When Angels Sin

08. The Northern Woods

Alina

Strong winds blew hard and a lone raven cried. Alina sat in her terrace, sewing a new sky blue dress in an attempt to distract herself from the maddening and suffocating confinement of her wings. She had not left her room since they were chained. Not even when Frederik of Grytia and his family suddenly showed up at the castle.

The raven's cries grew much closer and Alina smiled as she found a little black beauty hopping above the parapet before her.

"Good morning beautiful," Alina whispered and the raven hopped closer towards her. She noticed that its right wing was bandaged, and she realized that it could not fly. Just like herself.

She stretched her hand towards it, caressing its fine black feathers. The raven cawed, and next, a strong gust of wind blew against them, followed by the approaching sound of beating wings. Alina looked up towards the unexpected visitor, and her eyes fell on a stupid looking Lucian flying in her direction.

"Sunrise, there you are!" he called out in his usual childish and cheerful voice as he landed into the terrace.

Alina scowled as Lucian stood there intruding into her own terrace, his short raven black locks messed up as usual. What kind of respectable winged boy kept his hair so short like that, cropped in messy layers, barely covering the nape of his neck, like the lowliest of slaves? Winged ones took pride in their long glorious hair which was a sign of status and power, and to cut a winged one's hair so short was a big disgrace, as only slaves were allowed to do so, or rather forced to, as a sign of humility.

"What are you doing here?" Alina snapped at him. She could not understand how everyone adored him so much. He was absolutely silly and naïve, always hopping around and squeaking endlessly in his annoying song-like voice. Everyone thought it was a cute thing, but all she could see was a spoilt little brat who lived in his own world, having no worries and no regards to anything.

"You found my raven! I've been looking for him all morning. He can't fly, you know? I was keeping him in my room, but he must have hopped over the parapets until he reached your terrace," Lucian spoke excitedly, but Alina only answered him with a cold stare, doing her best to suppress her anger and hatred towards the boy.

When Alina had met Lucian for the first time, she hated him instantly. It was not only his noisiness and stupidity that infuriated her. But he was Bernard's brother. Although he looked and sounded nothing like that monster, but he was still his brother, his blood. And to her, that alone was more than enough reason to despise him.

"His name is Sunrise. He's beautiful, isn't he?" Lucian scooped up his little pet and approached Alina. She took a step backwards. She didn't want him to get any closer to her. He shouldn't even be here.

"Stay away from me," she hissed. "What do you think you are doing, breaking into a lady's room like that? Is that the kind of manners they teach you in this place? But of course, you're Bernard's brother. What manners should I expect you to have?"

Lucian's cheerful face fell, his smile replaced by a timid expression.

"I... I am sorry," he said reluctantly. "I... I didn't mean to intrude. I was only looking for Sunrise. Please don't be mad at me. I just wanted to -"

"Enough!" Alina cut him off. "Do you ever stop blabbering?"

"I'm...sorry." He lowered his head timidly.

"Be sorry for yourself. A good for nothing airhead. You can't even take care of your pathetic pet."

Rather than defending himself, Alina was surprised to find Lucian only looking downwards in shame, his round blue eyes filled with guilt as he drew the raven closer to his chest, as if he agreed with Alina's words.