FicWad

Stratton was set into a guest room that was nicer than he could ever have imagined. The room itself could fit well more than two families inside. Emy was looking around the room too. "Wow..." was all she could manage.

There came a soft knock on the door and it opened and the older sister was standing there. "Forgive me young hero, but you should be getting dressed in proper clothes for the feast." She said smiling. "Do you require help dressing?" She asked him with an overly big smile on her face.

"Uh no I think I can dress myself." He said feeling uncomfortable.

"Well if you're sure." She set out his clothes which had multiple layers and looked like you'd need a combination to get them on and off. His face turned a bright shade of crimson as he looked at all the clothes. "Don't worry so much. I don't bite." She says and walks over to him and leans in close to his ear. "Unless you want me too." She then knelt down and pulled down his pants.

"Hey!" He yelled in surprise. And she just smiled and lifted off his shirt in one fluid motion. She then lifted his legs so his pants came off completely. She took off his shoes and he was just standing in front of her in his boxers. A very happy smile crossed her face.

"Now just relax. It's hard to dress someone when they could turn a piece of coal into a diamond." She said with a grin. She took the pair of pants and a bunch of the flashy under parts of it and lifted his legs into them and started to pull them up. As she pulled them past his boxers a mischievous grin past her lips. She pulled his boxer liners out a little and took a look at his privates but quickly snapped them back. "I see my littlest sister has good taste in guys." Stratton just stood there blushing.

Emy was up on a dresser watching. "Did she really just look at your...." She began but couldn't finish from the shock of it. After a couple of minutes he was fully dressed in a very proper looking outfit. The older sister smiled.

"Well your free to roam the grounds for about an hour, but please don't be late for your feast. It wouldn't look right for the one being honored to show up late." She leaned in and gave him a big kiss on his cheek. "See you later cutey." She blew him another kiss and waved as she left.

"Wow. Your one lucky guy you know that Stratton." Emy said flying over to him. "Now let's go exploring." She said with excitement in her voice.

Stratton smiled. "Sure. I'm kinda curious to what other amazing things this place has." He said as he walked out of the room. As he walked around the place all he could do was stare in amazement at how big the place was. As he walked he found his way to a large garden and as he walked in he was amazed by all the bright colors that made the place almost come alive.

He smiled and began to walk through the Gardens and making his way inside the Castle. As he roamed around he noticed how he was getting a lot of strange stares. He noticed a door opened in one of the halls and out walked Karina. Her clothes had gone from rags to a beautiful red dress that was lined with Diamonds. She looked at Stratton and looked surprised to see him. She then smiled. "So what are you doing?" She asked with a cute tone to her voice.

"I was just looking around." He blushed slightly and rubbed the back of his head. "D-Do you want to walk with me?" He asked and she smiled brightly.

"Gladly." She did a curtsy in front of him and linked her left arm around his right and began to walk with him. "I'm sorry that I didn't tell you that I was a Princess; it's just its kinda embarrassing sometimes..." Before she could finish he had put his finger over her lips.

"Don't worry about it. I wouldn't think any less of you if you hadn't been a Princess." He said looking directly into her eyes. She smiled. And when they kept walking she leaned her head on his shoulder.

*

'They look so cute together...' The middle aged sister thought as she watched them walk off. 'He's so sweet.' She sighed in a loving way and began to walk in the opposite direction when she noticed him. "Dedric!" She yelled out and waved to the half Birdling of her dreams. As he noticed her he swatted the hair out of his face making his feathers wiggle. She sighed dreamily as he walked up.

"What can I do for you Lady Vivi?" He asked putting his right arm over his chest and bowing slightly. She just seemed delighted to have his attention.

"I think you know what you can do for me." She said sounding seductive to him. "And you know I love it when you call me Vivi. It drives me crazy." She pulled him closer and kissed him. She had her arms wrapped around his head while she deepened it.

As she pulled away for breath she smiled at him and he grinned at her. "Would you like to go somewhere more "private", my lady?" He asked with a smile and wrapped his arms around her waist.

She smiled at him. "Let's go to my room this time." She said with a smile. "So what do you say?" She said trying to give him the cutest face she could.

"We've already done it in my room at least 4 times so I guess it would be alright to go to your room." He said and kissed the top of her forehead.

"Oh Dedric, I love you!" She hugged him tightly and kissed him passionately. He lifted her off her feet and carried her off towards her room as she giggled.

