𝚂𝚝𝚊𝚛𝚐𝚒𝚛𝚕(𝙰𝙲𝙾𝚃𝙰𝚁)

𝔠𝔥𝔞𝔭𝔱𝔢𝔯 𝔢𝔦𝔤𝔥𝔱

͙⁺˚*･༓☾　　☽༓･*˚⁺‧͙

͙⁺˚*･༓☾　　☽༓･*˚⁺‧͙

age: 14

    Cassian was cutting through the branches of the woods, both of us trying to find a sturdy tree for a treehouse.

"It can't be too high up," I said with a sigh.

"Why not?" he wondered. "We can fly."

"Yes, but Az still isn't entirely comfortable with heights," I recalled, crossing my arms.

"He's nearly seventeen," Cassian countered. "He'll need to get used to it eventually."

"Well, he isn't," I glared. "He has had a very hard upbringing, and you and Rhys are much too rough on him."

"I had a hard upbringing as well," he reminded me.

"Yes, but you still learned to fly as a toddler," I pointed out. "Azzy couldn't fly well until he was thirteen. He still won't go as high as--"

"That tree is perfect," Cassian cut me off, clearly not listening to a word I was saying.

    I glanced over, not able to deny that he was right. There was a beautiful, large oak tree with long, reaching branches in the middle of the terrain.

"I'll stay here," he decided. "You can winnow back to the house to get the wood. Rhys and Azriel will help bring it over."

"Fine," I sighed. "But don't make fun of Az if he--"

"You are much too overbearing with him," Cassian snorted.

"I just care for him," I defended myself.

"Maybe a bit too much," Cass teased me, ruffling my hair. I huffed, pushing his arm off of me. "You worry more than Astraea does."

͙⁺˚*･༓☾　　☽༓･*˚⁺‧͙

     Azriel had an unfair advantage when it came to tag.

     One shadow, Nisha, reached out and wrapped around me, holding me still as he caught up and slammed his hand on my shoulder.

"That's cheating!" I exclaimed.

    He grinned, running the other way. I scoffed, taking off to go after Mor, who was hiding behind the beautiful fountain in the garden.

    I loved going back to visit the House of Wind where I had grown up. I got to show the two boys all the little rooms and memories of my childhood.

"Tag!" I exclaimed when I caught up to Mor and tapped her shoulder.

   She went for Cassian, and I relaxed for a second because there were no tag backs when we played. I crossed my arms and leaned against the water fountain.

    Cassian took off into the House. I giggled as Rhys, Az, and Mor followed him. I sighed, taking off into a run.

    The halls stretched on for what felt like miles, and we all sprinted with laughter, taking sharp turns, and just enjoying the freedom and space.

    We didn't have much space in Windhaven. Azriel and Cassian had both commented that they'd never seen such luxury before.

    Rhys and I took the lead since we knew the house best. That is until we took a sharp turn and ran directly into our father.

   He gripped each of us by the shoulder, holding us still.

"You two know very well not to be running in the House," he scolded us. "Morrigan, you should know better, too."

"Sorry," the three of us said in unison.

"Must I tell your mother?"

"No!" I insisted, shaking my head. "No, we'll stop."

"You three are mopping up the dirty footprints you left in the halls," he decided. "No magic."

"What about Azriel and Cassian?" Morrigan demanded, outrage on her face.

"They were not aware of the House rules," he defended them. "You three are." Cassian sent us a smug expression that made me narrow my eyes at him. "You better get started if you want to be done before supper." 

͙⁺˚*･༓☾　　☽༓･*˚⁺‧͙

       I watched the male Illyrians on the field, playing a sport I didn't quite understand. I could barely hear the coaches whistling over the deafening chatter.  

       I took a sip from a bottle of wine I had hidden in a paper bag. I savored the bitter taste and then passed it to my brother.

"You're rubbing your scar," Rhys told me.

       I sighed and clasped my hands together to stop myself from rubbing the scar on my arm from when those girls pushed me a few years ago.

"I'm on edge," I told him, downing another sip of wine.

       I noticed Azriel on the other side of the field, seemingly overwhelmed. His shadows mostly obscured him, which told me he was uncomfortable.

"Hey, what's wrong?" I asked into his head. I noticed that he relaxed a bit.

"Don't be so overprotective; I'm fine," he replied.

"Come over here," I insisted. "And stop dragging your wings."

"No."

"Don't make me throw a fit," I warned.

"Make a scene, then," he goaded.

       I chuckled and rolled my eyes. He was right. I wouldn't throw a fit with so many people around. Instead, I just wrapped my wings around myself to keep warm.

"Are you talking to Az?" Rhys asked me.

"How did you know?"

"Your face only lights up like that when you talk to him," he hinted with a grin. I rolled my eyes and blushed slightly. "You love him."

"Am I really that obvious?" I asked. He nodded.

"Terribly obvious," he replied with a nod. "It's embarrassing."

"Shut up," I groaned, nudging his shoulder as my face turned red.

"If it makes you feel any better, his pining is just as obvious as yours," he chuckled.

"You think he likes me?" I wondered. He rolled his eyes.

"You two are blind," he sighed.

    I huffed at that, glancing at the boy again. He was terribly beautiful. I'd thought so since I'd first met him. I wondered if he thought I was beautiful, too.