A/N: Guess what this is? Another update! Kool-aid guy says, "Oh yeah!"
I have to give an author by the name of Blu Razgriz an honorable mention, as he has given me ownership of an OC of his to use as I please. That OC is a blue-and-gold macaw, but I won't reveal the name just yet. ;)
On a side note, what I call the "Old Language" is actually Greek. I decided to have some of the characters speak it, as it is a neat language.
Until next time, remember that reviewing is optional, but enjoying is guaranteed!
Chapter 14: Moving Forward, Part 1
I awoke the following sunrise to the sound of my lover's breathing, her chest brushing against my spine with every inhalation. Her right wing was glued to my midsection, her feathers softer than the finest silk.
I yawned and smacked my beak, the memory of our confessions and beak-to-beak pleasure seeking fresh within my mind. I rolled over and pecked her temple, and she responded by snuggling herself even closer, though she did not rouse right away.
"Good morning," I whispered.
She wiggled some more, her muscles tensing. She lazily opened her eyes, her mesmerizing teal pupils capturing my heart for the umpteenth time.
She answered quietly, "Ahh… good morning. How are you feeling?"
"Like the luckiest male in the world… as I have… an angel in my wings," I replied, punctuating my words with a second yawn.
She batted her eyelashes and said tenderly, "You're my angel too, and I love you."
I kissed her for a good five seconds, the gesture saying, "I love you," better than words ever could.
When it ended, she dragged the covers partway off of me and took to massaging my exposed chest.
"Your eyes are so... wonderful. They're the color of chocolate from Kastella... the most exquisite chocolate in the land."
Touched, I answered, "Thank you. I imagine you'd be just as beautiful if you had them."
"You think so? My father's eyes were a few shades lighter than yours, but I ended up with my mother's."
She ceased her massage and turned to peer up at the ceiling.
"If I only I could know what they think of me now. My parents… and Leonidas…"
"They're happy for you, all of them. You've come so far since they left, and they couldn't be more proud of you if the gods ordered it."
She lolled her head to the side and faced me.
"You're right, though… I do miss them."
"Try not to miss them too excessively. I don't want to see you sad, because then I'll become sad, and that's just not good for either of us."
She gave a chuckle and then a sigh.
"I won't argue with you there, my intelligent king."
"Ambrosia, you'll always have me to depend on, and I'll come to your aid whenever life gets you down. I promise."
She took it upon herself to kiss me in return, coiling her tongue around mine and injecting me with bliss. When it ended, she licked the rim of her beak halves and arched her back.
She then worked herself into a sitting position and flared her wings.
"May I have another kiss?"
"You've reached your limit for now," she teased. "Later I shall treat you to more. Do we have a deal?"
I grinned and said, "We do, my love."
"Is that your new nickname for me?" "It is, as it's quite appropriate. Do you mind?"
"Not in the least. I think I'll come to like it very much."
I nodded my head in agreement, tossing the covers off of me and sitting upright. I stretched my tired wings and met her gaze.
"There you have it, another victory for me."
She rolled her eyes and playfully slapped the emerald affixed to my breast.
"I'm not keeping track, so it doesn't matter."
I stuck my tongue out at her and she gasped, feigning shock.
"My my, Niko! How rude! How unseemly!" she squawked.
I giggled at her reaction, and she pounced on me before I could defend myself. I didn't expect the collision to send us both to the floor, and neither did she.
We squawked simultaneously as we slid off the bed, and she piled on top of me unceremoniously. After the initial surprise wore off, she propped herself up with her wings and stared down at me.
"Oops!" she said, and we both burst into laughter.
"Are you alright?" she asked giddily when said laughter ended.
"Just fine, my love. Though I must say, you're not as light as you look."
"I'm no heavier than the bag of bones and organs you are, Niko."
She seized my wings, spreading them out and pinning them down.
"You're so hilarious. A true comedian," I taunted back.
She lowered her beak to my feathers and sniffed, making a sour face.
"What was that for?"
"Your masculine scent is gone, and all I smell is the odor of dirty feathers. If I recall correctly, the last time you bathed was the day of your transformation."
"So… you're telling me that I should clean up?"
"Exactly. To the shower with you. Proper hygiene is one of the traits of a decent king."
She rose to her feet and leaped backwards, beating her wings to provide lift.
"Oof!" I squawked as she squished my gut.
I stood and rubbed my belly, tossing a glare her way.
"There are other ways to dismount me, I'll have you know."
"Duly noted, Niko," she said nonchalantly, stifling a giggle.
I pushed open the bathroom doors and spun, hobbling towards them. I paused at the dividing line between the two rooms when I sensed that she wasn't following.
I craned my head around and asked, "Aren't you going to bathe too? I would very much enjoy your company."
"If that is what you wish, then I shall. I'm not a disrespectful queen by any stretch."
I waddled on, and she caught up to me as I reached the tub. She smacked my rump with her wing, winking at me as she hopped into the tub.
"Ooh, feeling frisky, aren't you?" I questioned, an electric jolt of pleasure coursing up my spine.
"Slightly, yes," she answered cockily as I jumped over the rim and landed beside her.
I whacked the base of her tail in the same manner as she plugged the drain and turned the water on. She shuddered and regarded me with a sly gaze.
"On the grounds that you are my life partner, I won't chide you for that. I actually enjoyed it."
"I thought you would."
She waltzed past, hip-checking me as she flipped the lever and directed the water flow through the showerhead.
I said, "I volunteer to help you tidy your plumage first. Do you accept?"
"I do."
She planted herself in the center of the jets and presented her back to me. I rooted myself just out of range of the thin streams and went about scrubbing and preening her feathers.
I grew so involved in my task that I accidentally nipped her between her wings. I thankfully didn't draw blood, but it made her squawk in pain regardless.
"Oh my, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to," I said sheepishly.
"It's alright. Just… be more discreet from now on. No need to practically eat my feathers."
"Understood, my love."
I saw the rest of my mission through without another incident. Ambrosia preened me dutifully-but-guardedly all the same, sparing me from inadvertent bodily harm and discomfort.
After we had exited the shower and dried our sopping-wet bodies, I patted the spot I had bitten and kissed it gently.
