Settling a new nest.

Mattu had exhausted himself from his morning. He takes him a whole new week to feel like doing anything about it.

But the cathedral nuns, monks ans priests showed him something his family didn't ever often give until he would be of marrying age. That there is care and togetherness. That he wasn't alone with feeling like he did. That some folks here were like him, came from other countries and were welcomed to magic in many ways.

He felt stronger about himself, not giving in to any bullying and ignoring nobility over poor. He certainly had plenty of it directed to him. He learns the language slowly but with good progress.

He had no interest in picking up magic so quickly. He could see from the side lines that magic was a very picky - a force for power that flows and can not be forced. He was very patient with seeing it that way. You can't tell a plant to grow faster, only aid for as much as needed. He very good at picking up the tongue twist casting but not the idea or power behind it. He pondered why they all would still make mistakes in different parts of the tongue twists. Yet still have the same outcomes. Then again, he wasn't trying hard at all with making a fool of himself.

He liked many areas of the cathedral grounds and felt no need to leave it. He most liked coming to the roof or the little garden areas. He smile comfortably in watching the many birds. That of the crows were here to, just like his homeland. So he felt at home here in that comfort of knowing. If such beautiful birds like it here, it must not be a bad place to roost.

He did still see the silhouette of the massive bird often in areas of the more holy grounds. He would follow it often that he would find someone or something that needed help. A good samaritan like him was always happy to be aid. Magicless but useful. His way of doing things had been nice to teach the monks and nuns back. They taught him the things about the land, the language and the way it all works in life. He gave back with little favours. He was never afraid to speak to anyone strange and never afraid of trying something.

He was always at the garden and helps out framering the vegetables. He was good at it with knowing his familys way of things. He learned to read very quickly and was able to understand it without help. He was very patient and good at being a hand among the cathedral. They accepted him as a stayer. They granted him a room of his own and he was paid for working hard in the garden or something with fixing the wood parts here.

Time sure flies as the new seasons of holidays that this community runs were making it busy work. Throwing a feast for everyone and the welcoming back of followers whom gone away for some other things. It will be the first time Mattu meets them. Mircale workers of the magic people, is quite a reputation. If making ice sculptures or turning whole areas of floating sand into glass is not miracles. What is a miracle by magic people definition?

The question aside, there was more important folks that walked nearby. Mattu noticed with the silhouette of the massive bird directing its wing towards the more quiet prayer grounds. Mattu brushes off the soil from his knees, quick to hop around over. Nuns on passing would snicker at how dirty he alway is, assuming he forgot to magic cast it off himself. Some did so for him as they had talked to him before and knew him slightly better.

He has been around for some time and knew the navigation of this place well. He seen how small birds fly around lost or that the crows sitting on the pew benchs beside poeple. He knew ways around that anyone else doesn't take as notice. He hops through a latched window, as it was the quickest short cut to the statue courtyards. These statues are of the many gods they worship on this island or respected from other parts of the world.

He lands easy and goes looking around. To his shock, a statue was moved to the side and walks from behind were that of the royals. The silhouette of the bird was flying that way, it matters that he sees them. So he does without fear and with smiling. Catching up to both the lady and the sir.

He learned the greeting for the area but he was a little less the perfect in managing it.

"I am glad you OK." He spoke in his native tongue instead of attempting the messy mockery of thiers.

"Ah, Mattu. You look so healthy now, I nearly didn't recognize you." Sir scruffing hair and the lady giggles a little.

"I should thank you for before. What you said to my servant before we parted. Your comment although strange had really save us." Mattu thinks on that and recalls saying something about funny taste. He had not meant to say his thoughts about thier clothing to mean anything.

They let him walk with them, as he wasn't any threat to them. He has saved their lives a few times now. They trust him. Mattu has really embraced the equal standing rule around here.

"I am glad my strange comments had mean anything. I am more grateful for being brought here. I have learned so much and feel so welcomed." The relief the royal sir was long and erased any built tension of meeting Mattu again.

