Our Tears Makes Us Stronger

OTMUS 10 - What Drives the Heart

~Chapter 10: What Drives the Heart~

 

His wings grew from its little stage and were no longer able to be concealed beneath his top. It tore from the back of his shirt and left two gaping holes to peek out of.

Leif’s wings spread, taking air faster than an eye’s blink. He knew full well that people would see. People would see him and his extended wings, yet he still took off. He needed to see him, to make sure that he was okay.

He rose above the sea of crowds that murmured and gasped. The king’s balcony hung in front of him, the guards flicking back and forth a page to decide what to worry about: Leif or the king.

Two guards valiantly stood in front of the fallen king, ready to protect him with all costs. They drew their blades and readied to attack Leif. Seeing this, he felt a cold power rise in him and he pushed the guards with the newly founded wind he discovered he could conjure. It wasn’t enough to blow the guards away, but it was enough to stun them.

He quickly landed on the balcony and extended his wings to push the guards away. Roars emerged from the crowd, anger carried along with it. They shoved the lone guard watching the front entrance out of the way. The crowd charged through the halls, knocking down glass tables, shattering it and the vase atop of it. They rushed in like a stampede, bringing Danny and Lumina along with them.

“Damn it,” he muttered. “These people don’t seem care about a damn thing in this place.”

“Yeah,” she grunted in reply. A couple of people crushed her in their attempt to advance. “What’s wrong with the king?”

Danny waited until they reached an intersection of halls and pulled her out. They panted and drew their breath before they spoke. Danny took a deep breath and wiped sweat off his forehead. “He’s been gravely ill for a while now. He could barely stand before and stayed in bed for most of the day.”

“How do you know all this?” Lumina asked, finding it strange that someone like him would know the activities of the king.

“My brother knows him,” he replied, his bearded smile stretched wide. “He’s friends with Princess Tetra. I haven’t seen him for days now…” he laughed and shrugged. “I’m sure he’s fine!”

“Wait,” she said, holding her hand up. “Is… Leif your brother?”

“Yeah, yes he is. Do you know him?”

Lumina’s mouth dropped to the floor. This… man was the older brother to the boy with wings? She took another look at Danny. He was tall, with dark brown, messy hair and a thin beard that looked as jagged knives that could cut you if you ran your hand across it. His eyes were a deep brown color unlike Leif’s bright green eyes. His skin was a tan darker than Leif’s and his face looked nothing like Leif’s cute, bright face.

To her, Danny looked like a sleep-deprived drunkard who’s been out wondering about the city all day with his sweaty, dirt covered singlet and old skinny jeans.

“We met two days ago,” she said after shaking the thought of Danny being Leif’s brother. “In the forest.”

“Ah, so he’s not dead. Good!”

‘Not dead’? ‘Good!’? Lumina thought. What is wrong with him??

“What was he doing out there, I wonder?” he asked himself, rubbing his beard.

Lumina paused and looked at the castle floors. Its bright red carpet and golden colored walls screamed ‘royal’ all over. Then another question came to her. “How does Leif know the king?”