Caged Bird

It would be the same everyday. The sun would rise and set, the moon would wax and wane. And here she would be, sitting on the cold stone floor of the tall tower, surrounded in her long, elegant robes, gloomy and bored out of her wits. She would stare into one of the many mirrors hanging on the walls and sigh, tired of the same sad, pale face staring back.

“If only….”, she would whisper to no one but herself.

The wooden door slowly creaked open as an aproned woman stepped into the room. “Lady Meoke,” said the woman in a quiet voice. “I brought you something to eat.” Meoke, as the gloomy girl was called, simply turned the page of the book she was reading and said nothing.

The servant woman cast her eyes down to the stone floor. She really did pity the poor Princess; locked up in a tower and forbidden to speak to anyone other than the residents of the castle. Worse yet, her own father had been the one would had kept her away from the world. He treated her like a tool and not like a daughter. The poor girl.

“It’s by the door milady.” she said as she did a quick curtsey and left the room.

The door shut with a small click and yet another sigh escaped the princess’ lips. She lifted her dull, violet eyes from the book and looked out the small window on the rounded, gray wall. Damn her stupid ‘sight’, she would always think. She had no use for her so called ‘gift’ but apparently her father, the lord of Eluceo did. He would come, every night when the only light that shone in her stone room was from the moonbeams. Her father would come and make her feed him her visions. Visions of the past, present or future. They would always be different. Some would mean nothing to him and some would mean a great deal.

“Useless!” he would tell her if her visions of the day were of little meaning to him. And then she would weep as he turned and slammed the door shut, leaving her alone once more.

The princess Meoke fell forwards and pressed her forehead to the pages of her book as if the secrets of how to escape her horrid life would jump from those pages and into her mind.

“It’s hopeless.” she thought.

At times like this, Meoke would close her eyes and unbind her flowing hair, letting it pool around her like pale silk. She would then lay back on her small cot and dream. Could it be possible that there were other seer princesses like herself?

“Probably not…”

She wondered what the outside looked like. The small window in the wall was much too high up for her to see anything.

“Your visions are enough. You do not need the world. It is a cruel place not fit for the likes of you.” her father would always say whenever she asked him of the outside world.

Perhaps she had been outside before. Bathed in the sunlight like those who weren’t locked up like herself. If so, she definitely couldn’t remember such a time.

“It must be beautiful.” she would tell herself sadly.

She knew she would probably never see the green fields of Eluceo. Or the way Eluceo sparkled like it’s name. So, she dreamed and created her own visions, ones of blue skies, warm sunlight and clear lakes and rivers.

“Someday,” she whispered quietly. “I will see the outside and be free from this cage.”

“My lord,” the scout kneeled before the lord Vehorn of Eluceo. “The lady Meoke’s visions of the east lands have indeed come true.”

Vehorn stroked his chin thoughtfully as he listened to the scout.

“Very well then,” he said as he rose from his magnificent chair. “I will ready the guards and prepare our armies.”

“A wise decision my lord.” The scout replied making sure not to make direct eye contact with this fearsome man.

“Release me!” cried a shrill young boy’s voice.

“Stop squirming you damned brat!” a guard cursed as the young boy he was holding flailed about. Vehorn frowned angrily; he did not enjoy his peace and business being disturbed.

“What is this?” he demanded the guard. “How dare you bring such a thing into my great hall!”

The frightened guard replied. “Forgive me my lord. I found this child trespassing on the castle grounds, stealing from the farms.

The boy ‘hmphed’.

“Take him to the dungeons.” The lord waved the guard off. “There shall be a use for him later I suppose.”

“Understood my lord.” said the guard as he carried the boy off.

“I thank you for your services, now be gone.”

“Yes my lord.” bowing once more, the scout turned and left the hall.

“I believe,” the lord said to himself. “that I shall now pay my daughter a visit.”

Sometimes, Meoke would wonder why she was to wear such elaborate garments. The layers of light silk and fine fabric glittered with beads and embroidered patterns. Why wear such beautiful dresses while being cooped up in a tower? They were the only things that reminded her that she was a princess. She closed the book she was reading and let the soft thud echo throughout the large tower room. It was strange, she thought. She had not received a vision today. Surely her father would be angry if she presented him with nothing. She suddenly shuddered when she heard the heavy footsteps coming closer and closer. The door swung open to reveal exactly who she had expected it to be.

