A/N: Another update. Thanks to all who reviewed! ^_^

Sparrow

A fanfiction by Ruff Collie

Chapter Eight-Crown Part II

Previously:

Faleron, a bit puzzled, sat next to Kel on the bed, and stared up into Ilane's enticing golden eyes. The Baroness cleared her throat, and began.

"Keladry, I am many different people to you. I am Crown, the leader of your sparrow flock, I am Baroness of Mindelan, and I am also Queen of the Court of Sparrows." Noticing the astonished look on Kel's face, Ilane grinned slightly and continued. "Baron Piers, Keladry, is not really your father. He is merely there to be a father figure to you while you are visiting Mindelan. Your real father, King Sclon, is far to busy too take care of you. He has kept watch over you, as have I, in the form of Freckle the sparrow. I watched you as Crown. And you, Keladry of the Sparrows, are crown princess to our realm."

Kel's mouth dropped open in complete shock, and she stared at her mother. The squire's mouth quivered slightly as it all hit her at once. Her hazel eyes were wide, glinting with a strange light. These features only lasted a few seconds. Kel's Yamani mask slid into place, and she stared at Ilane with a sort of quiet acceptance.

Faleron's reaction was the complete opposite. He jumped up from the bed with a yelp, staring at the Queen of Sparrows with shocked brown eyes. He tried to speak, but found he couldn't. Kel would've laughed, had it not been for the situation.

"W-W-Wha?" Faleron sputtered, finally recovering from the shock. "You mean...Kel's royalty?!"

Ilane nodded solemnly, and glanced at the quiet lady squire.

"Yes. Very important royalty, too. As I said, she is crown princess of the Sparrows."

The Sparrow Queen looked at her daughter, and sighed. Keladry didn't seem to be taking it very well. Ilane put a reassuring hand on the princess's shoulder, and she looked up. Ilane spoke in a soothing voice.

"Kel...it's okay. I know how sudden this is for you. And there is another thing, if you can handle it so soon..."

The Queen looked critically at her daughter with beautiful golden eyes, which glinted with question.

Kel nodded slowly, focusing her gaze on her tightly clasped hands.

"Yes mother," she said in a soft voice, which was laced with confusion. The squire stared up at her mother. "What is it?"

Ilane hesitated, and wiped a long strand of white hair out of her pale face before continuing.

"Your father and I are stepping down from the throne soon, which means you must soon rule. And a Queen may not go without a King." Ilane looked softly at Kel, then continued. "Which means you must marry soon. Either by arranged marriage or out of love." The Queen seemed to direct a smile towards Faleron for a second, before she focused again on Kel.

Kel nodded emotionessly, and Ilane stretched her feathered wings restlessly. She glanced out the window, and sighed. Her golden eyes snapped to the door, and the Queen smiled slightly.

"Well," she said, "I must be going now. Oh, and Faleron. Before I forget."

Faleron had been in a daze this whole time. As soon as Ilane said his name, the squire snapped out of it, and glanced up at her.

"Yes, your highness?"

The Queen pulled out a sheathed dagger and pressed it into Faleron's hands. She smiled.

"This is for you. It's a magical dagger. Just unsheath it, say the word 'sparrow', and something will happen. The same goes for you with the ring, Kel, except you must put it on."

Ilane's eyes glittered with a strange light, and she placed the circlet of white birch she had been holding on to Kel's head. The Queen pushed it down so that it encircled her forehead. Without saying another word, she left.

Kel blinked at the wordless exit, and then her Yamani face fell through. Her eyes widened, and she fingered the branch around her forehead softly, feeling the smooth wood pass under her finger tips.

Faleron sighed, wrapping an arm around her shoulders and pulling her close. The lady squire closed her eyes wearily, enjoying the comfort and warmth she got from him. For once, all of Kel's problems were wiped away from her mind. A soft fuzzyness filled the princess, and she sighed quietly. Suddenly, she pulled away from him, and stood up.

Faleron looked at her questioningly. She only smiled, and slipped the strange ring on to her ring finger. She brought it to her lips.

