Beauty and The Bird

Once upon a time… in the land of Cashmere lived the

King’s youngest princess, Zeeba. As a troubled introvert,

Zeeba seeks to master her favorite sport but is

conjured by her princess obligations to the kingdom. Pressing times

call for pressing measures, as the kingdom eagerly prepares for a

catastrophic event scheduled to bring the lands to ruin. Princess

Zeeba, hindered by timing, finds herself among an historical

kingdom that is said to be extinct. A kingdom blanketed by a curse

that can only be broken if a pure heart showed it’s King love in

return.

1

ZEEBA

Your aim is your weakness Zeeba!” Madam

Landress yelled to me from her posting.

“My aim is a gift,” I insisted.

“It isn’t...if you shoot before you’ve locked onto your

target!” I blew air from my nose in frustration at her words.

“Dominant eye and dominant side!” she chanted.

I rolled my neck, shifting the shorter portion of my

kinky, sandy-red hair out of my face to re-aim my bow-andarrow

at the silver bird clone. The bird clone was being

shifted among the trees in the forest by the remote control

of Madam Landress assistant, who stood behind me.

Nervousness dissipated my brain as I realized this was only

phase one in the three phased mastery test and my last

attempt to pass the archery test as a whole. I had no indication

of where Madam Landress’s assistant would fly the

system-demanded bird to next. Sweat gently dripped from

my palms as I struggled to lock in the bird’s target. The

counterfeit silver bird graciously glided between the trees.

“TO….DAY….ZEEBA!” Madam Landress ordered.

Her words sent laughter between the other girls, standing

in line behind me. They, too, stood the challenge of passing

their archery test. Madam Landress stood a few feet away

with her hands behind her back glaring at me.

My hand trembled as I struggled to keep my aim on the

slow-moving bird. The bird glided back towards a stump

he’d been on when I missed the first two times. I aimed a

little ahead of the bird, knowing he’d take that direction to

go back. As I released the arrow, a load of embarrassment

covered me watching the arrow past the metallic bird.

Pace, Quadira and Bai stood behind me, to go next. Princess is always first. I wish I’d gone last . Pace and Quadira

snickered as Madam Landress casually strutted over to me

with her hands behind her back. Their giggles sent loads of

embarrassment through my soul. This would be something new

for them to laugh about with the other oppressors of the village.

Madame Landress stood over me glaring. I didn't look up at

her as I closed my metallic bow and shoved it into my

quiver beside the other arrows.

“Some gift, huh?” Madam Landress sneered. “Zeeba,

you’ll never prosper until you accept discipline like it's your

next meal…”

I panted in anxiety, stressing over my failure, to pass the

archery test, for the fourth time. I looked over at the other

girls who continued to snicker. Fighting back tears, I maintained

no eye contact with Madam Landress.

“So, I failed, again?” I asked.

“Oh, for sure…” By the edging of her voice, I could tell

she was smiling while she spoke.

“I tell you practice makes perfect Zeeba. And, you’ve

practiced everything you taught yourself...not what I taught

you,” she spoke bitterly. “And so, until you respect my

expertise and discipline…you’ll eat at the table of failure...

You are dismissed…” she said walking back to her

posting for the next girl to walk up.

“But Madam Landress…”

“DISMISSED! Zeeba!” she yelled at me pointing at the

palace.

A tear slowly ran down my face as I threw the quiver

over my left shoulder. A kingsman escorted me to the gates

of the palace with his head down too. “Maybe next time

princess…” he said watching me step up the long stairs.

“Oh, there’s my princess…so tell me how was your

test?” Raelyn ran down the hall towards me. She was my

father’s third wife and the only one he didn’t have children

with.

“I failed again,” I said, wiping my eyes.

“Aww! Lavished Lasse,” she rubbed my shoulder.

“Don’t worry… failure is not infinite and you can always

repeatedly reclaim that test.”

“No! Father said this was it...my last chance!” I threw

my quiver to the golden palace floor and kicked it, dropping

all my bow equipment. “I’m never going to be an archery

master!” Raelyn tried wrapping her arms around me but I

snatched away from her. I ran to my chamber. I just wanted

to be alone.

Evening came and I heard the heavy steps of my father

outside my chamber doors.

