Chapter 21: Nights after
Autumn sleeps gracefully in the infirmary after the battle. She keeps thinking of the song Ezylryb had serenaded her with. He was sorry and she knows that. If she didn't stand up for him when he was lying down in agony because of his broken wing. In Ezylryb's mind, he thinks she has bravery for what she did. He didn't like it that autumn was getting hurt and she was crying and in distress.
Autumn is allowed to return to her hollow, however she says she doesn't want to, however, due to Aaron's decree, she has to live there. Ezylryb remains by his judgement of saying that Aaron is a jerk and that he should rot in Hagsmire. Autumn hugs him cautiously because his wing has been in a splint for a few nights and it will take some time to recover. They say Autumn has to be careful, as she might have fractured some of her ribs in the fight when she was winded because of the blows to her chest.
Upon hearing that Allomere chased Ezylryb and fought him, Boron orders for Allomere to go on UKO missions until fervour notice and that Autumn will lead her Search and Rescue chaw group to do some missions if she wants to. Autumn declines as she says that she wants to keep Ezylryb company while he recovers. Boron understands fully, as he would spend time with Barran when she is sick or injured like she is doing with Ezylryb.
It has been a week since the fight and Autumn's mind is plagued with daymares. She wakes up with tears in her eyes and a frightened screech that could shake the Ga'Hoole tree to its core. Most of the time, Ezylryb is there to assure her that everything is ok, even if she rebuts with "But your wing is broken because you are fighting about me.". He always tells her that she should never worry herself and that as long as he lives, he will always fight another night.
Autumn turns 23 years old. She has a party before she wants to have some alone time with the one she will call her "boyfriend" as he calls her his "girlfriend". The sweet smell of lavender perfume and Autumn's cape signals the beauty she is. She will want the annulment soon, as she wants to have freedom. However, she has things haunting her mind, as she knows she will never get it.
Before long, Ezylryb gets the splint taken off his wing and Autumn is happy to see her boyfriend recovering so quickly. He asks her one thing… If she will play a game of tag. It seems that these two had never grown up really, as Autumn invented this game of tag for her students in the Search and Rescue chaw to learn stealth, fast light, and tracking and for catching other owls.
On a night where they lie together in either of their hollows, saying small talk and drinking wine, Autumn's sweet giggle lightning the mood along with some of Ezylryb's quiet laughs and the smell of wine and Autumn's perfume in the air. It is the perfect time to be romantic. Autumn's crown lies beside her as it will just fall off. Autumn loves it when Ezylryb tells her a story, being a literature enthusiast and a supporter of the arts.
"Dear Ezylryb." Autumn says
"Another story, my rose?" Ezylryb asks, "Or did you want to ask something?"
"I have nothing to enquire you about. I just want to say that I love being in your company." She replies as Ezylryb takes her wing and kisses it, which makes her giggle like a schoolgirl
"Likewise." He replies before picking up his glass of wine
"I wish someday that we could be together." She sighs
"We are together now, my pet. What more could you ask for?" He replies with a chuckle and a small tap on her beak
"The probation might end soon and Allomere will return and… Oh hagsmire, I bloody as well hate him." She replies
"You're not the first, Strix hates him for being too uptight and a perfectionist at that. Explains why she dumped him when they were dating. I hope you make sure you play karma and give him what he deserves." He says before wrapping his wing around her
"Yes… To be imprisoned in the dungeons of the Ambalan Palace." She says with absolute
"Princess, you are wearing lilac and lily note perfume, I think?" He guesses
"How did you know?" She replies, stunned of how he can pick up little details like her perfume
"Just a little bit of intuition and, when you have been around Barran all her life, I guess I can tell." Ezylryb replies before he says, "You are truly beautiful. I thank Glaux for giving you your beautiful eyes and feathers and your unique persona. I had never met a princess who has a slight uncouth, yet advanced vocabulary, sings like an angel, who wields katana and isn't afraid to fight Pure Ones or those who oppose."
"What is it? Your job to flatter me exuberantly as I do nothing more than giggle and blush?" Autumn asks with a raised brow
"Of course, it is what any boyfriend does. However… Unlike all boyfriends..." Ezylryb says as he gets up and picks up a rapier sword and pretends to be fighting an invisible foe "I am a fighter, though pacifist. Fighting for the Guardians, for equality, for freedom and for the claw of milady Princess Autumn Rose of Ambala."
Autumn giggles upon seeing this display and says "A fighter you are after that recovery you made. You are still Lyze of Kiel in my eyes. While stealing a kiss or too from me."
Ezylryb says as he places the rapier down "I'm not finished, Rose." Before he sits next to Autumn with her head on his shoulder "I am a listener, listening to you whenever I have to. I wipe away those tears and like I would tell a babe of owlet it will be ok and no one and nothing would harm you."
"And… I, as a female aristocrat who knows her fair share of battle prowess and knowledge, knows a thing or two about romance." She utters as she kisses his cheek with affection
"And, funnily enough, i still learn though being a scholar myself." He replies, "Explains why you are an excellent ryb."
