The Princess's Feathers

From a measured distance, we pursued the Nortanian vessel deep into Ellyntide territory. So deep, that after a claw’s mark of flying, we began to smell the distinct scents of the southern continent blowing downwind. Forests and grassland, farmsteads and agriculture, steam carriages and airship-prey.

The vessel was on a course straight to Varecia.

I’ve been struggling to comprehend the ramifications of this. Obviously, Mom lost control of the disputed island, and the Nortanian fleet advanced towards Varecia. War at Ellyntide’s doorstep… the thought sends a shiver across my spine just thinking about it. Tensions with Nortane were already simmering on the day of my transformation in harvestwing. How much further did they escalate when it came to light that Crow Wing was operating in the Eastern Weald? How long ago did it boil over into conflict?

At best, a battle for the city is still ongoing. At worst…

…

I’m not going to think about that. Not yet. I know the contingencies in case of war — I need to assess the situation with my own two eyes and not fall victim to panic. Mom is a clever Monarch, and the Air Squadron was strengthened after the Fourth War. I have to believe in them.

With the sun still a considerable distance from the horizon, we decide to land at an island and rest until nightfall. That old voice, the one that compelled me to protect my family at all costs, is screaming at me to rush forward as fast as my wings will carry me. But no matter what’s happening in Varecia, the appearance of two Lithans can only make the situation worse. This is not some island in the middle of nowhere — the whole of Varecia will be beneath our wings. What if we’re forced to attack an airship-prey floating above the city? I don’t want the lives of innocent Varecians on my conscience.

Kuro and I come to land on a lightly forested island, one that should shelter us from passing airship-prey and little else. After clearing a path beneath some wind-twisted cedars, I find myself lying beside Kuro, her wing draped across my body. Like a quailing child, I explained the stakes to her as we pursued the Nortanian vessel. She understands that not only is my family in danger, but the lives of everyone in Varecia.

Eventually, the sun lowers beyond the horizon, painting the sky a fiery shade of orange and red. It won’t be long before nightfall.

"I think it’s time,” I announce, lifting my head from my partner’s neck.

Kuro gazes down at me, concern on her feathers. “Are you sure?”

“Yeah,” I say. “By the time we reach the ledge, it should be dark. We need to assess what’s happened before Maki rises.”

Kuro looks away and growls softly in acknowledgment.

A silent moment passes, neither of us rising to our talons. “Are you nervous, too?” I ask.

“Mmh,” Kuro nods. “I’ve never flown above a Farlander city before. Everyone knows you can’t do that. There’s too many airship-prey.”

Once I compared them to aeries, the notion of a ‘city’ became crystal clear to Kuro. Still, I can’t blame her for being anxious about flying over Varecia. I, too, find myself intimidated, though for markedly different reasons. The capital of Ellyntide is a far larger city than Rhl, the one I was spotted over in harvestwing. Searchlights are scattered like confetti in a windstorm, and airship-prey can be immediately dispatched to defend the city.

“Everything’s going to be alright,” I say, assuming the unusual position of comforting Kuro. “Varecia will be like nothing you’ve ever seen before. The lights from the Farlander dens will be shining below us, each one like a prophet shimmering in the night sky above. It’s beautiful in its own unique way.”

She stares at me a moment, and her talons uncurl.

“Listen,” I continue, scooting myself closer. “I know Varecia like the feathers of my wing. The islands, the locations of searchlights… Kuro, if we stay together, I promise we’ll be safe.”

Kuro studies me for a moment and smiles. “Okay,” she says, lifting to her talons. “Lead the way. I’ll be right beside you.”

I smile back, feeling my confidence rise. Yes, that’s right. As long as Kuro is with me, then everything will be alright. No matter what I find in Varecia, I still have her.

We depart the safety of the trees and step onto the island. No airship-prey have passed since we landed here, and in gazing around us, I sense nothing to indicate we’ll see any soon. We should be beside ourselves as we fly… home.

A breeze blows scents from Ellyntide, reminding me of the life I chose to abandon. I wince and gaze at Kuro, wings drawn and back turned as she watches the last traces of daylight slip below the horizon. She is the life that’s still before me. No matter what happens in Varecia, I would be wise to remember that.

Once we approach the continent, we’ll have to keep our muzzles clamped shut. Feeling the urge, I unfurl my wings and raise my voice.

SKREEEAK!!!

As my call echoes across a darkened sky, another one joins me.

ROOOARR!!!

I look over to see Kuro smiling at me. “One last time?” she asks.

I incline my head. “One last time.”

Surely, this won’t be the last time dragonsong is heard over the skies of Ellyntide.

We take to the air, following the scents I’ve known my entire life. Oh, my Goddess, this is it. I’m flying home. I’m returning to Varecia as a Lithan. This is really happening right before my eyes!

