I always woke before Urban so It surprised me that when I woke that morning he was not there by my side. I felt around the makeshift bed, before opening my eyes and coming up cold. He wasn't there. I instantly began to panic, the last time I had woke and he hadn't been there I had been ambushed by a jealous dancer, and almost beaten unconscious. I took a couple of deep breaths before pulling my self to my feet. I pulled on a light weight robe and continued out into the nest.
It was buzzing as It always was, with dancers talking and dancing and cuddling and what not, but as I scanned the room I found no Urban. I closed my eyes begging no tears of fear to come. As I focused on breathing I felt a cold hand on my shoulder, and a soft voice in my ear.
"Calm down, Cori, His parents, from the palace, stopped by earlier, he is showing them around wyverns court, no need to get worked up over nothing."
I turned to see Aleya giving me a calming smile, and I exhaled letting all of the unwanted tension melt away.
"Thanks Aleya, but I get the feeling you have been watching me again, I must say there is no need, I'm almost an adult I can take care of myself." I said, becoming slightly irritated. I pushed the irritation from my system, that was the hormones talking not me.
"Im no stalker Cori, I care about you and I don't want anything to happen to you or the baby…Besides I bored." She sighed scanning the nest. Jay, the dancer who had been courting her had gone away with his sibling to tour the Mistari lands, and he wouldn't be back for 3 weeks. It was obvious that Aleya loved him, and him her, but Aleya being the stubborn dancer that she was insisted it was just another fling. And she hadn't been her usual happy go lucky self since he had left. I rolled my eyes and her dramatic attitude.
"Well, I haven't been to the market in a while…why don't we go, just you and me, It will be fun and maybe It will ease the boredom, until Jay gets back." I suggested, trying to sound excited. I was never excited to go to the market, because of the pregnancy, although most people didn't look close enough, there were always those few who noticed. I didn't really care if a serpent noticed, girls my age being pregnant wasn't uncommon, but when Avians saw me they scowled, or glared, and turned away embarrassed to even look at me. For avians a 17 year old girl being pregnant was shocking, because most avian ladies were married when the were about 20, and had children after that.
Aleyas face physically brightened, as a smile spread across her face.
"Yes lets go!!" she almost screamed, grabbing my wrist and pulling me towards the door. But I stopped her coming to an abrupt halt.
"Aleya, Aleya stop! I am not ready, my hairs a mess, I'm barley dressed just give me maybe five minutes and I will be ready, I promise."
She put on her pouty face, but I resister her bright green eyes puppy dog eyes, and started to get ready.
--
The market was extremely bust, because it was Saturday, and I was beginning to regret coming. I hadn't gotten any looks yet, but I was getting bigger every week and it was only a matter of time until everyone in wyverns court knew. I didn't want to be made a spectacle of. Yes Me and Urban were have the first mixed baby since Zane Cobrianna, and Danica Shardea, but it was no big deal. Our baby would not be a wyvern because when a sparrow and a raven mate, it will be 50/50 chance, and it is the same if say, a python and red rat mate, therefore, Urban and mine baby will either be a raven or a python, not both.
Aleya and I walked the streets, greeting those who talked to us, holding up clothing, and looking at artwork, The usual. The day was becoming uneventful, boring. Aleya and I had gone through this routine so many times that I could walk through the market with my eyes closed. We needed something new, something exciting. Then I got an idea. Aleya noticed at a wide grin spread across my face, and my eyes lit up. She began to back away because she knew what that look meant, and I had suggested it before and she had always denied.
"come on, Aleya, Please!" I begged, using her famous puppy dog eyes that she had just used on me this morning. "Please….?"
Her answer was short and quick, "No!"
I continued to fight, "Please, Aleya for me, Please…." I begged dropping to my knees, partly as a joke partly because I wanted it that bad.
"I swear to the gods, If you drop me…" she trailed off in a warning.
"YES!!" I jumped up squealing like a little serpent girl. A hadn't been this excited in months, but I was also very nervous. "I promise I wont drop you, I swear."
She sighed shaking her head not truly believing me, but not wanting to mess with my very irritable pregnant attitude.
"Alright well…turn around, and put your arms out." I instructed, and she obeyed turning hesitantly, after giving me one last searching look. "now im going to wrap my arms around your chest, and I need you to hold on to my arms…Ok?"
"O-Ok…." She was trembling slightly, and her response was less that comforting. I wrapped my arms around her and felt her hands tighten on my wrists in a vice like grip. She gulped. I closed my eyes and let my sleek black raven wings sprout from my back, letting my demi form take hold. I unfolded them, and spread them wide, letting the gentle breeze caress them. I tightened my grip on Aleya, and I felt her shake in fear.
"Ok…You ready?" I tried to ask gently but I couldn't keep the excitement out of my voice.
"Y-Yes….I'm ready…" She stuttered, trying to be brave.
"Ok here we go…Three…two…one…"
And then we were flying. Aleyas screams filled my ears, for the initial take off, but they eventually died down. I beat my wings in a steady rhythm, swaying slightly and not taking many sharp turns as to not frighten Aleya. Aleya had stopped shaking and now she was screaming for me to go faster. And I did. I sped to my breaking point of speed, reaching the max that my demi form could handle. I glided over the nest in graceful motion. If I came upon another bird I would nod, in greeting while they stared. It was amazing and exhilarating, and absolutely beautiful.
I had always wanted to do this with Urban but he absolutely refused, and had all intention of keeping his feet firmly planted on the ground below.
We flew for about an hour before I came to a graceful stop in front of the huge wyvern statue. I unwrapped my arms from Aleya, and shrunk my wings back into my back, And turned to talk to my recently released passenger.
Aleya stood dumbfounded, her mouth hanging open, her eyes slightly glazed over in amazement. A huge grin spread across my face.
"So…did you like it?" I asked quietly, pretty sure that her answer would be yes.
"Like it…Like it….I absolutely loved it!" she laughed giving my a huge hug, and jumping up and down. "It was amazing…so fast…Is it always like that?" she asked curiosity coating her tone.
"Well, Its a lot faster when I'm in my full form, and not demi but…" I trailed of as I saw a familiar face in the distance.
His hair was dark, as were his eyes, but they held a certain happiness. His face had aged slightly and lost some of its roundness, but he looked like the same person.
There standing in front of the huge wyvern statue, a smile on his face, looking at me, was My childhood friend, the boy I had once loved.