“No… allow me to speak to her in private,” I heard him

argue to what sounded like Arava, Madam Landress, Kyla

and Raelyn outside my door mumbling. The only thing my

four sisters had ever cared about was getting married. The only

thing Raelyn cared about was pleasing Allah and my

sisters. And, Madam Landress, just belittled me all the

time.

Before Allah could knock on the door, I stood up

cleaning tears and smudged saliva from my face.

“Come in,” I said to him. I stood adjusting my long

cotton dress and hair that was halfway in a ponytail. My

chamber door swung open slowly as my father walked in,

peeping around the door.

“My dear Lavished Lasse…” his voice was heavy and

concerned. He noticed the bed print where I’d been laying

and weeping over my failed attempt to be an archery

master.

A kingsman closed the door behind him as he stood in

front of me with his arms folded. He wore a long, pale tone,

brown robe over his taupe, steeled, army suit, that was

covered in the gold, Cashmere, kingdom engraves. His

shiny, brown, bald head glistened against the purple lasik

lights that accompanied us in my chamber. His long, thick,

gray and black beard, hang down to his mid-belly over his

crossed arms.

I walked over to stand in front of him shamefully with

my arms behind my back. They’d told him about my behavior

today. He smelled like he’d just left the beach where our

army had been spending years preparing for the comet.

“Father please allow me more time to pass the archery test

before I have to marry Ramsey.”

“Hm…” he sighed. “Zeeba… is that what this is about?”

“I want to master archery, father…” I fought back tears.

Before speaking he paced around the room slowly

leaving me standing where I was. “So, you master archery

and then what?” he asked.

I faced the ceramic tile floors, not daring to look into my

father’s face...the King’s face. “Then, I’ll marry Ramsey as

you wish…”

“Zeeba, there are far more important things that are

going on right now than you mastering archery. Madam

Landress says, that was her last test she’d be able to administer

before the comet.”

Tears rapidly rolled down my face. “But father…I…just

need more time...”

He raised his voice. “Zeeba… the agreement was that

beyond your sixteenth birthday you were going to study

archery up until the comet’s arrival. We are now two years

later. You have completed studies at the Academia and

passed your eighteenth birthday. After the comet had

passed, you promised me that you’d marry Ramsey and

start a family…so as to get himself and yourself situated for

the last seats on the throne…”

“But father… I-”

My father stomped his heavy foot down. His leg was so

heavy that it sent sculptures rocking on the bookshelf in my

chamber and walls of the palace shaking. Him putting his foot

down was a well-known sign of the King’s order in the palace. From

even the tallest tower, his foot down, could be heard in the basement of

the palace. His voice was deafening and frustrated, “I am

getting up in age Zeeba… shortly after the passing of the

comet, I’ll be 68. I need all 5 of my daughters and their

husband’s ruling my kingdom and our sister kingdoms.

Things have been hard for me overseeing Cashmere

without resources from Woolchester.”

Tears rapidly rolled down my face to my purple attire. I

couldn't argue with the King.

“You wanting to wait another year to pass an archery

test does not fit into these arrangements…I allowed you an

additional time frame past your studies in the Academia

Zeeba, to master a sport I know you’ve been passionate

about, since you could walk.” He walked over and grabbed

my chin, wiping my face with his cape. “To me…you are

already a great archery master, whether you have that

golden badge that says it or not.”

I stood sniffling, as my father told the kingsmen to reopen

my chamber doors. Before leaving my chamber, he

said, “dinner will be served shortly for the celebration of

Kyla's baby' birth. We have invited Ramsey and the crew,

after a long day finishing the underground cellar room for

the comet arrival, to tonight’s gathering. You’ll want to

clean up and put on a good face Lassie.”

My chambermaid, Lucile, was always so apprehensive

and coy. She came rushing in as the doors closed for my

father, and started my shower without a word. Everyone

feared my father’s orders.

I wanted to run out into the palace halls and tell my father I

hated it here! That would only get me paddled and I’d been

down that valley before. I wasn’t going back. As I undressed

to shower, Lucile pulled out fresh undergarments and a

long silk gown for the big dinner.

