Whispers In The Wind-Ch. 3

Beads of sweats rolled down his face as he paced the corridor. He had just gone through hell and back. It wasn’t his fault entirely. He hated him and even more so he hated going across the border. He was short tempered everyone knew that and they hated him for it but he was the best they had. They knew what would have happened; they had the gift of foresight. They knew it, he of all people, should have known they were up to something when they asked him on this mission. 1

He couldn’t control his temper. He hadn’t meant to do what he did but he was tired, hungry, tired of being chased down and desperately needed a fresh kill. She had indeed been innocent and not been feigning ignorance. He saw it the night they spent in the shadow, and if any doubt still lingered, with her broken wing. When she had grabbed onto Drake’s wing when she slipped from his back sending them both crashing, she had had a black out. When she had fallen from his hands and landed against the bank before sliding into water. She had had another blackout. Now she lay on a bed, no one knowing what was wrong with her.
He had been suspended from duty. Not that he cared much about it. He wanted to know what was wrong with her. He would probably be hanged for being near her but he didn’t care. He felt badly about it because he didn’t know what had happened to her. He looked up, door to her chamber opening. Drake exited a deep frown on his face. He walked down the corridor, eyeing the marble flooring, unaware of his presence.
“How is she?”2

Drake looked up in surprise. He shook his head, “Vince you should not be here.”
He scoffed, “They’re many of things I shouldn’t have done in my time, Drake, yet I’m still here.”
“Vince he’ll have your head if he finds you here.” Drake whispered harshly.
“Then just tell me how she is Drake.” Vince bit back.
“She’s still unconscious. What happened out there?” Drake asked pressing him against the wall. Vince sighed and removed his hands. Brushing himself off, he started down the corridor.
“I’ve told you and him countless of times what happened out there. I will not stand and repeat myself.” He said over his shoulder. The door to her chamber opened abruptly and the doctor charged from within, elation showing all over his face, “Master Drake, she’s awake.”
Drake sighed heavily. Sneaking a glance at Vince, he walked back to the chamber. He draped a hand around the doctor’s neck, “I shall have to treat you to drinks for such fine work. What did you do?”
“Nothing, she just woke up and started talking about ‘para’ something.” The doctor replied.
‘Paradise’ Vince thought smiling. That’s what she had whispered when he flew her over the water. He looked up quickly realizing he had voiced his thoughts. The doctor stuck his head back out through the heavy set door, convinced he had heard something. In an effort to avoid being seen, Vince dove through the colored stained window that adorned the corridor. Wings carrying him away as quickly as they could. He flew over the city and over its heavily guarded walls and into the cold mountains. He circled around until he found a spot where he could see the city. Finding one, he landed and sat, left foot meshed against his chest the other lying flat against the cold. He folded his wings around him, keeping out the cold air. He looked down at the city he had known from birth. There was no going back. He was on his own. He knew the routine, Drake and the doctor would be questioned, Drake would say that he did in fact see him in the corridor. He would be hunted down and exiled but the story would go that he was beheaded in the Tower Chamber. 3

The cold, nippy wind whistled past him trying to push him off the ledge. Vince groaned and allowed his wings to return to his body. Glancing down, he watched his skin color change. The cold wasn’t going to affect him, one of the benefits of being the strongest of them. Nothing affected them. Their mind was trained to eliminate pain and they had done that. He had excelled at everything he’d ever done except now. He had failed to return the daughter of the King, of the Protectors, without harm. It hadn’t been his fault but here he was feeling like a failure. He had set out to make best of a name shamed by his great, great grandfather. Everyone thought of them as failures. No one had expected Vince to get this far and he had but they were always waiting for him to slip up. So the news of his escape and beheading would shock none of them.
He breathed out, a mist forming in front of him, warm air mixing with cold. He truly hoped they did well without him. But he knew he was never going back.4


