The King

The King has no concubines.

They’re loud, messy, and a nuisance to keep around. Why should he spare any of his attention on pigs who will only bicker amongst themselves?

Instead, he keeps pets, sparing no expense in expanding his collection. A snow white tiger, a winged serpent, twin ferrets with boots of fire, a group of water sprites, and you.

You were his most prized pet.

Ramon had found you on a returning trip from another kingdom. One of your magnificent wings had broken, bone and sinew jutting through feathers damp with blood. It was a whim that brought you back to the palace, brought about by your beauty and the exhilaration that came with keeping something new.

Ramon spared no expense in your care. He desired the sight of your wings in their full glory, so the finest vets and physicians were brought into the palace for your treatment. Only the freshest fruits and meats found their way into your meals, and each night, you slept on a bed filled with the softest of bedding.

With each passing day, you recovered beautifully, eventually stretching your wings out to their fullest against the bright blue sky.

It was beautiful.

It was unlike anything he had ever seen before.

And it was too much.

You stayed now, sure—but when would you decide to leave? To soar through the skies as easily as you did before?

From his worries, a new wing of the palace began to develop. Ramon spent his days coaxing you to his side with new delicacies, jewels, books, paintings—anything that would interest you to stay a little longer. He refused to miss any of your flights, dismissing meetings early so he can remind you to land once more, to stay another day.

Then, the new wing of the palace was completed.

You awoke in your room, stepping out onto the balcony for a flight.

Thick golden bars divided the expanse of the blue sky, transforming it into a pattern of blue and gold stripes. The garden, normally awash with the soft light of dawn, now danced with shadows as gold greedily soaked up the rising sun’s rays.

“You would only get hurt outside." Ramon explained when he visited you that day. “I’ll keep you safe.”

You were given everything inside the cage. The finest and freshest of meals. The softest of bedding. Yet, what had brought you joy previously now only felt like weak platitudes for a choice taken away. You could wander the garden—could unfurl your wings and fly—but only as far as the golden chain around your ankle allowed.

Ramon smiled as he unlocked the small hidden entrance into the garden. This was always the part of his day he looked forward to the most, visiting his little bird. He made his way towards the center of the garden, knowing that you would be resting on a crystalline perch, staring forlornly at the sky.

Drawing closer, Ramon tugged at your wing, pulling you against him. A low hum—another smile—and a crystal rose was suddenly in front of you, glittering under a stray ray of sunlight. Ramon tugged at your wing again, pleased with the softness of your feathers.

“You look lovely as always today, my little bird."

“My dear, I’m sorry.”

Ramon cupped your cheek, brows knitting together in worry.

Lush green foliage, healthy and colorful, surrounded the both of you. Normally, they would’ve served to enhance the ethereal beauty you held. Now, they only emphasized your rapidly dwindling health.

You looked thin. Much too thin despite all of the luxuries you were provided in this golden cage. The feathers of your beautiful wings—the reason he had been captivated by your appearance in the first place, had grown dull and unkempt from a lack of attention.

From his memories, your wings were still in a better condition than this even when you were hurt.

Ramon had been on his way home after securing another beneficial treaty from a neighboring kingdom when he saw you.

Collapsed on the ground, your wings still dripped with fresh blood from your wound. Stuck to the mess of exposed bone and sinew were your feathers, mangled and dyed a deep red from blood. Still, you radiated a beauty far beyond what could be found amongst humans.

Consumed by a desire to witness the pinnacle of such beauty himself, Ramon took you in.

He spared no expense in your care. Anything rumored to have healing properties—herbs, animals, drinks, were all brought to the castle no matter the price or distance. A constant stream of physicians came to and from the castle, screened and tested until only the very best of the best was left.

You healed quickly as the days passed and soon, your wings were ready to take you into the sky again.

But as you grew stronger, so did Ramon’s possessiveness.

He tolerated the physicians’ presence at first—told himself it was for your health. However, as you recovered, he could no longer justify their presence in the castle or even the physical exams they conducted to track your condition. Each one was quickly thrown out of the castle, and the remaining staff was forbidden from even glancing in your direction.

To truly ensure that he would be able to monopolize your attention, Ramon began construction on a new wing of the palace. Seemingly from nowhere, a giant golden cage appeared next to the castle. It held everything you could possibly need—beautiful scenery, ample space to fly, and all of the new clothes, furniture, and trinkets Ramon gifted you.

“I’ll set you free.”

You refused to eat once you were placed inside the cage, doing nothing but hum a hauntingly sad melody as you wished for your freedom.

It hurt to watch you neglect yourself—to witness such a blatant rejection of his affections.

Click.

“Go on.” Ramon murmured, nudging at you as the golden chain around your ankle clattered onto the floor. “Fly as far as your heart desires.” Selfishly, he wished that you would choose to stay by his side.

But, you took off immediately, wings unfurling to their full glory.

Ramon watched, heart sinking as you flew further and further away. He waited for you, desperately wishing you would return—to tell him that you wanted to be with him forever. However, the sky remained clear, empty of the sight—of who, he wanted to see.

Ramon whispered a soft prayer for your safety, returning back to his castle when his advisors began to search for him.

Much later, when the sun was beginning to dip past the horizon, Ramon collapsed onto a couch in his private quarters. He had barely held himself together the whole day, grieving over your departure as his advisors argued over the kingdom’s budget.

From his window, there was the quiet fluttering of wings.

Was he hallucinating now?

“No visitors.” Ramon groused as the new presence in his room drew closer to the couch. When they took a seat next to him instead of heeding his command, he sat up, ready to tear into the insolent soul who couldn’t follow orders.

His gaze landed on a familiar pair of wings.

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