Embers and Ashes

Bonus #8

Melona

(11 years later)

   “You need to think this through”, Nasir warns as she looks between myself and Caden.

    “We have”, he answers holding his head high. “We might as well try. It’s not like we can make it any worse. My wings are already misshapen. If it doesn’t work then I’ve lost nothing.”

   “And what happens if it works?”, she contradicts.

   “Then I will gain everything”, he smiles.

   “Devlon is not going to like this”, Nasir sighs as Bess brings in the herbal sleeping tea.

   “Maja will take care of him. He’s scared of her”, the cocky wicked smirk of his peels over his lips. I laugh and shake my head at him.

   “I wouldn’t say that”, I laugh and run my figures in his hair as he grumbles and shoos away my touch. He’s no baby anymore. He was only twelve and I could no longer coddle him. “I will take full responsibility for it all Nasir.”

   “That you will”, she nods firmly before sighing and gesturing for Caden to take off his leathers and shirt before laying on the table.

   I took care in binding his wrists and ankles. Crouching down beside him so he could see my smile. I could see his. Not a speck of fear, just calm. So very calm even when our hearts raced.

   “I’m going to be here the whole time. I’ll make sure it’s as painless and quick as possibly”, I brush his curls from his forehead and lay a kiss there.

   “I know Maja. . . You don’t have to worry, I’ll still love you even if it doesn’t work”, he murmurs.

   “And I will always love you Caden. Wingless or not”, I assure him. He let out a breath and nods.

   “I’m ready”, he says firmly as Bess comes to my side and hands me the tea tonic.

   “Alright”, I nod taking it from her. “It’ll be bitter but drink as much as you can and quickly.”

   He nods again as I press the rim of the cup to his lips, and he drinks near all of it before his eyes lull shut and his wings sag into the table as the drink provides a deep restful sleep.

   I stand and look to the others.

   What we were about to do was almost like breaking a religious tradition. The Illyrians wings where ever so sacred to them, as well as their belief that one should survive in whatever circumstances they were dealt no matter what. I am not of the same opinion. Life can be better if you are brave enough to fight for good change. If there was a chance that my son could have his wings back. That he could learn to fly as his friends and enemies then his life would be better.

   I was willing to take the tribes wrath. To stand up to Devlon for it if I must. I could pay that price.

   “Let’s begin”, I sigh and help spread out Caden’s clumped and deformed wings. None of the bones where bent or ill formed. It was simply the leathered skin that had grown clumped and knotted.

   If we could cut away the extra tissues it would be free to heal back into its place. It could heal even quicker with the use of my healing gift. I had only waited this long to attempt this sort of procedure was because I wanted Caden to choose for himself what he wanted.

   He had grown used to being flightless. Had become an effective warrior even if he was tied to the ground. Having the use of his wings would throw off his balance. It would force him to try and catch up with his peers. Peers that might hate him even more than they already do for being deformed. He would be targeted for it maybe even more so, but he too was willing to put up with the trials in order to have this piece of him complete.