After dressing, I admired my light skin in the mirror. I

was the only one of my sisters with Grandmum’s light

complexion. Many of the girls at school would tease me and

say my birth mother was probably a pale face. Pale faces no

longer existed and there was no way Allah would ever have

trusted one. I’d heard stories about the corrupting practices

from the last of their kind. His mother, however, was half of

us and somehow, I’d been cursed with her light look, too.

I was the last to come down the curved palace stairway

to join all the others in the luxurious ballroom for the

massive feast in celebration of Kyla’s third child birth.

Many rounded tables filled the room with only the most

important Cashmerians from the villages. Quadira accompanied

her brother Yaw, leader of the black bandit army,

and her father, the village’s chief. Pace and Bai sat beside

Quadira, as her typical hear saying entourage. Inconveniently,

a seat at the grand table had been left open beside

Ramsey for me.

I greeted the room softly as I slid in the chair beside

Ramsey.

He leaned over and whispered in my ear, “I just love it

when you wear your wild red hair across your shoulders

and back, it makes me imagine the fun we’ll have…”

After giving Ramsey my typical disgusted, fake smile, I

leaned over Ramsey looking past him at Grandmum, Kofi

and Arava. I whispered to Grandmum, “Grandmum, do you

not have any recommendations for the ceremony that will

follow the comet?”

Ramsey gave me a grimy look while blinking his eyes

excessively, at my rude remark. Just because you’ll be standing

out there, doesn’t mean I have to pick you, sir.

Grandmum gave me a frantic face, beside Arava, she

glared at my father and others at the table, who hadn't

heard my comment due to their deep conversation and loud

talking.

“Shh…” she bickered. “Not now!”

Raelyn smiled at Ramsey’s mother, “can you believe we

have only five dinners left before the comet?”

“No, I can’t,” she shook her head. “It’s been amazing to

see the work of the cellar room prepared by the army and

engineers.”

“Agreed...” Ramsey smiled. “We are far more prepared

for this comet than we could have ever wished.” Father only

liked Ramsey because he was a man of the army, and one of the best

mechanical engineers, since the kings of Woolchester disappeared.

Allah cleared his throat, looking at Kofi and Ramsey. “I

am pleased with your work thus far. And after the passing

of the comet, I am looking forward to you and Zeeba

starting a family of your own.”

Among the smiling faces at the table, Grandmum, Kofi

and Arava gave me a concerning look. I smiled at my

father's words but sighed at Arava and Kofi. My sister had

picked the perfect husband, thanks to Grandmum. Kofi was

nothing like Ramsey, and I couldn't see how father found

Ramsey to be good enough for me. We shared nothing in

common.

“I guess this means you passed your archery test

today?” Ramsey’s mother smiled.

I cleared my throat as father glared at me to speak

accordingly. “I didn’t actually…. But I have agreed at this

time to move forward with my duties as a princess and not

concern myself in pursuing archery any further.”

“Oh, that’s wonderful Lassie.” Raelyn smiled beside my

father. “You're going to make a fine wife…”

Grandmum, Arava and Kofi put their heads down as

they ate their food slowly. They knew I hadn’t meant anything I

said.

After we ate, Kyla opened some gifts from girls of the

village, and her friends. Many people of the party intermingled,

as I sat beside Arava helplessly. She and I had the

closest relationship. We’d argue to our other sisters that it

was because we were closest in age. I really just loved Arava

more. While accompanying Arava, I noticed Quadira, Bai,

Pace, Ramsey and two other boys from the village, out on

the ballroom balcony, laughing and talking.

Arava noticed me looking at them. She leaned over and

whispered to me, “you should try to mingle Lassie. Since

you are no longer pursuing archery…and your studies are

done. It is time you tried to make friends…” she

suggested.

As bad as I didn’t want to admit it, she was right. I had

no friends.

“Ok!” I nodded, slowly getting up from the chair and

walking over to the ballroom balcony.

As I walked over, none of them noticed I was heading

their way. As I got closer, I could hear their conversation

clearly.

“Aren’t you the slightest bit concerned that your parents

are making you marry a psycho?” Quadira laughed. She

held a cup in her hand as she spoke to Ramsey.

“They are looking far beyond that...just the benefits!” he

smiled.

His gestures made others standing around in the

conversation laugh. I was no psycho.

