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Continued from "Healing the Heart..."

Aldaz woke up to the sound of birds singing lustily around him. Drowsy, he opened his eyes, for the moment unable to remember even his own name. The singing of birds was pleasant, and it made him feel happier than it had in quite some time. 'Why was that?' he questioned, his sleep muddled mind refusing to even think about it. The teenager yawned widely, stretching a bit before putting his hands back on his bare flesh. Slowly, details began to resolve themselves in his mind and they came to a puzzle odd enough to get his mind interested in waking up. Three things came to him at once. One, he wasn't wearing any clothes. Two, he was surrounded on two sides by violet feathers, grassy ground on the other. And three, he didn't care that these things were not normal. And then, when he realized that only about half of the quiet breaths he heard were coming from him, he remembered exactly what had happened before he had fallen asleep.

He and Gradis had made love two more times without a break, then again when the sky was turning orange with sunset, and once more with the stars out above them. The time between joinings had been spent cuddling and holding each other as they lay in the warm sunshine. How exactly he had been able to manage doing it that many times he didn't have a clue, but then again, he didn't exactly care about that either. But then, a realization slowly formed in his mind. Something was wrong. When they had finally curled together under the stars, their lust sated, they had wrapped each other in their arms, keeping each other warm. And yet, here he was, completely covered by wings and lying against a body that was larger than him once more. Finally, unable to figure that one out, he rolled over and gently lifted the wing off of himself, bringing in the bright sunshine that had been held at bay by the curtain of feathers. Standing up and stretching once again, he shook his head, blinking and trying to figure everything out once more.

Judging by the angle of the sunshine, it was a little past noon, and the wildlife that inhabited this stretch of wilderness seemed to have gotten used to the presence of the two intruders. Allowing his companion to continue sleeping, Aldaz strode over to the lakeshore once more, dipping his hands in the cool water and drinking a draft from it, the cool water clearing the last of the sleep fog from his mind. Looking around, he located his garments right where he had left them the day before and examined them with a critical eye. They needed to be washed before he could put them back on, so he dunked them in the lake, washing the dirt and dust from their white surface. While he worked he thought about what he was to do now, and what he had just done. Gradis had somehow become just human enough for their joining to work, and yet what they had done was something so beyond what the norm that he knew it was just as well they had lost their home. Heliopolan society considered a human mating with a nonhuman to be very, very wrong. Such people were cast out, abandoned, forced into exile. But, as he looked back at the sleeping avain, he knew that he would have made the same choice even if he still lived in the floating city.

He and Gradis had always had a special bond and he knew that he loved her as he had never loved anyone else. And now that they had confirmed it with each other, strengthening their bond yet further, he wouldn't go back to the way things had been. So, now the question was, where would they go? They could always head to Tacitus, their nearest ally. They would be welcome there, he knew, and if any Heliopolans had escaped the city, that would be where they would be heading. And yet, Tacitus had the same philosophy regarding their relationship as Heliopolis had had. So where then? Did they just take off and fly east until they came to a new land where everything was strange? Aldaz shook his head, returning his mind to his clothes. It didn't need to be settled right this second anyway. Wringing out his robe, he tossed it over a convenient tree branch to dry, along with his loincloth.

When he stood up, he suddenly felt his stomach growling angrily at him, reminding him that he hadn't eaten in a long while, save for Gradis' milk, which, while delicious and refreshing, did little to quiet hunger. The young Windrider walked back through the grassy knoll, still clad only in his sandals and gently shook his mate. Gradis stirred and opened her intense eyes, her look softening once more when she saw Aldaz. They shared a sweet kiss, and she rose to her feet, stretching once more. While she stretched, Aldaz's stomach growled audibly and she smiled at him.

"Hungry are we?" She asked and he nodded. "Well, if you can get a fire started, I will go and catch us something, alright?"