“Good evening my lord.” She did not usually call him father. Even though he was, it just didn’t feel right to her.

“What have you seen today my child?” he asked quickly and bluntly. Just as he did every time.

Meoke could feel the fear rising in her. Should she make something up? Not feeling sure of what to do the seer princess simply said, “I have seen nothing that might be of use to you my lord.”

The lord frowned. “Surely you have seen something of use, child. We are in troubled times.”

Meoke shook her head. “I’m afraid not. I shall not be leaving my place here in the tower for quite some time is all that I have seen.” She had lied about her vision of course but she felt as though this lie might have had some truth in it. “I’m sorry.” She said as she cast her eyes down. “A useless vision indeed,” he spat out. “I expect a better one tomorrow.” He closed the door and left.

Making sure he was really gone, Meoke curled her legs up to her face and muttered.

“What an ignorant man he is.”

She watched the moonlight stream through the window in the wall. Some of it hit the mirrors, making the light bounce. Feeling drained, the lonely princess didn’t move to her cot but simply lay down among the masses of skirts and robes she was wearing and fell into a, for once, tearless and dreamless sleep.

“Darn it!” the boy muttered in frustration. “It’s no use.” He kicked the rusty, iron bars a last time before slumping into a heap on the damp floor. “I should have never come here.” Tears welled up in his emerald green eyes. “I’m sorry mother, father. I only wanted to help.” Silently, tears of regret, worry and sorrow fell onto the cold dungeon floor.

“You must be so worried.” He said softly. “I should have said something before I left.”

The boy wiped away his tears. He hated crying, it made him feel like a weakling.

“I’ll come home, I promise.”

The green eyed boy’s head turned to his side as he heard the door to the dark dungeon crack open.

“You - boy.” The gruff guard addressed him. He was holding some cloth in his hands.

“Who are you calling ‘boy’? I have a name.” The prisoner snapped.

“Like I would care,” came a snort. “Here.”

The guard tossed the bundles of gray cloth to him and opened the cell door.

“The lord’s been gracious. Be thankful, boy. You’ll be working as a servant of the castle from now on. I’ll be waiting outside and don’t you dare try anything funny.”The clothes were simple but compared to the rags he wore only minutes ago, they seemed greater than any lord’s robes. The boy stepped out of the dungeon, happy to be back in the light. Wordlessly, the guard from earlier pushed a tray into his hands.

“Um…”

“You’re a servant now. So go and serve. The princess’ door is upstairs and down the hall to the left.”

Another day thought Meoke, as she watched the sunlight begin to fill the room.A knock on the door.A servant of the castle would know that she couldn’t open the door. Who was this?

“It is open.” She called gently.

A boy. He looked to be around her age, short rust coloured hair, shockingly bright green eyes and most importantly, the first stranger she had seen in a very, very long time.

“Your highness, I’ve brought your breakfast.” He didn’t look at her as he said that.

“I am no highness.” Meoke told the new servant boy. “Who are you, boy?”

“My name is not ‘boy’…”

The seer princess blinked.

“What is your name?”

The servant finally raised his head and Meoke could clearly see those green eyes of his.

“Rubin,” he replied.

“Rubin ...” she echoed softly and for the first time, felt herself smile.

“Have…you eaten yet?”

Rubin shifted slightly.

“No, my lady.”

The young princess kept on her smile. Something about this young man made him different from all the other overly obedient servants which visited her tower room.

“Please sit with me. We can share my breakfast.”

It was true he hadn’t eaten in quite a while but out of politeness he refrained from indulging himself so readily.

“Surely my lady wouldn’t like to be in the company of a mere servant.”

Meoke looked over at her new acquaintance.

“On the contrary. I have been alone for quite sometime locked up in this room. Your company would be welcome.”

Hesitating for a moment, Rubin finally moved towards the princess and joined her on the stone floor. She was very pretty, he thought. But she seemed so pale. Almost as if she had never been out in the sun before.

“My lady…” he began.

“There is no need for titles.” She would tell this to all the guards and servants, yet none seemed to stop calling her ‘lady’. Perhaps Rubin would not take her words either.

“What may I call you then?” he asked.

The princess paused. She could not remember a time when she had to say her name aloud.

“Meoke.”