Bai giggled, “I mean the girl doesn’t even listen to her

own father. And would much rather learn archery than be

home in the palace married to you…” she complimented

Ramsey.

“I even suggested to her a few times that she was

concerning herself with the wrong things in life…” Pace

proclaimed. She was lying.

“The girl is definitely off and crazy…she spends too

much time by herself.”

Ramsey sighed nonchalantly, “but I guess on the bright

side...I’ll be king.”

They laughed at his joke, until Bai caught a glimpse of

me out the corner of her eye, looking at them. I quickly

turned around to leave.

“Lassie…” I could hear Ramsey following. I hurried

through the ballroom not being noticed by others. I didn’t

want anyone to see me upset. As I made my way out into

the hallway, I bumped into Raelyn and father.

“Lassie?” Raelyn caught me from falling to the floor.

“Are you ok, dear?” Ramsey walked up behind me, still

holding his cup.

Father eyed him and analyzed my facial expression. I

quickly tried to clean up my sad demeanor.

“I’m fine.” I lied. “Just running to the restroom,” I

smiled.

“I was actually following Lassie, to see if she wanted to

go for a short intimate walk in the prairie…to see the fireflies.”

Ramsey lied standing beside me.

BEAUTY AND THE BIRD 11

Father nodded, “hmmm… that would be nice.”

Ramsey turned to me, “you were going to use the

restroom, right?”

“Yes,” I passed my father and walked swiftly down to

the restroom, where I cried for as long as I could without

messing up my hair and make-up.

When I came back out to the palace hall, my father,

Raelyn and the Village Chief were still talking about some

of the issues they’d faced, drilling in the Atlantic. Out the

corner of my eye, I could see my father watching me walk

beside Ramsey, out a side entrance of the palace hall,

towards the prairie.

We didn't get far outside the palace, before Ramsey got

into full blown obnoxious mode.

“As my wife, you have to obey me!” He reached for

my arm.

“You allowed them to call me crazy!” I argued.

“You are crazy…” he smirked. “But in a good way,

Zeeba!”

I shoved him to the bushes slightly, as he tried wrapping

his arms around my waist. I was sure no one was out here

watching us.

“Archery is not for women anyway,” Ramsey said, as he

stood, trying to get the leaves and branches off his army

suit. “I don’t know why they let you women do it. Women

are to bare babies and walk around in dresses.”

“Shut up!” I contended. “You are a mediocre minded

man…”

“Why? Because I’m right…?” he hissed. “I told you

before that you weren’t going to pass the dumb archery test.

And here I am with all these options in women…waiting for

you.”

“No one told you to wait…”

“But I did…”

“Why? so you can be a king?” I proclaimed. “I know

that this is what it's about. You may have my father fooled,

but not me!”

“Zeeba, don’t be ridiculous! Your father deserves at

least one strong-minded king to replace him.”

“Kofi is softhearted, Zuhri is an arbitrator, Ugo is very

strong-willed, and Quanda resides in her own kingdom.”

He nodded agreeing with my words, “I will take over.”

I placed my hands on my hips, “and that is your

issue…control.”

“Lassie, just give me a kiss while we are alone,” he

grabbed both my shoulders and leaned in to kiss me.

I snatched away, “no.”

He sneered at me in my dress. “That is why they call

you Lavished Lassie, right?”

“You as well, as I do, know I’ve never kissed anyone…

not even you.” I walked back towards the palace, leaving

him standing out in the prairie that surrounded the backyard

of the palace. I was going to be an archery master. Whether

he and father liked it. Women were more than baby barers.

he beaming sunlight, peeling into the windows of

my bed-chamber, reminded me that today was a

new day. I had the opportunity to practice like Madam

Landress suggested. I quickly dressed in one of my long

purple, cotton dresses, and brown, boot moccasins.

At the grand table, only the women awaited the serving

of breakfast from the stewards.

Raelyn explained my father’s absence to us, “last night

the Chief talked with your father about some concerns with

the comet defense device in the Atlantic. They seem to have

made a confidential discovery there. Your father has seen it

as a priority and will be down there until the morning of the

comet. He and the Chief believe there are matters there

more concerning than the work that is being done here. So,

we won’t see him until Thursday morning.”

“I hope that whatever it is, it is sorted fast,” Grandmum

nodded. “We are but four days away.”

