Starbird (UNDER MAJOR EDITING)

Chapter 21

Odette pov:

When I see my mother and father slowly coming up the hallway, I can barely contain my excitement and run full speed down the hallway. The full skirt of my dress is cumbersome, but not enough to stop me. I embrace my parents and Veriahn, picking her up and hugging her. She reaches up to touch the crown on my head, saying,

"Owette a pwincess?" I laugh at her three-year old voice trying to say 'princess'. Always had trouble with those r's.

"No, Veri, I'm not a princess. I am Queen." Veriahn's, Mama's, and Papi's jaws drop, and I can just imagine them hitting the floor.

"QUEEN?!?!?!" My parents exclaim at the same time. "WHAT IN VALENA?!?!" I laugh a little bit, and guide them into my room. Jorgen is sitting up on the bed, barechested, and I quickly turn Veriahn around, going to help Jorgen put a bandage and shirt on to cover his wound.

"You should know not to run out like that! Scare me half to death, why don't you?"

"What, only halfway?" I ask, pulling the shirt over his head. "No, if I wanted to scare you to death, I would do it all the way."

"Very funny." Jorgen growls.

"Oh, hush." I whisper to him, turning away from the bed. "Veri, you can turn around now." She whirls around and immediately and runs over.

"Who's he?" She asks, straining to see over the top of the enormous bed.

"He, Veriahn, is Jorgen Hezegonja, the man I am to marry." Her eyes grow wide at that.

"Mawy?"

"Yes, Sisi, marry. You will too, someday, when you find your one true love." Veri makes a face, and I tickle her as I lift her up. She laughs out loud, her laugh that of a chickadee's call. She sits on the bed, and Jorgen picks up her hand and brushes his lips across it, as if she were a lady of court, and not my three-year-old little sister. She smiles and giggles when Jorgen says,

"Milady." I shake my head, lifting Veriahn off the bed.

"Alright now, Jorgen needs to rest, and you had a long day, missy. Off to bed with you." She grumbles as I set her down, and my mother carries her out of the room. Papi comes over and sits down on the bed, wrapping his arm around my waist.

"Young man, I am Odette's father. I understand that you wish to marry my daughter. Why do you think yourself worthy of my daughter? What is it about her that you love?" Ach, no, Papi!

"I am not worthy of your daughter. She is above everyone in kindness, spirit, and intelligence. I love everything about her, from her grace when she dances to her skill at climbing trees. Her spirit and fire are what made me start to fall for her, and then her kindness and goodness and protectivity shone through, and ensnared me even further." He takes my hand as he continues, trying to get it all out. "I am in love with your daughter, and I loved her when she was a swan fallen from the sky. I do not love her for her rank, nor her beauty, though it is never to be topped, but for the goodness of her heart, and the way she cares for everyone, even me, a human who shot her." Papi smiles, and my heart constricts, terrified that he will say no.

"Odette, do you love this man? Enough to join him for the rest of your life?"

"With all my heart and soul, I love Jorgen." I smile as I squeeze Jorgen's hand gently.

"You two lovebirds have my blessing." Jorgen sits up, even though the pain has to almost kill him, and takes my face in his hands. Slowly, he kisses me, till I never want it to stop. Papi raises an eyebrow, and both Jorgen and I blush. Jorgen's neck turns pink, and the tips of his ears flush red. I embrace Papi, kissing him lightly on the cheek. "My little girl's all grown up." He says, and I see tears pooling in his eyes.