The Princess's Feathers

“This is the portal to Keuvra’s realm.”

Standing beside us at the entrance to the room, Meldi continues, “When the tree is bare of leaves, then Keuvra does not wish to be disturbed.”

“That is one of the reasons why I stopped you two,” Khosa rumbles with a straight face,

“But if the tree is full...” Meldi extends a wing outward, gesturing towards the portal.

“He’s expecting visitors,” I conclude.

For a silent moment, I stare into the swirling mists. The tree was bare when we were led here for the first time. Keuvra never intended for us to enter his realm until now.

“Kuro,” I say. “This was their plan all along, wasn’t it? Getting caught and being judged before the flock?”

Standing beside me, she tips her wings. “That’s why Gust left his feathers for us, so we’d realize it was all a test.”

Kuro’s revelation surprises me — I thought the duplicitous bird was merely taunting us. But if this was Keuvra’s plan all along, then just how long has he been judging us? Is that why Gust has been following me since I arrived in Felra? Could this be the reason why I became a Lithan in the first place? So I could be led to Felra and judged for a Divine Flight that only a Farlander could perform? Whatever the case, in spite of my feelings about everything that’s happened, I should try to keep an open mind. Mother always taught me the importance of respecting the Goddess, and I suspect the Dragon deity is no different.

“I want to go in first,” I say.

Kuro nods. “I’ll be right at your tailfeathers.”

Slowly, I place one talon in front of the other. When the portal is close enough that I can smell the dew on the tree’s leaves, a wave of anxiousness washes over me. Is this really it? No more tricks? Will I finally learn the answers to my transformation? I glance back to see the two elders staring expectantly at me.

“Warm currents,” Meldi smiles. “Don’t stop until you get there.”

After everything that’s happened, I’m not sure I can trust Khosa again just yet. But Kuro’s Grandmother has always had our interests in mind. I trust her.

…

I nod wearily and step forward, holding my breath as I enter the portal.

The mists dissolve, leaving only the image of the tree against an unyielding black void. With each step forward, the sound of my talons reverberates through my head like a bell struck by a hammer. The tree trembles and wavers, and the scents of Felra become stronger and stronger. It’s nighttime in lower the Great Valley. A meadow full of sedges and bunchgrass. Standing water. A lone poplar tree. It all comes flying towards me in a wingbeat. Instinctively, I shut my eyes.

When I reopen them, I find myself there.

The Great Valley lies before me, serene and quiet. I find myself at night in the meadow I sensed, the lone poplar tree a short distance away. I feel the grass beneath my talons, a cool breeze between my feathers — this isn’t like my dreams with Gust. Somehow, I’ve been transported from White Mountain to this scene. This is real.

But where is the Dragon deity? I call out to him, but the only response is an owl moving between the trees at the meadow’s edge.

Just then, another set of talons steps into the meadow. I look back to see Kuro emerging from the mists, her eyes wide in amazement.

“Oh!” she chirps, nearly tripping over herself. “Asha? How did we get to the valley? This can’t be Keuvra’s den, can it?”

“I think it is,” I say. “But I tried calling for him, and he didn’t respond.”

As we search for any sign of the deity, I notice a glimmer of light reflecting off a nearby pool of water. Intrigued, I approach it and gaze into its murky, black waters. Unbloomed flowers line the water’s edge, framing a perfect reflection of my face against the endless expanse of night sky. Startled, my heart skips a beat; I’ve never seen such a clear representation of the Dragon I’ve become.

As I examine myself, something subtle changes behind my reflection. The prophets in the sky flicker, twinkling in a way I’ve never seen before. Then, another prophet appears in the southern sky…? Wait, was that one always there? There can’t be more than 19! But then, another new prophet appears. Then another, and another…

“Kuro…?!” I ruffle in surprise, stumbling away from the pool. Above us, the sky continues changing as innumerable new prophets flicker into existence, forming silvery tendrils of dappled light across the horizon.

I nearly tumble backward in awe before a spiced scent comes over me. “I’m right here,” Kuro rumbles, propping herself against me. She lifts her head above mine and asks, “Asha, what’s going on?”

The sky continues to fill, weaving a tapestry of prophetlight so luminous it could rival Maki's glow. Eventually, I answer Kuro “Something wonderful.”

