The afternoon light fades into evening with each step I take, closer to hopefully my last obstacle before I'm completely free. I wonder what it's like to live in a city, what are the people like. Will I be able to adjust well once in there? My stomach grumbles and my head hurts but I can't think about that right now, I need to focus if I am going to make it. I approach the wall breathing in then letting it out quickly. Turning my gaze up, straight up, the wall almost shooting into the clouds above me. This isn't going to be easy.
Claws are my friend. A creation of my own imagination made from a mix of a birds talons and a wolfs nails. These ones are longer and thicker to support my weight. I take my shoes off so I am able to make the toenails the same as my hands. The sight of my hands and feet would scare the life out of someone if they happen to see this.
Another sharp breath as I latch my right clawed hand onto the grey stone brick above my head. When I think I got a good enough grip I lift my left hand up finding a brick jutting out.
After a couple of slips and falls, I'm able to climb the wall with ease. My body forms as I go. Making adjustments so the fingernails can grip onto the different shaped stones. The long claws in my feet are able to dig into the softer stone between the bricks. This better supporting me on the long journey up. Without my magic I don't know how I would have made it this far...
Within an hour or so I make it to the top, my muscles ache as I drop down on the cold stone floor of the walkway. Thankfully no one is on patrol near me so I can sneak to the other side and hide in what looks like to be a storage area. It's not covered but there's three waist high walls surrounding a few boxes and a rack. I guess this area is for storage of weapons or other supplies. It is hard to see anything up here since night has fallen but that is good for me. Whatever this little area is it's perfect to hide in for the night. There is no way I'll be able to climb down safely without rest. Maybe I can shift into a bird and just glide down... I've never been a bird before so I don't know how to fly or even know what they truly look like for that matter. Should I even risk flying in the dark if I can't see? That will be my last option if anything happens.
Before anyone catches me up here I clamber behind the boxes and watch the skies for any birds that might pass by. My stomach grumbles again, it's been a little over a day since I last ate, I've gone longer without eating but I haven't been this active... Wow I've been free for a whole three days though. Every thing in my body feels heavy including my eyes. It's been a long few days... With a yawn I tuck myself into a corner behind a wooden box and wait for daybreak.
Wings flapping in the distance makes my eyes shoot open. I quickly turn toward the noise, it sounds big and coming closer. It's a griffin, I know those from anywhere since Drakon used them in his circus. The wondrous creature is coming from the city. The top of its head and the tips of its wings gleam silver in the moonlight. It is hard to tell but it looks like there is a person riding on the back too. They are coming right to where I'm sitting and fast.
I make my body smaller, into a younger version of myself but I don't move because I'm in a good hiding spot already. This way if I do get caught up here maybe they'll see me as an innocent child and let me go.
When the griffin lands I take in every little detail of its wings. The feathers, how they fold and catch the wind underneath them, how it lands causing its wings to flutter. The sheer size of them is impressive, no wonder I heard it from afar. The griffin lowers its wings revealing its rider.
A male, dressed in lavish armour and a cape draped down his back. The ornate silver helmet he is wearing shines in the pale light when he turns his head. He must be a lord or a captain with what he is wearing. In one swift swing of his leg he jumps off, the armour clanging when it hits the stone. He's tall, with a medium build, and tan skin. The man rolls his neck after taking off his helmet then snaps his fingers. A small ball of light appears above his head illuminating his face. He can wield magic but he's much younger than I thought, most likely around the same age as me. He has such sharp features and those intense blue eyes, he's quite handsome. A weird sensation hits my stomach as I stare at him. Am I going to be sick?
More sounds of steel clunking on the stone floor. "Your Highness." Someone says behind the young man. Highness? That does make sense with what he is wearing. Only a Royal can afford attire like that. "I would put that out if I were you." The soldier warns.
The royal turns to the voice and nods his head, the light disappears on a silent command. "Ah, Captain Hellman." The metal clanks when they shake hands. "Anything to report?"
