Mistlyn

Chapter 7: Opening Gifts and Peacock Blankets

"Wait, lunch?" I said.

Sahria grinned. "You've been sleeping for a while." She handed me a bowl and a piece of bread.

When we finished eating the bread and something that reminded me of my mother's pottage, Sahria and I sat down to go through the gifts.

"They're so many!"

"I know," I said, "But what am I going to do with them all?"

"Well," Sahria said as she grabbed the nearest gift to her, "Let's go through them first and see what they are. Then we can decide what to do with them."

I tore open the silver wrapping of the first gift. It was from a Lizsard Noble named Rigero. Inside was a bottle of perfume, the scent flowery and soft. Wherever I sprayed glowed, like scented stardust.

"Want it?" I gave it to Sahria.

She shrugged and set it aside, handing me the next gift.

I opened the glimmering package and pulled out a peacock feather blanket. I wrapped it around my shoulders like a shawl.

"Not much use for that," Sahria said. "Is it even warm?"

"Meh, not too much." I slipped the blanket off my shoulders. Sahria's eyes went wide as she pointed at me.

"What?" I said, looking down at myself, "What is it?" My voice was high.

"You've grown feathers!"

"What?" I screamed, my voice high.

I ran up and looked into a full-length mirror. My back sported peacock feathers, bright blue, gold, silver and purple, with both large and small black spots.

"Oh no, what is this?" I said, my voice shrill. "How do I get rid of them?" I reached over my shoulder to pull on the feathers. I felt a tugging on my back, and when I pulled hard, a sharp pain, as if I had ripped out hair.

'Try it again," Sahria said, throwing me the blanket.

"What! No, I'm not touching that thing again!" I kicked the blanket away, but feathers grew out of my toes.

"No!" I shrieked, "What's happening to me?"

"Try it, see if touching the blanket to your back will make the feathers go away."

"What if I grow more feathers?" I asked, horrified.

Sahria stifled a giggle. "It won't make much of a difference; you already have peacock-feather wings."

I threw her a glare before slipping the blanket around my shoulders again. I left the blanket on for a minute before taking it off.

"Are they gone?" I looked in the mirror, spinning around as I looked over my shoulder. "I don't see anything."

"Now try it on your toes," Sahria said.

I wrapped my foot in the blanket and waited a few moments. I wiggled my featherless toes back and forth. "I will never complain about my tiny toes again," I said, "They look much better without feathers growing out of them."

"Now try it on your back again."

"What? No!"

"No, try it, see if it will work again."

I hesitated before wrapping the blanket around my shoulders. I sprouted feathers.

"I wonder if you'd be able to fly with the wings," Sahria said. "Try flying."

"Peacocks can't fly that much."

"But maybe you'd be able to, just a bit."

I flapped my wings. "I'm not so sure..."