"Does it feel better now?"
She smiled at me and replied, "Yes, it does. I appreciate it."
I bowed to her as if to say, "You're welcome."
I polished my emeralds with my damp towel; the surface of the larger one was so pristine it reflected the bathroom like a mirror. She polished her rubies and hung our towels up to dry.
We then ventured into the bedroom, and she helped me slip on my royal robe. She popped a question as I applied her garment for her.
"Would you like to have breakfast in the dining hall?"
"Oh yes, most definitely. Though I no longer have to deal with hunger, I can't pass up the opportunity to feast on splendid food."
"I have the same mindset. Very well then, to the dining hall we shall go."
When I finished adjusting her attire, she applied perfume to herself by rubbing a crumpled rose petal all over her neck, chest, and belly. She rid herself of it by tossing it out the window, and then we set off to our predetermined destination.
The applause I received as I entered the hall was like a wall of sound, the animals chanting "All hail the immortal king!" as we claimed our reserved seats. After it died down, Eli approached and congratulated me, coupling it with a brotherly hug.
He announced that he would prepare a special meal for Ambrosia and I. I asked what he had in mind, but he said he would not spoil the surprise.
He hobbled back into the kitchen, returning with our dishes in record-breaking time. Piled high on the golden platter was a mountain of scarlet cherries, their stems having been removed.
At the great gray owl's urging, I nabbed the cherry at the very top and tasted it. The fruit was firm but not too firm, and its luscious juices spilled out as I crushed it with my tongue.
"That was delectable, Eli," I told him with a smile.
"My fare always is, as you very well know. Don't hesitate to enjoy the rest."
I saluted him, and he bowed to me and walked off.
Due to my now-bottomless stomach, I could chomp down on cherry after cherry and consume as many as I wanted – though I let Ambrosia have her share as well.
I ate twenty of them in total – twice as much as I could have six days prior – and the queen scarfed down twenty-five. She suggested we head back to the throne room, as she wanted to talk to the council about two things: whether or not she had any matters to take care of, and when my training was to begin.
As we departed, the animals that were left fired off another round of chanting. The loud cacophony of voices chased us a good ways down the corridor before dying out.
The overactive male hummingbird zoomed up to us without delay when we entered the throne room, as he was fond of doing.
Ambrosia greeted, "Hello there, my punctual friend."
"Hello, my queen! Hello, my king!"
"Hello. Are you feeling in high spirits this morning?"
"Absolutely! How did you know?" he answered jubilantly.
"I would like to assemble the council and sort some things out. Are all the members available?"
"That's why I came to talk to you, my queen. They've postponed today's conference, though it is set to begin before noon."
"Thank you for letting us know. Come find us when it is time. We'll be ready."
Gabriel performed a loop-de-loop and replied, "You can count on me! Bye bye for now!"
"Goodbye, Gabriel," she and I squawked.
The hummingbird buzzed off like an oversized bee.
I locked eyes with Ambrosia and said, "It seems we have a few hours to spare. How would you like to spend them, my love?"
"That's a good question. Let me think for a moment."
She gazed at her feet for ten seconds, and then darted her head up.
"Why don't we take a trip through the art gallery? There are plenty of artifacts there, and I will gladly enlighten you about the lore behind many of those treasures."
"My, how intriguing. I'm as hungry for knowledge as I am for succulent food."
"Then it's settled."
We relocated to the next-lowest floor, the creatures we shuffled past praising me. At the end of our trek, we ambled into the gallery.
There was no one else around – which I was thankful for, as I could obtain kisses from her without feeling embarrassed.
"See anything you would like to hear more about?" she queried, gesturing with a sweep of her wing.
I scanned my head from right to left and back, checking out the nearer objects before focusing on the ones further back. A purple wand caught my attention, and I marched over to it.
She tagged along behind, remaining silent as I studied the wand, which was equal to me in height. It was standing straight up on a marble pedestal, the lower one-third of its length embedded in a vertical channel carved into the stone for support.
Inscribed on the golden plaque at the foot of the pedestal were the words "The Rod of Zarek."
A pyramid-shaped chunk of what looked like amethyst sat on top, secured to a collar on the shaft by way of four claws that gripped its sides. The collar itself bore six needle-sharp spikes that were regularly spaced around its circumference.
Faint wisps of violet smoke seeped out of the gem every so often, their sickly-sweet odor reminiscent of darkness – though I hadn't smelled darkness in my life, that's how I would describe it.
I tried to touch it, but an invisible telekinetic barrier stopped my wing as good as any wall.
"Annabelle has protected all the artifacts for a reason, my king. They wouldn't have lasted this long if they were being constantly fiddled with," she said jovially.
"True, true. Anyhow, I've never heard of this 'Rod of Zarek,' or Zarek himself."
I gazed quizzically at her, asking for a thorough explanation, and she drew a breath.
"350 years ago, that raven formed a cult he named 'The Black Crusaders.' He was a visionary, but a visionary who allied himself with evil. One of his core mantras was that all corvids deserved a more esteemed role in the world than the one they had. The other belief he upheld was that all who thought the corvids were unfriendly at best, and conniving at worst, needed to be taught to respect ravens, crows, and the like, and ultimately serve them."
"Where does this rod come into play?"
She inhaled and continued. "He was a skilled user of forbidden magic, and crafted this tool, this weapon, to help his brethren gain control of the land. He transferred his soul to the rod, granting him extraordinary power and longevity. He preached his ideals to as many birds that were willing to listen, be they a member of the corvid family or not. He converted thousands of them and developed a dedicated following. When he encountered resistance at a particular gathering, he unleashed his cruel power upon them, forcibly transforming his victims into corvids and indoctrinating them into his order."
My eyes widened, my mind unable to grasp how such a malicious feat could be performed. She breathed in and went on.
"For 200 years Zarek existed, his influence and tyranny spreading throughout the land. That is why his weapon is also named 'The Rod of Ages.' Anyhow, he assimilated many of his oppressors, but slaughtered countless others to instill permanent fear in those he and his empire had yet to come across. So deluded were his subjects that scores of female ravens offered their bodies and their dignity to him, bearing his children and creating new generations of loyal stewards for his twisted cause."
