Read The Queen's A King :: Chapter 5

"Archer... Archer?" I slowly open my eyes to see two golden eyes staring back. I quickly sit up, shoving Mytel away. "Archer, Archer, hey, hey, hey, it's ok-" "GET AWAY FROM ME!!!" I try to stand, but my legs give out; I try my best to crawl, but my body feels like I swam across the ocean. I struggle to a tree trunk, but my hair is suddenly much longer, falling in front of my face. I can barely breathe as I hear Mytel's footsteps as he slowly followed behind me. It's like he's making sure I'm ok from a distance. Mytel gives off a more wild feeling than usual. "Archer, it's me... wait." he stands up & I notice that his tail is much bushier & longer than before. It was like a thick fur whip was attatched at his back end. His hair is now longer, styled in mid chest length dreds, but his clothes were still the same from earlier that day. His eyes are much, much more gold than before; they look me over slowly. His eyebrow twitches. "Oh... " A wine red book suddenly appeared in his hands, gold shapes & letters shimmering around him; it opens suddenly. I hear him mutter a few words, gently shut the book; a scent of honey fills my nose, encouraging me to breathe it in. "Archer." he calls my name & my head snaps up to look at him; Mytel's bright yellow eyes stare back. He had a faint smile & sat across from me, not saying a single word. The warmth his smile gives off is incredibly strong; it's like nothing could ever go wrong so long as he's by me. Though... I think that part of that feeling is from how cute I find him. I start to take everything in, like how my clothes aren't even wet. The grass under my fingers, how seemingly impossibly long my hair is now. My breathing is still chaotic, but it's getting better. His tail gently wraps around my wrist & I play with the fur in between my fingers. I can't help but chuckle. "How...!" my voice was much deeper than before. Still high pitched for a man, but... definately not a pitch a woman would typically have. It sent me spiraling all over again. Mytel simply watched, moving his tail in my hand to give me a new feeling to focus on.

"How do you always know how to calm me down?"

"I'm a service dog."

"Huh?"

"It's a joke. My powers connect very directly with my emotions, especially in nature. It also helps me understand others emotions too."

"Oh..."

"Archer."

"Hmm...?"

"I won't say anything until you're a bit more calm, ok?"

"Ok..."

He lays down in the grass, smiling & enjoying the air on his face. I'm not sure if he can help it, but the middle of his tail begins to thump on the ground. He's so carefree... & particularly handsome like this. We sit in silence for the next few minutes, him still letting me play with his tail. I look up at him, meeting his eyes; I give a small grin. "S-Sorry... the uh... the voice scared me, p-pretty bad, you can imagine." He nodded to me, sitting up. "It's alright. First time I was in your town, I freaked out because my ears & tail were gone. Didn't know they'd show on their own." He grinned a big goofy smile that was all teeth; some much to sharp to be normal. "I walked like a duck with two left feet for 3 days." I let out a snort, which seems to please him. He keeps making jokes, forcing me to let my guard down. He makes me laugh more times than I can count. After a longer laughing fit, he clears his throat. "Archer, I want to ask you a more serious question." I get nervous, but agree. "When we were in the water... what did you see?" I grip the tail a bit tighter than before, but he doesn't react to it.

"C-Can I ask why...?"

"In simple terms? The first time people go to Camelot, or go to Earth reflects how they see themselve & the people around them. Everyone's travel is different. It just starts with water."

"Oh..."

"Whatever you saw, you wont see again. Never again."

I got quiet, not wating to look at Mytel. "Hey-" I glance up at him to see his ernest face; he's a little closer to me now. He's also holding my hands; was... was this him trying to beg like an actual dog? "Whatever you saw... I won't be upset. I promise." He holds my hand gently as I let out a nervous sigh. "I... I saw something in the little plants at the bottem of the pond... I think? I went to grab it & move but the vines, or stem or whatever it was wouldn't let my hand go. You came up behind me &..." I take another breath. "You drowned me Mytel... you held my body down under the water... I-I couldn't breathe & when I rolled over I just saw your eyes & you were-" suddenly, Mytel pulls me in for a hug; his frame seems broader than before. Then again, I feel like my body is cramped pressing against his. "I am so sorry... I truely am. You know that I would never-" A haunting call forces Mytel into silence. It's coming from behind us, as if carried by the gust of wind that suddenly blows in. The voice is familiar somehow, but I can't place where I've heard it from. The sound lasts for a few more moments, but suddenly fades away. "What was that?" Mytel's brow furrows. "Not sure... but I think whatever it was, was meant for you. No matter what it was though, we should get moving." I nodded & he helps me up, grunting. After making sure I was steady, Mytel begins collecting up items from underneath a near by tree. "We're heading to the- well, your palace next. We won't walk the whole way, but we will be walking to our pick up point." He turns to face me, smiling, as always. "You ready?" I nodded, walking beside him. He was still taller than me, but not by as much. We walked in silence together for a while. "So... we're heading to the palace? I-Is Dad there?" Mytel hesitated for a moment. "He should be... along with the rest of your family. Though, I should give you some warning." I was confused.

"W-Warning?"

"When people come here, their bodys can change a little bit."

"Change?"

"Longer hair, like yours. Or they're taller."

"M-My voice...? Maybe?"

"Yes, though, that's considered rare. Your niece, for example, might look the most different. They have more... whimsical ideas of how magic can be used."

"Um..."

"She'll still look like herself, but might have a tail. Or wings. Or horns. Whatever she'd want really."

"Knowing Yuki, it's probably all them."

"No one knows really why this happens, or why it's different for every person. The best explination is magic."

"Convientent..."

"No, really. People from Earth can't handle magic as well. It messes with their bodies somehow. But, the changes are usually good. Some even stick around when you go back."

"So then... is this a different planet or...?"

"Seperate dimension. Some think we're in Agartha."

"What?"

"Nothing, nothing. Just a bad joke."

"Uh huh..."

"It's just up ahead."

We keep going until we get to the edge of a steep drop off. "What now?" I asked him. Mytel gives a look over the edge, then to the left, then the right. "I'm telling you now, I am not jumping." I said as seriously as I can. "Y'know, it did cross my mind, but this will have to do." He gives me a teasing look. "Where are we going again?" he asks. "Uh... you said the castle-!" A golden carrage suddenly appears in front of us, lead by two white pegasi. The door flies open to reveal a surprisngly modern looking interior. "After you." Mytel says, motioning me inward. "Well, well, well. About time you showed up." The same pink hair woman from my house was sitting inside, legs crossed. This time, she was wearing a white v-neck dress with blue trim & a matching blue belt. White feathers were coming out of her head, three on each side. She wore a bubblegum pink shawl with gold trim & white heels. She sets down a glass that could only be wine; her blue lipstick was pretty though. "The man with a million plans himself, & is still somehow late." Mytel smiles. "Not true. You came the second he called. You just want to gripe at me." she huffs, staring at me. "Right. Let's make this a proper introduction, shall we?"