outline [and other info, really]

THE COUNTRY'S NAME IS AVERRE. It's a mountainous country; in the religious capital, Verra, the biggest church in the country is built directly into the side of a mountain, and it's built to turn the Inspirare, the strong winds that sweep the country, into sounds, into chimes, music. The people live in aerodynamic little huts, some of them half underground for protection, and grow crops: wheat, carefully [sheltered from wind], tomatoes in trenches, pumpkins, grapes, olives, watermelon. They take care of sheep, chickens, goats, horses, cows, all sorts of livestock - and they ALWAYS have huts/barns to protect the animals, and they ALWAYS have shelter for crops. Common across the land are willow trees as well as wild goats in the mountains. There isn't much forest; instead the country is covered in meadows, and there is a small area of land that touches on the ocean. There isn't much contact for a port - but that little bit gives out into the capital city, the so-called "Secular Verra". In reality, there's not much secular about it; religion seems to be an integral part of every day life:

THE KING HAS TO HAVE WINGS. And if there is no male proper for the position, the country gets a Queen instead. It's the basic law. Everyone else with wings is supposed to be a priest/priestess. But Corbett says that this is stupid: they should have a WINGLESS King, one to relate to the majority of the people. Tumaire, with his great secret, can agree with the idea that a wingless king would be better than an inept [or an illegitimate one]. Corbett also says that the way the royalty separates itself from the common people is terrible. He tries to show Tumaire the life of the common man, tries to explain the REAL world as opposed to the bubble. And Tumaire isn't so much a spoiled brat as ignorantly na?ve, and unwilling to be shown the light. He lived most of his life more sheltered than most princes, hidden out of the public eye; he never had any friends, and never even was able to speak with the servants for fear they would discover his secret.

THE CHURCH IS GAINING POWER. And Corbett doesn't approve of this either: he spent his time in one of the centers of religious power. He was taught by the strongest priests/priestesses, and even at 12/13 he knew that their morals were WRONG, twisted, that their laws could never apply to people other than themselves. Priests/priestesses generally come in three types: Those who are truly devout, truly believe; those who are sullen and wish they could've chosen their own profession; and those who are hungry and power-seeking, taking advantage of their wings. All three think that the Church should be in control of the country. And, of course, the head of the Church [at this time a massive, powerful man named Serinus] is the Prime Minister of the country: he has the king's ear and attention. This does no little to keep secular laws from being past; added on top of this, half of the governing Council is winged - again, a law and a custom.

THE RELIGION IS BASED ON WINGS AND FLIGHT. Always the attempt to rise up, in THEORY, though in reality, it's impossible to raise in station - the idea is that those who are good in life get wings in death, get to FLY in death, or become the WIND in death - there are different sects who interpret the holy texts differently. The wind is the breath God. The people with wings are those who are chosen to rise up in this life, they're the ones who were touched by the wind in their birth. Services often include flutes or clarinets, pipes and organs, trumpets. Birds, especially doves, are encouraged to roost in all churches.

Three sections of the story:

1: starts with Corbett being delivered by Altair, four years old? ? flash back, some of Corbin's conscience, memories of Altair and what Altair did, how Altair became two-crescent, tells about how Corbett was born. Progresses to Corbett's training as the heir, because it's believed that Corbin's wife, Delichon, is infertile. But then Tumaire is born [killing his mother], Corbett sent away. Taken up by Altair, learning more about the court/being King through her and through stories. She teaches him to be heir and makes him love/fear her. Ruins his hand for lying. Goes too far, ruins wings, and he finally gathers the courage to run away.

2: starts with older Corbett, under the name of Raven, and the disguise of a hunchback, presenting himself in court, taking job as doctor, some flashback of training. In court, learns about the grafting of Tumaire's wings, battles between desire and right, duty to his king/family and duty to his people. Decides that Tumaire would be a terrible king, but will give the kid a chance: teaches him about the real world. CONFLICT between Serinus and Corbett ? Serinus wants to teach Tumaire in a religious manner, while Corbett is carefully secular, TRULY secular, trying to give the young prince an unbiased point of view about the world. Serinus figures out who he is, and tries to find a way to use the information to his advantage ? but every possibility would result in Corbett being CLOSER to the King's heart, not further.

3: starts with Two-Crescent showing up in court, in disguise, recognizing Corbett and gets into his confidences, builds seeds of doubt about Tumaire, tempts him to kill/do other things to Tumaire. Eventually he recognizes something about her ? a mannerism of speech, or something she told him OVER AND OVER when he was younger. Something about being designed by power, and not by accident. He confronts her and KILLS HER, and gets caught in doing so. Serinus exposes who he is ? or at least that he's the King's bastard son. He's in trouble for murder, but won't come out and way why he killed her: he doesn't want people to know that about him OR his father. But Tumaire woun't have any other doctor. Tumaire proves himself to be stronger than everyone thought? Issues a royal pardon? And Corbett gets to keep his secret? But I want something darker?