''Just a crow''

-Home-

Leira never liked women in such a way.

She could admit their beauty and grace but she never felt as drawn to one as she currently was with this mysterious stranger that saved them.

The guilt of such feeling punching her but seeing her husband sit down and cross his legs with a hand to cover it did give her some reassurance that she was not the only one affected by this person who patiently smiled at them. Maybe was it magic?

Everything about her is perfect and so thought everyone in the room, even the brother with the ringing head, silenced by the beauty in front of them all. Almost ready to thank her for being rough with him.

"What meeting?" Mar said, voice suddenly rocky as he cleared it. "Are you who wrote this lett--" He instantly realized something, the bird.

Leira was the one to actually say it out loud. Just two words.

"White Lily?"

"I would have liked to keep this game going on for a while longer." This woman said a hand still over her heart but standing normally, a slight head tilt to it, "But seems like some fool has moved faster then they should have."

"Who are you my lady if I might ask?" Mar tried to remain calm, not expecting anything good now that White Lily was missing and this person showed up, not liking what she might have done since she could break that crossbow.

"Oh I'm a lady now." Head tilt the other way and without a say, in a dead sprint.

He instantly pulled his sword out, slashing to protect them but all he got was a flurry of feathers to cut through.

"What?" Watching the cloud of feathers before laughter brought all their attention to the woman now standing on the sill off the open window, wind gently brushing her hair, her hand on the top of the window and the sun creating a halo around her.

"Is this not fun? Life is so full of mysteries!" The stranger said and let go, throwing her arms out.

Mar didn't want a death today nor tomorrow, running towards the woman but missing her by a good few stride before a crow almost blasted up into the sky when he was looking out the window, half leaning out as he watched.

"Dear." He looked at his wife, she had picked up a little fist full of feathers. "White Lily?" She asked herself, these were indeed those feathers, she knew this color, always made her amused by why she used that name for a midnight death bird but currently these feathers were just questions.

He looked at her and then where the woman's body should her been and where the crow had gone.

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Hellebore watched from her perch with a smile, wind ruffling her feath--Hair, humans call it hair.

On the tallest tower of the castle, on the tallest of roofs, a foot on the tilling, other one hanging of the spiky decoration by flexing her foot back and using the top of her foot to hook on, the metal being much colder to what she was used too.

It was a beautiful day, the skies were clear, the winds were gentle, the gods clement.

But she knew, she heard the whispers of the winds, trouble was brewing on the horizon, a bloody war of succession, disregarded rights, usurped feelings, taken oaths. Peace never lasts, not even in a kingdom.

She had witnessed some wars as the death bird she is, she saw mothers cry over their grown children, she saw girls raped as price for spilt blood, boy turned into slaves, beaten to death. Crows are death birds for a reason, they loom over the dying and await their end and yet she will not blame humanity, orcs or dragons, such if the laws of their world while in the skies, oh in the skies she gets to reign master of her world.  

Despite it all she was still her ever grateful self, knowing she made a great choice, looking down to the tower she was on.

"I'm home Master."

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"So, who are you?" Came the same question once again as she just smiled with a bow she'd always do. Belladonna had told her many times she was mix and matching cultures but as long as they understand she is offering it will be fine.

"I have many names your Grace tho you know one of mine already." She answered the king, violet eyes shimmering like dreams of tomorrow and of a past that never was.

"And those might be?"

"I am the legacy of a mage, the one given thought, daughter of the wind, spirit of the wild, omen of death, but above anything else, I am Hellebore, name bestowed upon me by my Master when I came to be."

She finally stopped bowing.

"So you are some sort of spirit."

A soundless laugh as the queen's question.

"No, such is just my title your Grace." Holding her hands up by her sides, showing nothing to hide. "I am but a humble crow, nothing more."

"A crow, right."

"I have not lied to you, the cage was just a little small."

"And after?"

"Do you reveal all your tricks upon meeting with foreign monarchs your Grace?" A head tilt grin, wind rushing through, whipping her hair up.

She knew she was correct, she knew she was right, protecting ones self comes first and like everyone, she is trying to survive in this great world, even if it means being selfish a little.

"Can you fly good?" It was a bit weirdly worded but she understood the queen's question.

"Injuries have healed and have not caused me trouble, you have nothing to worry about."

"That's good to hear."

She smiled, oh to the gods did Hellebore smile.