Starbird (UNDER MAJOR EDITING)

Chapter 20

Jorgen pov:

Her silky hair brushes against my chest, and I feel her arms pulled tight against her sides. Oh, I love her so. I love the Queen of Valena. I love my Odette. She tenses up, then relaxes slowly. I tighten my arms around her, and whisper, "I love you..." Bending slowly, pain shooting through my chest, I press my lips to her silky black hair, never wanting this moment to end. I feel her moving her head up, and pull my head away. She looks into my eyes, their noon-sky shade piercing me. I cup her cheek in my hand, bringing her head to mine. Her eyes close, long black lashes contrasting with her white skin. I close my eyes just as our lips meet. Her lips move over mine, and I run my teeth along her bottom lip. She sighs, and her arms run around my neck. She pulls away slowly, and I let her, watching as her bright blue eyes open. She smiles, her pink lips slightly darker than normal. I grin like an idiot, hearing her whisper,

"I love you, Jorgen." At that instant, the doctor comes bustling in, muttering something that sounds like,

"Must stop exerting himself... Break open the wound." Odette stands, her face a plain show of anger.

"I am the Queen! You will not address me as though I were a petty villain! He will be moved where I order him to be! Quiet!" She clears her throat, and only someone who knows her well can still see the terror she has of being inside the palace. "He is to be moved to the queen's chamber so that only I and the doctors will be able to oversee his recovery. And bring that anrii and piano to the- to my chamber." She sweeps out of the room, 'allowing' a servant to lead her to the queen's chamber. The doctor's assistants put me on a litter and carry me there. When we get there, Odette is already bustling around, dusting things and rearranging them. Her eyes light up when the doctor comes in the door, and I am carried inside. The room is huge, even larger than my room at Hezegonja Manor. She bustles over to me, and smooths my hair like a mother would. "You are dismissed." She tells the servants. When they finally leave, she plops down on the bed next to me, sighing. "I thought they would never leave!"

"No one could be stupid enough to disobey you with that look on your face."

"What look?" she asks warily.

"The look like you'll kill them if they don't do what they're told."

"I have a look like that?"

"Yeah! You've given it to me more than once." Odette shakes her head, and walks over to the windowsill. She gazes out the window, and for a moment, I envy the land outside for being able to look at her beautiful blue eyes. She lowers herself onto the window seat, her head resting against the glass. "Odette?" I ask, trying to see her face. "Are you okay?" She turns around, and I see that her eyes are red. I hold out my arms, and she comes and curls up in them.

"No." She answers. "I want my Mama. Mama!" She leaps out of my arms and tears out the door. I grab a pole near the bed, and follow her, every step searing me. When I get out the door, I see a swan flying as fast as she can. I transform, slowly, and start flying after her. Watching for flashes of white, I see the tip of her tail disappear around a corner. I swerve as hard as I can, watching after Odette. She swoops down a flight of dark, dank, smelly steps, towards what I assume to be the dungeon. I see her transform in front of a cell door, and open the door carefully, after demanding the keys from a whimpering guard. I slip on the bottom stair by accident, and hit the ground with a thump, my body screaming at me. Odette whirls around, and seeing it's me, lets out a surprised, "Jorgen! What in Valena?" She lifts me up, just as everything goes black.

§§§

"Jorgen? Jorgen, for heaven's sake, wake up!" I hear pacing, and slowly open my eyes. Odette looks up, and she rushes over to the bed. Bed? When did I get from the dungeon to the bed? I try and sit up, but Odette puts a hand on my chest, holding me down. "You sit up and I'll slap you." She warns. I lay back down, not wanting to risk her annoyance. She has a wrath not to be messed with. The doctor comes over and looks at my eyes, chest, and Hold it a second, I'm bare-chested in front of Odette! Oh, well, there's no stopping her.