These two royals spoke in a new way of same language between them, Mattu may have been left out but he could actually understand the jist of it. It were a conversation about the up coming event and the god followers. The details exactly were lost in translation, but in the spoken accent it made sense of some words he struggled pronouncing.

His native accent had blocked ways for him to be understood clearly. Watching the royals speak was so much easier to learn the mouth shape to clear away that problem. They sort of had a sing tone as they spoke that the nuns and monks only did for holy text readings. Royals spoke like this normally and the public did not. It also was how the royals used words in triple meaning then the single or double that public does. It was educational to listen to sir and lady. Spoke posh like that nobility failed to replicate so well.

"Mattu, how did you get in here? The gates are closed." A priest of cartoonie blue robs with a well covered hood that hides his face came forwards.

"Oh, I had followed a bird." he admits but it didn't answer the path he took.

The priest is a little sus of a strange answer and couldn't help but see Mattu as a impostor for a moment. The doubt removed as the royals say things about how crazy their bird fanatic gets. Even in the mention of knowing Mattu being able to see the crow 'something' carriers. He didn't understand such the strangeness connect to 'something'.

"Wait, you do?" The priest feels caught by this.

"What did happen to the bird you helped?" Sir asked.

"Oh, it was wanting to go somewhere at the time. So I followed its directions. I had found someone the bird wanted to climb onto. I managed to reach them in time to give the bird before they both

disappeared. Someone told me that it is normal but it still confuses me." Mattu is honest answering, "I was silently thanked with a necklace. But still... it was all strange."

"You are a very gifted person, not that you may realize it." Mattu pouted with not really understanding how seeing crows was a gift. Crows are just very beautiful and nosy birds. The fact they like sitting to watch the holy texts of all sorts of important books being read out is proof enough of how nosy they are.

"Well no worries then." The royals putting cloaks on like the priest has on. A spare is offered to Mattu as he does the same. He follows with continuous listening to how they speak. He takes in what strange words he finds them using often. They used spell casting to make the cloaks neat, the lady snickers with casting on Mattu too. She had not minded at the slightest.

She doesn't look so exhausted in magic use as others his watched use magic before. She worded spells in that fancy posh accent like her natural voice. No mistakes or anything. He notice it very well. He will continue to know which two are the royals because of manners or magic casting. The accent trip too. He snickers at the attempts that royals make the slur the accent to fit in among nobility. He stays all mute and close to them throughout the ceremony... didn't really pay mind about anything at all.

They did get split apart during a stand on stage. The royal two took the stairs down to intermingle among gathering. These stairs were magic held... and its why Mattu felt uncomfortable to walk the stairs. It clear magic was used on the stairs in some form, watching other followers taking them down.

The pews were filling full of public members. Nobles trying to sniff out which is a royal under the cloth. Mattu finding it amusing that those folks would bow to the wrong people with thinking they got it right. But easy as it is to scan the room, he knew instantly which were the two.

"So which are the two royals?" Another and new posh tone speaker. They were dark clothing and held a dead tone in cutting short the song hum as they spoke. Mattu study the floor in front of them both with thinking about whom this is. He sees that they lacked a shadow under them. He seen it with the strange people among folks here. So... this were a strange one too.

"You're a strange person." Mattu gently whispers, "But clearly you hang around with those two often. You have quiet a fancy way of words. Cold... but fancy." The stranger tilts in reply to Mattu, "Clearly you care for them... Many strange cold people don't linger here often and you have no intent of harm... no crow is watching you." Mattu softly gives direction, "They are walking together. She walks like she has heels on still and he a little to stiff in greeting others." The stranger looks right to them, "Good luck stranger. May the crow guide you safe." This stranger takes a short route around to them two. A letter is passed over, it was bad news. That shiver in taking the message. Disappeared like nothing but a message still at hand, tucked away.

