Royally Rebelling - A Goldric Story

Fresh air

I awoke to sunlight and chirping. My cardinal was being very loud and fluttering all around this cage. I quickly sat up and unlocked his small door so he could get out.

He swiftly got out and flew all around my room, knocking over at least a million things before settling down and resting in my hair, I don't know if birds can look smug but if they could he definitely would be.

We stayed like that for a moment, him just resting in my hair while I tried to clean up his mess. When I was done I scooped up the small bird in and hands and fell back on my back, he tweeted happily and snuggled into my hands.

I stared at him, "I suppose you'll need a name, calling you cardinal is getting pretty bland." I couldn't think of anything, nothing really fit him and stuff that was red didn't have the right feel right, not that I could think of much.

He chirped again and looked at the window, I was unsure if I should take him outside, he might just fly away, but for some reason I trusted him.

I quickly changed and got a few red feathers out of my hair. When I looked down the cardinal immediately flew up to my shoulder. I smiled and opened the door.

I was instantly greeted by one of the weird purple blob guards, I flinched backward and my bird tweeted as my head hit the back of the door.

The thing just stared at me with its weird vibrant green eyes. I took a few breaths and stood up straight, although I was still shaking quite a bit. I stood there glared at it for a few seconds before it turned and continued down the hall.

I started walking the other side of the hallway although I couldn't shake the feeling that that thing would come stomping back and yell at me for sneaking out the other night. Could they even yell? Or talk for that matter?

The odd thoughts thankfully distracted me from the ones full of fear. I hadn't even realized how much time had passed just walking until I was standing in front of the kitchens.

I forced the doors open and walked into the empty kitchen, it was pretty early in the morning nobody was there so I just walked over to the pantry and grabbed a small loaf of bread.

I knew I could have ate with everyone but I felt that would be way too awkward for me. I tore off a small piece of bread and gave it to the bird, he hungrily ate it.

I tore off a bigger piece and started eating as I walked off again. The cardinal flew by my side as I walked, once I reached the front doors I pushed them open and walked out.

I walked around near the garden, admiring the flowers once again. I had circled the garden when I decided I was going to take a break and sit on the hill. Sense it was pretty early I got to watch the sun rise, my cardinal snuggled up in my hair.

I sat there admiring the sun rise until I heard a voice, "hey". I fell over for the second time in two days, was everyone in this castle trying to give me a heart attack?

I turned around to see the the young brunette that greeted me and my uncle when we had first arrived. She sat down next to me and smiled, "you have a bird in your hair". "Yeah, I know" I responded.

"What are you doing out here?" She asked. "I wanted to let my bird get some fresh air, what about you?" She nodded and started talking "I came out here to practice my magic" when she said magic she waved her hands dramatically.

I furrowed my eyebrows, "aren't you human? I thought humans can't do magic." She grinned, "most humans can't," she pulled out a small piece of paper with an odd symbol but before I could get a great look at it she tapped on it with her free hand and it morphed into a small flame, "but I can" she finished.

I started at her, my mouth wide open, "how did you learn to do that, I've never seen anything like that". To be fair I'd never experienced very much magic use but from I'd seen and heard it was always casted with hands or with the use potions.

"I have a witch mentor, she knew I really wanted to learn to do magic so we were able to find a way". She answered. I nodded and continued, "that's really cool, do you think I could try?"

She turned her head to the side, "can't you do magic? You look like a witch." She gestured to my ears. I pulled my legs towards me, "I'm a half witch, I've never tried to do traditional magic, and honestly I'm scared that I won't be able to."

She gave me a sad smile and handed me one of the slips of paper, it had a triangle inside a circle with a few other marks. I tapped it like she had and the paper, it crumpled into a small ball of light, just like Edric's spell had.

I smiled and turned to the girl, "how many of these spells can you do?" I asked. "Just 4 at the moment but I'm on the brink of discovering the right combo for invisibility" she said.

"What are the 4?" I asked. "Light, fire, ice, and plants". "Hm, interesting" I responded. She looked at the sun, "I should probably head back to the castle, if my mom finds out I snuck out again she's going to go insane" she said with a small giggle.

"I suppose I should go as well" I said. "Well if you ever need any help around the castle I'll help, oh and my names Luz". "Hunter".

She smiled and ran off down the hill, I turned to pick up my bird to see four pieces of paper, all with different symbols. I carefully picked them and set them in my pocket, trying to not trigger them.

The red bird swooped down and landed on my shoulder, as we walked back to the castle I had a pretty good idea of what I was going to do for the rest of the day.