Chapter 46 - 47. Oh My God, What Kind Of Creature I Am?
"She is one the guards of Miss Azalea," Hana whispered.
I got confused at first, so that I tried to recall the creature that was catching me and taking me here. They were all almost similar, their coming was accompanied with the drop of the weather around. I saw thin layer of ice around that woman, 'Goshh! Do you want to freeze us?' I was irritated.
She took a deep breath, staring at us with her empty white eyes. Then a whistle like warbler was heard and it filled up every part of such tranquil and peaceful forest.
She sang a heartbreaking song trough a whistle. Honestly, even though no single lyrics was uttered, she was able to make anyone listening to her song cry.
It was such a short performance but it gave such deep impression to the audience. After that last show, Hana asked me to stand up and took me to another place.
"I can see you are so much interested in plants, aren't you?" she said as we left that place.
"Yes, I work in a florist although I learn about dynamic system in my college," I explained to her.
Hanna looked confused, "it must be another interesting thing, isn't it?" She sounded excited, "And I feel I can learn a lot of things from you. That is why I like it to be with you. You know a lot more things I have never known before," She admitted.
As a matter of fact it was I who learned more from her. Learn not to judge book by its cover.
Hanna asked me to pick up some mushrooms growing on the trunks of trees and rocks covered with moss on the path we were walking. "Pickup the ones growing under those dry leaves!" as she said she pointed to the mushroom looking like a big umbrella, "This is moon mushroom, edible, and yummy," She explained, "And this one, I usually slice it thinly and sprinkle it on my on the cooked rice to give more distinctive aroma. It grows on the trunk of pine trees," This time she showed me smaller round mushrooms, "Tha, don't forget to write it in your book. It is to add more vocabularies and memorize alphabets I have taught you previously,"
I followed her to the letter although it was pretty hard to see without any aids and memorize the alphabets Hana had taught me.
She asked me to walk again. She picked anything in the forest which could be eaten. She told me all names and functions, and asked me to write them down in the book before she put them in the basket she prepared before we went here.
After taking so much that the basket barely fit, Hana asked me to collect some twigs. She made a simple furnace of arranged stones for cooking all we had collected today. I saw her stirred fry fern shoots and mixed it with mushrooms by any available spices. It was like having a camp.
…
I felt much better now. Simple things quite entertained me who badly wanted to go home. When we arrived, Azalea had been waiting for me at the place of shooting training. Her expression was awful, "Tha, I hope you have learned all things well!" she said firmly, "You join me tomorrow," She continued.
Yoru gestured me to say yes. Meanwhile Naar who was standing beside Azalea just pushed a smile, "Yes," I said shortly.
Then, Azalea left us without saying anything.
As Azalea was walking away from my training place, another guard walked toward us, "Miss was very angry today," He said slowly. Hana and I were looking at each other, feeling confused and worried I supposed, "It looks like there will be a big war tomorrow," I knew he was trying to provoke us. All of sudden I got my stomach upset listening to that news.
"Hmmm" Naar gave a stiff smile again, "I felt like in a boiling cauldron," He spoke as if he had a happy feeling, but I knew it was meaning the opposite, very bad situation.
"Come here earlier tomorrow. Don't forget to bring the bow and the arrows as well as your armor that I sent to your training place. Prepare your knife too for a short distant attack and to dispel suddent attack," Yoru spoke fast and then left us
"Pffff!" I looked at Naar and asked him question with gesture, 'What is going on?' But he was just silent and unable to explain it with proper words.
…
I came early at the shooting training as Yoru asked me to. Hana took me a box of meal she made it only for me, a knife Kerberos gave and the bow I always used for practice.
The armor I was wearing looked lighter but in reality it was a metal that protected my front part and back part. And it was very heavy.
Not long after that, Yoru and Naar came with other guards of Azalea. We were lined up into three rows, and I stood in the front row of the row.
I glanced at Naar. He was in such great armor, a combination of black and golden, "You look so cool," I whispered from distance and gave him two thumbs up.
Azalea came with Hana and another maid, wearing beautiful armors like the others. Her hair was tied high, with light make up but looking very elegant. Indeed, it was great combination of beauty and merciless power.
"And today, we will go to the banquet held by the most honorable leader," She opened the meeting with her loud voice, "I take you all along is to help the guards of the king keep the safety of the palace. I hope all of you can carry on this duty very well. Duty and placement formation have been adjusted based on individual skills. So don't forget about it," She looked so authoritative when delivering speech in front of all of us, "Any questions?"
I who felt that I received no trainings got confused, what kind placement was she talking about?, 'I went sightseeing the whole day yesterday,' I thought.
Not even came on from my confusion yet, Azalea walked toward me. She aksed the bow I was carrying, "You will go with me," She ordered. I was blind shocked to hear her decision.
All the soldiers looked at me once she made the decision. My height was not more than their shoulders, I was thin like dried fish, and of course my skill in fighting was in big question mark.
"I cannot fight," I tried to convince her, "Look at me! I am the shortest. One kick, you know very well I will be out." perhaps my way of talking was impolite. I was aware of that but I had no choice due to my awkwardness and fear.
I saw she smiled at me. Naar, who was standing pretty far away from me, was strying to get a better vision to me by extending his neck, "You can understand the language of all creatures, distinguish between poison and non poison, and your eye sight is very good," She was flaterring me or whatsoever. I could not define what she was talking, "In that banquet I need such person by my side, not an archer who never shoots the target precisely," this was a soft insult. I never shot the target because my bow was too heavy for me.
Azalea handed me something, like a berry, purple berry, but it was shining. "Take it!" I adhered her instruction, taking that berry like fruit and swallowed it, "If someone ask you in that occasion who you are, tell him you are the harpies," Her voice sounded like a spell for me.
After taking that fruit, I felt dizzy, my body felt like shrinking bit by bit, my hands and my legs felt so heavy, then suddenly things got dark.
When I opened my eyes, I found myself in front Azalea's shoes with my arms and legs turned into bird feet. I did not get used to yet with my new body. I just sat down helplessly. She lifted me, and called Naar, "Take her," She gave an order.
…
I sat on the head of a horse and gripped on the mane. Naar, Yoru and another one shaped in centaur, were leading the lines and Azalea's wagon was in the middle, "Is it still far?" I started feeling sick.
"Not that far. We will arrive soon," Naar who had taken care of me since the beginning of the trip replied, "Be patient," He consoled me.
Unfortunately I had no bag or anything for my vomit. To the worse, I saw my body that was not more than fifteen centimeters tall helplessly, what could do with it?
I still found it difficult to get used to with my new body. I could not even walk with my two feet changed into the feet of a bird so that I had to crawl and little claws on my wings.. 'Oh my God, what kind of creature I am? I am not either a bird or a human,' I cried in my heart for my being unfortunate.