#I dunno what an avian is but it’s a suggested tag and he sure is a funny harpy guy so!!! sounds right!!!

[citrighost]

those lil I - I eyes… two feathers above n below each eye. dude sucks.

[raevenlywrites]

Raev’s Find The Word

@indecentpause tagged me to find the words cute, peace, country, and snow. Words like that seem perfect for Ties That Bind, and as TTB tends to be a big wordy, I’ll spare yall’s dashes with a read more

Tagging @northernrosewritings @theramwrites @analogued and YOU!

Your words are: treat, scare, worst, and fame

Cute (technically I had to pull from Dasi High for this one, but still)

Izzy wrapped her hands around Brass’s arm, giving me her “trying too hard to be cute” nose-wrinkled grin. Brass’s nose wrinkle was better. But hers was cute, I could admit. Much easier to admit since I knew her passes at Brass didn’t mean anything. Izzy didn’t want to date him any more than I had. She’d just been smart enough to say no when he’d asked. Which made him more fun to flirt with now, I guess. I dunno. The mind of an Izzy is a mystery.

Peace

“You aren’t the only one who dreams of peace.”

Her voice was tight with emotion, too high and trembling. But the thread of steel that ran through it, the absolute conviction that gave her the power to speak thusly to her Tuuli Thea--

Or maybe, she was just speaking to a friend.

“A lot of us out on the edges, we don’t see this war the way the soldiers do.”

“Soldiers” was nearly spat, a harsh bitterness that made the word nearly a swear.

“They trample fields and commandeer beds and rations, not a care for who it puts out in the cold.” She held her chin high as she spoke, hard eyes fixed firmly ahead. Like this story was a bit of shrapnel to be removed. And the only anesthesia she had to dull it with was her resolve, and tight avian reserve.

“We know they’re meant to keep us safe, but when we see the shadows of the flights overhead... The ravens are the worst. They mean someone important is on the battlefield--oh no offense to you, my lady!”

She finally did look at me now, because those important somebodies had all been my kin. She held a hand out like she might offer comfort. But her other hand still held the ring clutched in her lap. It was my turn to stare straight ahead, to gird myself up in my reserve.

“Continue,” was all I could manage. It came out perfectly level.

Elanor swallowed hard.

“We trade with who we can out there. Serpents love pretty things too, did you know that my lady?” When I made no offer of an answer, she continued. “Scarves, mostly, at least from my household. They give them as gifts to their beloveds--oh, but you don’t really care about why I did what I did, do you? You want your peace, but do you even know what it would look like?”

Country

“How likely is this house to be swarmed with avian soldiers?” Adelina asked, cutting right to the point. It was a good question, though I was shocked by her blatant asking of it.

“Not very,” Karashan answer, and Raymond--and Elanor and Calla nodded.

“We don’t see many patrols,” the elder Elanor said.

“And I had to lead everyone back here when we returned,” Elanor the younger added.

“But if there is somewhere more neutral you can suggest,” Raymond put in, surprising me. I couldn’t help but wonder how this would have gone if it were his cousin sitting here, helping me forge a peace for our soon to be announced reign.

“No,” I said thought a voice too thick with memory. I swallowed and said with more authority, “I want to see how the Keep reacts, my mother and generals alike. I want them to know I’m out here, with Zane, working towards to peace.” I want to see if they’ll listen, I thought to myself, and caught Karashan nodding.

Adelina made a rude sound, but Zane cut her off.

“That’s all well and good, but you can understand why my captain of the guard doesn’t like it.”

“You shouldn’t like it either,” she muttered, but it was clear she didn’t argue with her Arami. I wondered what their daily life was like that it was so. Rei would have just scooped me up and flown me away to a safer location if I’d argued with him about such a situation as this.

“So is there a more neutral place?” Raymond asked again, and I was beginning to feel he was driving at something.

“Do you have a suggestion?” Karashan asked, clearly getting the same impression I was.

“There’s this old ruin,” Raymond suggested, and I felt Elanor perk up beside me.

“The Camp?” she asked, and it was clear from the way she said it it was The Camp, all capital letters.

“What’s The Camp?” I asked, when no one else did.

“An old ruin,” Karashan said, as Raymond had started. “And I do mean ruin. Nothing grows there, the water is sickly with some ancient poison--“

“But it’s a neutral territory,” Raymond put in, and Elanor nodded.

“It’s where a lot of meet for trade,” she said.

“And trysts,” her aunt added, squeezing Calla’s hand. I flushed.

“It’s of little strategic value,” Adelina added, finally chiming in. “I didn’t know any of our people even went out that far. It’s almost in wolf country.”

“Would it soothe your concerns?” Zane asked her.

“As long as we’re allowed a soldier--guard,” she corrected herself, “for everyone one of theirs, I don’t care where you woo your hawk.”

Snow

“Are you here to kill me?”

Zane gave me a tired look and sighed.

“I just said I was here to discuss peace with you, Danica.” He shook his head. “What is even the point. How can they possibly expect us to entertain marriage when you’re too frightened to even talk to me?”

“I’m not--“

I snapped without thinking, pride pricked. He’d broken into my room, assaulted me--of course I was startled, I was also exhausted. At his chagrined look, I realized I’d actually spoken those thoughts aloud.

“Of course. It’s late. I apologize for any offense.”

I laughed. “Offense? Offense? Offensive was the way you acted so utterly repulsed at the mere thought of marrying me. This? I don’t believe there are words to cover what this is.”

Zane snorted. “I suppose that’s fair. If it was only a matter of your lovely body, well.” His eyes flicked up and down my frame, and I felt my cheeks turn scarlet. “And I’ve seen you have no trouble with mine, either.”

At that my face caught fire, enough that surely the room should have been ablaze with light. I clenched my fists in my lap and locked my gaze to the floor, counting slowly to ten. Shouting at him would bring my guards crashing in here for sure. And he had a point; we did need to talk. If we broke into a shouting match tomorrow, the Disa would simply kick us out again.

“Comments like that are also why we could never work,” I said hotly. “An avian alistair defends his pair bond’s virtue, not mocks it.”

“And is your pretty guard captain to be your pair bond, then?”

At that my eyes flew to his in complete shock. “Wha--“

“Oh don’t play coy, pretty Danica. I saw the way he held you. That is not a man unfamiliar with your body.”

I could only stare at him in open mouthed horror. Zane went on as if he didn’t notice.

“It’s not a deal breaker for me. I’m sure you don’t expect me to come to you as pure as the driven snow either. Keep him, for all I care. We both have heirs to produce, after all.”

Heirs?

Again, I must have spoken aloud, because Zane seemed to stop midthought, changing his words at the last moment.

“You’re the only Shardae left,” he said softly. “I at least have my sister and... her child.”

His gaze felt, soft and uncertain.

“Her announcement is what finally convinced me. I’ve already lost one sister with child to a soldier’s knife. I cannot bear to lose another. Irene was so frightened when she told me--“

His voice cut off with emotion. The strangled sound reminded me too much of Gregory.

I rose, not certain what I intended, but it was lost to Zane’s reaction anyways. The serpiente was off the wall and crouched almost before I’d finished standing, and his speed took my breath away. I cried out in spite of myself-- and the guards came pouring in.