The Starling Prince

The Starling Prince

The afternoon sun shines low through the trees bathing the countryside around the castle in a rich golden light. High in the large stone castle sits a little boy whose dreams reach as high as the castle's soaring parapets. 

The little flaxen haired Prince Nohr sits at his window. He is a small boy for his age. He has big round eyes, a small pointed nose, and ears that stick out. Prince Nohr’s room is covered with colored chalk drawings of the birds he’s seen from this window and in the large garden. Prince Nohr loves starlings. He sits at his window and watches the birds above him circle and dive. He dreams that one day he will spread wings and fly from the castle window, up with the other birds in the sunshine. He dreams so hard his whole body aches. 

Prince Nohr leans on the window sill, eyes closed, savoring the breeze. He dons a cloak of the Prince’s own handiwork and his most prized possession. The repurposed sheet that made his imaginary wings was black and iridescent blue, and covered with white flecks like stars to mimic the starling’s feather garb. His brother had helped him make it many years ago. They had snuck around the castle collecting their materials even though they could have just asked. Then they laid the old bedsheet out on a hidden patch of grass in the garden. Prince Nohr had worked on it all day. Finally once it was finished and dry his older brother, Prince Hugo cut a hole out in the center, for his head. He put it on like a poncho and flapped his arms pretending to fly around the garden. Prince Nohr has worn in nearly nonstop since, except at night when he had to take it off, earning himself the nickname, the Starling Prince.

Prince Nohr spreads his arms and lets the wind fill the sail between his arms and body. He feels the breeze push against him gently. He closes his eyes and imagines it lifting him off his feet. He flaps his wings, once, then twice, three times, and he’s off. 

He soars along invisible streams that slide beneath him ever so quickly. His imagination leaves his body at the window. Prince Nohr flies as only light, transparent like a rainbow. He falls in with a flock of starlings in the waning light. Performing with them the aerial gymnastics that he’s watched from the ground so many times. He dives, spins, somersaults, and twirls like a leaf in a hurricane. His feathers flash in the waning golden light. He soars and circles over the countryside like the starlings he has seen fill the sky over the castle. 

A shadow fell over his vision. He opened his eyes, back in his window, to the land that was only a moment ago, drenched in intangible rays of gold, cooling quickly in a growing shadow the shape of the Western Horizon. He sat by the window a while longer kept warm by his cloak. It was faded and gray from use, but he loved it nonetheless, for in his mind, it let him fly.

He jumped back when he saw a bat. His older brother, Prince Hugo had told him that bats were blind, and flew alone catching bugs once night fell. Hugo told him that they were like us, not like birds. Nohr didn’t know what his brother could possibly mean by this. He didn’t think they were like him at all. Bats flew around in the dark, blind, and alone. The sky set bats free only at night, when monsters emerged. 

Prince Nohr thought about this as he watched the growing shadows outside his window. He sang quietly to himself his favorite song, 

“See the starlings in the sky,

"See them soar so high, so high,”

Prince Nohr decided since there was a little daylight left, he wanted to visit the garden. All the way down he hummed his song, but  he couldn’t stop thinking about bats.

The castle garden spills through various courtyards and flows over the surrounding land as if the plants and flowers cascaded off the castle walls and took hold of any land that they fell upon. It was an old and magical garden filled with twisting stone paths, secret stone fountains and wells, and ancient trees and bushes. Owing to its age and subsequent magic, it is also said to be home to many strange and eldritch creatures. 

The gardener told him stories about how the longer plants live in gardens or forests, the more they seem to accumulate magic and attract magical creatures. The gardeners also told him about witches and sorcerers that lived in forests. Nohr wondered if they went to forests and gardens because they were magical, if the magic rubbed off on them. The gardeners had told him this as warning so he wouldn’t wander around alone. 

When Nohr was younger whenever he was upset he would try to hide in the garden. He always ended up lost, and it was Prince Hugo’s job to go and find him. He still wasn’t allowed in the garden after dusk. He thought he still had plenty of time before dark. He opened a small and presumably forgotten door to his brother walking toward the door. He slipped out quickly and tried to hide behind a bush. He did not realize that he was clearly in his view and he’d heard him open the door.

“Hey! Where are you going?”, asked Prince Hugo. 

“Nowhere…I’m just going for a walk before it gets dark. That’s all.” Nohr clasped his hands behind his back and avoided Hugo’s gaze. His head was held so low that it looked as if he were trying to hide behind his golden curls. He knew his brother was going to send him back inside.

“You should be inside,” Hugo sighed, “I’ll take you upstairs.” 

“What! But it’s not even dark yet!” Nohr whined while drooping his head dramatically.