"Okay, but hurry back." He said, caressing her neck. She smiled and rubbed against him for a moment before taking off, her great wings beating hard. Aldaz watched her until she was out of sight, then set about clearing a space for a fire, lining it with stones. Though he could hardly be called an expert, he knew something about starting a fire from the times he and his brother had camped out with their Avian friends. Once he had gathered enough dry wood and bark from the trees, he went searching among the stones near the shore, looking for one type in particular. It didn't take him long to find a familiar black stone, and return to the place he had cleared. Then, he struck sparks with the flint into the kindling, starting a small bright blaze. He spent the next few minutes making sure that nothing wet got into it, which would have sent up large plumes of smoke, marking their position for all to see. Finally, with the blaze going strong, he collected his garments and set them by the campfire, the heat drying them swiftly. By the time he heard the wing beats of Gradis returning, he was clad once again in his white robe. She settled into the clearing, a deer in her claws. Following his lover's instructions, he soon had the beast dressed and roasting over the fire.

The scent of the cooking meat made his knees feel weak and his stomach growled loudly once more as he settled back against Gradis. He was glad suddenly that Avians, like humans, were omnivorous. He didn't relish the thought of trying to get by with only wild vegetables and herbs, especially since he had no idea what was edible around here. It was a torturous hour at least before the deer was cooked enough, but when it was finished, Aldaz wasted no more time, ripping off a haunch and tearing at it with his teeth. Gradis dug in as well and little more than half an hour later, the deer was gone, consumed by the hungry pair. When they had finished eating and had washed up in the lake, Gradis settled herself by the fire, allowing Aldaz to lie back against her. The sky was starting to turn orange with the sunset once again, and the pair sat together for a time in silence, staring at the crackling flames. But finally, when the stars were starting to appear, Aldaz spoke, having at last worked up the courage to breach the sensitive subject with her.

"Gradis," he began, looking up at her. She looked back down at him and he continued. "What happened yesterday?"

"Having trouble remembering?" She teased and he grinned, shaking his head, looking back at the fire as one of the logs split, releasing a shower of sparks.

"No, it isn't that. I meant, how did you change like that?" He asked, looking questioningly up at her. "I can't figure it out."

"Honestly, I don't know." She replied. "All I remember about it is when you kissed me, I wished that it was possible for us to mate. And then, suddenly, I knew how to do it. Before I understood what I was doing, I was changing."

"Well whatever happened, I am glad it did." Aldaz said and she grinned at him. "Do you think you could do it again?"

"Probably, though I don't know for sure." Gradis replied wistfully. "I hope so."

"Me too." Aldaz said. For a moment, there was silence between them, then, Aldaz spoke again, finally giving voice to his earlier thoughts. "You know, we can't stay here forever."

"I agree." She replied, smiling at him once again. "Now that we have rested, I think we can go on again tomorrow."

"Good." He said, smiling once more. "But going where is the question. We can't go home, and even if we could, I wouldn't want to. After what we did..." he trailed off, unsure of how to phrase what he wanted to say. He wanted to say that what they had done was unforgettable and wonderful, everything that he could have wished in fact. He wanted to say that he would give up anything to keep their relationship, but finally, all he decided to say was "Well, we couldn't go home after that." Gradis nodded in agreement and he subsided in silent thought once more.

"Well, I would suggest that we pick a direction and start flying." She commented. He smiled up at her once more and she grinned at him. "I should think east would be best." At Aldaz's questioning look, she continued. "Well, west is out, since that would take us back to Heliopolis. The north is dominated by Mani and the south is uninhabited for many hundreds of miles. I don't know what is to the east of here, but it sounds more reasonable than any of the alternatives."

"Good point." He said, settling back comfortably against her once more. "East it is I guess." The pair sat in silence for a while longer, enjoying each other's closeness. At last, Aldaz began to feel drowsy again. He felt so warm and safe lying against her that he was nodding off. Grinning sleepily, he looked up at Gradis once more. "Gradis," he said and she looked at him once more. "I love you."