One could say that the lord Vehorn was feeling furious and was in a terribly dark mood.

He had received absolutely nothing from his daughter the other night. Now more than ever, he needed her visions. That’s all she was ever good for anyway. What good was a daughter? She could never be lord of his lands. The east kingdom was preparing an attack. He could waste no more time waiting for little glimpses of the future. If the bird will not sing, kill it. He would give her three nights. If she produced nothing, he would have to get rid of her. It was a waste of a good tower room in his opinion.

“You’ve been locked in the tower since as long as you can remember?” Rubin asked as he took a bite from the piece of bread.

“Yes.” Meoke sighed sadly. “I am forbidden to leave this place. One could say that I am a caged bird, with no room to spread its wings.”

Perhaps, thought the green eyed boy, Meoke’s life was no better than his own.

“And you,” she asked in her melancholy voice. “How is it that you have been made a servant of this castle?”

Rubin lowered his gaze. “In the village, I have a poor, starving family. A father, a mother, two sisters and a baby brother. I had decided that I could handle it no more. So, during the night, I climbed over the castle walls in an attempt to steal a few things for my family. But, I was caught by one of the guards and was sent to the dungeons. In exchange for my life I was made to work as a servant.”

Meoke remained solemn and silent. Were there any others in the outside world that may be suffering?

“It must be horrible.” she whispered.

Although saddened after hearing and telling stories of such misfortune, Rubin smiled gently as he took Meoke’s hands into his own.

“I haven’t known you for very long, Meoke. But why don’t we be friends?”

“Friends…” the princess said softly.

“I’ll bet,” the boy continued. “That you’ll be needing one after being alone here for such a long time.”

Meoke, once again found herself smiling.

“My very first friend…” If it could, the princess’ happiness would have radiated from her like the heat from a setting sun.

Rubin walked down the halls of the castle, feeling much better than he did before. He was very glad to have met the princess and was looking forward to visiting her again. Not yet had he come across anyone else in the castle that he could speak to or share his past with. It really did feel good to speak with someone who would understand you and help you deal with any sorrows you may be harboring. And although the two were from two completely different worlds, there seemed to be something holding them together.

“I heard it with my very own ears.” a guard’s voice sounded further down the torch-lit hall.

“Why would he do it though? Lady Meoke is his own daughter.”

Meoke? Rubin slowly moved towards the corner where the guard’s were talking and kept his back to the wall as he listened.

“Our lord is brutal. If something isn’t of use to him, it goes.”

Rubin’s eyes widened. Could it be possible that Meoke’s own father would even think about killing her?

“That little seer princess better have a good vision then if she doesn’t want to lose her life.”

She had made a friend. And one her age too! Instead of sitting on the floor like she usually did, Meoke was spinning happily around her tower room, the many robes and sashes floating gracefully in the air as she did so. Maybe life in the tower wouldn’t be as bad as it was as long as her friend would still be by her side.

She stopped her dance and lay down on the cot, trying to recover from the dizziness.

Perhaps she was being too selfish. Rubin had a family to return to someday. He couldn’t stay here forever, not like she had to.

“What?”

In her mind, an image appeared. A happy smile, birds flying high in the orange coloured sky and the wind blowing at the trees and plants making them sway. It was beautiful.

Was it a vision? Meoke brought a hand to her eyes and tried to recall the smiling face of the person in the vision.

No luck.

Without warning the door of the tower room swung open and the dazed princess bolted up from the cot.

“M-my lord.” she stuttered as she sat back down. “I did not expect you to come so soon.”

“Yes, well,” the lord said as he brushed non-existent dust off his majestic robes.

“The times are crucial. The armies of Eluceo are being prepared as we speak.”

“I see.” Meoke tried her best to look solemn once more.

“That is why I need your visions of the future my little seer.” he said.

“Once again my lord, I have had no vis-“ The princess stopped midway as she saw something in her mind. The smiling face, was her own. Joyous and full of life.

Then it hit her like a bolt of lightning.

Freedom!

“What? Did you see something? Tell me now!” The lord shook her shoulders and waited for some sort of reply.

“I saw nothing.” Meoke shivered but with excitement. She was going to be free!

“Liar!” yelled her father as he pushed her to the floor. “Tomorrow night, I expect a real answer. I will not put up with this foolishness any longer.” then the door slammed.

