Chapter 2; Secrets Unrevealed

(Fabia's POV)

The title of a book shouldn't have shaken me as this one had, yet it did. I felt a memory stirring; something I hadn't thought about in a very long time...

I looked up and saw Shun beginning to walk back towards me. Quickly I put the book back in place and laid the diamond over it, trying to make it look as natural as possible and untouched. I walked to the bookshelf across from me and quickly began to straiten the books as Shun walked to the table where his books lay and gently picked them up into his arms. Right on cue, the bell rang.

I sprang to my backpack aside his and gathered my books into it and slung it over my shoulder. Shun looked over at me and rose an eyebrow.

"Are you alright?" He asked softly. I turned to him and looked into his eyes. Bad idea. I paled almost immediately and adjusted to facing ahead of me.

"Y-Yeah," I said quickly. "All good, uh, come on." I grabbed his hand and dragged him from the library.

The rest of the school day passed by quickly, consisting of me avoiding eye contact with Shun at almost all costs. Shun didn't seem bothered in the least bit, and in fact seemed to enjoy the lessening of human interaction.

He left Cedar Valley in a limo driven by what I supposed was his butler. I became a little suspicious. What if he was hiding something? What if he wasn't human like I was? With those eyes...I doubted he was.

I shook my head. Stop overreacting Fabia, he's just another human boy with a pretty face...

I felt a hand on my shoulder and turned to find Runo standing behind me. "You okay?" She asked. "You were totally zoning out there..."

"Yeah, I'm good," I said as casually as I could muster, which must've worked, because she didn't bring it up again. "Tell me Runo," I began cautiously. "Have you ever...seen Shun before?" Runo frowned and thought for a moment.

"I dunno," she sighed at last. "He seemed really familiar, as if I've known him forever...and then...I feel like this is the first time I've ever seen him."

I felt the same way. "Yeah...me too." I turned to her, suddenly a bit more curious than I had been a minute ago. "Runo, can you get me back into the library?" She frowned and studied me for a moment.

"I suppose, but, why-

"Nothing," I said quickly. "I just want to check out a few books."

(Mott's POV)

I looked back through the rearview mirror as we pulled up to the entrance of the palace. Shadow remained still, gazing out of the window. I sighed. Something must've happened today, or else he wouldn't be acting like this.

I moved from the drivers seat and got out of the car and opened his door for him. "My Prince," I said politely and bowed.

"Stop that," Shadow hissed. He got out of the car carrying his books tenderly with him. I laughed softly and even he broke into a smile as I closed the door behind him. We walked together through the entrance and into the Palace.

"I take it your first day of high school didn't go as planned?" I asked turning towards him. He shook his head.

"So much for blending in," He muttered as we ascended up one of the spiral staircases. "I was practically swarmed by human girls the entire day." I brushed a strand of hair from his eyes and looked at him. "Shadow," I said gently. "You're always going to be swarmed by girls, there's nothing we can do to fix that." He groaned at that as he paused at the top of the staircase.

"Can't we just...elimina-

"No," I said firmly. "Again, No. Did you here that? No." He smiled at that. "It was worth a shot," he sighed. I chuckled and accompanied him to his room where he'd already opened the door and was beginning to disappear inside. I took his wrist.

"Shadow, your parents would like to consult with you this evening over your first day here," I told him. "And be careful please, no more...scaling the palace walls, your parents will have me killed if you get hurt." He grinned slyly.

"Can't promise that." He closed the door. I sighed, shaking my head I walked to the end of the hallway. The King and Queen had been consulting with each other for hours before I left to retrieve Shadow from the high school. I inched closer to their door where the guards stood alert. Their ears were pressed against the door and they motioned for me to come. Suspicious, I walked to the door and pressed my own ear against it.

"You want to put the throne on his shoulders now?!" The Queen's voice shrieked behind the door. I pressed up against it trying to get closer.

"Dear, he'll be eighteen in two months," came the always calm reply of the King. "He'll be of age to take the throne then, he's been trained for this my dear."

"Zephyr," The Queen begged. "I don't think he's ready for this yet, he needs his freedom, you know how adventurous our Shadow is! He loves to be free, swaying with the wind and riding out in the open plains!" I could almost imagine The King's slow shake of his head. The Queen huffed.

"He's still young, and has so much life in him, and yet here you are wanting to throw the throne right on top of hi-"

"Dear," The King cut in firmly. "This is for the best." I heard his footsteps treading closer and jumped back from the door as the guards hastily resumed their positions against the wall. The King burst through the doors turning his head towards me. I dropped to one knee in a bow. I paled figuring he knew about my eves dropping.

