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The war
Dark clouds floated overhead, covering the blood red ringed moon. A slight brezze traveled through the night. Trees, bushes, and other such plants rustled in the restless night. Millions and millions of men charged at Angels fathers castle. It was the night. The night where blood lust men fought. She turned away from the screen in her window. She was 15 years old. She ran away. She had to run. To hide. She didn't want to stay.
She tore off her high heels. Running and running. A prince flew overhead. Falcon. She was a hawk. The prince saw the madien running. "Fair lady, why are you running?" The prince asked. Angel looked up. "Leave me alone." He flew closer to her then landing turning human. "I said leave me alone." Angel growled. He looked at her. "Well aren't we mad today?" He asked her. "My familys at war. What do you expect?!" She asked him. "Ah I see.." The prince said. "My country is now at peace." She turned away. Angel wanted nothing to do with this man. "Go away." She growled. "So the Jaden Madien is mad. This doesn't mean she could take it out on me." The prince turned away. His white hair followed along with the brezze. Angel walked away. The prince followed her. "Wait Madien..I am sorry.." He said. She turned to him and sat down. He sat down also. Angel looked into his weary grey eyes. Angel looked away. "Why is it that your kingdom is at peace?" She asked. He sighed. "The falcon kingdom is very feared. By our fighting skills and spell casting spells." The prince said. "I am heir to the thorne and thought I would take a break.." Angel looked at him. "My name is Angel, I come from the hawk kingdom." She said. "Chance, falcon kingdom." Chance got up. "Do you want to come with me?" He asked. She nodded. "I don't know how to fly.." Angel admitted. "I see..I will teach you." Chance spearded his wings and leaned back. He jumped and flew into the air. Angel did step one. Step two was pretty hard. She jumped into the air and flew. "Your doing great!" Chance yelled. They moved on and on. "Its getting dark I know where we can rest.." Chance followed her. They came to a land where tall grass grew. Trees with apples and flowers. "This is the peaceful part of my kingdom.." Angel said. She landed and sparined her ankle. She hosted herself on the tree trunk and limped over to Chance. Chance landed gracefully and turned human. They both sat down. "Man..that hurt.." She said. He looked at her.
Angel limped over to him. She leaned against him. "Chance...how can your kingdom be so peaceful?"
Chance held the hawk-girl in his arms, supporting her sprained ankle. "Our Empire is known for its stength. There aren't many who dare to challenge us." His jocular expression changed to one of solemness. "Though the lions seem to think they are stronger than us. I fear they may challenge us in the near future. After so many years of peace, I am not quite sure how I would deal with war..."
"Though..you seem so peaceful.." She said. She finally noticed she wasn't wearing a shirt and highly blushed. "One question. Do all princes go around and not wear shirts?" She asked as she surppoted herself against the tree. "Everyone...well....is at war and I can hear their war crys right now. We have to get out of here..." Angel looked into his eyes. Gray wings spourted on her back. Guards came looking for her. "What are you doing here princess!?" One of the guards asked her. She growled and killed them.
Chance's eyes widended at the sudden bloodshed. Peregrine wings quickly grew from his back, poised for slight. "Okay, 'm ready to get out of here!" He yelled, waiting to make sure Angel could fly properly with her injury.
"I'm sorry!" She said quickly. She got up and supported herself on Chance. She jumped and flew.
Feathers covered Chance's body as he shifter into full falcon form and flew beside Angel, keeping an eye on her to better assure her safety. "Those people..." His voice trailed off as the slaughter entered his mind once more. "Were they your enemies...?"
"They were my fathers guards. They would have taken me away..." She said. "I'm sorry about the blood though.." She flew lower. She didn't want to look at the prince or make eye contact.
"That's alright..." He said in an attempt to be comforting, though he did not feel that killing was okay. We're from different worlds, he reminded himself. He flew a little lower, keeping his eye on Angel. "Where are we going, Angel Eyes?"
"No..its not.." She lowered her eyes to the war below. Killing is not ok...I don't care if I have to do it...its not ok.. She looked up at him. "I don't know...somewhere esle but here.."
A wave of nausea fell over the falcon as he scanned the war area. He stopped in mid-flight, momentarily unable to control himself. He shook himself and focused in the hawk, avioding the bloodshed below. "The tigers are accepting of everyone." He suggested. "We could go to their land."
"Yes..that is a good idea.." She was inlocked with her thoughts. How can I get home? Where can I go when my father hates me? She didn't want to share the thoughts with him. The hawk flew lower.
