The Feathered Challenge

5413 words



The sun pierced through the clouds and illuminated the view to Lady Glide. She had a large journey ahead to reach the challenge to take the throne from Queen Madelaine.



"Come on sister you are doing well in your training, I have confidence in you." Squark her brother was always a grand picture to behold with his majestic white wings upon his back. The feathered liked nothing more than to soar into the heights with their wings.



The ground below tantalized with an array of color with fields of wheat and lavender and the last of the mornings light from small villages on the way. Lady Glide of the Perch was one of the most admired among the feathered trained her whole life for the events to come. She could see the lights of Manderley the capital of the Kingdom of Feather on the horizon with her eagle vision envied by most humans in the north.



Her wings were tired from the long journey of flight through the night and hoped to not expel all her energy before the challenges ahead to win the throne. She looked at her brother in admiration as he was the strongest among the males of our race and a great trainer. It pleased her that she could reward him with the skills she learn t from his hard training and it would kill her if she hadn’t taken the throne in the challenges.



Ashna birds took flight beside them with their emerald eyes and crimson wings they blackened the skies behind them as they followed in a chorus of splendid chirping. Glide envied these birds  as their own human like bodies were not built for long flight as they had done and it took many years of training just to be able to fly as far as they had during the night. The wings upon her back screamed for a rest but her determination and drive from her brother kept her going.



"I don’t know if I can make it all the way brother my wings are tiring and I need food." She saw Squark survey the lands below as he looked for a likely meal before he dived down towards a stand of pod trees on a nearby hill.

"Follow me good sister we can eat the seed from those pods hanging from the trees."



Glide followed dipping her wings as they descended towards the trees. It took a great deal of effort to fan her wings out as they landed below the pod trees. Her brother had no sooner removed a low hanging pod from a neighboring tree and broke it open to expose the seeds within.



"Here good sister, take some seed from this pod and I will go get some more from higher in the trees." She marveled at her brother’s energy to take flight so easy after such a long journey. The seed was the best feed she had in days with pod trees few and far between they had to resort to living on ground worms on much of their travels. Before she knew the pod was emptied of its seed so she sprawled out below the largest of the pod trees to rest. She would have hung herself from one of the low branches to rest but for now it felt too big a task to take the short flight to grab a branch.



Glide saw her brother have his fill of seed before he also sprawled near her basking in the morning sun. They were both naked as the day they were born as it was common practice for the feathered to fly without clothing as it grew too heavy for long flight. The ashna birds that had followed took perch in the branches of the pod tree and stripped it bare of the remaining pod seeds.



"How are you feeling good sister, we have to reach Manderley before dusk or we won’t be signed in for the challenge." Glide saw Squark gazing upon her as he waited for an answer and she didn’t want to let him down.



"I’ll be fine brother, just a little rest and I will be as good as new." She read her brothers face and saw he also was fighting fatigue as he had never felt before. His larger frame was harder to keep in the sky which is why males had not entered the challenge as a females body was more apt to flight. She just couldn’t believe he had managed to take her this far and kept up to her as when they had trained in Perch he had struggled to keep close over recent months.



"How are you keeping up with me Squark, I haven’t seen this sort of strength from you since we were very young?"

"I guess it’s the belief in you good sister and the wish to drive you as far as I can to Manderley without failing you. I see that if I don’t falter then it gives you the extra determination to win and become Queen. It’s what we have worked for our whole lives."



"You could never fail me brother you have bought me so far with your training and I have much pride in you for that." Squark admired over her body in a way that started to make Glide feel a little uneasy.



"Stop eyeballing me brother, you have a look about you that that says you see me more than a sister at the moment and I’ll be tempted to claw your eyes out." Squark laughed his chirpy laugh of his.



"I can’t help good sister to admire your perfect round breast and toned body. I just have never seen someone that even comes close to your beauty but trust me I know I am your brother and I can’t think this way so my love as your brother always prevails." It was the first time she had heard this from her brother and wasn’t exactly sure how to respond.



"I’m sure you will meet a very nice feathered girl in Manderley when I become queen and have beautiful little chicklings of your own and be very happy." Squark almost looked sad for a moment.



"My only dream good sister is that you are happy as it will be a dream come true to see you upon the feathered throne and make someone a very happy king to bask in your beauty."

The conversation had ended as they rolled their wings around themselves and closed their eyes for a little sleep to rest the mind and body.



Glide was startled by vigorous shaking as her brother pleaded for her to wake up.

