Starbird (UNDER MAJOR EDITING)

Chapter 19

Odette pov:

I wait in the arena, pulling up my powers. Please, Manarak, help me defeat this power-hungry divider. Keep my family safe. King Frederic walks into the arena, his chest puffed up and his long purple velvet cape trailing behind him. I roll my eyes at his arrogance.He can't fight in that. He takes off his cape, and then removes his crown. I pull out two ice blades, sharpening them to a lethal point. He pulls up fire, but it isn't royal. I circle around him, waiting for him to take the first move.

"What's the matter, Starbird, too afraid to make a move?" He asks me, taunting.

"No, just waiting to see if you're too cowardly to not make the first move." At that, he lunges, his fire flying towards me. Having predicted that by his stance, I leap aside, flinging ice shards at him. He tries to move out of the way, but a few of them embed themselves in his meaty body. He shrieks, and I fling more shards at him, along with gusts of wind that wind around him and bring him down. I send my fire to surround him, and he backs away from the fire as it grows closer. I walk over to him, walking over the ring on air. I wipe the ring away in a motion, and land gently in front of the king. The ground cracks beneath him, and I hold him up by a string of air, just waiting to hear his pleas for help.

"Please, don't kill me, please! I won't do anything ever again, please!"

"You'd better not, or I will burn you till there is nothing but ash left of you." He stands, and starts to walk away, and I turn away too. Just then, I feel a whoosh of wind, and I whirl around. Jorgen is on the ground, with long, wide icicle sticking out of his chest. I throw the largest, brightest fireball I have ever made towards King Frederic, and watch as his cowardly, murderous face is consumed by fire, till it is nothing but ash. Royal fire? What? I drop to my knees next to Jorgen, and carefully melt away the icicle, leaving the open wound. I spin a thread of naeri, and gently sew the wound closed, pulling out all the dirt and grit of the arena floor. Jorgen whispers to me,

"Odette, you are a princess. Live as one, and take the throne that is rightfully yours."

"You will take it with me, my prince." I smile, the tears coming to my eyes at seeing Jorgen in pain and not being able to do anything about it. He smiles, and whispers,

"I will burn to be with you." I light a fireball, and bestow it upon me. I feel myself being engulfed in the flame, and feel it travel to Jorgen, till we are both naught but ash. Slowly though, I feel myself coming back together, and I feel warmth coming back to Jorgen's hand. I open my eyes, and I see Jorgen's flutter open. "Love?" I say, unbelieving. He is covered in ash, and motion obviously hurts.

"I'm here." He whispers. I fling my arms around him, forgetting his wounds. He winces, and I pull away, smiling like an idiot. Jorgen tries to sit up, and I help him, only to kiss him like it's my dying day. Jorgen smiles at me, and I feel his arm thread it's way around my back. I help him up, and make my way to the throne room. I order the advisor nearby,

"Go get the doctor." He just stares at me. "NOW, HEATHEN!!!!" He scurries out of the room as I lay Jorgen on the couch nearby. The doctor comes in moments later, and I see him staring at the air just above my head. "Please, help him." I say. "He was shot by that mongrel, Frederic."

"Yes, Your Majesty." The doctor goes over to Jorgen, and I start to pace.

§§§

After what seems like hours, the doctor stands from Jorgen's limp body, and pronounces him alive, but barely. I heave a sigh of relief, and rush over to him. He blinks, and whispers,

"Hello, Odette." Tears flood my eyes, and I clutch his hand as tight as I can.

"Never leave me, please." I whisper, "Stay here, till death do us part."