Fledging

Chapter 29

Yes, dear readers you have seen right, FLEDGING IS BACK!! I managed to get through finals week alive (grades pending so we'll see how alive I'll feel when the grades are in) so hopefully I'll be having some more time this summer to work on this and, hopefully, get this book finished!! (about time, right?) So, super sorry for how long it's been BUT I hope this will make your a little mollified.

And now... PREVIOUSLY, on Fledging: Araceli and friends, including Kirym, Kenneth's new Sildwaa, have finally made it to the capitol, Veiliegstad, located on a series of sky pillars high above the sea, where they meet Arkell, the High Bladvier of the pavox as well as Araceli's brother. Araceli is surprised that Arkell not only doesn't know of her past enslavement, but that he seems to be deeply disturbed by the fact that she has been enslaved for the past decade. Throughout their conversation, Araceli has still not explained her handicap, too nervous to tell her new family. What will happen next?.... read on! And please tell me what you think! I love seeing comments! Of course I do enjoy the votes as well! *hemhem* :p

Chapter 29

The room we had flown into was simple with little ornamentation. Only a few statues of serious looking pavox with wings in various positions were scattered about the room. No carpets or tapestries covered the cool, gray stone that made up both the floors and the walls. The sounds of the talons and feet that shifted across it echoed off the enormous ceiling as we all landed in the room. I ignored the strange look Arkell gave me as I hopped off of Kirym and onto the stones with Amiri still perched on my shoulder.

When I pointedly ignored the Bladvier's silent question, he simply shrugged and led us towards a set of grand wooden doors, the only doors I had really seen as of yet when I thought about it.

Two guards stood in front of the doors, both had dark brown speckled wings flared out slightly from behind in an intimidating gesture. They were each armed with a spear that had a brown feather tied to the front for ornamentation or identifying purposes, I wasn't sure.

"Open the doors, they are awaiting our arrival. Best not to keep them waiting."

The guards bowed, flew up and with their talons, pulled the doors open by two large metal rings that were attached to the grand doors to reveal the room behind.

I couldn't help the light gasp that escaped my lips as I caught sight of the room.

A perfect circle, the walls were incredibly high with an assortment of circular openings placed meticulously around the sides that looked to lead off to different parts of the Aerie. The floor held an intricate design of a beautifully painted scene that depicted a single mountain rising high above the clouds with a series of what looked to be villages spread out across the base of the lone mountain. Resting just above the peak of the mountain was a pair of large wings that were painted to match my own.

Across from the doors, a series of wing beats high, rested a ledge that held four beautifully carved wooden perches attached to the rocky landing. My eyes soon stopped wandering around the amazing room as my sharp eyesight took in the two figures that were perched on the front most facing perches. They were both looking down at our group as we entered, their bodies stiff in formality as their eyes burned with curiosity. Both of them were dressed in pure white. The woman wore a white halter top that looked to be made purely of silk while the man had a soft looking shirt with a dipped neck that looked similar to the one my father back in the tribe used to wear. Both had a pair of matching half pants that covered their legs down to their knees, revealing only the scaled potion of the legs that lead down to a pair of talons whose sharp edges glinted in the light. Their perfectly poised wings ruffled for a moment and I realized that they must have spotted Dakarai and Ora. I tensed, waiting for some horrible misunderstanding to happen, but they only forced the unruly feathers back into their original positions with no other movement.