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{The Story
Violet didn't look back as she slipped beneath the familiar fence and followed the well-worn path up the pass. She didn't cry out when she tripped, and she didn't curse when her dark cloak caught on some twigs as she passed by the same old willow tree by the incline.This had all happened before, and she was used to it. But tonight was different.. Tonight was secret.
As she neared the top, panting quietly, Violet's hood was caught back to reveal the red band tied around her head. She slipped it back up quickly, but not before he noticed.
"You were quiet in coming." Violet nodded tersely.
"Did you expect a marching band? This is secret, William."
William chuckled softly.
"If it's so secret, why the red?"
Violet drew herself up as tall as she could and stood by his left arm.
"It won't be a secret much longer, will it now?"
She allowed herself a triumphant grin as William found himself lost for words. She saw him frown, and quickly withdrew a few steps.
"Well then," she said hurriedly, "Let's get a move on."
The pair worked quickly, going over their familiar routine for the last time. Violet secured the large wooden box and William tied it into place with the worn but strong rope they had used so many times before. Violet tugged a red tablecloth she had stolen form her mother out from behind the branches of the willow tree and slipped it over the top of her new pedestal. William pulled from his pocket a small packet of what looked like mints, but Violet knew they weren't. She gave him a questioning look.
"Are they for...?" she trailed off and pointed to her throat, roughly at the part where her vocal chords were.
William nodded, then grinned again.
"Don't worry- Ladies first. Lucky that we don't even know if they work yet."
Violet scowled but continued as she was, straightening the tablecloth.
She stood by the pedestal and threw her arms up, waiting for the familiar strong feel of hands around her waist. This soon came, and she straightened herself into a more comfortable position before being lifted into the air, the hands holding her quivering from the strain. Violet grabbed the bottom of the pedestal and hoisted herself up, pulled her cloak around herself and held out her hand for William. He rejected her gesture and pulled himself up.
"Ready?"
Violet felt herself shivering from the nerves, but clenched her teeth and nodded fiercely.
She closed her eyes and held out her hand. A small object fell into it, and she lifted it up to her mouth and swallowed it. For a few agonising seconds, all Violet could register was a violent, painful vibrating in the back of her throat. She soon managed to slip a glance at William, who seemed likewise in a trance. Violet cleared her throat.
"Happy Halloween Everyone," she said, her voice amplifying across the quiet city below. "My name is Ahrias and this is my friend Anhen." William grinned.
"Good evening all."
They waited in silence as lights flickered on and heads popped out of windows.
Violet continued speaking.
"Everyone, look to the Cliff of Wilhelm. You will see a pedestal. Two figures dressed in red." Before continuing her speech, she slipped off her cloak, as did William.
"Now, everyone, you will receive a gift. Watch closely."
She paused, leaving an air of suspense.
Her next words were spoken more softly, but not inaudibly.
"Watch them fly."
Ahrias took Anhen's hand and felt her back stretch, her muscles ripple, her skin fold back on itself. She felt the feathers growing themselves, strengthening, hollow bones forming beneath a thin layer of skin. She laughed; she'd never felt this free. Tonight was her night, she would never return to that place which called itself her home, those people who called themselves her family. She launched of the cliff-face, still in a joyous laugh. She'd rehearsed her speech many times before, but she'd never done this. She had never felt so free.
Tonight was different. Tonight wasn't a secret anymore.
Violet was free.
As she neared the top, panting quietly, Violet's hood was caught back to reveal the red band tied around her head. She slipped it back up quickly, but not before he noticed.
"You were quiet in coming." Violet nodded tersely.
"Did you expect a marching band? This is secret, William."
William chuckled softly.
"If it's so secret, why the red?"
Violet drew herself up as tall as she could and stood by his left arm.
"It won't be a secret much longer, will it now?"
She allowed herself a triumphant grin as William found himself lost for words. She saw him frown, and quickly withdrew a few steps.
"Well then," she said hurriedly, "Let's get a move on."
The pair worked quickly, going over their familiar routine for the last time. Violet secured the large wooden box and William tied it into place with the worn but strong rope they had used so many times before. Violet tugged a red tablecloth she had stolen form her mother out from behind the branches of the willow tree and slipped it over the top of her new pedestal. William pulled from his pocket a small packet of what looked like mints, but Violet knew they weren't. She gave him a questioning look.
"Are they for...?" she trailed off and pointed to her throat, roughly at the part where her vocal chords were.
William nodded, then grinned again.
"Don't worry- Ladies first. Lucky that we don't even know if they work yet."
Violet scowled but continued as she was, straightening the tablecloth.
She stood by the pedestal and threw her arms up, waiting for the familiar strong feel of hands around her waist. This soon came, and she straightened herself into a more comfortable position before being lifted into the air, the hands holding her quivering from the strain. Violet grabbed the bottom of the pedestal and hoisted herself up, pulled her cloak around herself and held out her hand for William. He rejected her gesture and pulled himself up.
"Ready?"
Violet felt herself shivering from the nerves, but clenched her teeth and nodded fiercely.
She closed her eyes and held out her hand. A small object fell into it, and she lifted it up to her mouth and swallowed it. For a few agonising seconds, all Violet could register was a violent, painful vibrating in the back of her throat. She soon managed to slip a glance at William, who seemed likewise in a trance. Violet cleared her throat.
"Happy Halloween Everyone," she said, her voice amplifying across the quiet city below. "My name is Ahrias and this is my friend Anhen." William grinned.
"Good evening all."
They waited in silence as lights flickered on and heads popped out of windows.
Violet continued speaking.
"Everyone, look to the Cliff of Wilhelm. You will see a pedestal. Two figures dressed in red." Before continuing her speech, she slipped off her cloak, as did William.
"Now, everyone, you will receive a gift. Watch closely."
She paused, leaving an air of suspense.
Her next words were spoken more softly, but not inaudibly.
"Watch them fly."
Ahrias took Anhen's hand and felt her back stretch, her muscles ripple, her skin fold back on itself. She felt the feathers growing themselves, strengthening, hollow bones forming beneath a thin layer of skin. She laughed; she'd never felt this free. Tonight was her night, she would never return to that place which called itself her home, those people who called themselves her family. She launched of the cliff-face, still in a joyous laugh. She'd rehearsed her speech many times before, but she'd never done this. She had never felt so free.
Tonight was different. Tonight wasn't a secret anymore.
Violet was free.