Meoke, however, wasn’t caring about anything her cruel father had said. Her visions had never been wrong before. And she definitely wasn’t going to let this one die.

She was going to be free.

Rubin couldn’t sleep. He tossed and he turned on his little cot in the servant’s quarters.

The others were snoring loudly, he didn’t think he could take much more of it. Thinking of what the guards had said made him feel uneasy. He just had to tell the princess, first thing in the morning. Her life was in danger. It rested in the hands of her random visions of time. Closing his eyes and opening his eyes the hundredth time that night, he spoke quietly.

“I’ll find a way to protect you Meoke, and my family too.”

“Meoke? It’s me.” Rubin called to the princess as he opened the door to her room.

“Rubin!” she said happily and came to the door to greet him.

“I need to speak to you.”

Meoke nodded. “I too have something to tell you.”

Shutting the door behind him, Rubin proceeded to tell his new found friend about the things he had heard the other night. Strangely and to his surprise, Meoke did not bear a face of worry or distress but one of calmness.

“Now it is my turn.” she smiled. “I had a vision of the future, Rubin. A wonderful one.”

The servant boy had to admit, he was very puzzled.

“I’m going to be free.” Meoke twirled around a few times dreamily. “I saw birds, and a tree, and a large hill…”

Rubin’s face was stern. “Still, I’m not going to take any chances. You just can’t be killed for something that isn’t your fault.”

“In that case...” Meoke lowered her voice to a whisper. “What do you propose we do,

my friend?”

“Let’s both escape from this castle.”

Brave green eyes stared back into frightened violet ones. The princess shook her head.

“That would be impossible. Guards stand by my door every night after my father leaves and the castle is too heavily guarded in the day.”

“There will be a way.” the boy assured her. “I promise you.”

The lord Vehorn stared down at the long white arrow in the scout’s hand. It almost seemed to be looking back at him with a poison like glare.

“This is…”

“A warning from Eurus the east land, my lord.” the scout explained.

Vehorn took the arrow from the scout’s hands and examined it. A small moon shadowed by the sun was etched into the head. It was indeed an arrow of Eurus.

“It was shot from the forest and killed one of the castle guards. Our ranged forces tried to hit the individual responsible for this deed but he had already disappeared.”

The lord expressed no emotion whatsoever.

“They are coming soon then I suppose.” he got up and walked to the nearest window, staring at the walls that surrounded the castle.

“If I may suggest my lord,” the scout said, still kneeling. “it would be wise to check our forces. Especially at such a time.”

Looking back, Vehorn nodded in agreement.

“Perhaps I should. Eurus is well known for their military’s prowess.” He paused a moment. “Very well then; announce my arrival at the barracks.”

The visions had started to flow again, like little mental streams. Her father was leaving for the barracks. An inspection maybe? Meoke leaned against the stone wall of her tower.

Rubin, he promised to find a way out by tonight. It had only been a week since his arrival.

Could he have gone through the whole castle already? If so the guards might have found it suspicious.

“Please be careful Rubin.”

“Just…a little more.”

Rubin pushed against the stone wall of the servants’ quarters. No one had seen him slip away during kitchen duty, thankfully. He stopped for a moment to inhale deeply before starting to push again. Unable to sleep last night, he had gone into a corner to think a little bit. The moon was full that night and the light streamed through the small window like bright silvery ribbons. After a while of staring at the cracks in the wall he was leaning against, Rubin’s eyes followed one particular crack in wall. Several other fissures branched off that one crack creating a perimeter of chipped stone around a few bricks. It was enough for him and the princess to squeeze through if he pushed the bricks out of the way. With a final push he felt the bricks of stone become loose.

“Now, one last step until freedom.” His voice was filled with triumph.

Taking fistfuls of his gray clothes, Rubin tore them until they were covered in rips and

holes and headed back towards the kitchens.

“Child! What happened to your clothes?” One of the maids exclaimed as she eyed his shredded garments. “Come,” she said as she took him by the arm. “We will get you some new ones.”

“Meoke!”

The princess jumped slightly as she heard the door crack open without warning.

“Rubin! You look out of breath have you been running all the way up here? And what happened to your clothes? They’ve been ripped to shreds.”

The boy grinned. “Not exactly and I’ll explain later but the important thing is I’ve found

a way out of this hollow stone block.”

He shoved a bundle of plain cloth into Meoke’s delicate hands.

