Chapter Two:
Years and years go by, my father gets more and more reserved and strict.
When he got drunk, after mother died, he would scream at me and say it's my fault.
Those are the nights I would stay in my room.
No matter how many times I tried to remember how mother died, I just would draw up a blank.
Then I grew my wings.
I was 16, I think.
My father was horrified, thought I was a freak.
He locked me up in my room, kept me from the public.
During the time I was away, everyone grew further and further away from the other gods, and closer to Mianite.
He saved our town, I thank him for that, but he twisted everyone's views, made them think Dianite and Ianite were bad people.
Cowards.
But I couldn't believe him.
Father, King Helgrind, is a believer in Mianite, the god of the overworld.
But I am a believer of Ianite, the goddess of balance.
Now I am god knows how old, maybe in my twenties?
I never celebrated any kind of birthday, because mother never told me when my birthday was.
It was a normal day, I guess you could say that.
I was flying through the skies, touching the clouds and looking over the approaching taint in the area.
It felt so good to stretch out my wings.
I looked up ahead and saw a storm gathering.
But just in one place.
Lightning struck the ground and the sky groaned.
I landed a little way from the storm, staring up into the swirling black clouds.
They were literally swirling.
I was surprised and I thought for a moment, maybe Mianite was coming back.
And then the sky spit out four people.
I jumped up and ran towards the storm.
The clouds dispersed quickly and it was sunny again.
"Hello! Um, are you ok?!" I called out, sprinting up to the people.
They looked unscathed, but confused.
"Who are you?" One guy, a man in red sunglasses piped up.
"I beg your pardon, I am Prince Andor. Who are you?" I asked.
"I'm CaptainSparklez, you can call me Jordan," He said, fixing his crooked glasses.
"And who are your friends, good sir?"
"I'm Jericho, this is my girlfriend, Firefox, and-"
"I'm Synhd, or Tom!" The zombie in a tuxedo said.
I laughed and looked at him, "You are strange. I've never met a zombie who could actually speak with me!"
Before anyone could respond, I heard someone calling my name.
"Stay here, I don't want you all to get in trouble!" I said, running up the hill.
My father was on horseback, in gold armor.
"What is going on down there? I saw a storm and I brought some guards out here to investigate," King Helgrind said.
"Father, listen-"
"Andor, put those blasted things away!" He snarled, pointing at my outstretched purple wings.
I sheepishly put my wings away and looked down at my boots.
"Men, go look. Seize anyone who is not a citizen of Dagrun." He ordered.
"Father, no!" I protested as the guards ran down the hill.
"Andor, hush your mouth. I do not want to hear it. You went out flying again, without my permission." He hissed.
I heard some yelling down the hill.
"That's because every time I ask, you say 'next time'. I got tired of it! If I don't exercise my wings, they will turn brittle and-"
"I don't care! No son of mine will be flying around like a lunatic, scaring away traders! We will discuss your punishment later," He grabbed me by my shirt, "Do you understand me, boy?"
I grabbed his hand and pushed him off of me, scowling at him, "Yes sir, I understand."
"I should've cut those stupid things when I had the chance," He muttered.
His horse reared back and my father looked down at me.
"I took the liberty of bringing Shadowmere along so you have a ride. You will NOT fly home. Now leave me," He said, waving me off.
I sighed and went over to where my horse was whinnying.
I jumped onto her back, patted her neck and we were off to town.
~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!
As I sat eating my dinner at the very long dinner table by myself, I wondered what my punishment would be.
I munched on the bread I was given, staring hard at my wine glass full of water.
"Sir, it would be in your best interest if you actually ate some of your food," My servant, Kat said.
"Kat, I do not need help eating. Now if you would, leave me to my thinking." I said harshly.
She nodded quickly and scampered off.
I sat back and threw my bread on my plate of food.
I was becoming my father, I realized, my eyes widening.
Now I felt guilty, wishing Kat was still here.
"Son," My father stepped in.
He was in his stay at home clothes, I guess you could say.
A long sleeved black shirt with tan jeans.
His greying beard was hanging around his stomach, and his golden crown was hanging loosely on his head.
"Andor, I have decided a punishment," He said, his hands behind his back.
I scooted back my large chair, the legs screeching against the stone floor.
I stood up and walked over to him without him even having to say it.
"I have two punishments actually. I want you to show the new people that we attained this afternoon around." He said, trying his best to give me a smile, but failing.
"Is that all?" I said quickly, wanting to no longer be under his gaze.
He shook his head and chuckled, "Of course not Andor, I did say two punishments, didn't I? I am a man of my word. You will learn, boy. No matter the costs," His hand came out from behind him.
In it was a whip.
I bit my lip and contemplated running.
But now there was a guard stationed at every door.
Where did they come from?!
He reached over to me with the whip still in his grasp, and like a real father, gently started unbuttoning my shirt.
"I'm sorry, Andor, but if this will not get through to you, the next option is surgery. No son of mine will be a-a-"
"A freak, sir? Is that what I am?" I asked icily.
He cleared his throat, but didn't disagree.
I ripped my shirt away from him and tore it off, popping off a few buttons.
"Hurry up and get this over with, my King. I haven't got all day," I snarled.
I felt tears spring up in my eyes, but I swallowed them with a mighty effort.
He turned me around and put me on my knees.
I squeezed my eyes shut.
I waited for the blow, and was rewarded with a sharp slice up my back and a crack off the whip.
"Move your wings, boy. Or I'll whip those too."
I spread out my wings.
Another snap.
Snap.
Snap.
Crack!
I started crying from the pain, redness rising in my face and neck.
I could feel the heat of the whip everytime it hit me, I could feel my father enjoying every moment, taking out his anger and remorse on me.
Crack!
The pain was unbearable now, and black dots danced in my vision.
Finally, after a few long agonizing seconds, the sharpest blow hit me like a ton of bricks and I went down.
I couldn't even force my arms to cushion the fall, I just thumped down on my stomach.
"That will teach you." I heard him say, "Don't ever disobey me again, Andor." He shuffled around and I heard him quietly tell two guards to take me away to my room.
I finally went into a cruel sleep, in the hands of two guards.
