(Just a short little Wingfeathe fanfic!)
Artham slowly sat up in his bed. He squinted, confused and disoriented. Where was he? Then his eyes adjusted and he found himself sitting in a tent, on a cot. In Anniera. Then smashing waves of emotion swept over him. He flailed, trying to claw his way out of the tsunami of it all, finally making it to the top of the swell. He let out a shaky breath, his wings rustling behind him as he swung his feet out of the bed. He felt around blindly for his shoes, finally feeling them and pulling them on groggily. It was still dark out. The stars not yet giving way to the sun.
He crept outside, finding himself standing on the rubble of Castle Rysen. He blinked back tears, overwhelmed with all the things that had happened in this land. He closed his eyes, seeing Janner’s young face flash in his mind, then Kalmar’s, both wolf and boy, Leeli’s bright blue eyes, once full of innocence, weighed down by the pain of war. Then it came. A young boy’s face. Blonde hair, mischievous blue eyes and a smirk. It slowly dissolved into a bear’s face, tears streaming down his snout. ARTHAM! DON’T LEAVE ME! PLEASE!
Artham felt his heart lurch, he opened his eyes to see himself sprinting across the ruins, his chest heaving, his legs burning, big tears dripping down his cheeks. He swiped at them, managing to scrape his cheek with a claw, but not caring about the trickle of blood that flowed from it. Then his wings started to flap, his heart started to soar and his feet left the hard ground.
The images slowly dispersed, the pain ebbed to a dull ache, and his mind lost the fuzzy, unclear haze that had clouded it.
As his wings touched the clouds, he could feel an amazing peace bringing healing to his battered soul. He let out a sigh of relief, and swept closer to the stars, their light kissing the clouds silver. He felt himself draw close to The Maker in those skies. His flight became silent and graceful, with a twist he twirled through a fluffy cloud, running his hands atop it’s untouchable surface. Esben’s face appeared again, and this time he saw him clearly. A disfigured bear-like creature, sitting in a cave, his once royal features covered in matted fur. But the bear turned around, studying something he had created. Artham saw drawings of people and places, etched into the rock wall.
Janner, Kalmar, Leeli, Nia and then… Himself. His hair still dark, his shoulders still strong, eyes still smiling.
He never blamed you for what happened.
A quiet whisper yet very real, whisper echoed in his mind.
Artham broke down again, his sobs heaving his body until he had to land, else he fell to the ground.
He landed atop a crumbling spire, sitting atop it he finally let go of trying to fight the memories and let them flow. He felt the swelling waves of emotion nearly drown him. The crippling ache, the swells of bright joy, the fuzzy moments of living in his tree house, the grand spires of Rysen, Esben’s grin, his nephews and nieces, everything crashed down upon him. But then, it was gone. The tears flowed freely, but he was floating atop the swells of emotion.
And then her sweet face appeared. Artham’s heart flipped, his jaw went slack and his tears turned to joy. Arundel was still there. She was still with him. He felt as if he was soaring now, and with a cry he leapt from the crumbling tower, going into a spiraling dive, nearly hitting the ground, shifting his wings upwards and rocketing upwards again.
A figure appeared on the burnt hilltops. Her silvery hair like moonlight spun into strands, her simple dress like an enchanting ball gown as she walked in it.
Artham dove and swept up behind her, taking her by the hands and pulling her into the air with him. With a laugh at her shocked expression, he lifted her in strong arms, into the air. The stars danced and the bird man’s heart laughed with joy, the cracks that had grown sharp and painful finally healing over, his heart at last, becoming whole.
😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭 "It slowly dissolved into a bear’s face, tears streaming down his snout." WHY DID THAT BREAK MY HEART?!