“Put these on, quickly. I ripped my own clothes so the maids would give me new ones.”

Beginning to understand his plan, Meoke nodded as he left the room so she could change.

She slipped on the pair of slacks and the shirt keeping only the coin necklace she always wore around her neck.

“Done?”

“Yes,” she answered. “But,” she gathered her long pale hair into her hands, finding that

it would be very difficult to hide such a thing. “What shall I do about my hair?”

Rubin poked his head into the room before entering it altogether.

“Um…” he searched his surroundings. A few books here and there, Meoke’s abandoned robes, a cot, mirrors….that was it, mirrors! He ran over to the nearest mirror and pushed it to the hard ground. It was a good thing there were no guards near by or someone would have come to check on the noise. Picking up one of the pointy shards of glass, he walked over to the standing girl.

“Would you mind?” he asked.

Taking one last look at her silky hair, the princess shook her head. She could feel Rubin gently pull on her hair before running the sharp glass along the pale strands. After only minutes she felt as though she had been completely transformed.

“Hurry.” whispered her friend. “We should get out before sundown, follow me.”

Meoke nodded and took his hand, taking her first step out of the tower room in so many years and not ever looking back.

They had made it to the servants’ quarters where the route to their freedom rested in the corner of the room. Luckily, no guard or servant had been keen enough to see through Meoke’s rushed disguise. Rubin pushed against the stone until it broke away, leaving a gaping hole in the wall.

“Come on.” he said as he helped the princess get through the wall after he had.

Making sure not to leave any of their traces, Rubin replaced the stone into the wall.

He looked around. The castle was surrounded by more walls and their protectors, he hadn’t kept that in mind while he was planning the escape. The first time he had sneaked into the castle gardens it was entirely by luck that that portion of the wall was not lined by castle guards. But he couldn’t give up now.

“I-I’ve seen this once in one of my visions.” Meoke said softly to him. “The guards switch shifts. If I can remember correctly, we have about five minutes until the next guard arrives.”

Sure enough, the guards near the iron gates began to move towards the castle, leaving the gates unguarded.

“That’s more than enough time.” Rubin said hurriedly.

Both friends ran for the gates, slipping easily enough through the spaces between the bars because of their skinny frames.

Hiding behind a large tree just beyond the castle gates, the two friends slumped onto the grass. Their breathing was hard and fast. The guards had just begun to take their positions at the gates. While their backs were turned, Rubin grabbed Meoke’s hand and rushed for the nearest bush.

“Hey,” the one guard called to the other. “Didn’t you see something over there? By that tree?”

“Nope.” the other shook his head. “Must’ve been your imagination. Snap out of it; we should be extra careful while the lord isn’t here.”

“Yeah,” the first one laughed. “I wouldn’t want my head separated from my shoulders.”

Last chance, thought the lord as the horse drawn carriage entered the iron gates of his castle. His daughter would have to please him today if she didn’t want to be punished.

He had already past the great hall and was climbing up the stairs to the tower. Without hesitation he pushed the door of the room open. To his shock and fury, the lord Vehorn found the room empty. All that was left of his daughter’s presence was the long pale hair, which lay in a heap on the ground. He shouted in anger and stormed out of the room but in his blind fury tripped halfway down the winding staircase. He rolled down to the bottom in a blur of robes and flailing limbs, finally landing on the rock hard floor, cracking his skull and creating a growing pool of red on gray stone.

The sun had begun to set and never had the princess seen more beautiful colours in her life. She tried to take in her surroundings like a gigantic sponge, it was so overwhelming yet it was the most wonderful experience she had ever felt.

“Oh Rubin,” she cried happily. “Look, it’s the tree and the hills! The birds and the sky!

All from my vision.”

“That’s right.” Rubin beamed at her. “We’re free! I can see my family again and you can finally see the beauties that Eluceo has to offer.”

Without a word, Meoke let go of Rubin’s hand and ran awkwardly to the hilltop. She stood motionless as she overlooked the town and the green forests, listening to the chirping of the birds flying in the beautiful coloured sky and the rustling of leaves and branches. She then turned to her first and only friend as he climbed up to the hilltop and joined her. Both of the young friends cried joyfully as they spread their arms, letting the breeze pass by them. The once caged bird was finally able to spread its wings and fly.

FIN