The Princess of Terrasen

Ch. 3

"Yes!" Her mother screamed, pumping her fist in the air.
Aiyra's wings, brown wings beat in the air. A hawk, after her father.
Her father's triumphant laugh echoed across the courtyard and she loosed a cry of complete victory.
Gav whooped and everyone else just smiled at her, pride evident.
There was a bright flash of light as her  father shifted and they flew together, over the Staghorns, her  mother's kingsflame a fiery red carpet underneath her.
An ice kissed wind pushed both of them, until they were flying faster than Aiyra would ever have thought possible.

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A week later, Deanna summoned Aella yet again.

"I swear to the gods if I need to annihilate another city." she growled softly to Sebastian as he accompanied her to the throne room.

Kamien had been knocked unconscious during training when Aella hit her with the butt of her blade a bit too hard a few minutes ago.

He snickered, but went silent as those massive doors loomed above their heads. Aella blasted them open on a gust of ice kissed wind, only to see Deanna sitting properly on her throne for once. Shit. Not a good sign.

She wasn't stupid so she played it safe, dropping down on a knee the way everyone did.

"General," Deanna's voice was cold in a way Aella rarely heard "my spies brought something to my attention"

Aella kept her gaze on the floor, not daring to glance up.

"It seems one family from Rosk escaped."

Aella's heart skipped a beat but she said

"Shall I hunt them down?"

"Yes. But do not kill them. Bring them here."

Oh god no. No,no,no. She almost choked as she said

"As you wish, my Queen"

She felt- rather than saw- Deanna's sharp gaze flick to Sebastian.

"Your third must go on a mission for me. Solo. It is a simple mission, but it requires him being caught."

"Where is this mission to take place?"

"Ignisforde."

Aella almost choked yet again, Ignisforde was a sworn enemy to Deanna and all her allies.

"Then while the male, Kallon is keeping your third company, the rest of your cadre will get inside and capture him. After a two day period."

Keeping your third company. The most vulgar words she had ever heard. But two days. On Kallon's tables. She herself had spent some time there. It was not an experience she'd like to repeat. This was punishment. Deanna knew then, about the warning and she was punishing her by sentencing her third to torture.

Deanna didn't wait for her confirmation before she said

"You may leave"

Heart thundering like a war drum, Aella stood, her knees shaking. She couldn't even summon her usual prowling gait and instead focused on not running out of that room like a coward. Sebastian followed, not saying a word until they reached Aella's rooms.

She whirled around to face him, her heart breaking at the look on his face, so calm and untroubled when she could sense that he felt the opposite way.

"Sebastian you don't have to do this. I'll do it."

"We both know you can't do that." he said quietly