- 23 hours ago
I Married The Stone Egg My Fiance Gave Me
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Short filmTranscript
00:00I'm going to raise you right, and in return you're gonna look after me when I'm old and gray.
00:04Every night after that, I shift into beast form, sing the old nesting song of the avian clans,
00:10and tuck the egg against my chest. Wings folded tight around it, warm, safe. That night,
00:15the servants are buzzing. Crown Prince Daemon, missing for half a month, has been recovered
00:20by the Imperial Guard, battered, covered in wounds, but conscious. However, the one who went
00:25into the Voidlands with him, Commander Castor Salnaris, is still missing. Castor is the
00:30youngest commander in the Empire's history. Almost nothing is known about him. Only that he's
00:34demon's sworn brother. No one knows the true nature of House Salnaris. No one knows his past. The
00:39speculation runs wild. An ancient lineage. Immeasurable powered. Some whisper that Salnaris
00:44is a surname belonging to a species long extinct. The moment the servants mention Castor's disappearance
00:49the egg in my arms lurches. Violent. Frantic. I assume it's just the usual movement, but after
00:55I fall asleep on that shell, hard as iron for weeks a hairline crack appears.
01:00The next day, I'm walking with Pebble in my arms when I run into Raynard and his colleagues
01:05from the Arcane Academy. A flock of sparrows would hold a more dignified assembly.
01:10Renit. Is this your weak little fiancé? Utterly foolish. She's actually trying to incubate
01:17a rock. Remnod, how did you get her so wrapped around your talon?
01:21I walk past them without a glance. Raynard calls after me.
01:27Renit. He tilts his head, almost wistful.
01:30I didn't realize you were this devoted. It's almost touching.
01:35Move.
01:36Wyn, how about this? I can see you've been working hard. If that egg shows even a single
01:41crack, I'll agree to the ceremony.
01:43Are you deaf? Back off!
01:46Know your place, Wynk! You are bound to me!
01:50Lord Whitmore has clearly been far too lenient. That's the only explanation for your manners.
01:56He opens his mouth to continue. A carriage bearing the royal crest descends from the sky. Slow,
02:00silent, unmistakable. The onlookers exchange glances. Someone whistles.
02:04Revnod, that's gotta be for you, right? Did the crown notice your research project? Go say hello! Maybe they'll invite
02:09you to the ceremony!
02:10Raynard laughs broad, confident. He strides forward, ready to greet them with his most practiced charm.
02:16The crown does move fast.
02:18Two attendants in Imperial livery step out. Walk right past him. Raynard freezes. They stop in front of me.
02:24Lady Rint, Crown Prince Daemon request your presence.
02:27I'm brought to a private sitting room. The moment I push open the door and see Crown Prince Daemon, something
02:32clicks into place.
02:33Silver white hair, cropped short, heterochromatic eyes, cold underneath. He lounges on the sofa like he owns gravity itself.
02:40Lady Wyn, forgive the sudden summons, I just have one question.
02:45That egg, where did you get it?
02:47This? This is my son. Pebble.
02:50He blinks, repeats himself slower this time.
02:53Y-your son, you laid this?
02:56Someone gave it to me. I've been caring for him for weeks, close enough to count as mine.
03:01Here, would your highness knit like to hold him?
03:03Daemon opens his mouth, closes it, swallows whatever he was about to say.
03:07He takes Pebble with both hands. Stiff, terrified of dropping it.
03:11Pebble shakes harder in Daemon's arms. I snatch it back. Soothe it gently, Daemon watches, expression unreadable.
03:17Do you know what this egg is?
03:19I tilt my head. Some kind of large bird, maybe?
03:23A knock at the door interrupts us.
03:25Your highness, still no word on Commander Solaris. A night patrol has been dispatched to sweep the outer perimeter of
03:31the Voidlands.
03:32Call off the search.
03:33A slow breath, a quiet cough.
03:39I found him.
03:40Daemon sends me home in a royal escort. The moment I step out of the carriage, my stepfather rushes forward,
03:45not to greet me, but to fawn over the attendants behind me.
03:48Wern is always causing trouble. Please convey to his highness, if he ever has a free moment, our home is
03:53always open.
03:54Laughable. What crown prince would set foot in this dumpy lower my eyes and push past them?
03:59When? Who sent you home? Was that the crown prince?
04:04I let my voice shrink to the timid, harmless version they've always expected.
04:08I just got hit by the royal carriage by accident. His highness felt bad, so he gave me a ride
04:13home.
04:14I knew it. A love bird Remick won't even look at, as if the crown prince would give her the
04:18time of day.
04:19Back in my room, I ease Pebble out of my satchel. When Daemon handed it back to me earlier, his
04:23expression was the most serious I've ever seen from him.
04:26Take care of him for now. Keep him safe. I'll send someone when it's time. If anyone asks whose egg
04:32this is, you know what to say?
04:33My son. Pebble. Daemon smiles back.
04:37It seems he chose well.
04:38This egg just became something far bigger than a research specimen. But Daemon doesn't tell me what Pebble is.
04:44And I don't ask. Some knowledge comes with a death sentence.
04:48When I wipe the shell clean that night, I find it. A crack. Hairline thin. Unmistakable. Panic. Sharp. An instant.
04:54I rush the egg to the healer's hall in the dead of night. My healer's token gets me past the
04:59door.
04:59The apprentice on night shift is half asleep at the desk.
05:02I slip Pebble into a healing cradle and activate the diagnostic runes before anyone notices private use of the hall's
05:08equipment is strictly forbidden.
05:10But formal admission means registering Pebble's information. That's not an option.
05:14This recovery room is tucked at the end of the corridor. Hardly anyone comes down here.