'Stupid fool.' Dedric thought. 'You're only good for satisfying me carnally. I still can't believe how dense everyone is here. I thought someone would have found out I was plowing one of the Princess's by now. Well their denseness will be their downfalls.' He smiled to himself as he opened her bedroom door and walked inside and closing it behind him. As he locked it she had started to kiss him. He smiled and took her over to her bed.

"Wait! Wait!" She said suddenly. And he stopped what he was doing. "I want to do it on my stuffed animal pile." She said blushing. In the corner of the room was a pile of cute stuffed animals. And the pile was big enough that she could lie on top of it.

"Whatever you desire my Vivi." He said smiling as he took her over to the pile.

*

'I wonder where little Vivian and Karina have gotten off to.' The oldest sister thought as she walked through the corridors. She stopped when she noticed that Karina was walking further up ahead. She noticed that she had her arm linked around Stratton's and her head was leaning on his shoulder. 'Aw young love.' She thought with a smile.

She turned a corner so as not to disturb them. She began to walk towards the shrine were she had job as Priestess. She opened the door and shut it softly behind her. The room was somewhat stuffy from the fact that it had little air circulating, there was a statue in the middle of the room of a goddess with fish scales around her neck and on her arms, her right hand was raised up and in it was a lantern. There was sand on the floor and sea breeze incense was filling the room.

She walked in and kneeled in front of the statue. "Goddess of the Sea's, please hear my plight? I can sense a coming darkness, and I fear that soon we will require your light. Please watch over our great nation and save of from harm." She put her hands together and shut her eyes as she finished her prayer and the lantern on the statue glowed for a brief second.

The door behind her opened and in walked the Sage. He had short grey hair and stood about 5'8". "Forgive me I didn't mean to interrupt your prayers Terra." He said with a smile on his face. He walked over and put his hands together in front of the statue and bowed his head. The Lantern again glowed brightly.

"Are you almost ready to go to the Feast?" He asked with a smile.

"Yes, I was just praying before I got ready." She said smiling. He just smiled back and chuckled to himself. She gave him a confused look. "Did I say something funny?" She asked him.

"You try to hide too much." He said simply with a smile on his face. "I know how you feel for the boy. But you have chosen this way of life." He said simply and began to leave, as she looked at him in shock.

*

Karina walked with Stratton towards the ballroom where his feast was being held. She had never been so happy in her entire life. She held onto his right hand with her left. As Stratton walked into the ballroom he noticed that the place was filled with Birdlings. All of which were really fancily dressed. All of them seemed to be lost in the reason for the Feast to notice him.

Karina smiled and took him over to the royal table that overlooked all the other tables. The King was already sitting there and smiled at seeing Stratton. "I take it that my daughter has been showing you around?" He said with a very kind smile.

Stratton just blushed and Karina giggled. When Karina noticed that Terra was there but Vivian wasn't. But then she noticed that Vivian had just walked in with someone she didn't recognize behind her. He stood a lot taller than her middle aged older sister, and his silver hair almost was shining in the light.

"Aw! Vivian you've finally arrived." The King said hugging his daughter. "Stratton as I'm sure you've already met Terra and Vivian. And this strapping young man next to Vivian is an emissary from what I believe is your home Kingdom; this is Dedric Magical Advisor to King Freidies." Dedric bowed slightly to Stratton. "Ah but on with the Feast!" He said as he began to stand.

A fanfare played and the crowd suddenly stopped talking and all looked over from their seats. "For many Generations now Heroes have arisen, and sadly they have fallen. Tonight we are here to honor a Hero; he had braved caverns filled with the savage Narl to rescue your Princess!" He put up his cup and the Birdlings below gave out a cheer. "This Hero has saved my daughter from a fate that is worse than death. My people, my follower's, my Brethren please I beg of you, help me give praise to this noble Hero." He put up his cup to Stratton. "May his strength, and courage never fail nor faultier." All the Birdlings held up their cups towards him. He just looked a little uncomfortable at all the attention. The King then drank and they all drank and he smiled after. "Now let the Feast Begin!" He yelled and a bunch of the Birdlings showed up with plates and started to send out the food.

As Stratton was sent a giant platter of food he just stared in amazement at the selection of food before him. When Emy suddenly popped up from under a layer of his clothes. Her eyes just went wide at the large amount of food before her. "I'm going for it!" She yelled and leapt towards a one of the largest pieces of meat she could find.

