Wind Under My Wings

I was running, so fast that I could. I know it wasn’t fast but it was all I could. I tripped over fallen branch and it scraped my ankle. I brush off the mud from my face and hair. Tears in my eyes I turned on my back. I wished for the rain from the skies to wash away my misery and tears. I was late. The only thing I was looking forward and I missed it. It was a blooming of a heart tree. It bloomed every three years. I saw it first time when I was five. I have been there every time. It was the most magical thing I had ever seen. I was living by myself. I had no parent I knew of and I didn’t have place to call home. Everywhere I went was my home. I didn’t want to be unhappy. So I took life as it was and tried to make the most of it. I appreciated every little thing that happened to me. Wind was my guide and nature was my mom. Gaia gave me food and bed to sleep in. It washed me with rain and dried with sun.
‘’..Demon’’, I heard someone say near. I lifted my head and looked where the noise came from. There was Maleficent and a man. He was all dirty and naked. I knew who Maleficent was but I haven’t once talked to her. Once she had had the most glorious wings. I don’t know what happened to them. She wasn’t anymore the kind and gentle she had once been. I looked back to the man and blushed. He really was naked from top to bottom. I had never seen male body. It truly was different. I wanted to touch it. Was it as hard as it looked? Was the skin as silky as mine? They were talking but I didn’t hear a word. My eyes were clued to the man. I just couldn’t turn. I put my hand on my cheeks and could feel how warm they were. I watched them until they left. I was left in the hay all by myself again. I lifted my gaze in the skied and wished to fly like the birds.
I ran again. I was doing it a lot. It was the closest thing to flying. I laughed and ran with birds flying beside me. It was most fun I knew. I felt like being part of them. I closed my eyes and enjoyed the wind in my face. Birds made weird noise. I had no idea what it meant but it made me open my eyes. There was cliff – right in front of me. I tried to stop but it was way too late for that. I knew this would be my end. I closed my eyes when I went off the cliff. Wind whistled in my ears when I let blood stopping scream. I felt emptiness under my feet. Wind direction changed lifting my hair up. All the things I had done and seen came in to my mind. I had done fine on my own. I came in sudden stop and there was excruciating pain exploded in my shoulder. I screamed from the pain. I felt fingers on my wrist. I didn’t dare to open my eyes. I was lifted up. Hands came around me. I was shaken. I couldn’t open my eyes for the fear that this wasn’t real. Maybe I did fall down and died. Maybe this was just the place where you came when you died.
‘’Are you okay?’’, said voice near my ear. Someone moved me a bit and the pain in my shoulder reminded me that I was alive. I let little cry of pain.
‘’Are you hurt?’’, voice asked. I nodded my head. One who was holding me moved away from me. I opened my eyes and stared at the ground.
‘’Where are you hurt?’’, he said. I touched my shoulder. His fingers touched my when he began to inspect it. I hissed in pain when he moved it.
‘’Sorry, I’m sorry’’, he whispered. I got the feeling that he felt guilty about my shoulder. It was dumb. He saved my life. I didn’t feel I was in this moment or even in my own body. The numbness was inwading my body and I didn’t like it a one bit.
‘’You saved me’’, I said, ‘’Thank you’’. I think I had to say it out loud to understand how close I came of dying. I lifted my head and my breath caught my throat. I looked him closely. That black hair, those black eyes. I remembered his face. I had seen them in many dreams. I could feel the heat in my face. I lifted my hands on my face. Pain in my shoulder exploded when I moved it. I whimpered in pain. He came closer on his knees.
‘’I’m sorry, I don’t know how to help you’’, he said. I looked him in his sad eyes.
‘’It’s okay. It will heal. And really it’s my fault anyway. Running like that is plain dumb’’, I said and smile a little.
‘’I’m Diaval’’, he said and extended his hand.
‘’Acacia’’, I said and gave my left hand. He stared me strait to my eyes and kissed gently my knuckles.
‘’Let me at least help you to your home’’, he said still holding my hand.
‘’Okay then’’, I said and let him pull me up. He was looking at me and surely waiting for me to tell him where to go. I took one step and he took one beside me.
‘’Thank you. Job well done’’, I said. He looked me with confusion marring his handsome face. I let go of his hand.
‘’We’re here’’, I said and lifted my hand up and spin around. I stopped and smiled to him.
‘’You live here?’’ he asked.
‘’I live everywhere’’, I answered. He was silently watching me.
‘’What if rains?’’, he asked. I shrugged my healthy shoulder.
‘’I find shelter’’, I answered. He was inspecting me with his black eyes. He took few steps back.
‘’You must be the one they’ve been talking’’, he said. Someone talking about me? Surely not.
‘’Talking what?’’, I asked.
‘’About a young woman who ran everywhere like a blowing wind. Her hair is as pure and white like freshly fallen snow. Her eyes are as blue as the sky and her laughter..’’, he stopped while looking in the skies. My heart was jamming in my chest.
‘’And her laughter’’, I whispered. He turned his gaze to me.
‘’And her laughter is like wind under your wings when you’re flying above the clouds’’, he said silently. I watched him and I thought about what he just said. I started laughing so hard that it hurt.
‘’And you really think it’s me. That’s absurd’’, I said and hold my stomach. Laughing hurt so much but I just couldn’t stop. He looked down like in shame. Something passed in his face and looked back at me. He stepped closer.
‘’It’s you’’, he said and watched me strait to eyes. My smile fell off my face.
‘’And who are those who you think is talking about me?’’, I asked. He smiled. It was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen, beside his body. I blushed to my thoughts.
‘’Birds’’, he said. I started laughing. I totally forgot that he was bird.
‘’Why would birds talk about mere mortal?’’, I asked. He was long time silent.
‘’You are no mere mortal’’, he said and walked around me.
‘’Ou yeah? So, what am I?’’, I turned to look at him behind me.
‘’Can’t tell’’, he said with smile. I crossed my arms.
‘’So, have the bird said anything else?’’, I asked with frown.
‘’I’m not telling until you say where you want me to take you. I’m not leaving you here’’, he said.
‘’Ou really?’’, I asked. He just nodded his head and crossed his hands.
‘’Okay fine. I would like to go somewhere to sit. Surprise me’’, I said and lifted my hand for him to take. He took it with gentle fingers. He leaded me back to magic forest.

I don’t know how it happened but I founded myself on the branches of a tree leaning on Diavals right shoulder. Trees branches were supporting us in almost every direction. It was like human size birds nest on the branches. He lifted me up here. My shoulder still hurt but it wasn’t so bad. I enjoyed the breeze in my hair. I had closed my eyes. I was listed every pure sound the forest was full of. I felt like falling asleep when there was movement on my left. My head was lowered gently on branch.
‘’I need to go now’’, Diaval whispered near my face. I could feel his black eyes on me even my eyes closed. His warm hands were holding my sleep limp hand. I made sound of agreement and nodded my head. He was silent for a heartbeat.
‘’Are you going to be ok?’’, he asked. I opened my eyes and looked at him. He was so close. I was happy to be so tired that my body couldn’t react as strongly as in my normal state.
‘’You didn’t tell me what else the birds have been talking about’’, I answered to him. Smile came to his face.
‘’Next time’’, he said and kissed my knuckles again. His eyes were boring in to mine. Everything around us faded. It was just me and him, my hand in his and his soft lips on my skin. In slow motion he lifted his head and claimed down. My heart was beating hard and I could barely breathe. He wanted to see me again? How am I going to get sleep now?