We stand for a time, our feathers close. Soon, the twinkling begins to subside, and the sky settles into a peaceful, harmonious glow.

“Oh, Asha…” Kuro trails off. “This is…”

“Beautiful, isn’t it?”

An age-marred voice thunders across the sky, stealing our attention. We spin around and gaze across the valley to find the dragon deity himself, as large as an entire mountain, lying atop the valley’s peaks like he’d been lounging there his entire life.

“Almighty Keuvra!!” Kuro exclaims.

With his gaze drawn skyward, the deity rumbles, “When those who’ve flown the skies of Maki are ready to move beyond the mortal realm, they ascend to become points of light across the night sky. Every prophet you see is one of your ancestors.” Keuvra lowers his head and smiles at us. “Yours too, Daughter-Of-Kelani.”

Beside me, Kuro stares on in muted awe. I suppose she’s never seen Keuvra in the flesh, only the ghostly, transparent apparition that appears during gatherings. I watch in calculated silence as she mantles her wings and dips her head slightly before the flock’s leader. As for me? I used to be a Princess. I bow to no one.

“Why did you toy with our emotions like that?!” I snap. “Kuro was delirious!! She thought she was going to lose the love of her life, the mate she waited so long to find!! What kind of a caring deity are you?! How could you lie to her?! To US?!”

Silence stretches across the valley, broken up only by my labored panting. Erm, oops. So much for respecting the first deity I’ve ever met. His expression moderates in response, but he doesn’t seem upset at me. Does he feel… guilty?

“Do you know why I invited you to my realm, Asha?”

For a moment I consider responding but decide to remain silent. I can see the coldness in his eyes — I don’t care if he’s a deity, Kuro and I deserve an answer.

“You are far from the first to curse us for our actions or inaction,” he continues. “But, like nature, deities must be stoic and unmoved by the affairs of the moon. We serve—“

“That’s a jimbaldung reason,” I interrupt.

Without stopping, the preaching deity continues, “—our Children before the God of Creation, bound by the sacred pact formed centuries ago. By Azurrel’s decree, the natural order of the moon must be preserved. And so, we are forbidden from interfering in the affairs of enlightened ones,” He pauses for a wingbeat before adding, “...All affairs but yours, it would seem.”

I feel myself taking an unsteady step backward. He just… admitted it? “Why? Why did you toy with our lives like that?! What test have we passed?”

“The God of Creation sought to understand your capability for sacrifice,” Keuvra rumbles, his cold eyes piercing me like daggers. “There are some in your family’s line who lacked this quality. Most recently, your Mother.”

“Mother…?” I gasp, my voice weak at the mention. “What does my mother—“

Without warning, the scene around us changes. In an instant, the Great Valley slides out of existence, dissolving into streaks of color like wet paint smeared across a canvas. The scents of a nighttime meadow are replaced by the overwhelming odor of fresh regrowth and decomposing wood. A new world, one of lush greenery, a crowded understory, and daytime sun, comes forth. We find ourselves in a greenwing forest, one less familiar than the forests in the flock’s territory.

“AHH!” Kuro yelps in surprise.

“Whoa!” I cry out. “What just—“

My voice seizes — I sense Kin behind us! I spin around with Kuro to discover, quite astonishingly, that we’re standing near the entrance of a building. Immediately, I recognize the structure as the ancient Farlander den Kuro and I visited in frostwing, the one we unceremoniously set on fire while defending ourselves from Relmoon. But instead of a crumbling facade overgrown by trees and vegetation, the building is in perfect, sparkling condition. Dazzling shades of azure and gold adorn painted columns once collapsed to dust, heralding the entrance to a building we once had to squeeze through to enter. There, by the stone doors, we discover three Kin — a drakon and two drakainas — clamping long, braided ropes in their jaws. Standing near the entrance of the building, they’re pulling a wooden sled with a large assortment of crates and stone jars stacked on top. And there by the Kin, we discover four Ruffed Lemurs, clad in strange clothing, shouting directions at them in the Goddess language.

“What?!” I whisper in hushed shock. “What is this?!”

