Feathers of steel

.4.

I was sleeping on my side... comfortably as I drooled on the pillow.... This was the best sleep I had in 5 days, honestly I don't think I've had any sleep since 5 days...
I feel the same soft breezy sensation on my cheeks as I half smiled in my sleep...
It was as if my parents kissed on my cheeks... While my mom sang my favorite lullaby....

It was ringing in my head as I dreamed of them spending their time with me, my dad teaching me to fly, my mom teaching me my abilities to shapeshift...

(I still can't shapeshift..)

I woke up slowly... Opening my eyes slowly as I let the morning sun rays into my eyes and breathe in this new fragrance of moist leaves and dewdrops..
Although, I'm not sure it was the sun rays cuz it was a glimmering blue color...

I give out a big stretch and a half yawn as I notice the room I'm in... Similar to the hospital I was in, but this was more like a bedroom... As if it were made for me to rest my body on...

The atmosphere was soothing with water droplets falling elegantly on leaves of a few plants in the room... It's like I've never been this relaxed in my entire life...

I try moving my body to sit straight... There's a pinching pain on my back as I see myself covered in bandages again... However I'm successful in sitting up...
I drop both my feet on the ground and stand up as I wobble uncomfortably towards a wall to take support of it...

For some unknown reason, my legs feel weak..
I hear a voice from outside my door..

"Dad! Have you seen Ping anywhere? She keeps getting lost!"
It's the same voice I heard back when I fell in the lake..

Was I in his house?

I wobble myself all the way to the balcony of the room I was in... I opened the windows and peeped out....
To my surprise, I was surrounded by water on all sides... Like a magical barrier was stopping the water to enter the room...

I realized I was still in the middle of the ocean..
That made me frustrated.. Although I still couldn't stop but feel mesmerized at the view and the atmosphere surrounding me..

Turtles, tiny whales, fishes, jellies and sea weed surrounded me... Moving in the water like a melody while the whales sang in all frequencies filling me with pleasure and calmness... I closed my eyes and smelled the watery air around me..

I left the railings for a split second, trying to stick my fingers through the magical barrier and into the water in front of me... I thought my legs were strong enough to balance my weight, but they weren't...
I stumbled back as I was about to fall down..

I gave out a small quiet yell as I started falling on my back..
I was a few inches from the ground when two arms wrapped around my waist and my head falling on a shoulder...

"Whoa.. You really should be careful.. It's a bit slippery here..." It was the same voice I heard before.. Just closer.. "Are you okay?" He asked...
Just before I was going to answer him... Someone came in behind him...
"Daiko what are you- oh my... The girl is awake?"
"Yeah! She slipped back and I caught her.."

So the name of my savior is Daiko.. Weird name..I thought to myself...
I turned my head back to see what was goin on while I was still in his soft but protective grip, as if he never wanted to let go... He looked about my age.. Maybe a few months older...

"Daiko, give her to me.." The lady told him...
The boy left me and the lady held me in her arms walking me back to the bed and laying me back down...

"Dear.. Can you hear me?" The lady asked me...

I wanted to speak but I couldn't mutter a word... As if my vocal cords didn't let me speak... I nodded my head up and down to say yes..

"Why aren't you talking?" She asked again...
I tried muttering a few words...

"Is this Kingdom Lythis?" I asked..
"Yes darling...it is... Do you remember your name?"
"Y..yes..." I mutter slowly..
"What is it? Your name..." I ignore her words..
"W..what happened to me?"
"Dear, you have been asleep since 2 days.. People are wondering what happened to you.."

My eyes widen as I realize it's been 8 days since the attack on my kingdom... "I need to go now!" I start scrambling out of bed and hopelessly fall on the ground again...
"Whoa hold on... You still need rest... You almost broke your wings..."
"Can you just tell me what happened to Entia? Please! I have to know!"

She looked at me with shock... "How do you know Kingdom Entia?"
"I...I live there..."
She stared at me with a worried face...
"But... How can your kind... I mean... An Avian.. Live in Entia... Isn't it only a place for humans..?"
"It is... but..."
"But?" She asked coming closer to me..

"...But my parents are from Balin, and my mom was a royal there... It was against the rules to fall in love with a common man and my dad was a common man.... So they were banished..."
There was a moment of silence as she looked at me...

"My my... That's horrific... So how did you-"
"I'm sorry but I can't answer more questions... Can you just tell me what happened to my kingdom...? Or tell me when will I be able to fly again and go to my kingdom.. Please..."

She gives out a sad sigh... "Very well... Well child, there's good news and bad news... The good news is that there was no harm done to most of your kingdom and the king still stands..."
I wait patiently for the bad news..
"And the bad news?"

"The bad news.. Is that 10000 men had died that day.. and it was said that they captured a shapeshifting lady... When I say 'they' I mean the king of Balin.. And he's keeping her in a cell...

"That's my mom..." I say looking down and feeling guilty.. "I let her get kidnapped in front of me... And I let my dad die with a sword in his chest.. In front of my eyes... And I did nothing but run away..."
"Don't blame yourself... You're a very brave girl."

I look away feeling disgust at myself..