The Tower's Walls

She’s not an outlaw nor a felon. She’s not guilty of any crimes worth to be punished by eternal exile within my sturdy walls.

I was quick to be overwhelmed with curiosity, and so I took it upon my own need to scrutinize the girl. And I didn’t know whether or not I was surprised that I saw it with my own eyes that she was indeed kept in good condition. Unmarred, her milky white skin was free of any scars. She was dressed of fine silk – donned with beautiful ribbons and glimmering jewels, and her dark locks were entwined into an intricate braid.

I wonder what business does she have? What good could my bricks possibly offer her? What kind of services does this nonentity could possibly demand from my walls?

If she’s not being kept away from dangerous perils nor for the dangers she poses, then how am I supposed to be of use? I could be a safe house, a haven, or a hideaway for those in need of protection. I could also be a dungeon, a prison, or a jailhouse for those in need of confinement. But her, I don’t know what was expected of me.

At first, she fought. She tried to break me and my walls. Tried so hard to find a hole and dig her way out. Tried to break free.

Foolish girl, I am made of enchanted bricks. No one enters may ever touch the grassy lands ever again; no one outside may lay their feet upon these bricks.

Her eyes remind me of the grey clouds before a storm. Fragile – that’s what she is. If anything, it fed my resolution to keep her from the world beyond. I should and will keep her in. It’s a gamble, sure, but even my orders told me to do so. I didn’t even know of her sorrows – of the reasons why she struggled, why she yielded, why she wept. Thus, if my options lay between sheltering her from harm or letting her roam the dark and cruel terrains, I thought the former was the obvious choice.

I thought I was right.

I thought wrong.

Only when those stream didn’t come to an end and no smile was ever etched on her untouched face did it struck me that she was put against her will. That I have become the golden palace, the golden cage. That my walls had ripped her of what made her what she is – was.

Until one day, she relented. She tried to break me, but I broke her instead.

---

“The war has been won. The Aria Kingdom has proven to be victorious yet again. Soon, His Majesty King Ordell shall not only be the King of Aria, but the First King of the Eleven Isles.”

“Hmm,” the Queen stared to the vast land that stretched before her, steadying her horse that is growing restless. “Thank you, Emine.”

“Yes, My Queen.”

“Emine, I hope you have written all I told you before?”

Her handmaiden nodded, “It is a peculiar tale, but this shall be in the Actas of all Eleven Isles tomorrow morning.”

“Good, you may go.”

“Yes, My Queen. May the Winds be gracious,” Emine nodded and left.

It is done then. The King’s wish has been fulfilled. Yet he will never know of the true war that had taken place. He will never know of the price that has been paid for Aria to bring the whole eleven isles into one unity. A tear escaped down the Queen’s cheek, followed by a broken scream.

“Go, Orion!” The horse neighed and galloped onwards, releasing its pent-up relentlessness to trudge full-speed through the grassy meadow.

 ---

Once upon a time, there lived a beautiful princess with hair as yellow as shiny gold and eyes as grey as the sturdy rock. From the moment they laid eyes upon her, The King and Queen loved her so dearly that they promised the princess all the Isles shall one day be hers. Princess Deidre, they named her.

The kingdom was rich, as their lands were filled with precious gems and jewels, their livestock abundant, and their nature flourishing. The Kingdom of the Air, they were known of, as their riches were uncountable. Their presence were like that of the air, essential for the lives of those from all eleven Isles.

When the princess turned sixteen, the King and Queen took her to see the Isles. The princess’ elation soon turned dour as she realized the other Isles were not as lucky as hers. “All of the Isles shall be yours,” the King told her. “But papa, they look so sad.”

Hearing the concern in her daughter’s voice, the King made a mission to conquer all of the Isles to reach unity. The princess, oblivious to the King’s mission, requested to be allowed to visit the Isles as she would like. The King frowned, but eventually he let her roam the Isle upon the King’s agreement. “That way, when I rage war against one Isle, she would be unharmed in another Isle,” the King mused to the worried Queen.

What the King hadn’t thought of was the possibility of the princess to fall in love. The princess had fallen in love with Prince Aeron of the Ninth Isle. The clueless King had slain the prince in his quest while he sent the princess to the other Isle. The princess was worried, as there had been no answer to her letters after her last visit. Yet, the King denied her request to go to the Ninth Isle. Frustrated, the Princess followed the myth she heard in the Tenth Isle. On the seventh day of the week, bathe in the Lake from which the Full Moon is clear in the sky. Put on your simplest white dress and walk towards the East with your eyes closed. Do not open until you hear the faintest whisper upon your ear, that is the Faerie Queen who will grant you one wish.

The princess followed the tale, intent to ask the Faerie Queen to let her meet her beloved. Her worry that the myth may be false was quickly replaced with another worry as the princess saw the chilling smile of Faerie Queen.

“You wish to see your beloved?”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

“Do not call me the names of your people.”

“My apologies.”

“Child, if I can grant you the truth instead of your initial wish, would you take it?”

“What truth do you speak of?”

“For you, I shall give this for free,” the Faerie Queen’s grin brought shivers down the princess’ spine. However, the princess stayed still as the Faerie Queen brought her index finger towards her forehead. In that instant, the princess’ tears fell in a waterfall as she learned of what her father has done.

“Take it away,” she pleaded.

“Take what away, child?”

“The pain, please, take it away.”

The Faerie Queen smiled again, “Your beloved is gone, child. But you are still alive. A life is worth so much, did you know that, child? I can grant you many things if you were to entrust your life to me. What do you say, child?”

The princess looked up. “What do you mean?”

“Flee. I can make it go away, your memories will be gone, child. Your father shall has his wish granted, your kingdom shall rule the Eleven Isles. But your life shall be mine.”

“Do it.”

“Oh, everyone will forget you, just as your forget them. I can grant you one extra wish, you may name one person that can know of all this – remember you, what you did, what they lost,” The Faerie Queen’s eyes twinkled under the moonlight.

The princess paused. The King was ruthless, arrogant, and selfish. Yet her mother only watched. This memory is not a gift, it’s a burden, the princess realized. “My mother, I wish for her to know.”

“Very well.”