***5

6

Nyela awoke to chaos. Alarm bells were ringing, she could hear the loud shuffle of feet as they marched on. She stared around her. Once again she had no idea where she was. She remembered flying with Vince but nothing more. She had had another one. They seemed to be frequenting her now that she had left that place. But where was she now? She was lying in a large four poster bed with white satin sheets. Two chairs and a small center table sat at the base of the bed. On the wall to her right stood a tall chestnut cabinet, just below the cabinet against the wall was a small table. A large brown heavy set door stood at the very end of the wall. On her left, in the corner, was a small desk that held quills and ink, along with envelopes and pieces of paper. Above the desk, was a mirrored door with gold designs on the door which she assumed housed a series of books. Below the desk were a chest and a white glass double door that lead out onto something. The four windows and the double door were decorated with white curtains, matching the sheets, allowing the light to stream as it willed into the room. The only other thing in the room that gave out light was a small lamp on the chest and the fireplace. The fire place and small rocking chair were on the far end of the room directly opposite the bed. She sat up, groaning from the way her head spun. She looked down at what she wore; she was dressed in a white nightgown and nothing more. She looked around the room for the jeans and t-shirt she had been wearing before. Not finding them, she threw her feet off the bed only to have it collide with something at the end of the bed. Mumbling curses under her breath, she looked over the side of the bed to find a bed stool at the foot.7

Making sure she didn’t hit her foot again, she slipped off of the bed, jumping when her foot hit the cold marble flooring. She ignored it and walked towards the glass door, eager to find out where she was. She pulled on the door and walked out onto the patio. The sun’s rays fell from the sky and bathed her. Shielding her eyes, she stared back over her shoulder and waited for her wings. The process of them leaving her was becoming easier but she still found it strange that they came out only in the sun while everyone else’s came out at their own will. She walked to the balustrade and breathed in sharply when she caught sight of the city below her. 8

Every wall in the city was painted white and from above where she stood, the walls glistened brightly, almost blinding her. She counted four levels making the one she was on the fifth. On the level below, the courtyard and streets were swamped by men of all sizes and shapes. More filtered from the other levels up into the courtyard falling into line by the time they came to a halt out on the courtyard. She leaned against the balustrade, watching intently. The alarms she had heard earlier had ceased now and were replaced by a low drum roll that came from somewhere within the fleet of men. She eyed the other levels quickly, realizing that they were all empty. Not another life form moved on them. She glanced back at the courtyard. There were all males down there, there was no doubting it. She wondered if the city only compiled of males. The answered came when there was a knock on the glass behind her. She looked back to find a young girl probably around her age or a year or two younger standing in the door, dressed in a brown loosely fitting dress. 9

“Mistress Nyela, your father has requested your presence in the courtyard.” She said quietly before turning to go back into the room. Nyela raised a brow and look back down into the courtyard. The young girl stuck her head back out, “Excuse, milady, you must dress now.”
Nyela nodded and started for the door, when her eyes rested upon the dress laid upon her now made up bed, she stopped halfway eyes agape. Rubbing her eyes in disbelief, she looked at the cluster of material. She looked at the girl, “Whose dress is that?”
“Yours, milady.” She replied standing by the foot of the bed. Nyela shook her head violently, eyes dancing about the room. The girl’s presence was making her nauseous.
“Drop the formalities, my name is Nyela. I would like to be called that. My clothes, the ones I wore here, where are they?”
“They took them away to be laundered, they will return after-,”
“I want them now.” Nyela breathed, just looking at the dress made her stomach turn. The girl looked at her in disbelief, mouth hanging open, “But milady-,”10

Nyela looked up and glared at the girl. She hushed and bowed her head before walking hurriedly out the door. She returned a few minutes later, with the clothes in her hand. Her blue jeans and a fresh white blouse to replace the one she had before. She handed them to Nyela before slipping back out the door.
Nyela shook her head and stripped of the nightgown. She breathed out heavily, glad to find that her bra was still on her. She struggled to pull up the jeans before unfolding the blouse that they had given to her. It was a small white blouse similar to the one that the female humans wore when they were out riding. To her surprise it had velcro flaps on the back, which allowed her wings to fit through without struggle. Nyela wondered where they had gotten it from. Shrugging, she slipped it on and buttoned it up before glancing down at her bare feet. She walked across the room to the brown door. Pulling it open, she stopped short when two figures dressed in iron armour barred the entrance.
“Ummm, excuse me?” As if on cue they stepped aside and allowed her way to pass. The young girl was standing in the corridor glancing out the window. She looked back when she heard the clanging of the armour. She smiled, “Come or you shall be late.”
Nyela raised a brow and looked down at her own feet, “Where are my shoes?”11

