Wanderess

CHAPTER ONE

CHAPTER ONE

She stood in front of a wall that was completely covered in reflective material, twisting and turning to admire the new, large white wings protruding from her back.

Sighing heavily, the large symbol of her status felt like an equally giant weight holding her down, pulling at her every nerve.

"Oh, my goodness. They're beautiful." She turned her head to see a girl her own age with short ashy hair and gleaning caramel skin staring in awe at her wings.

"Iris, hey. Yeah... they sure are something." Turning her attention away from her reflection, her extraordinary teal blue eyes met Iris' stunning purple ones. Odd but incredible eye colours were a common trait among her family- Iris being her cousin. Her father's niece. Her cousins stunning complexion came from her Father, so different to her own family's natural paleness.

"You were amazing up there by the way. A true royal, your sister and mother would have been so proud." The girl had to hold back tears at her cousins' words and just meekly nodded her head.

"Fayre, I'm serious. You were born to do this." Fayre pulled her cousin into a tight embrace, nodding her head silently.

"I know, I know. It's just still makes me rather uneasy to think about them." Iris' expression went from proud to understanding in a split second. Uneasy was a word that could be used to describe the feeling in her stomach right now. Rather similar to nauseous.

"I get it. Come here," she pulled Fayre into another hug.

"Moving on then." She smiled brightly at her cousin a year younger than herself, "they really are beautiful, and the gentle blue tinge in the sunlight- it's incredible, and it's perfect for you."

Turning and returning her gaze to the mirror wall, Fayre inspected the large weights on her back- she moved them and sure enough, a light blue was visible throughout the feathers as the sunlight came in through the glass ceiling. She couldn't deny it- they were indescribable- anyone could see that.

They were her Birthright. So why wasn't she more elated?

The answer was simple- she didn't want them.

She didn't want them, and she didn't want the life or responsibility that came with them.

No longer in the mood to admire the beautiful tragedies upon her back, she willed them away and away they indeed went- at least until she willed them back.

"Hey! I was ogling. I don't get a pair you know. I have to live the high life through you." Iris wondered why Fayre had put her glorious wings away. Surely, she would want to show them off some more before putting them away. Her younger cousin confused her at times. Younger by the smallest sliver, but younger none the less.

If it were her receiving the wings, Iris would have no quarrels prancing around, showing others what being born the daughter of the King could lead to.

Without sparing her puzzled cousin another glance, Fayre heaved another sigh and walked off towards the direction of her favourite spot.

The garden.

****

You probably deserve some background information. So, here's a little history lesson of my world for you.

Fayre Ayer- which translates into beautiful heir- is the second eldest daughter of the renowned King; King Theodore Ayer.

They are angels, yes, angels- wings and halos and all- only there is only one halo in existence- that is the original halo of the original angel which has been locked up for centuries. Only the royals who Become are allowed to lay eyes on it and hear its tales. It's the stuff of prophecies and childhood bedtime tales.

Wings are only granted to immediate members of the royal family on their nineteenth birthday- their Becoming day, the day when they are officially integrated into all of the workings of the kingdom. The only other to receive wings are those who have earned it through life-threatening situations, immeasurable bravery and upmost loyalty to the crown.

Then there's the demons. You've most likely heard the stories about Angles and Demons- those are probably all true. Both groups have been arch enemies for millennia's and the origins of it all?

When the time of the first angel was upon us, Cael was his name- and he had a protégé, his favourite of all his students- the protégé was quite the troublesome one, he caused so much havoc that his wings were revoked, and he became a forsaken angel. Over time he began to resent Cael for he still had his wings, making that fact apparent to the Fallen every time they interacted. The forsaken angel travelled far and wide to rally up all those like himself- all creatures who had fallen from their ranks- and they formed a new hierarchy, they were now known as Demons. The interbreeding of so many species has caused to mutation of the angel gene, so demons cannot be bestowed with wings- even those of royal blood... or that is what was commonly whispered among the outer cities on the continent- whether there is any truth to the tale, time will tell. The Demons had always wanted what Angels had. They craved the freedom and the symbol that was having glorious wings upon their backs. I had never heard of a Demon with wings... until one day.

Now I move onto the topic of the 'mysterious sister' of Fayre. To make it less mysterious, it's me. Fayre is my sister. I am two years senior to her, making me twenty-one. I'm not at home in the palace, which you will soon learn why, and I cannot interfere in my sisters' fate... no matter how much I wish I could.

Our Mother died of 'mysterious' causes- Father never wanted to talk about it but she went out one day and never came back, except for weeks later when she was laying still, eyes closed, and breath ceased as we lay her body to rest.

Now you know who I am and whose story I'm telling- I say we should continue.