Moon Flowers (Book 1 of the Flower Trilogy) #Wattys2016 #Featured

CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR -- PHI (Edited

PHI'S POV

I was trapped in a dream from which I could not awaken. I was moving through the sky, escaping the prospect of hell that gloomed on me, when a shadow encircled me, stripped me of my power to act or speak. I was only able to open my eyes when I felt someone's insisting glare on me.

I came face to face with Agamet, the man who had betrayed my father. I was small. He was gigantic, with piercing eyes and a nose that looked more like a beak. He reminded me of a bird of prey.

I looked around to familiarize myself with my new surroundings. It was a village of around ten long huts covered in tree barks. A line of tall dead trees circled the village, pointing in all directions to form a palisade.

Smells of freshly cooked food filled the air. They were eating plants I had never seen before. Curious plants with grains of different colours as well as a wild sort of rice. I had arrived in the middle of their evening meal.

That's when I noticed around fifty set of eyes were on me. Men, women and children. And especially Agamet's, whom I could tell my red eyes and dark wings intrigued.

I jumped off his hand as gracefully as I could and regained my usual size. I walked to the fire near him and warmed myself up by the flames. The night was cold. I had no idea how I'd gotten here, but I was sure that Halia and Tönx had something to do with it. Maybe they were even watching from afar?

"I take it that you are one of the new comers and you are here to ask me for my help," he said.

I didn't answer him. Could I really seduce this . . . creature?

It's not that he was repulsive. He carried an imperious nose, angular cheekbones, a basalt jaw. A side of his head was shaved completely while the other sported a long set of jet-black hair, and he had broad shoulders that contributed to his imposing and somber demeaonor.

I bit my lips, inhaled deeply, and tugged my long hair over my shoulder before attempting a smile.

"Who are you?" he asked again.

I shuddered. He hadn't seen me on the fortress wall. He didn't even know I'd witnessed my people getting slaughtered, my own father having his hand severed.

With great effort, I kept my composure and stared right into his eyes and began to dance while singing the story of my ancestors.

"A prince walked in a forest that was once like gardens.
He looked at the flowers as they came alive
And showed him a path to follow
Far away from the men's trail.

In their turn, the perfumes in the air

Whisper to him to follow the river
He listened the birds' songs
They seemed like voices to him

And he suddenly opened his eyes
To see a bird from paradise

The bird came down from the heaven

Its wings brushing against the trees

The prince did not dare to move

For fear that the bird would leave

That, for the prince, would be the cruellest of losses
He sees the bird land by the shore
Plucking its feathers one by one while dancing

After the feathers were removed in graceful movements

The prince discovered a girl like he had never seen
She was bird, flower, water, scent.

She was the prettiest of all women.

He approached so gently, so reverently

She did not flinch when she saw him near