"We have to get going good sister we have over slept and the day is getting away from us, we must reach Manderley faster than we have ever flew before." Glide jumped to her feet as fast as her sore body would allow cramped in the process. Her brother looked like he was struggling even more with his wings locked trying to extend them ready for flight. It took all their will to ark their wings out as they ran across the hill and caught the wind beneath their wings to take flight. Squark had a worried expression upon his face that dissolved as soon as he saw Glide’s looks of concern.



"We have to get high good sister to catch the high prevailing winds to gain time." Glide’s wings pumped with every flap that felt like knives were digging into her back. Tears had formed upon her face from the pain but her determination won out as they gained altitude.



"That’s good sister, feel the wind and let it take you higher." She heard Squark's words start to falter as she gained altitude on him she looked down as she saw also tears cross her brothers face.



"Don’t wait for me just go, I’ll be right behind you just get to Manderley." She hesitated for just a moment then followed his wishes as she soared to a height and caught the strong prevailing winds. The sun was already starting to dip low in the sky but she saw the towers of Manderley in the distance.



A loud call from an eagle was heard to her right as it came upon her back and clawed at her wings. Glide grimaced in pain as feathers were torn from her wings. She took evasive action and weaved towards a low cloud to hide her path. Flight was made harder with her heart rate pounding in her chest and worried for her brother. She hoped that the eagle had continued searching her out and not spotted her brother but there was nothing she could do as they carried no weapons upon themselves to defend against the eagle.



She found a break in the cloud and saw the walls of Manderley and arched her back for a fast descent. The wind whistled across her body like never before as she came in faster not having time to have drawn her wings back to slow her landing. Glide came down with a thud and rolled across the cobbled stone street that led to the castle. Startled onlookers emerged as they ran over and helped Glide to her feet. She had skinned her knees and ruffled a few feathers but was otherwise alright. She looked into the sky and hoped to see her brother close behind but he wasn’t to be seen.



She knew she had to get to the castle fast as dusk was nearly here and ran as best she could with all flight now depleted from her wings. She reached the castles gate and announced herself as a challenger for the title of Queen. A burly male soldier moved forward followed by an elderly scribe that carried parchment in both hands



"Name please?" The scribe said



"I’m Lady Glide of Perch and I’m here for the challenge." She saw the scribe wrote down her name on some parchment.



"Welcome to castle Manderley Lady Glide the Queen has a feast for any challengers and request your audience in the eating hall."



"I’m concerned for my brother, we were attacked by an eagle not far from Manderley and he hasn’t arrived as yet."



"Is this your brother that follows you just now up the castle path." Glide turned and was relieved to see her brother but shocked to see he had wounds across his face.



"Oh brother are you alright? I feared the eagle had got you; it was a massive bird of the likes I’ve never seen before." Blood dripped from his face but he smiled to indicate he was fine as he hugged his sister.



"I’m fine, it’s just a few scratches, it will heal."



"Good day good sir I’m Squark, Lady Glide’s brother and trainer." The soldier studied Squark over with contempt then dipped his head to the scribe.



"You both may enter and join the feast" said the scribe.



They walked the castle steps towards the noise of joyous laughter from the eating hall within. The hall had a vast array of food on every table and seated upon the tallest chair in the room was Queen Madelaine. The noise in the room died down as they entered all looked at my brother's bloodied face.



"What happened young feathered" called the Queen.



"Your Majesty we were attacked by an eagle and barely got here with our lives. Pardon me I’m Squark and this is my sister Lady Glide for the challenge." Queen Madelaine looked them both over.



"Mr Harrow, take Squark to the healers and have his wounds attended to and Lady Glide take a seat at my table!" Squark hesitantly left his sister as he looked back, he was guided by Harrow as Glide took a seat near the Queen.



"It troubles me to hear of an eagle attacking near my castle lady Glide. I hope you are fine after this ordeal." Glide could see the queen studied her over more like her prey than a concerned queen.



"I am fine my Queen, nothing a nights rest won’t heal." The Queen’s gaze never left Glide’s body as she summed up her challenger to the throne.



"Well child as you know my five years are up and a challenge must be held if I am to continue to be the queen for a further five years. I assure you child I will not make it easy as I plan to be queen for many terms to come."  The Queen was much taller than she expected and Queen Madelaine bared a deep scar across her arm. Her eyes were deep green and her figure was very muscular for a female. She wore little clothing but was certainly more than Glide’s naked body. Upon her head was a golden feathered crown with diamond studs. Glide felt a little embarrassed she didn’t wear any clothes as most in the room had some form of clothing on.



"Eat up child you will need your energy if you hope to come close to beating me." Glide looked upon the food placed around the table and most food was unfamiliar to her. There was a small bowl of seed she decided looked familiar and started eating from it.