We flew for a time, guided only by the light of the prophets. At some point, we rediscovered the scent of the Nortanian airship-prey and decided to follow it. Approaching Varecia from the ledge should give us a better view of the city and the places where airship-prey lurk.

And then, after flying for a little while longer…

“Oh, my Goddess,” I whisper.

Appearing from beyond a cloud, I begin to see the first signs of civilization: individual points of light lined in a row that stretches out across the entire horizon. It’s the city limits of Varecia and the surrounding communities following the natural contour of the continent’s ledge. We’re approaching Ellyntide!

“There it is!” I call out to Kuro. “I smell lots of airship-prey! Let’s fly higher!”

Staring at the impressive scene before us, it takes a moment for her to respond, “R-Right!”

We flap to gain altitude and fly into a thermal of warm winds blowing straight from the continent. The odor of airship-prey is noxious and overwhelming, just as I expected. But mixed between it are the scents of a bustling capital city: the stones of buildings still cooling after the mid-day sun, the smoke from locomotives on their commuter rounds throughout the city… and of course, Farlanders; women, men and children, Lemurs and Martens, Rabbits and Avians. If there were an ongoing war, I wouldn’t expect to find the scents of civilians going about their night. There should be steam, burning wood ash, and rampant fear-scent.

What could this mean?

So far, we haven’t spotted a single airship-prey since we left the small island — Nortanian or otherwise. I almost expected to find their fleet off the ledge of the continent. What happened to the warship we saw earlier? The scent leads here, so where did go? Most importantly, where’s Ellyntide’s ships to intercept it?

“Something unusual is going on,” I tell Kuro as we even out our flight. Far below us, the lights of Varecia are quickly approaching.

“You sound concerned,” she observes. “What is it?”

I release a sigh and shake my head. “I… I don’t know. The scent of the Nortanian warship is here, but there’s no sign of their fleet. Let’s keep flying and see if there’s any damage to the city.”

As much as it pains me to admit it, I’m beginning to get nervous. If the Nortanian fleet isn’t here, then they could have captured Varecia and moved further inland. If I see damage to the buildings downtown, then I’ll know for sure they... bombed Varecia. Oh, what a terrible thought that is!

We trudge forward, the clouds growing thicker as we approach the ledge. From this height, we should be far above the airship-prey that meander about the city and invisible to the eyes of curious Farlanders. Slowly, by the light shining through the breaks in the clouds, I begin to recognize the distinct shapes of central Varecia — the road network, the metropolitan rail lines, and the absence of light created by the Elder Tree. The ledge defenses, built to protect Varecia in case of an invasion by Nortane, appear to be intact. As does the river drainage system. In a hypothetical battle for the city, I’d expect them to be among the first targets. That’s a good sign.

The lights from the sprawling, ledge shipyard come into focus, revealing merchant vessels docked at the grassy aerodrome for the night. If a war were ongoing, they would be mad to park airship-prey so close to the ledge. What’s more, there are no gaps in the lighting anywhere surrounding the shipyard. That means it hasn’t been bombed.

“Oh…” Kuro’s voice dissipates, stolen by profound wonder at the scene before us. “Oh, wow. Oh, good Keuvra.”

Despite the uneasy mood, I feel my heart warmed by Kuro’s reaction. She’s been fascinated by the Farlands her entire life, and now she’s discovering one of its largest cities for the very first time! When was the last time a Kin witnessed this scene not in their memories but with their own two eyes? Oh, how exciting it must be to see Varecia for the first time at night!

After a cloud obscures our view, I rumble to her, “Told you Varecia was big.”

“A-Asha… “ She ruffles, searching for adequate words. “I can’t believe you lived here. Is Varecia really full of Farlanders? How can there be so many?!”

I chuckle, “This is just one city, Kuro.”

She goes bug-eyed, moved to a stunned silence. With a playful flick of my muzzle, we continue forward.

Slowly, the ledge of the continent drifts into view directly below us. After more than two seasons away, I’ve returned home to Varecia! Gazing across the horizon, the sight of it all stirs turbulent emotions inside my heart. The city is just as I remember it, though the creature I’ve become couldn’t be any more different. Not only am I physically unrecognizable, but mentally. I’m completely changed! I’ve grown so much! I’m…

…

…Getting carried away with my sentimentality!

I ruffle my crest and refocus; this is a dangerous situation. Gazing ahead, I try to assess the state of the city. Varecia looks peaceful… quiet, almost. Not at all like a city in the throes of an ongoing war. If the Crown had moved across the continent to Rhl — as was planned in the event Varecia fell — then there’s no evidence of an eastern front. I’d expect long lines of supply ships landing and departing the Municipal Aerodrome, but there’s nothing like that — just the usual merchant ships and air transfer vessels on their rounds through the city. What’s more, the buildings in the city’s core are all in one piece. Gazing around me, I can’t find any signs of bomb damage. Was Varecia even attacked by Nortane? What’s going on?

