Not Just A Maiden

DISCLAIMER: Semi-triggering subjects. If you're upset by anything in this story tell me in the comments. I personally don’t think I would upset anyone by what I write but you can never be too sure. So if you're upset, tell me in the comments and I will quickly edit the story. ALSO, nothing in this story is true! It’s all fiction and just my imagination going to weird places. Thank you. Also, even with my edits some of my punctuation and grammar is probably still wrong, it always seems to be (lol). Just tell me in the comments if you catch any mistakes.

Long ago, there lived an island called ‘Island Of Quirino’. On this island, there lived a maiden. This maiden was abnormal, her family was never fond of her. She was considered an outcast, from her family and her people. The maiden lived under her 3 brothers, Farrin, Selias, and Kolian.

 Men were praised in her land, women were only of use for child barring and work. Men had names, women didn’t. The maiden didn’t care for it. She hated her life. She desired to be more. That’s exactly what she was beginning to fight to achieve.

   “Father?” The maiden said.

   “What is it, woman?” Her father responded.

   “May I go pick lilly's in the garden? It’s quite lovely outside today and mother already cooked the evening meal.”

   “No you may not. Don’t ask again.”

   “Father please! I wish to be called by the name to which I have given myself! Please grant me that decency at the least!” The maiden pleaded.

   “Women do not have names you ratchet fool!”

   “Well they should! I wish to be called the name I should’ve been granted at birth! Celeste. Please, father!” 

   “No! Get out of my sight you ungrateful beast!” He slapped her and left a hand shaped mark on her rosy cheek, “Leave now, woman! I wish you had never been born!”

   “Yes, father!” The maiden ran off in fear. As she ran, she thought of where her life was. She was running in fear as tears fell from an arrogant man, who physically abused her. At this point she wasn’t going to stand for it. 

   During the evening, she decided she was going to leave her home. She wrote a note and left it on her wooden nightstand. As she wiped tears, she rubbed her cheek. The physical and mental pain was overbearing. She didn’t know where she was going to go, but she knew what she was going to do. Eventually, the maiden made her way towards a dock just over the ocean. It was a high dock, just what she needed.

   “Father, if you wish me gone so much, gone I shall be.” She wiped tears and held her cheek in anguish once again, “This is not how my life should be, I should be filled with joy and rapture, not sorrow and vexation. The pain is too overbearing now. I need to be rid of it.” The maiden held out her arms and fell forward off the dock. 

   As she hit the ocean, she began to scramble back and forth, trying to get herself to the surface. The maiden regretted her decision. She scrambled around and tried to pull herself up but she never learned how to swim. The only lesson she had was once with her brother Farrin, but he attempted to drown her. As she scrambled and fidgeted, she thought about what led her here. Cruel and vile men. She realized her simpleminded decision was about to cost her, well her life.

   “Hang on!” A man yelled as he jumped into the water. He grabbed her and pulled her up, she looked at him as she gasped for air. His eyes glimmered in the moonlight, like a silver coin. His hair sparkled as he waved it back and forth pulling her to the shore. He was a soldier, this she could tell.

“A soldier, saving me. Why?” She asked.

   “I’m sure anyone would, girl.” 

   “I owe you my life, sir. You saved me out of the kindness of your heart! Nor have you laid a hand on me.” She said.

   “You owe me nothing. What is your name?” The man asked.

   “I’m a woman, I do not have a name.” 

   “Surely you have given yourself one. Most women have.” The man said.

   “In that case, Celeste. My name is Celeste.”

   “Celeste. Beautiful name for a beautiful girl.” The man and the girl looked at eachother, longingly. 

   “Please, won’t you help me find my way out of this place. I simply cannot bear it any more. Between my father's outbursts and my brothers, that is what drove me to the point of trying to end my life.”

   “Celeste, I could get executed for such treachery.”

   “Please, sir! Just a ship and food of some sort! I will settle for merely just a canoe and a loaf of bread! Please, I beg! Nobody must know!” Celeste pleaded.

   “Well, if you put it like that, you make it simply impossible to reject. Indeed, I’ll help.” Celeste hugged the man.

 “Thank you so much, kind sir!”

   “Do not mention it. I will get you a proper boat and provide you with simple food for your travels. I’ve been out on a boat before, so there are a couple of islands south from here, but if I were you I would go west. Do you know how to navigate a boat?” 

   “Yes. Self taught. I read a passage on boats.”

   “Though that is not reassuring, I’ll trust you anyways. Meet me back here at dawn.”

   “Sir, where shall I go in the meantime?” Celeste asked.

   “Considering you can't go home, just stay here while I fetch you a boat.”

   “Thank you so much, sir!”

   “Please, Celeste. Call me, Tamari, my name.” They shared a smile then he ran off. She stood by the docks as she regretted her decision, at the same time she was glad. For one, she had learned a lesson, and had her first civil interaction with a man. Though, she had been so depressed she was driven to almost ending her life.

