Felicia walks with heavy, long-legged strides into the large balcony that houses the two people that are introduced to me as her parents. I can see every one of her features in her mother's form, but her father is completely diffrent. His stare puts me on edge and when I am forced to unhook my arm from Felicia's and step back into the shadows, my heart races with a nervous protectivness over her. It's an odd feeling for me, I've never had to let her go into a croud of people I didn't know she could defend herself in. These people were the same as her, could she defend herself from them? What about her father?

I bit my tounge and stepped back, feeling the shadows around me shifting. Normally, this would scare me, but when I look to Felicia her shadow is missing. Is she protecting me? Her father begins to speak out into the croud in a language I don't recognise and I watch as Felicia is seated into her father's throne-chair, her snowy white wings spreading ever so slightly from her back and her shadow slinking back at her side. As the man speaks, I can see her wringing out her hands in her lap and her gaze shifting over to me every so often.

Ludi I hear her thoughts peirce into my brain he's trying to find a suitable husband for me. I'm scared, I don't want one of these...people.

I supress a groan at the splitting headache and a scream at the situation.

What is it that he will want to do to find one, Felicia? I strain to send the thought, I need to practice more often.

A duel, they will fight one another until three still breathe I can see her folding in on herself, trying to stay still, but wanting to curl into a ball then I will be forced to choose.

My hands itch to hold her, to hide her from everyone's gaze, to protect her from her family's traditions. Instead, I send out my thoughts to her in hopes to calm her down, I am here for you, my Felicia, I will never leave your side.

I can hear her bubbly laughter through her thoughts I know you wont, my love. Thank you'd like I could translate for you.

No I resist the urge to rub the pain from my temples I trust your judgment, besides, I think my head would burst.

That's right, I'm sorry my love her bubbly giggling is still there only fainter I forgot that you haven't had much practice with telepathy.

It's alright, I can handle it. Felicia's father stops talking and drops his hands, causing a fierce whispering to snake it's way through the croud below. It's brief, then the music starts back up and everyone continues to dance and chat with one another as if nothing had happened.

Felicia stands abruptly from her seat and begins to talk to her father, again in their strange language. I let my gaze wander to her mother, whom I find staring at me. My skin begins to crawl and the headache splits into me again, take care of my daughter. I fear what my husband has planned for her. Her voice is like Felicia's only deeper, more frail, like she's at a breaking point and doesn't know how or where to hide. My gaze immediatly snaps back to Felicia in time to see him backhand her, knocking her off her feet and crashing into the side of the throne with a sickening crack. The croud below seems ignorant. I'm instantly on my feet, shadow stepping to her side and assesing her injuries.

Mind your own buisness, slave her father's rough voice bellows through my skull. I stare up at him, trying to keep my expression calme, unmoving.

Are you alright I send the thought to her, never moving my gaze from her fathers ever growing rage. No answer, she's out cold. I move to pick her up when a hand closes around my shoulder, flinging me at the far wall. Ha! As if I'm that fucking weak. I hit a patch of shadown and propell myself back to my feet, hitting the floor in a sprint. The only thing on my mind is to get Felicia away from him.

Don't move Felicia's voice invades my thoughts and I stop dead in my tracks. I look over and see her half standing, cradling one arm. Her eyes are billowing smoke and her hair is fanned out around her like an imaginary wind is blowing at her from below. Her father seems appalled, leaning back on his heels like she's some kind of mutated creature to him. I feel her shadow expand around the balcony and I slowly make my way to her side just as the darkness swallows us both, releasing us just outside the building. I don't speak, and after only a few steps she collapses so I carry her the rest of the way to our carrige.

And I pray to whatever gods are out there that her father doesn't follow.

Ok, so this probably isn't the best considering how long it's been since my last update, but I managed to get enough time to type this up and I don't want to let it sit any more, so here it is. I'm hoping to get the next chapter up verrrry soon!

Please R&R my lovelies!

~Yulie