Thread: Burned and Blackened Blood (G23 & loneiysong)

The King Balroc had been a happy man when he had been given his wife on their wedding day. She had been the most beautiful woman that he had ever laid eyes on and the most loyal and caring creature that he had ever heard in tale or book, fictional or historical. Her hair was the color of fine gold and her eyes the color of the ocean. Her spirit was calm and gentle like the calm spring breeze. She was not quick to rage or anger. A smile and a kind word were always on her lips. She had born the King 7 healthy sons, each more handsome and bold than the last. Then one day she became sick. Many feared she was possessed of an evil spirit. Many healers and magicians were called in a frenzy to heal the queen. But it was soon realized she was pregnant with another child. The kingdom didn't know how to react. The queen was indeed sick and was not her usual self. Some feared it was a devil, others feared it would be a horrible omen, yet the king feared that the child would take the queens life with it. Praying to whatever god would listen, the king remained as vigilant as any sentinel by his wife. When Tirana, the 8th and final child of the king was born, the kingdom held its breath. They would not breath a word of what they thought of the baby to the king and queen. The queen loved the child while the king frowned in disappointment. A girl? While all the children had been blonde haired and perfect like his wife, this girl was raven haired and had one blue eye and one green eye. And bore a birth mark along her back. He never let his wife suspect what lurked in his heart. As Tirana grew, she was wild and carefree. She would shirk the duties of that expected of a girl her age, perferring the company of the stable hands and the kennel tendees or simply sitting in silence in the throne room. There were some rumors that went around that she talked to Furad and often prayed to her. Many feared Tirana. But as she aged, she became quiet. Kept herself secluded. But there was a darkness that lurked beneath her eyes. Something akin to a storm that brewed over an open sea, or a tiger that was in a cage that was ill built. Something was waiting to break. ---- Flying....flying through the sky. She was free. Once again she was free. She took in a deep breath and trumpeted to the sky, to the gods her sweet rapture. Her roar was rapturous. She felt it through her whole powerful body. She felt every muscle stretch. She sighed and saw the skeleton of Furad snake up from a cloud and look at her. Precious one... Came the voice from a toungeless jaw. You need to awake.... She leapt up and gasped panting. She looked around. She was alone again. Running her hands through her hair, she panted hard and shivered. Stilling her rapidly beating heart, she took fist fulls of hair trying to quell the anxiety of her flesh. It was ok. She muttered to herself. Quite alright. It will pass. No it will not. The panic in her roared. Nothing will pass we are caged. She felt like everything was too tight, her skin, the walls, her skull. She got out of bed and walked to the window and took a deep breath of air feeling the air and the space. Tirana had turned into a beautiful if not mysterious woman. Many rumors circulated around about her. But she didn't care. She smiled and then saw the tents going up for the festival of the new year. Furad, a new year, please keep me safe as you have, keep me safe in your maternal gaze and care... my control.... She bit her lip and shook herself of thoughts. She walked to her closet and began to dress for the day. She didn't like the maids because the maids touched her with fear, she could smell it, and it annoyed her. She pulled out a light yellow dress for the festival and began to brush her black hair braiding it over her shoulder. Dressing, she went to the throne room to take solace in the company of Furad even for a while. Walking in, she blushed to see Hodgkiss. She saw him there a bit, but never really talked to him. She always figured he would be afraid of her too. Walking to her stone, Tigers eye. Her crown was very delicate and had shaped itself to be the most intricate of designs. If anyone cared to look closely, they would see that the crown bore small dragons in the design, not something that escaped Tiranas notice.