Raven

[Spotify]

_{Ember flinched when Jai spoke to her and she turned her attention back to her father,"They're rare. Mom told me that it was a miracle that she had found you and that she couldn't be happier to have found you."she glanced at Jai,"Daddy, I'm sorry."she murmured as she brought her gaze to his. The princess glanced down at Jai,"Who do you think you are? You have no idea. You always had his attention and you always had him. I had my brother and that was it and you saw how that turned out. Don't you dare talk to me like that."she replied to him, her voice cold. No growl escaped her though.}

[Cloudy]

( short cause I'm on my phone )

Jai ground his teeth. "Bull. Shit. Your dad was with me because he was training me to take care of you. You don't even realize what he went through to make sure you were happy. And you're standing here, telling him he's a piece of shit dad. You want shitty dads? Meet mine. Murdered my mother right in front of my five-year-old eyes and sold me into slavery to Costin. So please, whine more."

Unole sighed. He didn't stop Jai; he knew that Jai needed to say it, and he was too hurt to even speak.

[Goldie]

Orenda softly knocked on the door before poking her head in, ebony waves falling off her shoulders. Her lilac eyes looked concerned and she looked between the three people. Her gaze hardened slightly when Ember spoke to Jai in that manner, her body becoming stiff with protectiveness. She stepped into the room, dressed in a plain khaki skirt and denim button down shirt with the sleeves rolled up. In one hand was a silver tray of mugs, steam wafting up from the tops as the smell of tea slowly filtered from them. "I sensed Unole was becoming stressed, I brought some tea to calm everyone down." she said, not mentioning she might have dabbled in some of her Healer's herbs to help soothe everyone in the room.

[Spotify]

_{Ember simply shook her head for once refusing to engage. She sighed and slumped against the tree trunk. Her eyes flutter closed as she listened to Jai, he often spoke of his misfortunes Ember realized or at least he did when she was around. "Are you done yet?"she asked, peeking one eye open. Why did he have to bring Jai with him? Why couldn't he bring her new guard... What was his name again.. Alfar or something like that. Ember's burrow furrowed as hers closed once more. She was tired and all she wanted to do was crawl into a ball and cry her eyes out. Ember was ashamed to even think about it, but she hoped to her brother would find her and end her. Maybe it was time to just give up.}

[Cloudy]

Jai clamped his jaw. "I quit," he said bluntly. "I'm going home. Screw this. You don't care what happens to me. I'm going home." He glared at her. "Not ten minutes ago you said you were growing to like me. Now you hate me. Which is it?" Before she could answer, Jai turned to the king.
"I release you from active duty, Jai Templar, and I thank you for your service."
Jai nodded and glanced at his sister. "See ya at home, 'Renda." With that, Jai turned around and left.

[Spotify]

_{Ember's eyes opened, she watched Jai until she could see him no longer,"Good bye, Jai Templar."she whispered to herself and than she looked to her father for advice. Everything felt wrong about today, everything that had left her mouth had been a mistake and she regretted all of it. Why was she so darn hardheaded and stubborn? Why couldn't she listen for once in her life. Her lip quivered as she sank to the forest floor,"Why did you have to leave me?"she whispered, lifting her gaze to the stars. Her mother had always said for her to look to the stars if she ever needed her and Ember often did. She spoke to the stars every night. She glanced back at her father,"How do I right the wrongs that I have done?"she asked, softly. Shame and sorrow filled her exquisite eyes and glazed them over. Just like that Ember was as vulnerable as she had ever been. Ember raised her gaze to the stars once more, but this time she saw no hope, this time she saw death itself and oh how she welcomed it.}

[Cloudy]

<sub>"Alfar's here," Unole said in a strangled voice. "He'll make sure you don't get into any trouble." Unole sounded defeated as he turned to leave. He couldn't stand to look at Ember right now, and it wasn't because of who she looked like. How dare she? She'd hurt Jai; he'd seen it in Templar's eyes as the younger Schimba asked to be dismissed. He glanced back and Ember and shook his head slightly. And with that, Unole shifted and was gone.

Alfar padded out from the shadows, looking at Ember with shocked eyes. He'd heard the last half of the conversation, when Jai had quit. But no, that couldn't be possible. Jai, quite? Those two words shouldn't even be in a sentence together. Jai's job was everything to the Templar; Ember would have had to hurt him beyond words to chase him from his position.</sub>

[Spotify]

<sub>Ember didn't reply to her father, she couldn't, a strangled cry left her lips as she phased and headed home. All she wanted was her bed and her stuff animals. She flew as fast as her wings would carry her, exhaustion caught her midway through her flight home. She fell from the sky, a soft thump sounded as she hit the forest floor, instead of trying to get back up, she phased back into her human form and curled into a ball. She cried herself to sleep that night.

(Time skip to the next day? )</sub>

[Cloudy]

<sub>[sure]

Alfar had done his job and followed Ember, lifting her unconscious form and carrying her to her bed. He'd left her there and posted guard outside her room. He leaned against the wall, eyebrow furrowed, and eventually dozed off half-way, though he would wake up at a moment's notice. Unole's guards had learned to sleep lightly and with their eyes open. He stirred when he heard Ember awaken.

Unole couldn't think. He stared at the wall before him, slouched in the comfortable chair that was in his office. He let out a soft sigh and lifted himself up when the morning rolled around, heading out without saying a word to Ember. Jai met him, and both Schimba headed for the airport to catch the plane to Romania, where the summit was being hosted. They could fly, yes, but it was a long trip and they'd get exhausted.

Neither Unole or Jai contacted Ember through the Schimba Link.</sub>

[Spotify]

<sub>Ember woke with an extreme headache, she glanced once around her room and moaned as last nights events came back to her. She slowly, almost painfully, got up and headed for her bathroom. A soft peacefully sigh escaped her as hot water began to run down the length of her body. She stayed there a long time, in fact she stayed in their till the water turned frigid cold.

Ember finally made an appearance, freshly showered and dressed. She wore the softest pair of pajama pants she owned, they were bright purple and zebra print and a white tank top that exposed her midsection. A gray hoodie wrapped around her arms,"Good mourning."she greeted her new guard as she descended down the stairs, heading for the kitchen. Her stomach rumbled halfway down her descent.</sub>