Beautiful, Beautiful

Happy Birthday

Before Sun could talk herself out of it, she opened the door and quietly stepped inside.

The room in front of her was a large open space with wooden floors. Along the flagstone walls hung luminous swords, sharp daggers, and shields of bronze and silver. Sun also noticed a fierce, three-headed longbow and a two-sided spear that was lethal enough to stab through three men. Even then, the deadliest thing in the room was standing in the center, stretched into a fighting position. His eyes were hidden behind a piece of black cloth that was tied behind the back of his head. The last time Sun saw him, he had been shirtless and sweating as he jousted with his brother.

Even now, he had been working up a sweat, and his dark, unruly hair stuck to his forehead. The rest of his body was dry, but he wouldn't remain that way if he continued maneuvering the daggers in his hands with extreme force.

Sun had to admit it to herself. This man had saved her life twice. She also couldn't escape the thoughts of how they'd danced under the castle. His body hard and muscled to perfection, and the way he moved his hips against hers...

No. She wouldn't think of it. Not when Prince Christian also occupied her mind. She was already trying to accept the picture the King had painted for her, one where she married Prince Christian and became queen. She bit her lips in contemplation as her eyes focused and found Prince Crow once again.

He had always been the one her eyes focused on the longest. He had made her feel wild and angry and alive...

Her cheeks were cherry red by the time he removed the fabric from his eyes and noticed her. Crow quickly stopping fighting, his dark eyes filled with question.

"Hello," was all Sun could mutter as she watched him lower the daggers in his hand. "I-I wanted to apologize for vomiting all over you."

Crow smirked and looked away, seemingly unimpressed. "Is that all?"

"And I wanted to thank you for helping me to my room the other night. Although I'm quite curious how I ended up in my night garments."

His eyes met with hers. His smirk turned into an outright grin. "You're welcome."

"How did I end up in my undergarments?" she asked.

"I left you fully clothed," Prince Crow winked. "I promise."

Sun's cheeked Byrnes even redder. "Well then. I also came to say happy birthday."

"Thank you." Crow turned away from her and headed to the wall where he placed both of his daggers on their hook. "If that is all, you may leave."

Crow removed a war hammer from its hook and examined it in his hand. It was a long wooden pole with jagged, sharp teeth, and looked to have weighed at least twenty pounds. But its heaviness seemed to not affect Crow in the slightest way.

Suddenly, he spun as he slashed through the air, creating a swooshing sound that echoed throughout the room. He was a blur as he moved, fighting whatever invisible force stood in front of him. He seemed to have forgotten Sun stood near. Either that, or he was purposefully ignoring her.

Sun frowned as she walked along the wall, watching him in silence. If she looked deep enough, she could see how each movement was laced with anger and pain. Every thrust was directed at something in his head and his eyes were fierce as he performed a dance of death.

She could almost feel his pain clouding the room with shadows. Pain from his past, pain for what never was, pain for what was to come. He seemed to be dealing with it the only way he knew how, which was by fighting it.

Sun imagined him slamming through each vile memory, hammering shut the escaped memories that only tormented him at night. And each time he swung at them, they returned, never really leaving. Always lingering nearby.