Shadowbook

Chapter 21: Palace Life

Part Three: Dark Shadows

Chapter 20: Palace Life

"Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth— for your love is more delightful than wine. Pleasing is the fragrance of your perfumes; your name is like perfume poured out. No wonder the young women love you! Take me away with you—let us hurry! Let the king bring me into his chambers."

-Song of Songs 1: 2 — 4 

That morni—no, evening—my prince woke me with a kiss.

I blinked up at him. He was leaning over me, his bell-like hair framing his face surprisingly well for having just woken up. He smiled warmly, stroking my hair. "Happy Birthday, my Love," he purred.

My birthday. It was my birthday. I was fifteen. I was in a palace. I had just spent the ni— day sleeping beside the love of my life, after having spent a night partying. What could be better than this?

"Nothing, my dear! Nothing!" said Astor. "Ahh... Night has come again! At last, the darkness! Mmmm..." He kissed me tenderly.

"Oh, my prince..."

We cuddled for a while, I nearly fell to sleep again, but then I realized I was hungry. "When's breakfast?"

"I sent a servant to bring us something."

"A servant..."

"Yes. These are the finer things in life, Nyx," said Astor, smiling broadly. "We can just relax and cuddle." He rolled onto his side and stretched like a cat.

I kissed him. "You must be so lazy!"

"Ah, well, royalty can afford good food and good service, and will have to do very little physical labour, so many kings end up fat and lazy from such a lavish lifestyle. Not me, though!"

 "No. You're actually pretty... well, you have a nice figure and you're strong for your age."

He smirked. "Thanks. 'Tis really because of my wings. Lots of weird, weird things happened to my body when I got them." He laughed awkwardly. "I have to remain light and strong to fly, so I cannot gain weight. I suppose that is a good thing with my sweet tooth." He laughed again. "I also dance, hunt, ride horses, and do martial arts. I think I have earned the right to be lazy every once in a while. Scathach drills me in combat every night..." He groaned.

"Skaah?"

"Yes, Scathach, my trainer. She looks like you; vivid red hair," he said with a shrug. "Vicious, she is. I think I have earned the right to be lazy every once in a while after she is done with me."

Astor stretched again, fanning out his wings. I ran my finger along one of his smooth black feathers. "I just realized that it's really, really dark in here. It's nearly pitch black."

"Your night vision has improved considerably, I see."

"Your Highness!"

"Ah, breakfast!" said Astor, pulling back the curtain to reveal Willy carrying a silver breakfast tray.

"Tea and honey cakes, Your Highness; milady," said Willy, acknowledging each of us. He inclined his head and presented the tray. He placed the tray on the bedside table.

"Thank you. Now go light the hearth," said Astor.

"Astor, don't be rude to him!" but Willy smiled and nodded pleasantly before lighting the fire.