~Serana⚜️

I woke up to something long and wet running over my wing. Looking over I see Etria licking at my feathers trying to get the old ones to fall out so she could play with them.

"Etria." I scold the vyx using the same wing she was licking to bop her in the nose and push her back off the bed.

"She woke you up too?" Mira's sleep filled voice sounds from somewhere else in the room.

Lifting my head I spot the other woman just sitting up and stretching the sleep from her limbs. It had been an exhausting week of shifting supplies from one city to another, tolling all the damage the rebels did and scrambling to repair it.

It took me, Katal, Fyko, and even Avar almost physically dragging Mira to the bed. I was technically supposed to have returned to my room since the delegates now knew which of us was the real queen, but Mira never said anything, and I figured if anyone did I could tell them off by saying I was forcing the queen to sleep. This particular excuse had the benefit of being true.

The night after the attack I had come to her room and tried getting some sleep, but I quickly found out it was far more difficult than usual without the now familiar presence on the other side of the bed.

Turning on my side so that I was facing Mira, I lazily watched the muscles in her back pull as tight as they could go under her skin before relaxing again. She ran a hand through the rich black hair that tumbled messily down over the first wing joints and to the bottom of both sets of blade joints.

Rolling onto my knees I reach out and grab the base of her wings and pull her back a bit. Leaning down I place a soft kiss to the side of her neck. "Mornin' love." I tease lightly. I was still sleepy and my voice was too ruff at the moment but she didn't seem to care. She turned her head and placed a kiss just under my jaw in return.

"Is that a common expression in the Mounts?" She ask leaning back so I had to support her weight.

"Love?" I question. She nods in answer, I shrug in return. "I guess. It's kind of like a term of endearment but it's not a term of endearment. Does that make any sense?" I try to explain it but I think I failed.

"Aye, it's a term of endearment that can be used as a friendly term." She responds, defining it better than I did.

"Is that a common expression?" I tease burying my smile in her soft black locks.

She chuckles in response. "Aye." She answers, proving her point. "Come on. You can't keep me in the bed all day." She says trying to pull herself out of my grip.

"I could try." The words slip out of my mouth before I can catch them.

Mira freezes and my blood runs cold as the implications of that statement sink in. I was out of the bed and in the bathroom before either of us could even blink.

I didn't give myself time to think before I started bathing and getting ready for the day. If I stopped and thought about what I said then images would start popping into my head and those would lead down a very dangerous path.

I was bustling out of the bathroom in record time just as Mira was entering. I was already finished getting dressed and putting my bow and quiver on by the time Mira was exiting the bathroom. The quiver I admit took a lot longer than I would have liked but I managed to get the damned thing on after several attempts and plucking a few of my own feathers out on accident.

"Excited aren't we." Mira comments in a less than humble tone as she searches through her wardrobe for something to wear.

Glaring at her smug tone I clip the edge of her wing with mine as I pass to head for the platform. The sound of low laughter fades behind me as I walk out into the garden.

"I'm going to the kitchen." I call over my wing before jumping off the rail.

I didn't catch what Mira yelled back but I assumed it was an acknowledgement of some sort. I chose to ignore it and continued on my path to the dining area.

Landing at the bottom of the tower I quickly make my way down the familiar path to the kitchen. I remembered the first day I was here and had four guards escorting me to have dinner with the queen. I remember how much I hated her just for her title. Now I looked around and the guards didn't give me a second glance unless it was to bow.

It was still fairly early and the sun had yet to rise above the horizon. Once I made it into the dining hall I trot around the large table and head for the door leading to the actual kitchen.

Poking my head through the swinging door I look around at the cook staff scurrying to make enough food for everyone in the castle. I spot a pair of dark blue wings with bright yellow markings on the far side of the large room. Slipping into the chaos I dodge under plates of food and narrowly avoid running into anyone as they scurry about.

When I finally reach my destination I wait for the blue winged woman to finish what she's doing before announcing my presence. Clearing my throat I smile at the older woman as she turns with a scowl on her face.

"Oh, Miss, Vynox." She sighs when she realizes who disturbed her. "I thought you were one of those pompous delegates trying to tell me how to cook again." She explains her reaction, turning back to the tray of food she had been working with. "I take it her majesty will be taking her meal in her private chamber?" The woman ask without turning around.

