Final Preparations.

Winds howled like unevolved wolves across the endless southern plains at the other side of the globe. A vast serene wasteland of million-year-old ice and snow coating the surface of the south like a soft pure veil of untampered history. And to Warden Aravos. It was perfect. His real home over this prison of his.

The exiled lord stood tall in the familiar darkened seclusion of the citadels master control room, immensely bored yet again. A small barely lit chamber with hundreds of identical rectangular hard light screens hovering above the console blinding him with their blue transparent light. Each a glimpse into another's inhabitant of this fortress and mirror at their life. A guard making his rounds there through the same hallway as he had a thousand times. A servant girl making the table for tonight's feast there. A monotonous yet necessary use of his time. It wasn't really spying. Not really. As warden it was his duty to monitor the in's and out of the citadel every hour of every day. A task he attempted to find some level of pride in. What else was there to do besides this. He must keep busy. Else he go mad.

"Report." Sighed Aravos immensely disgruntled, after pressing his final commands on the packed console beneath him for the day. The main screen flickered and switched to a frost coated view of a surface camera. A small protruding periscope emerged and punctureing through the unbroken snow coating miles above. A pair of clawed feet came into view and an armored sentry knelt down to face the camera.

All good here sir. The soldier said loudly against the roaring backdrop of the blizzard before tapping a talon on the camera. No signs of tampering with the beacons. Over and out.

Very well come inside then. Aravos said, you've done enough for today."

The soldier shivered and stood. With pleasure sir.

After ten minutes of waiting, The door opened behind him with a sudden loud hiss and puff of cold air to reveal the lone armored soldier. Davanas removed his helmet and shook off a layer of powder from his dark feathered hide, revealing a frightening looking giant petrel in his late 40s. His face streaked with menacing red warpaint adorning his haunting narrow eyes and a spear like hooked beak, angled to perfection in a deadly point at the end for piercing the toughest of bone. A evolutionary relic from his unevolved seabird ancestors who soared across the endless southern waves in restless depraved flocks, scavenging and fighting each other for the last scrap of bloated rotting carrion, floating against the freezing waves. Or more commonly, picking apart their favorite game, lost baby penguins. Simpler times.

"Need anything else sir?" Davanas smiled proudly to his leader before kneeling to the floor, his large jagged grey wings folded to shroud himself in warmth. Aravos shook his head quietly and gestured his second in command away with a slight of his grey taloned hand, giving him his much deserved leave of absence.

That will be all for now. Aravos said, not taking his eyes of the monitors. You're dismissed captain.

The loyal soldier simply smiled, saluted and quickly exited his lord's dark chamber to leave him to his thoughts about the coming ceremony in the hour. Averting his yellow eyes out of respect for his lord. Everything was nearly in order to prepare for the empress highly anticipated arrival. Such a visit was a rare occurrence in these chaotic time's given her very busy schedule. Leading a nation was quite taxing work. Especially during wartime. A job he especially had failed immeasurably in. A painful mark of permeant blunder that he has yet to atone for, Even after all these years in servitude to his sister in law. Yet still. He knew where his loyalties lie.

To the south herself.

"Very well." Aravos said to himself. Adjusting and shifting his weary shoulders and picking up his winged helmet and double bladed sword staff he had set aside by the mantle of his monitor. The tall imposing warden then powered down the screens one at a time and folded in his carefully groomed wings across his broad shoulders like a cloak. Exiting the cold confines of his chamber to prepare for her dreaded excellencies arrival. A glorified sentry serving another. Still. He would see his responsibilities through.

"Mustn't be late."

The middle aged lord walked through the vast cold labyrinth of the snowflake shaped layout of the fortress, whose clean spotless floors of endless hallways practically shone and reflected his narrow sharply featured face and carefully groomed feathered sideburns back up at him. He had never been the most handsome of Albatross like his brother, a ghastly fact to be sure. As most in the world saw his race as among the most beautiful and grandest of feathered races. His feathers had dulled in their colors, became more prickly and faintly begin to molt prematurely from past stress and despair he had long since come under control. If he had been somewhat easy to look at in his younger days, such times were well and truly behind him. He had no interest in personal appearances or vanity anymore however and kept walking along the cold ground with a stern icy expression. Uninterested in pausing to gawk at his pale feathered reflection like some spoiled child. Or worse yet, a peacock. Now those were some truly vain people Indeed.

