#avitas

“Avitas, where the bleeding hells are you?”

“I’m here, my love.”

Harper walked through the front door of their small home, taking in the sight of his wife completely butchering a loaf of bread in an attempt to slice it.

“Skies, Helene, what in the hells are you doing?”

She muttered something under her breath about bleeding overseas merchants and their idiotic ideas. The remark was followed by a stream of colorful curses. 

“You’d ought to be one of those bleeding merchants, seeing as you curse like a sailor.” Avitas approached her, deftly grabbing the knife from her hand and sweeping her into a kiss. “That should shut you up.”

Even though they had been married for a year, Helene still marveled at the passion of their kisses, the wonderful knowledge that she was his and he hers.

Though she certainly couldn’t tell him that, lest his head blow up to the size of a pregnant woman’s bleeding uterus.

“The whole Skies-forsaken city will be attending the Moon Festival tonight. Not to mention Ilyaas and Laia are coming to visit. And the bleeding merchants couldn’t do their bleeding job, and deliver the bleeding flour.”

“I hope the bleeding flour isn’t too red from the bleeding merchants bleeding on them all day.” Avitas chuckled. “I do hope I do not start bleeding too.”

“Honestly Avitas, you really are a-”

“Bleeding idiot? No need to say any more. I know you too well.”

“I was going to say “amazing”, but if you don’t want the complement, then fine.”

“I take “bleeding idiot” as a complement so long as it comes from you.” He had moved closer to her now, whispering the words into her ear. 

A shiver of delight ran through her. 

It was amazing how, of all the circumstances, of all the possible lives, she had been given this one. She could have been made a soldier from an empire far away, constantly fearing for her life. Or a slave, destined to never take a true breath of freedom. But the Skies had granted her a life with the man she loved, a peaceful life. One in which she could visit her family and friends as often or as little as she liked. And when all else failed her, she could simply sit at home and bake bread. 

She turned away from Avitas, stealing back her knife and continuing to slice the loaf that sat before her. Her demeanor had become calmer, resolute.

“Now bleeding get back to work with festival preparations. And if any of your thickheaded students think to help you, please, allow them to do so.”

“Whatever you say, sir.”

As he walked away, chuckling as he went, she threw her knife at him. He caught it effortlessly and flung it right back at her. Then, he left without a backward glance.

They had been training in combat for years now, under the insistence of the commander of the Empire’s reserve force. Dex’s soldiers were likely to never be used - it was not as if war would ever approach the Empire - but they were incredibly skilled and were undoubtedly ready to lay down their lives for their people.

As their training stretched on, Helene and Avitas had become so skilled in the art of combat that they were granted permission to assist new recruits. The two of them were natural fighters. 

“Probably would have made bleeding good soldiers too,” Dex constantly reminded them, in hopes that he could convince them to join his ranks. Harper had finally caved in, and consented to training soldiers, so long as he didn’t have to commit to any formalities. Helene still wanted nothing to do with it.

She was content with her simple life as a baker with a wonderful lover by her side.

That night, as the tribes began arriving and Scholars spilled through the streets, Helene headed to the Saif caravans in search of Ilyaas and Laia. 

She spotted them walking through the streets near the caravans, hand in hand. 

Skies, it had been so long ago that she had fallen for Ilyaas. He had been a beautiful tribal boy when she’d first met him; cheeky, kind, mysterious. But when she had met Avitas, she realized that what she had felt for Ilyaas was a shallow thing, nothing compared to the depth of emotions she carried for her future husband.

And when she looked upon Ilyaas now, with Laia, ever joyful, she could feel nothing less than happiness for them both.

“Laia!” Helene laughed, pushing her way through the dense crowds, “Ilyaas!”

“Helene, we’ve missed you!” Laia said when Helene appeared beside her. The two friends shared a warm embrace.

“Laia, my love. How rude of you to exclude me.” Ilyaas wrapped them both in a bear hug, knocking all three of them to the ground and meriting murmured and shrieked complaints alike from those around them. 

“Would anyone care to tell me what is going on?” Avitas looked down upon them in mock confusion, his green eyes twinkling in the moonlight.

