Happiness and Giggles

"I do not see why I have to go," Luxa grumbled as Solovet lifted her up and sat her on the back of Ajax. "At all. It's not fair. Henry and Nerissa are going to go to the Waterway to swim. Why-"

"They are not going to be Queen, Luxa," Solovet said simply as she got on her bond as well. Then, more as an afterthought, she said, "At least for your sake, I hope not."

Frowning, the seven year old crossed her arms. "I do not want to go to the fliers' land. There is nothing fun to do there. I-"

"We are not going for fun, Luxa. Queen Athena wishes to speak with me on a few things. You are going to come into power sooner than you think. Fun is not something that you will be having much of. Believe me."

"We never get to have fun now. Shouldn't I be having fun now if I can't have any later? I-"

"If the child is going to whine the whole way, please, Solovet, can we leave her behind? Or at least gag her? I will not tell if you do not."

Luxa scowled then. "You be quiet, Ajax, else when I am queen, I-"

"Enough, Luxa," Solovet sighed as her bond began to move. Luxa was sitting in front of her, which made it easy for Solovet to squeeze the back of her neck with her hand. "Else I'll have Ajax drop you into that Waterway you wish to visit so much. Rid you of my life forever. How would you like that?"

"Death sounds better than going to the stupid fliers' land."

"Bratty little princess, this one is," Ajax remarked as he rose from the High Halls. "Our princess knows her place."

"Yes, well, Luxa did not have the best upbringing. Her father and mother did not let me hit her near enough."

"You could always make up for it now."

"No one even likes you, Ajax," Luxa remarked then. "Only Solovet. And no one likes you either, Solovet."

She got another neck squeeze. "If you disappeared on this trip, Luxa, believe me, Vikus would hate me for years. But I could stand that hatred if it meant getting you to be quiet. Believe me."

So she sulked the entire way. Solovet and Ajax soon forgot her though, as they usually did when she traveled with them. Ajax was such a boring flier. He did not tell jokes or do flips or even tell interesting stories. He was much like Solovet. Just talked about war and death and famine (of the gnawers of course). Vikus told Luxa once that he thought Solovet loved Ajax more than she did her own children.

It would not shock her, really. Ajax was just as boring as she was, after all.

When they got there, Ajax dropped them off right in front of Queen Athena, who had her daughter with her. Luxa had seen her before, both of them, but was most interested in Nike. She was just a baby at that point and made all these cute little noises, usually staying snuggled up to her mother for warmth. It was very cute and reminded Luxa of her little lamb that she had kept for a pet once.

"Greetings," the silver flier purred out upon their arrival. "It is always a pleasure to see you, Solovet. Or at least most of the time."

Solovet had that really silly laugh then that even Luxa knew was fake, and she was only seven and a half (she always made sure to include the half, because it was pretty important. To her at least. No one else ever seemed to think so.).

"It is always good to see you as well."

"And I see you have come with the Princess." Queen Athena was perched above them, on an alcove, so Luxa had to look up to see her. Really, she just wanted to play with her baby. Nike. She was so cute. "Hello, Luxa."

Luxa only stared at her back. "If I told you all the horrid things Ajax does to me, will you punish him?"

"Luxa!" Solovet looked down at her with her punishment face on. Luxa only glowered back at her. She was the one that insisted she come. Luxa tried to tell her that she did not wish to go, that she just wanted to go play in the Waterway.

Solovet sent her away then, telling her to go stand off in a corner then, as if she had not been the one to force her to come. Queen Athena only laughed though and told Luxa that she would see what she could do. After all, queens had to stick together, she said. Luxa only glared at Solovet before heading off.

She stayed with in sight of Solovet for awhile, though this was mainly because that was the only area that had light for the most part. The fliers used something called echo…echo… They used something that Luxa didn't completely understand to see, so they didn't need a lot of light. That was one reason she didn't like to be in their land. You never knew what was lurking in the darkness.

Still, curiosity got the better of the little girl the longer her grandmother and the Queen talked. It was taking forever. She was hoping that they would be done early enough that she could go join Henry and Nerissa at the Waterway, but it was seeming less and less likely.

