Behind These Wings

Revelations

It wasn't that Drew didn't like mornings. He couldn't exactly deny that the birdsong was pretty beautiful and the sunrise was fairly atmospheric but did it have to be so cold? Pulling his coat even tighter to his body, Drew pulled his wings around himself too to block the chilling wind.

Walking along the deserted streets, puffing out clouds of dragon breath brilliantly may he add, Drew considered why he had thought this was a good idea.

A few more minutes in bed wouldn't have hurt.

A few more hours would have hurt even less.

But then Izzy would have been awake, then she would have realised he was gone and Drew needed to keep this secret for now.

The smack of rubber against stone echoed around the houses that lined both of the streets around him. It was the only sound at four in the morning but Drew knew that it wouldn't be long until these streets were bustling.

The town that surrounded the Palace on the opposite side to the forest had been built with the intention that the workers in the Palace could live here and, owing to this, many of these households would be up before the sun to get to work on time.

Drew wasn't unfair with his hours and he gave the workers the highest degree of flexibility that he could but someone had to do the night shift just the same as someone needed to do the early morning one.

No one had ever complained to him but, as he trudged along these nippy streets kneading his hands together to increase the blood flow, he began to wonder why. He got up early but this stretched the definition of daytime and, even when he did wake, it wasn't as if he would venture outside. No, he kept to the warmth of his study's fireplace with slippers and a warm cup of tea.

Approaching the door he needed Drew knocked firmly but if he was right about his theory then the occupant would be a light sleeper and was likely to already be awake.

True enough, a young girl creaked the door open less than quarter of an inch, revealing just one eye to discover who her early morning visitor was. Upon seeing Drew the girl pulled the door further ajar and gestured for him to enter the house. Leading him into the kitchen Drew sat at the familiar table in his usual chair and admired that, despite not being in this room for quite some time, nothing in it had changed.

"Coffee, Sir?"

"Tea please but I can make it, I probably know where things are better than you do at the moment. And please call me Drew, or at least Andrew." The girl conceded and Drew rose from his chair causing her to shrink back slightly in reflex to his imposing figure but Drew ignored this and got two mugs out of a nearby cupboard.

He was used to these reflexes anyway.

"Coffee?"

"Yes please." The girl replied and Drew couldn't deny that she looked like she needed it, although a lot cleaner than their last encounter, dark bags haunted her eyes and her pale skin became almost translucent with the early morning light. The borrowed cream dress dwarfed her tiny body, just as it had done on Izzy, but as a temporary measure it would work. At least the rags were gone.

Quickly completing the drinks Drew settled one mug down in front of the girl, holding his breath for fear of breathing in the strong smell of coffee before he buried himself back into his chair, cradling his cup of tea as if it were a new born. Coffee had always been an abomination within Drew and Izzy's home. A single whiff of the concoction and the pair would instantly scrunch their faces up, more than likely providing some excuse to leave the room.