Nate stared at the wall, his thoughts keeping him company.

There was this voice at the back of his head which never ceased to ridicule him. " Have I been right in doing what I did ?" he wondered, "Have I been right in deserting my mother, my only family in this world? She must feel so betrayed."

He felt a pang of emotions, as the image of his mother's helpless face flashed across his eyes.

" Nate, may I come in ?" It was Cindy.

" Sure, love." he replied.

As she stepped inside, Nate felt like his surroundings had lightened up ; her smile lifted his spirits and the gleam of hope in her beautiful eyes, reminded  him to be optimistic in adversity.

" Are you alright ?" she asked, concerned.

He smiled. "I will be."

She took a seat beside him.

"Nate , I know this is not easy for you. Princess Fiona is your mother. You must realise that it is not abnormal to feel conflicted." She placed her hand on his shoulder.

He turned to face her. The past few months had changed Cindy. Her innocence had been replaced by wisdom and experience, which had enhanced all her virtues to a greater extent. The contradictory balance of maturity and childish hope had made her much more beautiful.

" What's the matter ?" she asked, and he realised that he had been staring at her.

" Nothing." he said.

She pursed her lips, as she often did when tensed , "I wouldn't blame you if you ever doubted your choice. I can't pretend to understand what you must be going through, and it pains me to imagine it. I will love you despite the choices you make and shall never stop, even if destiny makes us part."

He could see how the thought of separation brought tears to her eyes.

" I have made my choice. I have not been manipulated or forced into it. I have faith in the rebellion. It is the right thing to do." he said, taking her hands in his gently and instantly feeling warmth course through him.

"My rightful place will always be by your side, dear."

She laughed her tears out. "I know what Hazel would call that line. Cheesy."

"That sounds like a compliment. I quite like the sound of it." he grinned.

"I'm not sure she'd agree." Cindy said, raising an eyebrow.

Nate sighed. "It's hard to put the thought of mother from my mind. She has always taught me to tread on the right path. But it so happens that this time around, the right path is not the one she took."

Cindy nodded.

"I'll be perfectly fine in no time, my dear."

Her lips caressed his cheek.

" You don't need to be."  He felt her smile against his skin.

" I am a child of Beauty. I must take the road to justice. It is my duty to show my mother the error in her ways."

Cindy kissed his cheekbone.

He smiled. "I'm trying to be serious here. Shouldn't you be consoling me?"

" I love you too." she replied.

******

Hazel stood facing Snowflake, who had comfortably seated herself on a chair.

There was an uncomfortable silence between them, broken by the chirping of two sweet voices, "May we come in, Princess ?"

" Yes." she replied.

The women walked in together, arm in arm.

" Hazel, meet Edyta and Edina."

The two ladies smiled at her. Hazel noticed something odd when she looked at them. They were joined at the hip, like conjoined twins.

" Their condition is called polycephaly, or multiple headedness." Snowflake explained.

" Or two halves completing one whole."  Edyta said and Edina smiled.

" Have you completed your task ?" Snowflake asked.

" Yes." they replied.

"You may leave. Report to me later."

They bowed down, before departing.

"I have made my decision, Princess. I have chosen to help you." said Hazel.

Snowflake looked relieved and pleased.
" Very well." she nodded. She pulled out something from the folds of her dress. A dagger.

She released its silver blade from the scabbard. It was black with a bright red stone on top. The quillion took the form of a raven with its wings spread out.

" This is The Black Raven." Snowflake said.

She brought out another dagger. It was identical to the first one, yet completely different. She handed it over to Hazel.

Its handle was white, and felt smooth in Hazel's hand; its quillion was shaped like a raven and its pommel was encrusted with a round, gold rimmed amethyst, unlike the ruby of its dark twin. Its golden blade curved towards the end to make a J shape.

" And this is The White Raven, it's counterpart. These are a gift that I had received from my mother. The two weapons are contradictory, as well as complementary to each other. While one symbolizes the dark fierceness of power, the other signifies peace and wisdom. The white raven bird is extremely rare. Amethyst is the jewel sacred to prophets, as purple is considered to be the colour of intuition."

Hazel saw a strange gleam in her onyx eyes. "It is said that God brought us light. Then who created the dark ? If he made the day, he also gave us the night. One only learns the value of light, in the absence of it."

Hazel stared at the white dagger in her hand.

" It is yours now, Hazel."

She was shocked.

" The White Raven has been in search for its master for long. I have always known that I am not its rightful wielder. I could never do justice to its spirit. I believe that you will."

Hazel nodded. "Thank you. I shall try my best."

****

Light would not dare to look at him.

Thrown away from the world, he was surrounded by the cesspool of his tears , blood and dirt. The faint scent of urine floated in the air.

Seclusion brought his demons out. They whispered to him in soft voices and he spoke back. He was fed their duplicitous promises and in their absence , his misery came to his rescue.

He shivered and pulled himself closer for warmth. His eyes danced around.

He was barely recognisable now ; the sketch of his bones visible through his skin, a transparent display of his weakness.

He believed himself to be rotting, from inside and outside.

The body is perishable. Nothing lasts forever. But the rot was reaching his soul now, giving him nightmares about a darkened conscience, or worse...none at all.

The voices came to console him; they told him not to fight back and he buried his worries in the corner of his perishing heart.

What did he feel ? Was it inexplicable anger, sorrow or helplessness ? No. It was fear and that alone.

Its dark grey tendrils reached out to him, engulfing his entire form. He could not fight back; it was inevitable and omnipresent.

It washed over him like hell fire, leaving him with a burning ache. It seared  a hole in his heart that even flesh and blood could not hide.

****

A/N :

Missing me, already ? No worries ! Here I am !

So first lengthy #Cinate (or can u guys give me a better one?) moment - do tell me what you thought about it.