"I love you too Aldaz." She said, affectionately putting a wing around him again. "Sleep now, I will keep watch for a while." Nodding, he closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep, his dreams filled with thoughts of his mate...

***

Lord Arman bowed before the Emperor once more. He was standing in the throne room of Heliopolis, a place that was technically his because of his stewardship, but, despite it being nearly a week since the Solstice; the Emperor had yet to depart. The ruler was seated in the old throne of Heliopolis, listening to report after report from the ever growing Mani Empire. But, when Arman had finished his bow, the Emperor raised his hand, stopping the current messenger in mid sentence.

"Yes Lord Kandris, what is it?" he asked and Arman straightened back up.

"Your majesty," he began, "The garrison that you have left for me may not be sufficient to hold the island."

"Really? What makes you say that?" The Emperor asked.

"As you know sir," Arman said. "Some of the Heliopolis military is not accounted for, including nearly a dozen dragon riders. If they should find allies, or strike us when the dreadnaught is not hovering above the city, we could lose control." In truth, the garrison was more than sufficient to stop such an attack, but Arman's plan demanded something that he didn't have at the moment, so he decided to overstate things a little.

"Very well," The Emperor said. "What is it that you desire?"

"I request that Varnil's company of dragon riders remain here, under my command." Arman said, hoping that his gambit would succeed. In the days since the assault, Captain Varnil had become a close confidant of the Lord. He too didn't want to remain a pawn to be traded and sacrificed for this man's ambitions. It had not taken much convincing for him to join with Arman. Quickly burying his thoughts once again, lest one of the Emperor's pet mages read his mind, Arman watched his liege lord shrewdly. Finally, the monarch nodded.

"A reasonable request." He replied. "Very well, Varnil will remain here with his command."

"Thank you, your majesty." Arman said, bowing deeply before turning and walking away. As he left the throne room, Arman smiled evilly. Only one thing remained before his plan could be put into action. Quashing the smile before it gave him away, he headed out of the castle, towards one of the dreadnaught's support ships that sat parked nearby...

***

Aldaz looked down from his lover's back, watching the ground fly swiftly away below them. They had been flying for several days, keeping low enough so they would be lost against the dark ground by observers high above. They had been taking it easy, flying at a leisurely pace, not wanting to put too much of a strain on their bodies. The invaders were still out and about it seemed, as evidenced by several flights of dragons and an airship or two that they had spotted, flying this way and that as they passed. None had so much as noticed them, and Aldaz was beginning to feel that they just might be able to get away unchallenged after all. Aldaz was keeping an eye out for a place for them to camp while Gradis watched the sky around them for threats. The process was routine and his mind kept drifting around. And then, all at once, he sat up straight, spotting something out of the ordinary down below. It was a clear space within a small wood, like so many they had passed over, but unlike all the others he had seen, it was all black, like a patch of night that had stubbornly refused to vanish with the daylight. What was more, it had a pair of strangely shaped lumps in it. His curiosity peaked, he sat up straighter on her back and shouted over the wind.

"Gradis, look down there." He called, pointing. She looked down and cocked her head to the side, as confused and intrigued as he was. "Lets go down and take a closer look."

Gradis nodded, beginning the series of long spirals down towards the ground that would let them land if they wanted, but keep them airborne until the last possible moment. As they got closer, Aldaz began to pick out more details. The clearing had been blackened as if by a fire, and there were two lumps lying around what looked like the remains of a fire pit. The lumps were large, much bigger than a human could have been. And, as Gradis came down for a landing, Aldaz observed that several trees had been stripped of branches a short distance from the blackened clearing, as if something had crashed through them. When Gradis set down within the clearing, Aldaz slid off of her back and immediately discerned what the lumps were. They were avians, one raven black, the other brown feathered, but both were covered in grey soot. They bore leather barding armor on them, wrought with the same insignia of the invaders that had attacked Heliopolis. Aldaz had a hunch about what might have happened there and he moved off into the woods headed for the stripped trees, Gradis following him carefully, making sure she didn't snag a wing on a protruding branch.