He entered the large empty dining hall and saw that the guard's and servants were already standing in rows, awaiting his instruction as expected. These soldiers and civilians had respected and had admired him for years. And despite his reputation and past failings, most still held him in high esteem regardless of all his reputable status among the common masses. All were still heavily committed to serving their nation in their own particular way. Him included.

"At ease everyone." Lord Aravos spoke calmly, not looking any of them in the eye. "Her majesty will be arriving soon. I want everything prepared and in order for today. It is our responsibly to uphold the sanctity of this facility as well as it's purity of visible excellence to the royal family. Be swift in your assigned task's and all will be well as it should be. Disperse!" He clapped his long fingered hands together. Creating a single echo to reverberate throughout the mostly empty room.

The servants and soldiers quickly scattered to fulfill their duties. All but one. Aravos stopped one small servant girl with a slight wave of his hand before she could leave the room like the others who did not wish to bother their lord any longer.

"You there. Come Here." He gestured for her to approach closer immediately.

The young seal handmaiden in a simple blue servant's dress and apron cautiously approached the warden who towered above her like an unmoving marble monument.

"Yes my lord? What is it you require?" Nea asked cautiously. Lowering her fluffy white head and small black nose submissively out of respect.

"Where is my niece?" he asked her calmly. "Has she awaken yet?"

"The princess?" Nea smiled softly. "No I believe she awoke early to practice her song. She is in the pavilion right now I believe sir. Preparing to perform for the Empress tonight when she arrives. She's improved quite a bit sir if I must say sir." She said cheerily. Rubbing her arm against her shoulder awkwardly.

"Fetch her for me. Will you kindly? I believe she will want to see her mother first before the rest of us do."

"Yes my lord. At once" Nea nodded and kindly curtsied her dress apart before swiftly leaving to fulfill his instruction. Now the old warden sat all alone alone in the vast empty room whose halls echoed with the footsteps of numerous servants roaming across the opposite end's of the secluded fortress.

If things went accordingly today, he might finally leave this tedious assignment and better serve his country elsewhere. But only if everything went accordingly to plan.

Everything must be in order today of all days.

Nea calmly walked through the empty cold hallways of the fortress until coming to a halt at the large door leading to the pavilion at the center of the complex. She suddenly stopped in place as she gripped the handles. Hearing a melodious tune build in power and elegance on the other side of the room right through the thin walls. She was almost tempted to just stand there and listen to the soothing music for as long as it lasted but she had to inform her highness despite how much she loved to hear her play. She breathed a heavy breath and opened the door being engulfed with the familiar comforting cold mist from inside. She couldn't help but smile as the bright light and sudden moist humidity hit her. No matter how many times she entered the Pavillion, it always felt like a dream of how obvious the contrast was. A place this green didn't belong in the south, it could not exist period. Despite what should be, here it was and she was glad. No wonder it was the princess's favorite place in the entirety of the citadel. It allowed her to have some semblance of freedom in the outside world she had never known.

The green roaring fields of the artificial garden swayed in the imitated breeze all around her, with unevolved butterflies passing by to land on a vast array of flowers imported from throughout the world into a single combined biome of unnatural biodiversity. A serene perfectly moderate biome for any species to inhabit. Not too warm. Not too cold. Perfect. There was nowhere else in the world like it. Nea had never left the south also, she could only imagine what the real thing would be like.

Nea walked down the stone pathway into the main plaza surrounded by trees doused with freezing mist and water, gazing up at the roof of the dome displaying a false blue clear sky and warming sun, almost like the real thing. And at the very center high above on the platform, the grand piano cast with white and pink snowflowers at its center.

And playing the beautiful melody being carried throughout the entire room like a siren's song...

Was the princess.

"Winds of winter. Come and go.

Fields of ice of unchanging snow.

Cast your heart in eternal ice.

Never let it show, never let it shine.

Nea, held her breath nervous and expecting the beautiful music to cease from her sudden intrusion. It didn't. The princess played on. Nea quietly approached in silence toward her highness, watching and listening to her from far below.