“I hope the same,” Raelyn nodded. “But Ramsey, Kofi

and Yaw, will see to it that all the villagers are safe here in

Cashmere, prior to Allah returning. We start migrating

tomorrow to the cellar room.”

After partaking in breakfast without father, I swiftly

gathered my quiver and headed for the palace door.

“Zeeba where are you off to?” Raelyn asked me suspiciously,

walking down the long palace hall.

“Oh…uh. I promised Madam Landress I would help

her and the others finish cleaning up the archery shop in the

village, before the comet…” I lied.

She smiled, “very well then…be in before super…”

“Yes, stepmum,” I bowed.

As I walked towards the village, I could see a kingsman

indirectly following me. Raelyn knew me too well. I roamed so

much among the shops in the market that I intentionally

lost her spy. I could see him desperately searching around

the village and Madam Landress’s archery shop for me, as I

laughed at him from a nearby hill.

Down the other side of the hill, where no one could see

me, I hiked towards the lands of Woolchester.

Woolchester, was the inexistent forbidden kingdom between us

and the Kingdom of Oslophis. The people of Woolchester had

vanished shortly before the last comet and neither kingdom could get

anything to grow on the lands. It was a dead, black and gray, gloom

of dead trees, rich black soil and dirt.

Nothing resided out in the abandoned forestry, besides

the ravens, wild baboons, and hyenas eating up all the

scraps and graveyards. My intentions were to practice

archery somewhere where no one could watch my incompetence.

Woolchester was the perfect place to practice.

After casually passing through a forest between Cashmere

and Woolchester, I jumped over the aged, rusted,

golden Woolchester gate. I had to shoot my arrow into a tree

on the other side of the gate and use rope from my quiver as

support over the railing of the gate. Striding swiftly among

the quietness of the fields, I made it deep into the abandoned

woods. I’d gone far enough to become nervous that I’d probably

gone too far. Despite the matter that I could clearly see

the path of steps I’d taken from the gate.

I saw a few ravens hanging around in some trees and

figured it was the perfect time to post-up for a good shot.

The ravens glided with the wind, as I posted with my bow

and arrow, behind a massive gray rock, to aim at one.

The wind rustled and I tried aiming my arrow at a raven

that piloted towards one of the trees. The wind whooshed

so hard that debris and dirt from the ground rolled across

my face and sent my arrow flying into a tree.

Dropping my bow, I struggled to get the dirt from my

eyes. Swaying my head back and forth, caused much of the

dirt and soil to fall from my face. My vision cleared enough

for me to see that my arrow had stabbed a piece of old

cream paper in one of the trees. The paper was burned

around one side of its edges and torn, as if it belonged in a

book.

After wiping my face more with my dress, I walked over

snatching my arrow from the paper and read it.

“Wienged vertebruhe...Wienged vertebruhe...I wowld

like to underztuhnd whuht it iz yu zuhe”

“Winged Vertebrae… Winged Vertebrae… I would like

to understand what it is you say…”

Among the dead gray trees, the few ravens flew away

frantically, as big clouds suddenly came over the area, with

heavy rain. After stuffing the paper in my quiver, I held the

quiver over my head as I struggled to look for a place to

shield from the rain. The heavy rain confused me about

which direction I’d entered the deserted forest from, as a

result of me no longer being able to see my tracks in the

soil. I sprinted in the hasty rain, looking for a place to take

16 DANELLE E. DORSEY

cover. I was lucky to only find a gigantic log. Before

climbing into the log, I reluctantly reviewed the interior for

any life-threatening insects. No bugs! I curled up inside the

hefty log with my quiver in my lap watching as the rain

poured down onto the dead valley. For this place to get so much

rain, it had nothing green to offer. How so?

What was once my bright brown moccasins, were now

stained black and grimy from the dirt. The rain showered

the area for a while before it calmed. I waited to make sure

the rain was done before climbing out of the log. I’d spent

some time drying out, while sitting in the log and I didn’t

want to risk getting wet all over again.

