World of Dragon Riders: Book One

Chapter 14 - Families, Friends and Windy Trials

Why the Queen had invited them to her Cottage by the Lake, they were still wondering... but as she invited them to sit, the thought that plagued Akira's mind since he saw the feather came back and he desperately wanted to tell someone... or at least consult in someone about it. The Queen of the Avians was born into her role, and she wanted to be a normal Avian, and she began to tell the trio, and Rowan, the story of her family.

--------------------------------------------------------------------

'Never once did I not want to be normal, not the Princess... now Queen of my People. Not that I hate my own kind, but I saw the potential in my younger siblings to be better Rulers than I. My Husband was a Noble Rank Avian, and by the time I accepted my fate... I was expecting children. We were so happy, heirs to the Throne... but that became one Heir within two days. All of them wandered out of the Castle, when they were never supposed to, and all but one survived. There were seven of them... all young little kids would barely had a go on life. The eighth, the youngest and frail one, he was scared out of his mind when the soldiers found him... by the edge of the Island. Avians aren't born with wings, they develop later in life, little wingbuds, till they turn 5, when young wings are fully grown... they still can't fly though. And the children were toddlers... wingbuds just coming out. We knew the others went over the edge, but why or how we do not know. Maybe someone took them, but whatever happened, we only had one child left... and he didn't want to set foot NEAR the Castle. He became terrified of it. So, we turned to one another to devise a plan on what to do. Eventually, we gave him to be best caretakers in the Sky City, a close friend of mine who once babysitted my youngest nieces and nephews... she, at the time and now, runs the Island Orphanage. From a far, I've watched my son grow up into the young boy he is now..."

"Your Majesty... why'd you give him to the orphanage though? You still could've raised him yourself... right?" Rowan asked, the only one perking up the courage to ask the question. 

"Avians are an endangered race on this planet, there is more in the animality population than the Avians. If we were targeted and found by an enemy, he'd be the only one left and become quite vulnerable. If there were Avians who didn't support the Monarchy or hated us, he would be targeted. We need multiple heirs by birthright, or we could lose the original Royal Family..." She explained, hands gesturing to show her point. "I'm guessing your all wondering WHO he is... and well done for working up the courage to ask that question young Rowan, I do not mind." To which they all sighed in relief. "Do you want to know?" 

"I-If you want to tell us. We don't mind if you do not." 

"Very well I will tell you. My son is a Kestrel like I am, not like the King, to which he is a different kind of Avian. Many Avians are hatched with hair to match their plumage, their feathers, I was hatched with the same brown as my striped feathers, he hatched with red hair, not uncommon in male kestrels. And you all know him very well, at least I presume you do... his name is Akira."

  --------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

The next thing they remembered, they were back in their room with the other boys, and even Fireworks was with them now. Lance seemed to be completely upside down, doing an unconscious headstand, while Ryan seemed to have morphed into an actual fox. A thing animalities did was turn into their respective animal, Avians couldn't turn into their respective bird though. But the fox didn't stir when Soren had suddenly bolted upright when he woke, it was actually Gray who woke up.

"Who's there?! Wha..... oh hey Soren..." He yawned, stretching his arms and legs out wide that he accidentally kicked Fireworks, who was right next to Ryan and Orca. Fireworks huffed sadly, and kept sleeping. "What're ya doing this early?" Orca moved his head on top of Gray's back and head, making him lean forward precariously. "Big oaf."