Orenda

And He's Not

Hi everybody! Just want to say again, thank you so so so much for reading! I am really grateful, and I never thought this story would take off so this is super crazy! THANKS AGAIN TO SmileyHayley and DefinatelyNoOne for mentioning me on their feed!!! Super nice people, definately go and follow them!

Anyways, onto the story!

-- Ivy

1st person Alaynia P.O.V

"Are you packed, darling?" Philza is acting extra nice to me, probably because he realizes that I don't want to be pushed around like this.

"Yeah," I nod, gesturing to the small leather bag at my feet. It doesn't contain much, just a few extra pairs of clothes and a photograph of the entire family.

"Good, they're here. I've already met them, so say your goodbyes now," he replies, his voice gentle.

Hands wrap around me from behind, turning me into a larger person's chest. That doesn't really mean anything, because I'm the smallest person in the family. Mother was very small, and I was the only one to inherit her height. Well, and her eyes.

"Write, okay?" Wilbur's voice jerks me out of my thoughts.

I hug my twin brother tighter, "Of course, everyday."

"And stay safe, please. It will tear us all apart if you're hurt, Lain," he whispers.

"I'll do my best as long as you promise to do the same, tall guy," I answer.

I give him one last squeeze and step out of his arms. Immediately, I wrap Tommy up into a hug. He hesitates for a moment, but wraps his arms around me tightly. He rests his chin on the top of my head, and I smile into his neck for a moment as I remember a time when I used to be able to do the same thing.

"Don't get into trouble, okay?" I tell him.

"Me? Why would I ever get into trouble?" He shoots back in his indignant way.

"Tommy."

"Fine, I'll be my normal, perfect self for you," he grumbles back, but I can tell he's not displeased at all.

"Good. Take care, little brother," I respond, stepping back to rub his hair.

Techno stands off to the side, looking a bit uncomfortable with all of the attention. I don't care, and step forward to hug him. He doesn't even freeze, his arms wrap around me and lift me off of the ground. I hug him tighter, half afraid of falling but knowing that he will never let me.

"Don't get into too many fights," I murmur.

"Of course not," he rumbles, his voice vibrating in his chest. "Who do you think I am, little miss?"

"Hey! I'm the older one here!" I protest.

"And the smaller one. Take care of yourself, okay?" he sets me down and holds me at arm length.

"I remember a time when I used to put a band-aid on your cuts after you fell," I smile at him.

"So do I, but I think that time has passed. Take care, okay?" he smiles, too.

"I will, if you do," I say, stepping back.

There is one last person to say goodbye to, and I'm not sure how I'm gonna do it. I don't have much time to think about it, however. Philza's arms wrap around me and lift me off the ground, twirling me in a circle before setting me back down again.

"Goodbye, Alyana, take care of yourself for us please," he announces.

I nod, "You too, guys. I expect a letter every week."

"Of course, so long as you send yours," Philza agrees.

"I will," I turn to look at the carriage as it pulls up, dreading the moment that I must leave my family.

But the time has come, and I know I need to go. A man steps out of the solid metal structure, walking over to me.

"Hello, King Philza of the Winged Empire," he states, his voice even flatter than Techno's when he's bored.

"Greetings," he replies, easily jumping from his role of father to king.

"I am here to escort the Princess to our kingdom, may she come with me?"

Philza steps back, allowing me to be seen. I've already picked up my bag and slung it over my shoulder, so I take Philza's place in front of the man. He looks pretty normal as far as I can tell, tall with a brown beard and green eyes. I don't see him as much of a threat, and I can tell he knows this.

He steps back, his hand moving to gesture me forward. I walk towards the carriage, feeling a brush of air as he turns to follow behind me. Unlike my escort, the carriage is pretty intimidating. It's a solid metal structure, shaped like a box. A door in the center hangs open, showing me how thick the metal is. The inside of the box is dark, making me wonder what awaits.

Thankfully or not, I don't have to speculate for long. I walk up to the door, and a hand reaches out to pull me inside. I take it, accepting partly because the step is so high that otherwise I think I would have to literally jump in.

The door swings shut behind me, and I hear a click as it locks. A foreboding sensation begins to rise in my stomach, and I look around the pitch blackness with widened eyes. A lamp lights with a flare, and I see a silhoutte shaking out the match.

Then, my eyes adjust to the light and I can make out the person's details. He's much more intimidating than the other guy, but he looks pretty normal. He's wearing blue jeans and a flannel shirt, unbuttoned with a white undershirt that doesn't seem to hide his six pack. His face is sharp and cleanly shaven, he shows no emotion in his piercing blue eyes. He has straight brown hair, neatly cut and cowlicked at the front of his head.

"Well well well, Princess, it's nice to finally meet you. Greetings," he says, leaning back in his seat. "Make yourself comfortable, this isn't a short ride. I'm Adam, your proctector."

"I... my what?" I perch on the edge of my seat, not feeling very comforatable.

"Your protecter, my dear. It's my job to make sure you don't get killed," Adam replies casually, sitting back in his seat. "Do you prefer royal titles, miss?"

"No, my name is fine," I answer, a little bit absent-minded as I consider all of the ways I could get killed.

"Very well, then. What's your name?"

"Oh! Well, Alaina is fine," I respond, choosing a shorter nickname.

"Ooookay," his voice is slower, clearly realizing that Alaina is not my real name. "Well, Alaina, I hope you like water."

Sorry, forgot to do the bottom bold part! I know, this chapter was a bit sappy, but I promise that won't happen very often. I had to build up the plot a bit, and that resulted in writing this.

Hope you guys have a great day, and remember to drink water and sleep!

-- Ivy