of fire and storm

chapter 2

Chapter 2   
As the sun sank below the ocean’s horizon, I glided down to the balcony on the left side of the ocean facing palace. Heida was waiting for me as she usually did after my evening flight.
“Where have you been?” She inquired as I landed gracefully on the marble floor, as I did every evening.
“I was flying, it’s no big deal, just a lap or two around the city at sunset.” The corner of my mouth twitching up. She hated when I went off on my own without her. She knew it and I knew it but I didn’t care, I loved going on my own. I passed through the doors on the balcony to our room and sat in front of my vanity. Our room was a pale shade of blue with white fluffy clouds painted along the walls. The ceiling was dark navy, black and swirls of purple that made up the night sky flecked with stars and constellations to resemble the night sky, it appeared as an endless night. Heida and I had painted it together as older children when we grew bored of the pale yellow walls my mother had chosen when I was a child.
“You could of at least told me you were going.” Heida complained as she removed her collection of various weapons from where they hid in the folds of her leather armour. Heida had an affliction for knives and daggers, almost as much if not more than blades of steel. Her favourite however was a dagger I had gifted her when we turned ten. A strange gift to give a child, yes, but she never went anywhere without it since that day. She called the dagger “Shadowshard”,  the intricate carved dark cherry wood, it’s ridges curved like vines along the hilt, with a slightly upward curved double edge blade. It was called Shadowshard because of the unusually black metal. And that no one ever saw it before it struck. Like a piece of the shadows seeking it’s vengeance upon its foes.
I had seen it in a market while my mother took me to purchase supplies for Heida and I’s combined birthday galla. Upon spying it, I ran immediately over to it and begged my mother to get it for me. My mother thought that I wanted it for myself, however it was for Heida and I wanted to get her something special. When Heida opened it later that week, she was over the moon happy with it and her uncle offered to train her to use it. That was her first weapon, and the one she never slept without under her pillow, safely in its sheath.
“Earth to Maggs!” Heida was waving her hand in front of me.
“What what” I said shooing her hand away with a playful smile. She leaned against the side of my vanity and looked at me. Heida looked much less intimidating in her loose pants and grey top.
“You were doing it again.” she stated.
“Doing what?” What had I been doing?
“You were spaced out with your head beyond the clouds” she poked me in the forehead
“Ouch. Do you really have to poke me so hard?” I rubbed my forehead where she had poked me.
“Yes I do, I told you your dad wanted to see you three times and you didn’t answer. Sounded like an important reason.”
She closed her eyes and rested her head against the mirror frame.
“Alright fine, I’m going” I stuck my tongue out at her as I walked towards the balcony.
“I saw that, and you know we have doors and stairs for a reason right.”
“I don’t care.” I said as I simply stood on the balconies low rails and leaned back sending myself careening over the edge head first, falling through the air, counting the seconds of my freefall as I kept my eyes closed. I angeled my body into a roll and spiralled towards the ground relishing the feeling of the wind. I snapped my wings open and opened my eyes as I caught the updraft shooting skywards past the balcony where heida stood with her arms crossed again, warm air caressing the underside of my wings. I smiled as I hovered midair and stuck my tongue out at her as she smiled and shook her head.
“Show-off!” Heida yelled after me, she was foolishly worried about my freefall. I glided down to the courtyard below.

I landed gently in the courtyard and from there I decided walking would be nice at this hour. I was breathing in a large heave of the cool evening air and the scent of the sea as I made my way to the front gates.
From behind me I heard rustling in the hedges that line the courtyard, I whirled around as the creature bound upon me and flattened me to the ground as it’s tongue assaulted my face.
“Spitfire! Down girl! DOWN! ” Through gasping breaths trying to get the small terror off of me. Spitfire leapt off my chest and settled for nipping my toes instead.
“Oi, small terror, don’t make me put you in the closet again”. Spitfire made a gurgling noise as I pointed accusingly at her and I was unable to contain my laughter. Soon she was rolling on the ground and cooing as she chased her tail. Spitfire is a baby griffin and is very fond of fingers and toes, along with noses and ears. She has a bit of a nipping problem. Her beak was quite strong and having your extremities gnawed on by a baby griffin was not the most enjoyable experience. She looked up at me with her large doe like golden eyes and I took back the comment about the closet as we headed for the gate. As we neared it I told Spitfire to go collect shiny things from unsuspecting noble women. I opened the gate and Spitfire slid silently through the door as I walked into the throne room.
My father sat upon his throne looking incredibly bored with tonight’s entertainment, a band of acrobats performing flips and tricks upon long pieces of silk hung from the ceiling, they must have been a travelling band because they did not possess wings like my people. Their backs were bear and their ears were rounded at the top unlike mine which have a slight point to them. I strode past them as the nobles and people bowed as I passed. My father looked at me and gestured for everyone to leave with the wave of his hand.
Once everyone had exited he sat up to look at me. I folded my wings behind me and curtsied. He may be my father but he is still the king.
“You wished to speak to me father.”
“Yes, we have important matters to discuss daughter.” He stood to approach me, and continued.
“You have come to the age where it would be beneficial to our kingdom, and others, for you to begin looking for a suitor. Your mother has slowed this process for two years now but it cannot be delayed any longer.” He paced the space in front of me.
“Father I am still young, there is much time before I must find a suitor.” My father looked around and for a moment something flashed across his dark blue eyes, it almost looked like...worry. We’ve had this conversation before, usually ending with my father caving to my request for one more year of freedom.
My father sighed, “ Magdolynn,”Here we go again, I rolled my eyes. Was the full name necessary. “ You are no longer a child, and I must start thinking of the future of our kingdom and you should too. As such,” he paused, and seemed to consider how to say what he was about to say “ … I have arranged a marriage with a neighbouring kingdom to bond us together and form a strong alliance, you are to marry their prince.” I gaped at him.
All other thoughts and feelings drained from my mind, except one.
Rage.