Of Spinning Gold and Song

| Twenty Five | The Lullaby

Despite the dead of night, I was surprised at how much light there was to guide me as I snuck from the castle. Back in our village, after dark it was pitch outside. Only the light from lanterns would light the way if someone was foolish enough to leave at night, making themselves easy prey for the dragon or the dwarf.

But such was not the case in a busy city like the capital. Here, the citizens regularly hung lanterns and torches, and there was light in some of the great windows passing by. As I snuck back down to the stables, I was beyond grateful for all the light.

I wasn't surprised to see Bradyn already there. I had lost too much time wandering through the palace walls, slightly lost but not willing to ask for help lest someone ask what I was doing wandering around in the dead of night. I had paid extra special attention earlier when a servant had led me from where I'd become lost upon entering the palace to the magnificent chambers they had designated would be mine. It was fairly easy to retrace them, but I found myself lost getting outside and had come out a different exit. From there, there was still a curved dirt path but it wound around some gorgeous rose gardens, making a casual detour before dropping me back off at the stables.

I was, however, surprised to see Jon looking awake and clear eyed next to Bradyn. I hadn't expected the kindly stablehand to see us off but I was unexpectedly happy. I had started to see him as a wonderful mentor and trustworthy man after he told me the heart wrenching story of my past, the story that I was still having trouble believing. And after all, he was family. And despite just having met him, I knew that he cared about me. About us. About everything that happened.

I hoped beyond all hope that one day he would get to meet my family, whether that was just Rosie, or Rosie and Mam, who hopefully might have some of her wits about her, or even in my wildest, most unrealistic dreams, Pap as well.

"Sparrow," said Jon. "We were starting to worry you weren't coming."

"I wasn't," protested Bradyn, but it was halfhearted. And frankly, I didn't blame him. There was no doubt that I'd acted flighty and strange today. Especially after... after the kiss. The thing that I still didn't want to think about.

I would have to face it eventually. But now, there were more important things at stake.

"Don't worry. I'm here. I just got a little lost."

"Great. So, how exactly...?"

I tried to keep a straight face; I knew he was asking about my strange flight, and I didn't really know. I had been pondering it all day since I'd first mentioned flying and still wasn't sure why the wind had refused to come that night that the queen had demanded that I spin her gold. I was frightened that I wouldn't be able to do it again, and then we'd both be stuck in here.

But I wasn't too worried. Because as I just stood there, shivering in the cool night air, I couldn't help but feel a kinship with the air around me. With the wind.

It was a friend and I was sure it would help a friend in need.

I thought back to what Jon had said earlier. I already knew it had to do with my singing. And he had also mentioned Mam putting all of her heart and soul, all of intense feelings and emotions into her song.

What had I been feeling that day I first did it? At first I'd felt pure bliss and freedom at discovering the wind, a perfect and amazing friend. And after that, the joy hadn't died down, but rather it had mingled with my fear and urgency for seeing Rosie.

Yesterday, I tried to recall my emotions. The primary one had been, of course, fear. I was afraid I wouldn't be able to do it, I was afraid the queen would kill me. And most of all, I was afraid of what the tyrant would do to me if she found out about my wind.