The Blue Bird

Chapter Five

The sun rose and set many times with no promise of change in my circumstances. Bread and water slid under my door every morning. Even my harp was starting to lose its charm.

One day, as the sun was setting, I heard a fluttering sound at my window. Upon investigation, I found a blue bird trying to gain access to my prison.

"Fly away, blue bird." I whispered. "This is no place for a winged creature like you."

"On the contrary, my dear, there is no place I'd rather be." The bird chirped.

I flung myself as far away from the window as I could, thoroughly freaked out.

"Please, don't be afraid." The bird continued. "I mean you no harm. Though, if you wish it, I will leave you."

It went to fly away.

"Wait!" I called. "I'm sorry, you just startled me. I have never heard of a talking blue bird."

"Alas! Nor had I, until I became one." The bird shook its head. "It was not so long ago that I stood before you as a man, promising to take you away from here."

My jaw dropped.

"Prince Hector?" I whispered, in utter shock.

"It is I." He nodded sadly. "Sentenced to live for seven years as a blue bird because I refused to renounce you."

"But..." I stammered. "You're married. Dina and Sibeta told me all about it just the other day."

"They lied. They tried to force me to marry Sibeta, but I refused. Dina threw something at me when I tried to leave and ...well....now I am a blue bird." He explained.

"Are you saying that Dina has magic?" I gasped. "How did I not know that."

Suddenly, so many things made a lot more sense; my father moving on from my mother so quickly, his distance and willingness to let Sibeta get away with just about everything, the fact that he had been okay with locking me away in the tower, and the list went on.

"I'm so sorry." I whispered. "Is there any way to change you back?"

"If I agree to marry Sibeta." He answered. "But I don't take too kindly to blackmail."

"Do it." I urged. "Nothing is worth seven years as a blue bird."

"You are." He replied. "Besides. We made a promise, and my word is my bond and all that. I'd rather be like this than have anyone think they can ever force me to bend to their will. Besides, It's not so bad, this way, I get to see you every day."

"But your father! Won't he be worried about you?" I asked.

"Don't worry about me, Princess." He chirped. "All will be well."

He jumped inside and perched on the fragile bedpost.

"This is not a suitable room for a princess." He tweeted.

"I would be perfectly content to live in a hole in the ground, as long as I had my harp." I said.

He made a high-pitched noise that almost sounded like laughter. "You are wholly unspoiled. Will you do me a favour?"

"Of course! Anything!" I said.

"Will you play a song for me?" He asked.

"I would be happy to." I reached for my harp.

I played a new tune I had been composing for him. It was a slow and melancholy song, but it sounded full and rich with the acoustics of the tower.

"That was beautiful." He sang when I was done. "I am looking forward to many more nights like this one. Alas, I must leave now, but I will be back tomorrow!"

He fluttered to the window. I followed close behind him.

"Good bye, dear Hector." I said after him as he launched himself in to the night sky. "Until tomorrow."

He sang the tune I had played for him as he flew away. I found myself to be exhausted, though I had done very little all day. I lay down on my bed.

That night I dreamt of blue birds.