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Rook flipped through the book again as he sat in the parlor. He had never realized how many people supported the darkness in his realm. He had always assumed everyone hated the darkness because of the he felt hated towards him. Reading through the comments he felt overwhelmed. The door opened across the room and Rook looked up as Flora entered.

“Rook, what’s wrong? You look like you’ve been crying.”

He reached up to his eyes. “Ah.” He wiped away the tears quickly, embarrassed. “Look at this.” He handed her the book trying to distract her while he regained his composure.

Flora took it reading the first page. “This can’t be . . . Aero?”

Aero stopped outside the door as she heard her name. She leaned against the door, listening to them.

“Yes, it’s the story of her past. Everything she can remember.” He flipped to the back of the book, “and here are messages from the people who’ve read it.”
There was silence as Flora read through them.

“There are so many. Realization came to her. “So many people know about her. They know she’s a princess! We have to stop this. What if someone from the light realm comes and takes her away?”

Aero burst through the door. “The book has to keep going around. More people have to know!”

“But what if they come-”

“Let them come!”

“Aero.” Flora looked at her fearfully.

“They can’t force me to go.” Aero looked at her defiantly. “The book will still go around.”

Rook put his hand on Flora’s shoulder. “Aero’s right. No one will make her leave.”

Flora nodded. “Okay.” She flipped back to the comments. “There really are a lot of them.”

Aero smiled, walking over to read them beside her. “It’s a start. One day they’ll say it out loud.”

Fall passed with a cold wind whistling through the Capitol. Small flurries of snow fell from the grey sky. The morning was silent as Aero starred out the window. The book hadn’t been seen since Rook left it back where the maid dropped it. She assumed people had been passing it by hand since the streets were so wet. There wasn’t much chance of seeing it until spring. Aero sighed, her breath formed stream in the freezing air. No one used the exterior hallways much in the winter. The open arch windows, which had once let a cooling breeze flow through the palace, were now closed off by heavy wooden doors.

“Aero?” a voice called to her. She turned to see Flora walking down the hall. “It’s almost time for lunch. Why don’t you wait in the parlor with Rook and I? It’s much warmer.”

“I wanted to watch the snow.”

“Hey, I was thinking,” she started and paused for a moment. “You should go home and visit Lucidia. I know you don’t have to practice until spring because of the weather. You know she misses you.”

“I know.” Aero continued to stare at the snow. “I miss her, too.”

“Aero.” Flora looked down knowing just how stubborn Aero could be. “Please, just . . . think about it.”

Aero waited for the sound of the heavy doors closing before slumping across the windowsill. She’d been worrying for a while about Lucidia. Winter was always so hard on the village but even so, Aero felt she couldn’t leave. She couldn’t choose between her worry and waiting.

Eventually, shivering interrupted her inner turmoil. She hurried inside heading for the parlor. A small wood stove heated the room. She opened the door welcoming the heated air to warm her.

“Hello Aero,” Rook called from behind his book.

“Hello.” She looked around the room. “Where’s Flora?”

“She’s checking on the cooks.” He answered casually, “and she was hoping I’d be able to convince you to go home for a visit. Flora’s been worried about you. You’ve been down since the troupe practices ended. And with the weather this way there’s not much to distract you is there?”

“I’m fine really.” Aero slumped into the couch, “just a little . . . torn. I want to visit but-”

“You’re afraid he’ll come while you’re gone?” Rook asked, not reading anymore.
She nodded. “I’m afraid he’ll think I don’t care about him; that I’m moving on while he’s gone.”

“If he came we’d tell him where you are. He would understand, can’t you see that?” Rook leaned forward. “Tornado cares about you.”

“I know he does.” Aero’s voice shook, “he told me. I just wish I could see him again. I want him to stay. I don’t think I could watch him leave, not again.”

“Aero, go back to Lucidia. It will give you some time to relax. When you come back you’ll be more at ease, trust me.”

She thought for a moment. “I’ll go for a short visit. Promise me you’ll tell me right away if you hear anything about Tornado.”

He felt a stab of guilt as he nodded. “I promise, I’ll tell you if he’s coming. I’ll send him straight to you.” He couldn’t tell her unless it was an appropriate situation.

“Is now appropriate? How would she take the news? She loves Tornado but would his connection to the Dark Lord . . . she’s light but Aero’s not the judgmental type. She’s compassionate, even when they were children she didn’t care about his origin.”

