Author: Colden Rose, Posted: Fri Apr 21, 2017 11:36 PM, Post Subject: Behind the Curtain (GO,R)

“Regardless, I’ll make sure to do it in the open”, Colden agreed. “Better safe than sorry.” The last thing he wanted to do was explain to her mother or anyone else if something was to happen to her like her getting stuck in the air or something. He could only imagine the ear lashing he would receive. But in case she didn’t remember how to fly, then he’d help her to the best of his abilities.

“Well you’re not wrong. I’ve only saw that I could hurt people. It wasn’t until I got to know my family better that it could change. That I want to protect them and not destroy them.” His sister and niece needed him, and that’s all the importance he needed in this world. Before he felt so low of himself because he didn’t think he had a purpose. But meeting with Cinder and his siblings had seemed to change all of that. As the currently only male in the Court, he needed to be strong for their sake. He looked to her as his heart ceased beating for a few brief seconds. “Fall head over heels…again? I didn’t think…” His words were lost on him and he shied away from Angela for a moment. Is that how Crystaline really felt about him?

Colden couldn’t very well argue against it because he grew fond of her himself. Perhaps it was more than a kinship of cousins but it didn’t bother him. He was scared to death of how these feelings were coming out but at the same time he felt some joy and comfort in it. Perhaps he was trying to deny it all along so that he could be sure that Crystaline was in a situation with someone else where he was sure to be better than…him. Green eyes came back to her before he nodded quite a few times at her. “I guess I should go on and surprise her with the gift then.” He thought hard about her last words as he pushed himself up from his seat and came to his aunt’s side. “I’ll try to. I’ll do my best. And…thank you.” Colden bend down to give her a hug before he made his way out, his destination obviously back to Arri.  

Author: Angela Rose, Posted: Fri Apr 21, 2017 11:16 PM, Post Subject: Behind the Curtain (GO,R)

“It’s been quite some time… Though I would suspect not overly long. Timedeath has had an effect on everything including her. She might younger or older than I remember. To her though it might have been an eternity since then… It always is to those who have been wronged.” Angela mused.

The queen watched as her nephew blushed and she chuckled softly at him. “Yup just a kiss.” She laughed at his little joke and shook her head. “I don’t think so but she might try to fly… and I’m not sure if she remembers how to or not. She just has to be careful and take it one step at a time… I imagine it will be a lot like learning how to walk again.”

She sat there with him waiting for him to spill his mind’s secrets instead of getting the answers herself. She gave him a smile. “I think it’s because you think you can only hurt people… That you can only destroy and not create. That isn’t the truth Colden. You can take everything bad that has happened to you and make something good out of it… and eventually, when the time is right I’ll have a cure for her eyes. She’ll probably see you for the first time and fall head over heels for you all over again.” She chuckled just a bit.

Leaning across the table she booped him softly on the nose. “You both deserve to be happy and I’m glad that she spoke up at the meeting… I didn’t think things would go as well as they have… and that is a good thing. You both have grown so much lately and that is pleasant to see. Do not let your mother keep you down any longer. Rise up and take what you want because she is willing I am sure.” Angela gave her nephew a smile. “Will do you both some good.” She thought for a little bit longer. "I've always seen you are someone who has a lot of love to give… Maybe it's because you stood by your mother giving her all the love you could. Channel that love, it isn't a bad thing."

Author: Colden Rose, Posted: Fri Apr 21, 2017 11:04 PM, Post Subject: Behind the Curtain (GO,R)

Colden nearly fell out of his seat when he heard that. His children. He had some idea but to actually hear it said out loud was something else entirely. Perhaps that’s why she wanted to hear the request from him even if she already knew beforehand. His face grew red when he was getting the hint as to who could possibly grant him those children, especially the ones with white locks. It wasn't too hard, it was more so that he didn’t want to believe it. He still felt that Crystaline deserved someone that would make her happy. But Angela let him know in a heartbeat that he could do it and have been doing so for a while now. “Had it really been that long since she had them? I wonder if she would have to remember how to fly again…” He wouldn’t have mind seeing them for himself, but he trusted his aunt’s words on the matter. “She does deserve to have them instead of those scars so cruelly given to her.”

Colden nodded in agreement; he knew that she was saddened by her problems but she kept a smile across her face in spite of it. To him, she seemed strong to carry those burdens on her shoulders even if they hurt her. He wanted things to be easier for her in regard, and perhaps the wings would once more. The rosenite watched as she gathered the wings together and blew them literally into his face. He felt a little funny, but aside from that he was fine. Blinking at her, he would have been find with Crystaline never knowing that he was the one that asked for her wings to return, but Angela had her own thoughts on the subject. “A kiss, right.” The red never left his face as he fell back into his seat, trying to figure out how that would be done. “She isn’t going to be sent flying into the sky, now is she?”, he spoke trying to make light of the situation. As far as he knew, she possibly could have been.

