~Mirandiona💎

"How is she?" I asked through the door.

"Still no change. The one that caught the plague has already died and we have reason to believe another of the guards has contracted it but as far as any of us can tell Selina managed to kill it before it took hold." Katal reports from the hall. "She still won't let anyone come near her or the others, just incase." The relief and upsetment in the general's voice was palpable even through the door.

Letting my head fall against the wooden surface I adjust my legs so that they're laying out in front of me. "And the rest of the city?" I ask not wanting to hear but needing to know all the same.

There was a long pause from the other side before metal could be heard shifting against metal. "Death total at 89 and counting, approximately an additional 200 have caught the plague most of them are from lowrise districts, while some are from the midrise, and a handful from the highrise. All of them are still quarantined in Secora hospital. As an added safety measure we have rounded up the families of both the sick and deceased and are keeping them individually quarantined in the South Mavri hospital leaving the North Mavri hospital open for the non infected. Everyone who thinks they have caught the Black Rot is to report to South Mavri where they will be quarantined and watched, if they prove to be infected they are to be moved to Secora." The General reports, even through the door she sounded weary and run down.

"Black Rot?" I question unfamiliar with the term.

"It's what the hospital staff and guards have taken to calling the infection due to it rotting the flesh and turning it black along with the victims blood." Katal answers without missing a beat.

"Mm." Is all I can manage to reply with to that. Lulling my head to the side I take a deep breath before pushing myself up straighter against the door. "You should get some sleep Katal. You sound like you could use it. When you wake up I would like to go question Avar again." I tell the older woman.

There was another pause from the other side before Katal responds. "Yes, your majesty."

I listened as armored footsteps faded down the hall.

"At least it's being contained fairly well." Serana pipes up from where she sat at the end of the bed.

I lift my eyes to look at her. "Nearly a thousand people would disagree with you." I point out.

Serana hums for a moment, looking out the closed doors to the platform. "Out of a million people that live in this city, one thousand isn't that many. And less than a quarter of them are the only ones who seem infected. I'd say that's pretty damn well contained considering what it could have been. What it would have been had you not caught it in time." Her gaze lands back on me at her final statement.

I make a non-committal hum as I roll my head against the door until I'm looking back at my nightstand.

I hear Serana sigh and the bed shift beneath her before the soft padding of feet announces her approach. My focus goes back to the other woman the moment she steps into view and ungracefully plops herself down at my feet.

"So what are we going to do once the plague is contained?" She questions folding herself up so as not to take up too much room.

I watch her for several moments, just listening to her breathe as she waits for my answer. Shifting my eyes from her torso to bright orange irises I watch for her reaction to my next words.

"We're flying on Kenysiz, there will be enough guards left in each city to maintain peace and protect the surrounding area but they will be a skeleton crew. You and I will be going as well, if we stay here in the city with so few guards we will be asking to be attacked. So we will fly with the guards and the ones from the other regions will meet up with us at varying intervals. We will decide a gathering date once the plague is dealt with." I finish with a decisive nod.

Serana nods softly as her eyes seem to lose focus and begin to drift toward the ground. Silence followed my statement for long enough that I startled when Serana spoke. "We're wearing some sort of armor."

Sitting up straight against the door I shoot the other woman an inquisitive look. "Do what?"

Serana looks back up with a hardened gleam to her eyes. "We are wearing armor when we go to Kenysiz." Serana's tone brokered no argument and I wasn't about to try.

Glancing off toward the double doors I let the idea run through my head. Why didn't I think of that, of course we'll need armor! "Come on." I call out to my partner as I heave myself into a standing position and make for the balcony door.

"Mira! We're not supposed to leave the room without an escort." Serana reminds me before I can reach the doors.

Growling I stop in my tracks and turn toward the other door. "Damn it." Going back to the hallway door I yank it open, slightly startling the two guards that are standing just outside. "Balcony, now, we're going to the smith." I don't wait for their response before turning back to the balcony doors and heading out.