I threw my quiver out of the log so I could climb out

with both my hands. Gradually, I slid from the log and

stood. The old dead trees dripped water softly from the

hard rain. I looked inside my quiver realizing I’d dropped

two of the five apples that I’d brought as a snack on my

mischievous trip. I searched around the forest realizing it

had become cool and cloudy and I wasn't sure which direction

I entered the area from. Desperately worried I’d be

trapped out here pass dark, I walked between trees, looking

for the tree I’d stabbed as an indication for which direction

I’d come. Nothing!

Searching further, I found one apple I’d dropped but it

was covered in mud.

A raven startled me, flying over in front of me, speaking

to another raven about the muddy apple, “I’m the king’s

kinsman I should have the first bite!”

The other raven stuck his beak in the apple splitting it

into parts, “no females and babies first...you know this

Abasi…”

My hand trembled as I observed their moving beaks

and the words coming out, “YOU…

YOU… YOU CAN TALK?”

“Uh…” one raven turned to me.

The other dropped the piece of apple he was holding,

“you can understand us?”

Without responding, I screamed and ran back to the log

to hide.

The two birds followed behind me. “But miss wait…

wait…can you hear us?”

“GET AWAY!” I screamed.

I curled up in the log, clutching my quiver. I must have

hit my head.

One of the raven’s peeked into the log looking at me,

“please miss we mean no harm… I’m Eli, the king’s first

kingsman and this is Abasi, the Kinsman, Tiberius’ cousin.”

“Kingsman?” I peeked over my quiver. “Kingsman of

where?”

Eli stood beside the log on the muddy ground. “Woolchester

of course…”

“But…but you’re birds?” I asked, confusedly. “The

people of Woolchester disappeared a long time ago…”

The raven who said he was Abasi laughed nervously,

“yea see that is just the thing…we didn’t actually disappear.

We’re birds!”

“Birds?” I gasped.

“Poppa,” another smaller raven flew over, “Momma is

looking for you…”

Abasi stood in front of the little raven, “not now Malik.”

Malik looked around his father, noticing me, “oh...?”

His voice was young and high pitched, compared to the

other two ravens. He was a baby.

“Hi.” I smiled at him waving, nervously.

“She can understand us?” Malik jumped around in

nervousness waving his wings.

“Shhh…” Eli spread his wings for Malik to lower his voice.

Abasi hissed, “listen Malik… you will not say anything

until this is sorted out, do you understand?”

Malik put his head down, “yes…sir…”

Eli hopped onto my leg, “please… come talk to our

king, Miss. He won’t believe this.” “Who?” I asked.

“Tiberius. He would love to talk about the matter that

has put us here.” “How far is it?” I whispered.

“Over there...just beyond that river dam...we have a

massive nest.”

I climbed out of the log slowly, looking beyond the

trees, where he pointed.

“I don’t know where I am…” I admitted. “I got lost after

the rain…”

Abasi asked, “where are you from?”

“Cashmere...” I said, throwing my quiver over my

shoulder.

Malik flew onto my shoulder. “Oh…you are a Cashmerian?”

He rubbed against my neck softly and it tickled.

I laughed a bit and held out my finger for Malik to rest

his feet on my finger, “you're so cute.”

“She thinks I'm cute, Poppa,” Malik laughed. “Even as a

bird.”

Eli stood beside Abasi, who shook his head in laughter.

Eli walked over to me, “can we make a deal? If we promise

to show you how to get out of here, will you at least talk to

our king. I think you can help us.”

“Well. It will be getting dark soon and my family…”

“Please…” Malik begged.

“Ok.” I agreed, “As long as you show me, before the sun

starts setting.”

“Agreed miss.” Eli nodded. “We will make it quick.”

Malik rested on my finger contently, as I followed

behind Eli and Abhasi, who flew slowly.

Anxiously, I walked as the gray fog became so strong

that I couldn't see in front of me.

“Are we close?” I asked, nervously.

Eli landed on a tree branch. “Yes, do you hear it? the

river bank?”

The slow vibrant rustles of moving water cruised across

my ears. The fog was misty and heavy as I followed Abhasi

onto a log. Carefully, I walked the log slowly, as not to fall,

as I crossed to the other side of the narrow little river.

As we walked away from the river, the fog cleared some

and the scene of dead, black trees and black soil appeared,

along with hundreds of chattering ravens, in the trees.

A feminine voice of one bird talked to three others,

“Tiberius says we can’t go looking that far.”