He fell silent for a long time as his thoughts rushed in at once. He rested his head on a hand, lightly drumming his fingers against his cheek. “I just don’t want to hurt her. I don’t know why I feel the way I do about it. Perhaps it’s because of my mother or because I’m, part demon and she’s part angel. Perhaps because I have hurt those that wanted to be close to me, and out of everyone that I don’t want to cause any pain towards, Crystaline is the last person I want to do that to.” 

Author: Angela Rose, Posted: Fri Apr 21, 2017 10:38 PM, Post Subject: Behind the Curtain (GO,R)

She touched his face and smiled at him. He was doing so much better now. “Yes, that trial. It is a very special place, Colden. It is a visionary place. It shows you all that will be. All of your children. That would be why they looked like you. I do wonder where the white hair comes from.” There was a mischievous look on her face as she wanted him to figure it out.

Angela sat back again and pondered his request. “That I could do. She had glorious wings… Wings so large that she would have to make them vanish to go into houses. True angelic wings. They were gorgeous.” She nodded a bit. “I agree… his efforts were foolish and he died because of them but Crystaline shouldn’t have had to suffer because of his shortcomings.”

A laugh left her lips. “Yes, she was very much quiet and what not before. She has been very happy and in a good mood since you have arrived. Cathrine has noticed an improvement to her moods. Just people a person puts a smile on her face doesn’t mean she was happy before.”

Pulling herself up to the edge once more she opened her hands and blew softly into them. “I shall give her wings back. This will be yours to give to her. This is, after all, something you wanted for her.” The air around her hands glowed and she brought it up and blew it softly into his face. “A single kiss and she’ll have her wings back. Make sure she is outside though.”

She uncrossed her legs. “I will see what I can do about what Judge did to Crystaline. I would have to undo the aura sight first before I can actually give her sight back. You deserve to know that you can make her happy just as much as any other person Colden. Don’t think less of yourself alright?” His aunt was trying to give him love now as well.

Author: Colden Rose, Posted: Fri Apr 21, 2017 10:23 PM, Post Subject: Behind the Curtain (GO,R)

“I’ll remember that. I just want to help her is all”, Colden explained. She was a sweet young woman that didn’t deserve one-tenth of what she had to deal with in her life. “Yes, I should know that but I’m more careful of who to trust, at least I’d like to think that I am.” He didn’t care really what the payment would have been for her sight, it would have been small to him in comparison. The risk was truly worth the reward in his eyes. “That’s fine, I’ll do anything for it come back to her.”

He watched in awe as she summoned a magic ball in her possession. Heaven only knew what exactly she was planning on doing with it that would help Crystaline but he wasn’t overly worried as he leaned forward and watched. But something went wrong and he fell back into his seat when it seemingly defied her. For a moment it looked like she didn’t know what happened either and it was unsettling to Colden as he looked with wide eyes. “He? Who’s he?” What was going on now? Was something stopping her from giving his cousin her sight back?


His fears were confirmed when she expressed the reason. He didn’t know that there were stronger gods out there, let alone one that had gifted Crystaline her aura sight. A deep frown came from him as he realized that perhaps this god had once tried to restore her sight but failed. Was that it? He was disappointed that nothing could be done on that front but then his eyes were lifted back to his Aunt. “Second option?” There had been a thought in the back of his mind about what else could have been given back to her. But first he listened to the goddess as she explained to him how she had really be feeling. He didn’t coil back from her touch, which had been immensely different from any such that his mother had given to him. It was much more warm and caring.

“The first trial…you mean the one with the children? Or the images of them?" Colden wasn’t sure at first of why she brought up that with him wanting to help Crystaline but then he gave it some thought and looked at her puzzledly. “There were quite a few of them, I saw. Some of them even looked like…me.” There was also the matter of some of them that looked remarkably like someone else, and he wasn’t sure if he could admit it himself. Scratching his head, Colden fell back into the second option he could have asked for. “What about her wings? I’m sure her brother was no higher god or anything. It was cruel in what he did and I think they should have never been ripped away from her.”

“I knew that she was comfortable in my presence, but I didn’t know I made her that happy”, he admitted softly.
 

Author: Angela Rose, Posted: Fri Apr 21, 2017 9:32 PM, Post Subject: Behind the Curtain (GO,R)

“It is good to hear that Colden. I am glad that things have been going so well.” Angela hadn’t been out of the network her sisters and Kirika had. Crystaline had been very, very good for Colden. He had been good for her as well but Angela kept her lips quiet on that for now.

“Those are powerful words, Colden… Be careful who you speak them to. We are family and therefore I wouldn’t take advantage of you but the world is cruel as you know.” She offered a smile at him. She watched him drink before long she was musing. “We will think up a payment when I complete my end of the bargain.” She smiled knowing that Colden wouldn’t go too far nor would he possibly get out of it if he thought Angela would take it away from Crystaline.

She nodded and didn’t say much for now as she formed a small magic ball in between her hands. She whispered into it and added magic to it. However, the ball began to shock her and suddenly she threw it and there was a look of shock on her face. A deep grumble left her lips as she leaned back into her chair and covered her eyes. “I knew he did something to help her but that?”

