Princess Shaylee's view…

I was not a bad Gargoyle, I was learning and growing every day. But I do not think Helena likes me very much. She no longer guards me, she has the duties of a warrior, but I like Niraj and her little girl much better. I sit with Keziah her face pulled into a smile while Ophir moved my body into the right position. "Yes perfect, now show us. Our time has run out for physical training next we will do sessions of history," I liked learning but disliked training in the sun, it made me sweaty.

I was fast and small, Keziah said that was very good because I looked so innocent demons would think I was harmless and that would be their mistake, but I wasn't so very sure about that.

I sit in the plush chair watching my guards gather parchment and Quill for our next lesson. I asked, "When were we created?" knowing my voice was so soft.

Ophir ruffled my hair, "Good question, Princess. Our people were created by our father the Archangel Michael, in all his wisdom he created us to protect the humans who roamed this earth. Our race was created before Jesus was crucified, we have roamed protecting what humans walked this earth," his voice was rough and was low, with an agreeable trace of huskiness and with a hint of more power than the hard body would suggest.

Keziah took over, "It is our duty to rid the world of the demons taking home here, it is hard, but we will always be here to protect. Your duty is to our people as well, you will rule and protect. But my little Princess always follow your heart and what you feel in it is right, even if you go against your Queen and in time your husband. Because we know you are meant for great things," her tone sweet but venomous, like cakes sprinkled with poison.

I always find myself in trouble and here I stand looking up at Helena, her gray eyes boring into mine. "Princess Shaylee, are you making trouble?" she was kind, she takes a seat on the cold stone floor to look me in the eyes better. She was the only one to do so, I scuffed the silk slippers on the floor.

I offered, "Trying not to, Commander Gideon gets angry at me and yells when I do,"

Scooping me up, "He yells at all, he is much too hard on you our dear Commander needs to see you are but a growing child. Come, let us have some fun," my face cracked into a beaming smile as she flew out the window heading into the large courtyard. "I want you to think about this place, you know it do you not?" she asked setting me into the grass.

I spun looking at my home, I knew it. "I do,"

"Then why did you bounce off a wall?" she asked me on her knees. I thought about it, 'I got scared because Commander Gideon was walking and saw me," it was true, when I turned the corner there, he was looking very angry indeed.

She smiled taking my hand, "He is not here is he, how about you try again. I am right here," it was like my body was alive, it felt like shimmering light was moving over my pale skin. "Now, Princess. Do not think about it, all that trivial thinking hinders you. You are a Royal Gargoyle, everything you need is ingrained into you. Just feel it and do it," I listened very carefully as she spoke, I jumped gaining height.

Warm thermals pushed me gently upward in a seemingly never-ending spiral. How could I ever land, why would I ever want to land? It was peace in its self-ascending to the heavens, seeing the view usually bequeathed only to the birds, but this sky was my birthright and domain. Helena flew very close to me, not letting me get too far before guiding me into the open window, by the time my small feet touched the floor I looked human again. I cried out in a loud screech, "DID YOU SEE ME, I DID IT," each word aloud as I clapped my hands together.

She smiled taking my hand, it was nearing my sleep time, but she took me into the kitchen. It was so large, with gentle hands she set me on the table before returning with two squares of cake. "You deserve this, after this, it is a bath and slumber, my Princess,"

The cake was good and flying was good.

I asked, "Commander Gideon is returning soon, are you going to marry him?" she bulked at me her eyes round, she allowed me to talk freely unlike Commander Gideon, she wasn't scary, and he was.

But her face softened, "No my Princess, his heart is too closed for love," maybe they would in time when he grew too. "But yes, in fact, we should hurry you to bed since he is due back this very night and you know how strict he is," she was right.

My room is filled with soft colors, pale colors, I have leather-bound books, and my glass figurines to play with. Like right now I am sitting by my open window smelling the forest and the crisp night air while I play with Morori my favorite angel figurine. I turned to the open window sensing someone, but not a good someone.

I moved my little feet tottering to my glowing blue sword, it was grand with the pulsing blue light. A tall man walked through the window, his hair raven-colored like midnight, his face was slender and what big gargoyles would say handsome. His voice is cold and makes every hair stand on end, "I am Naberius, my little one. This is Vassil and Arul, I have come to soon your aging has not stopped. But you will be what I need so beautiful when aged. But maybe taking her now would be best," his dark onyx eyes scared me, I held my blade up.

"You better leave," I sounded so weak, I couldn't fight them I was too small.

I let out a scream alerting my guard, "That is a very normal thing to scream when scared child," he smiled coming closer when my door burst open.

"BACK AWAY,"

I was swatted to the side by Commander Gideon, a small box wrapped in lavender toppled from his hand as his ax clashes with Naberius. But I saw no more as Kija rushed me to my mothers' chambers, Helena rushed by us snarling.

"I have you, my angel," I fell into slumber hearing my mother soft humming as Kija fixed my arm.