So she began to walk further and further away from her grandmother. And yes, part of it was as punishment. See how Solovet liked it, having to go hunt her out in the fliers' land that she loved so much.

Ajax had dropped them on a cliff, but it had a small path that trailed downward. Luxa began to follow it, holding her arms out as if she were balancing on it. She could hear fliers about, zooming around and talking in their hushed little language. Luxa liked fliers for the most part. Her mother and father's bonds had been very kind to her. And Vikus' bond was nice too.

It was just Ajax that was a horrible person and deserved to be put to death.

The thought made Luxa smile slightly, though it was a small one. It had only been five months since her parents' death and in that time the little girl hadn't so much as giggled. How could she? Her entire world was once again destroyed. And why? Because Solovet had wronged some gnawer who in turn killed Luxa's parents?

Suddenly, in the darkness, Luxa ran into something furry. The thing had moved in surprise, nearly knocking Luxa off her feet. Her first thought was to run, that the nasty gnawers had gotten her and she was a goner. Then, in the dim lighting that was proved from the cliff that Solovet was on, she was able to make out the shape of a flier.

"I am sorry," Luxa said on command. Vikus was very serious about that sort of thing, apologizing when you were wrong. Of course, Luxa was wrong in her own mind so rarely that she didn't have to do it very often. Still, she had been the one to run into the flier, which made it her fault.

"I am sorry as well. I am in your way." The flier was a tiny one, a little older than the Princess, still snuggled up to her mother back with Solovet. Still just as cute though. As much as Luxa fought it, she was still just a little girl at heart. Cute, furry animals made her happy.

"I am Luxa." She righted herself before squinting at the tiny flier. She only ruffled her wings in response.

"I am called Aurora," she responded. "Why are you here?"

"My grandmother forced me to be," Luxa grumbled before taking a few steps forward. She could barely make out the flier's coloring, but it looked golden, if not almost red. "Do you know Ajax? Do you like him?"

"I do not know who-"

"I hate him." There, Luxa said it…for the millionth time in her short life. "And my grandmother. I hate them both."

"Who is your grandmother?"

"General Solovet," Luxa said then, taking a different tone. "Head of the stupid army that could not even keep their own King and Queen alive."

Aurora righted almost immediately, wiggling her wings again. Then, addressing the girl again, she said, "I am truly sorry now. I did not…I should not have been in your way, Princess."

"Do not call me that," Luxa said with a frown. "I do not like it."

"I am sorry twice as much."

"Call me…Queen."

"O-Oh." Aurora giggled slightly. "Okay."

The noise brought Luxa's smile back. Reaching over, she moved to stroke behind Aurora's ears, more to feel their softness than to bring the flier pleasure. She accomplished both, however.

Aurora wiggled again. "That tickles. Do it again."

Doing so, Luxa said, "Why are you sitting here? Why are you not flying? Is it not what you do all day?"

"No. My wings tire," Aurora told her through giggles as Luxa continued to pet her. "I was resting."

"Do you not have a home to rest in?" Luxa wasn't too versed in the world of fliers and was more curious than anything else. Most of the fliers she knew lived in Regalia and were bonded to humans. What else was their purpose if not that?

"I do," Aurora assured her as she gave her one final pat. "But it is not much fun any longer. I would rather be here, where everyone is."

"What difference would it make? If you are sleeping or resting?"

Aurora wiggled again, something she seemed to do a lot of. Luxa only stared at her.

"There are fliers here. Talking fliers. When we sleep, we do so in the caves and must be very quiet. And the older fliers are very territorial. They do not wish for you to hang in their spot. They-"

"Do you not have parents to make sure you have a spot?" Luxa asked, now less curious and more worried. She liked Aurora, as much as you could like someone you only knew for a few minutes, and did not wish to hear that her parents were mean to her.

Aurora wiggled, but that time turned her eyes downcast. "My mother…my mother caught a fever. She is no more."

Luxa frowned before getting onto her knees next to the little bat and patting her head, more soothing then than before.

