Lexin

'Cause I'm no good on my own, what did I do to deserve this? What did you do to me?

-I Was an Island: John-Allison Weiss

"AAAAAGGGHHHH, this is soooooo boring," I said out loud.

One of my guards, Drason I think his name was, poked his head in the room.

"What would you like me to do about it, sire?" he was tall, with dirty blonde hair and deep blue eyes.

"Close the door," I grumbled. He nodded, his face serious, but hiding a hint of laughter. He closed the door leaving me alone in my room.

Having been sentenced to my room after lunch, (for no particular reason, as I see it) I was bored, having nothing to do. It was my 13th birthday today, but I never get my hopes up, excited for something extravagant. I go out, wave at my cheering fans for about a half and hour or so, then return to the inside. Then I just get a day off from my studies, but other that that, it's pretty normal day.

My father, the king, doesn't really care much for doing big parties.

"You already have such extravagances at your disposal, and you'll live another day to see it," he would say to me as a younger child.

To be honest, I didn't mind at all that much. I preferred to spend the day in my room than throwing bread crumbs to the peasants. If they got themselves into that filthy hole, then they can dig themselves right out of it.

I was snapped out of my thoughts by a strange whirring sound. I blinked my eyes open, not realizing I had them closed. I hopped up off of my bed.

"Drason? Are you playing tricks on me?" I growled. No response. The walls were thicker than I thought. The whirring had gone away, leaving me with a headache. Pain snapped through my system, causing me to collapse onto the floor in a heap.

I tried to yell at that idiot guard, whatever his name was. 'Get your filthy butt in here!' I tried to say, but it came out garbled, causing another shock of pain to rocket through me. It was like my foot had fallen asleep during another one of Sir Tildish's mind-numbing lectures, but it was spread across my whole body. Whenever I moved, the air escaped my lungs, I couldn't breathe, and it felt I was being stabbed with one of those broadswords I had seen some knights use. Only, I had never been stabbed with one of those swords, so I wouldn't know.

Images flashed before my eyes.

I was soaring over the great forests and fields of this great world. If only the humans weren't so destructive...

Thunder rumbled somewhere nearby, and I huddled with her, not just because I liked her, but because I would rather die with her than live without her. Lightning flashed, and it outlined her delicate shape, and her sunset orange feathers...

The pain and sorrow took my breath away. This couldn't be happening. "You killed her," I whispered. The bright orange bird laughed a wicked laugh. "Ah, no, I'm afraid they won't see it that way. I'm afraid the evidence points to you, because I would never kill my own daughter! Ah, here they come now!"...

I was on the run, all my family had turned against me, there was nowhere to hide. Why live anymore she was dead.

I shook out the images, not wanting to feel the sorrow of anyone (or anything) else.

You can't push it away, Lexin, this is who you are now. someone whispered in my ear. The voice was male, and had a chirpiness to it.

Best if you get up now. I've shared enough, and so have you.

"But-" I started. I haven't shared anything with you.

I opened my eyes, and a large bird, larger than a crow, with a deep crimson color of feathers accented by a mango orange, speckled with gold. Its tail feathers were curled, and sprigs fluffed out. Its tail feathers were also singed at the ends, but I hardly noticed. The bird was perched on my window sill, staring at me with unexpected intelligent brown eyes.

"There's a weird bird in my room," I whispered.

"Ouch, I take offense," he said, feathers slightly ruffled, his voice was regal, something you would expect from a bird.

"Oh, don't get your feathers in a cinch," I growled, regaining my confidence, after all, it was only a bird, and I had what, five or six armed men at my disposal?

"I could say the same for you," he said.

"Pfft, why should I listen to a talking bird?" I asked, shakily rising to my feet. The words sank in. "Talking bird... wait, what? What do you mean?"

I could've sworn the bird smirked.

"You've got feathers," he said, motioning me to check under my shirt. I lifted it up to see a sunny yellow feathers all along my waist.

"No," I growled.

"Yeah, that's not the whole package. You also got some tail feathers, and also some of your hair is that same bright yellow. If that's not a statement, I don't know what is," said the bird.

"Oh, shut it," I said, walking over to the full-length mirror beside my bed. My dirty blonde hair looked like it had been dipped in sunshine. Gracious.

"This can't be happening," I hissed.

"Oh, face it, numskull, you're a Bonded."