Heirs of the Gods

Ch 29: From light we come, to light we go

"Bloody hell," Ella muttered under her breath, too frustrated to mind her manners.

She was much too busy attempting, and miserably failing, to fasten a brooch on her cloak to care.

"Are you actually wrestling to put on that pin? They're made for five-year-olds," called Aedion, leisurely striding down the hallway. His pin, identical to her own, was perfectly fastened on his cloak. "And why would hell be bloody? I don't think you know what that word means, yesterday you called me a bloody idiot."

"It's a high compliment in my country," she muttered sweetly, ignoring Aedion's scoff, not bothering to look up from her struggle with the brooch.

The sharp needle slipped and pricked her index finger, drawing blood. She yelped and instinctively stuck her finger in her mouth.

Aedion coughed, and Ella finally looked up at him. "Give it here," he rolled his eyes and extended a hand, wiggling his fingers.

She grumbled but handed it over. It was identical to the one Aedion had shown her that day in the woods. A silver wolf head with three delicate chains connected to a gleaming violet stone. A pin symbolizing a link to Gerrathean royalty and the inner court.

Callan had given it her earlier, after her daily lessons with him, asking if she'd wear it to the funeral ceremony and sit upfront with the entourage.

The memory made Ella smile. She'd been planning to observe the ceremony from afar, and being included and given such a token gave her a terribly proud feeling. It was humbling to be part of such a large, significant event. The brooch only served to cement this.

"I've never seen you wear black before," Aedion commented as he finished fastening the pin.

"Oh, yes," Ella fiddled with the long, draping bell sleeve of her dress, entirely black velvet. "It's just... I know Faerie doesn't have that custom, but black is a mourning colour for humans and..." she waved a hand around, "It just felt like the right thing to do, it's what felt respectful to me. I don't know, it's probably very silly," she chuckled uneasily. "It's not like it means anything here."

"I don't it's silly at all." Her gaze shot up at his words. He had a whisper of a smile. It made her stomach jump a little.

"What is silly," he said, "Is that you think that flimsy little cape is going to keep you warm. It's freezing out there, Wen. The ceremony is by the seaside, you're going to make it all of ten minutes before your eyeballs freeze up."

"This is fine, I'll be warm enough," she grumbled, tugging on the ribbons of her fur-lined velvet cape. Aedion on the other hand had a black overcoat and a fur-collared cape thrown on top for good measure.

"Sure you are," he scoffed. He pointed a boot-clad toe at her, "Are you even wearing boots?"

Ella pressed her mouth into a line. She was wearing dainty satin slippers. "Mind your business," she muttered half-heartedly, making her way into the grand foyer. Aedion chuckled and followed behind.

"Looking good, pretty girl," Val called with a wide grin. She'd perched on the edge of one of the large marble statues somehow, playing with a small stiletto dagger, as Ella had often seen her do while she was bored. She waggled her eyebrows and Ella let out a hearty laugh.

"I know for a fact that if I'd said something even remotely similar, you would have called me a dog or kicked me," Aedion scoffed. "I see how it is."

Ella shrugged, "She's funny, you're plain annoying." she ignored Aedion's narrowed eyes and turned to face Val, who was snickering at Aedion.

"Where's your brother?"

"Here."

Ella turned to find Blaise making his way towards them, holding his arm out and... was that a bird perched on his arm?