For a silent moment, we watch the scene unfold. The Ruffys work in concert with the Dragons, helping them navigate the sled up a stone ramp and through the massive entrance of the building. Though they’re some distance away, I can tell that the Dragons are not encumbered by saddles, halters, or anything else that would restrict their movement. They are helping these Lemurs of their own volition, treating them as equals instead of prey-animals.

“Asha…” Kuro trails off. “Is this… real?”

I incline my head. “Keuvra must be showing us an event from the past, before the continents were raised. It seems like the mural we saw in White Mountain was right. My ancestors really were in Felra.”

Keuvra echoes inside our heads.

As his words dissipate, I ruffle uncomfortably. “Restore…? What do you mean?”

Instead of receiving a response, the scene before us changes again. The scents of greenwing disappear, replaced by odors unfamiliar to Felra. A golden scene begins to take shape, filled with waving fields of tallgrass, a grove of trees, and an expansive blue sky. Distinct scents begin to emerge, ones strangely familiar to me. A warm harvestwing breeze blows through our feathers, and I pick up faint traces of orchids, ironweed, and indigo.

Then, like a kick to the head from a rearing spikehorn, it all comes rushing back to me.

“N-No…” I trail off in horror. “This is…!”

It is the Eastern Weald on exactly the day of my transformation. The unseasonably warm weather, the distinct tree line of the grove… how could I forget it? I’ll remember this scene for the rest of my life. We find ourselves in the nearby field, the place where I very quickly taught myself how to fly. Before us is the hollow itself, that cursed place where my impossible transformation occurred and my only friend sacrificed his life to protect my own.

“Asha?!” Kuro takes a concerned step closer to me.

“K-Kuro…” I stutter, extending a trembling wing forward. “Those brambles over there… that’s where I became a Lithan. This is the Eastern Weald.”

Keuvra echoes.

“Instigated by a….” I trail off, trying to make sense of everything Keuvra said. “What do you mean, ‘a mortal’?! I— I thought the diamond changed me!! Or—!”

I quickly cut myself off before I can finish my sentence. The weald begins to fade away from us, taking with it those terrible scents I never wanted to smell again.

I thought it was the diamond that changed me! The monolith we found north of White Mountain said it had the power to protect the royal family, and I was seconds away from being killed. So, how could a mortal have ‘instigated’ my transformation? Did they do something to activate the diamond’s power? What about Crow Wing? What were they doing in Eastern Weald that day, anyway? Ugh, I still have so many questions!

As my mind races, I feel a wing drape across my back. I look to see Kuro smiling above me.

“You’re safe, now.”

Feeling a wave of relief, I nuzzle my head with Kuro’s, sharing our warmth until I sense a pair of eyes watching us. I pull away to discover ourselves in the Great Valley, the Dragon deity watching us from the mountain ridges. The coldness in his eyes has vanished, and his muzzle is curled into a gentle smile.

“Oh!” I chirp, quickly separating myself from my mate. I run my fangs through my chest feathers and mutter, “Sorry.”

Keuvra chuckles, “It’s quite alright, Daughter-Of-Kelani. Your transformation was rather traumatic, after all.”

“Y-yeah,” I stutter. If he knew it was traumatic, then why did he show it to me? But, more importantly… “Um, how was a mortal involved with my transformation? Do you and the other deities have something planned for me now that I’m Kin?”

Keuvra watches me for a moment, and his head tilts. “We have recognized your potential since your birth.” Slowly, the deity rises on all fours, revealing the impossible length of his serpentine body. He arches his back to stretch, then begins crossing to the next mountain along the ridge. “The Goddess believed you would be the one to accomplish what your Mother could not: peace between Ellyntide and Sarlain.”

Um, okay. He dodged my question about the mortal. That seems a little fishy. But the Goddess… she thought so favorably of me? That I could achieve what Mother couldn’t? Appeasing the Goddess’ demands for peace was a tremendously big deal during the failed peace accords with Sarlain. Mother often told me she only went to Truce and spoke to King Finn for the Goddess’ sake. So, why did she…

“Etain,” I say. “I want to speak to the Goddess. I want to know why she had such faith in me and why she harmed my Mother on the day I left Varecia.”

Oh, Mother… how did you grapple with the misery of losing your only daughter with the sting of Etain’s rejection? You always told me how much you appreciated your communes with her... perhaps Ellyntide’s fall resulted from these terrible events.