“Aero,” he started. “You should tell Flora you decided to go, she’ll be relieved.”

“Okay.” Aero nodded as she left. “I should probably get packed, too.”

Rook fell back into the couch staring up at the ceiling as he leaned his head against the couch. He pulled his hair. “Idiot.” He scolded himself. “Why can’t you tell them? Why are you such a coward?” He leaned himself forward.

“Tell us what?” Flora was there. She knelt in front of him. “Rook, please, tell me what’s bothering you. What happened? Why can’t you tell us, tell me? Why don’t you trust me? Rook, please!”

He hugged her. “I’m sorry. I trust you and I want to tell you. I’m scared. Absolutely terrified to tell you. I don’t want you to hate me. I don’t want you to leave. I’m selfish and I hate myself for it. At the same time I want you to be happy and free to do as you want. I feel like it’s my fault for binding you here with that ring.”

“It’s not your fault. I like it here, I’m very happy, but I still want to know.”

He let her go as he nodded. “I’ll tell you but I’m not sure how Aero will take it. Can I tell you first and then you can help me decide? You know her so much better than I do.”

Flora nodded as she whispered. “Should we wait until after she leaves, just to be safe?”

“That would be best.”


Aero rode in a small carriage staring out at the clouds. The winged horses flew both in front and behind of the carriage making the flight very smooth but Aero was restless. Aero sighed resting her head back.

“Are you well, dear? Feeling airsick?” The horse behind her asked.

“I’m fine. How long will the trip take?”

“We should get there by nightfall.”

“So fast?” She questioned surprisingly pleased by the news.

“We are at a favorable elevation and our wings are very strong. We’re horses after all.” He gave a whinny-like laugh and the horse in front answered with one of his own.

“Amazing!”

“It would be even faster is you rode one of us alone. That’s how you’ll return if we get a message from the prince.” The second horse told her.


Rook and Flora sat in the parlor waiting for the maids to leave after serving them tea.

“Thank you.” They told them as the maids curtseyed and dismissed themselves.

Flora waited anxiously as Rook took a sip of his tea on the couch across the table. He put his cup down, finally looking up.

“The reason I left so suddenly a while ago was because I got a message from my father. He gave me permission to visit my mother for a day. I have to stay here and be the prince while my mother lives with my father. You see, my father,” he swallowed looking down to compose himself. He looked back up at her. “My father is the Dark Lord. That’s why I’m dark. That’s why my people hate and blame me for my mother leaving. So I understand if you are uneasy about it as well.” He looked at her worriedly.

She shook her head. “That’s your background. You’re still you. I don’t know much about the Dark Lord but I do know you. Even if we’ve only known each other for a little while I know you’re a good person. You worry about others and are afraid of being hated. You want to know about places beyond these walls, that’s why you’re always reading. You’re a dreamer and romantic. Yet there seems to be so much more to you that I don’t know. Please, tell me everything. I want to know more about you.”

He smiled taking another sip of his tea. “We can talk about me some other time. First, there’s more that happened in the Dark Realm. I ran into Tornado.”

“Tornado? Is he okay? Oh god, don’t tell me something happened to him.”

“He’s doing fine. I think he’s planning something. He said that I’m not the only one who hates our father.”

“‘Our Father’? You mean-”

“Yes. We’re half brothers.”

“Were you worried that she’d change her feelings for Tornado?” Flora asked.

“She’s not like that. She’s very stubborn.”

“That’s not it. I figured that she wouldn’t mind his background, it’s just, I thought she’d get scared of the connection.”

“She wouldn’t mind that you’re related.”

“No not to me. You see, the Dark Lord targeted my mother because she’s the queen of the Faery Realm. The Dark Lord wanted a light heir in the Light Realm. I heard from my mother that he made a mistake in the Light Realm. The woman he targeted wasn’t the princess he thought he was. So his plan failed. He may still want a connection to the Light Realm since Tornado isn’t light. Aero is the princess so the Dark Lord may try to target her.”

Flora stared at him repulsed by the idea. She stood up furiously. “I’ll never let him so much as look at her. If he lays a hand on her I’ll-” she stopped herself breathing deeply. “We have to protect her at all costs.”

Rook stood. “I’ve already made that promise to Tornado but know harm in making it again.” He held out his hand. “To protect Aero.”

“At all costs.” Flora added as they shook.