Title: Snake Singer

Authors Notes: Thank you so much to TallemeraRane who helped with the editing of this chapter.

Disclaimer: Characters belong to Amelia Atwater-Rhodes, but the plot belongs to me.

I slept well that night. I dreamt that Zane and I were together again at the Haente Palace like those first few months when we first arrived and before the fighting had begun. When I awoke from the dream I felt lonely and a great sense of longing filled my heart like a shadow of dark and unimaginable doom. The tortures and torments that he must have been going through were so much more important then mine, and the only leverage I saw against Vasili was by going through with the commencement ceremony tonight.

When I awoke, Vasili was already gone, his side of the bed made and the bed sheets so smooth and unwrinkled that it looked as though it had not even been slept in. I stared at it with unflinching eyes as though it were a piece of ancient art that had become sacred to me. Why did he do the things that he did? And why in such a way?

I continued to look to his side of the bed for a long time, laying still as I felt the sun rise and come through my window sending bullets of sunlight through the window like a natural gun and warming my back. It felt like hours had passed before I convinced myself to rise, the sounds of the birds calling from outside was like a lullaby to me. I felt myself calling out to the sun as though I to were in my bird's form. I swallowed deeply; the will to rise escaped me.

Finally with a heavy sigh I got up. My gaze immediately fixed on the high sun and the beautiful day that was unfolding outside my window. I walked to the glass; grabbing an old woolen shawl from the wardrobe and wrapping it about my shoulders. I held it tightly around myself as I opened the balcony doors and took a step out. I could feel the cool, crisp morning air, it stung my face like tiny knives but I didn't mind. The golden light shown on my skin and the world was bathed in Dawn's shadows. It will be a magnificent day, I thought. I could see in my head the vision of what tonight's ceremony would be. I imagined it much the same way that Zane's ceremony as my Arami and pair bond had been, only the emotions would be different. Zane's people loved the sense of touch, weather it was an arm around my waist or the slightest brush of his lips against mine, and he was always close to me. With Vasili I knew that it would be quiet different. He would keep his distance even though I knew that he had intense feelings for me. It was the way of our people to be distant and reserved toward another, even if they were to marry, and physical contact was frowned upon.

I knew that tonight would be uncomfortable for me, having become so used to Zane and the Serpiente ways.

I only stood out on the balcony for a short time before coming back in. Whether I was inside or out, I was alone, and I begged to find some kind of company that would be civilized and kind to me.

I searched through my closet; desiring comfort above conformity, I could always dress for the ceremony later on in the evening. Quickly I pulled on a pair of olive-green pants and a white button down shirt with a long brown vest over it. Then I pulled up my long boots over my legs and as I brushed my hands through my hair trying to pull it into some kind of hairdo that would keep it away from my face. As I fiddled with my hair I heard a knock at the door.

I let my hair fall back over my face as I approached the door. A slight tint of fear seeped into my heart as I turned the doorknob. A young Avian servant stood at the other end. I lifted my eyes to her presence, wondering what it was that she wanted. "Forgive me Milady, but Master Vasili bid me give you this!" The girl held out an envelope sealed letter and I took it without an upward glance, shutting the door in front of her.

It was rude yes, but my hands were trembling. Why would Vasili write me a letter? Had he decided to leave – had he noticed that I was unhappy and would never be happy again until I was with Zane once more? Maybe…

Maybe...

My fingers were still twitching as I peeled back the thick paper envelope revealing the calligraphic words underneath:

Danica,

Pressing matters in the countryside have called me away but I will be back in time for the ceremony tonight. I have freed the Cobriana prisoners as you have desired and they are now on their way back to their homeland.

Yours,

Vasili

The letter itself was beautiful, the writing smooth and delicate as any skilled monk's handwriting would be. So skilled in fact that I had I not known I never would have believed that he had spent so many years in the Underground Municipality. I sighed; at least Zane's family was free and safe again. At least Irene could have and enjoy a safe and happy life with her husband and the remaining family that she had left, even if I myself would never receive such a fate.

I put the letter down on the desk and without a sound I raised my hands and began to form my hair once more. My mind was reeling. Where is it that Vasili had gone? What in the country could have been so important that he had to go there immediately? I had no idea, but as I thought I shifted my hands and pulled my hair out of my face.

The rest of my day was calm; I spent the remainder of my afternoon with my mother. We ate a small lunch in her room and talked about the events of the last few days. She detailed her capture and her part in Irene's delivery as well as the first few days in young Zane's life and I told her about all that had happened with Vasili and Zane, as well as the goings on that lead to our arrival to the Keep.

Our conversation and meeting ended toward the end of the day, but still Vasili had not returned. The sun was still high and shinning but long shadows hung over most of the land from natural and man mad objects, just as the shadows had hung in the morning. I paced the halls of the Keep slowly, my feet light against the wood paneling so I would not disturb anyone or cause attention to myself.

After I had walked through most of the keep I came to the royal balcony that had no stairs up or down from it. It was a safety measure, so no other shapshifters besides Avians could get to the Royal family. I looked around me as I stood at the edge of the great parapet, checking to make sure that no one, especially Vasili, was watching me. I remembered the events from the night before when I tried to change and I could vividly remember the pain that flowed through my veins when he tried to stop me.