"You didn't seem bothered in the slightest of a shadow person." Very well equipped and nicely dressed for the event, not to the cloth materials of royals. Just a respectful tone and warm hand on the shoulder.

"Shadow person... is that what they are? Mmm... I have to consider that for any other time again. It explained how they could walk off the platform without aid or stairs." The lost muttering, "Your a god follower, I can tell. Its nice to met you and your goddess." The very faint image of a woman is in their eyes reflection. They look the part and felt welcoming and protective.

"Your actually rather young sounding yourself. Your lack of bais would mean just how innocent of a soul you are." The word soul held quite a strange ting about it. Mattu doesn't want to think to hard on that, instead looking back the return of the royals back on stage. The gasps of people working out its them from magic cast so bluntly. Mattu snickers at them a little on thier approach, "My prince and princess, I had not realized."

"I hope the bad news isn't to terrible. The person that delivered it was very strange but cared about you both." Mattu is given a lot of odd looks, "You rather funny in the acting skills. Your way of poses is a little to noble like sometimes."

"Oh Mattu, you had no idea." the lady sighed, "didn't they scare you?"

"Not at all. They all feel the same way, them strangers. But they are still people given the manners and way they speak." Sir sighs oddly with finding Mattu reaction refreshing. Not many folks react well to spirits of the dead walking around. Ignorance is bliss as they say.

"You might be perfect to help us. There is a meeting soon and you would fit in." The lady snatching Mattu's good arm and taking him along with the whole way.

They walked a strange way into a wall and through the other side of it. Well... not the normal at the slightest. There is also a lot of birds around, he smiles about seeing strange beautiful birds. These birds aren't the void feathers of crows however the eyes... rudy red with strange patterns.

"Welcome to a pocket fold, a place where living meets the dead. You mustn't say your name or agree to anything that sounds to good. You wouldn't want to be tricked." the lady will continue holding his hand now. As Mattu appreciates the stone carvings here, tool marks of hard labour. There is a very lovely stone table of strange things... Not something living humans consider a meal. Nothing is ever offered, it were even with a bird kackle over the talk.

Mattu studies the beings individually in manners. That message from before is read, it were OK news after all. Talks here were tranquil and often warming of the heart. Good will and nice advice.

"What do you think?" The lady asks.

"Well... everyone so lovely as is the many birds here too. But the birds are anxiously waiting for something." Mattu pouts a little with realizing the context of his words, "Dont let anyone have food... its bad."

"I believe you." She whispers it to sir and he changes the subject of conversation. He was saying things in layered meaning. Bodies are tensing and the warm was just a after thought. But it were rewarded accordingly... A person whom was drinking wine this whole time stood, chokes and laid away. Those that took the hints before doing anything with drinks and food were even quicker at protecting us.

"Duck!" Mattu pulls both royals to under the table as a clatter of a blade ricochet off the place holder above, "What a strange occurrence that folks want to murder you both..." Sir stares at Mattu with nearly saying something. The lady snickers at how Mattu continues to ignore status of the two royals being important to the country. It would not matter to Mattu if they were royal or not, he would protect anyone with his life. He was selfless by nature.

"Are you three ok?" A offered hand, Mattu knows to not take it... A crow hissed at this person.

"The birds hate you, stranger." Mattu noted and the royals casted magic to fling this figure away. A good thing too.

"Clearly your insisting with bringing a innocent child has a pay off." The area of warmth, welcoming and protection. It like instinct to know they are safe with this brighter stranger. The royals knew this stranger comfortably, standing with back to the this protective being. Group together is easier to watch out for attacks.

A more cold figure was a oddity of favouring to protect them has also stepped forwards. They clearly said something to the brighter one.

"We are safe now." The royals are sure of the words but aren't physically sure.

"The friend of birds said so. Its good enough for me. They even have that sort of same thing about them."

