<em>Lyra</em><br/><br/>High up on the wall, on the sill of the only window allowing light into the dark, stone cell, a small swallow made a sound more mournful than any such a sweet looking bird should have been able to make. The song it sang was one of pain and longing, the need to fly free and feel the caress of wind under your wings...the ache for freedom...the agony of a slave.<br/><br/>With a final twittering, refrain the bird suddenly dropped to the floor of the cell, growing larger, wings and feathers receding in a roil of arms and the palest flesh. The beak and dark bird eyes gave way to a lovely face and eyes the soft grey of the palest dove while more feathers disappeared and a mane of midnight hair flowed to the center of the back of the tall woman the change revealed. Rising to her full height her body was shown in all it's glory. Long limbs, pale flesh, small but firm breasts, taut stomach, the curve of a tight bottom, all in view for the brief moment before she wrapped the single cloak she was allowed to wear around her body.<br/><br/>She heard the Raven fly down the hall and sighed. He was back. In the months she'd been in the castle, since her capture, she'd tried repeatedly to find a single window that would let even a single one of her shape escape the stones that held her. None allowed her out. She could change to any shape she desired, but some magic kept her from crossing any thresh hold that would allow her the freedom she so ached for. She kept hoping that at some point, Bryn, would go far enough that the magic on his castle would weaken just a bit, just enough to let some small shape escape, a swallow or a mouse wouldn't need much space, just a tiny crack to squeeze through and she could run far and fast before Bryn could catch her again!<br/><br/>Hearing him holler (there was no other word for it!) for Taskill she could tell he was in a foul mood. She knew it wouldn't be on her account, her trying to escape had never gotten her in trouble before and she'd obeyed the guards while he was gone. They'd have no reason to complain of her...she made sure they never did. That wouldn't stop him from hurting her that was his mood but she did her best to make sure that he never hurt her out of anger. She'd seen enough of that sort of damage to know she didn't want his nager directed at her.<br/><br/>Hoping for the best for Taskill she sighed and curled into the darkest corner of her cell and closed her eyes, hoping for a bit of sleep.