Wings of Destruction and Duty

24.1 || Orion

"I forgot to ask, you aren't scared of heights are you?"

"You forgot to ask? You know, I've never had to confront that question while dangling for my life."

Orion raised his head to glare at Laurel, only to quickly change his mind as his stomach took another deep lurch. After a rough wake up call, her chipper voice was the last thing he wanted to hear. So he forced himself to stare at the tower they were currently hurtling towards.

"But you climb trees, don't you?

Orion sighed, "I know this might be hard to believe but clinging onto a pigeon's foot is not the same as climbing trees."

He wriggled, lodging himself squarely in the centre of her claws and desperately hoped that Romril's spells would hold. The plan was straightforward, Orion would sneak into the palace in the form of a lizard and Laurel would be his guide. But now, when faced with a mob of rowdy birds and crumbling parapet ledges, Orion regretted not pushing further.

Mottled stone surged before his vision and he scrambled up Laurel's leg. She yelped and shook him off, hurling him into the wall. Orion scrambled, tail flailing, and latched onto the ledge lest he find himself tumbling towards the ground. He grunted, thankful for the grip provided by his lizard feed and quickly spun around to check if all his limbs were attached.

The sun had yet to fully rise but high on the ledge of the tower wall, Orion could make out most of Alstra and its expansive domain. It struck him, and he finally understood why his Aunt Reuna had often referred to the citadel as a place of manicured beauty.

"You shouldn't have done that."

"I beg your pardon?" Orion turned to see the elf glaring at him and feathers rustling, she picked him up and placed him squarely on the stone path that paved the outer wall.

"Climbing my leg without warning was a dangerous thing to do. I could have dropped you onto the ground. Then what would we do? I'd have killed a boy who's yet to see the world."

Orion laughed. "I see you've finally grown a conscience."

"And what do you mean by that?"

"You worry about killing me yet you won't let me go."

"That is not a decision that I, or anyone can make." Laurel sighed and gestured to his front leg with her beak and Orion didn't have to look down to know what she was referring to. When Romril had begun his transformation, Orion had a glimmer of hope that the queen's bracelet would slide off and onto the ground. But the queen had been disappointingly clever and the bracelet had altered itself into a dark band just above his claw.

He had no escape from her watchful eye.

There was a flurry of movement and when Orion glanced over. Laurel had taken a swipe at a crow who had hopped over to investigate Orion's form. It cawed before rising, taking to the skies with a rude look in its eye.

"I'm going to take that as a sign that you need to get inside."

"What–"

"I may not have much control over your condition, but by the very least, I won't get you killed. You have my promise."

With one swift scoop, Laurel had grabbed him in her beak and fluttered towards a thick wooden door. Its underside loomed before him and suddenly Orion was struck by the desire to run for the nearest hole and hide. They had no plan, not even a map, and the Dilid queen had made it unbearably clear that failure was not an option.

He took a deep breath to steady his uneven heartbeat. Then a gentle prod on his tail made him jump and when he spun around, he caught sight of Laurel with her foot in the air. Unblinking, she prodded him again.