“C’mon Starling Prince. All the Starlings went to bed, you have to too.” Nohr planted his feet but Hugo took the little boy by the hand and dragged him in toward his room.

As they walked he was thinking about a book he had read, about starlings. The book had beautiful black and white drawings. He had tried to trace them but he couldn’t do it very well and ended up getting ink on the book. Then he cried and ran off into the garden. The book said that starlings were one of the most social birds. He wondered what it meant for them to be social, and if they talked to each other? Nohr wondered if he was social. He knew bats weren’t social so he hoped that he was.

When they got to his room Hugo said goodnight to him and scooped him up into a hug. Nohr wriggled around trying to free himself.

“Ok, ok, goodnight.” Prince Nohr shut his bedroom door quickly. He searched around for the book he was thinking of. He couldn’t find it. He took off his cloak and buried his face in his pillows. He wanted to find out how birds could be social and if he was too. With his eyes shut tightly, he imagined images of bats circling and diving at his back. He threw one of his pillows at the wall in frustration. He turned over and stared at the ceiling. 

Suddenly he remembered his window was open and was afraid that a bat might get in. He shut the window then searched the room to be sure one wasn’t hiding in there already. A crumpled shirt in the dark under his bed nearly made him scream and it took him five minutes to work up the courage to look under there again. Finally he flopped down on the bed and decided to just lie there and not sleep until dawn when he could go out into the garden again. While laying in bed he looked out the window at the stars beginning to appear. Nohr had heard that people became stars when they died. He would not want to be a star very much, they weren’t at all social. Perhaps being a shooting star would be alright though.

Prince Nohr awoke suddenly. It was a while before sunrise. “Bugger, I must have fallen asleep.” Nohr was still wearing his Starling cloak. He figured it must be nearly morning and he could go watch the sunrise in the garden and hear all the birds wake up.

The little prince Nohr snuck through the long dark halls and down big creaky stairs. He jumped at every noise and desperately wished he’d broughten a lamp. He crept out into the garden, thankful at least to be in the openair. His relief did not last long.

Outside he could hear shrieks and howls that gave him chills. It was still far from morning.  There was no moon. He stumbled on loose cobbles and twice his Starling cloak snagged on something. He almost turned back but he told himself that there would only be a little longer until the sun came out.

When passing a rose bush, he walked too close and a branch that scraped all the way to his leg. He stifled a yell by biting his sleeve in case the creatures he heard were listening.

Silently tears rolled down his freckled cheeks. Eventually he calmed down enough to remove his hand and attempted to inspect his leg. He whimpered quietly when he realized his cloak had torn. The side of his leg burned. He gingerly felt it with his hand. It was wet and the cloth around it stuck to his leg. His eyes had adjusted to the darkness. He peered into the dark looking for somewhere to sit and nurse his wounds while he waited for sunrise.

He saw a light flicker through the bushes. Prince Nohr limped towards it. He assumed it was accidentally left there by a gardener. He arrived in a grassy area. Opposite him there was a well on which a lamp hung, swaying gently. 

The Little Prince sat down on the grass in the circle of light thrown off by the lamp. He sat with his back pressed to the cold stone bricks of the well. Holding his knees against his chest. He scanned the darkness at the edge of the light. Because the lamp light ruined his night vision he could see nothing but black beyond the grassy area. He felt completely helpless to all the terrifying unidentifiable noises pressing in from all around. He wondered if bats were flying around in the dark above him. Nohr buried his face in his arms at the thought. 

Nohr felt something spiny crawl along his ankle. He jumped to his feet frantically flailing his hands to brush off his leg. He stepped back, away from the well, trying to yell and scream but he was so paralyzed by fear that it came out like a whisper. He continued trying to yell for help, his throat felt raw, still he couldn’t make a sound. On the ground all around him, Soldier Beetles were gathered. They glowed pale blue in the dim light. Hugo had told him about Soldier Beetles, “they’re known for their showing up in the millions before a battle, but they also gather before somebody gets killed, few magical creatures can predict life that, y’know.” Nohr remembered, they ate the dead and even the severely wounded after battles. Hugo had told him they were scavengers so he didn't have to worry about them. Maybe they were just drawn to the cut he got from the rosebush. But then why were there so many?  Nohr wanted to run home right then and there but he didn’t dare leave the lamp light. He danced backwards away from the gathering insects. He was now facing the well. 

He screamed, out loud this time, stumbled backwards, and tripped, falling on his back on the grass. He was so scared he didn’t hear the crunch of the beatles he landed on. Hanging on the spoke that held the bucket and rope of the well, was the largest bat Nohr had ever seen. He was speechless and frozen with terror. 