The girl laughed, “No shoes, milady, we welcome you back today. Shoes aren’t allowed.”
“Mmm,” Nyela said shoving her hands in her pocket before following the girl. The two men in armour followed, closely behind. They walked down the corridor, passing the broken window on the way down. Nyela raised a brow and tiptoed to look out the window. Shaking her head, she hurried along trying to catch up with the girl. Realizing that everyone seemed to know her name, she touched the girl’s shoulder.
“Chinda,” she replied reading the expression on her face. Nyela nodded in approval and slowly continued behind Chinda, marvelling at the way the corridor seemed to be forever circling. She almost fainted from relief when she saw a door appear at the end as she rounded another curve in the corridor. A confused look came across her face when she realized that the walls were bare, they carried no resource for light. It then occurred to her that the walls reflected any and every light thrown on them. The white colour and what light that streamed in through the windows, from the moon Vince had shown her, were more than enough to light any corridor. 12

With the mention of Vince’s name, she glanced behind at the two guards and wondered where they were. She had not seen either of them since she had awoken, not even in any of the faces she had scanned on the level below. She looked up when Chinda opened the door for her. A frown came across her face as she walked on through the door. Instead of leading out into the courtyard, the door lead into another corridor, this time with more options. Chinda laid a hand on her shoulder and urged her onto the corridor on her right. She then quickly disappeared down a flight of stairs, leaving Nyela behind. Nyela exhaled loudly when she descended the stairs and found Chinda opening another door and streams of sunlight trickled in. Chinda giggled and walked out onto the courtyard, holding the door ajar. The sounds of drums lessened to nothing but a soft whisper. Nyela walked out into the courtyard, sun stinging her face. There, before her, stood thousands of men. If they had wings, it was unclear to her as they were all dressed in the same outfit perfectly matching, every row perfectly aligned, never a man breaking their formation. They were wearing loosely fitting black pants, elegantly padded laced-up cotton gambeson and black short leather boots accompanied by a brown cloak fastened at the neck, hood resting against their backs. Nyela stood in the door and watched the thousands as they stood, only the upward and downward movement of their chest giving away signs of any movement. She had seen the uniform before but where she had was not registering in her mind. She took a step forward, exiting the door and standing full bloom onto the courtyard. 13

Drums stop rolling and in a one swift moment the entire courtyard knelt in respect. Their left foot bent, the right knee on the ground, hands sitting atop their left knee with part of the cloak covering their feet and heads hung low. Chinda waved at her, walking ahead in quickened footsteps telling her to hurry. Burying her hands deeper into her pockets, she walked as quickly as she saw it fit. She led her unto a wooden platform where Drake stood, dressed in the same uniform as the others. That’s where she had seen it, on Drake and Vince. She continued searching the platform, only to find the drummer she had heard from the patio and a tall muscular man that towered over by at least two feet. He stood to the front of the platform. Glancing back at her and frowning, he turned back to the court waving his right hand from one side of his body to the other. Those in the court yard stood, not hearing more than a shuffle more in their rising. 14

“As you know,” started the man to the front, “a few months ago, during their surprise attack the humans took from us someone of value. I sent out this division best and they succeeded in their mission. I stand here before you a proud person, my pride to be shared between all of us just not myself. Due to the skill and expertise of your captain and his partner, I’ve had that someone of value returned to us in one piece free from harm. Protectors of Renthu I give to you, my daughter and heiress to your throne, Nyela Aduilen.”
A soft drum roll started to beat but those around kept quiet. The man turned to her and waved his hand, repeating the action from before. The drum roll quickened before coming to an abrupt end. The man turned back to the court, “Yet one in every five hundred of you wish to test the power of its ruler, two left and only one has returned to stand in front you today, the other fleeing from justice. Where one of you are flawed, all of you are flawed, if one of you shall see it fit to defy one rule then you all must be punished. And today one has defied one simple rule,”
This set murmurs through the ranks, the first notable movement amongst them all. 15