   About 15 minutes passed. Celeste waited at the docks for Tamari. It took a bit of time to acquire a boat and some food, so she wasn’t worried about his return, though it would take an extensive amount of time.

   “One cricket… drowning in the moonlight… two crickets... chirping about… three crickets is way too much… but greed is a powerful thing!” Celeste sang this as she stared at the water below her. Her mother sang her that song to help her go down into slumber when she was an infant. Though Celeste was happy to be away from her home, she did miss her mother.

   “One cricket… drowning in the-”, before she could finish the second verse, she felt a tug at her hair. It was her father.

   “You dare try to leave me!” He yelled as he smacked her.

   “Father, please! I was just doing as you requested! Leaving!”

   “Not under my-”, a shovel came up behind him and knocked him right over the head. He was out cold. It was Tamari.

   “Tamari?” Celeste whispered.

   “Celeste! You need to get you out of here now!” He picked her up and ran her over to the boat.

   “Tamari, you must leave me. My father will be awake soon, he will not accept this defeat, go now please!" Celeste pleaded.

   “Yes, I will, but remember, go west! Not north, not east, not south. West!” 

“Yes, Tamari!” He hugged her one last time, she ran off swiftly to the boat. She looked at him once more before steering the boat away from the island she once called home.

Two days have leisurely gone by. Celeste continued west. There were no islands. She was running out of food, and missed Tamari. It was too late to return home now, she was already too far out in the ocean.

“One cricket… drowning in the moonlight… two crickets... chirping about… three crickets is way too much… but greed is a powerful thi-”, her horrible song got interrupted by a joyous sight. An island.

“An island!” She exclaimed as she steered the boat towards it, “This is my chance! Hallelujah! God has provided!” As Celeste steered to the island, she noticed that this island had so many colors, and lots of gold homes. Though Celeste loved the colors, she was worried. She had never been somewhere so prosperous before, she feared she wouldn't fit in.

“Hello?” Celeste said as she got off the boat.

“Who are you, what’s your business in the Kingdom Of DeMetro?” A guard asked.

“Please, I come with no intention to harm you or your people. I’m merely looking for a place to call my home. I come with an offering, my boat from the Island Of Quirino.” She pointed towards her large boat.

“If you are from the Island Of Quirino, why must you take shelter here?” The guard asked.

“The living conditions of the Island Of Quirino are unbearable."

“Why?” The guard asked.

 “Women such as myself were nothing but child-barring and work machines. We didn’t even have names. My father also abused me, so I tried to end my life. If I didn’t do this, I wouldn't have met my savior. His name was Tamari. Tamari saved me from my death and acquired me this boat, it is because of him that I am alive right now! He sent me west, that's how I found your kingdom.”

“I suppose, since your story was truly sorrowful, I could get someone to take you to the king. He is King Sepper, the most powerful king of all the lands. He will determine your fate here in the Kingdom Of DeMetro.”

“Thank you so much! What shall I do in the meantime?” Celeste asked.

“Take a look around this kingdom. It’s truly wonderful and beautiful.”

“Surely!”

“I will come find you whenever the king delivers an answer.”

“Thanks so much, kind sir.”

“No problem, just don’t go stealing about. I’m sure you have some Moscho's on you.” A moscho is what they called a coin back then, “Also, please call me by my given name, Ignius.” 

“Okay, Ignius! Also, I think I have a few moschos,” Celeste looked in her little handbag and noticed Tamari slipped tons of moschos in. He filled it to the top, “It seems I come with great fortune! Thank you, Ignius. I’ll be about!” Celeste quickly ran off.

About 25 minutes passed before she made it to the main town. Celeste thought it was truly astonishing! She didn’t imagine the streets would be so magnetic with lanterns and colors. Music played and people sang beautifully. Men and women celebrated as equals rather than opposites. Celeste was truly astounded, speechless even. She knew this place was destined to be her home.

“Excuse me, miss?” Celeste said to a lady.

“Yes, woman?” 

“I would just like to ask, where is the nearest market? I have a substantial hunger that’s eating at me.” 

“Ah, yes. Allow me to take you to the market.” The lady said.

“Yes, that would be wonderful.”

“I’m Bonesha. What’s your name?” The lady asked.

“O-oh. I’m Celeste.”

“Hello, Celeste. Let us go.” They linked arms began walking, “So, Celeste, where do you come from? I’ve never seen you in this kingdom.”

“Well, I’m from the Island Of Quirino.”

“I’ve heard about that place! Known for their spectacular fish.” 

“And their unnecessary need to dehumanize women.”

“Elaborate?”

“When I lived there, I was abused by my own father and three brothers, as was my mother. Women there are merely only of use for child carrying and work! We didn’t even have names!” 

“Goodness! That’s horrible!” Bonesha put her hand on Celeste's shoulder as they walked, “I’m so sorry you had to go through horrid stuff like that.”

“Please, do not be. I got out, now I’m here. Where I truly belong.”

“Okay. So, what’s your story, Celeste? Other than what you told me so far.” 