"I will, thank you." Mira's voice sounds from just behind me.

Both the woman and I turn at the sound of her voice. Knitting my brow I send her a questioning look.

"I told you I'd join you once I got dressed." She says raising a brow of her own in amusement.

"Yeah, right." I nod and turn back around acting like I knew.

"You weren't listening were you?" Mira's voice was light with underlying amusement.

Pursing my lips I keep my eyes on the tray of food being prepared. "I heard you say something." I defend when the feeling of her gaze doesn't leave.

A low chuckle is her only response. "This looks like it may take awhile." She comments gesturing to the food. "I'm headed to my study, are you coming or staying?" She ask making a move to leave.

Glancing over my wing I spin and start walking ahead of her. "Do you know where you're going?" Mira calls after me.

"I'll figure it out." I state confidently over my wing as I leave through one of the side doors.

"Other way." Mira calls from within the kitchen when I hang a right. Spinning around I head in the other direction.

~💠~

"How much paperwork can these people possibly need?" I exclaim sifting through one of the piles that was just dropped off.

"Please don't tempt them." Mira groans. She was seated at her desk going through a different stack of papers.

"No, this is ridiculous." I dropped the stack back on her desk to emphasize my point. The council wanted to declare war on the rebels and enact a military standing in every major city. "You're the queen not an advocate. They advise you not the other way around." I grumble using my talons to separate part of another stack.

"You don't have to sit in here with me. Go to the garden, or the library or something." Mira says keeping her eyes trained on the document in her hand.

I sighed and dropped onto the divan with thud.

"Seriously your moaning and groaning is getting distracting." Mira adds sending me a pointed glare.

"Fine." I sigh. "Where's the library? I haven't been there yet?"

"You'll have to ask the guards for directions." She says distractedly, scanning the document in her hands for the third time.

"Right." I mutter standing from the divan and heading for the door. "Don't forget to eat." I call back over my wing as I leave the room.

Making my way through the maze of hallways I follow the guards directions and every time I think I've gotten lost I ask again. Eventually I came to a large set of beautifully carved doors swung wide open to allow entry.

Stepping into the room I stop dead in my tracks at the sight of towering bookshelves and sunlight pouring in from the glass wall on the far side. My gaze swept over the staircase at the far end and followed the balcony wrapping around the huge room. There were more bookshelves lining the walls of the balcony and jutting out toward the railing to find more room.

"Skies alight." I curse under my breath.

"Can I help you?" A woman's voice calls.

Looking in the direction of the voice I spot a small woman with caramel colored wings.

"Um... hi I'm Serana." I introduced myself waving awkwardly.

The woman quickly dips into a bow. "I'm Lanja the queen's head scribe and the castle librarian. But please call me Lany." She introduces herself with a kind smile.

"Lany." I mutter to myself. "Okay, well thank you, and I will certainly ask for help if I need it." I say smiling back.

With another quick bow she moves to the large desk in front of the bookcases to the right. Turning in the opposite direction I start walking through the bookshelves and exploring the massive room. Who needs this many books? I question as I walk past thousands of leather-bound spines that looked to have not been touched in ages.

After about an hour of walking around the first level, I head to the stairs to explore the second level of the library. As I'm walking I read the labels on the sides of the bookcases that describe what books were on that shelf.

When I reach one of the far corners of the inner wall I spot a shelf at the top of the last bookcase with only a few dozen books on it. That's strange. All the other shelves were almost full. I look for the label that would identify the shelf. My brows knit together when I don't find one. Every other shelf on the bookcase had a label except for that one.

Turning back to the railing I look over to make sure Lany was still at the desk. Spotting the small woman still seated and completely immersed in her writing I turn back to the bookcase and walk over to the ladder.

Grabbing the wooden shaft on one side I pull it towards the books on the top shelf but freeze when the metal rungs let out a squeak from decades of disuse. Not daring to breath I strain my ears to listen for the tell-tell sign of someone coming up the stairs. When all I hear is the scrape of a quill on paper I relax.

Placing my foot on the bottom rung I test my weight on it. Satisfied that it won't shatter under my feet I slowly start climbing, careful to make as little noise as possible. Once I reached the top shelf I stepped off the ladder and dug my talons into the wooden shelves. I shimmied across the thankfully short distance and grabbed the first book I came in contact with.