"Wait we're going now for armor?" Serana shouts after me.

Throwing the balcony doors open I march out into the crisp air and make my way towards the railing. "There's no time like the present, we're not doing anything anyways. Besides the more time she has to forge the armor the better the condition." I reason. Hopping up with one foot on the railing I look back over my wing at Serana and the two guards trailing her. "So hop to, we've no time to waist."

With that I let myself tip over the edge and fall into a glide. It wasn't long before I heard an extra three sets of wings follow suit.

~💠~

It took at least three hours for the black smith to get my and Serana's measurements and draw up sketches with notes of what we would need from the armor.

"I' i' ba' bat I'm -'cided 'bou- de armmmr?" Serana asked around a mouthful of bread as we sat on our bed eating lunch.

"Swallow then speak please." I shoot the other woman an unamused look. My expression quickly changed to a smirk as I watched her struggle to hurriedly finish chewing.

After a half minute long battle with the bread in her mouth Serana finally managed to swallow. "I said, is it bad that I'm excited about the armor?"

I furrow my brow and shake my head. "No, why would it be?" I ask confused why it would be considered bad to want armor. It was her idea anyways.

"I just-" Serana's shoulders come up in a shrug as her wings do a half hearted flap before flopping back down to fan out around her. "I don't know, I guess I feel guilty that I'm excited for the armor considering what it's for." Using her leg she pushed the tray away from herself and toward me.

Reaching out I pick up the tray and move it onto the nightstand before it gets kicked over. Once the food is safely out of the way I situate myself against the headboard and hold my wings and arms up in invitation.

The bronze skinned woman looks up at all my shuffling and looks on for a moment until I lightly flit the tips of my wings and beckon her forward with my fingers.

I watched the tension loosen from her shoulders and wings just a little as she crawled over to lay in my arms. Once she became situated I closed my arms and wings around her in a loose embrace.

Pressing a kiss to the crown of her head I spoke into her hair just loud enough for her to hear me. "You don't have to feel guilty for being excited over something that gives you hope." I assure her, absentmindedly running my fingers along her feathers and preening them.

The younger woman was quiet for a long moment before she shifted in my arms to a more comfortable position. "If you keep doing that I'm going to fall asleep." She warns, her voice already muffled in a half slur.

My chest vibrates with a soft chuckle as Serana begins to purr in my arms. Keeping my movements slow and smooth I start purring with her to help lull the other woman to sleep.

It didn't take long before her breathing evened out and I felt her weight settle against me in sleep. I guess it's true what they say about a calm before the storm.

I'm not sure how long we laid there as I watched the shadows grow longer across my ceiling before there was a soft knock on the door, barely loud enough to be heard.

"Come in." I call as quietly as I can so as not to wake Serana.

The door creaked open to revel a fully armored Katal standing on the other side. The generals eyes sweep over Serana before settling on me. "Do you still want to join me for the interrogation?" She asks flitting a wing to motion towards Serana's sleeping form still in my arms.

"Aye." I confirm, carefully shifting Serana's sleeping form to the mattress. Thank the Drac you sleep like the dead. I chuckle to myself before rising from the bed. "This time I think we'll try a different tactic." My tone was foreboding at best and judging by the way Katal's eyes darkened with underlying malice my intent was clear.

Leading the way to the garden terrace I hop the railing again and bank towards the barracks.

I barely gave my surrounding a glance, far more focused on my goal. I had had enough of Avar's silence and freshly unveiled disdain. The pleasantness he had been putting forth since Serana's arrival all those months ago having finally dissipated. The snake nearly had me fooled as well with his sudden change in demeanor. How he managed to draw such faith from even Katal was a testament to the man's charisma.

The guards hurried to unlock the interrogation room door as they saw the General and I approach. They just manage to unlatch the bolt by the time I reach them and shove the door inwards.

