Tears of Raven

16

The sound of wings made Raven's eyes flutter. She found herself covered in white plumage. Long silky plume laid around and over her. Morning was rising lazily and she begun to remember what had happened.

Steps echoed through the forest; she recognized them immediately.

Polished boots stopped right before her lair as she crept out. She hadn't slept that soundly in she didn't know how long. She had missed the forest, the animals, the familiar sounds.

But when the prince's green eyes were as dark as now, all her contempt was drawn from her body.

"Where in the name of Mirah, have you been?" he stomped closer to her. It looked like he didn't sleep much opposite to her.

Raven brushed a strand of hair off her face and whatever the prince was about to say, died on his lips.

"You're hurt." He pointed to her wrist that she wasn't quick enough to hide because his hand fisted her elbow right away.

"Yeah, it's no biggie. My hand got caught in a trap while trying to free a stubborn bird."

The prince stopped dead. His grip got tighter around her skin as he reached for her hair to retrieve a feather. A long white feather with speckles of icy blue.

"A white bird?"

"Yes." She admitted bored but something in his eyes, caught her attention. "Why? Is there a problem with me saving white birds now?"

The prince exhaled and let her go. He was tired of having to explain every single thing to her but couldn't help it. she had lived out of the civilized world, she knew little of the city.

"You lived in these woods for what? Fifteen years and never occurred to you that we do not have white volatiles?"

Her mouth shut. He had a point; she simply didn't realize it until he had said it. she was ashamed of herself for not noticing.

"They are spy of Twistal. That's why we lay glue on every windowsill and castle walls. They are able to repeat everything they hear to their masters and are extremely smart. Clearly."

Smarter than she was. That was what he wanted to say but couldn't.

"Well, he was in need of assistance and I do not care where a bird has its nest. An animal in need is an animal I need."

"I hope you didn't talk to it."

"It's a bird what was I suppose to say? Excuse me sir I'm Raven and I'm being held captive in a castle because an asshole did a thousand years old dragon wrong?"

"I hope you didn't. They don't know we have you and it has to stay that way."

"You don't have me." She retorted marching toward the castle. "Nobody owns me."

Her words caught in her tongue when her steps stopped and the prince joined her.

He had blocked her and she didn't even know how.

She couldn't take another step and that made her furious.

"I'm wondering, how are you able to exercise power over me if the old dragon cursed your family to never hold any?"

The prince seemed taken a back by her question and she understood why.

No one knew.

They called him the shadow prince because they believed him skilled enough to walk through shadow unseen but the reality was, that he held a power capable of manipulating one's shadow.

Raven looked down. The sun had peeked through the leaves and she saw his shadow grabbing hers to prevent her from moving further.

Her eyes rose to his with renewed life.

"You have powers of your own."

The tight smug that spread on his lips made Raven almost jump victorious.

"We lose our powers when we succeed to the throne, if you really must know."

Raven's glare spread in disbelief.

"That's why you need me to marry you. because without the dragon or me, you will be powerless and you do not like that one bit, do you shadow prick?"

"I do not need you, princess."

"Oh really?" Raven locked her hands behind her back as she moved backward toward the castle. "It doesn't seem true. You are here out in the cold looking for me, checking if I'm hurt so. You either are trying to keep your asset protected or you are starting to care for me."

The diabolic laugh that spread from his laugh wiped the sardonic smile on Raven's face as fast as it came.

"Make no mistake, princess. The only thing I'm in need of, is your dragon. Once I own him, it would be my pleasure to discard you out of my kingdom."

Raven froze and stare at him hoping he would burn alive.

"You will never succeed." She stated.

"You're free to believe it but-"

"No, you are not hearing me, shadow prick. Maybe this is why dragons got tired of you all. You cannot own a creature like that. They have a mind; they make their own choices and live by their own rules. You can bound with them but you will never ever own them. I do not own Araxys and he doesn't own me. We're pairs and we act like it. I will never let you do something as atrocious as trapping a soul like his in your castle walls so you could win a stupid wall. I'll die before that happens."

She made sure he understood her words, before turning and passing the castle gates.

Something untouchable wrapped around her wrist and stopped her march. Lavender and mint peeked in her space as poisonous words fall all around her.

"Make no misake, princess. When the time comes, I'll make sure the dagger that pierces your heart, is mine and mine only.."

As Raven snapped free from his shadow, the prince preceded her and disappeared inside the castle. Raven felt weary as she followed after him.

She was sure he was heartless enough to kill her but hearing him say that it broke a security.

She had been sure that Araxys would protect her but what if he managed to win and she was not his hatchling anymore? What would happen to her?

"He would never hurt you as long as I live, hatchling. I'll make sure of it." his voice was a welcoming distraction. She couldn't wait to wrap her arms around him and feel safe again. But as she was making her way inside the palace, whispers were raising.

She understood why.

The king's game was paying off.

Everyone hated her, beside the ones she truly waned to be hated from. Every slave's glare darkened when she passed by. They didn't dare to say something to her face but she had condemned them all and she knew it.

She couldn't blame them.

She was going to the long staircase that head to her room when a bucked spilled at her feet and she fell on her behind right in the middle of the great entrance.

"Hatchling?"

"I'm fine!" she shouted mentally. Her eyes locked with a slim man, a little hunched on his back. His milky eyes were loaded with hate. She sighted and moved to her hands and knees, attempting to raise. The water was soapy and slippery. She had to make a huge effort not to fall again. But before she could sigh or take a step on the marble stairs, something wet crushed against her cheek and she flinched.

The man had spit on her.