Autumn blushes delicately as her head remans leaning against his shoulder. In the candlelight of the room, she has a light glow about her feathers because of her orange/brown base plumage with some detail of other colours like brown, black, yellow and red. Gently nuzzling her head as they both think about what the future holds and how will the annulment come and how they will make the annulment come.
Next day, in Autumn's History class, she is teaching when a scroll is delivered to her classroom. She places it away and continues her class before the recess bell rings and the students leave the classroom as Autumn reminds them that they have homework to complete due in the next week, which she knows some of her students may not complete. She then takes out the scroll. It has the crest of the Kin Royals on it. It must be important. By reading two lines, she can tell it is not from Merissa… It is from her chauvinist and arrogant elder brother… Aaron. The letter is written in the one language Autumn understands besides English, French. She starts reading…
"Dear Autumn Rose Kin, Princess of Ambala and Lady of Ga'Hoole,
Alright, you little slut. I was told that you and this little screech owl fought your husband in a duel. Do you know how much this angers me? That bloody treaty between our kingdoms is important so I don't lose my sprinking temper and attack the bastards. I don't give a racdrop about you and I never will, but you will stay married or by Glaux, I will come over to Ga'Hoole, drag you back to Ambala and execute you on the grounds of treason. I will beat you senseless too, so you had better keep in line or you will be sorry and be a martyr.
You had better watch out, Autumn … I'll hunt you down and kill you.
Aaron Kin,
King of Ambala (and your pissed off elder brother)"
A chill goes down Autumn's spine as she reads the last words. She remains frozen in fear. Allomere must have told him… She will die for no apparent reason because she wants freedom. What has become of this world? She never even knew why her brother hated her and now she will be killed if she remains unloving to Allomere. No wonder she yearns to be free and to marry who she shall choose… Ezylryb.
Frozen in fear, she just pictures of how she will be killed… Decapitation? Torture? Slashed across the neck by her brother's own talons? So many ways he could kill her or how he will order her to be killed. Tears fall from her eyes… All she wants is to be free and now her fight has turned into a blood battle. More tears trickle down her bleached white face from her beautiful hazel/brown eyes. She pushes the scroll aside as she lies her head on her desk, on her wings, as she cries and cries.
Her tears would have been unheard if Barran wasn't flying past. She herself is on break from her classes as well because of recess. She hears Autumn and comes into the classroom to see what the matter is. She comes up to the desk, which Autumn is crying on.
"What's wrong?" Barran asks with her caring voice
Autumn looks up and her eyes are slightly bloodshot from the crying and exclaim "Oh, Barran. Oh, the things I have to tell you, ma sœur. They aren't pretty."
"What is it?" Barran asks with sincerity "You are the closest to a sister I will ever have and I want to know what troubles you, dear sister."
"Barran…" Autumn says before she takes a deep breath "I want to tell you something and I want you to keep it secret. It is about me and your godfather, Ezylryb."
"What is it?" Barran asks, "I will always keep a secret and you know that."
"Ezylryb and I… We… We are together as boyfriend and girlfriends… Lovers as you may call it." Autumn admits with nerves, which are making her shiver in fear
"That is why Ezylryb and Allomere fought? Over… You?" Barran asks
"Yes, over me." Autumn replies "But, that isn't the end of this."
"What else is there? I accept that you and Ezylryb are lovers, it is very adorable really since we lost my godmother, his wife, Lil, a while ago." Barran asks
"My brother found out… If I don't remain loyal to that chauvinist, he will come here and… kill me. Slaughter me even. He called it "treason" though that is only what Pure One Spies do." Autumn confesses before she starts to cry again
Barran wraps Autumn in a caring hug. She knows of how bad things can get when it comes to aristocrats and royal families. Her uncle did beat Boron up because of their family feud that started because of Alexander's greed. She never knew that Aaron could be so violent. She knows that he has abused Autumn by beating her from the age of 3 or 4 and all the way until he married her off at age 16.
"You know what, Autumn." Barran says, "I would never want to see anything happen to you, sister."
"I might never get the annulment!" Autumn cries
"Where there is a will there is a way." Barran replies, "There always is a way."
"How… My heart desires to be with Ezylryb, truth be told, but I cannot take any more of this. Glaux knows that my heart can only take some things. Glaux knows I am young still and Glaux knows if I will die young before I can marry who I choose, before I can end my celibacy and just mother owlets while I can. I am only 24!" Autumn says with tears welling in her eyes
"There may be a loophole in the agreement." Barran replies as she thinks
"Barran… I don't care if a war erupts and I don't care what Boron will say about it, but if he is the sort of king that I think he is, he will take matters into his own claws and figure this out." Autumn says
"I agree. There has to be a way to end this." Barran says before the bell rings for the end of recess
"Well… I have to get to my Search and Rescue Chaw class." Autumn says
"I have to get to my English class." Barran replies, "I will see you later, sister."
"Likewise, sœur." Autumn says before she takes off