"No your Majesty." The captain shakes his head and looks out to the mountains. "And to be frank you needn't come out here. It is not safe for a Prince, you are the future of our holy city."
"We have many enemies out there trying to find a way into our city and exploit our resources. I want to make sure my people are safe. This part of the northern wall is our most vulnerable and they know it too. A single assassin or spy could slip past our guard through here."
Or a simple slave girl.
"Even if I'm here on patrol for a couple of hours it eases my mind, I don't like waiting around."
The captain looks back at the Prince and after a moment the man bows his head. "As you wish your Highness." The captain says under his breath.
"Good. You can go back to your patrol now Captain." The Prince says turning away and rests his hands on the stone wall looking out to the north.
With that the Captain bows again and walks away back to his post. When the Prince thinks he's alone he lets out a sigh and sets the helmet on the ledge.
We sit like this for about 20 minutes. It takes all my strength to stay awake, to stop my head from dropping. Sitting in this position is starting to hurt my legs and something is digging into my back. I should try sneaking away but I don't dare move, he's only a couple steps to my right and could hear me. What am I going to do if he doesn't move soon?
One hour has passed now. I try to move so I can sit cross legged or into a better position to get a little more comfortable. But the object that is still digging into my ribs catches on the strap of the satchel. It falls causing the rest to go with it. I realize now they are swords that were sitting on a weapon rack. I wince at the noise and immediately the man turns his head. He walks over with that little ball of light hovering behind him again.
Oh no, oh no. I still look like a child, no older than 14. He won't strike me down on sight will he? The man unsheathes his sword that was hanging at his waist. Oh Great Gods help me. When he rounds the wall his eyes widen as he stares at me. In a panic I curl up with my back to the wall, my eyes wide as he stares back in shock.
"How?" He leans in closer as if I'm not real. "How did you get up here child? You're not supposed to be here. What is your name?"
I stare back at him too terrified to speak, what do I do. Staying here to rest was a terrible idea, I should have pushed on until I got to the city. Now I'm going to be taken away somewhere... I was so close to freedom too.
"Prince Sebastian! Are you all right?"
The Captain he was talking to earlier. The young man in front of me stands up straight to reply to the running soldier coming toward us. That's my distraction. I can't get captured if they suspect me to be an assassin and there is no excuse of being up here without lying. I must go now.
"Everything is fine Hellman some swords fell over. You can stop running."
Before he looks back I reach for the ledge behind me and pull my body over the cold stone. My stomach scrapes on the hard surface. Into the darkness. The wind blows as I free fall and with the last of my energy, I turn into a small black bird. With the ground coming fast I spread my wings out and the wind catches allowing me to soar towards the city. The faint lights and the moon guide me in the night. I can't believe I did that. Elyse would be proud of me, at how far I've come and that I made it into Adelaide.
Somehow the satchel is still hanging over my body but it seems to be heavier now, maybe because I'm smaller. I don't think I can fly all the way to the city with the satchel on.
I glide down to the flat grass a little too fast and I land harshly in the dirt. My belly drags in the ground and one of my wings catches on a rock making me roll. My body finally stops and the world is spinning. That went well... I lay here for a moment to let myself settle then I stand up and shake off the dirt.
Nothing feels broken, thank the Gods, but my stomach hurts. It feels like I might have cut myself. I stretch my wings out to test if anything is stiff but they seem fine. Then I ruffle my feathers out again and something doesn't feel right... My satchel!
I frantically look for it in the grass, it couldn't have gotten far. I hop back retracing where I fell and there it is laying with the latch open and it's contents spread out. I use my beak to pick up the knives and papers and stuff them back into the bag. A shiny object catches my eye, Elyse's necklace, sitting in the dirt. I carefully pick that up and place it in the satchel as well. Trying to close the thing took some effort but I managed after a couple minutes. I find a home for the satchel under a berry bush where it will stay until I can find a better spot in the city.