"He must have been thwarted, or he and his cult would still be alive, no? How did his undoing come about?"
"A band of owls of all kinds that was just as large, led in the beginning by a barn owl named Fiora, were the sole reason Zarek could not crush the residents of Cydonia and take complete control. She forged her own staff in a similar way to his, though she did not mutate those of her kind. They joined because they wanted nothing more than to help Fiora demolish Zarek and his legions, thereby restoring peace to the world. They warred with the corvids without end, suffering terrible losses at times and scoring paramount victories at others. Fiora and Zarek were slowly degraded and aged by the never-ending use of their power, and after 150 years, both were aware that their lives were coming to a close. They faced off in an epic confrontation in the city of Volos, and their clash turned the city into ruins. Zarek was destroyed and his empire came crashing down, but not before he mortally wounded his enemy."
She took a short break and pulled in more oxygen to run through the conclusion: "With her dying breaths, Fiora reversed the effects of the raven's nefarious magic, giving his surviving followers their original bodies back and cleansing them of the darkness in their hearts. She also wiped their memories, so that they and their successors would never remember their lord and the atrocities he committed against birdkind. Fiora's warriors also disbanded, their duty done, but they passed down Zarek's legend to future generations so that such evil would never be permitted to reestablish itself."
"Wow…" I squawked, my mind reeling. "But even today, over a century later, there are those who blame the corvids for allying with him, and perpetuate the stigma that they are not to be trusted."
"Yes, that is true," she said demurely. "They say the corvids, ravens and crows especially, are naturally more sinister than they are benevolent. They had the choice to stand up to Zarek, but felt more comfortable being a part of his demonic regime and reaping the rewards. And that is why some citizens are wary of those with black feathers."
"I don't see them that way, but my parents do. They're too old-fashioned, sadly. I'm worried that they will teach my sisters the same misguided view."
"I… didn't know that. Have you challenged them over it before?"
"A few times, but as I got older, they no longer stirred up trouble. They still love me as I love them, so I can't complain. They let me believe what I want to believe, and I am grateful."
I shook my head and said, "Nonetheless, I suppose the force of good doesn't always win."
"Not always," she responded.
She then cleared her throat and asked plainly, "What next?"
"Um… I'm not sure… oh!"
I waddled towards the pedestal that was one column to the left and two rows back from the first. I didn't bother reading the plaque, as the item upon the marble block was equally captivating and creepy.
It was a pallid white mask made of some variety of stone that rested on a metal cradle. The mask shaped like the head of a large bird, complete with slots for the eyes and nostrils, though it did not include the lower half of the beak.
The rim of the upper beak was painted red, and there was a vermilion stripe coming down from each eye slot as if the wearer was crying tears of blood. Its stare was unmoving and unsettling, but mysterious all the same.
"What's this, my love?" I queried as she came up behind me.
"That is Liandry's Torment. My parents acquired it while they were in power, so it's one of the newer relics featured here."
"Ah. What's the tale behind it?"
She coughed once and spoke.
"You have heard that bald eagles are renowned for their regality, due in part to their stark white faces, correct?"
"Yes."
"Liandry was one such eagle. Her mother died within minutes of expelling her egg, which had cracked during the laying process. It sliced her mother's bowels into ribbons on its way out, and she bled to death. Liandry survived, but she hatched without one solitary head feather, and was also blind in her left eye. Her father, traumatized and convinced she had been cursed, abandoned her in the woods and left her for dead."
"What happened to her then?"
"She survived, but refused to reenter society in her disfigured, hideous state, making the forest her refuge. She eventually met a wandering craftsman who was not fazed by her plight, and he fashioned that very mask so that she could hide her face from the prying eyes of others. She stayed in his home for many days, finding the courage to ask him if he knew of her parents, and why she failed to remember them. He deceived her at first, but the loss of her eye meant that her other senses were heightened. She was certain he was lying, and she assaulted him until he spilled the truth. Feeling betrayed by the vile bird that she once called her father and overcome with bitterness and rage, she demanded that he tell her where he lived. As he was within an inch of his life, he did."
"She went after him, didn't she?" I asked in anticipation.
"Yes, she did. She ambushed him and made him a prisoner in his own abode, blaming him for her exile. He claimed he was superstitious and didn't want to jeopardize what existence he had left, but that only stoked the fires of retribution in her. That was when she tortured him with her mind."
"What? How did she manage that?"
"She inherited the ability to read minds from him, but her limitless anger shattered her spirit and corrupted that ability. Just by making eye contact, she afflicted him daily with nightmarish visions so appalling that he was driven to suicide. She was well and truly insane, having drawn sadistic pleasure from dominating him and plaguing him with terror until he killed himself."
"And then what?"
"She went on to blatantly do the same to others in the city-state of Agrinio, though the authorities tracked her down. Her carelessness was her downfall, though she was so far gone that it didn't matter to her. She snared some of them before being blindfolded, thus nullifying her deadly gift, and they were quickly put out of their misery. She was apprehended and brought to the Capitol. She was tried and convicted by the seven members of the High Council, and it was in the throne room that she was executed by my father. She laughed maniacally even as he stabbed his sword into her heart, and only in death did she fall silent and her stain was removed from the world. Though her mask was nothing without her, he decided to keep it, against the High Council's wishes. It's been here ever since."
"And I thought it was only a queer adornment worn at a festival," I joked, awed nonetheless by the nonfiction tale.
"Everything here has a story to tell. That is what art is all about: uncovering the hidden meanings in things that seem ordinary at first glance."
"Agreed, though I must say you do sound more philosophical than a regular queen would."
She narrowed her eyes pointedly.
"That is because I am not a regular queen. My mother was the serious one, and I don't think we would have meshed well if I was like her."
I shrugged indifferently and chuckled, pecking her cheek.
"I love you just the way you are."
She replied genuinely, "It doesn't take a genius such as yourself to figure that out."
I scrutinized her expression and chuckled yet again, as she had reacted in a novel way.
"Are you blushing?"
"Perhaps a little," she said coyly.
"How adorable. That's victory number two for me."
She rolled her eyes sarcastically, but her blush remained.
"To be fair, I insist you pick for once. Lead me to whatever fragment from the past you think I would find interesting."
