The Poet, The Princess, and The Promise: A Short Story

Karthik

An unfamiliar face stopped me at the gate, demanding my identity. Shree was beside me, although no longer midair, but at my feet. The pura clenched his claws, slightly scratching at my skin. Is this your way of getting back at me for what happened earlier? I thought.

"Sir, I am merely a palace servant." I didn't look the guard in the eye but kept my head down, afraid that my eyes would give way. Fortunately, he took it as me bowing to him and said nothing.

"What is your purpose for wanting to leave?" The sword hidden in the scabbard at his side made me gulp, and I responded a minute after.

"I have been released from my position, sir," I told him. It's not too far from the truth.

"So you have been fired?" the guard laughed, the scabbard seeming to laugh with him as it moved.

"Yes, sir."

"On all of the days, you got fired today," he sighed. Then, upon seeing the sack slung around my shoulders, he asked, "Mind if I take a look?" Without waiting for a response he took it off of me, untied the knot I had so carefully done, and looked inside.

"Laddus," he exclaimed. I did not like his tone one bit. Before I could protest, in the blink of an eye he popped one into his mouth. That was saved for Darshini! I felt myself wanting to scream. I bit my tongue instead. Now, the sack was wide open, its contents visible to the eye.

The chapatis that I had stowed away were cut into halves. The guard took out one half, and I felt another scratch on my foot. They were still fresh, their scent wafting into my nose. He brought it closer to his mouth, and at the moment where I should have heard the sound of chewing erupted a scream. The weight on my foot had been lifted.

Shree was flying around the guard's face, trying to get him to drop the flatbread. He pecked at him, too, here and there. Surrendering, the guard threw the flatbread to the ground, letting it go to waste now.

He turned to me, brows furrowed and eyes glaring. "What are you doing with a bird?"

My heart began racing, and I got ready to run if need be. "He is my pet, sir." I glanced at Shree, who was trying to eat the chapati as cleanly as he could.

"But servants aren't allowed to keep pets," he stated. He looked at the pura, his gaze scrutinizing. "To my knowledge, the only one with a bird as well maintained as this one is her highness, the llavarasi." Bullseye.

Not too many of the servants knew of my existence, much less of my banishment from the palace, so the guard's accusation afterward wasn't related to that topic. "How dare you steal her highness's bird!" My lips curled in a knowing smile, though a smile probably wasn't the right expression in this situation.

I looked past him. The gate had already been opened, and the other guards who must have been assigned the same post were nowhere to be seen. They probably went inside to enjoy the celebration. Too bad it wouldn't last much longer.

A man came running, and when he reached us, he was panting heavily. It was a man who looked to be in his mid-thirties. "Sir, her highness has gone missing!" he shouted, despite being right next to us.

"What nonsense." the guard beside me spoke. I grasped my chance. Snatching back my sack and clutching it tightly within my fist, I took off, yelling at Shree to do the same. I was not in a position to be fighting palace guards, especially ones armed with weapons. But I was a gifted runner, and I hoped that my gift didn't let me down right now.

If anyone did come after me, I didn't take notice. However, from behind me, I could hear somebody ordering for the gates to be shut. "Nobody shall leave or enter until her highness has been found!"

Fine with me. The pura was in front of me, and noticing that it would be a long time before I reached there, I stopped. "Shree!" My call probably came out as raspy, but he heard anyways, for he came to me, landing on my head. I held out a hand, and he perched himself on it as I checked him over. Great, the ribbon was still in place.

"Go find Darshini and give this to her," I scratched him below the chin as he liked it. He would know where to go. I lifted my hand up, and he flew away, away with the wind and away with my words.