Commander Gideon's point of view…

My mother was taskmaster, mission maker and decider of everyone's general direction in life. She organized the chores, the academia and the fun like any good sergeant. My father did nothing but work; work at his place of leadership, work at fixing up the holy place, work at joining forces and taking out scum who slithered here on earth tainting it. My little brother, the go-getter, the model child that mom had so carefully crafted. But he was something more, something that unhinged me. Halo, she was gone forever never to be replaced. My little sister, she was much like Shaylee full of spirt and wrongdoing but before she could stop aging my enemies found her and took her from us. My sister is the person I most love, she was my little shadow when I was roaming these halls. I was her world, older and a warrior, I cared for her when father was away, and mother was busy fretting over this or that.

I shake the emotions off, my eyes on her small bed our family never saw fit to clean and remove Halo's things. I knew deep down it be this way until a ruler came who understood and had her things packed with love and stored away. Before I could even turn Brice's voice deterred me from my pity. "She would be alive if you had not gone and killed the Princes wife and unborn demon spawn. But now she is with our father Michael and your dear dead friend Theo," it hit a nerve, I did cause this we all knew I brought death in my wake.

Smiling down at him, he looked like me but smaller, weaker. "You can blame me until we both ascended. I will not refute it little brother, but if you ever mention Halo or Theo to me again you will live to regret it," every word was said with hate, I loved him but hated him as a fellow Gargoyle.

He smiled back, it was not coy but cruel. "No worries, you are leaving soon father sent word he is back this very morning. Something urgent has happened, mother also said if I do as she says I will be the next ruler and will marry the Princess," he was already trying to walk away when I flung him into the far right wall, he took our fallen Gargoyle sashes with him as he crumpled to the floor.

"Pick him up, and clean the mess he made," my words barked out as they all rushed to do my bidding. This place was perfect for me but I no longer desired to rule or be here with my people. Each step brought me closer to the high consul room, my mother was bustling around when I walked in her eyes so like mine looked worried as she walked from the room, but she paused her hand on my shoulder. "My son, I will miss you. It was a blessing to have you home or these last few months," I would miss her too, her scent her voice, everything.

My father was a hard man, his eyes set in a mask of anger. "Gideon go home. I belong here but you no longer do, your heart is with protecting the Queen. I got word the Dark Prince was sighted far to close to the castle,"

I leave him while he was still talking, my business here was finished as I take to the air flying with each extension of my wings it flew higher. The rain stopped as the darkness came, my body fatigued but in Michaels name, I was not going to falter and stop until I reached them, until I reached home once again.

As I flew after sunrise, I eyed the sky nervously, the clouds that had been wispy and white that morning were now darker and denser. I quickened my pace, this was not the day to be caught in a downpour. It is the type of coldness that reaches into my bones, as if my heart were a door left wide open to the icy wind, slamming only to open again. The only thing to do is keep moving, keep heading toward home and the steady warmth of the hearth. The sky is a rolling blanket of cloud the color of wet ash, and the ground its dank reflection. Each step becomes a prayer for home, I can see the place and the light pouring out the open windows.

I nearly toppled over when my feet hit the stone floor, but when I stood straight a small scream was heard. It was Princess Shaylee, this scream was filled with fear as I take to her room.

The double cherry oak doors give way as my large hand slams down on them, forcing them to open but like I am bathed in iced water. The Dark Prince himself stood, Vassil and Arul at his sides.

"BACK AWAY,"

Princess Shaylee stood her ground, her sword out but her already fragile body was shaking like a leaf in Autumn. I should have been so very careful but even as her gift fell from my arms, I grabbed Shaylee's arm and tossed her back but her body was so much smaller and she flew hitting her large chest. My heart broke seeing her crying and Kija rushing her from the room as my ax came down.

"She will be mine, Commander. You took my wife, you took my unborn son. Now so I can have another heir when she stops aging she will replace, my beloved Bianca,"

I was fighting all three, when Helena her self-rushed in, her face was red in anger. "YOU DARED TOUCH HER, YOU FOUL LOATHESOME DEMON," her anger was useful, she took to our Princess. I moved to cover her when my ax came up in a wide arch and slit Vassil from groin to neck.

Next Helena took out Arul, we advanced on the Dark Prince but he vanished in dark mist. "You might have been careful, you hurt the Princess. Kija and the Queen are tending to her," her hands picking up the gift and sword.

"I should have been,"

She turned to look at me, "She is a mere child, you should treat her as such. She exceeds in every lesson, she flew with such amazement because she was not hindered by her fear of you bellowing at her. You should try and open your heart, Halo would be very angry with how you have turned out. You've closed your heart fully after Theo our King passed, I have loved you since we were children and that will never change even when you will never return the emotion," she leaves me staring at her, no words could come. I never could return the emotion, she did not have my heart none did. I was not meant for love, but her words hurt me, made me think.

Was I too hard on the Princess?