Crown of Purple Fire (English)

~II~

The pine trees of Roth were tall, wide, and near one another, yet the birds around them moved with ease. Tessa had never been to a marketplace before--at least not one outside the Isle of Mare--so it was shocking to be around so many birds in a crowded place.

For months, Roman had taken her all around the Seven Isles of Rydice, showing her off to highborn fowl as if he won her; as if she was some kind of prize. Insulting as it may be, Tessa thought it wise to keep her mouth closed and head high--as she had seen the females Roman interacted with constantly. Silent, but in a position of power. It was matter of time, Tessa thought, that she would be like them, if not better.

She walked around through brown grass and stone, smiling at merchants around them. They worked so hard, she thought. They deserve a little gratitude. Along with that, she decided to look around the place, analyzing their faces. While some looked happy with their sales, most either looked furious or sorrowful, as if something had been stolen.

While looking at a dove who was selling jewels, a sparrow ran towards them and wailed, "My lord! My lord!"

Roman, who was interacting with Mordecai (the owl who officiated their ceremony) looked at the sparrow and frowned. "Yes? Is something the matter?"

"An urgent matter, m'lord! The thief has struck once again!" The sparrow sobbed. "Please, m'lord! Merchants such as I deserve justice."

"By the Faerie, what is he going on about?" Roman asked Mordecai, who replied, "A thief has been active around the premises, m'lord. Not just here in Roth, but in Dys, Mare, and the rest of the islands. His target seemed to be to gather as much food as possible, depleting the merchants' supply."

Tessa felt a mix of emotions. At first, she was angry about the thief, who was unmerciful to the merchants and the citizens of the island. But her anger soon faded into guilt, as she never knew what it was like to starve; why should she feel animosity toward anyone? But she was pulled out of her thoughts as she saw the look of pure disgust on Roman's face.

"What? What is it, my King?" Mordecai asked. It dawned on Tessa that the sparrow had called Roman lord, whilst Mordecai and the guards before them addressed him as King. This confused her quite a bit.

"LISTEN UP, THE LOT OF YOU!" Roman bellowed, as the heads of all the people in the marketplace turned to them. "I set up a bounty! Whoever catches this so-called 'thief' will receive a decade's worth of gold and a diamond. But bring him to me, and no one else, for whoever might take them might shelter them instead, and we'll burn thief and the traitor."

"Aye!" The birds around them shouted.

Tessa felt her stomach churn. This isn't right, she thought, and she echoed as much aloud. Roman glanced at her and asked, "What isn't right, my lady?" His eyes dared her to say anything, anything at all. And Tessa gladly accepted the challenge.

"Criminals should be punished, indeed, but not this way." Tessa looked around the citizens. Their eyes were all wide with awe and confusion. "Burning isn't the answer. If the thief is caught, they deserve a fair trial--"

"Trial?" Roman scoffed and glared at her. But he cleared his throat, and smiled at the watching birds. "My lady here is born of the land across the ocean, the Kingdom of the Special. I apologize, lady, but the ways of your kind aren't our ways. And you are one of us, now, aren't you?" He looked at the birds. "Isn't she?"

"Aye!"

Tessa felt embarrassed. But with her humiliation came distress and frustration. Roman told his guards, "We go back home."

"Home?" Tessa asked. "What home?"

"Good point, my lady." Roman looked at his guards. "To Mount Olveira, in Dys. You are to wait outside my chambers."

He then shifted his focus onto Tessa. "And you--"

"I need a break." She declared. "Don't come looking for me. I'll find you myself."

Roman looked like he was about to object, but Tessa flew away into the sky, and headed back to Ingrith's cottage in Mare. To her real home. At least, the only real home she knew.