The Blue Bird's Cry

The Beginning

JULY

It was the cliché of falling in love with something or someone completely different from who you are and what you have, but life has always been an unfolding book full of surprises in its pages. As I sat under an old oak tree on the hill, overlooking a small peaceful village, I realized how much of it I wanted to experience. A life where I had to plant seeds and wait for it to grow just so I could have food on my table and each night I have to sleep knowing that tomorrow is another chance to live a life that even though may be filled with struggles, would give me an ultimate feeling of being alive and give me hope that tomorrow is another day to become better. I dreamed of a life that is as simple as the birds flying in the sky, they land where there is tree, they feed on what they can get and see the world in a broader perspective. They do not know where the wind will take them, but they still spread their wings and glide through the air. I want to sing love songs with a love one right by my side just like the love birds do, I want a lover I would spend my whole lifetime with. I crave for the feeling of being alive and looking at the little village where the light from the candlelit lamps seep through the windows, illuminating the streets with such dim light, I felt saddened knowing that a monster like me could never live such simple yet happy life. For hundreds of years, I have been in a continuous phase of existing as a character of folktales, feared by many because of the stories told by villagers about our kind.

I stood up ready to leave when I heard a female’s voice screaming from the dark alley of the small village I was just watching. I saw three men cornering her and I have the gut feeling something bad is about to happen, I was reluctant to approach for I have been hiding all my life but this time something about the cry for help of the lady made it seem impossible to ignore. I was in the scene in a matter of second and before I could be made aware of what I was about to do, I’ve already done it. I have punched and thrown the men against the walls of the alley. One of them was even holding his arm while they fled and I know I have broken it, but it wasn’t a concern for they deserved it. When I turned around, I saw the most beautiful lady I have ever seen in five hundred years. Her heart shaped face was small with prominent cheeks that has turned pink seeing how much she wanted to burst into tears, her full lips the color of cherry, and her round hazel brown eyes glistened as tears formed in it. I knew she was scared and shock of what happened, but I would not know to comfort someone in such distress, so I just stared at her. “Thank you” she spoke with a soft and shaky voice, the hint of fear was visible in her face and voce, I simply nodded slowly in response and before I could muster up a word to say, she had already runaway, her long wavy brunette hair waved as she ran. I stood there watching her as she disappears into the dark of night and when I can no longer see even her silhouette, I decided to return to my castle. I have been out far longer than I did most nights and I could not risk being seen by more people in the village.

The light of the full moon seeped through the huge glass window of my room and lighted up the whole place. I was again in the castle I have considered as a prison for my whole life, same old red drapes, bookshelves filled with books I have read a thousand times and a bed that has been sitting there only for the sake of having this room being called a bedroom. I approached the window to stare at the moon but instead I saw its reflection glistening like diamond on the sea and it reminded me of the maiden’s eyes. After so many years, I have never thought I would be able to look at a human for such short time yet have the image of their face stuck on my head. I stood by the window lost in thought for a long, long time until I saw that the dawn is breaking, and it is time for me to close the curtains in order to avoid the sunlight coming through the window. I did it with hesitation, for once I wanted to see the sun rising over the horizon without the fear of what it might do to me. I grabbed myself a book that I would be reading for the rest of the day.

***

Victoria's POV

As I opened the little book where I write anecdotes of my day, the look of the young gentleman made its way to my head. I was in so much shock and scared to be on the situation to be able to react properly and now as I remember last night’s events, I can’t help but wonder who that person might be. He was tall with a toned body, fit for a Prince, his skin as white as snow made his red thin lips more noticeable and his amber eyes glowed as the light from the moon hits it. He had a soft feature, he looked like someone I’d trust my life with. He wore a white shirt with a vertical slit at the neck and a full-length sleeve with ruffles in the end tucked into a high waisted dark brown pants fitted just below the knee and a pair of tied up boots. I have never seen him in this village before maybe he is from a nearby village just like the three men who had tried to take advantage of me. I was glad he was there though; I wouldn’t have been able to be alive this morning if it wasn’t for him.

“Victoria!” I heard the scream of my mother coming from outside. I quickly closed the book and ran making my way to the side of our little home.

“Yes mother?”

“Feed the chickens, I need to pump water from the well for watering these plants” she gave me the bucket full of seeds for the chickens where I grab handfuls and thrown it into their fence. I told the chickens what happened to me last night, it was not like they will understand me but I feel like I need to tell someone but not my mother because I knew she would be scared and would not let me leave the house anymore. When my mother got back, I told her that I was done with the feeding and headed inside to start preparing for lunch. I cut the vegetables into small cubes and boiled water for soup.