Now on another mountain, Keuvra averts his gaze and frowns. “I’m afraid it is not possible to commune with the Goddess in this realm.”

“Oh…” my wings droop to the ground.

“But,” Kevura rumbles, coiling his body to lie down. “I believe the Goddess will speak to you when she is ready. I am quite certain of it.”

“What do you mean?” Kuro roars, interjecting the conversation. “Where was the Goddess when Asha transformed? Why didn’t she help her? And why did YOU wait two seasons to talk to us?!”

I blink, hardly expecting Kuro’s rage to rise to the surface against our leader. The deity seems equally surprised. But instead of being upset, his muzzle curls into a gentle smile. “Daughter-Of-Mecali, the passion for your mate warms my heart. The flock would surely benefit from having more spirited members such as yourself.”

Kuro pants heavy breaths, keeping her eyes affixed on Keuvra. Her tail sways rapidly, but she says nothing in response. Kuro has always been steadfast in revering Keuvra, even when it seemed certain he was leading us to our deaths. Is she trying to suppress elation for receiving praise?

“The fact of the matter is that we were not yet prepared to offer Asha what we have to offer now. Daughter-Of-Kelani,” Keuvra pauses and shifts his gaze to me. “The God of Creation seeks a united moon free of the wars that have ravaged Kingdoms for centuries. Your Mother was incapable of making the sacrifices necessary to achieve this result. But, you… you have demonstrated to them a quality rarely possessed. We believe you are capable of achieving not only peace across the Farlands, but beyond.”

My muzzle slides open in shock. Me? Does he mean… I can unite the entire moon in peace? That’s what Azurrel wants me to do? “H-how am I supposed to accomplish that? I’m Kin! Even if there was still a throne for me to ascend, solving every grievance with every Kingdom is impossible!”

Keuvra responds, “It was not possible to restore the peace that existed before the continents rose until this point. With the advent of airship-prey, the moon has once more become connected enough to allow its blossoming. The God of Creation has faith in you, Daughter-Of-Kelani. So much so that they are willing to make some… concessions.”

Kuro flashes a worried glance at me. “Concessions?”

Keuvra nods and flips tail forward. “Look to the pool of water.”

The pool of water? Does he mean the one I looked into earlier? I cast about and find it a short distance from the poplar tree. Mist rises from the water, subtly illuminated by the glow from prophetlight above. They part as we approach, revealing a patchwork of roses, bluebonnets, and dandelions blooming by the water’s edge. The mirror-like finish remains, perfectly reflecting the faint glow of our ancestors. I gaze into it, expecting to find a reflection of myself. But what I see instead leaves me breathless.

Clad in impeccably tailored clothing, a groomed ruff, and flowing blue hair, I find the reflection of a young Ruffed Lemur staring back at me. Prophetlight reflects from her crimson eyes, stirring buried emotions deep within my heart. The prey-animal gazing back at me is the Lemur I knew for the first 23 years of my life. It is the reflection of Asha Eloise Lordanou.

“We are prepared to offer that which you have so fervently yearned for: A return to the form you once possessed.”

For a breathless moment, I stare into the visage on the water… no, I stare at myself. I hold my right hand up to my face — somehow, I can control it. I feel my fingers brushing across my fur. I feel my clothes weighing gently across my body. I feel clarity of mind, bereft of the urges which made me a bloodthirsty predator.

“I… I can turn back to normal?” I ask, mesmerized by my face’s familiar movements. “I can be a Lemur again?”

Keuvra rumbles in acknowledgment. “You will be as you were the morning of your transformation. With this form, we believe you can fulfill my Divine Flight: The restoration of Ellyntide, peace among the ascendant Kingdoms, and serenity between Farlander and Kin.”

In the corner of the pool is Kuro’s reflection, on the verge of tears. “Asha…” she whimpers.

“Well, then,” Keuvra says. “What will you decide… Princess?”

Hands trembling, I grip my tail and nervously run my fingers through it. Everything I’ve wanted since the moment I transformed into Kin is now within my grasp. I could return to Ellyntide and form a brand new rebellion against Nortane. I could keep my promise to Calypso and take revenge against those who murdered him. I could rebuild my Kingdom and restore everything I know and love.

That includes… Mother.

“I…” my voice fades. “I choose…”