He flew beside her."In that case, take my lead." the sincere smile audible in his voice, though impossible to show in his falcon features.
She didn't smile back. She flew behind him. Taking in the flowers and the scents. The sounds.
He continued to fly as hours passed, not wanting to intrude in the hawk's personal thoughts. He caught sight of a young man. The man's golden eyes gave his race away, as only tigers had such vibrant yellow eyes. "We've arrived," He informed the hawk as he landed close to the man in human form.
She landed. Taking the support from a tree. She turned back into human. Her blue eyes laid on the tiger. She didn't want to say anything.
Chance offered his arm to the hawk, locking his crimson eyes on her blue. "I'll support you, Angel Eyes." He said, a warm smile ligering on his lips.
She took it. She looked at the tiger. Who is he? How come the tigers are giving land to other kingdoms or creatures? She pondered the questions.
The tiger smiled at the two birds, revealing cat-like fangs. "Hello, Chance." He greeted in a friendly manner. His golden eyes rested on the hawk. "And who is the lovely lady lady you bring with you, falcon?"
"Hey, Calisto." Chance replied. He looked to Angel, coosing his words carefully. "A hawk I've only recently met."
She glared at the tiger. A tiger killed her own brother. She didn't want anything to do with this tiger.
The tiger caught, despite the hawk's glare. "A hawk and a falcon, huh? Looks more like a pair of lovebirds."
Chance noticed Angel's low level of comfort. "I think we're going to go explore the market..." Chance said, gingerly taking a few steps forward to avoid Angel's injury. "See ya, Calisto."
The tiger smiled and waved goodbye.
She started to limp toward Chance. "I don't Tigers. No matter how nice they are.." She said a low voice.
I wonder if all hawks are this jaded... The falcon thought to himself as he waited for his hawk friend to catch up. "Should we go elsewhere?" He suggested in a gentlemen-like manner. "I'd hate for you to be uncomfortable..."
"No..No..I am fine..its just a mood I will get over it" She said.
A warm smile crossed his features. "Okay than." Pink stained his cheeks as a growl emmited from his stomach. Oh yeah, that was gentleman like... He mentally scolded himself. as he apologized. "Sorry about that. We've been flying for so long, I forgot about eating. I come here frequently, so I know my way around." He grinned. "What would my fair lady like to eat?"
She picked an apple and took a bite of it. "I don't like eating meat...it makes me feel so weird." She said. She fell down. Her ankle throbbing.
Chance knelt down beside her, masking the panic he felt with a serene calm. "Are you alright?" He inquired. "I've studies healing magic just a bit, but I'm confident that I can heal your ankle. Of course, I need your consent first."
"I'm fine.." She said and got back up. She limped toward the town.
"If you insist..." He said, hurt in his eyes as he watched the hawk limp in pain. He strolled beside her. "I just hate to see you in pain, that's all. It would make me happy to see you at your best."
She looked over at him. "Chance..I am fine.." She limped further. She didn't trust him just yet.
He nodded in understanding. I can't expect a woman raised in war to trust me so easily... A young boy who shared Chance's crimson colored eyes ran up to the pair as they entered the town. "Brother!" He called, wearing his peregrine falcon wings. He wrapped his around Chance's waist, about as far he he could reach.
Chance looked at the boy in shock. "Risiko, you should be at the palace! Why are you wearing your wings? Do you want to get killed?" Chance asked frantically.
The young boy ignored his brother and gazed into Angel's eyes. "Brother's new friend is pretty!" He said enthusiastically.
Angel looked at the little boy. Tear swelled up in her eyes and she turned away running back to the tree. I will advenge your death my brother. She thought. She sat down. Her wings kept her warm and hid her face.
The young boy looked up at Chance, his eyes brimming with tears. "Did I make the pretty lady cry...?" He asked.
A sigh escaped Chance's lungs as he noticed an apalamando falcon flying overhead. One of the palace gaurd... Risiko should be safe here. He ruffled te soft white hair on his brother's head before rushing over to Angel, casting on illusion spell so they'd appear as tigers to the gaurd until he was sure they were safe.
The spell lifted as Chance sighed with relief. "Angel..." He said softly, his voice trailing off. "I don't want to intrude in your thoughts, but what's causing your pain...?"
"My brother was the same age as him when he died. He never did anything wrong. It was the war. Blood everywhere.." She looked down. "I don't want to cause any one esle pain..good bye Chance." She stood up and flew off.
