(Content Warning: this chapter include graphic description of child abuse, dissociation and self-injurious behavior due to trauma)

Edwin stared at Calum as he made a dirty straw doll from the spilled bedding of their cell. It grew more goblin-esque as time went on. The eyes of dawn were pink and yellow. Both of them knew. They were waiting for someone to come get them. They didn't know why, or whom, but the sun would not set with them back in this cell.

Edwin had a hard time keeping eye contact with people, even with those he was close to. Instead he'd look at their hands. Calum's fingers were shorter and stubbier than his. His palms were rough from years of overuse, like dragon scales. There were all factors within one undeniable truth, Calum was not good at making straw dolls.

Edwin's fingers hurt where he'd picked at them.

It was the way Calum glanced at them out of the corners of his eyes that made Edwin remember.

"I have to tell you something."

Calum didn't look up. "You should rest."

Calum was right, Edwin was nursing a headache and his train of thought became more muddled the more he tried to remember. He'd worked hard with Holly to forget what happened. He didn't have that luxury anymore. Edwin sat up. "Part of the curse is after the burning, welves are forbidden from hurting deadwings."

Edwin couldn't see Calum's eyes, he was too short, his body was terrifyingly small. "You know what happens? If they do?"

"At least lay back down."

"They die."

Calum hesitated.

"It doesn't matter if it's a slap to the ear or a knife wound. If it hurts, they drop dead on the spot. That's why they have to get rid of us, we're killers."

"Well them killing us because of accidents is still not an appropriate way to handle it."

"Calum." Edwin reached out, and grasped his hand. His vision swam with dots. "It wasn't an-"

There was a loud bang as a thick wooden door slammed against stone. Edwin's heart skipped a beat. They were coming, he was coming. He could hear a pair of heavy, dragging footsteps. He could see the palms of his hands. Edwin blinked.

Edwin stumbled as an armored welven guard pushed the butt of a sword gently into his back. Now he was walking through the Plaza. Welven citizens gathered along the edges to gawk at him as they walked towards the large building at the end of the street. Edwin could feel their disgust. He glanced back and saw Calum behind them, he was staring ahead with wide eyes. It's too bright; he couldn't stop himself from blinking.

Now they were in the building. At first Edwin thought it was an amphitheater. There was a fan-shaped seating area behind him, but it was protected by metal bars. Two pillars rose up on each side of them, two welves sat in each. Them Edwin looked ahead of him.

High Welf Opaling sat in the middle of a raised row of seats. On each side of her were three more chairs, with belonged to the six members of the High Council. She was not sitting where the High Welf was designated, she was sitting in the throne that had not been used since they abolished monocracy. Her beady eyes were glazed over.

"Are you okay?"

Calum stared at him from Edwin's left. Their hands were tied behind their backs to a rail. There was another railing in front of them and no chairs. Edwin's stomach flopped around in the pit of his stomach as he ignored the binding on his wings and took in the surroundings.

"This is a courthouse." He couldn't bring himself to speak in anything but a rasp, as if he was afraid of bothering the others in the room. "This the High Court, we're being put on trial."

"It's going to be okay."

Edwin remained silent, and let his head hang low. In the way they were situated, they were out of each other's reach. There was no support, no comfort, no hand to hold. He wished Calum didn't have to hear this. He should have savored their time last night. There was no hope they'd still be together after this. He was going to die the same way he came into this world; alone.

One of the council members stood and cleared his dusty throat. "The time is five minutes after seven o'clock. Court is now in session. The sides may now give their opening statements."

One of the welves in the tower to Edwin's right stood up, and approached the railing around the raised platform. He was holding a piece of paper. The man held a finger to the side of his mouth and when he spoke, his voice was amplified to fill the entire room.

"You're gathered here today to witness the criminal trial of defendant formerly known, but this is not about it. I want to dedicate this day to Tomlin La'Tiolais, a man violently murdered in cold blood, by not only someone close to him, his own child. Tomlin was an honest, hardworking welf who cared about his family legacy. Those who knew him best described him as gentle, loving, and willing to provide to those in need. I want to show the High Council that Tomlin was deceived by formerly known into caring for it, that the murder was unprovoked that there was clear premeditation. If I do so in such a way that defames my character, let the Council know I submit to Hostia Law. The prosecution rests."

Edwin's heart was pounding. A quick glance confirmed his worst fears, Calum's face was white as a sheet. He was realizing what Edwin really was, a killer. They could only guess what he was thinking. Why didn't Edwin tell him sooner? Why had he allowed Edwin to get so close to him? Edwin looked to the other tower, his skin felt cold and clammy. One of the welves wore a wide brimmed hat with a black shroud spilling off, their face was indeterminable. The other was obviously not a lawyer, but a handmaiden.

"Does the defense wish to give an opening statement?"

"Who's representing me?" Edwin croaked, with a fraction of the volume.

Finally, the High Welf broke her cold silence. "Formerly known forgets the right to judicial representation is only for recognized citizens. Did you forget to hire your own lawyer?"