I send a silent prayer to the Gods that nothing else happens to me as I glide to the city. Remarkably I arrive safely and make sure that I slow down before I land on a ledge of a window deep within the lower part of the city. Now I can get some rest before dawn breaks. Tomorrow will be a new day... And I can't believe I made it here.
The early morning sun shines in through the tall buildings. Sounds of people chatting and walking through the streets wakes me. What a lively city. Elyse would describe to me some nights what cities were like. The people, the noise, all the different shops and stores. My imagination doesn't compare to this though. It's hard to focus on only one person. Their faces, men, women and children of all ages. I take in as many features as they pass by, I feel like I'll need this later.
My little bird stomach grumbles at the smell of fresh food baking. What I would give to eat something... I step to the ledge of the windowsill and flap my wings shooting up to the tops of the buildings. I glide above, following the streets keeping an eye out for anything I can get my talons on.
I come up to a busy square that must be a marketplace. There are stalls with different items being sold. One in particular catches my eye, the one selling fruit. I swoop down just a couple feet from the table covered with food. No one even turns their heads when I get closer. It must be because of the other birds lurking around here too.
As I sit there I watch the people in the marketplace. It seems they are trading some small shiny objects in return for the items they are giving away. Coin. Which I don't have.
I wait for the merchant to look away and jump up then poke my beak into the flesh of a red fruit. Before she looks back I'm already on a ledge of a window eating my breakfast. Maybe I'll eat this way, grab some food as a bird and then shift into a human to explore the city.
After I eat, I float around through the streets taking in all that is going on in this busy city. The blacksmiths, the bards, the artists. Merchants carrying their goods by wagons. There's lots of livestock with their owners' belongings, walking down the crowded streets. The layout of this large city is set on a hill and it appears that there are districts or areas divided by smaller walls. It looks like that the higher you go the richer the districts are with the Kings' castle sitting at the very top. I think I'll take my time venturing in each district. And leave exploring the higher districts for later. There is plenty to see down here.
One thing I learned today is that when I tried to shift back into a human I am bare as a newborn. So if I shift fully into an animal my clothes doesn't shift with me. This means I'll have to find new clothes before I turn back. Then whenever I shift into a bird I'll have to hide those clothes somewhere.
By the time I've reached the middle of the first district the sun has started to set. I'll sleep here after I find some bread and go the rest of the way in the morning. With my little belly full I perch myself on a branch of a tall skinny tree and sleep through the night.
Adelaide feels warmer than being at Drakon's estate. It's nice because I don't have to wear as much clothing to keep me warm. The sun is out more and it's less cloudy here, I don't think I've ever seen the sky so blue. But today grey clouds start to move in from the east. It better not rain, I wanted to explore a new part of the city as a human.
I land in an alleyway where some clothes are being hung to dry and shift to a human. My limbs ache as they grow thicker, longer. When the shifting is finally over I stretch out to ease that stiffness. I've been a bird too long and used up a lot of my magic, it's drained my energy.
When I take a step a cool breeze hits my stomach making me look down to my naked body. I glance around me. There are no windows looking into this little area and all the hanging clothing shield me from the streets beyond. Drakon wouldn't allow me to change my whole body so I never knew what happened when I changed back. I guess my magic doesn't protect my clothes while I shift. Another grievance that I will have to endure...
With a sigh, I check the clothes and all are men's wear. Trousers and shirts, no dresses or skirts. I find a long sleeved dark blue shirt and some pants. It has a panel of fabric attached to the front and two straps connecting from the back that hook onto little buttons on the top of the panel.
After putting the pants on I roll up the cuffs so they don't drag on the ground. Shoes. I need shoes if I am going to walk around the dirty streets... I glance around once more and find pairs of lace up shoes lined along a wall with flat hats laying on a ledge above it.
I grab the smallest shoes I could find that are still quite large on me as well as a cap. I hear some movement from inside of the building so I step away before someone finds me. I continue exploring this part of Adelaide going further down towards another district.
The dark clouds have rolled in over the city and a deep sound rumbles from a distance. I don't like that... I look up to the sky and a drop of rain falls landing on my face.