It did not take them long to locate what had stripped the branches from the trees. Two men were sprawled in the underbrush, dressed in black leather armor over shirts and hoods of mail. Both were also carrying leather satchels that were still securely tied closed. On their leather armor, in the middle of their chests, an official looking seal had been pressed. One looked like he was about Aldaz's size, if not his age, and the other appeared to be missing an arm. They were quite dead, their limbs splayed in awkward angles by their fall. Curious, Aldaz took the satchel from the nearest one and opened it, taking out a sheaf of official looking papers. Leafing through them, the last piece of the puzzle clicked into place and he understood.

"The invaders were from the Empire of Mani." Aldaz stated, looking down at the corpse at his feet. "These two were errand riders. They must have been making camp when a dragon happened upon them." Aldaz continued to leaf through the papers and suddenly he gasped, his hands beginning to tremble with excitement. He had gotten down to the last paper in the satchel and Gradis looked at him concernedly while he read it again.

"What is it?" she asked and he took a moment before replying, his voice quavering with excitement.

"It's a prisoner roster from Heliopolis." He said, then looked up from the paper, his eyes wide. "It says they captured an avian and its rider. And they gave a description. Gradis, its Falk and Aerin!!"

"Then they are alive after all!" She exclaimed, his excitement starting to bleed into her. But then a moment later, she put a damper on her joy and frowned. "But what good does that do us?" Aldaz did not reply immediately, as he was staring off into the distance. Gradis waited patiently a few seconds before repeating her question.

"I think I have a plan." He answered, a smile coming to his lips...

***

Arman stood on a balcony overlooking his city, fuming. His plan was in danger of falling apart before it even began. While Captain Varnil had been more than willing to go along with him, Lord Arc, the commander of the dreadnaught, had been less than cooperative. Originally, he had been hopeful, because the first time he had gone up to talk to Arc, the other noble had been receptive to him, friendly even. But, when Arman had tested his loyalty to the Emperor with carefully worded questions, the Lord had been steadfast. Though Arman knew that the huge airship's commander didn't suspect him of anything, he could not be made to go along with him. And there was certainly no way he could convince the Emperor to have the huge ship assigned to his command, especially not after increasing the garrison. So, he had now run into a serious stumbling block in his plans. Without the firepower of the dreadnaught at his disposal, and with the ship remaining in place at the Emperor's command, the assassin's plans could not go forward. All the time he had spent gathering resources, insuring that they would be in place at the right time seemed to have been for nothing.

Grumbling, he shifted his hands on the stone of the rampart, watching the errand riders flying into the city. The insufferable monarch was still sitting in the throne room, still occupying Arman's rightful place. Most of the errand riders rode black or brown avians, dark spots against the blue sky. But then, just when he was about to turn back, he noticed one that had just come into view. It was violet, and there was something about it that jogged his memory, though he didn't know why. Standing up straight once more, he watched the avian descend toward the western edge of the city, to the Aerodome where all such riders landed these days. When the rider was out of sight, Arman shook his head, the familiar feeling fading swiftly. Sighing, the Lord made his way back down into the keep and out into the city, heading for the prison. Interrogating the prisoners seemed like a good idea, since it would release his tension and stress.

It was something of a long walk through the city and he ignored the citizens that scurried out of his way as he walked, tentatively trying to put their lives back into order under the new leadership of the city. Guards stood at every crossroad, keeping a watchful eye on the populace. The occupation was brutally efficient, and not one trace of unrest had been seen, with most of the population seeming to be so afraid of the soldiers that they cringed at the sight of them. As he walked, two of his assassins formed up with him out of the crowd, materializing seemingly out of thin air. He had ordered them to fan out into the city, to keep their ears and eyes open for signs of rebellion that could have spoiled his plans. So far they had reported nothing. But, whenever he went to the prison, two at least always came with him, as if they knew what he intended. They, like him, enjoyed seeing the prisoners sweat in their presence, sure that they were going to be executed. The trio passed into a market, most of the shops ruined, but a few, like the bakery and ale houses on the sides of the ruined space, had been kept intact by order of the invading officers.

