Apondra stared wide eyed at the winged man in black and hugged her cloak close to her body in a pointless effort to further conceal her own wings. If his tall muscular frame was not frightening enough, his fanned out wings blocked the sun cast her in the cold darkness of his shadow.

His dark eyes, were they brown or black she could not tell, swept over her briefly before he hefted a bag over his shoulder with a grunt, hidden by his massive wings, and started off towards a small alchemy shop that was preparing to close for the night.

Apondra watched the winged man for as long as he was in sight, her heart pounding in her ears. Angels did not normally travel in the dark. Most, Barri had taught her, were healers or tradesmen, and none of them had black wings. Was it a defect like Barri's ears? Barri… he would be waiting for her. Apondra shook her attention from the empty road and raced for home.

Apondra tried to hide her fear as she barred the shop door behind her, but she could feel herself still shaking. She sighed when she heard Barri curse colorfully from the kitchen. He must be making supper she thought as she shrugged off her cloak and followed the aroma of cooking meat to the dining table.

Barri grumbled and cursed as he paced the kitchen, his hand wrapped in an old rag.

She could smell the blood, and coughed to make sure he knew she was there.

He turned to her for a moment, looked her up and down, and put his attention to cleaning the blood that had dripped from his thumb on the table next to a small pile of potatoes.

"Barri…" Apondra popped her tooth covers off, her canines getting irritated, and tried to get his attention, grimacing at the burn in her throat. It was not uncommon for slightly wealthy families to have covers for any unsightly teeth, so Barri had commissioned silver ones for her. They were resized as best they could by the local blacksmith, but they still hurt her teeth every once in a while, especially when the new moon rose and the bleeding began.

Barri set the knife in the wash bucket and his frustrated, rough tone made Apondra freeze in her still lingering fear, "Barri knows… supper is late. Customer gave Barri no time to close up!"

Her eyes burned with tears, trying to contain herself as she grabbed his injured hand hard enough to make his face twist in a grimace. "Barri!" she shouted at him.

He looked at her hand for a moment, "Barri should not complain… but if you could see how that customer just…" his bitter thoughts of his exhausting day halted when Barri saw the look in Apondra's eyes. He did not need her expression to know what was bothering her. Her eyes told him everything. He touched her hand, "Barri cannot get the wine with one hand," he joked, though his serious expression did not change.

Apondra forced herself to let him go, remorse blanketing her as she watched him rub his wrist tenderly for a moment.

Barri took a glass with his strong hand and went out back quickly, and came back with a glass of clean water from their rain water barrel, normally kept for the gardening.

She watched as Barri passed by the crackling fire and casually tossed the blood covered rag into the flames where a pot boiled, probably stew tonight.

He quietly milled about for the jar of blood meal, checking cabinets and closing them again.

"Far right cabinet Barri," Apondra spoke softly, smiling when he opened the cabinet to reveal a jar with barely any dark red powder inside.

Barri laughed, his belly shaking with it as he prepared her drink, "If Barri lost his head you would know where to look!"

Apondra flashed a cheeky smile and laughed with him, thoughts of the winged man fading quickly as they ate and drank, recounting their day and joking with each other well into the night.

Barri had retired to his room early after they cleaned up together, both in better spirits and full with drink and good food, leaving Apondra to the quiet of night alone with a lit candle. She took the small poker Barri left by the fire and moved the logs and ash until only a few glowing embers remained. It was always in these few moments of nightly silence where her mind seemed to wander most, and all that came into her mind was the fear she had felt on her way home from her last delivery. Apondra shed her dress and tossed it to the floor, wincing at the bonds digging into her skin. Her mind had been so lost that she had forgotten to undo the choking wrap, and now she bit back sobs as the bonds pulled away from her skin. Did I really wrap it that tight? She berated herself silently as she slowly unwound herself, her hands shaking from the relief and pain of it. Tenderly touching her skin she realized the bindings had cut into her when her fingers came away with spots of red shining in the candlelight.

There was no relief when the bindings finally fell away, the open air only deepening the burning of the wounds. Warm tears touched her cheeks as Apondra bit her lip to keep from crying loudly, mindful of Barri’s soft snoring coming from his room. As noiselessly as she could Apondra removed her boots and gathered her dress and bindings over her arm, and took her tooth covers from the table. She carried the lit candle on tiptoe to her room. But even the comforting glow of her candle could not give her mind peace enough to sleep.

Apondra quietly watched the sun crest on the horizon from the spaces in her boarded window, fanning her wings out as she had all night to relieve the tension that ran through them. She heard Barri grumble softly and utter a soft groan from his room, he was awake, and he would know that she hadn’t slept.

