I try to get away from the door as quickly and as quietly as I can, but the wind keeps carrying their words to me, and I close my eyes, trying to block out the implications of those words.

Kill his daughters. That’s us. She never refers to her favorites as his daughters, only the ones she finds unsatisfactory. That’s me. I’ll die.

“Of course my dear. How could I ever intend to do anything different?” The King says. I don’t even have the heart to call him my father. He’s not weak, by any means… but he’s afraid of her, and I’ve never known why. She’s intimidating, she freezes me to the spot, but she also towers over me. Why doesn’t he stand up to her?

But he doesn’t live in her palace. He has his own daughters. He’s not completely under her thumb. And suddenly the wind stops, and the chill I didn’t realize I felt, went away. And then I realize I’m crying. Don’t be an idiot Rina, he said he’d do it, you’re not gonna die… but who’s this person? This… Halfling? What did they do?

“Rina… come on…” Ever says softly, and lifts me to my feet. I follow her to our room, my eyes falling to the floor, almost unseeing. I don’t realize where we are until I step in, feeling the warmth envelop me.

It’s our favorite room, blues and purples scattered among bronze limbs, a giant tree growing from the center of the room. I stare up through the branches, falling back onto a soft cushion. I focus on a bronze decal on the ceiling, hearing my heart beat through my chest.

“Ever?” I ask, knowing where she is in the room.

“Yeah Rina?” she answers, and I hear her voice tremble as much as mine had.

“What’s a Halfling?” I hear my voice break and I wince.

“I… I haven’t got a clue.” She says, and I hear her wings open. She surrounds herself in them, breathing deeply. I know she’s upset then. But I can’t make myself move. I’m sinking into this beanbag, and the tears won’t stop coming…

“E-Ever?” I ask, barely able to talk through my tears. “Are we gonna…” I sniff loudly, trying to form a sentence. Just talk! “Are we gonna die?” And then I can’t control the tears, they come in droves, in waves, and they just… won’t stop…

“Rina… Rina we’ll be fine… Dad loves us, and he’ll do anything to protect us… he’ll do it, we’ll be fine…” Her wings wrap around me, and I bury my face in her shoulder, unmindful of her dress.

What about this Halfling? What did they do? What did they do to warrant the death of my family? Why is dad agreeing to this? Will the Halfling get captured? What is a halfling anyway?

“We’ll be fine.” She says, hugging me close. And I can’t tell her that somehow… We’re not the one I’m worried about.