Stratton began to find the stuff he liked and began to eat as well. He smiled at hearing a bunch of childhood stories from both Terra and Vivian, and he really enjoyed when they were telling him embarrassing stories about Karina. He had managed to laugh quite a bit from a couple of the stories. About half way through the feast though he had gotten into a conversation that he was really enjoying. "So tell me Stratton? Where is it that you got that sword?" Dedric asked while he was eating.

"M-My sword?" He asked almost confused. And Dedric nodded. "Well it was passed down to me. It used to belong to my mother." He said looking a little sad.

Dedric smiled. 'Curious.' He thought. "Did something happen to your mother?" He asked curiosity obvious in his voice.

"Well she passed away three years ago. All I have that reminds me of her is Ozma, and Emy." He said smiling down at Emy.

"It's really a beautiful weapon." Dedric said taking a bite to eat. As their conversation went on Dedric told things about himself to Stratton, and they almost formed a friendship. Soon though the feast was beginning to come to a close. Karina looked happier than she had ever been, though her eyes had pain in them.

As people started to leave, the King smiled. "Did you enjoy the Feast young Hero?" He asked while looking a little hopeful.

"Yes it was great!" Emy said while resting on Stratton's shoulder.

"Uh yeah it was good." He said still feeling slightly uncomfortable.

"So tell me Hero. When are you going to be leaving my humble kingdom?" The King asked and Stratton looked down. He hadn't even begun to think about leaving.

"Don't fret Stratton." Dedric said with a smile. "I'm actually going to have to be heading back tomorrow. And I would like if you would accompany me back." He said with a smile.

"Well then it's settled!" The King said. "I'll have a room prepared for you. And tomorrow we shall show you off." The King then stood and walked off. "Until tomorrow Stratton." He yelled back.

Stratton frowned slightly and noticed a servant was calling him over. "Go on boy. Don't leave the helping hands waiting." Dedric said smiling and nudged him along. Stratton looked back and noticed the sad look on Karina's face. And as the Servant started to show him to his room he noticed a tear fall from her eyes.

As the Servant left him at his room he sighed and Emy noticed the depression in it. "What's wrong Stratton?" She asked concerned.

"I just feel bad that's all..." He said still kinda keeping to himself.

"About what?" Emy asked him and flew into his arms.

"I-I feel bad about Karina." He said blushing slightly. "And I don't want to leave." He said the depression evident in his voice again.

"I'm sure you'll see her again, I mean she's head over heels for you." Emy said smiling at him.

"I guess your right." He said and began to pet her when a knock came from his door. He stood up and answered his door and saw Karina standing there looking almost as depressed as him. "Karina!" He said in shock. He widened the door and let room so she could walk in. As she walked in her head was aimed to the floor, and she was almost blushing through the small feathers that covered her skin.

"Stratton?" She asked not even being able to lift her head.

"Yes, Karina?" He asked blushing just as bright as her now. She suddenly turned her head and jumped forwards and hugged him. He looked surprised at first but then hugged her back.

"Do you love me?" She asked him the tone of her voice had sadness mixed in with it.

"Of course I love you." Stratton said blushing. "You're the prettiest and nicest girl I've ever known." He said smiling down at her. She looked up into his soft blue eyes and leaned upwards. She slowly pulled him into a kiss, and at first he looked shocked but soon started to get into it. They both stood holding each other and kissing each other on the lips. She then slowly pulled back.

"You'll come back for me someday won't you?" She asked as tears rolled down her cheeks. His hand reached forwards and slowly wiped the tears away from her cheeks.

"Of course I'll be back for you." He said and hugged her tighter. "Nothing could keep me away from you. I love you too much to ever want to let go." He said looking directly into her eyes. She grabbed onto the front part of his shirt and squeezed tightly.

She then put her head into his shirt and began to cry. "I don't want you to leave!" She said as she sobbed. "You complete me Stratton. And I never want to feel alone ever again!" She sobbed more and more while Stratton just held her and gave her support.

After a little while she pulled away. "I should go back to my room, before my dad finds about my visit." She turned and looked at Stratton sadly. "Just promise me, that you'll always love me, and that someday you'll come back for me?"

Stratton smiled sadly. "I promise with all my being Karina." She smiled and walked off quickly. "I hope she'll be alright." Stratton said out loud as he shut the door.