"We've been in prison!" Calum interjected, his face red. "Screw that, I'll represent him."

"A criminal with an upcoming trial cannot be a representative." The Council member waved him away.

"But-!"

The Council member waved their wrinkled hand and Calum's mouth continued to move, but no sound came out. Edwin stared at him; eyes wide. Calum quickly realized what happened and sat down, his face boiling but full of defeat, an eagle whose wings had been clipped.

"Does the defense wish to give an opening statement?"

Seven pairs of eyes were trained on him. Edwin's legs were shaking. He was going to start crying any moment.

"I didn't mean to." His voice was shaking, the room swirled. "It-it was an accident. I'm s-sorry."

He stood there shivering in their silence, tears streaming down his face.

"The sides may now present evidence," the Council member announced.

The lawyer stood up once again, his co-worker handed him several more pieces of paper. The movement was succinct, it was practiced. Their legs did not shake and they were not obviously holding back tears.

The lawyer cleared his throat, his long ears flicked back. "The prosecution calls Marie Serida to the witness stand."

The handmaiden sitting in the right tower stood, and walked to the center of the room, in front of Edwin. There was a stool ready for her. When he got a closer look at her face, his blood ran cold.

"State your name for the record."

"Marie Serida."

Her pale, nervous face was framed in oily black curls. Her ears were almost pressed against her neck and she refused to meet Edwin's eyes. It was probably better that way. He'd forgotten her name but not her face.

"What was your job in the La'Tiolais household?"

Her voice cracked when spoke, "I was their nanny for five years."

"And you're not currently?"

"No."

"What caused the end of your employment there?"

Marie bit her lip, "the deadwing child had started to develop and I feared for my safety, so I turned in my notice and later found out about Master La'Tiolais death."

"Why were you afraid, Ms. Serida?"

"Formerly known had started to show what I thought were violent behaviors."

"Could you give us a few examples?"

"Yes, it would mutilate itself physically...almost constantly. There were times it'd be late to breakfast because we would take so long to clean and bandage its wounds before it was presentable. It came to me many times and expressed that it hated its father and mother, that one day it would teach them a lesson they wouldn't be able to forget."

"Those were the exact words?"

"Exact," her lip trembled. "I've never been able to forget."

It was like a plug had ripped out of his mind. The memories came rushing back. Edwin reached a hand to his throat like it would stop him from drowning. That was the time he'd told her he wanted to run away, not hurt. He couldn't hurt.

"Did formerly known ever engage in verbal altercations with Tomlin?"

"Yes."

"How often did you witness this?"

"A month before Master La'Tiolais's death, it was near daily."

"Did you ever suspect there was even more going on when you weren't there?"

She nodded.

"Did you ever witness Tomlin discipline his son in cruel and unusual ways, or raise his hand against him unprovoked?" The lawyer paused, and raised a hand to his chin. "Did you see an aggressive reaction from him at all?"

Marie swallowed dryly. "Not at all, your honor."

A pathetic choking sound escaped him.

"Those are all my questions, your Honors, the prosecution rests."

"Does the defense wish to cross examine?" The Council member asked.

"Y-yes." Edwin managed. "Yes."

The old welf gestured for Edwin to go ahead. He turned towards Marie's pathetic frame. She was still staring at her shoes.

"You saw what he did to me." He rasped, clinging onto the railing in front of him. "You saw-"

"Objection, the council isn't even questioning the witness," the lawyer cut in, a sneer evident on his face.

"Does the defense wish to restate?"

"Yes." Edwin's arm shook, he wiped the tears from his face. "Were you allowed to stay in my house?"

She peeked at him, like a mouse in a hole, like he was the cat. "No, that would be unnecessary for a child of your age at the time."

"Did you know what happened to me at night after you left?"

"I know only what you told me."

"What did I tell you?" Edwin begged.

She hesitated, "you said that Master La'Tiolais would strike you."

A sob forced its way from Edwin's mouth but he forced himself to keeping talking. "D-did you see the bruises?"

She nodded.

"Do y-you believe m-me?"

Marie Serida looked up, directly at his face, completely void of sympathy. "I couldn't tell the difference between the marks you showed me and the ones you made yourself."

Edwin's heart dropped into his stomach. He wanted to collapse to the floor. He wanted to scream and cry and pick out all the imperfect things from his body until he said to stop. Until he was in control. Every discoloration, every pimple, every itch, it was his fault. He couldn't, not in front of everyone. Their eyes left deeper wounds than his hands ever would.

He didn't even realize Marie had returned to her tower until the prosecution lawyer stood once again.

"The prosecution would like to call Haron La'Tiolais to the witness stand."

The only thing he could feel was his nails in his arm as the shrouded woman made her way to the stool. Her black dress dragged along the floor with a chilling hiss. When she was seated, her thin hands came up and pulled the shroud away. The woman's eyes were dark and lined with heavy black mourning paint. Her dark locks still delicately framed the olive skin of her face. She was exactly as Edwin remembered.

Edwin's knees gave out.

She watched him sink to the ground.

