I rise from my chair with as much dignity as possible, but as I do my grandfather stands up as well, fury in his eyes as he stares daggers at the Administrator, hissing yet still resonating through the room, his voice quivering with anger. “Dawn-Break!? This was not as agreed!”

The Administer turns to him and then back to the crowd, ignoring him and addressing the audience around him instead. “It is the will of the council that this business be taken care of quickly, with such news before us surely we have other things to take care of, such as the safety of this City…” He pauses for a second, the scraping of my grandfather falling back into his chair with chagrin and pain on his face. Trying too hard not to lash out, trying not to ruin the family name… not that we have much of one in the first place… “Now then… Please come forward, Keeper-In-Training Gale. And be quick of it.”

I calm my breath and strut forward, past faces of people who didn't know how to act to this change of pace, and those who seemed to know exactly how to act, bringing me shame with their sneers. Most likely those of families that already knew what was going on and what was exactly going to happen. My clawed feet take me to the center of the council chamber, feeling like a criminal on trial. In front of me was a dais… the chambers were indeed used for criminals, on the floor were clasps at each side, a place that usually stored chains, to go on the wings and legs of the accused.

Dawn-Break’s voice breaks my thought process, making me jerk and look up to the council. “Keeper-In-Training Gale… We feel as the council!” A bang on the council table causes them all the jump slightly, as they all look at The Keeper, his eyes ablaze with anger, “Ahem, We feel as the majority of the council, that due to your reluctance to take a wingmate and birth a progeny for your line, that the Line of the Keeper will be transferred to another, someone of male birth that is willing to pass on the line and the knowledge. What do you have to say for yourself?”

I feel a burning of anger in my chest, a fluttering of warmth that spreads from my chest to the tips of my wings. I repress as much as I can before I can speak, knowing that it will only make things worse if I create an outburst. “Council of the Six, I have completed my training as Keeper, only waiting for the transference of title… and yet, because I am a woman and unwilling to birth another, you want to take my position from me?”

I pause, looking at each of them, my grandfather looking at the desk in front of him in shame, only Dawn-Break meeting my gaze. “I feel that this is not about me being a woman or taking a wingmate! You all should know full well that after my parent's death, I have dedicated my life to fulfilling his position. All the while being pursued for marriage by Dawn-Son. Which I not only have no interest in but would rather stay alone my whole life if that was my only choice! With my brother still being part of the Keeper lineage and able to be taught this is just a biased choice due to favoritism on Dawn-Break’s part! Punishment for not wanting to be with his son!” I yell my last words, wanting to scream about it instead, wishing I could add all the things his son was and wasn't.

The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.

He looks at me with indifference and nods calmly, before flicking through some papers on his desk and pulling one of them out. Clears his throat and reads the words on the page out loud. “I Swift, of the line of the Keepers, have relinquished my role as Keeper-to-Be, Henceforth being taken under the guidance of the Administration and taken in as a new-found family. And underneath is his signature as of yesterday…” he pauses as I stare dumbly at him, every bit of possibility of fighting back shattering. Looking to my grandfather he is unable to meet my eyes, instead tears dripping down as he shakes his head back and forth slowly. His mouth moving but no noise coming out.

I look back to Dawn-Break as he continues speaking, “Oh he didn't tell you… what a shame…

You have two choices here today Keeper-In-Training Gale… relinquish your title, for the year you will have the right to your living arrangements due to the current Keeper still being active, but after that time you will have to find new accommodation. Or. You must find a wingmate to pass on your line too. It’s simple.”

I scream out with everything I have, no longer feeling constrained by my position, feeling like I’ve already lost everything, “THAT IS NO CHOICE!? I HAVE NO INTEREST IN MEN AND ANYONE THAT WAS EVER INTERESTED IN ME HAS BEEN THREATENED OUT OF MY LIFE BY YOUR BASTARD OF A SON!”

He looks at me with a smirk in the silence of the room and coughs before continuing, “Your inability to find a wingmate is of no concern to me, nor is your… sexuality.” He says it with spite and disgust in his tone. “It is as written, and it will be how it will be per the rules of Icarus Six. We will need your answer by tomorrow. Council dismissed. We will be putting up the new rules for the City tonight, thank you, everyone, for your time.”

As the council stands, my grandfather stays slumped at the desk, seeming to have given up on everything as he stares deadpan at the top of the table. I look behind at the people that had gathered, those that don't look away but instead look at me with pity or laughter in their eyes, trying not to smirk as best as possible. I look to the door of the council chambers, Dawn-Son standing there, arms folded as he leans against the open doorway, his expression says it all.

I feel the weakness of my existence as I fall to the floor, tears misting my eyes as my wings extend and wrap around me in comfort and warmth, my legs touching the cold metal of the clasps, feeling the entrapment take place, my ever-tightening prison. I will never be the Keeper… not if this city has anything to say about it, not if the administration has anything to say about it… and not if I wanted any sort of freedom. Being bound to a man, much less one that is the least man there is in this city; Is a fate worse than death.

I feel wings wrap around mine, the musk of the decaying feathers melding with my own, wet tears on the back of my neck as my grandfather holds me, his mutterings becoming apparent now in my ears, “I'm sorry my child I’m sorry I couldn't protect you”.

We sit there until the chambers are empty, before being slowly carried back home… no… it’s no longer my home… everything will belong to the administrator soon enough.