"Back so soon?" Avar quips, there was some dried blood running in a line from the corner of his amused smile to his chin. The chains that fastened his legs to the ground clinked as his arms adjusted in the metal cuffs pinning them to the stone table.

Snapping my fingers I don't bother looking over my shoulder as I start issuing orders. "Get a fire going."

The guards outside quickly went off to secure some wood for the fire pit in the back of the room.

Pulling out the chair across from Avar I sit down level a displeased glare at the man, fully intending to wait in silence for the guards to return.

Avar watches me expectantly, his eyes betraying is worried curiosity. You should be worried. He says nothing but his eyes tell much the longer we wait.

"I did respect your parents you know." He finally breaks the silence. He knows he will not live to see tomorrow. I conclude at his sudden talkativeness. "I tried to respect you... at first. But you prove more and more that you are too much like Lykanio. Forceful, stubborn, selfish all the things your nani was I see in you. I tried to teach you to be better, but you wouldn't listen to me. You wouldn't trust me." I could see his breathing getting faster as he talked.

Trying to blame this on me? What a coward that he can't even own up to his own actions. I say nothing as I watch him drawing in deep slow breaths, allowing the chilled air to sting deep in my lungs.

"Helton isn't perfect, but he sees a better future, a future where the selfish cannot indulge themselves. A better future, a better life that you cannot provide!" Avar yells, spittle flinging across the table. "My brother will see this world set right after your family has poisoned it. You have led us far from Sapio's path, you too readily embrace the Drace."

This has my chin lowering a hair as my glare turns malicious. "Sapio is a harbinger of war, while it is necessary for the balance of life and desire too much causes death and destruction. The Drace is the one who teaches us to stay our hands from violence, to respect our world and all those who reside on it. I embrace both with equal measure, it is you and your brother who have forsaken all of the Drace's teachings and tarnish his blessings." I hiss in a low threatening tone.

We laps into a deathly silence glaring at one another from across the table for several long minutes until the guards finally return and get to work building a large fire in the pit. I watch the fear set into Avar's eyes as his face remains impassive for all but the bobbing of his throat as he swallows.

"Katal heat your blade." I order the general, prompting her from her position as sentinel.

The older woman wordlessly moves to the back of the room where a good sized fire has just started to really burn and places her sword in a rack to hold is aloft over the flames.

"He knows of Evyo." Avar starts the desperation starting to seep into his expression as he begins to understand my intentions. "I told him of her in my letter about the caravan, he'll have apprehended her by now."

I level a positively bored look at him as I let a smirk pull at my lips and reveal one set of fangs. "You think I didn't already know that? Trust when I say I fully intend on getting her back as unharmed as possible. And to do that-" I nod to Katal as she lifts her sword from the fire, the blade glowing an ominous red, "I need your wings."

The man barely had time for his terror to register before the guards were seizing his wings and forcing them back to make sure Katal had a clear strike.

"No! Plea-" Avar's plea was cut off by a blood curt long scream as his left wing was severed from his back in a single swift stroke of Katal's sword. My heart leapt into my throat at the sound but I didn't dare look away as Katal rounded to his other side and lined up the slowly cooling blade with his right wing.

Fat rivers of tears poured down the man's face as he bellowed in pain. The screaming started anew as Katal's sword arched and sliced clean through his other wing.

He was little more than a sobbing mess as I forced myself to my feet with trembling hands pressed against the table. Swallowing the lump in my throat I nod towards the wingless man. "Return him to his cell." I didn't miss the slight strain to my voice and swallowed thickly to be rid of it.

The guards waisted no time unchaining Avar and dragging his slumped and wailing form out of the room.

Taking a steadying breath I allow my wait to rest heavily on my hands and bow my head. Tears were coming unbidden to my eyes at what I had done. He will die for his treachery regardless, I got all the information I needed I now know he is Helton's brother, I need his wings to create a passable disguise to get Evyo back. I have to get Evyo back for Serana, she cannot lose the only parent she has left to this damn war.