Behind him he was dimly aware of Calum silently struggling against his bonds, doing whatever he could to reach the crumpled welf. What was there to do but mourn himself?

"Please state your name for the record."

She folded her hands across her lap. "Haron La'Tiolais."

"What's your relationship to the defendant?"

She pursed her lips and her wrinkled eyes flicked towards Edwin; he couldn't bear it. "It was my son."

"Were you close with your son?"

"Closer that most are with deadwings."

She still had a small braid near her neck that was jet black with a silver strand of his father's hair woven into it. Edwin was struggling to breathe.

"When did the deadwing started to develop?"

"I think it was thirteen at the time."

He couldn't stop crying.

"Did you ever witness Tomlin strike his son?"

Edwin's mother looked to the Council and waved her hand dismissively. "What good father doesn't practice proper discipline? It was never excessive; it was never worse than what it was already doing to itself at the time."

Edwin's eyes grew heavy suddenly and when he opened his eyes again, he didn't know how much time had passed, his tears had dried. He had been fighting to stay conscious, he couldn't keep this up for much longer. His body had limits. He would get what he deserved.

"-Would you describe what happened that night for the Council?"

No.

"Of course. It was after dinner, earlier that day formerly known had spoken out of turn in public to its father where multiple welflings saw and heard. Tomlin had to drag it home by the arm, it was humiliating. Formerly known had actually been quite behaved until this point, the exhaustion of deadwing development worked to curb its temper. We'd only known for three days. Tomlin-he'd forgotten about the curse. I heard a scream from formerly known's room, when I came to see what happened..." Her voice trailed off and she looked up at the ceiling. "He was lying there dead, covered in cuts, there was...so much blood."

It was all flashing before Edwin's eyes. He remembered his hands, the massive, rough calloused hands as they came down on his face until he was tasted his own blood in his mouth. He'd cried, he'd screamed for help. He remembered begging for it to end.

Then it stopped.

He remembered the look of his mother's face when she found him, curled up in a corner. She was clutching onto the body of her delikiae, tears streaming down her face, and screamed at him like he was monster. She was scared of him. She was right.

The only thing he felt after it happened was relief.

Edwin blinked, and when he looked up again, his mum was gone. The eldest Council member was speaking.

"-guilty of murder in the highest degree. The Council has agreed to a punishment of death by Reaping to take place at-"

"No. No!" Calum screamed; his voice startling raw. "I want to invoke Hostia Law."

Edwin snapped out his trance, and turned towards Calum. Two streaks ran down his dirty, freckled cheeks from all the silent crying he'd done. He was pressed against his restraints to get as close to Edwin as possible. Calum's wrists were red and raw but his face, his eyes, they were focused on Edwin and overflowed with softness and the relief of knowing he was okay. Edwin had never felt so terrified and so loved.

"Calum wait, Calum you can't-" Edwin's voice was too quiet.

"Do you even know what that is?" Another Council member spoke out.

"I want to take his punishment instead. You have to let him go free."

Edwin couldn't breathe. "Calum. What are you doing?"

"I'm saving your life." He gritted his teeth.

"Calum, I deserve this." Edwin's body started to shake again. "I don't want you to die, I can't-I can't live without you-"

Calum stopped struggling for a moment, and the golden light of the afternoon caught his curly red hair and sent it up in flames. "Remember what I said when this all started? It's going to be okay. I promise. There's magic in the way I exist."

The six Council Members looked at each other and talked among themselves in hushed whispers. Until the elder turned once more to the two of them, his body was sober and it seemed to take him a moment to find the words. Perhaps this was the first time in all his grey and wrinkled years he'd seen this play out. Perhaps it was the second and he knew what came next.

"Your sacrifice will live among our hearts and minds until the end of time, your honorable legacy will never be forgotten."

"No!" Edwin cried out.

The ropes around Calum's hand finally snapped from the force of his own will. He fell towards Edwin and wrapped his arms around the shivering boy. Everything faded away. It was just the two of them. Just like it was in the Crow's Nest. Just like it was when they kissed. Edwin sobbed into Calum's chest. His own hands were still tied but he wrapped as much of his body as he could around Calum. As if that would stop him from disappearing. As if that would stop Edwin from breaking into a thousand pieces.

"Please d-don't do this." He begged.

"Listen to me Edwin, when they let you go, don't try and come for me. Fly as fast as you can away from here. Go to Fardown. Fly far away. Get away from this wretched place. I'll see you soon." He was crying.

The arms of soldiers crawled along Edwin's shoulders, they started to pry them apart from each other.

"No, no please!"

"I'll see you soon, delikiae." Calum's hands were re-bound, he didn't fight it.

Edwin was dragged across the auditorium, away from Calum, the reality of the situation began to set it. "I love you."

Calum's eyes squint closed as he tried to fight back his own tears. "I love you too."

He disappeared as Edwin was pulled down a corridor. He started screaming and thrashing. He was dropped out of fear for their own lives. The guards left him to spasm on the floor until a booming voice filled the cramped hall and Edwin's body grew stiff with exhaustion. He closed his eyes and fell asleep.