“Right. My story.” They walked along for about 20 minutes, Celeste explained her whole story of where she came from and what happened to her. They eventually arrived at the market.

“That was quite a story!” Bonesha exclaimed.

“Can’t say it’s a good one. This is the market?”

“Indeed!” Bonesha hugged Celeste tightly, “I hope to see you around here! The king will most definitely accept you. Maybe you could come live with me!”

“Goodness, Bonesha! That would be wonderful!”

“I live just over there, come find me if you need a living area.”

“Okay!” Celeste walked into the market and began shopping.

She browsed the market for a long while and found some of her favorite foods. Green apples, fish, tomatoes. She paid then quickly exited.

“Celeste, from the Island Of Quirino!” A tailored man yelled as he patted his horse, he looked like a knight.

“Yes! That is I!” Celeste yelled back.

“I am Nuqui, I’m here to take you to the palace. King Sepper calls upon you!” 

“He does?”

“Yes! Please saddle up on the back of my horse. The king awaits!” 

“Yes!” She jumped up and then quickly went off the kingdom.

When they arrived, Celeste was once again in shock. The palace was truly magnificent. It looked as if it was bigger than her whole home island! It had roses surrounding the whole castle gates. Animals flew and hopped by as the horse intched towards the welcome gates. 

“This place is truly phenomenal! Has me truly flabbergasted!” Celeste exclaimed.

“Indeed. One of the most astonishing kingdoms throughout the whole world. King Sepper is truly excited to meet you. Ignius described you to the king. He is quite excited to see you, he has high expectations!” 

“That’s lots of pressure.”

“Don’t be worried, King Sepper’s an easy man.”

“That’s somewhat reassuring.” They made their way to the gates. Nuqui helped Celeste get down off the horse.

“Let us in, please!” Nuqui yelled. The gates slowly opened.

“Goodness!” Celeste looked around. The inside was even more breathtaking from the outside. The entrance was wide. Hallways looking as if they lead on for hours. Roses grew from the walls.

“Let me take you to the king.” Nuqui linked arms with her as they traveled down the long hallway. 

Moments passed as they arrived at Sepper’s throne. 

“Welcome, newcomer! Celeste is it?” King Sepper yelled. Celeste noticed he was a small man, but with a mighty voice. He had a giant crown that looked as if it weighed as much as an elephant. Men stood behind him.

"U-uh. Y-yes, my king..." Celeste nervously bowed.

“Please! No formalities! We will soon be common mates!”

“Thank you so much for the opportunity, King Sepper.”

“I hear you are from the Island Of Quirino?”

“Indeed.”

“How is it there?”

“Substandard.” Celeste said in a snarky voice.

“How so?” 

“Women are not treated fairly there. Women were only of use for children and work, we were not even given names when born. Coming here I didn’t even have a name! I granted myself one. We were beaten and traumatized by the vile men in our lives. For me, it was my father and brothers.”

“That’s appalling! No woman should be treated that way.” The king scratched his head in slight anger.

“Indeed, but the men there never thought about how we felt. They merely focused on there own needs above others.”

“So how did you get here?”

“A man, named Tamari."

"A man?

"Suprisingly, he was very kind. I tried to end my life because of the horrid and unbearable living situation of the island, and he saved me from doing so.”

“Oh, that's amazing.”

“Indeed. Anyways, after he saved me he provided me with a boat and some simple foods for my travels. He told me to go west, and I ended up here. Without him I’d be locked away, maybe even dead.”

“How did he know to go west?”

“Honestly, I’m not sure. I’m not sure I know anything about him at all. All I really know is that what he did was out of the kindness of his heart and he is a tender and kind solider.” Celeste slightly wiped tears as she recalled her last time with him.

“What do you think happened to him?” 

   “I may never know. Maybe he got executed, or maybe he lived and nobody found out? I hope he lived.”

   “I also hope he lived. Any man who treats a woman with anything other than utmost respect is a coward. Tamari, your friend, was a leader. Not a coward."

"I'm sure he'd be pleased that you think so highly of him."

"I'm sure he would be too. On another more informative note, you do not have any intention to harm this kingdom, do you?”

   “Of course not! This place saved my life.”

   “Well, knowing everything I know, I will let you live in this kingdom.” King Sepper’s men played the trumpets, it almost felt like it was straight out of a movie scene.

“My goodness thank you!"

"No thanks needed! You are kind, gentle, interesting, and so many people already love you. Ignius, Nuqui, Bonesha."

"Bonesha? She came to you."

"Indeed, right before you did. She explained why you were such and excellent peer."

"She is truly wonderful."

"Indeed she is."

"Before I leave, could you do me one simple favor?” 

  "Of course, anything."

"I ask for you to send one of your men to the Island Of Quirino secretly, I want you to try and find Tamari."

"What if people are looking for you? Or him? We can certainly get him here safely but, what if your old peers come after my people?" King Sepper looked fiercely into Celeste's eyes. Her mouth slowly moved into a conniving smirk.

"Kill them all."