"Sparrow," she whispered, closing her eyes tightly.

Everything whirled sickiningly around Kel, and she felt herself growing smaller every second. Soon, she was the size of a small bird. The size of a sparrow. Glancing at her arms, she discovered that they were wings. A tiny band of gold was imprinted on her feathers, which she assumed was the ring. The squire gave a loud squawk of suprise, and flapped her wings. She looked up at Faleron, who's mouth was hanging open. She cheeped and motioned with her wings towards the window sill.

Faleron picked her up carefully, staring at the small bird curiously. He set Kel gently on to the window sill, and watched.

Kel lifted her wings, feeling wind from the open window blow against them. Suddenly, she jumped, flapping her small brown wings hard. Somehow, she knew naturally how to fly. Finding a suitable wind current, she glided down to a tree and alighted on to a branch. The princess looked up at the window, to see Faleron hanging out of it looking for her wildly. A small 'cheep' emerged from her beak, and she found another wind current. Taking flight, she flew back up to the window sill and landed.

Faleron let out a cry of relief. She was okay.

Suddenly, Kel started to glow green. Her form grew bigger and more human like, until she was the human Kel again. But there was one major difference. She had sable feathered wings emerging from her back. They were not too big, yet strong enough to carry her in flight if she wished.

Kel fell into the room, landing on the floor with a 'thump'. She picked herself up quickly, a slight scowl present on her face.

Faleron stared at her in wonder, then rushed up to her and embraced her tightly, careful to hold her so he wasn't touching her wings. He breathed in her familier scent, and then pulled away from her slightly.

"Kel!" he exclaimed. "Don't ever do that again! You didn't know you could fly, did you?! You could've-"

Kel shook her head, and put a finger to his lips to quiet the worried squire.

"No," she replied. "I'm fine, and that's all you need to know. Don't worry about the whatifs. Concentrate on what has happened. That's what matters most."

Faleron nodded, and suddenly pulled her into a passionate kiss. Kel gasped, and threw her arms around him, embracing him tightly. They held the kiss for a long time, that is, until the lunch bell rang. The two jumped apart, and rushed out of the door towards the mess hall. Kel's wings mysteriously disappeared as she ran, as did the circlet of white birch.

~~

The next week passed quickly, strangely calm. Kel and Faleron kept a watchful eye on Owen, but he was his same old jolly self. The pair didn't even have any dreams. But Kel feared something was coming, and they needed to be aware of it.

"Faleron..." she said quietly one night at dinner, "I think something's going to happen. I don't know what, but I know it will be big. I'm worried."

Faleron glanced at the worried young lady, and squeezed her hand tightly for comfort. Kel smiled slightly, but fear still gnawed at the edge of her mind.

She wouldn't being letting up her guard anytime soon.

~~

The next afternoon, Kel was practicing with her glaive in the practice courts, when a small page scurried in. The squire lowered her weapon, and grinned at him. The page grinned back, and bowed.

"Squire Keladry," he said politely, "His majesty requests your presence in the throne room immediatly."

Kel sighed, and put away her glaive. She then started out towards the throne room at a quick pace.

~~

The lady squire burst through the door of the throne room, rushing in. She noticed Faleron was there, along with someone else.

"Mother!" Kel cried, shocked. Her eyes widened to see her mother in her Sparrow form. Wings and all.

King Jonathan smiled at Kel, and nodded, acknowledging her presence.

"Welcome, cousin," he said, using the term royalty used for other royalty.

Kel stared at her mother. There was only one person who could've told, and it was her. Ilane looked at her with piercing golden eyes, and suddenly the princess's back felt weighed down, and she felt something grasping at her forehead. Her normal clothes disappeared, and instead she was clothed in a white silk shirt with long sleeves, and a deep blue dress tunic the color of the ocean that reached to her knees. She wore black breeches which reached to her ankles.

Kel stared at Ilane, her mouth hanging open. She then turned her gaze to Faleron, and gasped, hazel eyes widening in suprise.

~~

A/N: * cackles* If I'm correct, this is a cliffie. I want at least 5 more reviews for the next chappie. R/R