"Gnawers killed my mother," Luxa told her then, softly. "But no one would try to take my palace from me. Except for gnawers, but my grandmother is working to get rid of all those."

Aurora lifted her eyes again. Then, solemnly, she said, "I am sorry about your parents."

"I am sorry about your mother."

Suddenly, Aurora nuzzled Luxa's face, making a soft noise. Luxa giggled in response, as it tickled and warmed her all at the same time.

Then she frowned.

How dare she laugh? How dare she feel happy? Judith and her father were dead. Their light was gone. And there she was, feeling…happy? What would they think of her?

Then Aurora had to go and nuzzle her some more, making her full-blown laugh then.

"You smell of human," Aurora told her softly then. "And…some sort of…what have you eaten?"

"Nothing good. Only shrimp." Luxa made a noise. "And vegetables. Solovet insisted." Then, as not to be impolite, she asked, "What did you eat last?"

"Fish. Always fish." Aurora nuzzled her some more, though then it was to smell her some more. "You smell of fire too."

"Of course. There are many torches and such in the palace, all around Regalia. The Fount too. Have you never been?"

"To Regalia? Oh, no. My mother is no one…was not of importance. I have never left our lands."

"Would you like to?"

"Well, I do not…"

"Can you do flips?"

"I am not certain," Aurora said slowly. When Luxa's grin fall some, she quickly said, "But I am sure I can learn."

"Do you think…do you think you could do other tricks? Like I could flip off your back? Things like that?"

"It sounds fun," Aurora assured her. "And if I cannot then I will work at it until I can."

Luxa stroked behind her ear again, but did not get the same response. Instead, Aurora was tense, as if straining to hear something.

"What is it?" Luxa asked slowly before frowning. "G-Gnawers?"

"No. Another human. A woman. She is calling for-"

"Oh no." Disobeying Solovet in theory was good, but when put into action, Luxa almost always hated it. Getting to her feet, Luxa began to turn. When Aurora did not follow, she sent her a look. "Come on."

"Come on?"

"You are coming with me."

"Where?"

"To the palace, of course." Luxa rolled her eyes. "You are going to do flips and we are going to learn tricks. And you can eat more than silly fish."

"I-"

"I do not like being alone," Luxa admitted then, almost surprising herself that the words found their way out of her brain and through her mouth.

"Neither do I," Aurora admitted then.

"Then we can be not alone together," Luxa told her then. "At the palace. You do not have to fight for a spot there. You can sleep where ever you like."

"I-I can?"

Luxa nodded. Then she paused. "If you'd like. Do you…do you want to come home with me?"

Aurora nodded quickly, knowing that a chance such as that would never present itself again. The palace? With the Prin…the Queen? That was almost unbelievable. And all because she had fallen asleep instead of practicing her flying?

"Yes," the flier whispered. Her throat was beginning to tire. It was customary for baby fliers to learn both their native tongue and the human language, but they rarely spoke the latter much. She knew though that she would have to get used to it, if she truly was going to Regalia. "Yes. I will learn all the tricks you ask of me."

"Good." Luxa turned to walk then and Aurora took to the air above her. "I am a fast learner, after all."

"Of course."

"I am a fast everything."

"Of course."

Luxa held her head up higher. Good. Aurora was the type to agree with everything she said. She needed more of those around. Solovet was really ruining that recently.

"And I will have a bond before Henry or Nerissa." Luxa was down right giddy at the thought of that. "Henry shall be so jealous."

Bond? Aurora's tiny wings fluttered. Being friends with the Queen was good enough, but to be bonded to her? That was more than a dream, that was pure fantasy for some. And she was living it. She. Not even a full grown flier.

When they got back to Solovet, she was livid. She was ready to yell at Luxa right there in front of Queen Athena and Princess Nike, who seemed to rather be tired of all the firelight. Instead, Luxa spoke first as Aurora landed next to her.

"This is my friend Aurora. She is going to come stay with me in the palace and you cannot do anything about it. We are going to learn to do tricks and she will be able to do flips, unlike stupid Ajax." Luxa stuck her tongue out then, facing up at the air above her then. She wasn't too certain where Ajax was, but she wanted him to see that. Then, while Solovet's glare turned into a look of shock, Luxa added, "Oh, and we are to be bonded. I would like a cake after the bonding ceremony as well. A cake of which you can have none."