It was a simple black leather book with no identifying markers. It seemed worn and heavily used but abandoned some time ago. Sticking the spine in my mouth I shimmied back over to the ladder and descended to the floor.

Once I was on solid ground again I took the book out of my mouth and untied the leather strap holding it shut. Cracking it open to the first page I nearly gasp and drop the book. Right there in smooth curvy letters was 'Arialsta'. Flipping to the next page I see a date and what looks to be the former queen's personal handwriting.

I read the first entry, it talked about being sworn in to the throne and the whole ordeal of the passing of power from the queen before her. I was a bit amazed at how young and lively the former queen sounded in her writing. Flipping a few more entries I see one that talks about the unrest between the lycans and the villages. As I read through the passage I couldn't help but reread one paragraph in particular.

'The council wishes to relocate the lycan clans, but that will only cause more problems between the chieftains. I have enacted a state of total monarchy, I know this power is only meant to be used in times of dire need and if I use it for too long the people will overthrow me, but I see no other way. The council refuses to listen and instead try to drown me out in paperwork, but I will do what I must to ensure this kingdoms safty.'

I had never heard of a total monarchy, but if this was true then that meant the council was trying to do the same thing as before with Queen Arialsta and trying to drown Mira in paperwork until they got their way.

Tying the book shut again I spun on my heel and sprinted for the rail. I didn't bother heading to the stairs I jumped the rail and used my wings to catch enough air to soften my landing.

"Oh!" Lany shouts startled by my sudden appearance.

I think she shouted something after me but I wasn't listening. I was sprinting through the halls trying to find my way back to Mira's chamber. After several long minutes and a few wrong turns I finally spot a familiar statue and head down the hall that lead to the study.

I nearly took the door off its hinges as I burst into the room. "Mira!" I shout drawing the attention of the rooms occupants. Avar, Katal, and two other members of the council were standing around the room.

"Serana, what's wrong?" Mira was up out of her chair and walking to my side in an instant.

"They're trying to drown you in paperwork." I start. Mira looks confused as do Avar and Katal but the other two people in the room look frightened. I keep speaking before anyone has the chance to cut me off. "I found Queen Arialsta's journal. It states that you can enact a state of total monarchy and completely over rule the council in times of dire need. This is a time of dire need." I explain rapidly holding up the book for all to see.

Mira snatches the book from my hand and starts flipping through the pages. "Daispire, April 2nd, 59." I tell her the entry date.

She quickly flips through the pages until she finds the entry. I watch her scan the page and witness the cold fire that ignites behind her eyes when she reaches the paragraph. "You two out." She barks at the council members now cowering before her desk.

They quickly comply and scurry out of the room with their wings pulled close and their heads down. "Did either of you know about this?" She snarls turning on Avar and Katal.

"No, your majesty." They both answered without hesitation.

"Queen Arialsta brought me onto the councils only two centuries before you were born." Avar confesses.

"I was promoted half century after he made council." Katal adds. "If I had known of this I would have told you immediately, your majesty." The conviction in her voice must have been enough to pacify Mira because she gives a sharp nod and dismisses them with a wave.

"From this moment forward the council is relieved of all political obligations and are to return to their personal housing immediately. Excluding Avar." She orders.

"Yes your majesty." They bow before hurrying out of the room.

Turning back to Mira I watch her start shuffling through the papers on her desk and throwing whole stacks on the floor in her search. "I told you that paperwork was a babbo's ass." I say walking over to her.

She stops what she's doing and looks over at me. "So it would seem." She sighs. "Thank you." She breaths placing her hands on either side of my neck. "You have no idea how much this will help." With that she leans in and places a firm kiss to my forehead.

"Come on. Don't you have work to do?" I half tease pulling away from her.

"Oh, you're helping now? Well this certainly is my lucky day." She comments turning back to search through the papers on her desks.

"Shut up." I mutter whacking her with my wing. "What are we looking for anyways?" I ask turning to the desk littered with papers.

A smile graces her face as she starts explaining what she needs and what she's going to do now that she doesn't have to deal with the council. A smile of my own pulls at my lips as I watch the weight that had bore down on her for the past month lift and the light of hope finally dancing across dark blue eyes.