She rubbed her face softly. “I can’t give Crystaline her sight back because there was a god that gave her the aura sight. More powerful than any god Revaliir has.” She looked at Colden sadly at first but then she bounced back and smiled. She returned to the edge of her seat.

“First off, since I can’t do that I shall enlighten you. This is a gift before you ask me what your second option was. She is happy Colden, you’ve made her that way. It is the happiest I have ever seen her. You help her so much that she forgets her problems.” She leaned across the table and put her hand to his face. “The first trial shows you what will be… I want you to think about that. Even if her sight returned I don’t think she would leave your side. Now, what is your second option?”

Author: Colden Rose, Posted: Fri Apr 21, 2017 9:21 PM, Post Subject: Behind the Curtain (GO,R)

He nearly jumped out of his boots as soon as she addressed him. It was rather clear that he was a tad nervous about this whole deal but he steeled himself the best he could. His eyes followed her as she climbed onto her throne and announced that she knew of his intentions. ALthough he shouldn’t had been surprised that she was capable of it, Colden wondered what the point of it would have been for him to speak it to her. Would it had made it all the more serious coming from his mouth? He thought to his cousin and slowly he nodded. He wouldn’t be deterred, not now when he was possibly so close to helping her the only way he knew how.

A table and seat came down for him and he eagerly took to it. “…Yes. It had opened my eyes when they had been cloudy for so long.” He thought back to when he was brought back to Arri; he was so out of it in disappointment of learning that his mother was just using him and never loved him and that his whole life had been one big manipulation set forth because of his need to make her happy. She taught him to be vile and cruel and he indulged in it for so long until he was freed from her control and it had been the rest of the family that had picked up the pieces and help him. Crystaline had been one of the bigger, if not his biggest supporters. He felt as though it was his turn to help her now.

“I don’t care what I have to do in return…but I need to know if there’s a way to help her.” He reached for the win and swirled it around in its glass before he sipped. It tasted like the last batch she had gifted him and he downed it with no problem. “I wanted to know if you could help her regain her sight. I ask this only because I want her to be happy. I know she struggles a lot with her misfortune  but she hardly if ever complains about it. If that was back, then maybe she wouldn't have so much many problems that she's told me about.” 

Author: Angela Rose, Posted: Fri Apr 21, 2017 8:57 PM, Post Subject: Behind the Curtain (GO,R)

Angela had felt Colden enter her realm. She could have made this easy on him. She could have brought him there to where she was but she decided it was in his best interest if he endured his trials. She watched with loving eyes as she saw his children, his trials, and his ultimate arrival into her throne room.

Getting up from her seat in the study it wasn’t a long journey for her to reach the throne room. “I’m right here Colden. Never far away from this place that I cannot hear.” She thought about why he was here and she took to her throne and looked at the boy. She would say he looked far more like his father than his mother and it made her smile. In this particular moment, he was much more like his Rosenite kin.

“I can see why you are here Colden,” her words were gentle. “But I want you to tell me in your own words. I will listen as you tell me.” She crossed her legs gently and summoned a chair for him. A table sprung between them and she poured him some wine and pushed it over to him.

“Has your time home been worth it? I mean it must have if you are now here asking a favor of me.”

Author: Colden Rose, Posted: Fri Apr 21, 2017 8:48 PM, Post Subject: Behind the Curtain (GO,R)

It had taken Colden some time and a lot of soul searching before he had made up his mind about helping Crystaline anyway he could. He enjoyed her company but he also knew that she was only doing it because she felt as though she could help him. That she wasn’t worth anyone else’s time because of her illness. He wanted to see that change, he wanted to see her happy and if somehow helping her to get over her plight would do it then so be it. He honestly felt that she could do better, that she deserved better. It was with that in mind that he sneaked out from home in the early dawn- not even waiting for the sunlight to come from the horizon before he was gone like a ghost.

Getting to the realm was the easy part for him, it was nearly everything else in the trek that seemed to have taken him some time navigating. The worse of it had seemed to be that of the jaded staircase that made him see all sorts of children running and laughing as they chased one another. Some held black locks, others had that of white and he wasn’t sure who they belonged to but he felt a pit inside before he forced himself to go on. He didn’t know his aunt’s realm perfectly, in fact he didn’t know it at all. It took what felt like forever before he came across the gorge and crossed the bridge.

His resolute never wavered as he made it to the end and swallowed hard before stepping off it and slowly made his way to the manor. The quest for the right door proved…much difficult than he would have assumed but he suppose that there was a good reason or two for it. Was he not trying enough? No, that couldn’t be it. Colden shook himself of that thought and went on through the corridor and find a pair of doors that were certainly different from rest. Opening them slowly, he peeked inside.

“Aunt…Angela? Are you here?” The lad was still coming to grips with what he did, but he took a deep breath and ventured onward into the throne room. “I came here on Crystaline’s behalf, though she doesn’t know about it.”