My talons wrapped around a bunch as I slowed down my flight. I stopped my movement and fought to keep my balance on the branch.
After I succeeded (which I usually do,) I focused on what may seem to others as my prey. Her golden hair up in a ponytail, blue eyes... I envied her. I mean, hey! Look at me! I'm a Phoenix! Well, yes, but I'm no animal. I want to be her. I want to be going on this adventure. I want her friends. I want to be free.
Yet I'm stuck in the body that has the same power capabilities as my gem.
I stared at her as she drug her unconscious friends away from the attack zone where Kelsey, queen of changelings attacked them.
I've watched her for a while actually. She's nowhere near discovering why she's been brought into this world.
After her job was done and everyone was sound asleep with the help of her putting everyone in a tent, she prayed beside them and walked away. When she disappeared behind some trees, I took flight.
Air caught under my wings as I rose up and directed my body towards the direction she was walking in. Flying proved to be faster as I landed on a nearby branch before she got to where she wanted to go which seemed to be a cliff, hanging over a whole other land below. It might have to do with the fact that Phoenix's are the fastest flying creatures behind wyverns and dragons.
She stood by the edge, actually looking kinda contemplative. Yet before she did something stupid, she called out to someone.
"C-Cailin!" She screamed, her Echos scouting across the land below the cliff.
"I-I'm about to do something stupid..." she talked normally this time, not wanting to strain her weak voice.
"And...I need your help. I always told you if I were going to do something stupid I'd come to you first. So...where are you?" She pleaded hoping this "Cailin" would magically fall out of the sky like she did.
When the few minutes of silence answered her question, she started getting hysterical.
"I ASKED WHERE YOU ARE! WHY WONT YOU ANSWER!?" She shrieked, flailing her arms as if there were an invisible enemy were attaching her.
I watched in horror as she had almost looked like she was possessed, her pupils constricted. In the midst of her heartbreaking sobs, her maniacal laughter rung out, as she fell and started writhing on the ground. If anyone didn't know any better, they'd say she had gone insane.
Once her creepy-insane fit was over, she laid limp on the ground, softly crying until, I guess, she would just die of dehydration.
That's when I took my orb out. She had a similar one, hidden in her magical bag that I had gifted her as I summoned her. It had the ability to make a noise of my command, and at my command, it was going to be the most peaceful in her ears.
What was that noise? I dunno, ask her.
I spoke into the orb, and the spell was cast, now playing the noise through both orbs.
"Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm"
It was....humming? It was a really low humming, obviously someone skilled in a tenor/bass key.
Then...the humming stopped. Her confused face melted into a soft one, her tears making a sudden stop. The lyrics began.
"Far over the misty mountains cold
To dungeons deep and caverns old
We must await ere break of day
To find out long forgotten gold.
The pines were roaring on the height
The winds were moaning in the night
The fire was red, its flames spread,
The trees like torched blazed with light."
The song went on, twisting in beautiful harmony. The voice twisted and turned like a current in the ocean. They rung across the forest and weaved through the mountains.
When I snapped back into reality, the low voice returned, and he had bellowed his last note.
She had a smile plastered on her face, indicating that her troubles had partially melted away and she was calm. Nothing a little meditation couldn't solve.
She got up and smiled to the sky, thanking whoever had done the impossible.
She walked back to camp,and as she did, a sharp noise pierced through my ear, indicating that....master.......has attempted summoning me again. If I didn't go now, she'd hunt me down and kill me, via dark magic like the stereotypical villain she is.
It also happens that my master is the queen of this land. She's a horrible and twisted one at that, forcing me under her wing (pun definitely intended) as her...pet I guess? But as I have stated before, I am no animal.
I flew again, unwillingly flying towards the castle, high above the trees and keeping an eye on trolls.
As the queen was old, she had a daughter which as you could guess is the princess. Yet she was nothing like her horrid mother. She was nice and a friend to everyone regardless of social class or rank. Unfortunately, that means she gets put down a lot by her so called "mother." Her mother wasn't even technically the rightful queen.
