Chapter 9: Special Birds

The night masked all things with mystery and daunt, but the night was a perfect environment for owls.

Precisely messenger owls.

The black owl Sevas sent out was close to meeting its destination, it seemed it had been trained to fly several miles without rest. It's body sleek, it's speed faster than the human eye can depict.

It finally found the place of residence where the receiver stayed, clamping its claws on the railing of the window to be spotted by a bewildered man through the gold embroidered drapes. The man reeled the window open once the bird began tapping at the window lightly.

"Little friend, the night is dire. What brings you here with no sleep, no food, or shelter? Damn, your owner abusing you and misusing you. God, how beautiful you are." He attempted to pat the tired owl only to be pecked harshly.

"Ow- heavens of the lord- why must- ahh. You're a messenger owl." He deduced, catching a glimpse of the small flask on the owl's leg as it flapped its wings to expose it.

"Surely you must be quite a loyal friend to your owner if you let no one else touch you in the slightest." He commented, carefully dismounting the flask from the owl's leg. The creature seemed to have a bit of arrogance as it flared its beak upwards in a manner found too often in high society.

"Such a strange creature with strange manners." He lamented as he scratched his head confused...

"Heiren, it seems you're quite bemused by something to be away for so long." Another man wrapped in a fancy robe that seemed to show a bit too much skin entered the room. The man in particular exuded a different sophistication about him, his presence commanding an empty room. There wasn't any denying he surely had nobility in his blood.

"Ahh yes- I do humbly apologize Sire. I got distracted by the beauty of a creature that seemed to mimic those of the high class in mannerisms. Strange bird." Heiren let out a helpless sigh.

"Oh Heiren." The man chuckled politely shaking his head, Golden tresses fell across his temple slightly masking his face.

"Ahh, I do apologize for keeping you waiting, Sire. There seems to be an urgency requiring your attention." Heiren's eyebrows were scrunched together in a manner as if he could feel the emotions in the letter from the seal and name of the sender alone.

"What?" The man asked playfully. His curious eyes peered over to the bird that stood still not swayed by the food he was waving in front of.

"It seems this birdy is far too dedicated to their master don't you think." He commented changing the topic for a moment. He attempted to persuade the bird into latching onto his forearm, but the bird only did so until the man bowed slightly forward as if asking a maiden to dance at a ball.

"Strange indeed," Heiren whispered under his breath taken away from the thick tension in the room before.

"Such a beautiful creature. However, perhaps this is as close as it gets. I am curious about your name..." the man trailed off, searching for a possible tag on the bird's body only for the bird to be displeased by the action and fly off his arm and onto his head. Heiren gasped his eyes almost falling out of their sockets, he knew very well how important it was to his side for nothing to touch his head, in their culture it was a bad omen- and that relentlessly strange bird just did so without any fear. "Well then, maybe I should mind my business, is that what you're telling me birdy?" The man chuckled.

"Sire, shall I take it off."

"Leave it be. It seems to dislike being pestered." He walked around the room and into his seat with the bird still on his head as if it was cozying itself into the tresses of Heiren's sire.

"Such a rude little fellow." Heiren clicked his tongue in displease.

"Please continue with the letter."

"A letter from the Wolf, sire ." The attendant replied dauntingly, his tone giving away his unease about the sender of that letter. Heiren handed the letter to his companion who was

"Really?" The man's eyes row perked curiously, he reached out for the letter, unfolding it to grasp its contents. The owl slowly descended unto his shoulders, peering down with him as if to read along as well.

"Well... I'll be. Seems we'll be having front-row seats to a spectacular undoing." An amused smile painted the man's face, he lifted a hand to his face in deep thought.

Heiren stood unable to understand what his companion had been thinking.

"Florian Romani, you never seem to disappoint me." His side chortled, a full-blown smile on his lips. The owl cooed at the sound of its owner's name, then as if by instinct it lifted itself and onto the desk near the parchment and ink. Rolling the pen towards the man who watched the bird admiringly.

"Sire... the bird. It seems to be waiting for your response to send back." Heiren was fascinated.

"Ahh, it is. Such an eloquently hard-working bird with a good work ethic. Truly, marvelous." The man exclaimed, his eyes looked as if he wanted to steal the bird for himself but was terrified of the expression he'd receive from Count Romani. He quickly wrote down two simple phrases for the bird to lock into its gaze and once he signed it and let the bird see the parchment once more he began to burn the letter which startled Heiren since he found the situation quite questionable.

"If only I could steal you to be mine. Wouldn't you like that?" He whispered as he sent the owl back to its owner.

"Sire what did you write back in your response? And why did you burn it?"

Heiren cautiously inquired.

His companion looked off into the night sky the moon shining brightly.

"That bird is truly spectacular. It only needs to make contact once. Just once and it carried words without the need for a paper trail. Isn't that phenomenal?" Heiren's companion passionately spoke. His eyes never leaving the direction in which the strange bird left.

"As to what I wrote - surely it is only something the moon and sun could communicate about."

.

.

The owl's eyes glowed as it envied the contents of the response in its memory, and began transferring its vision character by character to its owner. Count Romani's vision had been overtaken by the owls seeing eyes, the characters illuminating in the air spelling out phrases. Like magic. He read aloud piecing together the sentences once the letters settled in his vision.

'Dear Moon,

The stars await your betrayal. And the sun, as always in your support.

Sincerely,

Your "friend."

V. '