On Mount Alyppia

Setting Out

Chapter 33-
    "You won't all fit on one bird," Vivalius sighed, arms crossed, scanning the three of them with a glint in his eye reminiscent of a shopper scheming for a bargain.
    Arista saw on the ground with her back to the tower's sill, resting her chin on her knees. She avoided everyone's gaze, especially her stonemason's, and was left staring at Vivalius' sandals.
    "Can't you turn into a griffin?" Assuntina asked. Her boots were fine, made for riding, but the leather was scuffed and worn from how she danced in place, tapping her foot.
    "I don't, usually," said Vivalius thoughtfully. "But I suppose this time it is needed. You two ride Bernie, then, and I shall take Arista. She weight little. Alright?"
    He was looking at her. It had been a question, then. Arista shrugged, then adjusted her eyepatch, then nodded.
"Alright them" Vivalius said, twisting his neck to one side then the other. "One griffin, coming right up." He stepped back, running his fingers through his feathery white hair, and in an instant began to change.
    Arista blinked once. Vivalius had been there an instant ago. Now it was a griffin, a griffin with stark white fur and large, bright green eyes. Arista got to her feet. Vivalus-the-griffin tilted his head to look at her.
"I need to ask him hwere his clothes go when that happens, one of these days," Assuntina muttered, climbing onto Bernie's back.
    Arista stepped closer. Vivalius-the-griffin turned so she could climb on, but... He was big. And she was not. Perhaps she could find something to stand--
    "Do you need any help?"
    Arista whirled around. Leonid was standing behind her, looking like he always had when she watched him work his sculptures: rumpled hair, unbuttoned shirt, face flushed and eyes bright from the heat.
    She nodded haltingly.
    Leonid slipped his hands around her waist. His hands were big, or she was small, or both, because it seemed he could almost span her waist with his hands. Arista grabbed his shoulders to keep her balance as he swung her onto the griffin's back. Neither of them moved, hands lingering.
    Arista swallowed. "Thank you," she murmured.
    "You're welcome."
    Vivalius-the-griffin snorted and snapped his beak. Leonid jumped back quickly, and ignored Assuntina's wry smirked as he climbed behind her.
    "You go first," Assuntina called. "I don't know the way."
    Vivalius nodded, walking to the tower's edge and fluffing out his feathers. Arista slipped both arms around his neck, holding on tightly as she felt the powerful muscled of his legs move and shift beneath her. She leaned forward, bracing herself to take off, but didn't close her eyes.
    "Please don't let me fall," she whispered.
    Vivalius-the-griffin turned his head so one of his large green eyes stared intently into her good one. He didn't blink. "Never," that look seemed to say.
    Vivalius beat his wings and took to the sky. Arista heard Leonid and Assuntina take off behind them, but didn't look back. Her scarf slipped away, her hair streaming back, but she didn't notice. She tightened her arms around her father's neck. This was different from both times she had done it before. It was just her in the saddle, or it would have been, if there had been a saddle.
    She was flying.
    Deeper in the maze of chaos that the earthquake had left the city in, Gregor Morcelli looked outside his window to see the silhouettes of two birds, blurry in the blazing sunlight, headed towards the mighty peak of Alyppia rising in the distance. Down the hall, he could hear the shrill voice of his wife, arguing with the doctor about Violetta's foot.
    Gregor sighed. He didn't enjoy being in this house. His wife's house, not his. It had never felt like his. He felt more at home in his workroom in the back courtyard with his swords and the girl's quiet company. He wondered where she was now, if she was alright.
    He hoped she would return soon.