"You won’t get strong eating seed you need some meat and fine fruits I have out."



"Seed will do my Queen, I don’t want to feel heavy for flight tomorrow." The queen had a frustrated scowl upon her face.



"As you wish, it is your loss if you haven’t got the energy tomorrow."



The feast continued with joyous laughter from many of the tables except the queens as she quietly spoken to her knights that came to the table about matters to do with the Kingdom. She saw Squark had finally returned from the healers and looked much better now the blood was cleaned from his face.



He seated himself beside Glide and chose to eat some fruit. Music started playing from flutes around the hall bringing a few to their feet to dance. Glide decided to rest her tired muscles and remained seated.



"How many other challengers have come forth Madelaine?" said Squark.



"You will address me as Queen or I’ll have your tongue young Squark. To answer your question your sister is the only fool to come forth so it will be an easy win for me." The Queen glared at Squark with much distaste.



"I’m sorry my Queen, I didn’t mean to offend, I forgot myself for a moment." The Queen turned and continued to have a quiet word to her knights.



"I’m sorry to interrupt my Queen but I think I will retire and get some rest for tomorrow" said Glide.



"You can’t go yet, you must have a drink of my finest wine first to commemorate the occasion. Cup bearers come forth and fill our guest cups with my finest wine." Two small meekly little servants came forth and filled our cups with one serving the queen and the other myself and Squark.



"A toast to our challenger Lady Glide, may wind forever make her soar."



"To Lady Glide" a chorus of feathered echoed across the hall. Squark took a long deep drink of his cup while Glide pretended to take a sip as she turned from the queen. She never liked wine and didn’t like the impaired feeling it gave her.



"I really must go now my Queen, I will see you tomorrow." Lady Glide moved quickly out of the hall before the Queen could respond followed closely by her brother.



A servant stood just outside the door to the hall. "Lady Glide, Sir Squark, I will show you the way to our sleeping chambers, follow me." They followed the young stout servant up a flight of stairs past many lavish rooms hoping one of them to be their sleeping chamber for the night but the walk had taken them down another flight of stairs to a much less appealing hall of dungeon type rooms.



"Here lies your chambers I hope you rest well." The rooms had very little furniture except for small hard beds and rusted iron bars to hang your feet if you wished to sleep that way.



"I see the queen doesn’t want you to rest well by appointing these quarters for us but little does she know we are used to sleeping in many places as rough as this." Squark always knew how to bring light to an otherwise drab environment. Glide saw a nice tall pod tree outside her window and decided to step out and perch herself upon one of its branches.



"I will sleep out here tonight brother as I like to feel the wind in my feathers as I sleep." Her brother stumbled onto a bed just inside as he looked a little pale.



"Are you alright brother, you look very pale?" Squark remained sprawled across the bed and just murmured.



"I’ll be fine, I just need some rest." He was snoring before she could get another murmured word from him.



Glide wrapped her feet around the branch and flung herself upside down and relaxed her muscles as they locked onto the branch. Nothing had felt better to her than to hang beneath a tree wrapped in her wings and slept. Sleep came easier to her than she expected, concerned that her thoughts on tomorrow would keep her awake.



Dawn broke with excited chirping from the ashna that nested on the tower roofs around the castle. Glide unfolded her wings and took in the sights of the city below with its vast streets and colorful buildings. Flags flapped in the breeze to commemorate the events for today. She managed to get herself from the branch and entered the bedchamber. Squark was still sprawled across the bed but something was amiss. His skin was much paler than the night before. She touched his brow and it was very cold.



"Brother wake up, BROTHER WAKE UP!" He wasn’t moving. She felt for a pulse but hadn’t felt one.



"SOMEONE PLEASE HELP ME!" Glide panicked as she did not know what to do.



"SOMEONE PLEASE HELP I THINK MY BROTHER IS DEAD!" As soon as she said the word dead she folded down to the floor in a flood of tears.



A knight came into the room. "Oh it seems your brother has died of his injuries from yesterday."



The knight was one of the knights that had been quietly speaking to the queen at the feast.



"He barely had a scratch on him, the queen did this I tell you, it was that wine she poisoned him as she wished to poison me also, only I didn’t drink the wine."



"You are stricken with grief Lady Glide, the queen wouldn’t poison your brother, eagles carry parasites on their talons that can be quite fatal to us."



"If that was the case why am I not dead? The eagle managed to claw me also, just not so evident."



"Some people can fight the parasite and others like your brother can not." Glide had not believed the knight for a minute. Her brother was the strongest she knew.



"You lie, it was the queen, that bitch killed my brother." The knight stood defiant and was not going to hear any word said against his queen. He struck Glide across the face with his open hand.



