had grown quite attached to it, calling it White Lily and once even feeding her on her bed despite Mar's incessant nagging to not do that because of the stain and smell the food would leave, even he grew close to the bird.

And the fact it could have saved them a few painful night, the blade that would have struck her being covered in Wither Away, cawing and flapping so violently that it knocked the cage over.

It was nice, it let them pet its head and even played with them, but it was longing for freedom.

"It is a wild animal." Mar had said as she took it upon herself to undo the bandages instead of bringing it to the raven master of the kingdom.

"I know that, I've just gotten used to it being around." Leira admitted.

"Sadly I did too." The crow flexed its wings and flapped them a few times, all seemed to be in order. "I know I was mean but thank you little one." He rubbed its heard, getting a croon back.

"Yes, thank you." She picked it up, opening the window and holding her arms out it, putting it on the gargoyle decoration off to the side of the window.

Mar came up next to her, an arm around her shoulders and squeezing, it felt oddly like a goodbye you'd give to a dear friend and not some animal they took care off.

The crow shook out its feathers and with one last stretch it--A dazzling smile, a wave of not goodbye but see you later, a warmth in the end of a moment-took flight.

Leira blinked, what had that been? What type of hallucination is this?

Looking at Mar, a bit worried but he seemed in the same wonder, had he seen the same thing? What had that been?

-----------------------------

As bitter, as sweet, as this felt, Hellebore floated in the loving embrace of the wind.

For now she'd fly but her story with the king and queen was not to end like that.

Not like that anyway.