“I said it before,” Jack staggered a little, “It affects everyone differently.”
“I felt … I felt … happy.” I said slowly, “At peace with myself. I felt as though I had died. Everything was so simple and pure. I’m not sure if I can even remember the song.”
Jack frowned, “That’s why people go back so often. The music sends you into a stupor, and time passes in the blink of an eye, yet you never forget how that brief moment made you feel.”
“How did it make you feel?” I asked.
Jack thought for a moment, “Well first my body goes numb and completely lax.” He said, “But every time I hear her sing I revisit my happiest memories as though they were happening all over again.”
“That really was something spectacular.” I admitted, “Thank you for taking me.”
“You’re welcome.”
“What’s Madame Feather’s real name?” I wondered.
“No one knows.” Jack shrugged, “She remains anonymous and uses a pseudonym.”
I frowned, “She would be easily recognised in the city.”
Jack nodded, “That’s what I thought, but I’ve never seen her. Perhaps she disguises herself.”
“A face that pretty can’t be forgotten so easily.
Chapter nine
Tethered
It took several days for me to completely get over what I had witnessed at the theatre. It had made such an impression on me that I felt quite brain dead most of the time and even accidentally lit Jack on fire at one point.
When Jack and I were perfect friends once again we attempted to teach Hawthorne how to fly. Of course, this had to be done in the dead of the night when no one would catch us. We decided to do this behind the stables and away from any prying eyes so that anyone peeking out of a manor window late at night wouldn’t see us. Of course, this also meant that it was very dark for Jack, Camryn and I too, and we would have a hard time seeing what we were doing, or where each other was. I couldn’t exactly light a fire for our convenience, in case someone spotted the flickering flame.
We knew we would be able to see better when the moon shone through the veil of clouds in the sky, and reflected off the snow. It would be much easier then. In the end we decided to only to train Hawthorne to fly on moon lit nights.
The first flying lesson was quite tiring.
“Okay Hawthorne, Brace your back legs to spring into the air-” Camryn began.
“No, no, just flap really, really fast, like this-” Jack waved his arms in a ridiculous manner, looking a lot like an over grown, out of proportion bird.
“Maybe he should get a running start-” I suggested, jogging on the spot in demonstration.
Hawthorne looked between us, utterly bewildered and not knowing who to listen to.
“Maybe some wing exercises?” Jack provided, “To strengthen them up a bit?”
“What if-” I started.
“Be quiet and let me teach him.” Camryn hissed, and Jack and I fell silent.
Hawthorne huffed and nudged my head with his nose, indicating to me that he was bored. I lifted my hand and stroked his face lovingly, with a small smile. I would really like to see him fly, but the reality of what would happen after he learned was very sad. Somewhere deep down I hoped that he wouldn’t be able to fly at all.
Jack folded his arms and tapped his foot, “Who made you boss?”
“Hawthorne is mine.” I reminded her.
“Who do you think taught the foals to fly?” Camryn snapped.
“Well they learn all right in the wild, don’t they?” Jack smirked.
“Don’t their mothers teach them?” I mused.
Camryn glared, “Yes, but when two tamed Pegasi had foals here they allowed me to help, and they learned twice as fast!”
Jack rolled his eyes and muttered something unintelligible under his breath, which sounded very much like, “Probably learned to fly faster to get away from you.”
“I heard that!” Camryn snapped and Jack turned pink.
I grinned and leaned against Hawthorne who sniffed me appreciatively. Whenever I took the opportunity to visit Hawthorne in the stables he never left my side. A loyal friend. It was as though he bonded me to this world. I lived for Hawthorne now. He was the most important thing to me. I loved him dearly, and although I hadn’t told him this specifically, I was sure he knew I did. I’d always had a lot of trouble with saying that word. Love. Of course I felt it for my friends and family, but it was another thing altogether to say it out loud for everyone to hear. When it’s said, all your defences go down and it makes it possible for people to hurt you. I didn’t like that. I never said it, I just hoped people knew.
I could tell Hawthorne loved me deeply from the way he looked at me with his too-intelligent eyes. They sparkled when I was near, and he would nudge his nose affectionately against me.