Chapter Text
Derek was dying. He knew that, could feel the King seep into every ridge in his brain until he could think of nothing but yellow.
This hadn’t been how he wanted to go.
But due to his arrogance, he lay on a cold platform, bleeding out. His last act had been to save his Avery. It was an action he would never regret, and if he did, he would ask the closest person to slash his stomach open and let his insides spill out, for even a thought like that was sacrilege of the highest order.
And it was not a pitiable death; it was one of honor. At least he died in battle, same as his father and the men before him.
Derek’s eyes fluttered shut.
At least…his resting place…was quiet…
◤─────•~❉✿❉~•─────◥
Soaked in Life-blood, came the body of a child. In size, it was maybe twelve years old. But how could a newborn be that large?
Simple. The newborn was risen from the body of a fallen soldier.
It writhed soundlessly on bloodsoaked white tile for a couple seconds. Seemingly, it had burst and clawed its way out of the soldier’s chest, if the gaping wound that gave way to ribs and a no longer beating heart said anything about it.
Wings of black unfurled from its head, still damp. Another pair came from its back. Atop its head was a crown of dark brown curls that stuck to its head. Beneath the red mess, it could be said that it had a black crest and dark skin. It crawled like an animal on all fours as it was not yet used to its bipedal body; it seemed to have defaulted to base functions.
"Urghhhh…" Came from its mouth. Curved needle-like talons scraped tile as it fought to stand. Slowly, on wobbly knees, it rose. Its hands were that like a harpy’s—but instead of three toes, it had four fingers including the hallmark of any humanoid life, a thumb. Its feet were relatively the same, except it had a back toe. Later, as it would come to find out, this would create issues finding proper footwear.
Around it was a palace. A huge palace. It seemed nearly endless.
It turned to look at the body that lay below it.
A soldier. His armor was gold and engraved with intricate patterns. His cape was red and clasped at his left pauldron. It was of a woman with wings and a spear.
It did not know how it knew this, for it was just born, but it did anyways.
It reached down and curled its talons around the soldier’s helmet and pulled.
The child came away with its prize, but also peered upon the face of its father, if you could call him that.
His dark, curly hair was closely cropped to his chin and peppered with grey streaks. His jawline was strong, his cheekbones high, and his eyelashes gently brushed his cheeks. He had a Roman nose. And dark skin similar to that of the child’s.
It lowered the helmet onto its head; it was ill-fitting. But it brought a sense of comfort to it.
A low flicker in their chest—a feeling it did not know.
Grief, it would later come to realize. Grief would be the first feeling it felt true and strong.
As a last souvenir, it took the crest on its father’s cape and left the palace.
◤─────•~❉✿❉~•─────◥
It came to wander the countryside, padding along fields of wheat and barley. Sometimes the strangers would give it strange looks—perhaps they were confused by the tattered red cloak it had wrapped around itself, or maybe by the helmet upon its head. It payed no mind and continued on.
The world was large. Larger than that palace had been. But even so, it did not tire for reasons unknown.
It stared out at the field of golden brown. It took off its helmet and held it up to the barley. Reflected on the helmet was it.
Its eyes softened. It stared at the mirror of them for a little bit, before—
"Hey!"
A voice snapped it out of its reverie. It turned and came to face with another person.
Unlike its father or any person it had come across, this person was small and dainty with golden brown hair similar to the barley and violet eyes. Roughly, it was the same size as he(?).
"Who’re you? I’ve never seen ya here before!" His voice was high and pitchy.
It looked the person up and down. He had his hair tied into two little braids—tied off at the end with two big red bows. He was in a white and green plaid dress, with no shoes or socks. He was covered in mud. Looking at his face, he had freckles and a gap inbetween his teeth, as well as a brown crest and two soft brown ears and pointy brown horns.
"…I?" Its voice was hoarse and unused. The other nodded and grinned.
"Yeah, you! Who else?" He tilted his head. It stayed stock still.
“…"
He shifted on his feet. Then, he stuck out his hand.
"Marcine! But ya can call me Marcie for short!" He grinned and clearly expected the other to do something. After a while, his hand fell to the side, defeated.
"Right. Where’d ya come from? I’m in from right down tha bend, at tha orphanage—"
"That way." It pointed vaguely behind it.
“What-"
"That way."
The other furrowed his brow.
"Uhm…what’s ya name?" Marcine smiled. It narrowed its eyes.
"…name."
"Yeah!"
The child shuffled on its feet, fiddling with the helmet in its hand.
"Do you not have a name?"
It shook its head. At this, Marcine paused to think.
"Angel. Ya name is Angel." Marcine grinned, pointing at Angel’s face. "Cause of ya wings on ya head."
Angel shuffled.
"I…Angel." Angel pointed to themself. Their lips quirked up and their head-wings started to flutter.
A warm feeling curled in their chest. They were happy.
"Good. Angel is a…good name." Angel said.
"Yer a girl, right?"
Angel stared blankly at Marcine.
"Girl."
Marcine raised a brow.
"I’m a girl. Yer a girl."
Angel frowned, and their wings twitched.
"…"
Marcine frowned as well.
"M’kayyy. Well…I’m a girl. Girls are she and her and herself and uhh…otha’ stuff." Marcine pointed to herself. "Girl. I’m she."
Angel nodded, and pointed at herself.
"Angel. Girl."
"Yep."
They stood for a couple seconds, and Angel continued to stare intensely at Marcine.
"Do ya wanna come with me to tha orphanage?"
Angel nodded. Marcine grinned again, and then grabbed Angel’s hands.
"Let’s go, then!"
◤─────•~❉✿❉~•─────◥
A small house rested on the far side of the forest, right where the barley sprouted golden.
Two people lived there, and everything was about to change for them.