"You're Majesty forgive me for listen-"

"Is my son here yet?" He demanded, cutting me off.

"Yes your highness," I said quickly. "I brought him back from school, and I wouldn't be surprised if he was at the stables currently." The King nodded slowly.

"Thank you Mott," he said gently, grabbing his trench coat from one of the guards and descended down the staircase towards the doors leading to the stables.

"Oh Shadow," I breathed, looking towards the guards who hung their heads low. "Please my king...don't do this yet..."

I walked towards a window and glanced outside. Shadow stood near his horse, Dark Wind, preparing the saddle over the slick back of the horse. Dark Wind brushed it's nose against Shadow's shoulder. The Prince turned and gently stroked Dark Wind's head before climbing up into the saddle.

It had begun to snow again. Snowflakes tumbled from the sky, landing in the Prince's hair and Dark Wind's mane and tail. They traveled forwards out of the gate leaving behind footprints in the snow.

I saw the King walking out to the stables. Shadow must've noticed it too, and grave look on his father's face, for he speared Dark Wind with a spur in his boot and they took off into the distance over the snow-covered hills, a blur of black against a blanket of white.

(Shun's POV)

The wind felt sharp, and stung my face, while Dark Wind carried us in a heavy sprint. My father obviously hadn't been carrying the best news with him, and I hadn't felt like wanting to confront him. Yet. I speared Dark Wind's side again and he ran faster.

I could tell the snow was bothering Dark Wind as much as it was me. I slipped my scarf off and wrapped the silk, green material around his head and nose, creating some protection for him against the cold. Aside from the scarf, I was wearing a short sleeved t-shirt without a jacket. I probably should've thought of bringing one before I took off with Dark Wind in this kind of weather. I soothingly stroked his mane as we traveled farther. "You're okay," I said gently. "We'll both be okay..."

I thought back to when we had been at the stables. It was when I had just gotten up into the saddle that I noticed my Father. His expression was solemn, which meant our conversation we would eventually have would carry a heavy price. I laid my head against Dark Wind's neck, burying my face into his mane.

"Shadow!"

I turned back and saw my father following close behind on his own horse. I urged Dark Wind to run faster.

"Shadow! Stop this! Please!"

My father was yards from me now. I tried a different strategy and pulled on Dark Wind's reigns, stopping us. My father sped past us on his own horse, but he was quick to yield and turn around. By the time he was completely turned, Dark Wind and I were already running back towards the Palace.

"Shadow! Enough!"

Though the wind was sharp, and most of my limbs felt numb from the cold, I let go of the reigns and stood in the saddle of my horse; and laughed. Running free through the hills; being able to go wherever you want; do anything you want, without any restrictions. This was true freedom.

Dark Wind neighed in response. I was vaguely aware of my father taking Dark Wind's reigns, yet I could hardly care. As we came to a sudden halt, I sprung from the saddle and landed hard in the snow, rolling for a few seconds until I could roll to my feet, stand, and run.

I could hear my father groan as I took off away from him. It didn't take long for him to ride aside me on his horse, trotting while I ran. I could see my breath in front of me when I huffed, glaring at him. He knew I would eventually grow tired, and riding beside me, when I was on the verge of collapse, he would easily scoop me up onto his own horse. That wasn't my plan.

I closed my eyes, using an ability I had been born with. The ability for which I was named. I turned completely invisible, crystal clear, and nonexistent to the human eye. Father stopped his horse and mine, gazing intensely at the snow. He would try to find my footprints, and find where I was standing. His eyes locked on my footprints, and as he thrust his hand out to grab me, I leapt into the air, and froze. He wouldn't be able to find me now.

From my back, I unfolded two large wings, something every immortal would eventually be able to use once they had come of age. I flapped them once. Then twice. Tree times. I lifted into the air and hovered ten feet above where my father sat annoyed on his horse. I held my breath, resisting the urge to laugh and reveal my location.

"Shadow, please, it's freezing out here and you'll get yourself sick," he called out calmly. It was true. I was already shivering, yet I wasn't desperate enough for warmth to reveal where I was hiding. He continued.

"Shadow, please, I just want to talk with you," He spoke gently. "I know you may not like what I have to say, but please, at least hear me out." I hardly ever liked what my father had to tell me in circumstances such as this. I groaned, then realized the cost of making a sound, for father sprung from his saddle, leaped high into the air and wrapped his arms around me, pulling me with him as he fell gracefully back into the saddle. Father had always been that way. Graceful.

