The tale of the burnt city
for they are all my children all that I swore to defend,
it is my duty to become both queen and trusted friend,
and of my children high and low from beggar to above,
the dearest are my heralds who return my care with love.
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Aurum walked along the halls humming a bright tune as was her norm she was a creature of habit and often walked the same path, every day at the same time, the jealous eyes knew she was headed to her garden one she'd grown from nothing but wild vines and thorns to a place filled with color and sweet scents that now clung to her , she was happier today, the watcher noted her voice was painfully glorious even in the soft hum of the song,
If only she would sing louder,
The jealous eyes thought,
If only she would sing his name,
"Pietro, Pietro..."
Just as she did in his dreams, dreams he'd had every night for three years, if only she didn't ignore his very existence, if only he had run faster, the little Fae would be his.
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The little town had been torn asunder in the siege, it was no fault of theirs only that they had been in the path of the Mad Prince Blaine, poisoned-tipped arrows rained down on the peaceful folk of the Fae town.
Red-hot iron blasted from cannons, smoke billowed from houses as they burned down as screams of terror dying out by the second as they were silenced one by one with the blades of Prince Blaine's army they had stood no chance against them or none they were cut down like cattle, screams stilled, the smoke-filled their lungs, blood-soaked their feet and sweat wet their tongues and stung their eyes,
So many were dead.
So many lives snuffed out like a flame in the falls rain.
Bodies were strewn everywhere in the chaos, his eyes scanning for the next victim before he spotted two beings running, one ran on all fours much too big to be a dog, a wolf he realized.
The other, his heart stopped, the other was gorgeous.
Even in the hazy light and blood-soaked dress, the gold shone through, it looked like the sun was bleeding,
He wanted to touch it
He gave chase.
Sunshine incarnate ran fast but his endurance was waning,
"Keep going Hyca almost there almost there," she urged the wolf, silent paws and bare feet on hot sand and bloodied rocks, they didn't slow but tears now fell as more and more soldiers joined Pietro's chase,
"Just a little further," the sun gasped now the pain at her side from a stray arrow getting the better of her, she was running blind,
She could picture the soldiers' eyes, she knew what they wanted, heard every filthy promise they whispered,
"Slow down Sweet we'll be gentle!"
"We just want to make you feel good!"
"Get over here! I'll stuff you so good ya won't walk for days!"
She screamed the voices too loud in her ears, she knew no one could hear her but she still screamed she'd die before giving in to them.
She'd bite of hey own tongue and die.
The pain at her side dulled asa sudden burst of speed-charged the pair and they ran the soldiers slowed down but Pietro did not, he ran even when the two looked like specs in the distance, he ran when the prince intrigued by his soldiers chasing one lone creature gave chase on horseback.
The beautiful creature had no chance at all.
The prince ran ahead of them, circling the pair as horse huffed shaking out its mane.
The wolf turned to face them cold determination in its eye as it faced them off on, the loyal friend would give its mistress a chance to find safety even if it meant death, it charged nipping at the horses hooves giving its friend a moment to flee, it got a few good hits in.
the horses neck was bloodied but the prince could not be harmed, claws and teeth did little against cold steel of armour but he did not give up not even when the prince drew a gleaming sword,
it saw its death and ran at it.
Jaws wide hoping that its mistress would take the chance to flee, the sun should have taken it but loyalty works both ways like a double-edged sword.
The sun saw her friend in danger and foolishly ran to aid him, far, far too late.
"Hyca!" she yelled just as the prince's sword fell hard through the wolfs side.
running to comfort a fallen friend as they drowned in their blood.
Silver tears shone in golden eyes.
The prince jumped of his stead nearing the sun as she wept over the wolf's whimpering body, it wasn't a slow death for the wolf, Hyca.
It suffered, shuddering as it shut its eyes, twitching as if it was cold in the blazing heat of the desert sun, surrendering to death in a pitiful whine.
Such a creature deserved better.
Rage had filled the Sunkissed lass as she glared up at the armoured prince.
The prince hadn't meant to kill her that day but the girl meant to die.
Shr launched herself at the prince punching him hard, relentless.
She bit, scratched, kicked and fought till she was thrown off like a rabid dog, a painful gasp leaving her lips as she landed on burning sand,
But She did not give up.
Standing up on shaking knees to attack again and again and again,
even though the prince was in armour he was surely hurt.
The sun was injured, on her knees gasping as the stain on her side spread, sparkling droplets of red falling to the ground gasping , her eyes were on his friend lying dead in the sand, he had been a good dog, he'd deserved better, better than an undignified death at the hands of a monster.
Amber eyes glared at the prince, no fear shone in them.
Here was girl who had accepted death, spitting at its feet and a new gleam shone in the prince's eye that day one that filled Pietro with gloom.
The prince was enamoured, how long had he searched for someone to be by his side one who would fight him every step of the way one who he could teach fear, with a beauty so glaring it was like staring at a star.
The prince smiled a dark smile as he drew a hand back and slapped the fae hard into the awaiting arms of slumber. Sheathing his sword, he picked her up with a gentleness never before seen in his hellish reign as he cradled the beauty at his chest and rode back to camp.
The prince had found his match and Pietro wailed alone.
His Sun, had been stolen from him.