Another famine voice complained, “we should have

migrated by now.”

Another bird rolled around, “the comet is in fact coming

my friends…”

As I walked among them, they all grew silent. They

stared at me, afraid to say anything.

As I walked behind Eli and Abasi in silence, the other

birds stepped back for me to walk across the long stretch of

wet and muddy clay soil, as I made it to a dead, towering,

oak tree, that housed a massive gang of nests on its

branches.

“Malik!” a female bird screamed. Malik had still been

sitting on my finger.

Hearing his mother's voice, he flew to her. “I found

Poppa... Momma.”

“What have I told you about crossing the river, young

man?” the woman bickered at him.

Malik put his head down, “I’m sorry Momma. But

look… we found a girl!” The bird looked nervously, as did

the others.

As we arrived at the peeling, black tree trunk, I

clutched the woven handles of my quiver, nervously.

“Please wait here!” Eli ordered me.

Abasi stood beside me as all the birds gathered around

staring at me. I was afraid to say anything and freak them all out

more.

“Well don’t stare at her…you are making her nervous!”

Abasi shook his wings for them to back up.

A raven stepped in front of me slowly. It had a gray

streak of feathers on one side. “You're Allah’s daughter?”

she said, walking around me slowly.

She was admiring me.

“I am...I...”

“Don’t be ridiculous Eli...that is impossible,” another

raven came flying slowly from the nest with Eli talking

loudly. He was the biggest bird I’d ever seen with a head

and body much larger than the rest. He had one streak of

gold feathers across the back of his body.

Eli pointed to me with his wing, “she can understand

us.”

“Hello,” The big bird stood in front me. His voice was

rude and frustrated.

I took a deep breath and smiled, “hello!”

My word sent all the other birds into a frantic flying

spree to the nests. They all screamed and howled in shun.

“You can understand us?” the gray feathered bird

asked.

“Yes…”

“She must be a WITCH!” The big bird glared at me.

“AND SHE IS HALF PALE…. LOOK AT HER

SKIN!”

“Calm…Tiberius. She is not related to Pale faces…Her

grandmother is half pale.” “And how do you know that?”

Tiberius asked her.

“She looks just like her grandmother,” she flew slowly to

my shoulder. “I’m

Grandma Wool. Tiberius’s grandmother and old friend

of Grandmum. What is your name dear?”

“Zeeba…” I smiled. “Princess Zeeba. I am Allah’s 5th

daughter.”

“Allah only had four daughters, last time we checked…”

Tiberius shook his head rudely and threw his wings up in

frustration.

Eli explained, “Tiberius… that was almost twenty years

ago.”

Tiberius faced me, “how old are you?”

“18.”

He held his wings to his chin. “So, you were born after

the last comet?” he asked.

“Yes. And there is another coming. Do you all plan to go

to one of the animal cellar rooms on Thursday?”

“No one cares about ravens…” Tiberius smacked his

lips. “We are the nastiest of the bird kind.”

Disturbed by his words, I asked, “Why do you think

that?”

“Because I never had intentions of allowing the nasty

creatures into my cellar for the first comet.”

I placed my hand on my hips, “and now you’re that

nasty little creature?” “Clearly…” he shook his head and

opened his wings to pose for me.

“Well my father allows all animals.”

He turned to fly away. “We built one of our own...for

the last comet...so we will pass on the invite.”

Grandma Wool turned to me, “Zeeba, do you know

how you came to speak to us?”

I took a moment and reflected on my actions. “Well… it

rained and then I got in a log… then you could talk,” I

said.

“Hm....anything else happened today?” Grandma Wool

asked.

“Well…” I thought hard. “Oh, I read this paper that I

caught in the arrow.”

I quickly put my quiver to the ground as all the birds

flew to gather around. Pulling the paper from my quiver,

Grandma Wool, leaped from my shoulder onto the paper.

“A page from the book,” she said excitedly.

“What book?” I asked.

Tiberius flew over quickly, as he'd begun to make his

way back to the nests. “Where did you find this?” he asked

me, frantically.

“The wind blew while I was shooting my arrow and my

arrow caught this in the tree.”

Tiberius looked over the paper with Grandma Wool.

“And did you read it?” “I did aloud.”