"As you wish…"
I trailed her as she meandered between the rows in the direction of the west wall. We halted at the intersection of the fourth column and third row.
Mounted securely in the marble block was a spear-like item made of deep blue ice. The irregular head of the spear was covered in jagged projections that pointed partly upwards and outwards.
It chilled the air around it, and I fluffed up my feathers so the cold wouldn't affect me.
"I think… I think I've seen this mentioned in a book I've skimmed through, but the name eludes me."
"It is 'The Shard of True Ice.' Does that ring a bell?"
"Why yes, it does. True Ice can only be extracted from the bottom of the Howling Abyss, correct?"
"You are correct. Only the hardiest winged animals make the journey, but as that portion of Cydonia is cloaked in endless winter, visible deposits of true ice may be buried by snow and made inaccessible, while other deposits elsewhere may be exposed. It's a risky gamble at best, and carrying it out of the abyss is more treacherous than going in. One stiff gust of wind could send you spiraling to your doom, smash you against the walls, or impale you on the stalactites that grow on the shelves jutting from the sides of the abyss."
"I've heard many tragic stories, but I can't say they were all true."
I preened an itch on my shoulder and added, "When and how was this obtained?"
"It was a token of respect bestowed upon my grandparents by Miranda, a frost dragon from the Ironspike Mountains. She carved it herself and gave it to them when they became king and queen. As it is unbreakable, it could serve as a weapon, but the Fyromians were not warring with our nation at the time. It was on display between my grandparents' thrones as a symbol of their rule, but when they passed on, my parents brought it here."
"At least it served a purpose other than collecting dust, eh? How much is it worth?"
"A very hefty sum. I'd say around… fifteen million coins, give or take a few hundred thousand."
"By the gods that's expensive! Has anyone ever offered to purchase it?"
"A few in my parents' time, but they were turned down straight away. In actuality, it is a priceless memento."
"As it should be," I quipped, bobbing my head.
"It's your turn to choose, my king. Do you fancy one of the paintings?"
I revolved in a full circle, being drawn to one such painting on the rear wall.
I stalked closer and observed it from one foot away, Ambrosia sidling up to me on my right. It was a sizable work of art, being about four feet wide and two feet in height.
It showed a side view of two armies a split-second away from clashing beneath a twilight sky. It was as if the artist was caught in the middle and had recreated the scene from his or her point of view.
Earth tones were predominant throughout the piece, but the metallic sheens of blades and the various hues of the animals on both sides were cleanly visible. Three individuals near the spearhead of the mass of animals on the left stood out above all the rest, each one different shade of blue.
I identified them without thinking, and the setting came to me in a rush.
"This is… one interpretation of the last battle in the war against the Fyromians. There's you… Leonidas… and Queen Amathea. It's… it's magnificent," I said in a reverent voice.
"Nothing in this room means so much to me. Its sentimental value is immeasurable."
She lowered her voice and resumed speaking. "If I look at it long enough… I feel as though I am transported back to that very time and place. I can sense my mother and brother there beside me, all three of us willing to fight for our kingdom, and die if need be. It's so surreal…"
I glanced at her.
"Surreal may not be a strong enough word. I can't imagine what you're feeling right now," I said softly.
I peeled my gaze away, rooting my eyes to the frozen chaos depicted in the image. I spun my head when I heard her sniffle, and a pang of sadness clenched my heart as I saw a tear creep down her cheek.
"Ambrosia… I'm sorry. It's my fault for picking this one-"
"No… it's not your fault. I just… get emotional when I think about them," she croaked, wiping both sides of her face with a wing.
More tears rolled from her eyes, and I embraced her with my right wing, wrapping it around her body.
"Don't worry about me. I'm… I'm alright."
"If you want to cry, go ahead and let it out…" I suggested somberly.
"Leo wouldn't want me to mourn… and neither would my mother. They'd tell me… to be strong… and be happy…"
I leaned my head on her neck, feeling her shudder with every sniffle.
A bout of seven sniffles and a few dozen tears later, she dragged her wings down her face one last time. She blew out a leaden sigh and faced me, the whites of her eyes bloodshot.
"See? I just needed a few minutes to get a hold of myself…"
"We can return to our bedroom if you're not in the mood to stay."
"No… I wish to stay. I'm feeling better. You can trust me, as I'm no raven."
She curled her beak into a fragile smile, and hearing her amusing banter coerced me to smile concurrently.
"What would you like to examine next?" she asked bravely.
I averted my eyes, and they targeted the last object in the second row. I nuzzled her neck and grasped her wing confidently, and she waddled in step with me as if she hadn't been depressed at all.
She and I browsed around at random for ninety or so more minutes; in that period I gained insight into 12 additional relics and 3 paintings. The redness in her eyes was neutralized, much to our contentment.
The intrepid hummingbird, with his unmatched tracking prowess, burst into the suite at the worst possible time.
Ambrosia had me glued to the wall, our tongues skirmishing, when he appeared out of nowhere – and by nowhere, I mean the entrance.
"Am I interrupting something?" he piped cheekily.
She ended our beak-lock, and we both laid our eyes on him.
"Quite frankly, yes," she responded haughtily.
"I can inform the council that you'll be delayed in arriving, if you'd rather prolong the romantic moment."
"No need. The conference is more important, and we shall continue this later."
"That is a wise decision. Follow me!"
She and I preened our ruffled feathers and then headed for the meeting place. Gabriel was in the lead, buzzing around erratically, humming a tune all the while.
Six of the councilors were present when we traipsed into the conference chamber. The queen and I climbed onto the platform as Gabriel conversed with Pandora before shooting off.
Actaeon heaved the doors closed, and as he joined the others, I asked, "Where is Stella? She's not ill, is she?"
"No, Stella is not ill. She is honoring a twelve day religious ritual that is sacred to her kind," professed Elektra the barn owl.
"Really? What kind of ritual? I didn't know foxes were-"
"Please save your question until after this conference has concluded," the barn owl belted out.
"Oh, um, right. Sorry."
The elderly male hawk intoned, "There are two major orders of business to discuss, so let us begin."