I wander lost in the storm of darkness.

Afraid, Aloft. Not knowing where I shall roam.

The storm may pass.

Yet still I roam lost.

The princess adorned in white finished the song high above at the grand piano, her wings folded like a cloak. Not turning her gaze and keeping her concentration on finishing the song. Her small delicate hands moved quickly and effortlessly as they glided across from each of the dozens of keys in search for that next perfect tone in the sequence.

"I felt you come in." The princess said calmly, stopping her singing yet continuing to skate her hands across the piano astoundingly fast.

Nea smiled briefly for a moment before clearing her throat to speak.

"Apologies for the intrusion my lady. She said with a well managed curtsy before glancing up at her. But....your uncle has requested to see you."

She stopped playing. The entire galley room fell dead silent.

"Is she here yet?" The princess asked hopefully, not turning back to face her, and with a bit of worry in her soft moderate voice. Fiddling with her pearl ring on her finger anxiously during the brief silence between them.

Nea hesitated a bit before replying. "I'm afraid not yet my lady. But she is on her way here as we speak." And I'm sure she is utterly ecstatic to see you if you don't mind me saying." Nea tried to reply somewhat cheerily.

The princess released a faint nervous chuckle and even more nervous smile.

"Yes she always is." Said the princess amused and saddened.

"Do... you think...Do you think she'll listen this time?"

A brief look of awkwardness filled across Nea's face. Not knowing how to answer but trying to keep the princess spirit's high, not wanting to bring her any sorrow.

I...Believe she is happy to see you? And Who knows, It might be this time. I have a good feeling about this year my lady. But no matter what happens. I'll do whatever is required to make your stay here more pleasant. I promise."

The princess then let out a heavy anxious sigh of reluctant acceptance and gently pushed her seat back to stand and turn away from her piano she had sat at all morning in order to prepare for tonight's performance.

The princess waited just a brief moment without looking down before then letting out one last heavy anxious sigh. She then smiled excitedly as she spread her wings slowly to creep far apart until they reached the length of the podium she was standing on itself. Suddenly and without warning. The princess jumped and glided down in a circular pattern all the way to the floor, with nowhere as much grace and finesse as her piano skills. Landing clumsily but barely managing to stay upright in front of her trusted servant sent to escort her. Nea was not the least bit surprised by her boldness but was more concerned her risky endeavors would one day come back to bite her painfully despite her apparent imposing stature saying otherwise.

The young albatross towered over the young seal handmaiden, just like her imposing uncle even if she was only seventeen years of age. Her long nimble legs gently walked across the cold reflective steps, brushing aside her flowing light blue gown which parted forward with each graceful step, hardly making a sound. The princess stopped at the bottom of the steps of the platform in front of Nea, ready to follow her lady in waiting to the portal room once again. Nea smiled patiently as her highness approached and stood towering above her very quiet as usual this time of year.

"You know you're mother doesn't want you flying." Nea said with an amused yet concerned mannerism. "That was quite an unnecessary risk. You could have just taken the stairs and used the handrails instead of being so....extravagant again.

You gonna tell? The princess said brushing herself off and folding in her wings to cover her shoulders with a slight overconfident smirk. Knowing she would never tell on her.

Nea smiled and nodded right on que. "Not this time." And she never would. She knew her majesty was more capable than most gave her credit for. She was not a helpless little princess in her eyes. She was so much more than that to her. As was nea to the princess in her eyes as well.

".....Thank you Nea." The princess said sincerely before leaning down and hugging gently around the young handmaiden's back who had been the closest thing to a friend she had ever had during her long stay here, hidden from the world within these icy walls. And although she knew Nea's job was to just to serve and care for her needs and nothing more. Overtime the two had grown especially close from their constant gossiping and pleasant walks throughout the fortress together. Or at least she hoped they had. She so longed for any a friend.

"Are you ready my lady?" Nea smiled as she gently grabbed her hand to lead the blind princess through the endless maze of hallways.

"Yes Nea." Princess Ryana sighed heavily aloud before raising her head up high in a desperate show of pride and strength.

"It's time."