Before I know it, rain pours down now. People are rushing to their homes. I don't know where to go. My clothes are already drenched and I'm in a different district. There's too many winding and narrow streets down here, I'm not exactly sure where I am. There's no place or alleys for me to rest or shift without someone seeing me. There's a small awning looking out to the street so I stand under it but it's not enough. It's still cold and now my body starts to shiver from my wet clothes stuck to my skin.
There are no people on the streets right now except for the occasional carriage driving by. How is it raining this much? The streets are filling with water now becoming a small river, it's almost coming up to my feet. I wrap my arms around myself more and step back until my back hits the wall. This rain better quit soon.
As I watch the water come down. To my right a woman steps out with a cigarette in hand. She's not wearing much either; a corset with her panty hose and a scarf draped over her shoulders. She takes a puff turning away from me then back and squints her eyes. "What are you doing out here sweetie!"
Is she talking to me? I glance behind me and see no one. "Oh, I..."
The lady runs over to me, her high heels clicking on the stone walkway. "You'll catch your death out in this rain!" She takes off the scarf and pulls it over me. "Oh darling you are soaking wet! Come with me." My teeth have started to chatter so I can't argue with her as she takes me inside.
It's dim inside with all the windows covered and plush furniture are placed about the open space. More ladies dressed in the same clothing sit around playing cards or talking to each other. Some of them glance up as we walk in while others couldn't care. Deep reds and browns colour the walls making it feel cozy in here. I like that it's warm too.
The lady is still holding onto me as we walk over to one of the fireplaces sitting on each wall. "Now you wait here darling, I'll get you some clothes while you warm up." She rubs my shoulders and moves some hair that is stuck to my face out of my eyes then walks off down a hall. "Cherry! Put a pot of tea on!" I hear her yell.
From some corner of the house, light music is playing but also there is an unfamiliar noise like more than one person is sick. They're groaning and grunting. Men and women are making these noises. Are they okay?
Feeling uneasy about the noise I wrap the feathery scarf around me tighter and focus on the fire. From my left a lady comes through a door holding a tray with a pot and a couple of small teacups sitting atop. She must be Cherry, judging by her bright red, curly hair.
"Oh you poor thing you must be freezing." She clicks her tongue then steps next to me placing the tray down on a small side table then pours me some tea.
I gratefully take the warm cup in my hands and blow on it before I take a sip. "Thank you."
She nods her head, giving me a small smile. "We should get you out of those soaking overalls so you can properly warm up. Audrey will be back shortly. Oh I'm Cherry by the way." She giggles and puts the pot down.
"Nice to meet you Cherry." I bow my head to her then take a sip of my tea again. The warmth spreads throughout my body all the way to my fingertips once more.
She giggles again. "So formal."
A door opens and footsteps come towards us. "All right this 'bout your size. I took them from Harmony's closet and she's probably as small as you." The lady that took me in says, holding the clothes out in front of me.
"Oh thank you." I say, watching her set the dry clothes down on a chair.
"Are you a miner?" Cherry asks me.
"A what?" I say after taking another drink. The way these women speak is not what I'm used to hearing.
The one that took me in frowns shifting her weight to one foot. "With those clothes on, you look like the men that work in the mines."
Cherry shakes her head taking the scarf from me and wraps it around herself. "No, no. Audrey, she too small to work in those filthy mines."
Audrey hisses at Cherry grabbing the scarf and places it on her shoulders then smiles. "You never know." She shrugs, tapping a long finger on her cheek glancing at me. "They could be taking anybody off the streets now, to give them work."
"I did hear that they desperate. More and more men have been quitting because workers are disappearing each time they go."
They look at me as I glance between the both of them. I hold the cup tighter in my hands, I don't know what they are talking about. Why would people be disappearing?
"What say you girl? Do you know anything about what been happening to them?"
"Have you been down to the mines? Are they as horrible as they say?"
