Demonic Feathers 4

I was so scared but he wiped away all of my tears. The last thing I saw was his caring face before I fell asleep. I did not have any dreams or nightmares yet I felt warm and safe.

Loud thundering footsteps jolted us awake as ten armored guards came into the room.

"As your prince, I command you to tell me what's going on!" He said as they yanked me off the bed.

"By order of the king, this boy has been accused of practicing witchcraft and seducing multiple members of the castle." One of the guards said as they held a sword to my neck. "He is to go to the dungeon to await trial and death."

Grant tried to stop them but they held him down. They did not care about the bruises or my broken hand as they dragged me to the tower. The cell had only one barred window, a bucket, and a thin blanket. With how dirty the cell was, I was sure that I would die from infection before my trial.

After the guards left, there was a pecking sound by the window. All of my brothers flew in while carrying their shirts in their talons. I grabbed the shirts and started working to finish the last ones. Jay stayed by the window as the rest flew off. It was hard to work with only my left hand but I could not let them be stuck in that form. Even if I may die, at least they will be free again.

There was no sense of time, except for sunset and sunrise. On the possible fourth day, Grant came into my cell with dark bags under his eyes.

"They voted to kill you." He wiped his eyes before continuing. "Richard convinced everyone that you enchanted me." He reached out and grabbed my good hand. "They are going to burn you in three days. I'll try to sneak you out by then."

I shook my head before finger spelling on his hand.

'Don't get yourself in trouble. They might not let you leave your room ever again because they will think that you are possessed.'

"I don't care! You are going to die because you refused Richard!" He kissed the back of my hand. "These months since I met you have been the greatest ever. Arthur, please know that I love you."

My heart sped up and I was sure that my face was bright red. However, before I had a chance to reply, they took him away.

He made true of his promise, sadly, his plan failed and they caught him. They decided to punish him by making him watch my burning. As my final hours got closer, I finally finished the final shirt right on time. The day that the spell should break is the same time as my death.

I tucked the shirts into my shirt as they came up to drag me off. On the way to the pyre, people were throwing rotten fruit at me. One of the shirts slipped out and a guard tried to rip it away from me.

"Leave it; it looks like it will burn easily with the witch." The other guard told him.

As we got closer, I tried to fix the holes, in the back, that he caused. They dragged me to the woodpile and tied me to the pole.

"For crimes of witchcraft and enchanting the prince and his fellow knights. I hereby punish you to death by fire." An official said and the crowd started cheering.

I caught Grant's eyes and then I looked down so he would not see my tears. Richard walked up with the torch.

"You should have let me ravage your body." He whispered loud enough so that I was the only one that heard him. "You would have been the luckiest slut in the castle, now you are just a dead one."

He dropped the torch as the sun hit the center of the sky. I fought to get out of the bindings to save the shirts. A sharp raven's cry shot out as I felt the ropes start to loosen.

"Shoot the bird! The witch is trying to use his familiars to escape!" Someone shouted as the smoke got thicker.

The raven flew up to dodge the fruit as I slipped free. I noticed that all of my brothers were flying above me as I tossed the shirts in the air. Each of them flew into the shirts and landed on the ground, in their normal human form. Except for Jay, because he got the torn shirt, so he had raven wings sticking out of his back. I smiled as my vision started to grow dark from breathing in all of the smoke.

I felt someone pick me up and I started to cough from the fresh air. I blinked a few times to try and see what was happening. Jay was holding me and Vincent was trying to explain what happened to the king. Jay carried me to Grant and passed my weak body over to him.

"Could you keep an eye on him for me?" He just nodded his head. "Thank you, now there is someone my fist is dying to meet again." He tackled Richard as he tried to escape. "Come here, Dick! I need to beat you bloody."

I looked up into Grant's loving eyes and opened my mouth for the first time in two years.

"Grant, I love you too." My voice was weak and scratchy from not being in use.

After the insanity passed and I got my voice completely back, I explained everything to Grant's father. It turned out that every single person that was accused of witchcraft, was someone that denied Richard.

"Do you know that you have the most amazing voice?" Grant told me as we were laying in our bed together.

"You keep telling me every day."

"It is the truth."

I kissed his nose and then he started tickling me, just so he could hear my laughter.

My brothers had an interesting life here. They were popular with the ladies and a few guys. But, Jay had to start beating people away with a stick because people thought that he was an angel that came down to earth. It was entertaining to watch the king get smacked by the Queen for listening to Richard for too long. I sent a letter back home and found out that our father passed away. After we got the news, most of our brothers went back home as Vincent and Jay stayed back.

One night, I got a basket of yarn and a simple note.

Would you be my King?

Now and Forever?

Grant

Instead of answering him verbally, I walked to him and tackled him. Then I gave him a big long kiss on the lips.

I was raised as an only child, found out that I had twelve brothers. Then, I accidentally turned them into ravens. But, if it wasn't for that insanity, I would not have met Grant… or nearly get burned alive. But, I rather focus on the good parts. I guess that it is always possible for happy endings.