“Ooo, I am sorry I didn’t mean to scare you child. I am Cille, blind bringer of mercies. Did you not call me here?” The high squeaky voice implored. The creature sounded kindly but Nohr was terrified.

“Child? Can you hear me? You are the child who dreams of starlings flight, yes?”, Cille asked.

"Umm, y-yeah, I do I guess. Did you know they sing almost all year long?” Prince Nohr offered up this fact like a shield. “W-what what are y-you doing here?”, he stammered.

“I have come to help you, Starling Prince. I hear your wishes and can offer help. I can help you fly with the starling.”

“H-how can you… you're a bat?” Prince Nohr crouched at the edge of the light watching Cille and the gathering soldier beatles with wide eyes. His whole body trembled.

“As I said, Starling Prince, I am not a bat. You have summoned me by dreaming very hard. If you give to me, your precious cloak, and catch this gold ring, when the sun rises you will fly with the starlings.” Cille held out in one foot a gold ring, it glinted in the orange lamp light.

“I-I can?” The Starling Prince looked down at his cloak, running his fingers over the bloody rip. 

“Of course I must warn you, you would not be able to return home as a boy.”

The Prince Nohr sat back in the grass. He closed his eyes and all he could think of was soaring with sun and sky. He stared down at the fabric and then he tugged the cloak off. He shivered and tears ran down his cheeks. He looked back toward the castle. Then he took a shaky step toward Cille.

“H-here”, the Starling Prince laid his starling cloak against the side of the well, as far away from the glowing beatles as he could manage.

“Very well child, I wish you luck.” 

Nohr stared hypnotized by the rings shifting reflection in the water.

Nohr walked to the edge and climbed the stone side, gazing at the shifting reflection.

Plop! He watched the ring drop before his hand could move. His mind felt sluggish, mesmerized by the vanishing glint of gold.

“Go, go, go child! You must go now!” Cille shouted urgently at him in the squeaky grating voice.

Nohr jumped.

“No! Nohr! NOHR!” Hugo screamed as he tore through the undergrowth.

. . . .

Prince Hugo sat up in bed suddenly. He could have sworn he heard screaming. He got up, walked over to his open window, and looked out. He thought he saw a light somewhere in the garden. Hugo sat back down at his bed and thought for a moment, then decided he wouldn’t be able to fall asleep if he didn’t check Nohr’s room, just in case. 

Nohr’s room was empty. 

Hugo broke into a run.

. . . .

The cold pressed on Prince Nohr from all sides. He kicked and kicked but it seemed he was getting nowhere, like he was completely alone in a million miles of empty space, like a star...He tried to open his eyes, but there was only darkness, everywhere he turned. He didn’t know which way was up or down. He tried to hold his breath but he couldn’t any longer. He gasped and cold water filled his lungs. He coughed and choked but it only got worse. 

It seemed he spent hours floating there in that moment. Alone in the dark, drowning. Something small brushed his face as he was sinking. He grabbed it and held it tight in his fist. He turned to look around one last time, he saw a pale glint of light and a dark outline coming towards him. His lungs burned. Prince Nohr closed his eyes.

Hugo dragged his brother's body to the surface, he gasped for breath. The sky was paler now and the stars were fading. Nohr’s cloak was gone and the lamp on the well had gone out. Nohr did not cough or gasp. He held something in his right fist. Hugo held him up in his arms to keep his body away from the glowing blue soldier beatles gathered at his feet. Hugo shook and sobbed into his brother's chest. 

The birds began to sing, waking up the world as the sun began to paint it in gold. The light slowly swept over the landscape, it seeped over the garden wall and touched the Starling Prince’s still face, plastered with his wet hair. Hugo watched the sun move over his body and Nohr began to shimmer. The Starling Prince became light, just as a flock of Starlings flew over the garden. As soon as the Starlings had passed Prince Hugo was left with empty arms. In his hand there was left a golden ring. 

Prince Hugo threw up. Then he sat on the grass. The beatles were leaving now. Hugo put on the golden ring, looked up at the sky, and he began to sing his brother's song...

Up, up, up Nohr soared. He climbed through the clouds on a hurricane of flapping wings. The sky fell before him. With the ease that sunshine kisses the earth, the Starling Prince kissed the heavens. He graced the morning sky as the stars do at night. The Starling Prince was free, for joy he sang…

“See the starlings in the sky,

"See them soar so high, so high,

“If, at dusk, I feel alone,

“I will find my way back home,

“Watch the sky and hold my ring,

“For you, all year, I will sing,”

“The day will come when I die,

“To the starlings, say goodbye,

“Far away my soul will fly,