She...killed...the queen I guess you could say. She may very well be alive but...we can't say for sure.
When the white castle came into view, uncertainty washed over me as both the devil and the angel were both there; on the tallest balcony of the tallest tower, the princess's room. This is where we met most of the time.
When I was close to the rail, I could feel my body changing form. When I'm outside castle walls, I'm stuck in that hell of a body. Yet, when I was inside the walls, I could change into my forms as I pleased.
I could feel my wings move to my back, connecting to my shoulders and my human characteristics formed as well. Like arms. Arms are useful.
Although I had wings on my back, why couldn't I escape? Well good question. They're broken. Thank you queen. You deserve two enthusiastic thumbs up.
When I was a full human in the clothes I was forced to wear, O dropped on the balcony on hands and knees.
The clothes were short of modest (pun) yet what else would I expect from stereotypical evil queen who made me her slave. Honestly I think she's just having fun rather being serious while banishing fun all the same.
I wasn't used too often though, thankfully, so I had many days like this one to fly around and protect this kingdom's citizens.
Anyways, the dress revealed a lot of skin as it was strapless and the skirt barely made it past my rear. And dONT EVEN GET ME STARTED ON THE SHOES. My feet are practically at a ninety degree angle! Ow...I just realized how much this form is of a hell as my other one...
I stood up, not even bothering to show her any form of respect or formality when I faced her, yet I turned to the princess and gave her a small warm smile.
Another thing about the queen? I refuse to remember her name. Not only is it an act of defiance, it's kinda amusing to see her so annoyed and flustered at the same time.
"Yes my liege?" I said, sending a cold stare into her eyes. I can be scary.
The queen flinched in anger before releasing a tired sigh.
"Yes. Gabby(GabbyTheShadowNight who is an awesome person sO GP CHECK OUT HER BOOKS AND STOOFS SHE ALSO MADE
WHICH IS TOTALLY AWESOME SO Ok I'll shut up now nOW READ) wanted to see you, and I have my questions as well." The queen replied shifting into a sassy stance, dismissing me.
I growled at her before I leant back and "trust fell" off the balcony, instantly turning into a bird. The queen looked over the rail to make sure of that. I hate this stupid bird...
Don't get me wrong. Being a bird was nice, but I'd rather have my wings and plus my current position sucks so yeah.
I flew into a different window and landed, still in my bird form which caught Gabby's attention.
That's another condition. (I know. I groaned too.) If I'm in presence of anyone else but the royalty in this castle (so the queen and the princess,) I have to stay in my birdly state.
Unfortunately, Gabby is a servant, and he only person besides royalty who remembers who I was before I was a bird.
Gabby watched as I landed and I had snapped her out of her thoughts. Not only was she a servant, but the head one as well, which might explain why the queen allowed her to see me. The queen probably thinks she's gonna groom me or something whiCH AINT HAPPENING BY THE WAY.
"Oh hey...what's up?" She started.
I couldn't really say anything since I'm a bird but I nodded anyway.
"That's great...I guess..." she faded off. She let out a large sigh.
She was in her serve to attire, her hair in a bun. She wore a grayish blue dress that reached the floor and brown that used to be white sleeves fraying at the ends.
Short dresses weren't allowed in the kingdom. The queen made sure to keep that rule strict for others and make me the only exception to it. Heck, girls HAVE to wear dresses as well. If you are caught wearing shorts or a skirt or anything that isn't a dress, you will be taken to either the high "priest" (if you could call her that. She hates her job...) or the queen and you will be executed. Which if
you ask me, that's total over kill. Most ladies in turn, will wear their pants or shorts underneath the skirts of their dresses like that girl's friend? Uh.... Shorphy or something? Hmm...
"I hope your plan works..." she said suddenly. I looked up at her in surprise. She never really complains....
"My set up is bad. I'm tired of this...tyranny. Are you sure this plan is going to work?"