But, as they were making their way through the rows of ruined shops, Arman saw an errand rider walking towards him, leading his mount by the reins and the Lord dutifully made way, for the violet feathered mount and the rider both bore the Imperial seal, meaning that they had messages intended only for the Emperor. But, as they were passing each other, the Lord looked on the face of the rider as he passed. His hair color could not be discerned beneath the arming cap and chainmail hood, but his face was youthful, not even stubble decorating it. It was also well tanned, which in itself was not a telling feature. All errand riders spent much time traversing the world, exposed to the wind and weather, tanning and hardening their faces. But then, suddenly, he knew what it was that had caught his interest. The face was familiar. He had seen it recently, and it had stuck in his mind. Before he could figure out where he had seen it before, the rider and his mount were past him, continuing on their way. And then suddenly, Arman froze in place, his eyes distant, searching back through his mind, seeing the face in different context. At once the image of boy dressed in white robes mounted on the back of a violet feathered avian flashed into his mind. Instantly, he whirled around, hand on his sword and called out.

"You there, Halt!!" he cried and the rider froze in place, turning back to face him, sudden fear on his face. Arman strode up quickly, his assassins on the verge of drawing blades as well. When the lord reached the young rider, he shoved him back, pinning him to the wall of a nearby ruin with one hand. Then the lord reached up and swept the cap and coif back, unleashing a tide of golden hair. The errand rider was a Heliopolan...

***

Aldaz and Gradis strode through the streets of his home city once again. He had clothed himself in the smaller errand rider's armor, finding that while cumbersome and unfamiliar, the armor fit him well. He had carefully cobbled together enough of the leather barding armor to fit Gradis and had cleaned off the soot as best he could. When he had looked into the water of a still pool, he had barely recognized himself. His plan had been ambitious and, he had to admit, foolish, but it had worked surprisingly well so far. They had made their way back to Heliopolis quickly, and no picket ship or dragon rider had challenged them on the way in. The sentries in the place they had set down were likewise silent, the seal on his message satchel enough to silence any questions. They had landed near the Aerodome, and made their slow way along the main streets towards the market, intending to make their way to the prison from there. He had tried to blend into the crowds of soldiers as much as possible, to seem to be a real errand rider, and they had gotten as far as the square's edge when an officer at last challenged him.

"Where are you supposed to be?" The junior officer demanded, ignoring the seal he carried. "And why did you bring your mount with you into the city?"

"I am carrying dispatches for the Emperor himself." Aldaz answered, forcing his voice not to show his nervousness as his heart hammered wildly in his chest. As for the second question, Aldaz was at a momentary loss. All the other errand riders left their mounts in the temporary stable set up in an old warehouse next to the Aerodome. He hadn't even considered being apart from his love, and they had walked through the streets together. No one had said anything to him about it, until now. Then, suddenly a solution hit him. "I was told that these were urgent messages and I was to fly back at once with a reply." He explained, inventing wildly on the spot. The officer raised his eye brows, and, to Aldaz's surprise, stepped out of his way.

"Sorry to have impeded you, rider." He said, suddenly seeming to be friendly. Aldaz figured it must have come from his desire not to be reported. "Best be on your way then. The Emperor is in the castle to the north, do you want an escort?"

"No thank you sir, I know the way." Aldaz replied, walking past him, suppressing the sudden urge to run. But as he walked into the market, he could feel the officer's eyes upon him. Grimacing, he turned to the North at the first available cross street, stepping out of the officer's gaze.

"Nice bluff." Gradis whispered when they were out of sight.