An emotional dagger pierced Chance's heart as her watched Angel fly off, images of her life being taken by war flashing through his mind. He quickly changed form and flew after her with the speed of a natural falcon. "It would cause me more pain if you left me!" Chance called out to her, quickly catching up. "If you don't want to cause me pain, than don't leave my side..." He said, slightly under his breath.
She stoped. She flapped her wings to stay in the air. The sun came up behind her making her look like an angel. "Why?" She asked him. "Why do you care? I am a war risen child. I kill and see blood." She turned away.
"Because I-" Love you! Chance halted in his words, the logical side of him argueing that it was impossible to fall in love in such a short period of time, his emotional side argueing otherwise. "I feel good when I'm with you... I want to protect you..." You're precious to me...
She turned to him. "You what? Huh? I am Jaded just like my family." She said. Angel looked back at him once last time. Her body shook of fear. Her blue eyes showed it. Her black hair flowed with the brezze.
"Jaded or not, I want to protect you." His cheerful nature disappeared as his crimson eyes beheld the longing he felt. "It doesn't matter to me whether or not you were raised in war, I want to to experience what peace can be like... What love can be like..."
"Love? I have loved once in my life. He broke my heart. I swore to never love again." She said coldly. Her eyes narrowed.
"Not every man will break your heart..." Chance stated. "What reason would any man have to do such a thing?"
"Money. Power." She said plainly.
Chance thought his next words over carefully. "What would I want with those
things? I'm the heir to my own throne." He stated. "I don't care if you're a princess or a peasent; I see you simply for Angel. I love you, not your throne."
"Your only saying that cause you feel sorry for me." She said. Her brother flashed in her mind. White hair. Normally a Falcon. "My..my brother was a falcon..." She said.
"I do not lie." Chance said sternly. "And I don't pity anyone, either. It's dishonorable as a royal falcon." Chance thought about Angel's later words. "How is that you are a hawk while your brother is a falcon...?"
"We saw laying in our land. He was skinny and we took him in. He never knew.." She said. She flew down and turned human. She limped over to a tree and leaned on it. Maybe I do feel love..
Chance followed suit, landing in human form with grace. Is that where Helios could have gone...? Chance's memories of his older brother were faint. "He sounds like someone I know..." Chance confided. "You say was... Is he deceased?"
"I don't know." She said. The hawk turned away.
"There was someone in line for the throne before me..." Chance admitted
softly. "My brother, Helios... I was six years old when he disappeared. My parents bound his magic... They told he thought little of our laws, that he wanted to change them. He wanted to aid in the Hawk's battle..."
She lowered her eyes. "Enough!" Said a deep voice from behind.
Chance whirled around, taking notice of where the deep voice had come from.
"You don't have to sadden her more." He said. Angel looked over Chance's sholder. "What do you want?" Angel snapped. The hawk made his way toward her. "You." He whispered in her ear. She took a step forward. "I said leave me alone..Jake.."
Slight annoyance rose within Chance, quickly replace with falcon calm. "How do you know I sadden her, sir hawk?" He seethed, remaining polite though aggitation shone in his crimson eyes. "Why not allow the lady to decide that for herself?"
She quickly limped over to Chance. Jake looked at her. "So I see..my princess won't come to me." He said. Angel looked at him. She closed her eyes. "Why Jake? I am not your princess..I do not love anyone."
"She has her own will." Chance stated, locking his gaze on the male hawk before him. "She is not anyone's property. What business do you have here?"
The hawk flew away. She looked at him. "Thank you.." She said. I...love him.. Her body started to shake. Her teeth clenched. She fell on one knee. Her eyes glared.
He knelt beside her. Had she been a falcon, he'd have wrapped his arms around her. He refrained from doing so, unaware of how hawks react to physical contact. "Angel... How can I help you?" He asked, frantic concern leaking into his usually calm voice.
"I'm in love with you." She shouted. She couldn't stop shaking.
Chance tentativly put an arm around her, attempting to soothe her shaking. "I love you as well..." He said calmly. "How can I stop your shaking?"
"I don't know." She said. She stoped. She sighed. Angel looked into his eyes.
He held her gaze for a moment, lost in the deep blue depth of her eyes. Instinctively he wraped his arms around her waist, then immediatly let go, not wanting to make any contact that may unnerve her. "I'm sorry..." He said softly. "I'm unfamiliar with how much hawks enjoy physical contact. It's common among falcons..."
"Well maybe I'm a falcon cause I like it.." She said and turned around. She kissed him.
He melted against her touch as he wrapped his arms around her and cuddled with her.
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