I nodded my head disbelievingly. She has to hold on! Please!
"...okay...I'll take your word for it." She sighed.
Suddenly the door swung open to reveal the queen, and as her eyes landed on me, she gave me a suspicious glance as if I'd actually take the risk to turn human.
Gabby beelined straight to the brush on the other side of the room and back and whacked my head with the bristles to start the stroke down my neck. I whined in discomfort.
The queen bought it being the sad idiot she was.
"When you get done grooming, Gabby," she said the name like it left a bad taste in her mouth.
",I would like my bird companion back."
Like hell I'd ever be your companion.
"Yes your majesty." Gabby replied, mimicking her superior's distaste. The queen nodded not out of approval, but out of satisfaction then walked out of the room and closed the door.
We stayed silent in that room from then on, making sure to seem like I had been thoroughly groomed. All we did was dump a little water on me to seem like I had been bathed and flew around a little to make it look like I had aired out my feathers.
Gabby finally let me go and I flew back up to another balcony which was the queens room. I landed back on human feet and walked through the balcony door to find the queen already glaring at me through the door. Was she practicing that glare?
I sighed and returned it.
"The feeling is mutual." I commented as I crossed my arms and sauntered over to her.
"Your questions?" I said with an unamused face.
"Yes. Where have you been?"
"Why is this a concern of yours? I'm far too weak to overpower you. You made sure of that."
"It becomes my concern when you help people. They don't deserve it."
"How can you say that?" I said with a bitter taste on my tongue. "You're a queen. You need to act like one."
"Yeah right. I'm doing my job right."
"Not really. People have caught in. They've made a rebellion."
She glared at me as she motioned me to sit on a random chair.
I was in her room in which I could barely see anything. It was so dark all I could see was the outline of initial shapes and figures.
I unwillingly sat down as she started walking in circles around me, as if unveiling her master plan. She may be an idiot, but she's not that stupid.
"I'm the most powerful person in the kingdom. I can take them down easily."
"That's where you're wrong. There are two others that are more powerful than you."
"You mean the skeleton and the goat?!" She asked amusedly. "They're out of commission."
"Life and Death come out when they need to."
"Well this isn't a need now is it?"
"Tis debatable. Yet, I'm sure you didn't know that they now have an apprentice."
"Really? Who?" She said, even more amused.
"Some call her 'Keeper Of Souls.' Yet I call her by her real name. Chloe. She's more powerful than Life and Death combined and can do both jobs." I said stating the facts. There WAS a downside, but I wasn't going to lie. Lying solves nothing.
"She's unstable though. Blinded by anger over YOUR choices, practically pulling off massacre. She's actually problem and a problem YOU have to deal with."
"Yeah, she maybe be more powerful than me, but she won't kill me. She kills because she's afraid to kill. Life and Death had a meeting with me yesterday night, hesitantly, but they came. Yet you wouldn't know because you were gone doing your shenanigans. So your wrong there."
"Exactly."
"So what else have you got? An ancient secret weapon? A chosen one?"
"Nope!" I said cheerfully, almost too cheerfully. It confused her.
"So that's it? You give up?"
"No, I just have nothing else to throw. Doesn't mean I don't have a plan."
"...what did you do?"
"You gave me one last wish and I used it."
What I said was true. I was a fighter against her forces and when she captured me, I requested one last spell and we made a deal. As long as my spell didn't kill her instantaneously and could be prevented against, she would keep me alive. Which unfortunately included this hell. Yet, for someone who sucks, she keeps her word which is one of the select few things I respect about her.
She sighed. Then as if on cue, and as the universe hated me, the door slammed open and I shrunk back to a bird instantly.
A guard was there, his name was Garroth, the head guard actually. (I HAD TO ;-;)
He looked VERY panicked.
"Princess Nina has ran away!"
Oh Futterbingers...
Sorry it wasn't as long as intended. I've been really stressed lately and plays it's really late at night and stuff so I'm just gonna go sleep now and die.