[center]Arys[/center]

A shrill scream came from the small house, followed by running feet and a child's laughter.
"Horrid beast of a child!" the Nanny screamed as she stumbled out of the kitchen area covered in a mixture of mud, leaves and other substances.
The 'horrid beast' in question was currently long gone, racing off towards one of her many 'scooty places' to hide and giggle over the wrath of the Nanny. She didn't want the strict old woman. She wanted her big brother. He was always at the school training. Training. Always training. She hated it. Why couldn't be come and play with her?

A great shadow settled over her and she looked up and smiled. The large owl-like creature looked down at the small girl-child with a look that could have been construed as disapproval.
"She took my slingshot," Arys said in her own defense.
The creature shook his head and looked away, used to the child and her antics by now. After all, he had been watching over her for her entire life. Most were shocked when they found the child's Guardian Bird was such a large and downright terrifying looking creature. But she herself was not afraid of him. Never had been. Not even as a baby when he had come and towered over her crib, watching her with large eyes with the color and glow of the moon. She called him "Hoot", not even close to his actual name but one that he accepted from the tiny human.

"I'm going to tan your hide you miserable wretched-" the Nanny's words instantly halted when the Guardian Bird turned his heavy gaze to her. Everyone knew that, no matter what the child had done, whoever touch her would find themselves missing an arm. If they were lucky.
Huffing, she backed away and stormed off.
Arys giggled and rolled on the ground holding her belly. "She looks like a walking mud pie!" she laughed. "I can't wait to tell Link!"
Hoot snorted, unimpressed by her prank and certain that her older brother would not be either.
"Where is Link?" she said, suddenly sitting upright. "He should have come home after the test today."
Getting up, she wandered out towards the school only to see no one was there. At least not outside. She wasn't allowed inside until she was old enough to start training.
"Big Brother?" Arys called, growing fearful at his absence. "Big Brother!"

Suddenly she heard something. A message. Below the clouds? There was stuff below the clouds?! Had that been where her Big Brother had gone?!
"Hoot! We have to go!" Arys exclaimed.
The Guardian ruffled its feathers and shook its head.
Arys stomped her foot and was ready to through a tantrum but decided to switch tactics with her Guardian. Making her eyes large and sad, she approached the large bird and laid a little hand on his leg. "Please Hoot...? I want my Big Brother. What if he's in trouble? Please? Pleeeeease...?"

The monstrous owl creature huffed sharply and rolled its head the way humans would roll their eyes before moving its head down for her to climb on. Grasping one of its large horns Arys smiled in excitement as Hoot spread his wings and darted into the air. He swooped low, heading beneath the clouds. The Guardian Bird was large and graceful, his shadow engulfing the area below and announcing their presence.

When she spotted Link, Arys cried out excitedly, waving. "Big Brother!"


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

[center]Sadara[/center]

Sadara woke with a gasp. Her forehead was beaded with sweat and her face was pale.
Another dream. Another prophecy.
Standing on shaking legs, she went to her door to signal the guard always posted nearby. She told herself he was there for her safety, but she knew the truth of the matter was that he was there to keep the King's pet in it's case until it was needed.

"I have dreamed. I must speak to the King."
"He is not here presently," the guard said. "You will have to wait until he returns."
Nodding, Sadara left her room, the guard following close behind, and went to the King's solar. It was here where she normally told him of her dreams and he plotted out their possible meaning. He always seemed to know more than her when it came to the images in her head.
Taking a pen and inkwell, she dipped the end in the dark ink and hover over the large map on the table in the middle of the room. Closing her eyes, she moved her hand in the same motion she had seen in her dream :

waves... the watery depths of the ocean... a drop moving... moving... 

When her hand stopped and the pen pressed against the map she opened her eyes. Her pen had marked a spot in the middle of the vast ocean, just as it had days before marked a forest.

These were the things her dreams revealed, and that she revealed to the King. But other things she kept hidden. Images that terrified her and she feared would anger the King. Images of firey blood burning a path to the Tower, of black oozing wounds and warped landscapes where the ground itself opened to swallow the blood of the those fallen upon it.
Images of the King's banner being ripped to shreds. Images of eight daggers being stabbed into the throne of the King.

Lately the images were getting stronger and more violent. Something was coming. Something terrible was coming.
And she wasn't sure how much longer she could hide it from the King. Or what he would do to her once she told him.