It was late in the afternoon, and the sun is up in the clear blue sky. It was a nice day, so I decided to take a walk in the forest where I have taken walks ever since I was young. The breeze was cold but the warmth from the sun made balanced it out. I walked following the path and each step I took; I was deeper into the forest. The leaves glowed as a part of the ray of sun shined to it and all I can hear is the rustling of dried leaves every time a gush of wind blew. There is only humming of birds and the sound of a flowing river in a distant. I was in so much peace, so I sat under a big tree in a small empty field in the forest. I looked up to the blue sky and let the nature sing to me while I enjoy the breeze and the calmness being here made me.

I opened my eyes in the sound of heavy footsteps crushing the dried leaves on the ground. I wasn’t aware that I dozed off in the middle of forest. The sun was just starting to set, and the forest is getting a bit colder and scarier by the second. I heard the heavy footsteps again and I knew it was of a big animal. I tried to stay calm, afraid that it will run after me if it sees me or follow the noise of my steps. I was retreating slowly, careful of taking each step and from a distance I saw a huge dog-like animal. It could be just a plain wolf or maybe a werewolf, we are aware of the existence of werewolves and vampires here in our little village, they are no characters from a book and look just like a normal human being, they exists and although there is no news of anyone being attacked by them, humans still maintain a great distance from them and try to avoid them as much as possible to avoid any possible conflicts. I saw the huge built dog with brown fur walking away from where I was, and the relief washed over me. The sun hasn’t fully set but the surrounding was almost pitch black. I need to head back quickly, I thought to myself and ran towards the path on the way back to my house.

“Where have you been young lady?” my mother asked as I barged in the front door, out of breath from all the running.

“Mother, you would not believe what I saw in the forest today.” I said in between breaths.

“In the forest? What did you see?” she put down the food in the table and I made my way to my seat. I poured myself a glass of water and took a sip before continuing.

“A werewolf. There was a huge brown dog in the forest. I was certain it was a werewolf because it was really big. I never thought I’d get to see one in all my life.” I drank more water as I feel my body relaxed and my heartbeat return to normal.

“You were lucky you made it out alive. Never stay until dark in the forest again, you might meet a vampire too and that wouldn’t be too pleasing, would it?” she sat in front of me and we started to eat dinner.

“Are there really vampires? No one has ever said they encountered one.”

“That’s because they look exactly like us and they avoid hurting humans, they only feed on animal blood but who knows, there might be a point in time that they will try human blood” she sounded calm, no hint of fear as she talks.

“Well I hope they don’t so we can remain to be at peace like the one we currently have. Where did you find out about them though?”

“Well rumor has it that our king is a vampire that is why he is never seen or made known to the public. And if the king is a vampire, surely his whole family is too”

“What kind of rumor is that?” I laughed at the concept. “but who knows they might really be a vampire” I mocked the idea and chuckled as I get myself some more food. I continued to eat as I thought about the animal I saw earlier – it was amazing and horrifying being in that situation.

At the break of dawn, I went down to the pier to buy fish and check out items that are sold in the markets. After finding nothing, I took a walk down the beach and sat down by the shore and watched the sun rise to the horizon. I looked at the cliff in the far corner and notice the castle that looked abandoned and weary. The grey stones were covered with ivy and it looks like anytime it will fall apart and the aura of just looking at it is very sad. I looked at it a couple more minutes as the sun rays were reflected by its windows making it look like it sparkles – this way I saw the beauty of the castle in a different way. The waves crashed into the sand and I was snapped out of my awe of the beautiful castle. I know that the royal family still lives there but it feels like it had not been taken care of for centuries. I felt a soft pat on my shoulder and when I looked up, I saw that it was Cora, a childhood friend that lives on the house near ours.

“What are you doing here all alone?” she smiled and sat down beside me.

“Just admiring that castle” I pointed to it.

“I wonder how our Prince look like. He must have been lonely being stuck in a castle” she said out of the context.

“He lives in a castle that big, I’m sure he has everything inside there, and loneliness isn’t even in his vocabulary.”

“Who knows? He might want to be someone who can walk around town and not be imprisoned in an old lonely castle.”

Cora was right, we really do not know anything about him sadly his parents don’t want him to interact with other people. They are really good rulers, but I think they shouldn’t have done that to their kid.

“Are you heading back? Let’s go together” I asked Cora after a while of silence and just staring at that castle by the cliff. She nodded and we both stood up, dusting off our dresses that had sands on it. I locked arms with her as we walked toward the pier and back to our places. I told her everything from the night a few days ago and the werewolf that I saw in the woods to which I got mixed reactions of shock, fear and amusement. A combination of reaction I never knew could be felt all at the same time.