He coughed a heavy cough and declared, "First and foremost, now that your position as king is official, you must be taught how to rule as one. This includes learning the statutes that govern the land, the situations when you may override those statutes and when you may not, considering all the possible solutions to a problem before choosing how to resolve it, and preparing yourself to confront special situations. There are numerous other guidelines, or should I say subtleties, that you shall learn while you are training, so I will not mention them."
Oh dear… that sound so overwhelming! It will be like going through my fifth-level school years all over again. So much work! So much responsibility! Little to no room for mistakes!
My heart started pumping faster in my chest, and I gripped the edge of the platform tightly with my claws, hoping the councilors wouldn't notice and call me out on my reaction.
Ambrosia nudged me stealthily as if to say, "Just calm down. Don't blow it out of proportion."
"Will I be tackling this monumental task by myself?" I squawked, then kicking myself internally for posing such an idiotic question.
Xena and Stefano could barely stifle their laughter, the former hissing and rattling her tail. The female raven shook her head in mock shame and beamed a smile at me.
As they settled down, Elektra responded, "By the gods no! You will have all the help you will ever need at your disposal, courtesy of Pandora and your queen."
The raven put in, "As per the wishes of her parents, I was entrusted with educating Ambrosia on how to be a queen in the days after the war. Granted, Ambrosia's expertise has far surpassed mine by now, so she will be able to assist you to a much-higher degree. Between the two of us, you shall become a wise, fair, and virtuous king in a reasonable span of time."
I sighed in relief, for I knew that both females were reliable and I would have little trouble accomplishing the milestone set for me.
"I won't let them, myself, or anyone else down. I can and will succeed."
Xena stated, "Bravo, bravo. Believing isss half the battle, and the other half isss doing."
"A mighty fine king the gods have bestowed upon us," the weasel barked, clapping his forepaws together.
"That is all we had in store for you, Nikomedes. You're free to go and do whatever you wish," said the wildcat.
Pandora remarked, "Come see me at your earliest convenience, as I have some resources that you will need to get started."
"Of course," I replied.
Demetrius ordered, "And as for you, Ambrosia, we ask that you remain here to consult with us."
"About what, if I may ask?"
Actaeon commented, "A trade issue that has sprung up in Kalamai."
"I thought we settled all the complaints from there last month," she deadpanned.
"Not quite," answered the barn owl flatly.
"I suppose I better take my leave then. I'm overdue for a visit to my family… oh my, they hadn't even crossed my mind until now!" I squawked in exasperation.
I planted a kiss on her cheek and leaped from the platform, bounding over to the exit.
I whirled around and said, "Goodbye, Ambrosia! Have fun! You know how to find me."
"Goodbye, Niko, though I wouldn't exactly call rehashing old problems fun."
Boldly I declared, "I love you!"
Six pairs of eyes widened, not expecting their timid king to say those words so openly.
I smirked on the inside, and she called back, "I love you too!"
I pried the doors open and skipped out, then shut them. I exhaled triumphantly, mapping out the directions to where my family was staying and commencing my stroll.
When I came to the entry to their chambers, I raised my foot to knock, only to spy a sheet of parchment affixed to the door.
Son, this is your father. It wasn't easy waiting for you to become conscious again. We've gone to Annabelle's home to… distract ourselves, you could say, and we found out from her that you awoke yesterday evening. You've been in our thoughts, so please come see us when you are able.
"Well, this is a surprise, though their logic is solid."
I turned around, only to hear a voice resound in my brain that did not belong to me.
I see you've found their note, Niko. They want you to hustle your tail feathers over here right away.
Annabelle? I answered silently.
Who else, my king? Your family is dying to check up on you before they depart for Corinth, now that you are awake.
I'm on my way!
Excellent. The door will be open by the time you arrive.
She severed the telepathic link between our minds, and I corrected my course, heading to where my relatives were stationed. As I surmounted the top step of the staircase, I marched right through the wide-open doorway.
My parents and sisters morphed into statues, their minds blown.
"It's Niko… my precious, immortal Niko…" my mother whispered, as if I was too good to be true.
Cheerfully I responded, "Uh huh, that's me, your new and improved son."
Her eyes were fixated on the bulging gem I wore, but then she freed herself from her trance and dragged me into her wings.
"You must be tired of hearing me repeat myself, but… I'm so proud of you…"
"Not me, mother. And I'm proud of myself too. Pardon me for swearing, but I do not regret putting myself through hell."
She squeezed me with more force before letting go, my father surrounding me with his wings in her stead.
"You've turned out to be a true blessing, and the son I've always wanted."
He released me, and my sisters jogged up to me, Annabelle sidling up behind them. They tugged on my wings, and I hoisted them up to cradle them against my chest.
Saphira tapped the emerald with her beak, and Selene chirped, "You're the best brother ever!"
"Yeah! We won't ever have a brother as lucky as you!"
"I wouldn't go so far as to just call it luck, Saphira. There's so much more to it than that."
"Whatever you say, brother!"
"Say, where's Ambrosia?" my mother asked as I set my siblings down on the floor.
"She's wrapped up with the council right now. Apparently, there is a trade dispute in Kalamai, and she's figuring out a way to fix it."
Annabelle quipped, "A queen's work is never done. It is a busy career to be forced into. "
"You said it," my mother replied.
"So, what courses must you enroll in before you qualify to do what Ambrosia does?"
"Funny you mention that, Father. She and Pandora have been designated as my mentors, and I will be learning straight out of the books, as well as from firsthand observations."
"Ah. Keep us updated on your progress regularly then, test scores included," he said with a smile.
"Consider it done, Father."
"Has your relationship with her deepened in any way? If it has, would you care to tell us?" Annabelle inquired.
"Yes, it has. Last night, I admitted my feelings. I told her… that I loved her, and she told me she loved me too."
My mother sighed dreamily.
"You were once an egg… and now you're all grown up. Time has flown by so fast. Tell me, what does it feel like to be in love?"
"There's no other feeling like it. It is a drug that I will forever be addicted to."
"Too true, my son. That makes two of us who have become hopelessly bewitched by someone of the opposite sex."
"Ni-ko and Am-bro-si-a, perching in a tree, k-i-s-s-i-n-g!" my sisters blurted at the same time.
