Prologue,Part II: Astoria Summers:Finding sanctuary

Her breathing is calm,despite everything that happened the past weeks,as she stands in front of the iron gate.The only thing that stands between her and a new life.She scratches her back,where her wings are supposed to be,hidden by her glamour."Astoria Summers?Is that you?",a female,fruity voice asks."Yes!",Astoria turns around to see a stunning woman,not just any,Duchess Evette stands there.Astoria quickly bows,but the royal laughs,a pleasant sound."No need for such formalities.You are going to be my maiden,we will get familiar quickly.You may call me Evette",she says,and her ruby lips curl into a kind smile."Of course,your...Evette",Astoria quickly corrects herself and scratches again nervously the root of her wings."Then you may call me Astoria." Evette tilts her head,and gives her another smile;"Hawk?Well,a truly beautiful name." Astoria suddenly feels doubt,and fears that Evette is a Gifted,but she turns away,and unlocks the gate.No,Astoria can feel it.She is no Gifted."Follow me,Astoria."

She steps through the gate,right into a grand garden.Astoria has seen many flowers when she was crossing the

seas and different countries,but none like them.Astoria finds herself at a loss for words by the beauty of nature."Marvellous,isn't it?My husband wanted a giant pond,with statues of him and rare fish,but I wanted a garden.There are more people who like strolling through a garden,a pond would cause them the fear of drowning,I meant",Evette says,and Astoria silently nods,a bit too enthusiastic maybe."My husband knows about you,and I am sure he will try to intimidate you." Evette says that,and there is a look of worry on her face."How?" The question popped out of Astoria before she could consider possible reactions of the Duchess."By telling you what to do,by mocking you.But don't listen to him.I would rather not think about my husband's flaws anymore,I would like to get to know you",she smiles kindly at Astoria.Astoria knows she can't tell about her true form,about her being a harpy,so she has to lie.Just a bit.

"I would like to share my story,if it does not bore you",she says in a polite tone and tilts her head,a bit unsure.If she wants to stay here,at the palace,the only place where she would be safe,she has to play her cards right."It will not bore me." Then,Astoria tells Evette.

"I was born far away,in the west of our world.Perhaps you noticed",Astoria laughs awkwardly,and points at her mouth."Yes,your accent is quite different than those I heard in my time",Evette says in a diplomatic tone.

"And then,when I was sixteen,my father wanted to live in Europe,in Spain.He said we would have a better life there,so we sailed there.I remember being seasick over days",Astoria giggles,"My sister,parents and I sailed for weeks until we reached a spanish harbour.

The years have passed,I studied,and then,one day,my mother told me she wants to marry off me to a king!I was against it,I mean,why would I want to marry a man older than my own father?" Astoria bites her tongue as she says that,knowing that Evette was forced into a marriage with Ayan.But she looks not hurt,just interested,wanting Astoria to go on.

"But one day...We wanted to go sailing to an island,where my father built a little house,our own little sanctuary...But someone killed my family before I could join them on the boat.Everything burned...",Astoria's voice cracks,but there won't roll any tears down her cheeks.She is not sad,but feigns it."Oh,what an awful thing.I am terribly sorry you had to go through that,Astoria,Evette says with a sympathetic smile,and lays a hand on her shoulder."Do you need anything?",she asks worried.

"No,thank you though for this generous offer.I will be fine,Evette",Astoria reassures her with a light smile."I care about my staff,if anything bothers you,care to ask me for help." Astoria nods,then continues,leaving all the parts what happened,what really happened.That she saw the murderer sitting at a fireplace,staring in the flames,hiding his face with a mask.That she did not feel sad,and felt the urge to join the murderer of her family by the fire.That she greeted him as if he hadn't killed her whole family.That he offered her a piece of meat,and that they ate in silence.That Astoria felt a strange urge to show him a crystal,one with great meaning to her.All that does Astoria not tell the Duchess.Astoria remembers the day,she does not know why she reacted that way.It was like she was controlled by something,but deep down,she knows that she was not.The man never showed her his eyes,or his face,and Astoria remembers she felt weirdly drawn in and calm by his presence.She can't sleep anymore,the thought of the murderer robs her sleep,makes her pacing around until her feet are sore and the sun has risen.What she said to him as she looked at the crystal still rings in her head:"When I am upset,I look at that gem.Because even with a bit light you can see something beautiful and something stunning."

She does not know why she said that,as if she was talking...about him.All these thoughts keep her awake at night.Evette notices that Astoria is lost in her thoughts and memories,and seems to be worried again."Are you really fine,Astoria?You were so enthusiastic,and now you are so..." "I am fine,believe me.It's just...It's just strange that it happened three weeks ago,and I feel so...strangely calm about it!"

There is frustration in Astoria's voice,but Evette manages to calm her.

"That usually means it was fate,it had to happen,so that something else can happen."

"Is that so?",Astoria thinks.Fate...

"Perhaps.Well now that I am here,change may come",Astoria means with a weak smile and rakes through her dark brown hair that covers her shoulders."I would be happy for you.I do not mean to pry...but was the murderer caught?"

Astoria gulps,her throat dry,but she does her best to hide it.Enough to fool Evette?"He hanged by dawn",she lies,and Evette nods."A fair fate for such an awful man."

"Yes",Astoria agrees with a croaky voice,having this weird feeling in the pit of her stomach,a feeling that screams at her,screams that the man is still out there,that he is more than he appeared to be.