"A gifted child no less... I really do get why you brought him." The brighter stranger poses hand but Mattu knows not to be careless... Nice as this protective guy is. A smirk in seeing a clever cookie, pokes a new necklace charm on Mattu. Mattu did look at the book opened with scrolled magic wording, the new charm had a knowledge base standard for it. The cold fella looks upon Mattu in posed thinking... sees the other charms, "Blessed and beloved soul among soul carry crows... thats a new one. It makes me more curious." So the two were speaking and we mortals can only understand and interpret a little amount, "That is good advice, you little Mattu should continue seeking the silhouette. You are guided more then you know."

Mattu with knowing very well that he has never said his name. He can take the logic of understanding this bright being were a god of something. A book as a charm had meant knowledge or history or something thoughtful. The royal prince's choose of faith.

It would mean that it is likely then this other fella is a god too. Crows like them. Crows gather in murders. So... this is a version of Death. Death has many manners and faces. So this were one of many that Mattu had seen before. He isn't scared of death... more like being used to them. Seeing do their jobs and that these reapers care unlike many other types. That was not the right way of thought. Mattu is scared of dying like any other mortal. The god or reaper whom collects and guides isn't a scary.

"Thank you for your advice." He bows head to the grim reaper. The royals can't see the reaper... so they looked to each other the same assumptions.

"Yes, the child is a potential of a god follower in the near future. Still to young for the line of work. His choosen god is not of death, but give good reason for me to guess someone very like death. He is quiet a lucky charm to have around you."

A hand is flicked and the three of them are breezed away from the strange grand stone place. Landing together at the stone bases of statues. Quickly assisted by surrounding passing nuns and monks. The royals are taken back to their home, Mattu was assumed a guest and brought up to the private royal home. This issue was covered over with a rumour of the gathering having assassins which was why they could not attend the main festive feast.

They would make promise to the people, the hope is that they do so in person. This was announced during the more recent and controversial talks in the voters chamber. The lady princess made her own rumours to be helping gifting surprises among poverty-stricken. She didn't say when or how.

"What a weird dream about talking to gods and holding hand with a princess." Mattu scrunched up in the bed and pouts with the headache he has. He felt like he been at it to long in the reading something completely out of his vocabulary. He pouts with more strange thinking, "Wait..."

He sits up with feeling the quality of the bed sheets, how clean and warm they are compared to the normal set he uses. He can't see well with whatever was covering his eyes. He chooses to not remove them... his head hurts. It were simple logic to maybe guess they were treatment for a head injury. He doesn't recall how he got banged in the head so hard.

A lot of thinking was making him a little sick feeling. He feels around the bed for other interesting things or just something different.

There is something else on the bed with him... this landed on the foot of the bed. It had jittery motion, he tilts with trying to listen to it. It tossed something towards him.

Not perfect rounded and with many sizes of feathers. He recognized it with holding it correctly and with a smile for have something so precious returned.

He bows to whatever has returned such a precious gift. Smiling. The motions the being had at the end of the bed were slower jitters with watching his reactions. The care he has to holding this returned item. The motion of movement were very weighted, little waddle closer at Mattu.

Mattu wants to continue respecting as he know from the movement as a bird. He will not reach out to it. He wanted it to trust him back as he is of it to not bite him. The beak of this bird is very long and pointed. Very easy to injure each other. He is almost scared of doing something that would shoo it away.

It seemed to got so close to him that it played around with the necklance. It removed the necklace and the putting it back on him. Adding to the strange is that it made forehead to forehead contact.

Cooing softly... a relief sort sound. That sigh that carried a strange throat cooing and other bird motions. It has a foot that pattered about at his face, doing something. It was ticklish.

It makes a final puffy notion and climbs his shoulder, pecking the bandaging around covering his sight. He let's it do whatever its up to, just so happy with being blessed by a bird. Whatever it were doing made that headache subside. He softly sits up, he felt the bird pattering with counter balancing his motion. It cooing with inspecting his actions. Forehead pat on his cheek, a foot claws that moved bandages off his sight way. He careful and slow in showing his hand and that he was removing the bandage from his eyes.