I laughed and answered, "We haven't done that in a tree yet, but I'll keep that idea in mind."
To make up for the six days in which communication between us was prohibited, my family stayed and talked with me for over three hours. Before they set out on their migration to their hometown, they bid me a smattering of positive goodbyes.
I told them I would reunite with them when the opportunity arose, but would stay in touch with them in the meantime via letters. My jovial mood prevented my heart from turning heavy as they left the spire; I waved to them and said I loved them, and they copied me before disappearing down the stairwell.
Sighing, I rotated and held the female's gaze.
"Annabelle, I want to take the first step in mastering my telekinesis. As I assume your course is finished, will you be able to give me some preliminary instruction?"
"Oh my… thank you for bringing that to light! I've been so overloaded these past few days that everything seems to be slipping my mind. I'll be going to my classroom soon to grade the rest of my students' exit exams. Come find me, and I shall give you the instruction you seek."
I grabbed her wing and shook it heartily, having squared away my most pressing desire.
"Thank you so much! This has been a long time coming. I want to be able to exercise complete control over my power, and you're just the ticket I need."
"You're very welcome. After all, I am the best teacher in the land..." she boasted.
I nodded to her and squawked, "I'll be making a quick trip to Pandora's home, as there are some tools she wishes to hand over. After that, I'll meet up with you in your classroom."
"Fine by me. Ask Gabriel to guide you, since you haven't been there before."
"I plan to. Well, I'll see you soon."
"Likewise, Niko. Tell the queen I said hello if and when you run into her."
"I will."
With that, I left her behind and skipped on over to the spire inhabited by the raven.
I knocked on the door, and her dark voice said, "Come on in."
As I did, she ushered me over to her desk, where a short stack of books sat. She scooped them up with her wings and handed them to me.
"There you go. These three contain the fundamentals that you will expand upon later."
"Thank you. What is my first assignment, oh-so-helpful mentor of mine?"
"Casually read through the one on the top, as it provides some background on the she Codex of Edicts, the tome that contains our laws. It details when and why it came to be, how the rules inside have changed over time, how they are added, removed, or amended, and the procedures to follow when two rules contradict or otherwise spawn a technicality."
"As you wish. What are the other two about?"
"The one on bottom is a copy of the Codex, and the one in the middle focuses on etiquette and how to prevent your personal opinions from affecting your judgment.
" "Acknowledged. Will I be quizzed over what I soak up in the near future?"
"No. Simply study for a few hours each day. It would also benefit you to accompany Ambrosia when those with grievances come to the palace to consult her and the council."
"I've always preferred using a hands-on method to grasp new concepts."
"You'll do fine, and you shall be amazed by how much knowledge you have absorbed when I do administer a test."
"If you don't have any other supplies for me, I have an appointment with Annabelle to begin honing my telekinesis."
"Understood. May the gods bless you."
"May the gods bless you as well. Goodbye."
"Goodbye, my king."
I bowed, she curtsied, and then I made a beeline for the main atrium, using my mind to suspend the books in the air next to me.
I glimpsed the hummingbird across the way, and I scrambled to grab his attention before he rocketed out of earshot.
As his conversation with a Cydonian robin ended, I called his name. He spun at blinding speed and dropped lower, hovering an inch in front of my beak.
"Oh hello, my king! What may I help you with?"
"I have no idea where Annabelle's classroom is. Would you mind escorting me there?"
"Not at all, my king! It's part of what I do! Away we go!"
We dropped two floors deeper to the level where all the lecture halls resided, the silence in the air as dense as lead. There was a medium-sized, round gathering area in the middle, and spaced at regular intervals along the circular wall were a dozen doors, each with a descriptive plaque next to it.
Gabriel extended his neck and pointed at the door directly ahead with his beak.
"Right in there is where you should go."
"Alright. Thank you, my friend."
"No need. I am always at your service."
"Farewell, Gabriel."
"Farewell, Niko!"
He touched his beak to his chest in an airborne bow and was gone in one second flat. I trotted up to the door, pulling it open with my mind and shutting it as I hopped inside.
I felt a strange sensation sweep over me as if I had crossed a magical boundary, but I dismissed it.
The room was spacious, illuminated wonderfully by a chandelier that dangled from the domed ceiling. A fair number of desks were arranged in orderly rows sat in the center, facing the podium on the far side.
Five feet ahead was the telltale form of Annabelle and the male blue-and-gold macaw with which she was speaking.
Interesting enough, they were conversing in the Old Language. I had not heard that tongue since my childhood, when my mother sang me to sleep with her lullabies.
They were too preoccupied to notice me, and so I sat the books down and listened intently as they talked.
The male began, "Eípe óti to stomáchi tis árchise na pligónei afoú fágame proinó, gi 'aftó ékane lígo tsái tzíntzer kai tis eípe na xaplósei." {She said her stomach started hurting after we ate breakfast, so I made her some ginger tea and told her to lie down.}
Annabelle responded, "Faínetai óti óli tin óra pou pérase meletóntas vótana dásos échei exoflitheí. Aftí tha prépei na aistháneste kalýtera se eláchisto chróno, kai boreí na párei píso stin agápi sas." {It seems that all the time you spent studying forest herbs has paid off. She'll be feeling better in no time, and can get back to loving you.}
He concluded, "Echeis to dikaíoma aftó. Écho kerdísei sígoura éna mátso filiá gia ti frontída tis." {You got that right. I've definitely earned a bunch of kisses for taking care of her.}
"May I cut in?" I inquired as I sauntered up to them.
They both turned to face me, the female smiling warmly and the male putting on a curious expression.
"Hello, Annabelle."
"Hello."
My eyes met the forest green ones of the blue-and-gold macaw, and I declared, "I'm Nikomedes… King Nikomedes. Who might you be?"
His pupils dilated, and I swore I saw a spark jump from his forehead to his beak.
"My name is Sigma, as in the eighteenth letter of the Old Language alphabet. I am honored to meet you at last, my king."
He unfurled his wing and held it out, numerous bolts of electricity coursing along the bones and up and down his feathers, buzzing constantly. I shook it heartily, my wing tingling as the bolts leapt to it.
When our wings separated, I asked quizzically, "How are you covered in electricity? Are you a living thundercloud or what?"
