Emerie opened her eyes to find herself strapped to a pillar. Her arms were bond behind her back and her ankles were tied together as well. Her wings were strapped horizontally behind her. Stretching out so far she wasn't able to bring them back towards her. Emerie also realized that their were several male Illryian shouting angry words at her. Telling her that she's a freak, that she's a disgrace tot he Illryian race. She doesn't deserve to fly. Emerie knew exactly where she was. She was in an Illryian trial. And her wings were going to be-
Emerie struggled but it was no use. The bond was just too strong. "Please someone! Help me!" She cried as a tall Illryian male came towards her with a sword. This wasn't just an Illryian. It was her father. Her cruel father.
Emerie began to cry, the tears falling down at his feet. Her father laughed, sounded so humorless as she remembered. "You should've been a boy." he said as he raised the sword and her flight was gone.
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Cassian woke up to a horrible scream. His wings flared in alarmed as he grabbed the dagger from behind his back. He looked around the room for any possible threat but he only saw two startled little girls and a crying Illryian child. Nesta and Gwyn were by Emerie's side before she opened her eyes. "Emerie, what's wrong?" Gwyn asked as Emerie began to cry a river, tucking in her wings. Nesta was grasping her shoulder trying to calm her down. "Emerie, are you okay?" she asked as Emerie shook her head.
Putting the dagger away, Cassian walked over to the bed. "Emerie?" he said as Emerie flinched when her name came from his lips. Emerie's eyes were watery as she desperately tried to get rid of the tears. "Emerie, it's okay. You're not in danger." Cassian tried to sooth her when Emerie shut her eyes. "Emerie, look at me." Emerie's eyes were on Cassian. "What happened?"
Emerie didn't want to tell them at first. She figured that Nesta and Gwyn wouldn't understand because they weren't Illryians. But Cassian was an Illryian. He knew what it felt like. But a small part of her wanted to keep it inside. So to not feel the embarrassment. It was between herself. No one had to know right? But then again, they are her friends. It wouldn't hurt to tell them.
Emerie told them about the nightmare. The angry shouts. The sword. Her father standing before her. Even the wing clipping. By the time she finished, she couldn't breathe. Cassian began to hold her in his lap so she could feel comfortable. After Emerie stopped crying, she went over to Gwyn and Nesta and hugged them tightly. Cassian sighed and patted Emerie's head softly and went back to sleep in his chair. "Wait!" Nesta called out as Cassian froze. Nesta nudged her friend Gwyn who glared at her. Nesta only stuck her tongue out right after Gwyn turned to Cassian. "Would you tell us a story?"
Cassian nearly choked on his own saliva. He never told a bunch of children a story before. Better yet, he wasn't good with kids at all. Sure, he helped Emerie to fly but she could always fly. And he just happened to know how to treat boo-boos with Gwyn. And Nesta began to trust him after he promise to take her out of that sink hole. But telling bedtime stories? Not his thing. "Um...well um..."
"Please." He looked back at the girls. Emerie's eyes were not red and puffy, Gwyn was giving him the innocent puppy dog eyes, and Nesta was trying to intimidate her as well. Cassian thought back to his lessons as a child. He did learn the history about wing clipping. But that's not what they would like to hear. He loved the story of Tom Thumb but a man whose the size of a thumb wouldn't be so...inspiring. Then, one in particular came to mind.
Cassian smiled and nodded his head, causing Gwyn to cheer and Nesta to smile. Emerie didn't make too much of an emotion but she nodded her head slightly when Gwyn told her that Cassian would tell them a story. Cassian pulled his chair closer to the bed. "You ready?" he asked as the girls made themselves comfortable. They nodded their heads eager to let Cassian's imagination run wild.
Cassian cleared her throat. "Well this is the story about an Illryian named Crystal."
"Is she a girl?"
"Lemme tell you the story and you'll find out." Gwyn giggled as Cassian playfully glared at her. "Yes she was a female but she wasn't like all of the Illryians. She use to get picked on a lot."
"Why's that?"
"Nesta, I'm going to tell you." Nesta only rolled her eyes as Cassian poked her sides. "She got picked on because her wings were smaller then an average Illryian." The girls gasped and even Emerie started to become intrigued with the story. "Some people even said that they should've cut them off of her instead of letting her have them." Gwyn shook her head while Nesta began to rant out with protest against it. Emerie also shook her head with disgust. Cassian settled them down a bit so he could finish. "One day, an Illryian boy was shouting in the street telling everyone that a flying race was in order."