"Thanks." Aldaz replied. But, even as he said that, he saw a trio of men in black uniforms appear up ahead, coming down the road towards him. The one in the lead wore a long black cloak and the chain of a nobleman around his neck, but otherwise, they were all dressed in light chainmail and each carried an alarming number of blades. Worse, Aldaz thought the noble in the lead looked vaguely familiar, as if he had seen him somewhere before, though he couldn't begin to imagine where. For appearance's sake, he took the reins that Gradis wore and pretended to lead her along the road. He kept his face straight ahead, as passive as possible, hoping that the man wouldn't question him. He didn't think he could have escaped another interrogation. The Lord and his escorts moved to the side a little, giving him room to pass, and Aldaz breathed a slight sigh of relief. As he walked past the Lord, the lord looked him right in the eyes and he almost faltered in his gaze, icy fear clenching his heart tightly. And then, the moment passed and the Lord continued on past him. Aldaz nearly let out another sigh of relief that quickly caught in his throat when a voice shouted behind him.

"You there, Halt!!" It cried. More out of terror than anything else, Aldaz froze in place, turning to face the lord, fear showing on his face despite his best attempts to hide it. The lord was striding up to him quickly, hand on the hilt of his sword. Aldaz contemplated trying to run, trying to hide amongst the ruins, but the three were far too close for that. All he could do was wait for them. When the Lord got to him, he shoved Aldaz roughly against the wall, pushing his coif and arming cap back from his head. Aldaz knew he was caught and he gulped, trying not to show fear. The lord would probably kill him now, or throw him in jail or any of a dozen worse fates. But, death did not come, nor did the lord cry out an alarm. Instead, he was looking Aldaz over curiously, a look of recognition on his face. And then the reason why the man looked familiar hit him. This man was the officer he had seen the day of the festival, standing on the deck of the airship. Aldaz silently cursed his luck; of all the officers he could have run into in this city, he had to run into the one who might recognize him.

"Well, well," The Lord said, releasing his tight grip on Aldaz. "I think I know you. Do you perchance have a brother?"

"I do." Aldaz managed, too surprised at his captor's strange behavior to deny anything. "How did you know?"

"I think he is one of my prisoners." The Lord said, looking up and down the street. He was acting strangely, as if he was worried someone might spot them. "And you are no doubt here to free him." Aldaz didn't acknowledge this, at last regaining some of his sense. The lord smiled grimly at his defiance. "Well, you have two choices my young friend. You could try to kill us and then try to break your brother out of prison. Personally, I give you one chance in a hundred of pulling that off."

"Or?" Aldaz asked, ashamed that his plan had had so little chance of success.

"Or, you can do something for me." The lord said, pulling the cap back over Aldaz's hair roughly, making him grimace with pain. "If circumstances were different, I would kill you and your pet here and now. But you are fortunate boy, I have need of you."

"What do you want?" Aldaz asked, looking at the lord in suspicion. The lord's smile turned predatory and he reached into a pocket, causing Aldaz to brace himself, sure he was going for a weapon of some kind. He needn't have done so, for the nobleman came out with only a small green gem in his hand.

"Do you know what this is?" He asked, holding the gem before Aldaz's eyes. "This is the ultimate master key. It will open any lock, no matter how complex or magical it is. If you do what I want, it is yours. Interested?" Aldaz nodded, wondering what the man had in mind. "Good. All I need you to do is act like an errand rider and bring a very specific message to the Emperor. Do that and I swear, you will be free to leave with your kin. What do you say?" Aldaz paused, considering the offer. If this man could be trusted to keep his word, which Aldaz doubted, then it seemed perfect. And, on the other hand, what other choice was there? He was in occupied territory now, and the man could easily kill him at a whim. Finally, he nodded his ascent. The lord smiled a smile that sent chills down the boy's spine. He knew then that this man was ruthless and cruel, one who delighted in pain and suffering. "Put your hood back on and follow me..."