Starbird (UNDER MAJOR EDITING)

Chapter 8

Jorgen pov

The guard hits me over the head with the pommel of his sword again, but all I can see is Odette's face as they pulled her away from me. I turn my head painfully, and see the block they will behead me. Odette, please forgive me. They drag me up onto the platform by my arms, and I feel my neck being settled into place on the block. I love you, Odette. Just as I close my eyes, I hear a swan's squawk, and my eyes fly open. There she is, blinding and blowing guards over. I see her throw a whirlpool into one guard's mouth, and smile. Her eyes meet mine, and she looks up at the blade that's about to come down on my neck. Odette's black brows come together, and she swoops down to right above me. I feel her weight land on me, her arms wrapping protectively around me.

"Stop the blade!" The King yells, his face glowing red as he arrives. "If she dies, The Sun goes with her!"

"Right you are." She hisses, joining our wrists with light bands. "I die, The Sun's connection breaks, Sun explodes and dies, entire system goes. All those planets, all those Maidens. Do you really want, let's see, ten angry families coming down on you for killing their daughters? I think not." The King takes a step towards us, but Odette stands, wrapping me in a bubble of impenetrable wind. I pound on the bubble, and Odette turns to face me, turning her back on the King. He starts to sneak up on her, and I pound and scream at her from inside the bubble. She smiles, then whirls around just as the King jumps at her. She rises up into the air, sword in hand. "You get anywhere near me, and I will run you through, you divider." She grabs my hand and says, "This is my love, and you can do whatever you want with me, but you let him go. Or I will run myself through." The King's face changes as he sees the band of light that encircles our wrists and binds us together.

"Y-you get rid of that bind right now or I'll..." Odette bares her teeth.

"Not on your life." A man and woman who I assume to be Odette's parents fly down, the mother a dove and the father an eagle. The man looks at our wrists and nudges the mother. The mother looks, covers her mouth, and starts to tear up.

"Your Majesty, stop. If my daughter can link herself with the most powerful bond to this man, I think the prophecy has come true." Prophecy?

Odette pov:

Prophecy? About me?

"Father, what prophecy? There is no prophecy about me." I ransack my mind, trying to find any mention of a prophecy in my entire life. I fail.

"Yes, darling, there is. No Valenian should be able to link him or herself to a human, and definitely not with the bonds of light. Yet you can." I glance over to the King, who opens his mouth and spouts out,

"This is-!" I send a whirlpool into his open mouth, silencing him. Father smiles. I see a guard trying to sneak up on me through my periphery, and turn into a swan, forgetting for a moment the bonds around our wrists. I hear Jorgen's yell transformed into a squawk, and whirl around. He is a golden eagle, and he's flying! Or at least, trying to. I release our bonds, then go over to him and correct his form. Just then, I see a tiny little chickadee fluttering unsteadily towards me. I whirl around, and recognize Veriahn's eyes in it. I flap over to her in an instant, taking her tiny body gently in my mouth and landing on the ground. Veriahn changes back into a little girl, fuming.

"Viri, you shouldn't be flying alone so soon after turning!" She opens her mouth to retort, then closes it. I turn into a swan and flit over to her, rubbing my head against her cheek. She changes back into a chickadee, and flutters into the air. I flap up after her, using my beak to correct her form. Jorgen comes up behind me and nuzzles me. I bat him away, seeing a guard aiming for Jorgen's heart. I swoop down suddenly, knocking the guards bow out of his hands and snapping it. I snap his arrows too, grinding them to dust under my winds. I smirk as I fly back up to Jorgen, nuzzling him. I transform us both, and we drop to the ground. I feel a portal tug, and reach out for Jorgen's hand just as we are yanked away again.