Grandmum held her wing to her head. “This is the spell

he was using to talk to us before the comet hit.”

“Who is he?” I asked, concerned.

Grandma Wool turned to me and put her head down,

“King Klue.”

“Who?”

Tiberius sighed hard before he spoke, “King Klue.. also

known as Dr. Klue…. he was the last King of the last pale

kingdom in the west. The black kingdoms knew there was

only one last pale kingdom back then...but we’d cut communications

with pale faces after countless efforts to reconcile

our differences, after they became an endangered species,

from the great UV ray infection of the 23rd century. One,

that as you know…people of melanin couldn’t possess.

Around that time, we’d told our sister kingdoms, years in

advance, that two comets were coming. With my father's

technology, we were able to theoretically predict the one in

2328 and one in four days. My belief is that King Klue and

BEAUTY AND THE BIRD 23

his people migrated to our side of the continent in 2326 as a

result of their low resources, as they were at the peak of

their races’ complete extinction...”

“Father says, they came to Cashmere, the year before

the comet. But he turned down space and resources. He

refused to help any pale kingdoms, after he found out that

they were responsible for what happened to my sister

Thema.”

Tiberius nodded with my words as if he too knew of

that story. He continued, “and they went to Osplohis…

where they too, were rejected for their past conjuring

behavior, only to come to Woolchester last, just months

before the comet, where I not only agreed to allow them in,

but also marry his daughter Bianca and couple our two

kingdoms.”

“Why did you agree to marry her?”

Tiberius covered his head with his wings and shook his

head, sadly. “I didn't want a black woman for a wife.

They’ve always had this cliché with me…aggressive, dominant,

and domineering attitudes. For years, before my

mother's death, as a boy, I believed my mother, as Queen,

ran Woolchester...not my father, the rightful King. She

bossed him around more than he did others and I despised

colored women for it. My father knew my feelings towards

black women. My orders had always been to marry the

second oldest of Allah’s daughters…well your sister,

Thema. They’d been praying years for her return, and she

did finally show up. I rejected the marriage and father

disowned me. He refused to marry Bianca and I.”

I folded my arms. “So, you married her anyway?”

“I did.” Tiberius shook his head again. “Just three days

before the comet hit. And when I kissed her, all my people

and I turned into birds. King Klue exposed himself as a

great warlock, but took over the bodies of my people, by

trapping us in the animal I despised the most.”

“A raven?” I asked, upset. How sad!

The other ravens stood around with their heads down as

he continued to explain his story.

He turned away from me, “I hated ravens…always out

in our gardens stealing scraps…I never knew how they

felt,” he said, sadly.

“And you just screamed at me, thinking I was a half pale

face...?”

His eyes narrowed, “and now you know why.”

Grandma Wool flew back to my shoulder, “King Klue

put us under a spell Zeeba…and we’ve been like this since.

Unable to communicate with any humans.”

“Well, what happened to them?” I asked. “The pale

faces that took over your bodies?”

Tiberius continued the story, “they were only in those

bodies until the comet came. Our advantage as birds, out in

the fields of Woolchester, had been that they didn't know

the combinations to the cellar doors, to escape during the

comet. Only my father and I had those memorized. They

didn't know that there are multiple ways to enter our

underground cellar, besides the main one in the palace. We

planned an attack, centered around pouncing on them in

the palace, just hours before the comet made it into the

atmosphere. Eli and Abasi made sure all the ravens made it

into the cellar room from the village entrance, while our

army, my father and I fought King Klue and the pale

people. Behind most of the army, I was the last one to make

it into the cellar room from the castle’s entrance before the

comet hit land and the ground became too hot for me to

breathe.”

“And your father?” I asked, wistfully.

Tiberius used his wing to rub his head bitterly. “He was

on the other side with all the pale people that burned.”

Grandma Wool turned to look me in the eyes. “We

know this has to be a curse because nothing grows on the

lands of Woolchester. We are under a spell.”

“Is there a known remedy?” I asked.

“If there were,” Grandma Wool flew down and picked

up the piece of paper from the ground, “it would be in the

book, where this paper came from, and for the past nineteen

years, we thought that book had been destroyed in the

comet.”

Tiberius shook his head looking at the paper. “That

book somehow, has to be here.”