I changed quickly, much faster then the night before. My body taking on my golden hawks shape with grace and ease. Like a human I raised my wings up and my body lifted with its newfound lightness. My bones cracking slightly in beautiful relief as I felt the change effect my movements. I flew over the side of the parapet swiftly and was almost completely changed back to my former shape by the time my feet reached the ground below. The change so rapid that I could barely feel the effect of coming back to my human shape, which usually took a moment to sink back into my skin.

Without truly realizing it my feet lead me out of the keep and through the narrow gates into the training arena. Several guards and soldiers were scattered from corner to corner of the open courtyard and each bowed slightly when I entered. I hated that, but I bowed my head slightly in compliance and went on my way. I wanted to find Rei, I wanted to talk to him, ask him more about Zane, and what he had seen at the Serpiente Keep. I searched the stables, and the remaining training grounds but I found no sign of him. Not even a whisper.

"Excuse me?" I beckoned to a passing soldier, his brow dripping with sweat and his expression soft and playful as though he had been playing with a few of his friends in some kind of deadly combat fight.

The soldier looked up and bowed when he realized whom it was who was bargaining for his attention: "Yes Milady Danica?"

"Have you seen commander Andreios anywhere?"

"Yes, Milady," he answered me. "I believe that he went with Master Vasili to the countryside this morning."

I nodded my head, "thank you," but the soldier had already begun to walk away.

I was alone again, and I made my way back up to the Keep.

Once I was in my room again I felt famished and weary over the events that would occupy my night. I searched through everything in the wardrobe that would be appropriate to wear to the ceremony tonight but I found nothing that I would be willing to wear. Everything was either too childish or too revealing, and neither was a point that I was willing to press tonight. I walked through my room once more, form corner to corner as I watched the sun go down. What will I do tonight? A dark thought of leaping from the balcony and finding my death on the green earth outside jumped into my mind but I quickly let it go. I couldn't die without knowing that Zane would be all right! I dropped to the bed, my body soaking into the curves of the mattress as it formed to me. As I sat, day dreaming and dreading I heard a knock at the door. Rei! I said to myself, hoping that someone had told him that I was looking for him and he had come to me to find out what was wrong. I flew from the bed and headed toward the door. The movement from the bed to the door was so fast that it seemed to morph into one sharp advance and continued to feel like wise when I turned the doorknob.

On the other end of the door stood a young girl, thirteen or fourteen if I was to guess. Her rosy cheeks and stringy brown hair formed to the slender body of a child behind dark eyes and a dark smile. "Yes?" I said, figuring that she was a servant that in the confusion I had not seen or met yet.

The little girl curtsied delicately, as any princess would have to a foreign prince and an innocent smirk crossed her face. "Begg'n your pard'n miss but this has just arrived for you." She bent down and cradled her arms around the center of a long golden box that she pulled up from her feet and carried into my room.

"Do you know who sent it?" I asked as she placed the box, which was easily twice as long as she was in height on my bed and took a step back so that I might have room to examine it.

"No, miss," she answered bluntly.

"Well, did it come with a note or a card?"

"No, miss." Her tone was perfected, practiced, as though she were pretending to give herself away to keep me from the truth.

"Thank you!" I answered turning to the golden box and listening as the little girls heels clicked against the floor as she made her way out and shut the creaky door behind her.

My hands were shaking as I pulled the box closer to me. A thick golden paper wrapped the long box and a set off two green ribbons, which were tied together at either side. I removed the vivaciously large ribbens away from the box and pulled the lid up. I had to lift three layers of thin white paper before the object inside was revealed to me. Folded nicely within the corners of the box was a beautiful green velvet dress with gold trim and lace around the sleeves and belt. In the middle of the box and folded dress, as though meant to symbolize something was a single white lily. Its petals large and full like great rivers so large that they had to spill over their banks. I folded the flower between my fingers and lifted it up to my face to take in the intoxicating aroma of it and it filled me so sweetly that I found myself lost within it.

Picking up the dress from its folded masterpiece, I held it up to myself and turned to the mirror to see what I might look like in it. It was gloriously dazzling and I knew, even though no card came with it that it was a gift from Vasili.

Carefully I pulled the dress over my head and tied the belt loosely, but still tight enough to reveal the curves of my hips and thighs underneath the flowing material. The dress was cut in the same fashion, as the Disa's clothing had been when I wore it at the Mistari Palaces, tight in the waist but flowing at the sleeves and hem. Behind the dress was an extravagant train that flowed several feet behind me in green satin.

I prepared for the ceremony slowly and until the guards came to my door to escort me down I did not really realize that it was happening. Would I go through with this? Could I? By doing this I was letting go of everything that made me happy in life – whether it was love or peace I couldn't decide. But each was a piece of me and by going through with this I was allowing Vasili to cut these pieces out of me forever and keep them hidden away like he hides the man that he used to be.

"Are you ready Milady?" one of the guards asked from the doorway.

I turned to them, almost ready to answer.