Forever

"You will be Tuuli Thea, and you will continue this reign with all the power in you. Your birthright is to die for it, for it should have been you dead in Ecl."

My grandmother's voice echoed in my head as I kept flying.

The wind sifted through my feathers and hair as I pushed myself harder and harder to fly as fast as I could. Breathless as the wind changed direction and I was flying against it, already struggling as it shifted down a little and pressed my wings down.

Hearing the faint screeches and yells of the guards chasing me down caused my skin to crawl, they were only fulfilling the orders of my mother and grandmother; none of them wished to bring me back to that wretched island. They knew what was to happen to me when I was brought back, but the spells binding them to the royal family forced them to capture me.

Most of my people agreed that the war started centuries before with the serpents, should end and soon. But the older generations, the ones that have been around since the beginning were still in power. But with me coming into power meant change, and not the one the people were in favor for.

Plunging down as a huge gust of wind knocked into me brought the ocean closer, the spray of the waves blinded me. I was that close to the water than I had initially guessed.

Banking hard, I took off to my left, the way the closest land was. I heard a few splashes and yells of order as they realized I had changed direction.

A laugh had bubbled up into my lips, just as I felt a hand on my arm. I gasped as the freezing water swallowed me whole.

The hand turned into arms wrapping around me as they kicked us back up to the surface. The sight of black hair waved into my view.

Breaking the surface, I gasped loudly. "Rei! What are you doing?!" His feathers melted against his flushed cheeks as he released his demi-form.

"Saving your feathers! Take a deep breath for me, Danny." He gulped the salty air just as I did and we went back under.

His family was considered royalty, they were the second oldest clan beside my line. Though his consisted of mainly males and mine females, they were not allowed to rule. He is my best friend here, I knew he would do anything for me. But this was far from what I expected from him.

If I were not able to find a mate, then the eldest male of the three other lines were offered up. Rei would be one of them, I wouldn't have minded being his for my life. But something tugged at my heart each time I thought about the other realms. I knew I was not Rei's, just as he was not mine. Relieved and sad at the revelation still.

He let go of me and pushed me the way the waves were going. I started swimming as he swam above me, probably covering me from the guard's sharp eyes. The ice cold water started to affect me, piercing my skin under my feathers and causing a chill to race back and forth on me.

Feeling a weird pressure on my chest, I pushed up into Andreios to get him to stop for air. He pushed me back down and pointed, almost angrily, to the ledge coming up. He kept pushing me to it, the need for air getting stronger the more he pushed. I started thrashing, my arms hitting him pretty hard despite the water resistance.

My head hit something hard as I thrusted backwards, the water filling my mouth as the darkness took over me.

Gagging, my stomach heaved its salt water contents onto the cold ground. I heard heavy breathing to my right and I reacted. I swung my legs to the side and kicked as hard as I could. The figure grunted and tried to grab my legs, fingers sliding against my skin just as they grabbed a handful of my hair.

"Danica! It's me!" The rough voice whispered harshly as they pulled me to them. I caught a scent of Andreios and forced myself to calm down. The need to flee was tight in my stomach, I wanted out and away from him and this place. The Avians won't welcome a fleeing falcon, especially with the gold marks marring my skin.

"I know what you're feeling, Danica and I swear to you I will help you out of this."

"And how do you propose to do that, Andreios? Keep me hidden in caves? Turn me over to the Serpiente and hope they don't tell Tuuli Thea? Let me go." His grip around my waist tightened, then he rolled away, pushing me lightly away as he did so.

"Through Ecl."

Air evaded my lungs. I looked at him and glared daggers at his back. Hie dark hair stuck to his skin, the light clothing sagged with the weight of the water.

"You would let the mad take me rather than my own people? You're not a protector-"

"Get through that and you will be free of this place. I'm doing my best to protect you and this might be the only way."

"You're asking me to give up my abilities and freedom for the world of the lost. To be in pain without my wings."

"I'm asking you to live! Tuulia Thea has worse for you to bear than the loss of your wings. Running away is only five spells lashed into your skin, but a royal to run away..."

"Leave, Andreios." I felt sick to my stomach. Chills shook my body as the thought of running to shm'Ecl. I have control of my powers, I was in control. Not the magic in my blood. I would be killing myself going there willingly.

"I am bound to you. I will do anything to protect you and you know that. It's just shm'Ecl. You can get out if you want, yes?"

"Leave." Standing, I grabbed his right right forearm and removed the spell binding him to me.

The tree branches breaking behind me was the only motivation I needed to find a portal and fast. Yells about my whereabouts were being directed behind me, sounding as if they were right on my trail. I didn't dare look behind me, the forest changed periodically and I didn't want to get a branch to the face going this speed.

The low whooshing sounds the passing trees made echoed in my ear and reminded me that I was definitely on the run.

Ducking a low branch, I was knocked to the side by a shifting tree, said tree groaning and voicing his or her annoyance. Sliding in the dirt and coming to a faster stop than I wanted, I ran into a stump and was flung into the air. Wrapping my wings around me, I crashed into trunks and bushes.

My wings were as tough as any metal forged. Being a pure Peregrine Falcon had some incentives. But definitely more cons.

Feeling myself slow enough to start another run, I unfurled and kneeled in the wet grass of a clear meadow. My breathing was heavy as I tried to get my sense of the surroundings.Everything was quiet and still, the light mist seemed to swirl upwards towards the sky. Flashes of lightning started above the canopy, turning a purple and green as a low rumbling started.

Standing up, I walked to the center of the meadow and looked into the clouds. Realizing I found a portal to the other dimensions.