Splendid Fall

Ch.12 Baby Bird

"Birdie," Jasmeen looked at the girl standing beside the bed. "Put on the dress."

"No," Birdie said once more.

"Put on the dress or else you'll be -"

Jasmeen didn't have a chance to finish as the doors to the room barged opened and a group of guards walked in. Mina quickly scurried out of the way as Jasmeen threw down her makeup brush and jumped to her feet.

One of the guards stepped forward and raised the glass face shield to reveal his unearthly looks. His eyes moved over Jasmeen and then Birdie.

"She's not ready," he said.

"Observant, aren't we?" Birdie arched her brow.

Her insides shook and her palms grew sweaty. She wanted to hurl all over the floor but she was determined to not break down again. She was done being the object they were pushing around. If she didn't stick up for herself now, then she was going to find herself in a very very very unpleasant situation.

The guard's eyes narrowed. He reached back and touched the hilt of his brass baton as if to send a warning to Birdie.

"If you would be so kind enough to allow us just a few more minutes to get her ready," Mina bowed her head and spoke up.

"I'm not going," Birdie said, earning a pinch from Mina.

"Jasmeen," the guard didn't take his eyes off of Birdie. "Follow the others. The king is waiting for you."

With a small bow, Jasmeen hurried out of the room with two of the guards. She looked back over her shoulder at Mina as the chubby woman silently prayed.

"You wish to be presented to Prince Tamzin like this?" The guard asked, taking a step towards Birdie.

"No," Birdie sighed. "I wish to be presented to the prince with my brass cuffs off so I can blast his face and then stab him and watch him choke on his own blood."

Mina gasped as the guard's face twisted. He raised his hand with his baton ready to strike Birdie. Birdie dug her nails into her palm, ready to take on the blow. Her eyes watched the baton move through the air and slowly be lowered towards her head. She bit down on her bottom lip and held her breath.

Just as the baton was about to deliver it's blow, the guard stopped.

Birdie peered at the shimmering metal in the air for a brief second to make sure it had actually stopped before looking at the guard. The adrenaline running through her body made her breathing labor and her cheeks glow pink.

The muscle on the guard's jaw flexed as if he was counting down in his mind. He slowly lowered the baton and tucked it into his belt loop before grabbing Birdie by the arm.

"Let go of me!" Birdie tried to push him off.

"B-Birdie," Mina stuttered, trying to tell the girl not to make things too difficult for herself.

Birdie placed her free hand on the guard's shoulder and pressed down. She used him as leverage to bring her knee up and strike him in his groin. As the guard fell forward in pain, he let go of her arm. Birdie began to back up when suddenly another guard stepped forward and grabbed her by her neck.

Birdie was about to swing her elbows back and hit the man's ribs when her wrists were suddenly bound behind her back. The brass cuffs heated up and stuck to each other like magnets.

Mina fanned herself dramatically as she wiped the sweat off her forehead. She looked as if she would pass out of the messy bed as the two guards began to drag Birdie out of the room.