Curiosity's Feathers

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#CuriositysFeathers
#AnExtremelyShortStory
#4thWallUniverse
#ByDannyJQuick

"I spoke to the prophetess" Negus growls with disdain as he gently lands inside the window, folding his wings in behind him as they dissolve into thin air like desert sand in a whirlwind. "Nothing but pain will come from this."

"You still don't understand my love." A soft and stern voice floats from behind the silk drapes lining the feather filled mat atop the huge stone alter built into the center of the room. "It must be their choice." Teari says as she rolls over to face her king. "If you truly love your people you must let them choose their own path, even if it leads to their destruction" Teari adjusts to a seated position on the edge of the bed and then stands using one hand to cover herself with the thick silk sheets and the other to pull a large feather from a pillow on the bed and graze Negus' chest as she approaches him and walks around him allowing the feather to follow around his clavicle and to his bare right bicep and then across his back where angel wings were present only moments ago.

"Why would they choose to leave when I've told them what will come?" Negus, clearly frustrated turns his gaze to his left to meet Teari's as she rounds back in front of him.

"They are only pretty birds to you. Not allowed to fly, only to repeat the songs that you teach them about the world around them." Teari let's the feather fall to the floor then continues. "You've given them feathers of curiosity but won't let them fly to explore the world."

"But Nee Sevahi has never been wrong my love." Negus contorts his face in frustration as Teari presses her temple against his chest. "Our people will be enslaved and oppressed for hundreds of years if we let them leave. If they stay here they will never meet these outsiders."

"Then let them." Teari connects her eyes to his and stares deeply into his soul. Her hands instinctively raise to cup his face in her grasp. "You must let your people choose to love you or it cannot truly be considered love at all."

The troubled king exhales deeply as Teari shashays toward the bed with her royal purple silk sheets firmly hugged around her hips. "You're right. I will make the announcement in the morning." The king admits and an enormous weight lifts from his shoulders. He looks back over his shoulder out of the window, grins, and then heads to the bed.

The night seem short for the king as he awakens to the sound of stone being dragged in the distance through his window. His eyes open and he turns to Teani to wish her a good morning, but on her pillow is only a single feather. Negus sits up in his huge bed and prays as he looks around his room, but he knows that his lover has chosen to leave. His heart turns to stone and sinks into his stomach. As a man who is true to his word he knows that he can only pray that she returns to him... Someday.

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