I turned visible again and folded my wings against my back, shivering in my father's arms. He tightened his hold around me and laid my head on his chest.

"This is why we don't pull stunts like this," Father hissed, spurring his horse. "You'll get hurt."

"I'm not hurt," I corrected him with a grin. "Just cold." Father rolled his eyes and poked me in the arm playfully.

"You fell off of your horse-"

"I jumped," I corrected him again. "And rolled to my feet. No injuries." He sighed and brought me closer to his body. I snuggled into him, burying my head into his chest as we rode back into the stables. He handed Dark Wind off to a servant who took the reigns to his left, and carefully lowered me to the ground on the right next to Mott who wrapped a thick blanket close around my trembling body. He walked me inside as father tied up his own horse.

Mott held me close to him as we entered to great room and sat me down beside him at the edge of the fireplace. He held me in his arms as I savored the feeling of the heat from the fire seeping through the pores of my skin.

Another servant sat on the other side of me and wrapped another blanket around me. I snuggled closer to Mott. He rolled his eyes. "I can't believe you would ride out into that weather without a coat on. Only a fool would do such a thing."

"Yes, a princely fool," I replied with a sly smile.

Father entered through the doors to our left, which happened to be the doors I had gone through to get to the stables. He knelt in front of me. I could tell what he wanted.

"Shadow, we need to talk about something," He began timidly. I frowned and turned away from him. "Your mother and I have been talking lately...and we though we should, consult you about this."

"I don't want to become King," I whispered, shivering hard against Mott who held his arms tightly around me.

"Shadow, I know this isn't something you want, but, it's for the best. Millennia needs a new ruler. A young one. You've been trained for this your entire life."

"You don't understand," I hissed. "I would be honored to serve in this role for our country, yet...of all Millennians I will be the least free! Everything in my life, once I'm King, will be strictly involved with the throne, and the kingdom. I will not have the time to participate in things I enjoy! I will have no freedom outside the Palace! I would be like a caged bird..." I gripped the blankets wrapped around me tightly in my hands.

"Shadow," Father crooned, placing his hand on my cheek. He gently took me from Mott and held me in his arms. "Before I became King, I used to be very much like you, did you know that?" I shook my head, pulling the blankets closer. It was hard for me to believe that my father had ever had any life without the throne being apart of it.

"I could ride," he said hoarsely, as if it brought back some terrible memory. "I could ride as far as I wanted to, for the rest of my life even. My brother was the Crown Prince, I was just a Prince. I wouldn't have to take the throne, I'd be able to live my life however I wanted."
I looked up at him suddenly curious.

"But why didn't you?" I asked. "If you had everything you wanted, why would you give it all up for the throne?" Father looked down, his eyes growing darker.

"My brother was assassinated he night of his coronation," He whispered, his voice catching. "My parents had already resigned from the throne, making me the Crown Prince. I was crowned that night."
I let out a shaky breath I hadn't known I had been holding. "I-I'm so sorry," I whispered.

"It's alright, you had nothing to do with it," father replied. "But, there's times when a King has to make sacrifices for the throne. It may be something he don't want to do, but it's also what's best for the country, and that's what a royal's best interest should always be. Do you understand?" Slowly, I nodded. But I wasn't willing to give up my freedom just yet to do something I had no intention of ever doing.

"I don't suppose you have any long lost children you happened to have before me?" I asked with a grin. Father rolled his eyes and shook his head. "No, Shadow, only you."

I sighed. I knew that I would eventually have to become the King, but I didn't think that it would have to happen so quickly. My best interests should be with the well being of my country, with the well being of the citizens. I had to make certain that they were safe before any other issues or matters were to be addressed. Maybe I was finally understanding my role in my country, or maybe I was just purely insane when I told him, "Alright father, I'll take the throne."

Hey y'all! Hope this isn't out too late! Anyways, another Thanksgiving and Black Friday have come and gone. I hope you all enjoyed your holiday break and got to spend quality time with your families! ;) I missed y'all! I was gone on a vacation the entire week, so feel free to tell me how your vacations went! I'm always happy to hear about you guys! Anyways, Christmas is just around the corner! Super excited! We were first in our neighborhood to put up our Christmas lights, even though everyone else totally blew us out of the water. ;) Also, I'm pretty sure my family lives in Texas to get away from the super cold, and not it's like in the 20's all week. :( Love y'all, and I hope you enjoyed this next chapter of my story.

#Christmas lights competition

#Winter Weather in Texas