''Just a crow''

-Meeting-

And so a story began.

The crow would be gone for days, for weeks, but it always came back, knocking on the windows.

It would keep coming back to the king and queen who soon both looked towards the crow coming.

"Hello White Lily." Mar greeted, hand held up for her to land on it, he was up in the inner court of the castle, training with his masters to strengthen his skills with a sword more then they already were, knowing who were on their way. "Did you have a nice catch?" As the caw hopped on his hand. "I'll take that as a yes, you'll need to show me where you hunt one of these days."

Hellebore smiled for herself, grateful for this life.

"Oh there you are." Mar looked to his queen coming out, a forest green dress was a gift of the queens of Solor who'd come to the feast organised to celebrate their first year passed as queen and king. 

"Did this little one escape your clutches?" He asked jokingly.

"I supposed, I turn away for one moment and it is gone."

"maybe the peoPLE SCARED IT AWAY?!" Mar started yelling as White Lily pecked at him, taking amused offence at it

"Maybe."

Not many liked even seeing a death bird and they still insisted that they should get rid of it before it brings unluck to the young couple.

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Later in the throne room their fate would change in a way neither expected.

The crow had came with a message held in its beak, was it domesticated before and actually going back to its master?

Mar held up the little letter with the crow perched on his forearm, he held it in a way that his queen could read along while leaning closer, he still read it out loud.

"What is life without death? What is sorrow without joy? What is a secret without the truth?"

"What might that be?"

"I don't know but the little one brought it so it must be--The amused laughter of the angels, a laughable disappointment accompanied with a smile-Important!" He yelled the last word, this again.

Leira held her cheek, not knowing what it is but not having much time to think about it before the disliked drunken third brother burst in through the door.

"You'll see! The throne should be mine!" He said, hauling a crossbow he got from gods know where up in the air with an unsteady aim, reason lost fully to alcohol and anger.

"WAIT!!" Mar yelled out, arm thrown out in front of his wife, body leaning to cover her as she gasped in fear, a sudden caw, the pull of a release, the flight of an arrow.

Hiding in the arms of Mar was terrifying, she expected him to fall over any moment, struck dead by the arrow... But no blood came, no glossy eyed look, no slow collapse down to his knees only to cough blood and perish in front of her.

Her heart was still beating in terror as his eyes reflected her own fears but neither of them were in pain.

"Now, now, you really shouldn't." An enchanting voice came from behind Mar.

Not only was Mar awestruck as he looked over his shoulder but so was Leira, both parts of the couple enamored with the sight of such mysterious woman suddenly towering over the brother who was shoved to lay face down with the woman having one foot on his head to hold him down, crossbow in left and the arrow fired in the right hand, must have been flimsy.

That smile was intoxicating, that violet profound, her mere presence had reminded all of a goddess given form in their throne room.

"You don't hurt them." She snapped the arrow in her hand by pressing the thumb on it, that ever silky smile on her face. "A warrior fights, a guard protects but a hunter, a hunter hunts to survive not to hurt so please do not lift such weapons against your king and queen."

With a 'Retch' sound, the crossbow was broken in two like a twig between this beautiful woman's hands and thrown down at the ground carelessly.

"Careless hunters mutilate the laws of nature and must be put down."

"Erm Miss..." Mar froze up, his heart in his throat as she looked at him with that ungodly smile, attractive like a dragon, so magnificent and yet eternally more dangerous then what credit they get. He cleared his throat. "I thank you for serving us, saving your queen's and this life of mine... But I'll be forced to enact punishment if you hurt my elder brother."

He'd have expected resistance from the white beauty, people of her complexion were rarely seen here unless it was for trade and she didn't like a merchant, and those black marks on her skin was not something he saw in Solor so she can't really be from there either... Maybe skin-taker? He expected resistance, wanting it, to keep talking to her, feeling guilty but he couldn't stop himself.

And yet as he tried to apologizes to his wife with one look, he saw that she was also regarding this mysterious woman with the same look, keeping that in mind as the woman moved, stepping off his brother's head.

Breath stolen as she crossed half the room to them, putting a leg behind each other, bowing her body with a hand on her chest and the other held up by her side... Not a Solor bow that's certain but not even Malart.

"It is an honor to finally meet you both, your Graces." The suave voice spoke. "I would have hoped for another way but this is as good as any."