"Indeed I am," he replied, conjuring a blue-white ball of that element. He tossed it up in the air with his right wing, then caught it and repeated the process over and over.
"How did you become so talented?"
"I'm glad you asked. It's quite a 'shocking' story, if I do say so myself. When I was but a troublesome teenager at two years old, I was struck by lightning as a result of taunting a thunder dragon."
He flung the orb high above his head, and as it exploded, a miniature arc nailed him right on his head and swept over his body, doing no harm whatsoever.
"It killed me and scorched my feathers off, but they grew back, and I was revived somehow. I don't remember any of it, to tell you the truth, but I have faith in what my parents have told me. Ever since that day, I have been able to wield the power of the storm."
I was stunned, taken aback by both how unfortunate and fortunate he had been.
"You say… you say it burned your feathers away? You look fine to me," I squawked a few seconds later.
He whirled around and threw open his wings, turning his head and smirking at me.
From the back of his head to his tail was a jagged line of yellow feathers indicative of the path that deadly bolt had taken. An irregular stripe of golden plumes branched off from either side and ran along the leading edges of his wings.
A moment later, fresh sparks began scurrying up and down the patterns on his body as if they were conduits.
"Wow… that is spectacular! You are an extraordinary macaw."
He whipped around and tucked his wings against his sides. "If I received one coin for every time someone has said that to me, I would be rich. Thank you for your compliment."
"You're very welcome."
I breathed in and added, "While I was… eavesdropping, I heard you mention that 'she' was unwell. Who were you referring to?"
He chuckled and grinned, apparently thinking of her. "The female macaw I have been besotted with for three months. Her name is Autumn, and unlike most couples, she was the one who expressed interest me first. In accordance with her name, she has the most succulent golden-brown eyes."
"He says he's going to give it another month before he asks her to be his betrothed."
"Why wait, Sigma? Ambrosia and I professed our vows to each other after only a few weeks."
"Her parents and mine are saving up for the ceremony. I'd claim her as my own this very day if I had 75,000 in coins to spare."
"Speaking from a peasant's point of view, which I once was, that would seem like an extravagant amount to spend."
"You have a point, but in my defense, true love is priceless. She's so fascinating and irresistible, and now that I've fallen in love with her, I never want to turn back. I want our wedding to be perfect."
"I'd be a fool to argue with you there," I remarked.
"I hate to abandon you on such short notice, but I must go now to check on my dear Autumn. I-"
He squinted for a short while, picking up on something neither of us could her.
"How serendipitous! She just sent me a telepathic message saying that she sorely misses me and is asking that I head home."
"Then I won't keep you, Sigma. We will continue this conversation at a later date."
"That is very kind of you. Until we meet again, may the almighty gods bless you, my king."
"Likewise," I answered.
We bowed to each other, and he made a dramatic exit by transforming into a crackling ball of lightning and phasing clean through the door.
"An eccentric one he is, but luckier than most."
"The gods had a much larger plan in store when they infused his life back into his corpse. They tend to reward those who live virtuous lives."
I said proudly, "Someone like me, for instance."
"Yes, someone like you."
She switched to a steadfast tone and said, "Come with me, and I'll place you on the path to honing your skills."
We took flight and sailed over the desks, touching down next to the podium. She withdrew a fresh sheet of parchment and an ink jar from it, and then scooted it a few feet away.
She plucked a feather from her wing and suspended it in the air along with the other two items.
"I'll begin by asking you this: what's the heaviest thing you've ever lifted by yourself using your telekinesis?"
I thought long and hard, diving into my memory to come up with a satisfactory answer.
"Um… a fully-loaded bookshelf I think it was. I'd estimate it weighed forty pounds or so."
She dipped the shaft of the quill in the ink pot and wrote something down on the parchment, steering the feather with her mind.
"Why do you ask?"
"Because I need a baseline to help me in my calculations," she said intuitively.
She straightened her posture and queried, "How long did you lift it for? And how long was it until your stamina started draining away?"
"Perhaps a minute. And for the second question… thirty seconds, I suppose."
She scribbled my answers upon the tan paper.
"Alright, now that that's taken care of, there's something else I wish to know."
"Yes?"
"There are three core areas that you must master, and by doing so, you will perfect your telekinesis. Those are raw power, reflexes, and precision. Imagine them as the three points of a triangle. They influence each other, meaning that if you only work on one, you will not perform well in the remaining two."
She cleared her throat.
"In light of what I have told you, which subdivision would you like to concentrate on first?"
"Whichever one is the easiest."
She gave me an unimpressed glare.
"They all require the same amount of effort, Niko. If you don't shed your lack of confidence, you will only be holding yourself back. You must commit if you want to observe exemplary results."
"I was afraid you would say that…" I declared dully, rubbing my left wing bones against those of my right nervously.
"You can either stay so that I may teach you, or you may leave and find someone else to do it. It's your choice," she squawked sternly, revealing the tough side I hadn't known she possessed.
I sighed.
"I'll stay. I don't want to shame myself or convince you to think less of me. I suppose I'll go with raw power."
Serious Annabelle nodded decisively.
"In that case, I will have you lift progressively heavier and heavier things until you reach your absolute limit."
She grabbed three shiny gold bricks from the stack next to the front wall.
"Start by supporting these for as long as you can. They weigh just over seventy-two pounds in total."
I cleansed my mind and sucked in a fortifying breath. I latched onto them, and they were weightless until she retracted her unseen grasp.
I registered the tugging in my brain as I shouldered the 72 pounds of gold, my muscles tensing up as if that would help.
After sixty seconds, the mental strain elevated my body temperature a degree or two.
After sixty more, the bricks started sinking, and to deter them from doing so leeched my stamina even faster.
After just over four minutes, I was too exhausted to support them.
I blasted out a spent breath and released my hold. Annabelle deftly caught them before they smacked the floor and stowed them away with the rest of their brethren.
"Good work. Do tell me when your mind has recovered."
She wrote down another set of notes on the parchment, and I hunched over, panting.
Fifteen breath cycles later, I straightened my posture and said, "I'm ready to try something heavier."
She selected a dull gray block of material with a metallic odor.
