Transmigrating Narcissus

3.04 - Free Fall

"Bows to the Boughs. Arrows to the king. Bullseye to equality, for justice we bring." - Elise Owstoni

We deliberate over the plan in detail, going over every possible situation. The princess draws maps and diagrams of Bough's layout, and she brings items of her family so we can remember their scents. I could not help but sneeze a few times since some of the annoying cat fur went into my nose. 

Leona searches through her ring of keys, the metal tinkling with every flip of her hands. She clasps a silver key by its handle, adorned with ornaments of feathers. I twist my arms so she can access the locks on the bracelets around my wrists, and she swiftly unlocks them. 

"Now, picture a narcissus flycatcher and shift!" Leona tells me. 

I close my eyes as my mind brings up the bird from when Oldie showed that Reflexive Reflections was going to be the next world I travel to. Blue glowing text pops up in the top center of my mind: BIRD FORM. Yes, no pain! The power of virtual reality :D

A finger lifts one of my feet, and I open my eyes to see Leona dipping poison onto my talons. The clear liquid is made of herbs distinct to Atrium, and I forgot what she called them. All I know is that it stops the blood supply to the brain once it enters the bloodstream. The princess has me dodging mannequins, shelves, and scattered fabric in preparation for the assassination. I practice until my flying is silent, undetectable by even the keenest ears.  

"Be careful not to cut your own claws," Casper worries, frown lines appearing.

"I know," I say. I'm not that stupid.

"Be back here before dawn."

"I know."

"Remember the signal for help?"

"Yes."

"Are you going to be okay?"

"Yes."

"Are you going to stop giving me monosyllabic answers?"

"Yes, I mean wait, no!" 

Casper chuckles at my slip-up, ruffling my feathers. I peck his hand, and he quickly retracts the offending thingy. 

"Good luck, Aurelia."

"Is her name not Elise?" Leona questions. Casper's eyes widen at his blooper.

I leave him to deal with the confused NPC as I exist the apparel store, my wings catching the cool drafts of the wind. Laughter rings through the sky as the breeze caresses through my feathers with its reverent hands, the stars above glimmering with delight. Flowing through the night air, I draw closer to the hub of Atrium buzzing with electricity, and I soar higher in altitude. King Leopold's castle is in the top branches of Boughs, and I wonder how the gigantic ancient tree hasn't broken down by that monstrosity of a home. 

Cat shifters lithely move between the shadows and lights of Boughs, having woken up from their daytime slumber. King Leopold sleeps longer than the average cat shifter, pushing off any courtly duties until well after midnight. His guards are instructed to forbid anyone from entering his chambers, but they did not account for a little birdie flying down the king's chimney.

I spot the chute on the tower the upper right corner of the palace as I draw closer. Santa birdie, here I come! While cat shifters do patrol the perimeter of the place, no archers patrol the turrets since, well, cats don't fly. Birds do, but all the bird shifters are currently chained so they can't shift. Except me. None of the cat shifters expect an aerial threat to the highest point in Atrium, and certainly not the king. 

I gently drift down the chimney large enough to fit at least two sleighs of presents plus all the reindeer.  

Luckily there was no fire, or you would have become a roasted chicken.

Do you think there's a heaven for all the chicken I've eaten?

Maybe you will duel with them in hell, Earthling, for your brutal desecration of their corpses. 

Wow, that's... dark. 

Imagine if those chickens were people. Everyone would become vegetarian at that thought, wouldn't they?

Of course, cannibalism is terrible! 

I focus back on the task on hand, and suddenly boss music starts playing before I peek my head over the exit.

Um, Jin?

Is there something wrong, Earthling?

Do you hear... music?

I am an A.I. incapable of differentiating between whether or not a sound wave is music or background noise or what have you. If you are referring to the lovely accompanying background music to your task at hand, that was a result of the web's blessed sound files. 

I shake my head at his antics and fly out of the chimney. As expected, the room is ostentatious, reminiscent of Versailles. Louis XIV would have approved to living here. The detailed wallpaper is decorated with gold, and door frames are framed by delicate pure gold carvings. Structures of crystal hang suspended from the ceiling, the artificial candles unlit in the dark room. Heavy curtains block all but the tiniest slivers of moonlight. 

A figure partially enwrapped in embroidered silk covers lays prone on the bed with no indication of breathing.  Why isn't the king's chest rising and falling? He's laying on his side, so I can't see his face. 

Confused, I draw closer to King Leopold. I chirp loudly as I focus on his pale, sunken face, his eyes glassy as they scare unfocused into mine. 

Shouting is heard from behind the door, and suddenly uniformed guards burst into the room, their swords drawn at the sudden sound. Their shocked eyes spot me, a bird, perched next to the dead king.

"You are hereby under arrest for the murder of His Majesty! A traitor to the crown is deserves the utmost punishment permitted by law: DEATH!"

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A/N
I apologize for the long wait *sheepish* I've been busy, lazy and procrastinating, but I finally finished a chapter! I hope you enjoyed it!