What I want to tell them was that I stole these clothes not knowing who they belonged to. That I am an outsider trying to figure out how to live each day in this mysterious world.
"They wouldn't let me join, so I haven't heard anything about what is going on." I lie to them not being able to look them in the eye as I said it.
Audrey clicks her tongue. "Well you is better off then. That no life for anyone especially a lady."
Cherry nods in agreement then turns to the fire to warm her hands.
I finish my tea and Audrey takes the empty cup setting it with the pot then gently grabs my shoulder. "Come on now, let's get you changed."
We walk to a door on the other side and step into a smaller room, a bathroom. Black and white tile cover the floor and goes up about halfway on the wall. "Dress in 'ere and hang the wet clothes on the curtain rod." She tells me tilting her head to the tub while she stands at the door.
"Okay." I nod.
She smiles back shutting the door.
While I undress I can hear her and Cherry talking to each other. Their voices are muffled but I can make out what they are saying.
'Poor thing, must have been living on the streets for a while for how skinny she is.'
'Yes... and she's desperate enough to ask work from the miners. It a good thing you took her in Audrey.'
'I hope Miss Trewlany let's her stay for a couple days while she gets back on her feet.'
Miss Trewlany? I slip the dress on after hanging the clothes on the pole. When I turn I catch a glimpse of my reflection in the mirror and stop. Small cuts and smears of dirt cover my face and my cheeks have sunken in more. Since coming here, I have been eating less than I ever was at Drakon's. A purple-blueish colour sits below my eyes, making my blue eyes paler. I must admit I haven't been getting good sleep either... I huff out a breath through my nose turning away and open the door almost running into a woman.
"Oh!" I squeak taking a step back to sharp green eyes.
Audrey comes up to my side. "Miss Trewlany, this a friend of mine. She was tossed to the streets and has been looking for work since."
I close my mouth when the woman stares at me and leans forward keeping her back straight.
"Beguiling this one." A hand comes up and grasps onto my chin turning my head side to side. "Beauty in every way I must say. Men must stop as you pass them. Do they drop to your feet and ask for you hand?"
I shudder staying quiet only to shake my head. This woman... It is like she is staring into my mind, reading every thought. There's something in those jade eyes that tell me that she is older than she looks. That there is a knowledge that only she can see in everyone. Her cool gaze runs over me as if it were a winter wind. Who is this woman?
"Men would queue down the street just to see you if you worked here. But that's not a life for you anymore. You've come to find a new life here... maybe something else as well. No name, no money but great potential." Her voice, although feminine, it rumbles low within my own chest.
My breath catches in my throat and I see Cherry sitting with her mouth open. Listening, watching while beside me, Audrey stands still.
"Miss Trewlany, can she stay with us?" She asks stuttering over her words.
The woman turns to Audrey with a slow cool gaze. No emotion. "She can. No more than a week here."
Two blinks and she turns away. Swift steps carry her towards an archway and disappears into the hallway.
I loose a breath.
Audrey chuckles. "Sorry. Miss Trewlany can be a bit intense sometimes. But she a passionate woman and very strict with her businesses. She works as a seer on the side too."
A seer.. The ones Drakon hired weren't real seers. They would falsely forecast someone's future for money. A con, like a lot of Drakon's entertainment, save for me. I frown looking toward the hallway.
"Yes, intense." The way she talked about me... It was odd. As if she truly knew me, who I was. Is she a real seer?
Cherry and Audrey show me around the bottom floor, not the upstairs. There's a kitchen, another parlor room and my 'room' where I'll be staying. Perhaps a closet at one point. It's small but I don't mind it here. At least it is shelter from the rain and I will be properly fed. But I will need to find a permanent place to live soon.
"Welcome to the Lucky Star..." Audrey's smile disappears. "Miss Trewlany said you didn't have a name."
I shake my head. Sitting down on the squeaky bed.
Cherry snaps her fingers. "I know! We can call you Star."
They look to me for my approval and I shrug. "Sure." I tell them with a smile.