I don't realize I'm sobbing until Katal's sword clatters on the stone table in front of me and I'm being pulled into strong arms and pressed firmly against a golden chest plate. "Shh, that's it." Katal soothes gently rocking me back and forth as she wraps me up in her wings. "It'll be alright. Somehow, this will end up alright. One way or another." She whispers into my hair pressing firm kisses into my black locks.

If it wasn't for the armor I'm sure my grip around her waist would be crushing her as I burry my face into her neck and allow myself to cry the way I did the night I found out my parents had been murdered.

I don't know how long we stood there as sobbed into Katal's hair but eventually I stopped crying and settled for sniffling as I kept my arms locked firmly around the woman who all but raised me.

I had just fully regained my breathing to a normal pace when a guard burst into the room. "General!" The woman's voice sounded urgent quickly grabbing both of our attentions. "Your majesty." She nods in a curt greeting before turning her attention back to Katal. "It's Selina she's throwing up and demanded for you to come to the infirmary at once."

Katal completely pulls away from me at that and is bolting for the door with me hot on her wing tips as we both rush to the infirmary.

I follow as Katal briskly shoves her way through any unfortunate sole that gets in her way a couple of Lycans even jumped out of the general's way ash barreled through the halls.

At Katal's pace we reach the infirmary in record time but that doesn't stop the almost frantic woman from borderline violently throwing the infirmary doors open.

Several people I recognize as Selina's assistants are standing around the woman as she seems to be looking at something. I'm unable to see what it is until the startled mass quickly distances themselves from Katal's path and her destination. I stop in my tracks as my eyes catch on the clear glass of lightly foaming pink liquid. Is that?

Katal clearly doesn't notice the very telling glass in front of Selina as she checks her mate over, clearly worried but refraining from touching the other woman. "Are you alright? I thought you were still in quarantine? What's going on? Are you sick?!" Katal was nearly panicking as she visibly fought to keep from running her hands along Selina's body to check for injuries.

"I'm fine Katal." Selina assures reaching out to grasp Katal's hands. The contact instantly has the general's frenzied state abating. "My heart, I am fine." The doctor assures for good measure. A hesitant look passed over her face as she took a deep breath but she never took her eyes off Katal. "I thought that we could still be contaminated because I continued to feel sick long into the quarantine. But I realized that I'm not showing the right symptoms and if I had caught it then I would likely be dead by now." Selina releases one of Katal's hands and picks up the still foaming glass of pink liquid.

Katal's eyes catch on the container and her face goes slack and her wings noticeably drop in shock. "You-" Katal starts but is quickly chocked off by her own emotions. I could see tears starting to form in the general's eyes as she let out a huff of disbelief with a smile flashing across her stunned features. "You're pregnant?" Katal sounded breathless and on the verge of laughter.

"Ah!" The general gently pulls her mate against her. "I thought something was wrong."

Selina laughs and returns the embrace burying her beaming smile into Katal's hair. "No just pregnant." Selina confirms the joy in her voice enough to make me forget my own emotions and allow myself to be flooded with joy for the pair.

Katal laughs and pulls back far enough to give Selina the dopiest look I had ever seen on her stern features. "A baby. We're gonna have a baby." She breathes in wonder bringer her hands up to Selina's face and giving her a firm and loving kiss.

I didn't want to intrude on there moment so I quickly ushered everyone out of the room before following myself. Turning to the nearest guard I make a vague motion towards the barracks. "Go find Avar's, wings they'll be on the floor of one of the interrogation rooms, I need them preserved as best as possible." I order curtly, fighting the lump that tried to rise back into my throat.

The guard salutes before taking off to do as bid. Letting out a huge sigh I allow my wings to drop halfway to the floor for a moment before lifting them and taking off for my room in the quickly dwindling light.