Owl in the Daylight

Chapter 3

Signy breathed a sigh of relief.

After getting the secret out of her chest, she felt light as a feather. She could now stop feeling guilty about sneaking around with Audwin and betraying her dear friend.

She remembered Aldous' hurt face.

"No," she shook her head and put her faith firmly in his forgiving heart.

Now it's her turn to do something for the brothers.

With a determined plan in mind, she sought out Audwin. Signy stopped in front of his room and knocked, "Audwin? It's me."

She heard some shuffling inside then a muffled "Coming!"  A split second later, Audwin opened the door with a stupid grin on his face. Signy giggled at the sight of feathers stuck on his hair.

"What are you doing?" smiling fondly, she stood on her tiptoes and plucked some of the white fluff from his dark mane.

Audwin's grin widened, liking her fussing over him. "Just some stuff," he replied vaguely, taking her busy hand and pulling her inside.

Glancing around the room, Signy figured he was tinkering said feathers to make some kind of bird. When she turned back to him, the bastard was looking so satisfied with himself like he just won a competition.

In his mind, maybe he thought he won against Aldous for the first time.

She couldn't help but smack him. "Don't show that face to Aldous when you see him."

He opened his mouth as if to protest when she raised a brow, waiting.

Seeing her expression, Audwin changed maneuvers and tried to look offended instead, "What do you think of me, a kid? I don't need to gloat about you, y'know?" He trailed off, his face already sulking at the prospect of being unable to gloat.

Signy ignored his adorable face and continued, "I'm putting you two in one room together for a week." She figured that would be enough time for Aldous to be able to tolerate Audwin.

"What, why?" he whined, scratching his head in confusion, some remaining feathers falling on the carpeted floor.

Signy crossed her arms, "Make it up to him. This feud of yours has been going on for too long."

Audwin's eyes widened as he stared at her incredulously. His owl brain already thinking of ways on how to talk her out of this ridiculous idea. How was he suppose to make it up to a brother he barely know? To say that they started on the wrong foot was too much of an understatement it's laughable. Not when their first meeting began with him cursing Aldous and the rest of his people into swans.

When he found no holes in her defenses, he grunted begrudgingly, "Fine. But I'm offering him your position as successor while we're at it."

"What are you talking about?" her eyes narrowed.

"You said you never wanted to be queen which, by the way, is good for me. I figured since he's a prince with nothing else to do, why not rule on your behalf?" he smirked at her like a genius who solved an impossible puzzle and she could now go ahead and shower him with praises.

She pondered about it for a while. "It could work--"

"Ha!--"

"--but no forcing him!" she warned, wagging a finger.

He shrugged, looking innocent.

"Audwin--," she narrowed her eyes.

He raised his hands in surrender, "Yes! Of course, it'll be his choice." Eyes glinting, he thought to himself, Well, I can be very persuasive.