“Silence,” he called voice echoing off the walls, ringing into their ears. They fell silent returning to their post as living deads. He continued, “Many already know of whom I speak, most do not. I will quench your curiosities on this early morning. The one to whom I refer has already escaped from these walls, in an effort to avoid death. But one cannot hide from death nor run from it and Vince Marquin will pay his dues and suffer a slow death.”
Nyela’s head shot up and she raised a brow. She looked across at Drake. His head was bent low and he had his eyes shut. The rest of the babble that fell from the man’s mouth went unheard by her as she walked over to Drake. Nudging him in the side, “Where is Vince?”
“He left.” Drake answered simply not looking at her.
“What do you mean he left?”
Drake glared at her, “Would you wait until after your father’s finished.”
Nyela scoffed and rolled her eyes, looking over the man in front of them, she shook her head slowly.
“-he will be hunted down and he will be killed-,”
Nyela wanted to know why Vince had left and why they were so insistent about killing him. She couldn’t stand to hear all of that talk when she didn’t know what was going on. Stepping away from Drake, she opened her wings and flew up ignoring the cries of those below urging her to come back. She flew over the balcony she had occupied earlier that morning and landed atop the roof. It being her first time flying and landing on her own, she stumbled when she came into contact with the roof, hurting her foot in the process. Sighing she sat down curling her unhurt foot under her while she held the other in her hand. 16

“You should be more careful.” A voice said from the far end of the roof. Nyela looked up to find a uniformed figured standing not too far in front of her. He wore the same uniform as those below but he hid behind the hood of his black cloak. She wondered if she would ever get a chance at normalcy and be allowed little if any privacy.
“Shouldn’t you be down there with the others?” she asked in hopes of ridding herself of him. He laughed, “I could if I belonged to the 1st division, but I don’t so I shouldn’t be.”
Nyela rolled her eyes and wondered why of all the people that surrounded her, she always had to around smart mouths.
A rhythmic beating and loud cheers reached her ears. She assumed that the festivities had begun and the planning of Vince’s death was over. She looked up, curious as to why this cloaked ‘mastermind’ was even in her presence. He had no calling in anything that took place down below yet he was there. She had not seen any other being except those who had had some calling in the tribute. He had none.
“Who are you?” she asked quietly.
“It won’t help you if you knew me.” came the response. Nyela shrugged and lifted her knees to her chest wrapping her arms about them. She sat in silence, listening to the drum beats below. She stared out beyond the city at the snow covered mountains.
He left. The words repeating in her head continuously. What had he done that would make him leave in such a hurry? Without letting her know he was going, now they wanted to kill him. She knew life was unfair but could it be this cruel? He had only ‘rescued’ her from the realm of the humans two days ago.
The sound of feet against stone behind her made her turn in surprise. She found Drake, two uniformed guards and the one they called her father standing behind her, wings folded around all of them. 17

‘Well at least now I know they have wings,’ Nyela thought referring to the two guards that she had seen in the line-up below. She stared across to where she had stumbled upon the one in the black cloak. He was gone.
‘Typical’ she thought rolling her eyes. She returned her gaze to the mountain, convinced they were coming to ruin what was left of her good mood.18

“Nyela?” she heard Drake call. She inhaled sharply before rising to her feet and turning to face them. She looked up at him but said nothing. She glanced from Drake across to her father. It was like looking in mirror. She remembered clearly what she had looked like and now that she looked at him straight in the face, she saw herself. From her brown eyes back down to her facial expression, she was the splitting replica of him. He walked towards her slowly, eyes dancing about her as he grew closer.
“That’s close enough,” Nyela said coldly. As much as she wanted to have this family that was creating itself around her. She couldn’t accept it, at least not yet; she needed to make sure that this was really happening and not some wicked dream that they were putting her through as some test. And the only way she could make sure of that was to take it at her own pace. She wanted to run to him, wanted to hold him in her arms but she forced herself not to. She looked up into the sky, closing her eyes, trying to not let her tears fall. He stopped and looked at her, head cocked to a side, questioning. This wasn’t easy for her. She realized that when the tears came down against her will. Turning and walking away from them, she leaned against the parapet on the roof.
“What did he do?” she asked when she had regained herself. She wiped her face dry before turning back to them, “What did Vince do?” 19

Her question had been directed at Drake but it was her father who answered, “I warned him to stay away from you and he didn’t-,”
“You’re going to kill a man for not staying away from me…utter bullshit.” She scoffed holding her head in her hand and rubbing it vigorously.
"Watch your tongue young lady, I am after all still your father."
“Your father believes that Vince had something to do with whatever happened back out on the plains. He gave Vince a warning until the investigation was over but he-,” Drake started.
“You opened an investigation? When you could have just waited until I woke up.” Nyela asked eyebrows raised.
“We weren’t sure if you were going to wake up,” Drake started to say hesitantly. Nyela glared at him, “I’m beginning to wonder if there’s more to this than you’re letting in on.”
“What do you mean?” Her father asked before Drake had a chance to say anything.