That was a lot to process and it took a moment for Solovet to replay it all in her head. She had not even gotten to the cake slight at the end before she had formed a reply to Luxa. It was rather simple.

"No."

It was also not what Luxa was expecting.

"Wh-"

"We are going home. And you are going to apologize to Queen Athena before being such a-"

"You do not tell me no." Luxa looked to Aurora then, who was slowly backing away, into the shadows. "Aurora is my friend and I-"

"Luxa," Solovet finally sighed before closing her eyes. Judith had taken must patience in raising, so it never surprised Solovet that Luxa was much of the same. It annoyed and infuriated her to no end, but it did not surprise her. Speaking in a softer tone then and being as sincere as she possibly could be in such a situation, Solovet said, "I am very happy that you have made a friend. Ecstatic even. But no, you cannot take Aurora home with you. Number one, she is not a…toy or a pet."

Luxa shrugged. "I am Queen. I can own people if I want. I can own fliers too."

Solovet grimaced at the small girl's word choice before glancing at Athena. She was listening, but did not seem displeased or offended. More amused than anything else. It was rare that she got to see any other side of Solovet than political and she was enjoying.

"Luxa," Solovet hissed then. "You cannot. Not to mention, I am certain that Aurora's parents-"

"Aurora's mother is dead. She has no one to care for her. And I only have you to care for me, which I reject. Wholeheartedly. Vikus as well. Aurora and I will care for one another. You are no longer needed."

"Luxa-"

"She has nowhere to sleep and must eat…fish for dinner every night. As if she were from the Fount or something." Luxa made a disgusted face. "Could you imagine? That alone is reason enough to bring her back home with me."

"Luxa," Solovet said slowly. "That is what all fliers eat. It is what they like."

Luxa glanced at Aurora, who looked down right petrified, not only of Solovet, but also the fact her own Queen was staring at her.

"Have you ever eaten cake?" Luxa asked the young flier, who only shook her head no. "See? Do you not understand injustice, Solovet?"

Solovet blinked. Then she had to take a few more deep breaths. She could drag Luxa out of there kicking and screaming, but it did not seem like a good tactic considering Luxa was the Queen. Athena would never respect her then.

"Luxa," she began again slowly. "If you wish to…bond, with Aurora, that is fine. Later in life-"

"No. Tonight. I want cake tonight."

Another deep breath. "Luxa, you are far too young to bond to-"

"And? You are far too old to be alive."

No more deep breaths. Solovet was literally seething then, her fits balled and her teeth clenched as she tried to restrain herself from lashing out at the young girl, if not slapping her. She was worse than Judith, far worse. Of that Solovet was certain.

Then, through gritted teeth, Solovet turned to look at Athena once more. "Can she…bond to this flier?"

Athena did not respond immediately. Luxa wasn't sure what she was doing, but Solovet could tell that she was speaking to the tiny flier in her own tongue. Then, after a minute or two, she spoke to Solovet.

"She says that her mother is dead and she has never met her father. She does not have a happy life here. The Princess has promised her a home and…cake if she learns tricks and can flip for her."

"Yes, well, the Princess is in for quite the talking to when she arrives home."

Athena laughed, that weird flier laugh that only made Luxa frown. Baby Nike let out a few squeaks in response to the noise.

"I do not usually allow orphaned fliers to go to the capital."

"You would have little reason to," Solovet agreed. "But Luxa really… She has only just lost her parents. And I would not ask any favor of you, but if you were to make an exception-"

"The flier may go. It is an honor to be bonded to someone of such standing."

Aurora perked up at the words, while Luxa looked indifferent. She knew she was getting her way, after all. Of course she was. She always did.

Always.

"I thank you kindly, personally and professionally."

Athena nodded at Solovet. "We do for our pups what we would not normally."

Solovet clenched her hand on the back of Luxa's neck then, as the girl was no longer on guard. "Yes. We do, do we not?"

