The Blessings Festival erupted into chaos as the feathered being stood in the center of the audience, knights swarmed the area with their swords pointed but the man stood there emotionless, still as a statue with his hand still raised towards Ewen. Cray was the only thing between them bravely and Ewen could feel the squire tremble against him. King Cronhe hacked and wheezed as he stood, a menacing anger in his eyes and slowly walked out of his viewing box flanked by his strongest knights. The guards escorted the nobles and Praetors back to the castle and Ludwig was shuffled away, coughing more blood and frantic, he couldn’t see the feathered being clearly as his sight was failing. He barely was able to see Ewen. It was too late. Now the rest was on him. Lord Rose wasn’t even able to finish on Jules before he kicked the blonde off him and fixed himself to join the king. Jules wiped his mouth, a slow bruise growing on his cheek and looked below, he wasn’t going to leave his spot lest something violent happens and observed Ewen being shielded…being wanted.

“L-leave this place you wretch!” Cray shouts and walks backward, pushing Ewen to the curtain and safety. The feathered being waved his hand and Cray was flung off the stage and into the wooden benches. 

“Cray!” Ewen shouts and climbs off the stage when he’s blocked by the feathered man, he was vastly larger up close than Ewen thought and recoiled, he could feel the darkness surrounding him, choking him. 

“Name.” The Fae commanded and Ewen felt himself drifting into a dream.

A vast landscape…a clear wide lake filled with water and surrounded by black trees and their branches reached up into the sky, a soft mist blanketed the ground and Ewen wandered on to the lake, he could feel the cool water on his feet and smell tree sap, thick and sweet. 

“Name.” The Fae repeated and Ewen paused in the center of the lake, he could hear the screams and shouts of the knights but he couldn’t see them. Ewen knew he was dreaming and yet he couldn’t wake up.

“W-where am I?” Ewen shouted and his voice floated on the surface of the lake, sending ripples from where he stood until he heard a rattling of chains and a wave knocked Ewen into the water. “Ah!” And Ewen was adrift in the lake as the waters steadily began to rise and was pulled deeper into the lake, into the mist until he was across the shore and in front of what was making that sound.

A mound of feathers and chains, a black iron sword plunged deep within its form. 

“Name.” The Fae repeats again, “Tell me your name.” Ewen felt the voice sounded more cracked and desperate. Hurt. The mound began to shift, feathers separating to reveal the face of the man he met mere moments before. But here he wasn’t standing strong and powerful, here he was pinned and confined, wounded, the iron chains in his flesh, the sword burning in his body. Ewen…he had to help him. And so Ewen rushed to the mound and pulled on the chains, he reached for the black iron sword to pull it out but it wouldn’t budge. “Name…tell me your name….”

This was a dream, Ewen kept telling himself…what he was experiencing wasn’t real…couldn’t be and yet his heart was pounding, his body was warm, this fear and desire. He needed to speak.

Give him your name.

Name.

“Ewen…my name…is…Ewen.” The feathered being removed his mask to fully reveal the beautiful face beneath, his full frowned lips were damp with small black marks that traced his jawline. It looked like a sickness, yet…Ewen was drawn in, unable to look away. 

It was slow, gentle…warm with a long forgotten desire that Ewen couldn’t explain, the kiss was light but also heavy and Ewen was sinking. 

His first kiss.

The Lir knights charged in with their swords raised and a flurry of ravens flew from the dark pool beneath him, creating a wall of darkness. 

Cary slowly came to and he was dragged away by Sir Antonius, he briefly could see the feathered being kissing Ewen and felt a surge of energy within him, quickly he pushed himself from his master, grabbed his sword and charged into the black birds. Swinging at the creatures until he was able to reach Ewen and the being and with manic thrust, stabs the feathered being clean through and releases Ewen who drops to the ground unconscious.

The Unkindness swarm all around the area, black wings blot out the sky, the feathered being looks at Cray with coldness and smiles before bursting into ravens.

***

As Sparrow fluttered down into the palace’s stable yard, he was reeling from the events of the Blessings Festival. Part elation and part fear, his lord, The Raven King was in the flesh! Never would’ve imagined such a sight! It meant that he was recovering, that Ludwig was right about this new child…perhaps, he wondered-that he was getting ahead of himself. As he flew around the kingdom, he could see blooms of Fae flowers, new life was being born, the Veil would be saved. He needed to find Fox and chirp about what he saw.  

As the Sparrow approached the stables, he knew that his friend was trying to conserve his energy and was near asleep before he saw Sparrow sneak in and land near him, instantly transforming into his more human form, complete with shaggy brown hair and wide jiggly belly. He was all smiles and the Fox growled at him. 

“What are you doing you idiot!” The Fox snapped and the Sparrow shrunk, “The kingdom is on high alert.”  

“I know, I know but you saw those silly humans couldn’t even harm our lord!” Sparrow crows and wiggles his little wings. “Can you feel that energy, it’s still there! The Unkindness was his very aura and it was stronger than ever! The Veil will be saved!” 

“The boy was taken to the cells,” The Fox huffed, “He might be in danger, the king will probably execute him in the morning.” 

“We can’t let that happen! D-does he know about his bond?”

“Of course not, he only gave our lord his name..but the bond isn’t fully cemented yet.” 

“Oh what to do, what to do…” The Sparrow immediately flew around in a panic. “Wait. Fox-”

“What?”

“What if we…get the boy out?” Fox scratches his head and ears, it was an idea he was considering, they couldn’t risk Ewen being killed…not when it’s proven that he has what is necessary to restore the Veil.

“Sparrow…return to the Veil.” Fox assumes a human form, long and lean with strawberry blonde hair and freckles, he was handsome and athletic with bright hazel eyes and sharp features. 

“I’ll get the boy.”