I think this chapter is a little bit longer… but anyway progress is good so yay!
By the way, sorry for those of you that read this one previously, I had posted the unfinished chapter so this is the ACTUAL finished… if you don't know what I'm talking about then it's ok.
Adralan sat on the stone steps that led to the Wyvern palace as she waited for Bastian to meet her there. She was still unsure of how his plan would work but she hoped that he had something already carefully planned. He was still most likely still being berated by his mother, the queen. At last, Adralan thought, she had met the queen and though their meeting was short (and awkward to say the least), she had finally laid eyes upon the woman who had helped her parents so much. Not only that, she had laid eyes on the woman who was famed for being the final piece in unifying the Avians and Serpiente; a Wyvern.
Her attention turned to the portly looking man that begun to walk up the steps and suddenly a wave of familiarity hit her. It did not take her long to figure out that this was the man that had chased both Bastian and Riok in the market. He was Máire's father. Quickly, she turned her face away from him before he could notice her. Whatever Bastian's plan was, she did not want to risk being seen by him.
After that close meeting with Máire's father, time appeared to be endless for Adralan. She did not know how much longer she had waited for Bastian to come out before her patience had begun to wear thin. When she finally saw him emerge from the palace, a sense of relief washed over and yet it was still filled with at the though of what she was about to do.
He strode toward and looked back, most likely in fear that someone would follow him. As he got closer, he began to take closer notice of Adralan whom he had at first mistaken for a regular Avian from afar.
"What happened?" Adralan asked him and she could see that somehow she had distracted Bastian from whatever he was thinking.
He took a little while to respond as he cleared his throat and looked a bit at loss for words.
"You look…" he trailed off.
"Like an Avian?" she asked tentatively.
He laughed and shook his head almost as if whatever he was thinking was strange to him. "Like an Avian, yes."
"What happened? I saw Máire's father come into the palace…. Did you see him?"
Bastian cleared his throat and took Adralan's arm as he led her off from the steps. "He nearly saw me but I managed to escape. He thinks I'm off in my room but I managed to let Riok in instead."
Adralan shook her head. She was being led through a path that was covered in bushes and shrouded by the leaves of trees nearby. It was obvious that the path was rarely used due its poor condition and lack of people walking in it. They had gotten in deep enough when Bastian finally stopped and looked at Adralan yet said nothing.
"Are you sure about this?" she asked. Adralan could tell he was nervous by the look of his face.
He took a while to respond and in that time he looked at both the left and right side of the path before rustling his hair with his hand. Yes, he was clearly nervous.
"You do not have to do this if you don't—"
"No," he said quickly. "I must know that at least I tried. If I never do this I'll never know…"
Adralan felt lost. It may have been because just by looking at Bastian's face the feeling that this was not going to end well overwhelmed her. She hated to feel nervous and Bastian was only making it worse. By the look of things, Bastian was just as reluctant to do it. It was something that he had not shown the night before as he spoke of Máire. It was almost as if the moon had enchanted him and made his love for Máire increase tenfold. Now in the light of the day and with the biggest decision of his life looming before him, it appeared almost as if he was doing it test himself and not his love for her. If he carried on to what he was thinking of doing and was successful, he would be tied with Máire forever no matter what would happen in the future.
"No," he said as he put his hands down and grabbed Adralan's. Adralan blinked in surprise as she did not expect such a sudden gesture. "I'll lead you to her house where her uncle will open the door. By the way you are dressed he will think you are from here… Except your eyes," he said he let her hands go and paced before her as he thought. "Yes! The sun is still in the east and your eyes are light enough so that they can capture the golden glow from it."
"Can they?" Adralan asked in wonder. "I never thought my eyes could do that." She said as she laughed at herself before she realized that Bastian had taken notice of such a detail. Something about Bastian noticing such a small detail that even she did not think of unnerved her.
"Ask for Máire and if he asks for your name just tell him it is Maja, it is a fake friend Máire used whenever she would sneak out with me. Once you see Máire, give her this." He took a small piece of paper that was carefully folded. "She will give you her answer. Tell her that if she rejects my offer, that she shall hear from me no more… but that if she agrees, I shall take her with me tonight."
Adralan took the paper in her hands and studied it though she did not open to see what was inside. "You know, I still think you're mad to be doing this," she sighed, "but at least you are prepared for the worst."
Bastian looked at Adralan as she said this words and his expression was filled with dread. "Why do you say that?"
Adralan said nothing. It was best to keep her mouth shut. She was no expert when it came to such fleeting feelings such as love, but as soon as she saw Bastian pacing and worrying over his decision, it was clear to her that he did not feel so strongly for Máire. She did not need the sight to see into that.
"Nothing," she said curtly, "I simply meant that it is wise of you to be prepared."
He nodded and led her through the isolated path once more but as they began to emerge from it, she could feel him tense up once more. He hid in one of the shrubs at the end of the path before he whispered to Adralan which one of the Avian home she should go to.
Adralan followed through everything that Bastian had told her to do until she found herself at what she knew would be Máire's door. She knocked, softly at first but as her unease went away she knocked harder. The door was opened by another stoutly looking man with blonde hair. Máire's uncle.
Adralan looked towards the east and let the sun hit her eyes. It was difficult not to squint and she knew that the man was no doubt wondering why she stood in that direction.
"Is Máire here?" she asked gently.