"You will not speak about the queen in that way, for as long as she is queen I defend her in every way, whether you are grieved or not."  Glide quelled her tongue and bottled all her grief up and planned to use it to bring down the queen today.



Trumpets were sounded across the city to signal the day ahead. Glide shut everyone around her out as she made her way to the throne room. Tears still streamed down her face as the knight hurried ahead to no doubt let the queen know she failed in her attempt to have her killed. She entered the throne room with a large audience inside.



"I’m so sorry child to hear of your brothers passing. I heard that eagles can be lethal if scratched by one. Do you wish to still take the challenge or would you like to strike yourself off and come back in five years?" Glide saw a smirk almost escape the queen’s lips as she finished.



"I am fine; I will give the kingdom a new leader today for my brother’s memory." The queen looked scorn.



"Very well, get on with it master of ceremonies." The queen’s eyes were red with anger as Glide looked at her face.



"As decreed in the Kingdom of Feather three challenges will take place. The winner will have won at least two of these challenges to become rightful queen. In winning the challenge the loser will have their wings clipped and sent to the exiled lands never to enter the Kingdom of Feather ever again by new laws of the current queen." This time there was no escaping the smirk that came across the queen’s face.



"The new queen will have five years before a new challenge can be made as always has and always will be." The master of ceremonies opened up a parchment to reveal the three challenges.



"The first challenge is to fly to the summit of Sparkle Mountain and retrieve a flag that has been placed upon it. The second challenge is to lift a weighted object and place it on a column in front of the castle. The third challenge if two challenges not won already is a fight with no weapons until one claims defeat." Shocked Glide hadn’t trained in combat before as all past challenges involved flight but never battle. She knew she had to win the first two challenges to have any hope. 



Glide and Madelaine proceeded outside to begin the first challenge to a huge audience of city folk with some cheering Glide and others Queen Madelaine. The Queen stripped her clothing off and removed her crown. The muscles rippled across Queen Madelaine’s body in the morning light.



"At the sound of the horn you will both take flight to the summit and retrieve the flag." They both waited for the horn to be blown, ready to take flight.



BAROOOOOOOOO the horn blew, the queen launched, turned on Glide and kicked her in the stomach having taken the air from her lungs. Glide fell flat on her back then took flight already fallen behind in the race to the summit. Glide’s wings still felt the journey of the day before and she struggled to gain momentum as she chased the queen with her lungs short of air.



Glide heard her brother’s voice in her head. "Pump those wings sister, I am with you, you can do this."



She looked about and expected to see her brother beside her but nothing was there. She pumped her wings gaining speed but every bit of speed she had gained the queen seemed to get further ahead with her much larger wings that eclipsed her own.

"Don’t follow her Glide, be smart, read the wind and use it, find an updraft near the mountain the winds blow strong there." Glide faltered as she looked around for her brother but still no sign of him. She closed her eyes and felt the wind caress her wings and turned to a better position so the wind favored both wings uplifting her faster. The queen was out of her sight having entered low cloud that surrounded the mountain.



Glide opened her eyes and could see the trees swayed on the eastern edge of the mountain so turned in that direction in hope for a strong advantage from the stronger winds.



"Good sister you are reading the winds well, stick close to the mountain and take advantage of that updraft." Glide decided she must be stricken with grief and she is hearing her brother because she wanted to. The updraft was stronger than she anticipated as she felt her speed increase two fold.



She was blinded by the cloud cover but trusted the winds to lead the way as she heard the rocks of the mountains wall whistle past her. She only hoped the cloud cover didn’t go all the way to the summit or the flag would have been hard to find. She felt like she had been flying for hours before cloud cover broke she saw that she was above the summit and the flag had not been claimed as yet. She dipped to soar down to the flag with her arm stretched out to take the glory. Just yards from the flag the Queen emerged from the cloud cover with a shocked expression to see Glide was already on the approach to the flag. Glide had the flag in her hands, turned and screamed down the face of the mountain.



"Give me that flag you child bitch!" Glide had to get in sight of the cities people so they could see she had the flag. She tucked in her wings to get maximum speed for her descent as she looked around Madelaine had done the same but she had dropped too far behind to catch now. Glide finally had broken cloud cover much closer to the ground and had to extend her wings out to slow her descent. The queen came through the cloud cover also caught out by the lower cloud than expected she slammed into Glide's back. Glide managed her grip and held the flag but spiraled out of control as she felt one of her wings was damaged by the impact. She saw the queen was having troubles of her own trying to pull up before she impacted the ground with a thud. Glide collided into a castle tower that veered her into the crowd of onlookers and broken her leg as she rolled among the city folk. Luckily no onlookers were injured as Glide saw but it wasn’t so good for Glide with a broken leg.



