Wings

Chapter 17

The talk was a great success. King David and Queen Victoria heartily welcomed Olivia and her friends as official new residents. Olivia's story was a complete truth, and the friends were happy to reach their destination and be allowed to stay. Finally, they were safe. It had to be like this ... right? Was this the end of the story?

After the conversation, David led Olivia and her friends to the guest rooms he had with his wife, Victoria. Everyone was given separate rooms. Snow would stay with Olivia, who was still in her kangaroo bag. After Olivia closed the door, she first took off her backpack and put it on the chair that stood nearby. Then she carefully lifted Snow from her kangaroo coat pocket and set her on the floor. Before David left, he also said he was going to get Olivia later. But why? He hadn't told her that.

Snow, who was happy to be out of the kangaroo bag, stretched herself before going to bed and jumped on it. She sat up and looked at Olivia. "What happens now?"

"We're going to get some sleep. I'm sure James and Jessie will too."

Snow nodded and lay down. Olivia opened her backpack and unwrapped her pajamas, and then she changed into one before going to sleep in bed. She got under the sheets and yawned. She petted Snow first briefly before lying on her stomach and quickly falling asleep.

*

There was a soft knock at the door and that woke Olivia up quickly. Snow also woke up immediately since she was a light sleeper. Olivia got out of her bed and opened the door. There was the king. The girl with wings felt some panic and made a small bow.

King David laughed a little and put his hand on Olivia's shoulder. "No bowing when we are not in public. Put your clothes on. I have a surprise for you."

Olivia nodded and said her goodbyes respectfully to the king before closing the door. Snow stood up and stretched before sitting back down. "I'm not going with you because I'm still tired. Is that okay with you?"

Olivia raised her thumb and quickly put on her clothes before waving to Snow and leaving her guest room. She gently closed the door and went to the living room, where David was sitting on the couch.

"Did you sleep well?"

Olivia nodded and before she and the king could leave for that surprise, suddenly 2 giggling children came running toward David.

"Daddy!" cried one of the children and jumped into David's arms.

Olivia looked full of surprise at the 2 children and the king. The girl with wings began to look more closely at the children. A boy around the age of 7 seemed to be the oldest. His hair had some color in it from David's hair and there was also some orange in it just like Queen Victoria's. The last child, who was in David's arms, was a girl around the age of 6. Her hair was the same color just like David's, just a shade lighter, and it was also curly. Her eyes were blue just like Victoria's.

They were David's and Victoria's children.

David smiled and held his baby daughter in his arms. He had a happy expression on his face. He held his baby daughter around one arm and held his son's hand in his. The children looked happily at their father. Olivia smiled because that heartwarming scene was for her. She thought children were cute.

David looked at her. "Olivia, these are my children, Lucas and Sofie."

Olivia smiled kindly, which was full of warmth, and waved to them. "Hello."

David carefully put Sofie back on the floor and the girl walked toward Olivia with a beautiful smile on her face. "Wow! You are beautiful! How big your wings are! Can I touch them? Please?"

"Sofie, I think da-" David did not finish his sentence since Olivia said to him that she thought was okay. The girl with wings got on her knees and held out one wing to Sofie. The little girl looked pleased and carefully began to feel her wing. It was super soft, soft like a real blanket. "It's super soft!" said Sofie to Olivia.

Olivia looked at Sofie with a smile on her face. It gave the teen a pleasant feeling when someone touched her wings. Just before anyone could say anything, Queen Victoria entered, her orange hair shining in the sun. She looked relieved to find Lucas and Sofie in the living room. "There you are."

"Mommy, that wing is super soft! You have to feel it!" said Sofie in an excited tone.

Victoria giggled a little. "I know wings are soft, honey. But your dad and Olivia have to be somewhere, so why don't we go bake?"

Lucas and Sofie looked excited and immediately walked out of the living room toward the kitchen. The queen gave her husband and Olivia one last smile before disappearing behind her children. David and Olivia left the palace and went outside the gates. The girl with wings asked herself where they were going. 2 bodyguards followed behind them and some ordinary Wing Warriors bowed as the king passed them. David was a respected king and also friendly, so he waved at them. Even some of them started whispering to each other, probably talking about Olivia since they had walked with James and Jessie since they were commoners. Olivia ignored them and almost wanted to ask David where they were going until she saw that they were going to a rest home. Now she had additional questions. Why were they here? What was the surprise?

Olivia wanted to say something to David again, and she opened her mouth, but she didn't get her chance because he went inside and the girl with wings followed him. When David entered the building with Olivia, the girl saw that some workers and residents bowed to him. After that, they went back to work.

"Why are we here?" the girl asked the king.

"You'll see." David went to the counter and Olivia followed him. She hadn't been paying attention since she looked around in curiosity until a Polish first name hit her ears. Andrzej. Who was Andrzej? Her first name was Latin. Olivia just wanted to ask the king again who Andrzej was, but again she missed her chance. An employee, wearing a special uniform, led David and Olivia down the corridor toward a door. The employee knocked and opened the door. She held the door open for the king and Olivia and both entered. The employee closed the door and now David and Olivia were alone with a man standing at the window.

Olivia felt something inside her body. It was nerves. After the man turned around, the girl studied him. He was old since he had gray hair. His eyes were brown and he wore glasses. Olivia was a very bright child and was also shy. The old man's gaze seemed serious until he saw Olivia. This man had to be Andrzej. But what David said next, Olivia felt in shock.

"Olivia, this is your grandfather, the father on your mother's side. Meet Andrzej."

Olivia couldn't believe it. She grew up in an orphanage and Cindy took care of her. All these years, Cindy said her parents were dead. But what about her grandparents? Were they still alive? Cindy had told nothing about that and now the king introduced her grandfather to her, who was still alive. She felt a little betrayed, but she felt happy and relieved that someone in her family was still alive. But wait. What about James and Jessie, since they were also orphans? What had happened to their parents?

There was silence in this room but before David or the grandfather could say anything, Olivia walked toward her grandfather and she could no longer control her emotions as she began to cry, tears stinging her eyes and rolling down her cheeks. She observed her grandfather closely. He looked gently at her and there was some sadness in it as well. He wanted to say something and was close to opening his mouth, but Olivia hugged him, her cheek pressed against his chest. Andrzej was frozen in shock at first, but he hugged his granddaughter back. He couldn't control his emotions either, so he began to cry too. Of joy. After all these years... They let go of each other.

"I'll leave you alone," David began. "Come back when you're ready, Olivia." That was when he left the room and closed the door.

After David disappeared, Olivia looked at her grandfather. He gave and said to her a sign to sit down on the seat that was also in that room. After the girl with wings did so, Andrzej sat down next to his granddaughter. That was when the conversation began. The old man told her that he had met her when she was born in the hospital. There was peace for a few years until war broke out for the Wing Warriors. Olivia's parents were ambushed and Cindy was there. Olivia's mother begged Cindy to bring her daughter to the normal world and watch over her. All these years Andrzej thought his granddaughter was dead when he could not find her. His daughter could not tell her father in time that Olivia was safe with Cindy.

Olivia also told her story to her grandfather. He listened. He was in shock that there were 2 ordinary people there. Their conversation went on for hours until it got dark. Olivia returned to the palace.