"What do you need her for?" he said briskly. Adralan attempted to lower her eyes, something that the man would most likely mistake as a simple Avian gesture. After all, they were not forward in their manner and he would understand if she was shy.
"I'm her friend, Maja," she said.
The man nodded as the name struck him as familiar. "Ah, you're that girl that she goes out with at times." He said. "It is good to see you. I am her uncle—"
He was cut off by a pretty young woman with a mop of light brown hair and rich dark brown eyes. Adralan looked down at her, noticing that she was a few inches taller than she was.
The young woman smiled brightly at her uncle and pulled Adralan in.
"Maja!" she exclaimed happily. "I am so glad you came!" she said as she led Adralan further into her home. Her uncle closed the door and shook his head. He appeared not to care that she had interrupted his conversation with Adralan and instead went back and sat on a small wooden chair as he carved something.
"He sent you?" she heard the young woman whisper.
Adralan was caught off guard by the young woman's whisper. Her mind was still busy trying to absorb her surroundings and trying to figure out where exactly she was being led to. They were in a hall and at a distance from the uncle who was hovering over the carving he worked on.
"You are Máire?" Adralan asked. It was a stupid question. After all, it was obvious that she was the only one on the house besides her uncle. Of course she was Máire! It was clear that Bastian had an eye for beauty though Máire was the perfect example of a delicate beauty. Adralan had expected something more… something she could still not pinpoint. Yes, Máire was extremely beautiful in a nymph-like sort of way but Adralan had expected something more… mature.
Máire nodded impatiently. "Of course I am!" she whispered roughly.
Adralan was taken aback by Máire's manner and at once she could feel that though she was small, she had a temper about her. Adralan was tempted to leave and let Máire figure out for her own self what it was that Bastian wanted. After all, she did not like the way she had spoken to her.
Adralan gave her the note but Máire all but snatched it from her fingers as she read it hungrily. A sour smile spread across her lips and she crushed the letter in her hands.
"He's mad! I cannot leave—"
"I told him that myself but I think we both know how stubborn he is." Adralan interrupted her.
Máire looked back to see if her uncle was still absorbed in his carving before looking back at Adralan. Máire looked distressed, angry, anxious, everything that someone in her situation would feel. Yet Adralan could not see a single sign of happiness at the thought of Bastian searching for her, not a single sign of the charming girl Adralan expected to get.
"He knows I can't leave… my alistar… my father… What will people think of me?"
Adralan leaned against the wall in that hall where they stood. "Bastian is not some common avian, he is an heir—"
"I know that! But what will people think of when they see me as their queen… a queen who was once a mere girl who dishonored herself and promise. I can't have them stare at me. And Bastian," she scoffed, "Bastian led me on into this. I never truly meant to follow through anything with him… but then… he told me of the Serpiente and how freely they loved each other. I found it all too tempting. Now he wants me to drop everything?" Máire was pacing now but beyond that, there was no sign of tears or anything else, simply he visible worry of herself. "Oh! And the children I am to have if I ever become his pair-bond. He may be an heir but all of us are no strangers to the last deadly attack that family has. I do not want my children to be a target for assassins…"
Adralan was speechless. She could say no words of comfort to Máire, not that it would much anyway looking at the state she was in. Her pack valued honor in promises and she could understand Máire's distress when it came to breaking her promise to her Alistair. What she could not understand was how worried she was of her honor. She knew that if she had any common sense, she would have known the risks involved with Bastian or anyone raised see freely with Serpiente. So Máire was either dim-witted or plain and simply wanton.
"Bastian wants you." Adralan whispered to her gently. "He sent me here to tell you of his intentions. The way he spoke of you when he mentioned you to me made me think that coming here was worthwhile."
Máire shook her head and glanced back at her uncle. "Tell him to forget me." She looked at Adralan, almost as she had just taken notice that she was there. Adralan felt uncomfortable under her scrutiny and could feel Máire inspect her carefully with what appeared to be interest.
"You are neither Avian nor Serpiente, are you?" she asked cautiously.
Adralan grinned. "I come from the Lupine Lands—"
Máire gasped and looked at Adralan in awe. "They say you can read the stars. I've heard tales of you can see the future and the ceremonies you cast."
Adralan laughed at how silly Máire made her kind sound. "Don't tell me you believe all that?"
"Is it not true?" Máire asked. "Tell me my future? Am I to be freed of this dishonor?"
The smile was wiped from Adralan's face.
"First off," she said angrily, "because I am a wolf does NOT make a seer. It is ignorant to believe rumors about people when you have not met one for yourself. Secondly," Adralan walked towards Máire and felt herself tower over her, "even if I did posses the sight, I am not at your or anyone else's disposal to tell them anything." Adralan looked down at Máire who had lost all haughtiness and was instead looking up at Adralan almost in fear. "And lastly, you caused yourself this dishonor. You can only pray that your father's insistence with the queen will save you from it. Though I'm quite sure that this incident with Bastian will definitely taint your relationship with your pair-bond. And my dear, I do not need the sight to see into that!"
With that, Adralan walked away from Máire and headed towards the door. She passed by her uncle who only looked up from where he sat with a confused look on his face. Adralan did not say a word to him as she passed and instead only glanced at him before opening and shutting the door. She was sure that he had clearly seen her eyes and thus figured that she was not Avian after all.