The crowd graciously helped her and carried her to the foot of the castle, she saw that the queen had also arrived but had a noticeable limp.



"Well it looks as though our first champion is Lady Glide but it doesn’t look good for her next challenge with a broken leg and what appears to also be a broken wing. You may claim defeat lady Glide if you can’t continue?" said the master of ceremonies.



"I’ll never claim defeat for as long as I live" Glide spat.



The queen looked happy with herself despite having lost the first challenge.



"Let’s get on with it then, we have these two iron balls with handles attached. It is up to the challengers to grip the handles by whichever way they wish and fly them to the top of the columns in front of us. The first to get their weight upon the column wins the challenge." Glide was defeated before she even began as she had no hope of lifting the ball with a broken wing.



"Start the challenge after the horn" said the master of ceremonies.



BAROOOOOOOO Glide had no time to figure out how she could have had any chance before the queen had already mounted her weight and lifted it with her arms by the handles. Glide gripped hers with her only usable foot and attempted to extend her wings to fly but it was useless. The queen had her weight on top of the column first with little effort.



"That was easy for our Majesty the queen, I praise you Queen Madelaine, I can see you will be our Queen for many more years to come." There was mixed cheers from the crowd as some seemed to have sympathy for Glide as Glide even saw tears among some.



"She hasn’t won two challenges as yet master of ceremonies, so get on with it as you say." The master of ceremonies scowled at Glide.



"Alright we now move to the arena for the final challenge to decide our queen, I believe Glide will need assistance to the arena if anyone wants to volunteer."



Many subjects came forward to help Glide to the arena as one held her broken leg a couple from the crowd threw a couple of pieces of broken spears it appeared and splintered her leg as they tore clothing from themselves even resorted to take a flag down to use.



"This will hurt lady Glide, we have to straighten your leg before we put the splint on." Her leg had already swelled and before she could protest they pulled her leg straight as Glide passed out.



Glide came too and was already in the arena with water poured over her face. Her leg somewhat felt a little better but she certainly couldn’t put weight on it as they stood her up. The splint helped though as they had it wrapped well around her leg she thanked them before they had to leave.



Glide must have missed the announcement for the next challenge as the horn had been blown and the Queen was already flying towards her. Dazed she had no time to deflect the first blow as Madelaine closed fist her across the jaw as she flew by. Glide was on the ground and rolled over to see what was to come next. The queen dropped down upon her with the full force of her feet that crushed upon her chest as she felt bones break within. She spat blood upon the arena ready to die and be with her brother.

"Looks like this was too easy bitch, before I finish you off I would like to say how much I enjoyed sending my pet to you before you arrived but not disappointed it didn’t succeed as I would not have  got this moment and yes I did kill your pour little worm of a brother." Glide felt a rage had built up inside and flipped her body beneath the queen’s feet and sent her to her knees. She found an inner strength she didn’t know she had and was on the queens back before she reacted and started pulling away feathers from her wings. The pain throughout her leg was clouded under her rage as the queen pivoted back and slammed Glide into the ground but Glide had her arms wrapped around her enemies wings and stopped her from a frontal onslaught.

She pulled with every inch of strength she possessed and felt the wings crumbled in her gripped rampage. She managed to get her good leg beneath the queen’s back between her wings and pulled even harder as wings had been torn from the flesh of Madelaine’s back.



The queen had an ear piercing scream as her wings were separated from her body and blood spewed from her wound in a red shower. With wings separated the queen was able and returned to her feet. The queen’s eyes were blood red with her own rage apparent through her eyes. Glide closed her fist and beat at the queen’s head but the queen got the upper hand by kicking into Glide’s broken leg and snapped the splint that was in place. Glide dropped once again in agony, she looked upon the sky and saw an image of her brother above her.



"Move your head Glide NOW!" Glide moved without thinking as the queen’s fist crumbled into the ground with shattered bones heard. Glide spun herself upon the dirt and kicked Madelaine while her head was lowered and caused a sickening sound, the queen’s neck snapped and she fell to the ground dead.



An uproar came from the crowd of cheers as Glide laid flat and seen the image of her brother still above her in the sky. "You did well sister, I love you and I’m glad I was able to see you become queen. I have to go now." His image faded from view and Glide felt a calming influence washed over her.



Months later Queen Glide sat upon her throne and looked out upon her newest addition to the castle, a large bronze statue of her brother Squark with her wounds long healed she felt good since the statue was erected and felt her brother was with her again. I love you brother always....



                                                                                                  THE END