There was no point in hiding, or trying to play like she was sleeping, Barri always knew when she was pretending. It didn't matter how convincing she tried to be, he always caught her, even when she was young.

Barri sighed softly behind her, and his heavy steps stopped behind her.

She knew he would be upset with her for not resting, but today she didn’t care. She had no reason to have a restful sleep, not with that bizarre winged man in town. Apondra had watched her window vigilantly through the night, though truthfully no one would know that the room was in use from the outside.

“Nightmares?” he asked, laying a hand on her bare shoulder gently. At least he sounded well rested.

She shook her head, still looking out at the rising sun. Whatever wounds from the bindings had healed just enough to stop stinging, but when she had tried to force herself to sleep they had reopened.

As the sunlight bent their shadows behind them, Apondra could feel Barri tense at the sight of the marks that had been left by the bindings.

“Those were old.. You should have told Barri, Apondra,” he came around to face her and tipped her chin to make her look at him rather than his bare chest, “Barri would have gone to shop for new ones,”

This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

"I am sorry… you were asleep when I took them off last night. I did not want to wake you,"

"If you need, wake Barri. Yelling like fire is burning, shaking Barri like tree in wind. You wake Barri,"

Apondra did not know why his tone made her feel small, but she only managed a mousy, "Okay,"

His eyes scanned her over, as if checking if there were any other marks she had neglected, before straightening himself and moving around her to the door, "No deliveries for a while. Barri needs to get bindings first. Yes?"

She nodded obediently, but could not hide the disappointment in her voice, "Yes Barri," she turned to watch him go but he had already disappeared back to his room, probably to get dressed for the day.

Apondra closed her door, and rummaged through her clothes for something comfortable, even just to put her mind on something other than her worn skin. Her wings bristled as her frustration grew steadily as she tossed dresses back into the closet, trying on one after the other, but finding none that did not feel uncomfortably bulbous against her unbound wings or were too small to fit her. With every one she discarded, the small scabs broke open, speckling her body in drops of fresh blood. Apondra sighed in defeat. One day Barri would let her go out without the bindings… wouldn't he? Her wings seemed to deflate with the answer she already knew. Though she did not know why, despite her countless attempts to ask Barri why she couldn't go out without the bindings. He never gave a straight answer anyways. Always telling her it was this or that… his story always changing. Did he think she was dull that she hadn't noticed?

A small knock at her door pulled her attention, she frowned for a moment, but her stomach growled in protest, Barri could be bringing her breakfast. She opened the door a crack and peaked out jokingly. A hot cup of tea met her hand and she smiled at it.

“Breakfast will be soon. Barri will bring it,” her door closed again before she could thank him, so Apondra took her tea and sat quietly on the edge of her bed. She gently blew on the cup, but couldn’t take a sip, her stomach still twisted with unanswered questions. She closed her eyes for a moment, and silently begged the Mother, Chellaintha, to free her from the prison that had become her life. A small splash and the ripple of her tea, Apondra shook her head and straightened herself to enjoy her tea, ignoring the trail the tear left behind. This would not be forever. When Barri found her new bindings, Apondra would find her freedom. If only for a day. She only hoped that Barri would not find out.

Later that evening, when the shop had closed for the night, Apondra finally left her room, at Barri’s request, to find that he had set out cards on the table for them both.

She couldn’t help but frown, her day had been mind numbing, Barri was so busy with the shop he hadn’t even left her with a book to keep her occupied. So she sat and stared out the slats of her window, listening to the people outside, and the calming birdsong that trickled in until the sun began to set. She had still not found proper clothing, so she had pulled a blanket around herself, trailing behind her like her cloak, loose so that her wings moved freely enough to not become stiff underneath. At least her teeth didn't have a reason to ache today.

Barri nodded a greeting to her as she sat, and though his eyes showed he was tired from the day’s work, nevermind going on the deliveries on her behalf, he smiled and inclined his head, “King’s Head?”

Apondra shrugged and took up her cards, barely looking up at him. She smiled behind her cards though, he knew this was her favorite game. Barri had taught it to her when she was younger, but even with a few years of practice games and hours of playing he still won every game.