My gaze is drawn to Fort Fletcher, directly below us. This fort exists primarily to defend Varecia in the event of a Nortanian invasion, so I’d expect it to be one of the very first targets to be bombed. But, much like the city surrounding it, it’s completely intact. None of the buildings have sustained any damage. There are no craters on the aerodrome. There is…

My eye catches something unusual: Far more airship-prey are moored for the night than would be expected at Fort Fletcher. Furthermore, the way they’ve been arranged Is downright strange. I visited this fort a number of times as a Princess, and the airships were always parked perpendicular to the hangars where they’re serviced. But tonight? They’re parked horizontally. It’s a small but significant difference; procedures like this aren’t just changed on a whim by the Air Squadron. Come to think of it, where did all these warships come from, anyway? From above, it’s impossible to identify their class and which parts of the Kingdom they may have been flown from. I want to fly lower and identify them, but that would be too dangerous.

Leveling my gaze, I discover Kuro staring at me with a longing expression.

I frown and shake my head. “I haven’t figured out a plan yet. I expected to find our dens attacked by airship-prey, but they weren’t. I’m not really sure what happened here.” I tuck in my forelegs and say, “Let’s keep flying.”

Kuro acknowledges with an understanding growl, and we continue deeper into the city. Gliding into a new thermal, I find my mood changing from anxiety to dread. Nothing here makes sense. Varecia is fine; it’s like a war never occurred. So how does that explain the Nortanian warship sailing into Ellyntide unopposed? Where did it go? Why wasn’t our fleet there to intercept it? If a war is ongoing elsewhere on the continent, why is it so peaceful in Varecia? My mind wanders, conjuring a litany of sordid explanations. Then, something catches my eye, and I gasp aloud.

“K-Kuro!” I stammer, flicking my ears ahead of us. “Over there!!”

“Hm?” She asks, raising her gaze from the ground. “Is that…?”

It is the Elder Tree, looming in the skyline before us, illuminated pale gold by the city’s lights. Oh, gosh, I’ve never been so happy to see a tree in my life! And it’s there below the tree that I find the Lordanou Palace — my home of twenty-three years — completely intact, just as it’s always been.

“Oh…!” I choke up, fighting tears and overwhelming emotions. “Kuro, do you see it? That’s the Elder Tree! And below that is my den! That’s where I grew up!! Oh, thank the Goddess it’s still there!!”

Kuro looks back at me, and her muzzle curls into a gentle smile. “You were right,” She rumbles. “That’s the biggest Farlander den I’ve ever seen. No wonder your family has so much power.”

…

Kuro’s saying something to me, but I’m not paying attention. My wings have stopped flapping, and I’m beginning to sink through the thermal. Something else has caught my attention; something that should not be, but is apparent at even this great height. It causes my thoughts to sputter and my blood to freeze.

This…

…

…No, this can’t be true.

This can’t be—!

“Asha?” Kuro’s voice infiltrates my panicked thoughts.

I flash a glance at her, just long enough to convey the terror in my heart. Like a lightning bolt, I tent my wings and fall into a dive towards the ground. Kuro yells something at me, but the wind rushing past my ears is far too loud. I have to get down there and confirm it with my own eyes. I don’t care if it’s dangerous!

After a tense moment of diving, I burst through the bottom of the cloud deck, casting misty wisps in all directions. I throw up my wings and slow to halt my descent, the breadth of Varecia revealed before me like a picture book. If any Farlanders happen to be gazing skyward, they’ll surely notice a Dragon hovering above the Lordanou Palace. That’s fine. My reason for being here is far more important than my safety.

A heartbeat passes, and Kuro punctures the cloud deck a few wingspans to my left. She raises her wings and slows to a hover, confusion and distress scrawled across her face. “Asha!!” She whispers with furious concern. “What’s going on?!”

Try as I might, I can’t form a response. I peel my gaze away from Kuro and allow it to fall upon the southern wing of the Lordanou Palace. Time slows as the events of the past two seasons become perfectly, horribly clear.

Perched upon the chapel’s flagpole is the flag of the Confederacy of Nortane.

Mom fought a war against Nortane, and Ellyntide…

…Lost.

It must have been quick; that’s the only explanation for why Varecia isn’t damaged and why there’s no evidence of an ongoing war. The fleet met them off-ledge or at the disputed island, and while they were fighting, a coup was attempted at the palace. It succeeded.

Ellyntide has fallen.

And my family… my family is…?!