05:18I set Pebble into the cradle. Crack. I stop breathing.
05:21In the silent room, the fracturing grows sharper. Faster. Then a small ink black creature wriggles out of the shell.
05:26It shakes its downy feathers. Looks up. We stare at each other. Silence. My shoulders slump.
05:31Deep disappointment. All those weeks of incubation. And you're just a black chicken.
05:35Flaps its tiny wings. Can't speak yet. Newborn Pebble is frail. Exhausted from the effort of breaking free.
05:41I sigh and channel soul energy into its small body. Golden warmth wraps around it. Pebble's eyes drift shut.
05:47It curls into a ball. Once it's asleep, my own eyelids grow heavy. Soul mending drains everything.
05:51Even just those few minutes leave me barely functional.
05:55When I open my eyes again, sunlight floods the room. Someone draped a blanket over me.
06:00I jolt upright. A talon extends from beside me. A water cup hooked on the tip. I take it. Stare.
06:05A jet black male bird sits in the chair watching me. Calm. Docile. Still juvenile.
06:10But far too large for something that hatched hours ago.
06:13Who are you? He points at the broken shell on the floor.
06:16My voice pitches up. Pebble?
06:18His body stiffens for a split second. I grab him. Turn him over. Examine every angle.
06:23He looks nothing like the black chickens I've seen one night. How did he grow this much in one night?
06:28Did someone slip you a growth taunt? I cup his face in both hands.
06:31Baby. Slow, patient. Say mama.
06:33Enunciating every syllable. He gazes at me gentle. Shakes his head. Come on.
06:37I refuse to give up. Repeat after me. Your name. Pebble.
06:43Bull. He turns away probably embarrassed. Pebble still can't speak. Stranger yet.
06:47I can't understand his calls either. The only option is a familiar stone. For basic translation.
06:52But I'm broke. The stone's magic is almost drained. And it keeps glitching.
06:55Are you hungry? You want something to eat? He curves his beak into a gentle smile. Nods.
07:00My familiar stone translates. I stare at the stone. Familiar stones are masterwork artifacts.
07:06They can translate virtually every known beastkin language. What is Pebble if even a familiar stone can't process his speech?
07:12He might not exist in the Empire's species registry at all. I send Demon a note via ink script. One
07:18word comes back.
07:19He's still handling affairs in the outer territories. One more day. Then he'll send someone for Pebble.
07:24The Imperial patrol has been unusually active lately. I overhear Aldus telling the servants there searching for humans.
07:30Remembering my conversation with Demon. It clicks. His condition can't wait. He needs to find a human to stay alive.
07:36For now, Pebble comes home with me. Hidden. He just finished eating. Nestled in my arms. Nuzzling against my downy
07:43feathers.
07:43Content. Pebble grows like he is fueled by wildfire. At this rate, he'll be speaking by tomorrow.
07:49I lay both hands on him for one last soul-mending session. Newborn hatchlings can't regulate their own soul energy.
07:54Bird types especially. Prone to volatile outbursts.
07:57Alright. Sleep now. Maybe tomorrow you'll find your voice.
08:01He settles into the little nest I built for him. Lined with down feathers and a pink cotton blanket.
08:06Babies like cute things. I tuck the blanket around him. Kiss his forehead. His breathing quickens.
08:11From outside the room. My stepfather's voice.
08:14Wren! Get out here!
08:16I hide Pebble. Open my door. Reynard stands in the main hall. Beside him, my stepfather seething.
08:23Tessa and Aldous hover behind them. Complex expressions. Jealousy they can't quite hide.
08:28Wren, so you've learned to lie now!
08:30You clearly know Crown Prince Daemon. Why did you tell us you didn't?
08:34You can't even do this one small thing for your brother!
08:36Well, what do you expect? Aldous isn't her real brother.
08:40Wren's cozied up to the Crown Prince. She's probably eyeing the consort's seat.
08:44But... why would she bother with little old house Whitmarm?
08:47Oh, absolutely. After all, this household's only notable exports are mediocrity and audacity.
08:52Tessa's eyes go wide.
08:53Did you just...
08:55She lunges. I don't flinch.
08:57I've been silent all these years because I called them family.
09:00Swallowed every insult, hoping the next time would be different.
09:02That if I just endured enough, they'd love me back.
09:04All I got was more. They were never my family.
09:06And I'm done shrinking so they can feel tall.
09:08There's no word for endure in a lovebirds dictionary.
09:11Besides, I have Pebble now.
09:12Raynard catches Tessa's arm, turns to my stepfather with a diplomatic smile.
09:17Lord Whitmore, it's really no issue.
09:19Mother actually sent me to ask, could we move the bonding ceremony up?
09:22The whiplash silences the room.
09:24To be honest, when Mother first arranged the contract, I was quite fond of Wyn.
09:27I was simply too busy to show it.
09:28He reaches for my hand, intimate, proprietary.
09:31But now I think we're ready to formalize things.
09:33And if the Academy needs me later, I'm sure Wyn could mention it to Crown Prince Damien.
09:37His Highness would be happy to make arrangements.
09:38That preening, insufferable Phoenix.
09:41What utter nonsense.
09:42My stepfather is the only one beaming.
09:44His face flushes red with delight.
09:46Wonderful, wonderful.
09:47We were afraid you'd changed your mind.
09:49I pull my hand free, my voice is calm.
09:52I'm afraid the answer is no, I won't be bonding with you.
09:55Raynard's smile dies on his lips.
09:56Why?
09:57He forces his voice steady.
09:58Wyn, you don't seriously think you can marry Crown Prince Damien?
10:01This has nothing to do with Damien.
10:03I simply don't want to marry you.
10:05He reaches for me again.
10:09She said no.
10:11What part of that wasn't clear?
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