Zvan and Dvrinne were clearly the only match that the Queen would approve, though she had wondered about the stoat boy over there or perhaps even the coyote lad. But none of them were really the royalty that she accepted. The Queen and Zvan discussed things at great length, long into the morning, with the captain of the guard there, and a judge who read the words of Zvan's deposition.
It took only a few hours more to confirm not only the presence of the heads in the den, but that of the broken bones and spare parts left undecayed from the middens. Ohrn and Jharn were kept for questioning, but allowed to leave eventually. Ohrn assured Zvan that if he wanted to come home he wouldn't have to cook or clean ever again.
And Jlean would be put to death within the month. It was as simple as that, though it felt more complicated. Over the next few days, Zvan wanted to ask him, to get real answers - why? Why him? Why his mother? Did he want one of every species? What kind of madness was it? The Queen commented that it surprised her that he would have such intellectual curiosity instead of rage. After all, his mother was dead at the man's hands. It would only be fitting if Zvan wished to exact revenge.
"It is enough that his sentance will be carried out," Zvan said. "I've no taste for that myself." He looked down, then back up at the Queen's even gaze. "Though I will say I will sleep better for the first time knowing he's gone."
She left him alone with Dvrinne in the large room - one which reminded him much more of the stone room from his dream. He still wore the feathered robe, but had removed the mask and entrusted it to one of Dvrinne's handmaids to put in his - his - new chambers. They would retrieve his meager leather bag from the inn, as well.
"You like it here?" Dvrinne said, of the castle. Zvan nodded. "Good, because it's yours now. Well," she winked, "once we're married."
Zvan held her hand, not looking at her. It seemed that tears of joy weren't all exhausted from his eyes - only those of sorrow. "Is this ... is this a happy ending? Is this happily ever after? Do I get that?"
"Do you want it?" Dvrinne said, pressing up against him. "I like this costume," she whispered aside. "I think you deserve a happy ending, Izzy."
He chuckled. "You know... I couldn't tell you my real name, but it's on my invitation. How ... is that possible?"
"Probably mother's magic?" Dvrinne said simply. She shrugged, as though saying such a thing was the most obvious fact in the world.
"Your mother sent the ... thing?" He wiggled his hand and Dvrinne giggled.
"Of course. There are dozens of those things around here. I think she summons them so they'll do the work for the servants. No one does hardly anything around here..."
"Then in that case I think I do like it here," Zvan said.
***
The flitter arrived to remind Zvan that he needed to attend this other ball - and Zvan held out his hand to his new wive Dvrinne. "May she come along? Or does she need an invitation as well?"
The flitter merely laughed musically, and vanished again in a puff of glitter.
"Wait, wait," Zvan said, to the air where the thing had been sitting against a hinged door frame. "How will we get there?"
"You will run," the flitter's sunlight-on-snowflakes voice said.
They did not forget that this too was a masked ball. Their costumes had been preserved with normal human care, and the treasured mask that bore Zvan's legacy and bounty had to be taken from the treasury vaults. "Should we ... wear them?" Zvan asked, and Dvrinne shrugged.
"Why not?" She said. "We'll make sure they're fixed if we need it, when we get ... wherever it is we're going."
"Lantessama," Zvan said, "it is apparently ... an island, so I don't know how we'll get there, really. But... Let's go."
A saluki princess and a king cheetah bolted out of their shared quarters, down the tower, through the empty ballroom and into the sunrise toward -- whereever their feet could take them!
***
name: Hataru (firefly)
gender: male
size: large
bond: Drvinne
personality: bold and clever, like his colours suggest, Hataru is a true helping soul. No task is too big, if there's trouble, he'll want to fix it. His favourite passtimes include duelling and knotwerk (laugh, but know that his ropes will be secure)
distinguishing feature: his beautiful orange-ochre wings which seem to have indecipherable scribbling on them.
favourite place: dusk
power: Light
name: Inago (grasshopper)
gender: female
size: large
bond: Zvan
personality: calmer and dare we say, more intelligent than Hataru, Inago takes things slower, but is equally passionate about doing the right thing. Philosophizing and accounting (dry, but a well-oiled machine needs funds to keep running) can be considered her hobbies.
distinguishing feature: her pure-white skin and again those elaborate scriptures that have got to have meaning.
favourite place: dawn
power: Foresight