A lot of jumping about of the bird hopping to climb his head, sitting to peer eye to eye. Even with upside-down looking, the bird twist one eye at a time looking at his eyes.

His smile was even wider in seeing the strange of many colours of both eyes of this bird. Better then he could even dream about. The feathers that he did see around the head held a black with a almost glossy beauty. The angling of the tilts changed the sheening of the gloss to nearly match the birds eyes.

The feet on his head has talons that do not harm him. Strong and healthy bird, muscles then fat. If wings flitter a little, the breeze of air had a shock wave to them. Whip like then a simple wing flutter.

"I know you. I seen you everywhere. You are the one that the cold guy was telling me to follow. You're so beautiful and clearly a cut above then just a bird. Your different... with very beautiful eyes. Not like them crows with Ruby eyes. Like rainbow flakes in crystals." Very soft and very calm. He is however very happy and excited to be in such close contact with the bird, "I don't know what you did before but you did help a headache I had. Thank you... Thank you for a lot of things." The bird coos with standing straight.

Hops about along his old injured arm, its heals ages ago but just never properly. The wound he gone from the arrow from all that time ago. The bird posed about tapping his arm better... the old scar just sort of erased.

"Very good. Good child. You are indeed the someone I am looking for. You have always said something about my eyes. I still don't get your interests of collecting feathers. You always like feather collections."

The bird in its own ranting of things. It comes to be a strange long while of Mattu asking himself a lot of questions.

Is he crazy or is this for real? Maybe the holding hands with the lady and talking to the god of knowledge. A god of death. Maybe it was real. Mattu considered a lot of strange things about what is going on. It were with how the bird keep tilting to look at Mattu back with both eyes. Something else is also very apparent about the bird god... clearly has to be with the mircales made and that two other gods said something.

The right eye of this god bird is bright and beautiful with many sparkling. When it studies with this eye, it were looking at things beyond Mattu or maybe inside of Mattu. The gaze lingers in strange spots.

The left other eye was dimmer, looking Mattu as he was. This eye movement was slower and studies his faces expressions. It would always look away to look around paranoid. It looks back to him with making sure he is fine. This eye studies his injuries and was closer to being nearly demon eye like then godly - so Mattu concluded.

"What are you so scared about?" Asking the bird god during a relapse of paranoid glances. The bird narrows deep at him like it were annoyed by this question... maybe it assumed some bad, "I meant no offenses in asking, you look around with your left eye all the time, like you see something wrong." The bird huffed at him.

"I declare you as mine. You are mine. No one else." The bird is rather selfish... it evaded Mattu's question or unmeaning offences. The tail wiggles about with happiness, "Mine is mine. My little fledging."

"Like a follower?" Mattu tilts with trying to work out the whole different eyes deal.

"Yes little chick. You will be mine. You follow me. I teach you to fly like me."

Quiet a dream come true for Mattu whom has loved birds all his life. He has dreams of flying like a bird. More then happy to follow a god of birds. Mattu was emotionally overjoyed by this notion of having a bird friend. Someone so reflective of his hopes, dreams and wishes. More so then he would even know of now. To learn to be among birds... He was very lucky. He was in tears of happiness of the news of the bird taking fancy of him.

"Oh always in water works with being picked." Flutters to fetch a cloth and came back. Waddling with gently wiping the tears away, "I am glad it is happy tears. I don't like sad ones. It hurts me too." That is a strange notion for a god to make about being sad, "Now... very serious. Yes... must listen."

Mattu nods in listening and the cloth spat out. Nice a clearly spoken... not even from what seems a bird. No... there's whispers in their hearts. As the god spoke, it rings within. Mattu could sense he has his own repetitive sounds within... agreeing to this bird. Locked eyes that share mimicking motion.

He was turned back to sleeping when such strong energy of magic flex through him... a feeling that swallowed his concise mind.