Special Note: I need your help, my lovely readers. I published my first novel, OnBeing a FirstMistress, on Amazon and now I need fifty readers who would be willing to review the book. For more details on how to get a free copy, drop a review or send me a message through my tumblr account, queenofthedramedies. Thank you.

Hello, my lovely readers. I was inspired by last night's episode of TO and I decided to combine that with a request from Silver-Infinite to see some glimpses into Aurora and Lucien's childhood. On with the childhood…

Chapter 2: If I Were a Bird

Aurora de Martel had always been aware that she was a little off as some people would repeatedly say. Even her brother and parents made her acutely aware of her difference. They would not encourage her to play with other children. They always kept a close eye on her when she was around anything that she might hurt herself or someone else with if she became angry and sometimes she would be locked away in her room for a day or more.

Yes, Aurora knew she was thought to be frail or a demon by some of the people who worked for her parents. "She is the spawn of Satan!" she once heard a maid say before the six year old Aurora left a toy at the top of the staircase and the woman flew that day, right to the bottom, and like a bird, she had broken her wings, and could no longer fly.

When Lucien was brought to the castle, Aurora had taken little notice of him. He was closer to her brother's age and they would make good mates. He was not for Aurora to play with. Of course, Tristan took an instant disliking to Lucien when their father mentioned that Lucien's family were no more than slaves. Tristan had learnt at their father's feet.

Aurora did not knew what a slave was but she knew she did not think that Lucien was one. Lucien was a bird. He flew free. He flew across the castle grounds, up and down the stairs, and amongst the trees. Aurora wished she could be a bird, too. She would fly with Lucien and they would land in a faraway kingdom.

"Aurora," Lucien called, one day while, lying under a tree, lush with fruit. Aurora's nurse would tell her tales of poisoned fruits that came from trees like the ones that grew beside her family home.

"Lucien," Aurora replied, smiling, shyly back at the boy, who came bounding up to her like a deer. Perhaps he was a deer. Perhaps she was one, too. Aurora smiled at the thought. She would ride off like she did on her horse. Only there would be no rider to guide her here and there. She would set her own course.

"Would you like this?" Lucien, presented Aurora with a shiny piece of poison and Aurora gasped and then swatted it away as if he had offered her a snake. "What did you do that for?" Lucien complained, staring at the fruit that had landed in the dirt.

"Its poison!" Aurora whispered, loudly.

"Is not," Lucien replied with a shake of his brown locks. "That's absurd."

"Is too. My nurse said so," Aurora replied haughtily, placing her hands on her hips and staring down her nose like she had seen women in court do.

"Is not," Lucien disagreed. He grabbed the piece of fruit. Dusted it off with the sleeve of his tunic and then took a big bite; the juice rolled down his chin while he chewed and Aurora could only stare, her jaw hanging open in shock.

"It's not poison?" Aurora could not believe that her nurse had lied to her. Holding out her hand, she waited impatiently for Lucien to hand over the forbidden item. Taking a big bite, she giggled as the juice ran down her lips, dripped onto the silks of her dress. "That is delightful," she said and then took another bite. When Aurora finished, she realized that she had consumed the rest of the fruit. "I want more," she said eagerly.

"Then we will have to go and get them. There are no more on the ground," Lucien announced, heading off ahead of Aurora with that arrogance that boys seemed to learn from the cradle.

Aurora imitated Lucien's walk, letting her little arms swing from side to side as if she were one of the big men with the swords who guarded her home. "Come on," Lucien called as he began to climb up the side of a tree.

"What? I can't. Mother will kill me," Aurora shouted from the ground. But if she could flap her wings, then she could fly to the lowest branch and snag the fruit with her beak. However, she knew she could not tell Lucien this, or he would believe her mad, like everyone else did.

"What are you waiting for?" Lucien cried. "You aren't scared, are you?"

"I'm not scared of anything. I'm Aurora de Martel! And I can do anything I like!" Aurora shouted up to Lucien who had climbed to the fifth branch. Grabbing the side of the tree, Aurora took a bit longer because her dress kept wrapping around her ankles. Aurora found herself sitting next to Lucien and enjoying the fruits of her efforts. "You know, if we were birds, we could fly back down," she told him, feeling less afraid to say things that did not make sense to others since they were no longer on the ground. Anything seemed possible.

"Yes, I wish I was a bird," Lucien admitted. "I would wave my wings and fly across the waters. I would never be afraid of anything or anyone."

Aurora smiled. "I was afraid you would think me mad," she whispered and Lucien shook his head.

"Aurora, I would never think that. You're perfect," Lucien said, his cheeks turning red. "Now, I will race you to the bottom, little bird."

"No fair, you are supposed to count first," Aurora called as she shimmied back down the tree. When she got to the last limb, she decided to test Lucien's words. Since her nurse lied, perhaps everyone lied and she would need to know if he was her true friend. "Lucien, I'm going to fly. Catch me!" she shouted and then she let go of the branch, spreading her wings and smiling at the feel of her body flying through the air.

"Aurora!" Lucien cried and then she felt her body collide, not with the dirt, but with something warm.

"You caught me!" Aurora proclaimed, grinning down at Lucien who did not look as amused as he lay under her as her own personal human pillow, "Thank you, Lucien, now I know you'll always be my friend!" she cried, burying her face in his neck and then suddenly she remembered. "And I flew today! I must tell Tristan that he is wrong, I can fly!" Gathering her skirts, Aurora ran across the grass like any of the boys she had ever seen, like a deer, like she was free.

Answer to guest reviewer:

Mia: That sounds like fun to write.

Thank you for reading, favoriting, following and reviewing.

Peace,

Jessica