“Brother, you must join us.” Elias rose and wrapped his arm around Avitas’s shoulders. “Hail, big brother. I have grown taller than you.”

Avitas shoved him back to the ground. “You are slow witted as ever, I see.”

Once Elias regained his footing, the brothers reached their hands out to their wives, in an attempt to appear even slightly chivalrous. Both Helene and Laia refused them, rising of their own account. 

“You knock us to the ground, and then expect us to accept your assistance. Really Ilyaas, you will never change. Laia, you must do a better job at controlling your man.”

“She controls me just fine, in be-”

Laia wacked him on the head. 

“Shall we make our rounds through the festival?” Laia’s inquiry resulted in an eager nod from Elias.

“Whatever you say Laia, love of my life, amazing in spirit and amazing in be-”

Laia wacked him again.

Helene took Laia’s arm in her own and began walking away from Ilyaas and Avitas. “They can be such bleeding idiots sometimes.”

“Yes,” Laia said, sighing, “And we love them all the more for it.”

They walked at a slow pace, giving their husbands a chance to catch up with them. Once they did, Laia decided to set out for mooncakes.

“Bleeding merchants, bleeding flour, no bleeding mooncakes.” Avitas offered.

Helene nodded in agreement, attempting to hide her smirk with a sour expression.

Laia pouted disappointedly. “Then what are we to do now?”

Ilyaas extended a hand to his wife, “Would you care to dance, Kehanni?”

Helene stands helpless, desperately straining to reach her family as she looks upon a familiar scene. Her father, mother and sister kneel down as Marcus stands watching over them, a cruel grin splitting his face. He gives the order and their heads come off one by one. They are silent as they die, tears streaming down their faces.

She gasps as four more people are led to their deaths by guards. First is Dex, still staunch under his mask. Then Livvy, holding baby Zacharias and whispering soothing words to her child. Next is Elias, who gives her a wry smile when he meets her eyes. Lastly is Harper, almost expressionless apart from his green eyes which are mournful.

One by one they receive the same fate. Then it comes to Harper. She cries out and tries to run to him as the blade starts to fall…

Helene wakes up with a jolt, drenched in sweat. Although it was only a dream she is shaken. She pulls herself out of bed slowly and walks to the window. Outside Delphinium is dark and quiet. Her reflection gazes back at her from the window, twin scars silver like the moon hanging in the sky. How did it come to this, where she has caused the pain of most people she loves and is all alone? Her only comfort comes when she sees her sister and nephew, safe in the quarters next to hers.

The door bangs open and she knows who it is before she turns to face them. Harper looks wrought with worry as he comes to her.

“Blood Shrike, is everything alright, sir? You called my name.”

Helene pinches her lips together, barely holding in a flood of emotions. “It was nothing, just a dream. Go back to bed Avitas.” Lies, but necessary lies. It is her duty.

Maybe it was the way she said his name, but something compels Harper to come to her. She had rejected him once before but that doesn’t faze him now as her cups her face in both hands, wiping the wetness off her cheeks. His fingers then slowly, gently, trace her scars. “It obviously wasn’t nothing,” he says softly. “You can tell me you know? I am your second.”

He then considers her expression with a furrowed brow, before dropping his hands and backing away. “ Well sleep well Hel- Shrike.”

“You don’t have to be so formal Avitas.” Her voice is a whisper. “It’s just us.”

He pauses by the door. “I mean then...sleep well, Helene.”

When he says her name like that she comes undone and goes to him. He doesn’t hide the shock on his face but readily cradles her in his arms. Too long has she held up a facade of unfeeling. It pushed her away from Elias, and she couldn’t make the same mistake again Her mask was gone and that piece of her soul that kept Helene Aquilla as a coldhearted killer was gone with it. Although she would continue her duty as Blood Shrike, she couldn’t do it alone anymore.

Avitas kisses her forehead gently before guiding her to the bed. When there he props himself against the headboard and she curls herself up like a cat into him. He strokes her hair and gently lulls her to sleep before drifting off himself.

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Helene Aquilla is my best friend.