Melez reveled in the surge of adrenaline that ran through her body.
"The more you practice with your wings the sooner you can visit
here whenever you like..." She looks over to him. "Are your wings
tired?" She smiles widely as she watches an eagle fly even higher
over her head.
"A little bit," Caelum admitted, following Melez's regard and
smiled, watching the hawk fly. He knew at this time that his wings
were getting sluggish with their flutters, and soon he would need
to stop. It was taking him a fair bit of energy and perseverance
just to stay steady, and the possibility of falling was growing
steadily more likely. He tried not to panic and turned to Melez,
asking desperately, "C-can we go down now?"
She chuckles. "All you had to do was ask..." She pulls him closer
and wraps one of her arms around his back, under his wings. "You
might want to bring your wings in..." She grins wickedly.
Caelum felt a bit nervous, but obliged to Melez's suggestion,
folding his wings in. With a surprised yelp, he clung onto Melez
for dear life, staring down below, his joy quickly replaced with
anxiety.
She laughs as she leans forward and folds her wings around them
both as they dive towards the ground. Passing through the clouds
they rapidly approach the trees as she spreads her wings they slow
quickly and land on the ground gently. She smiles. "That is one of
my favorite things to do! What do you think?" She said still
holding him.
"It was... fast," Caelum breathed, a bit overwhelmed by all of the
things rushing past him at once. He let go of Melez and immediately
fell over, face-planting into the ground. He wrinkled his nose and
pushed himself up to a sitting position. He proceeded to brush the
dirt off of his shirt and he looked up at Melez. "I guess that I'm
not used to transitioning from being in the air to being on the
ground yet..."
She reaches down and offers him her hand. "It just takes practice.
You can do a lot of amazing things up there..." She smiles. "They
give you an amazing advantage with so many things..." She says very
cheerfully. As though flying is the most amazing thing to her.
Caelum nodded. "Yeah. But... I can't use them very much because I
walk around the town so much. Sometimes I stretch them out when I'm
here, but other than that I keep them in. I don't want people to
think that I'm weird because I have wings."
She knelt down beside him as her wings folded in under her shirt.
"You shouldn't ever be ashamed of what you are. I am not ashamed,
though it may seem like it at times..." She sighs and sits. "I like
who and what I am. It is other people who don't like me... So I
keep it a secret... But you... You are young! And should have
nothing to hide! If someone has a problem with your wings they can
take it up with me. Sound like a deal? You don't have to have your
wings out all the time... But don't feel like you need to hide
them..." She smiles gently.
Caelum smiled from Melez's words. "It's a deal!" he exclaimed,
realizing how grateful he was to have come across this woman. She
was kind, wonderful, and she could fly. She gave him
shelter, food, and treated him well. "Thank you," he muttered
aloud, and pulled Melez into a hug.
Her eyes widen as he hugs her but they eventually close and she
wraps her arms around him. Thinking how happy he makes her feel. He
makes her feel useful, and not just for protection or as a soldier.
"You're very, very welcome Caelum." She gives him a little squeeze
before saying, "It is getting a bit late... We should probably head
back to my room..."
Caelum nodded and gently pulled away from the hug. "Okay," he
agreed. He was feeling a bit tired, though flying probably
contributed to that. The sun was setting, turning the sky a bright
orange-red.
She stands up and offers him her hand once more. "Oh, and do you
have any extra clothes?" She asks as she remembers that using your
wings creates rips in your shirt, unless you remove it.
She smiles. "That just means that tomorrow we will have to bring
you to the tailor's to get some new clothes! It is not a problem,
so no need to be sorry." She starts walking back to town. "Come
on... And we'll have dinner in the tavern... My employer will want
to meet you..." She chuckles.
Caelum apologized again (albeit quietly) and followed her into
town. "What is your employer's name, Melez?" he asked, following
beside her. He looked up at her with curious eyes. "Is he nice?"
She smiles. "He is very nice, his name is Henry. He is letting me
stay for free there as long as I protect the place... Also my food
and drink is free. I'm sure that he would be willing to give me a
discount for your bed and food..." She looks to him. "I think you
will like him and I know he will like you!"
"Wow, he sounds almost as nice as you!" Caelum blurted out, then
grinned sheepishly. "Sorry. But he does sound really nice. Maybe,
instead of you paying for my stuff, I could work for it. I think I
could get all of the empty glasses and dishes and maybe even wash
them..." he began to offer, thinking of what else he could do.
She blushes and looks over at him. "I'm sure he would appreciate
the help!" She looks up to the town getting closer and closer. "No
one can know I have wings okay? You must tell no one. Understand?"
She says almost nervously.
Caelum nodded seriously. "Yeah. I won't tell anyone. Ever."
He kept walking. "Um... and can you do the same for my wings? I
mean, not tell anyone about them."