"A flying race?" Emerie asked so silently, Cassian almost didn't hear her. He nodded with a smile. "Yep. Only the best of the best could enter. Crystal wanted nothing more than to show them that she could win that race."
"So, did she enter?" Gwyn asked as Cassian shook his head. "She tried, but the Illryians rejected her on a count of being a female and that her wings were too short." Gwyn and the rest of the girls frowned. Cassian laughed. "Hey, I didn't mean she gave up." Cassian said causing the girls to stop frowning and squeal with excitement. "What did she do?"
"Did she sneak in?"
"Did she win?"
"Slow down little ones, I didn't even get to the best part." Cassian replied, laughing as the girls pestered him for answers. "The race was in exactly two weeks. So every night after school, Crystal would use her short little wings to fly all around town at least 10 times."
"10 TIMES!?" All three girls said in sync. Cassian nodded. "The townsfolk said she was crazy, but Crystal never gave up. Every night another 10 laps was made. And soon, it was 20. Then 30. And then-"
"50?" Gwyn asked as Nesta and Emerie laughed. Cassian rolled his eyes and poked Gwyn's cheek making her smile more. "Stop interrupting. Anyway, the day of the race was made and Crystal presented herself to the starting line with 5 other tall Illryians. The moment she made contact with the line, the crowd began to laugh." Cassian paused allowing the girls to react. They started to feel sad and Gwyn began to cry a bit. "That's so sad."
"Did she run back home?" Emerie asked as Cassian shook his head. "Nope. Crystal held her head high. She blocked out the laughter and the insults that were spread at her. She didn't even know they were talking until the referee stopped the chatter."
"The refer-what?"
"The person that starts the race and declares the winner." Nesta clarified with Gwyn as her mouth made an 'o' shape as she nodded. "When the race began to start, Crystal was the first one in the air. The Illryian boys were catching up to her though and some of them tried to grab her wings so she couldn't fly."
"Hey!"
"That's cheating!"
"No fair!" The girls said as Cassian nodded. "I know right. Anyway, Crystal avoided every attempt. Soon, the first Illryian was behind her. Then the second, and then the third. But the two others were still in front of her. One of them was purposely falling behind so he could mess up her velocity."
"Her what now?"
"Her speed. You'll learn more about it when you're older." Cassian said as he went back to the story. "Eventually, the Illryian that was doing it, lost his balance and began to tumble down a steep mountain. The mountain however was about to fall on him because an avalanche was in progress."
"An avalanche?"
"Like a stampede but with snow." Emerie replied as Cassian smiled knowing that Emerie was paying attention to the story. "Crystal wanted to help the Illryian but the finish line was so close she could feel it in her gut. She had to make a decision."
The girls stopped Cassian for a moment. "Did she win?"
"Did she save him?"
"Did she leave him in the dust?" Cassian folded his arms. "It was a very hard decision. Between that she desire and what must happen. Knowing that she will have another opportunity one day, Crystal race back to the Illryian and helped him back on his wings. When he was able to fly again they both made it to the finish line." Nesta grumbled about something like: "She should've left him." Emerie agreed making Cassian laughed. "Even though she save him, it did cost her the race. But the Illryians didn't care about the race however. They were watching Crystal the whole time. And they realized that she saved the Illryian, an Illryian who could care less about her. The crowd rewarded her the trophy even though she didn't win."
Nesta and Emerie looked at each other and shrugged while Gwyn smiled and nodded. "I knew it." Cassian chuckled. "After the race, Crystal smiled at herself as she looked at the trophy. She said to the crowd: 'I may have small wings, but my heart is the size of a mountain.'" The girls cheered as he finished the story. This resulted in them beginning to yawn. "Alright girls, bedtime." The girls didn't objected. They began to lay down next to each other as Cassian yawned himself. His eyes were closed before he could remember he was awake.
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In the morning, he was greeted with bright eyes and a freckled face. Cassian yelped but relaxed when it was only Gwyn. "Gwyn, try not the do that okay." Gwyn only giggled at his reaction as he noticed that Emerie and Nesta were standing in front of him along with Gwyn. "Um, what's going on?"
"Cassian...we...talked..."
"And we decided...to tell you where Devlon's hideout is."