When Angels Sin

02. An Untamed Beast

Alina

A full moon had passed since the beheadings, yet the images of blue severed heads and dead children still haunted her. Alina couldn't help but shudder every time she recalled the mother's wails as her children got slaughtered before her eyes. And it was all Bernard's doing. The monster she had been forced to marry...

"Father says I can stay here as long as I want," beautiful Kaya beamed as she walked with Alina in the courtyard.

"Are you serious?" Alina gasped, instantly drawn away from her gloomy thoughts. Kaya had come to the castle only a week ago to visit her father Sir Maarten, a member of Lord Bernard's council. Yet in no time, she became Alina's best friend. In fact, she was the only friend Alina managed to make in this dreadful place. "That's wonderful news!"

"I know right? And I would have much better chances finding a good suitor here," Kaya giggled.

"I am sure you wouldn't have any trouble with that," Alina agreed, eyeing Kaya with admiration and a bit of envy. Kaya was exceptionally beautiful, with the prettiest blue eyes and heavenly golden curls. But that was not all. Kaya possessed such a bright and chatty character, and she always managed to open up conversation with anyone she desired. She had even managed to speak with Sir Mikal, something Alina was never able to achieve until this day.

"I will need to get some new dresses too," Kaya continued.

"And I am sure they will all be black," Alina added as she looked at Kaya's dress, and both girls laughed. As much as Kaya's glamorous black dresses impressed Alina, they also intrigued her. But it was not just Kaya. It seemed quite common here for young women and young men, regardless of their rank, to wear black. Even Sir Mikal wore black all the time. Alina did not understand how things worked here in Nordenvania, but back home at Akaria, black was the color of prostitutes.

"Wait, why are we heading towards the stable?" Kaya frowned as she found Alina leading her towards the large glass domed stable ahead. "Don't tell me you're planning to fly again today? Don't you ever get tired?"

"I would never get tired of flying," Alina chuckled.

It was true. Alina had always loved flying Pegasi, ever since she was a child. Back home, she would take Gabrielle, her beautiful white Pegasus, and race to the Northern Sea every morning, flying and flying for hours without pause. And now, since her fateful marriage, she needed to fly even more than ever. Because, not only did flying help suck out all the pain and frustration from her heart, but it was also the closest she could ever get to a taste of freedom.

The afternoon sun slanted towards the west and the high castle towers cast long shadows over the courtyard. Alina and Kaya were still arguing as they walked together towards the stable, when a loud cry came from inside, startling them both. They looked at each other in alarm, before Alina spread her white wings and flew towards the sound, followed by Kaya.

Both girls gasped as they entered the stable, and Alina's heart fell. Right before her, stood the largest and most beautiful Pegasus she had ever seen. An elegant pearl white creature with a long silver mane and huge shimmering wings. Writhing within chains.

"That must be Achilles," Kaya whispered, and Alina nodded absently. She had heard of the new Pegasus that the catchers had captured that morning. But she had never imagined seeing anything like this.

Julian, the useless stable boy, seemed to be struggling as he held to Achilles's leash, trying to calm down the kicking beast. Achilles was a beast indeed. A beast meant to fly free, but forced into captivity.

Achilles gave out another tortured cry, and the world darkened before Alina's eyes. The chains had twisted around Achilles's neck and forelimbs, hurting him as he continued to pull against the restraints. And Julian was still holding on to the leash.