"Welcome to the Lucky Star, Star!" Audrey says clapping her hands together and her and Cherry giggle.
Exploring Adelaide over the last couple of days has been wonderful. I feel so free here and comfortable. It's like I grew up and lived my whole life in this city. Like I'm a part of Adelaide. If I was with Hearthgrim right now well... I push that thought down. There is no use in thinking about that since I am not with him, I am free now. Him and Drakon must be furious to find that I'm gone though... How I would have loved to see their faces, Drakon most likely threw a tantrum because he didn't get his money.
I've come in to a bit of a routine. I found the perfect spot that's hidden away so that I am able to strip down and shift and leave my clothes. While as a bird I get my morning bread then fly around to a new area and explore it. When the sun starts to set I come back to the Lucky Star for the night to sleep as a human.
Miss Trewlany and the other girls don't ask me where I am during the days. They have been generous and kind to let me stay while I pretend to look for work. Maybe I should actually look for work because I only have a few days at the Lucky Star... How would I go about it though?
Today I'm exploring the upper part of Adelaide. I've heard murmurings from some women. They say that the Prince's coronation is today up in the King's Square at noon. Interested in seeing the Prince and tired of being a bird I stay as myself this morning. Then I head up to the square following the crowd.
In case I get hungry I packed some dried meat into the pockets of my dress instead of shifting to a bird to steal food. I know for sure stealing is wrong if a person does it, I saw it happen yesterday and I don't want to end up in jail.
It is easy to find the King's Square with the large crowd of commoners leading the way. All these people seem excited and happy which raises my spirits. When I get to the top there is even more people dancing and singing. Set in front of the castle gates is a band playing uplifting music. To the left and right are vendors with some tables and chairs surrounding a marble fountain. The fountain is sitting in the centre of the square. Streamers and banners hang above us along with strings of lanterns to light up the square. It's much more pristine up here than the rest of the city.
The sound of the music pulls me towards it but I don't join on the dancing, instead I sit on the rim of the fountain. Joy rings through my heart as I watch men and women. There's even small children dancing around on the cobblestone in rhythm with the beat. So much happiness in one spot. It all feels like a dream...
One of those small children looks my way and runs over to me with a wide smile and holds out his little hand. "Would you like to dance Miss?"
"Oh!" I can't help but chuckle. "I would be glad to."
Without saying another word, the boy grabs my hand and takes me to the other dancing people. His head reaches my navel but that doesn't bother him because he rests his hands on my waist. I place mine on his shoulders. He moves first, stepping out and in with the right foot then does the same with his left. The whole time he has his head down watching his feet. His blond curls bounce with each step.
I giggle. "You are quite the dancer."
He finally glances up with his tongue sticking out to the side. "Thank you Miss. You are very pretty!"
We continue dancing like this. More little boys try to come dance with me but the one that asked me first refuses to let me go. I don't mind who I dance with as long as it isn't an older man. After the boy turns down another I begin to look around me. I wonder where the Prince is in this crowd. What happens if I run into him? Would he recognize me? Perhaps I shouldn't be here in case I do get caught.
Horns sound from the castle making the band and everyone else stop. The people around me whisper to each other in excitement. They start moving to the road that wraps around the square.
"What's going on?"
The little boy lets go of me and says. "The Prince is coming out!" Then runs with his friends to the side of the road where people are already lined up. Well I guess I should find a spot so I can see the Prince too. He couldn't possibly find me amongst this crowd.
There's an open spot near the end of the line before it curves up across the street to another large building. It looks like a temple or church with the different symbols carved into the stone. More music begins to play that reminds me of the circus. So much has happened since I performed, I miss those days, it was much simpler then.
My head, including the people next to me, turn our attention back up to the palace. The music gets louder as a parade of performers round the corner and stride down the street. This is better than any circus I've ever been in. Five people leading the group are doing flips and walking on their hands. The rest behind them are playing different instruments or riding different animals. I hear the crowd up the street starting to clap and cheer then I see him.
