Wings in the Darkness by Jason Richard (i read book txt) π
Excerpt from the book:
Kareen is worried, and why shouldn't she be? The eagle people have never been attacked in their home before. Their palace flies out of reach of any enemy. Even the fearsome goblins who also have wings must hide in their caves for fear of the sun. The problem comes from the dark cloud that has covered the sky, shedding darkness everywhere. With the sun blocked out, it's only a matter of time before the goblins come for them. Kareen knows the battle is imminent, but what she doesn't know is whether or not she can keep her family safe.
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chest. His beautiful red wings with black tipped feathers. Jenin and Mila stood by her side, and all three of them had tears in their eyes.
The Chief said the last lines of his speech, "Honor the fallen, they have given their lives so that the rest might live. Honor this ultimate sacrifice."
He finished his speech and Kareen still looked at her husband. What could she say? How could she say goodbye? She looked over at Terin's right and there was Lailen, also dead. The black dye had been removed from her wings and head, and she lay there with white feathers. The same questions applied to her.
How could she say goodbye?
"I miss father already," said Mila.
"So do I," said Jenin.
Kareen almost fell to the ground weeping then and there. She knew this could have happened, but now that it had...she wasn't prepared. She knew she had to move on, she just didn't know how.
She saw people flying from perch to perch, giving their honor to the fallen warriors. That seemed easy. They didn't know any of the warriors they were paying their respects to. They could say these long prepared speeches about how brave they were, but she saw his bravery first hand, and now it was gone. She and Terin...
One of the people paying their respects flew to the perch. It was a young man with brown feathers. Natural brown feathers. He walked up to Terin and said to Kareen, "May I?"
She had no reason to deny him paying respects, "You May."
She expected a long eulogy, probably similar to the chief's, but he knelt down beside Terin, and simply said, "Thank you," before flying off.
So Simple, Kareen thought, Such a simple thing to say. But then, what else needed to be said? Any flowery speech for their brave deed could be summed up in a simple 'thank you' couldn't it? What more really needed to be said?
Suddenly, she knew what to say too.
She started with Lailen, "Poor Lailen, trying so hard to do the right thing, and still getting into trouble. Poor, brave, reckless sister." She laughed a little. "Thank you. You saved us. You did the right thing in the end. I just wish the cost had been less." And then turned to Terin.
This was even harder to say.
"Thank you Terin, for being such a loving husband and father. Thank you for being so brave. I understand. You fought the hordes to keep our home safe, so that our children would have a future. I'm scared again, scared of going on without you, but I know it's my turn to be the brave one. I will take care of our children. I will make sure your sacrifice was not in vain. I'll miss you so much, but for your sake, and for our children's, I will be brave."
She thought of that moment where Terin hugged her, telling her that all would be well. She looked at Jenin and Mila, who were still crying, and realized it wasn't a lie. It was her turn to be the strong one.
"Thank you," she whispered, "For everything."
She took her children in her arms, casting her wings over them protectively, just as Terin had done for her all that time ago. Jenin and Mila were still crying.
"I want to be like him," said Jenin.
"I'm sure you will be," Kareen replied.
Mila cried harder, and Kareen hugged them both more fiercely, with her arms and with her wings.
"It's time to say goodbye," she said. "It will be alright."
They let go, and said goodbye, to Lailen and to Terin. She closed the lids of the coffins, even as more came to pay their respects. Kareen took Jenin and Mila into her wings again, protectively keeping them warm, even as they wept. Any time they were scared, her wings would be there. She would put on the brave face for them, as she had when the goblins first came.
After all, she had learned how to do it from the best. Terin, she thought as she hugged her children, I will miss you so much.
The Chief said the last lines of his speech, "Honor the fallen, they have given their lives so that the rest might live. Honor this ultimate sacrifice."
He finished his speech and Kareen still looked at her husband. What could she say? How could she say goodbye? She looked over at Terin's right and there was Lailen, also dead. The black dye had been removed from her wings and head, and she lay there with white feathers. The same questions applied to her.
How could she say goodbye?
"I miss father already," said Mila.
"So do I," said Jenin.
Kareen almost fell to the ground weeping then and there. She knew this could have happened, but now that it had...she wasn't prepared. She knew she had to move on, she just didn't know how.
She saw people flying from perch to perch, giving their honor to the fallen warriors. That seemed easy. They didn't know any of the warriors they were paying their respects to. They could say these long prepared speeches about how brave they were, but she saw his bravery first hand, and now it was gone. She and Terin...
One of the people paying their respects flew to the perch. It was a young man with brown feathers. Natural brown feathers. He walked up to Terin and said to Kareen, "May I?"
She had no reason to deny him paying respects, "You May."
She expected a long eulogy, probably similar to the chief's, but he knelt down beside Terin, and simply said, "Thank you," before flying off.
So Simple, Kareen thought, Such a simple thing to say. But then, what else needed to be said? Any flowery speech for their brave deed could be summed up in a simple 'thank you' couldn't it? What more really needed to be said?
Suddenly, she knew what to say too.
She started with Lailen, "Poor Lailen, trying so hard to do the right thing, and still getting into trouble. Poor, brave, reckless sister." She laughed a little. "Thank you. You saved us. You did the right thing in the end. I just wish the cost had been less." And then turned to Terin.
This was even harder to say.
"Thank you Terin, for being such a loving husband and father. Thank you for being so brave. I understand. You fought the hordes to keep our home safe, so that our children would have a future. I'm scared again, scared of going on without you, but I know it's my turn to be the brave one. I will take care of our children. I will make sure your sacrifice was not in vain. I'll miss you so much, but for your sake, and for our children's, I will be brave."
She thought of that moment where Terin hugged her, telling her that all would be well. She looked at Jenin and Mila, who were still crying, and realized it wasn't a lie. It was her turn to be the strong one.
"Thank you," she whispered, "For everything."
She took her children in her arms, casting her wings over them protectively, just as Terin had done for her all that time ago. Jenin and Mila were still crying.
"I want to be like him," said Jenin.
"I'm sure you will be," Kareen replied.
Mila cried harder, and Kareen hugged them both more fiercely, with her arms and with her wings.
"It's time to say goodbye," she said. "It will be alright."
They let go, and said goodbye, to Lailen and to Terin. She closed the lids of the coffins, even as more came to pay their respects. Kareen took Jenin and Mila into her wings again, protectively keeping them warm, even as they wept. Any time they were scared, her wings would be there. She would put on the brave face for them, as she had when the goblins first came.
After all, she had learned how to do it from the best. Terin, she thought as she hugged her children, I will miss you so much.
The End
If you enjoyed this story, check out more of the author's work at http://www.theworldoftheagelessone.com
Publication Date: 09-03-2011
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