Villain Transmigration: Author Transformation

Within an open field within the Elverstone Stronghold, a series of thuds echoed against the stone pavement and one continuous muffled screech that came along with it. 

Nathan literally dragged Keith and perched him atop of Strav, the thunderbird monarch. From the bent legs and lowered feather body the former hurled the latter with gritted teeth, as though the man in captivity was beyond heavyweight.

But Strav's left wing blocked him from flying away several miles, which had his crash against its soft, cozy feathers, and rolled to its back.

He heaved a deep breath, glaring. "You're one heavy fellow, not even with a heavy plate of armor donned on you." 

'Damn…' Keith shook his head to ward away the onset of nausea and rolled his shoulders from how he got treated. 

Myriad thoughts and emotions coursed through him, and he couldn't help but color him surprised at being able to get this close to a creature that was a force to be reckoned with, let alone having such a personal affair as riding it.

But then, his imminent rage had yet to extinguish, and every time he gazed at the man in front of him was enough to lose his mind.

It was still hard to believe, even for someone like him—full of trickery and deception, and he was in a territory he considered more of an enemy than an ally.

This wasn't what he signed up for, as not too long ago he had ruined it all big time—the one person he could rely on was nowhere to be found.

With a bobbing head, the Grand Duke dusted off his hands as he shuffled close to the mythical bird.

"Where—you—taking me—of a sudden?!"

"You lost your manners quite easily, have you lost your mind, and even forgot to know your place?"

"I have the least amount of respect for you, even a mere title Grand Duke—" 

He got a lot of chills when deadly stares from Strav and the twins were all for him to take, he averted his gaze afterward.

"I'm willing to turn a blind eye to the level of disrespect and derision from you, oh-so-cold-fucking-rude-knight, if you were to accost and compromise with her this instance."

He growled while squirming from the bindings that tightened around his arms, and tucked them along with his torso. "You don't know My Lady that much—" 

"You think you're one to talk?" Nathan smirked, and as much as it writhed Keith from within, he only let out a low growl. "Worry not, we had some kind of arrangement, and we're in a better place—so to speak. You're lucky I signed her contract. I could've rammed the shit out of you."

The cloud of anger that bombed inside Keith's head fizzled out; when he recalled the attempt of sexual assault that deemed ineviable earlier, even if it was a threat, he drooped his ears and hid his tail, cowering in fear.

"Pathetic, after all that she did to you, this is how you would repay her?"

Somehow, it managed to drown Keith further to the depths of embarrassment from the incessant mockery. Before this new year came, what he had were vapid emotions—care less about the rest of the people. All that mattered to him was serving the Blackwell Household, and now, it had gotten thus far, which was hard to get out. 

After a little while, his emerald eyes gleamed brightly under the silver moonlight, responding, "Do you even know where we're going?!"

"Of course, I do know." Nathan scoffed, hoisted himself up with a smooth nimble in the air as he landed just in front of Keith. "Dusk, Dawn, you two must come with me."

The two looked at each other, somehow confused but they shrugged it off and jumped. Soon as they settled, with Dawn by the end of the line, Strav started to beat his wings with a fierce gale to take flight.

After getting the momentum, Strav zoomed up, about several miles on the ground in a couple of seconds. Out of instinct, Keith grabbed a handful of his lush feathers so tight, as he braced the wind that dried his eyes and lips that moved like flippers; his insides churned as they almost turned upside down from it. 

Contrary to Keith, Dusk cheered and shouted on top of his lungs like he had the best day of his life at the moment; meanwhile, Dawn and Nathan were quiet until they sailed adrift in the middle of the night.

If not for the howling winds that continued to burst his ears, then it would've turned out a silent night. Although, it didn't stop him from eyes closed, contemplating, despite the subtle discomfort around his body. 

***

Back in the bed-chamber, Keith and Nathan were up against each other with a confrontation he didn't know he would've had one, and it wasn't the best to fight his way out—through blood and sword—in the enemy's den.

"She's lonely, have you thought about that?" Nathan jammed both of his hands into his pockets. "Have you ever asked her what she wanted for this new year?"

His lips parted, trembling, recalling how much Mystique depended on him, even when most of the time she was rather aloof and distant from him and to everyone else. At times, she found him irritating, he was still there for her.

She was different from the rest, a weird taste, an odd behavior, and peculiar goal, and he would be by her side, leaning nonetheless.

A trivial matter about asking what she had in mind for the new year, was a miss for him. For the first time, he didn't do it.

'Wait… Did My Lady—?'

Somehow, he got tongue-tied, when he started to think about those sentiments.

"How dare you assume Lady Blackwell was so different when she already was in the beginning—" Nathan jerked his head to the side, gesturing to the twins to get Strav ready, and then jeered again with a dry chuckle. "Must you deserve to know how badly she wanted to change to a better person? For her—for you! Alas, she finally reached the place."

The Grand Duke walked ever-so-slowly, closing the gap between two of them, and the Commander stood in silence.

"How much she worked her whole life? Just to get right? Just to be like the woman she ought to be?" Nathan then prodded his chest—near the heart—numerous times, asking again. "Do you know about that?"

"...I… I beg your pardon..."

"Then, you must not know her well at all."

***