¤ Before the Selections

The room was uncommonly quiet, seeing how there were three out of the usual quartet present. Aurora was picking distractedly at a loose thread on the cushion of her chair, Salmer lounging in a corner idly sketching and Daedalus simply balancing himself on the hind legs of his chair, staring up at the ceiling. None of them spoke at all, not even to tease each other for being so uncharacteristically anxious, because all of them were equally tense as they waited for Wing to return from the last round of the selections for Advisor.

This round was that which would decide who would enter the second last rounds of combat selections, and hence who would have a direct chance to continue trying for the Advisor position in the final combat selection. It irked Salmer and Daedalus that they could not watch both Aurora and Wing take their tests, since no witnesses were allowed. From what Aurora said, it was “only a very severe grilling of a panel of old fogies to find out if you’d try to get rid of them after you take the Advisor chair” and nothing more, but the two of them could not tell if she was joking or not past her deadpan, ironic tone.

The three of them looked towards the door immediately when they heard the knob rattle open.

‘Wing!’ Aurora got up from where she was sitting nervously at the edge of her chair and hurried up to him. ‘How was it?’

Wing shook his head sadly, a glum expression on his face, and Aurora’s face fell visibly as well. There was a thud as Daedalus’ chair came down on all four legs, its occupant wearing a sympathetic expression.

‘They did not let you pass?’ Salmer finally asked.

‘No. They did.’ Wing answered shortly.

‘Then why the glum face, you Turkey Wing!’ Aurora cried, smacking him on the arm. ‘You had me worried there for a moment.’

‘Ferra passed too.’ Wing’s tone was still a dull monotone. ‘And I will probably have to fight him in the next round.’

‘Is that why you are worried?’ Daedalus asked, snorting. ‘You can probably beat him hands down; he isn’t any good other than his Poison spells. You just need to watch what you eat and drink before the match, that’s all.’

‘I know.’

‘Then why..?’ Aurora looked up at him, her dark blue eyes worried.

‘You have passed as well.’ Wing muttered, reaching out to smooth her hair away from her face. ‘And if both of us pass this next round, would it not mean that we will have to fight each other as the finals?’ He saw the small smile Aurora give him and realised that she was not the least surprised by his words. ‘You’ve thought about it already?’

‘Yeah. I just… ‘ Aurora hesitated, biting her lower lip.

‘Just what? Why didn’t you talk to me about it?’ Wing’s voice rose a little as he became agitated, making Salmer and Daedalus look at each other in surprise. None of them had ever heard him talk to Aurora like this.

‘I just did not want you to worry about this possibility,’ Aurora said in hurried apology. ‘You know how much you want the chance to be Advisor. I did not want you to think about it at all.’

‘But you also want that chance.’ Wing retorted, and saw her turn away, unable to hide her longing expression. He stepped in front of her, thin translucent wings fluttering madly, forcing her to look at him again. ‘You know you do, and I do not want to stop your dreams.’

‘I do not think that Kranz would really pick a mortal, the court at Orbis would never allow that anyway,’ Aurora smiled wanly. ‘Think about it, Wing, if I get to the last rounds with you, you’ll definitely get the place already.’

‘But I do not want to be the Advisor just because… just because idiots like Ferra cannot bear the thought of a mortal Advisor, even if she is as good as you are!’ Wing grasped Aurora by the arm, shaking her a little and making her gasp in shock.

‘Wing, calm down! You are getting too excited!’ Salmer sprang to hold Wing back by the shoulder, and almost immediately, the fairy youth’s wings collapsed and he let go of Aurora, his brown eyes wide in disbelief of his own actions.

‘I am so sorry, Aurora. Forgive me for my discourtesy.’ Wing sighed and dropped into the chair closest to him, suddenly tired. ‘I am so sorry,’ He directed the apology to the other two in the room now. ‘I think I let stress get to me too easily.’

‘It is alright.’ Aurora came and kneeled before him with a comforting smile. At the dejected shake of his head, she spoke again. ‘Anyway, don’t be so sure about the whole thing, Turkey Wing. For all you know, I’ll get knocked out silly in my own match, and you wouldn’t even have the chance to fight me even if you really want to.’

‘Or maybe I’ll be the one to get knocked out silly.’ Wing gave a reluctant chuckle and stroked Aurora’s hair gently.

‘Hmph! Don’t even think about losing to Ferra,’ Aurora prodded him on the thigh. ‘I won’t let you live with it.’

‘I wouldn’t either.’ Daedalus piped.

‘Yeah, me neither,’ Salmer added jokingly, then turned serious. ‘Just let it be fair competition, Wing. Both of you are more than well-equipped for the position, no doubt; Kranz would not lose out no matter who he chooses. Just leave it up to fate, luck, chance or what have you to decide the outcome, alright?’

‘I guess as much,’ Wing sighed.

‘Well, why so much doom and gloom for a joyous occasion!’ Daedalus declared happily, trying to dislodge the dark mood in the room. ‘Hey, Aurora, let us go see if the kitchens can provide us something for a celebratory meal.’

After the two had scampered off out of the room, Salmer turned to Wing. ‘Confess now, fairy. Did something happen to you during your selection test?’

‘Do not worry, Salmer, I am giving in straight away to your questioning.’ Wing flopped against the back of his chair, only paying slight care of getting his wings squashed. ‘I do not think I can hold up to any more interrogation after that… that… urgh.’ He squeezed his eyes against the memory.

‘It was that bad, huh?’

‘They make me doubt even my own intentions towards the lowliest creature in the menagerie. Maybe one day I will suddenly scheme to skin the Leatties alive and eat them whole.’ Wing made a face.

‘So they asked about Aurora…?’ Salmer ventured.

‘Yeah.’ Wing became glum again. ‘You’d think that I was a criminal for being with her. “When do you think your dalliance with that mortal will end? Do you think it is wise to let it continue for so long? Can you trust yourself to not let it affect your duties, should you become Advisor? How will it affect or aid in your attempts to gain the chair? And if your mortal lover gains the position, will you advise her on how to proceed wisely henceforth?”’ He put on a haughty voice, layering all the disdain, contempt and distrust he could muster into the few questions, and even then, he didn’t feel that it completely matched the tone of his examiners.

‘The court in Orbis must be madness, if this is but the selections for a member of it,’ Salmer whispered, worry lines appearing on his forehead. Was this what Aurora’s interview was like? Would this be what she would face in the future if she managed to get into the Orbis court? (And why is she not as shaken as Wing is? Something at the back of his head muttered.)

Wing only nodded. ‘That’s why I got mad at Aurora for not talking to me about the whole possibility of us fighting each other just now. I just completely… snapped.’ He sighed for one last time. ‘Do not speak to Aurora about this, okay? I do not want her to worry about this.’

Then, Salmer could not help but laugh. ‘You two are really made for each other. She did not want to talk about it because she did not want you to worry too, remember?’

Wing sat there, stumped for a moment, before realisation dawned and he joined Salmer in his laughter, guffawing as he released his tension, relieved to finally have something to laugh about.

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The second of two servings of this battered old ship of a fanfic. I double-posted again, because I actually planned for one, but ended up writing close to three thousand words; When the inspiration doesn’t come, it doesn’t come, and when it does, it overdoses you. *rolls eyes*

And this signals another long delay, while I try to figure out at least three fight scenes in a row. Just like inspiration, fight scenes in this fanfic have a tendency of sudden overdoses, YARLY.

*cookie from Chapter Fifty-Nine rolls to a halt next to new cookie* Get your cookies here~!