Those Without Wings

FORTY-FOUR

The battle ended swiftly once her father had landed with the full force of Iden's loyal citizens by his side and a battalion of desperate Walkers.  Apparently, the knight that had first been stationed at Avery's room, Lagel, had a change in heart when Vihane tried to arrest her father and helped him escape.  It didn't take long for Ivan to rally troops in her aid, not when Vihane was butchering citizens.  Part of her couldn't believe that a month had passed since then.  Her life had become a constant stream of running about as she and her father attempted to reform a century old system of government.  Frequent meeting had been held with Avnowa official's as they worked on creating a parliament- elections being held down in the terra-sectors.  When they weren't rebuilding Iden, she was helping search for Pimedus and Dr. Snow.  She agreed to grant pardons to any of the Nocturne rebellion members in exchange for allegiance and any information they could give- still they remained elusive despite several raids.  It was only a matter of time, rumors said Pimedus was ill and once he fell Dr. Snow would become disorganized in his madness.  At the same time, Avery helped liberate Walker work camps and factories, clearing the mines to restructure the system and reunite families.  Carlos' father returned to Tri-River a week after the battle, a little worse for wear- but in one piece.

Avery's grasp on the small rag doll that Flicker had gifted her stiffened as she descended stone steps.  On hand rested against the cool stone, torches flickering above to illuminate her path.  The last time she walked this staircase,  Samia had guided her- now she walked alone, her footsteps echoing.  Silk fabric trailed behind her; the train of her gown extending another foot passed her.  A draft blew through, sending shudders through her as it nipped against her exposed back.  Shoulders clenching and unclenching in impulse, the sting in her back reminded her once again that she no longer had her wings.

Reaching the large steel door,  Avery wavered as she reached for the handle- her hand resting where Samia's once had been.  Heart twisting,  Avery took a deep breath before taking the handle.  The door creaked as it swung open, hot sticky air rolling out with a sickly sweet metallic scent clinging to her nostrils.  She continued down the corridor, ignoring the way her head spun and her stomach turned, bile rising in the back of her throat. 

She stopped at the third cell in, the cell Carlos once sat in.  Sitting on the ground, arms strung up in thick iron chains, Vihane laid there.  Head rolled back, his eyes were clenched shut as his lips remained pressed tight together.  His ashen skin seemed even paler- Avery wondered how that was even possible as he grimaced.  Shirtless, bruises littered his upper body.  Avery bit her tongue as her gaze reached the thick white bandages wrapped around his chest to stop the bleeding from his wingless back.  The damage she had caused was serious enough to warrant the amputation of his right wing, and her father had dictated that his left be removed too after Avery begged him not to execute Vihane- there had already been too many deaths weighing on her shoulders.  If anything, this was a worse punishment.

His eyes fluttered open, hollow and dull as they pierced her gaze. "Well," he croaked, "Come to gloat in your victory?"

Avery tsked, avoiding his stare.  "I have no need for such things.  I simply came to make sure your recovery was going alright.  The guards said you were refusing to eat."

As if on command, his stomach grumbled.  She raised a brow.

"I did not spare your life for you to squander it."

"No," he laughed dryly, "just to have me rot away in a cell, right?"

Avery scowled, he acted like his actions were something she could wipe away.  Crossing her arms, she chose not to respond to his question, instead pressing further about his wounds.  "Have the scars been bothering you?  Any phantom pains?"

"You aren't my doctor," Vihane spat.  Avery sighed, this was getting her nowhere- as always.  She made it her duty to come down and visit him once a week, to check in on him.  Penelope told her that she should just let him rot or finish him off, if Avery couldn't she would happily do the job.  Avery didn't want to think about what Penelope would do if she was given five seconds alone with Vihane.  When she found out about Flicker, she locked herself within her father's weapon room, training for three days straight until she collapse from exhaustion. 

Running her thumb over the doll's wings, Avery shook her head.  Silence settled between them.  She hated it.

At the end of the hall, the door squeaked as it inched forward,  Head snapping up, Avery tilted her head to see who it was.  The guards wouldn't be coming with Vihane's meal for another hour or so.   

Curly brown hair poking through, Carlos slipped into the cell block.  He stood stiff,  arms hanging awkwardly at his side with no pockets to put them in.  Sheepishly, he scanned the room, even though Avery and Vihane were the only one's there.  She took the moment to admire the warm glow of his tawny complexion, a soft golden hue underlying his appearance.  He wore traditional Avionary garb, a turquoise sash running across his chest, bronze gauntlets over his forearms, decorated by loose feathers and bone beads.  The silver chain of his necklace contrasted the rest of the outfit; it must have driven the servants mad.  A small white scar curved upward from his waistline over his right thigh, the pigment permanently lost from the spot.  She wondered where it came from. 

Carlos ran a hand through his hair, shooting her a lopsided smile. 

"Hey," he whispered, crossing the space between them.  They hadn't much of a chance to talk since that day- taking care of things at the base and at home.  Meanwhile he had been tweaking his artificial wings to make travel to the Edens accessible to everyone.   The first Iden Parliament Meeting  was to be held today and he had flown up with the other representatives, though they wouldn't be starting for another hour. 

Avery nodded.  "Hello, is everything alright?"

"Uh yeah, your attendant said I could find you down here," Carlos rubbed the back of his neck, avoiding her gaze, "I kinda promised you we'd talk if we survived that fight and it looks like we're both here."  He chuckled to himself, glancing to her.  A small smile tugged on her lips.

"Yes, you did, but perhaps not here, will you give me a moment?" That earned a bark of laughter from Carlos.

"Sounds like a plan, I'll just be outside the door when you're ready."  He turned, walking back to the door with a half wave.  It clanked shut behind him.  Her gaze lingered at the empty space.

"Seems like you're entranced.  He'll never love you back, not after what you did," Vihane cut through, pulling in her attention.  Her heart sunk to the pit of her stomach, a rock in her gut. 

Avery sighed, tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear.  She held up the doll, a gift from a dear friend- a reminder that she couldn't give up. 

"Yes, but there will alway be hope," she said, crouching down and placing the doll just beyond the bars of his cell. 

Rising, she turned to the door and walked away.