A Tale of Crowns and Stars

Doves & Ghosts

        Halewijn waited for a moment before replying, his eyes glazing over.

        "I am not unfamiliar with the practice of burying organs. And you mean the flowers protect the organs?"

        "Yes," she answered honestly. "It's a selfish act, maybe. But when you love someone..."

         Halewijn nodded, knowing the feeling all too well. He uncrossed his arms and leaned back on the countertop, not looking at her.

         "Cyra... You resorted to dark magic for Gunnar. Promise me you'll never do something so reckless again. I have seen the effects of dark spells going wrong, and it would kill me if you performed such an act that resulted in harm to anyone." The thought that she was reckless had never truly crossed her mind, but Halewijn was not wrong. "Please." The broken noise that came from Halewijn's throat inflamed the guilt in her heart, and she placed a hand on his for reassurance.

        "I won't use dark magic again." She whispered, and he nodded, still unable to look at her. With that assurance, he squeezed her hand once before leaving the bathroom. Before he stepped out of the doorway, he turned around to face her.

       "Meet me in the courtyard in the morning at dawn." He didn't wait for a reply but left her standing alone in the bathroom.

~~~~~~~

       No ghosts haunted her dreams. Instead, tendrils of light cascaded into her room, and she felt around the bed lazily, only half-remembering that Halewijn had summoned her to the courtyard. When she shook off the sleep, Cyra rushed to meet the High Prince in the frosty morning light.

      Hal stood in the dewy grass, facing the sun in a bright yellow and barn red long-sleeved tunic. A heavy wolf pelt hung around his shoulders, and he only turned around when Cyra placed her hand on his back. The High Prince looked down at her small figure, clad only in the dark purple gown she had fallen asleep in. He swept an arm around her shoulder and directed her attention to the sun.

      "My mother once told me that a wolf named Sköll chased the sun through the sky during the day, and one named Hati chased the moon at night. I realized that even enemies pursue the sun in its infinite nature, yet it escapes. What would make me, a mere mortal, any better than the sun that I should not endure such trials?"

      "You show an immense amount of wisdom, High Prince."

      "Wisdom is relative. I am wise about a few things, ignorant of many other things."

      "Even that is a wise statement," Cyra chuckled, and the sun in Hal's eyes gleamed.

      "I brought you here to show you something." He remembered, turning to the left to retrieve something from his pants. "You have come a long way, and I would be remiss if I did not honor you with a small token of my affection before the Yuletide." He produced a sun brooch like the one he wore the day they went into the city, holding it out in his palm. Cyra touched the golden pin, tracing the pattern and swirls as Hal observed her.

      "It's beautiful." The simplicity of it was not like the other gifts he had given her - previously bedecking her with jewels and fragrances.

      "It was a gift from an old friend, and he made me one as well as one for my bride."

      "You didn't give this to your first bride?"

      "It didn't have it then." Cyra took the delicate piece in her hand and closed her fingers over it. "Wear it whenever you'd like; I will always wear my pin when we visit other courts."