He's wearing decorative armour that is different from a couple nights ago. This time four large guards surround him, all wearing similar armour as well. How different he looks in the daylight, still handsome too. The Prince waves to the commoners lining the road with a large grin as he rides the same griffin he used to fly to the wall. My heart starts to quicken as he approaches closer. I try to step back but there are people behind me pushing forward almost into the street.
This is a mistake. Again I try backing away. But it's too late, the Prince is almost right across from me now. His gaze moving from each of the commoners with every step. Then when his eyes land on me his mouth drops open. Anger, I can see the anger and realization in his eyes. The Prince recognizes me. My heart stops as he continues down the road but he doesn't pause, instead he shifts his gaze to the other commoners but his smile is gone. When the griffin approaches the stairs it stops and the Prince gets off. I don't wait to watch the rest, this time I push my body through the crowd. I have to get out of here.
The next couple of days I stay in bird form in case the Prince called for the guards to look out for me now. I don't know how long I can stay like this, it is taking a toll on my energy. No matter how much I find to eat I'm still hungry. I might have to find a new city if I am wanted by a royal. There is no way I can go sneaking around like this for the rest of my life. Where would I go? Are there any cities near here? How far away would I have to travel this time. Once again I am trapped, never safe...
It's the day before my last at the Lucky Star. I decide to fly high above the city to see if I can spot any villages beyond the city walls. Nothing, only vast land stretching in each direction. What direction would I even go? I could continue going east. I look around me as I glide but a heaviness in my wings hits me. Oh no. My little belly gurgles telling me I need to land soon so I can eat.
That heaviness begins to spread as I lower towards the rooftops of the city. I need to slow down before I land or else I'll hurt myself again. My eyes can't focus... They are shutting on their own and my wings are folding in. Must open... them..
My eyes shoot open to the ground coming incredibly close. I straighten out my wings before I hit something but still crash into a pile of garbage. The wind gets knocked out of me and I lay still as I catch my breath. What was that? I've never felt that before.
Thankfully no one is around as my body shifts, at this point I can't control it. It feels hard to breathe as the feathers disappear and my form grows bigger. Once I have my hands, I sit up and touch my lip as blood drips down from the corner and I wipe it off with the back of my hand. I have to practice on my landing... More importantly, I have to be more careful.
I come out of the empty alleyway when I'm fully in human form after I found some clothes hanging to dry. I walk out into a street that I don't recognize. My body feels loose and I can't focus, I'll have to find a place to rest soon. It doesn't seem as busy here, the structures and roads are cleaner and nicer. I also notice that most of the people are wearing the same outfits in this part of the district. Why are they dressed like that? A group of people close to my age come walking up the street and all eyes are on me.
I hear whispers come from them as we pass. One girl is clear. "Look how dirty she is and not even in a school uniform. She's probably a Doxy."
Doxy? I don't turn my head when they start giggling behind me. Instead I lower my gaze to the ground so I don't catch people's eyes again. I think I'm in the higher district. I better go before some guards catch me or I pass out on the walkway. I stumble down another street and when I look up the hill I see the castle standing tall. The towers of pale grey stone pop out from the blue sky. Wonder what it's like inside, to have grown up in such a marvelous place. You could fit all the people living in this city into that large castle.
I wonder how many servants or slaves are working in there right now, tending to the King's needs. What is his daily life like? Aside from patrolling at night I wonder what else he does. To be so young with great responsibilities. Does the King have friends? Does he leave the castle often? To know such things is frivolous.
I'm about to turn to walk back down but someone grabs my shirt from behind. Oh no, it's a guard. I should have kept walking. Now I'm going to jail to hang as an assassin. The person holds me so I can't look at them as they drag me into a building. I thrash my arms in panic trying to hold onto a corner of a wall, to get away from this person. But it's hopeless, I'm too weak to fight them off. No no no, please don't kill me. I've come so far.
"You're not getting away that easily." He grunts pulling me further into a dim hallway. The man stops and his strong hands spin my body around so I'm facing him. Captured again by another man...