"Here is a cubic foot of iron. It weighs 450 pounds."
I spouted incredulously, "What?! Isn't that going overboard?"
She raised one eyebrow, challenging me to complain. I groaned, but reached out and lashed bands of energy to the iron cube.
"Three, two, one, lift."
I complied, hoisting it an inch into the air. The pull I felt was so severe I thought I was going to be yanked off my feet.
I doubled over as if I had been kicked in the gut, my heart pounding in my chest.
My breaths became audible as I struggled, and I called it quits after a measly forty-five seconds. I slumped to my knees, flinging my wings out to break my fall.
I gasped, "That… was horrible… Annabelle…"
"Fine. I will only have you attempt to pick up one more object," she announced, dancing the quill across the paper.
I lingered in that position for ten agonizing minutes, and though I reclaimed my stamina, I had been weakened physically.
"Try not to run out the door screaming," she said.
I couldn't help but panic when I saw the oversized prop drift over – which she carried as if it was no more than a clump of dust. An elegant column one foot wide and eight feet tall towered before me, and my beak fell wide open.
"Here is your final test: a marble pillar that weighs 1000 pounds."
"But… but… that's impossible…"
"Just try, Niko. After this, you'll be done for the day, I swear."
I gulped and summoned every ounce of my fortitude, then lassoed the column and heaved upwards. The feat was punishing, and I was afraid that my head would be ripped from my shoulders.
By holding it a pitiful inch off the floor for five seconds, I had pushed myself too far. My mind fractured like the sheet of ice floating on top of a lake in winter.
The column dropped right away, unleashing a boom when it landed. I collapsed, striking the substrate face down as a moan crawled from my beak.
The last words I heard before I fainted were, "Oh dear… I knew this was going to happen…"
I came to after my mind had fused its shattered pieces back together. Two nearby female animals were discussing something as I resurfaced out of the sea of unconsciousness.
"I envy you."
"Why?"
"You have him, a partner to cherish and share your life with. I have everything but a companion."
"Are there any males here you are fond of?"
"No. I'd rather establish a meaningful bond with someone on the outside as you have done, a citizen raised in a calmer environment."
"Then you must foray into the world beyond the palace and advertise yourself, if you will. Most have heard of and read about Annabelle the godlike mage, but few have interacted in person with Annabelle the macaw. Your soul-mate is out there, but you aren't going to catch his eye by being cooped up in here the rest of your life, nor is he going to walk right in and ask you to be his beloved."
"I'll… I'll have to think about it. I'm the most optimistic bird in the world, but loneliness is starting to affect me."
I groaned and blinked my eyes open, realizing that I had been shipped to Annabelle's quarters. I twisted my head to the side and saw her and my queen sitting on the couch, the air laced with the tang of the moonberry wine they were imbibing from their goblets.
"Am-Ambrosia?" I called.
Both females waddled over to the bed I was reclined on.
"You were locked away in sleep all day. I didn't expect you to be knocked out for that many hours. I was too hard on you, even if I did get all the information I needed. I'm sorry," she squawked solemnly.
"I forgive you… just don't put me through that again…"
"I promise I won't."
"Thank you…" I mumbled.
"Come on Niko, it's late, and we should be in our own chambers by now."
Ambrosia helped me up, and I threw one wing over her back, as I was groggy.
"Good night, take care, and may the gods bless you," Annabelle said.
"Good night," Ambrosia replied.
"Good… night…" I finished.
Twice I stepped wrong on the staircase, and both of us would have tumbled all the way down if it weren't for her agility and strength.
I hung my head until we waddled into the throne room, at which point she stopped abruptly.
I heard the Old Language being spoken, and when I looked up, I saw who was uttering it.
Stella the fox was sitting on her haunches in the center of the atrium, facing the giant golden doors. Her eyes were closed, and her paws were pressed together beneath her muzzle.
"What… what's she doing?" I queried in a whisper.
She answered in a low voice, "She's praying to her maker, so that she may attain nirvana and become one with her inner self. Stella is one of the very few foxes who can do so."
"Her inner self? What do you mean?"
"Shhh, just watch…"
I trained my eyes on the crimson animal, wondering why nothing was happening… until something did.
Starting at the tip of her snout, her pelt turned silvery-white, and the color change swept down the rest of her body without generating sound or light.
Eight additional tails sprouted from her rump, wafting about in a mystical manner.
She then enlarged to one-and-a-half times her normal size and two extra eyes manifested on her face behind her original two.
Stella lowered her paws to the cold stone and turned her head, having known we were there all along. She pierced us with her eyes, four almond-shaped slits that were as yellow as the sun.
She beckoned to us with one forepaw, a content grin erupting on her muzzle.
When we came to within wing-reach, we halted. Stella noted my bewilderment and parted her jaws.
"What is the matter, my king? Have you not beheld the immaculate glory of a spirit fox before?"
Her voice was eerily divine, as it sounded like she was speaking with two harmonious tones using only one mouth.
"No… I haven't…"
She laughed a soft, ancient laugh and blinked her two pairs of eyes.
"This world is laden with hidden wonders, and countless citizens live and die without witnessing even one. I only enter my spirit form once a year to connect with the supernatural world, so let this be a sight that you do not soon forget."
I nodded my head slowly, feeling myself being drawn inexorably into her eyes and the inner universe behind them.
"You two run along now. I may only commune with my ancestors when no one is around. There are some rituals that cannot be observed by the eyes of lesser beings," she proclaimed.
Ambrosia muttered, "Of course. Good night, Stella."
"Eíthe oi theoí na parakolouthísete páno sas kai na sas prostatévei, enó oneiréveste." {May the gods watch over you and protect you while you dream.}
"Boreíte epísis," I replied, though my words were a bit sloppy. {You too.}
The spirit fox flashed me a toothy grin, then turned away and assumed a venerated pose.
I trudged into the private chamber with my queen, and we piled our robes on top of one another next to the bed. Our unclad bodies touching beneath the sheets, my partner kissed my nape as I flushed out my mind.
"I love you."
"I love you more…" she countered.
Her prolonged exhalation flowed over my neck, and she nestled her breast against my back. And so it was that, beneath the moon and the stars, we cast ourselves into worlds unknown.
I
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V