Luxa wrenched away from her grandmother with a frown. Solovet only signaled for Ajax, who landed immediately. When Solovet moved to pick her up and set her on the flier, Luxa resisted.

"I am to fly on my own bond," she told her with a frown. "I-"

"Luxa," Solovet finally sighed and tiredness gave way through her tone and face. It had been a long day for her. A long year. "Your flier is very small. It-"

"I am not heavy."

"It is a long flight back to Regalia. One a flier her age normally is not forced to make. She is hardly more than a pup. She will tire quickly. Do you wish for her to drop from exhaustion?"

Well…Aurora had mentioned being tired before…

Glancing at her new friend, Luxa shook her head. "No."

"Then listen to me this once. Please."

Luxa felt something then for her grandmother, but it did not outweigh her suspicions. "You will not trick me? Leave her behind if I get on Ajax?"

"I promise, Luxa." Then she sighed. "I just wish to get home."

"…Fine." She looked Aurora then before nodding at her grandmother's bond. "This is Ajax. Follow him to get back to Regalia. Then we can have cake."

Aurora nodded excitedly, wiggling in response, even squeaking slightly. It made Luxa giggle again, hiding it into her palm. Solovet saw this and only sighed before resting a hand on Luxa. Instead of her neck though, it was her shoulder for once.

She had not been the only one to have a long year.

"Let us go then." Solovet looked to Queen Athena, thanking her for her time and for her compassion. The Queen only nodded, her daughter squeaking as well in response.

The flight back to Regalia was longer than usual, at least in Luxa's mind. She kept glancing behind them, making sure that Aurora was following behind. A few times, Ajax called back to the young flier to make sure she did not need a rest. He was not completely heartless, Luxa decided. Just boring.

The entire trip was worth it though, when they got home. Even though there was no cake, she got to see the look of envy on Henry's face, as well as the one of intrigue on Nerissa's. Vikus was the most excited, happily welcoming Aurora into their family. It embarrassed Luxa, the way he made over the young flier, but Aurora seemed to enjoy it, so it was not too bad.

The night was the best. Since her parents' deaths, Luxa hated it. Sleeping. She only curled up in her bed and counted the hours until morning, when there would be many people around the palace. When it would be safe. She longed to crawl into her parents' bed, but knew that she would not be protected there any longer. Just alone in an even bigger room.

That night though, Aurora slept in her room. Some of the older fliers tried to get her to sleep with them, somewhere where she would be able to hang upside down, but Aurora only wanted to be with Luxa. They curled up on her bed together, Aurora nuzzling her many times and promising to learn all sorts of tricks that Luxa herself had not even thought of while the little Princess just kept rubbing behind the flier's ears, making them both giggle.

When Solovet went to awaken Luxa the next morning, she did not smile at the sight of them snuggled up together. She did not giggle. She did not even appear happy. But somewhere inside her, somewhere deep, deep down, passed all the fake and evil and downright vindictive parts of her, she felt something. Something she had not since her son had run off and no doubt gotten killed. And certainly not something she expected to feel after her oldest daughter was killed by…by…gnawers a few months back.

Solovet felt good. She felt good for herself and for Luxa.

Then she snapped out of it and awoke the girl and the flier, quickly going over all the things that they had to do that day. Aurora was not prepared for most of the things and kept quiet. Luxa just waited for her boring, old grandmother to finish before asking one question.

"Will there be cake today?" She stared up at her with hopeful eyes while Aurora only wiggled at the thought of trying the dessert Luxa had assured her over and over would be the best thing she ever tasted.

"Of course," Solovet said in her gruff, all business voice. "After all, it is customary after a bonding of such an important person."

That time, when Luxa giggled, she didn't feel so bad. In fact, she didn't feel bad at all.

Fun fact about Aurora. All the other fliers are named from Greek mythology right down to the random ones that are mentioned, but Aurora is actually the Roman Goddess of dawn. Her closest equivalent for the Greeks would have been Eos. Have no idea why Collins would do that, but kind of glad she did. Aurora sounds much prettier than Eos.