Flight of the Five Swans

Finished Chapter 38

The hardest part thus far, Thaleia decided, about having a wing instead of an arm—aside from the simple fact that she had a wing instead of an arm—was how complicated it made the task of getting dressed. Not to mention how humiliating.

Of the dresses provided them, only one had armholes big enough for Thaleia to fit her wing through. Even then, it took help from both Raia and Cliodne to settle the fabric over her shoulder so that it did not pull uncomfortably on her feathers. What was more, Thaleia needed their help again when it came to fastening her dress. She found it absolutely impossible to do up her buttons one-handed, though this was not from lack of trying. She twisted and turned her one human arm every which way, but to no avail. All she was able to accomplish on her own was to gain a sore shoulder in the attempt.

"Don't worry, Thaleia." Cliodne told her as she tied the sash of Thaleia's gown. "Once we're home, we'll figure out a way to customize your clothes so you'll be able to do this on your own. Right, Raia?"

Raia nodded thoughtfully, her brow furrowed in concentration as she examined the gown that Thaleia had just donned. She cocked her head and huffed, exasperated. "If I only had a needle and thread, I think I could do it now!"

"No need." Cliodne said, knotting the sash with a flourish. "All done."

Thaleia looked down at her feathered appendage and flexed her muscles. Her wing arced gracefully, but Thaleia still found it very hard to reconcile herself to the thought that this part was attached to her. Permanently.

"The short sleeves won't make it easy to hide your feathers." Eurielle mused, her tone doubtful.

Thaleia shrugged, and then straightened her shoulders defiantly.

"I won't need to hide them." She said. "It's a part of me now. And I'll show it off...proudly."

Thaleia knew that all of her sisters must have noticed her slight hesitation, but none remarked on it. Cliodne placed a hand on her right shoulder and squeezed it in silent encouragement.

Once the princesses were dressed, they did not have much longer to wait before the bedchamber door opened once more. A servant—one whom Thaleia actually recognized from her time as a swan—entered the room, bowing deeply to the princesses. His eyes widened when he caught sight of Thaleia's wing, but he quickly mastered his expression. When he spoke, he addressed himself almost solely to Raia, and Thaleia remembered with a jolt that her twin both knew and was known by the Ithcarians much more than she or any of the other sisters.

"Milady, the king has summoned all of you to the throne room."

"But I thought we were going to eat first!" Thaleia heard Eurielle complain to Petra in a low hiss. Cliodne shushed her, yet Thaleia could not help but agree with her youngest sister. At that moment, she felt hungry enough to eat a whole horse, cow, and pig besides.

"Thank you, Jhonatan." Raia said, wringing her hands nervously in front of her. "We will follow you directly."

Jhonatan bowed again and led the way out of the room. The six sisters followed, and were immediately flanked in the hallway by several Ithcarian guards. Thaleia glanced out the corner of her eyes at the members of their sudden escort. She counted only four men guarding the six of them, and was momentarily confused—not to mention a bit indignant. Did King Naaman think so little of them that he did not even consider them challenge enough for a guard apiece? Then Thaleia remembered the skill that the Ithcarian guards had displayed in the courtyard when dispatching Soran's men. Added to that was the fact that she and her sisters were unarmed and still weak following their ordeal. However much she hated to admit it, Thaleia realized that in light of their situation, even four of King Naaman's men probably would be more than enough guards to escort the six princesses to the throne room without incident.