King’s Head was a simple game but time consuming, often played at the pub. Build a king, Body heart and head. With a single guardian card as his captain of the guard. It had taken a few tries at first for Apondra to understand how to build a king of the same suit, as the game demanded; it did not matter how you built him, but an ace, jack, queen and king all needed to be in place for the game to be complete. One card was discarded, always replaced with a card from the deck or discard pile with every play, and the suit of the other player’s card or the number needed to match to be playable. Suit of the king’s body could be changed at any time in the game, depending on the cards. The only wild cards… the kill cards. Two Jokers in the deck. If either of them played a kill card, the other would have to place their cards back into the deck, reshuffle it all, and draw 6 new cards. It could be the beginning or end of the game.

Apondra had a queen and king in her hand, of different suits. She hoped this time her strategy would work.

She discarded a card and they began playing.

The game was going well, Barri was discarding some cards that helped her build, and she fought not to smile whenever she picked one up.

He had been silent through most of the game, and when he broke it Apondra wished he hadn't, "On way home, what got you scared?"

She almost dropped her cards. How did he know? Of course he knew… Barri always knew more than he let on. But he always knew what to say to make her feel better. She took a breath to find her words and told Barri about the bizarre encounter with the angel with black wings.

He asked questions, more detailed ones than she was expecting from him. What color was his hair? His eyes? Did he wear a blade or was he unarmed? Where was he heading?

Her mind was hazy on where the winged man had gone, and she hadn't taken notice of any

weapon at his side. She answered the questions she knew, and Barri seemed to tense even more. Did he know the man she saw?

"Barri will get the bindings tomorrow. Tonight we train okay?" Barri finally broke the subject, but Apondra knew he wouldn't forget it.

She smiled a bit, she loved training to fight. It was the one time, always in the dead of night, where he allowed her wings to be as free as she wanted them to be. "After this game?" she pressed, rearranging the cards in her hand. One more card and she would have him this time. Just the queen… so close.

He smirked knowingly and nodded, "then a quick hunt while we have the dark. Whitetails and brown hares will be out soon,"

She watched him discard and her excitement shone in her smile. A rare night to be free. No restrictions. No bindings. Just freedom to be herself.

Apondra sighed and shrugged off the blanket, the game had gone on a while and her wings were starting to ache. She stood and stretched them full before relaxing and sitting back down. Her eyes lit up for a moment as she saw Barri discard the queen she needed. She smiled and took the card and set her cards down. "The king is born again," she exclaimed excitedly, as she placed the queen, her feathers bristling from the joy of her first win.

Barri smiled and set his cards down facedown. "You did good. A hunt and then training? Or are you eager to beat Barri twice?"

Apondra knew he was joking but she shifted on her feet excitedly.

He smirked and nodded towards her room, "Eager bird you are," he laughed, the corners of his eyes wrinkling with it, "Barri will get the pack ready, then we go hunting,"

Apondra began to her room at a sprint, but remembering her struggle earlier she came to a stop in the hall and turned to Barri, "Umm.. Barri..?"

He had already begun cleaning up the cards, "Hmm?"

"None of my dresses fit right… my wings,"

He nodded and left the cards on the table to try to find a quick solution.

A slit down the back of one of her newer dresses, Apondra laughed a bit. Barri always found the best quick fixes, even if it was only for their outings.

Barri walked quickly, or as quickly as he could with a weighted down pack filled with glass jars padded with a thin blanket, around the house, in one room out the other, slipping knives into his boots and belt. She watched him take a bow and arrows from somewhere behind the shop counter and hand them off to her. Apondra wore no pack, lacing up her boots at the back door, her cloak held awkwardly under one arm. The bow and quiver hung lazily from her neck while she fumbled with her laces. He preferred she pack light anyways, to keep her agile and ready to hide at a moment's notice. Thieves and fellow hunters wandered the night, but Apondra knew that was not why she had the bow. Vampires enjoyed the cover of dark and loved to toy with people who seemed to lose their way. In the trees or flying above gave her a vantage point to scope ahead for dangers and keep Barri out of harms way. There had been a few times she had failed to watch carefully enough, and Barri had to abandon his haul to get them both home safely. This time she would be more careful, she reminded herself as she straightened, pulling her cloak on and tying it tightly. She wouldn't take it off until they entered the deeper part of the woods.

"Ready?" Barri adjusted the pack over his shoulders and slipped his good boots on.

Apondra slung the quiver and bow over her shoulder, making sure that it too was tightly secured. She double checked herself. Bow, arrows, cloak, her own pair of daggers hidden in her boots… just in case.

Barri watched her quietly as she patted everything as she checked it. An odd dance by anyone else's eye, but it was her own way to make sure she did not forget anything. When she stopped her dance he held open the back door for her and they slipped out into the glow of the rising moon.