I looked around the room wondering what weird experience next awaits for me. Then it occurred to me that I don’t have any appropriate dress for the upcoming ball, definitely what I brought with me wasn’t going work.
So, who is the best person around when it comes to fashion? Aleish!
I looked around again, how am I suppose to contact her without phone or internet... I don’t remember seeing a telephone booth nearby moreover I don't even have her number... great!
Near the second window wall of my room was a small studying table. Having a blank letter pad, ink and a quill pen.
I sat down examining the quill pen nib. Closed my eyes, thinking, writing with quill on a blank line less paper, handwriting going suck. Should I write with all those curves and designs or just the Times New Roman I chuckled.
Closing the door behind I started walking around if I could find someone to help me, to save myself just in case from any sort of embarrassment I hid the letter in my robe after all, there must be some telephone somewhere.
I saw a young maid walking by carrying a basket. She was wearing a brown old fashion gown with white apron and matching head covering.
“Excuse me,” I called out in mannered way. “Hey, wait up,” I called again, she stopped and turned around, seeing me there she immediately dropped the basket and started doing the curtsey gesture, “ Pardon me, Lady Minz... for not hearing your call” the young maid said nervously with pink bubbly cheeks.
“Relax, it's alright,” I assured her after all I am the one with letter hidden in my robe. I continued talking, “hmm.. Can you tell me where can I find a telephone here?”. To which she blinked, trying to figure out what I was asking for. “A telephone? ... internet?... mobile?” I gave her all options checking her expressions to see if she was laughing inside her head or she would just plainly pick one of the options.
“Forgive me, Lady Minz... I don’t know what you are asking for,” she said, lowering her eyes with pinkness spreading across her cheeks. Right old era no phone thanks God, I wrote the letter.
“I have a letter to post, how do we post a letter here?” I asked straighten up with a deep breath.
“Oh! You can ask one of the guards,” the maid answered with a lighten up smile like she sorted a complicated question. I looked at her, she must be around 20 she was slightly chubby not fat, but kind of cute, someone who would definitely hide from bullies if talking in high school context.
“No, I don’t want to hand it over to a guard... any other option, faster and more personal sort?” I said, slightly feeling the letter with my forearm side.I didn’t want any guard to open it and go through it plus, it would take time.
“There is one more option... but I won’t suggest it,” she said with nervous tone.“ Why not? What is it?” I asked.
“The bird way,” she answered with complete disapproval in her tone.
“The bird way?” I repeated, holding me laugh. “Now please don’t say they use owls here,” I joked. “Owls? No... Owls are very wise and knowledgeable they won’t do such tasks,” she spoke in a very serious tone.
“Let me guess... a pigeon.. With a song to it? ” I engaged in communication with her, to which she responded if I was playing some sort of prank.
I thought for a second more, “ Falcon?” I posed it was the last bird that popped into my head.
“Falcons are pride full and we don’t have them around here because of the weather, visitors from the east use them a lot.” She answered. “Well then I give up... its not an owl... pigeon... falcon.. I don’t know!” I said running out of bird names who would be a perfect courier.
“Peacock,” she said with complete disgust in her voice.
“Oh, of course the... wait... what a peacock... did you just said peacock?”
“Yes, Lady Minz, Peacock...” folding her arm and with complete irritation she confirmed. Ok, she clearly has some issue with peacock the post bird, but a peacock seriously?
“Sorry, dear.... What’s your name?” I asked this maid with a hand gesture. And she again started her knees bending dance before she could answer my question.
“Darling, avoid this bending bowing it just delays the information.”
She stopped and blushed, “Anna, Anna Hutton.”
Placing my finger over my mouth in an attentive way, “Anna, lovely... I am not good with all this birdie thing, but as far I know I don’t think peacocks can fly or do they?” as I tried to recall any facts about peacocks.
She was horrified to my uncertainty,“Thanks! To the Lord! That....” she almost swore. Undoubtedly she has some serious dislike for peacock species.
“She... flying... around... would be terrible! She is already such a trouble for all the women out here. I tell you she got no shame.” She shared her straightforward feelings about this mystical bird. I was just staring at her with no trace. She? Shameless? Peacock?
“Anna, what are you talking about?”
“She is one arrogant woman Lady Minz, no women in this land trust her. She is tricky, cunning and b...” she stopped holding the next phrase which she almost had on the tip of her tongue.
“It’s a female peacock?”
“Yes... Lady Minz... if the letter is for Prince Laen, I won’t suggest Peacock,” she said with honest concern, but somehow I snapped at it, “That! Was very bold Anna Hutton” in a sharp tone to which she flushed.
“Please, forgive me Lady Minz. I forgot my place.”
Her words made me come back to my senses and I calmed down and felt bad.
“No, it’s alright, I am sorry. I am new here so all this is going to take time to settle in. Why wouldn’t any women trust this Peacock?”
“She would try her tricks on any man... she could get her hands on.”
I was trying to process sense out of all this information..talking to myself, Peacock... can’t fly, but delivers... she is a bird that can’t be trusted... particularly around men... interesting... very interesting..
“Anna, I would love to see this Peacock you speak of.”
“As you wish, Lady Minz,” she said out of respect. Frankly, it was written all over her face that she wished I would have just dropped the whole idea.
Anna took me to a room, an indoor garden. It was huge, green faultless grass covering the whole room with clear glass roof, a beautiful central fountain and delicate mixed scent of different flowers to welcome its sightseers.
I looked carefully with a search full eye for the Peacock’s resting place, but there was no sign of any peacock or any sort of bird.
“Lady Minz, you have to call her, but whatever you do, don’t stare at her feet.” She said with a warning tone.
“Anna, I am new to all this, why don’t you call her?”
“I don’t think she would answer me”
“Anna, have you ever tried this peacock way ever yourself?
“I... tried once.. Lady Minz but...” she stopped, started biting her nails
“First of all, just call me Minz... but what? What happened?” I shook my finger pointing her to stop biting her nails, at the same time wondering in my head why she doesn’t like peacocks. They are pretty and playful as far I know, but then what do I know.
“She appeared on top of the tree. And denied to provide her services” She said with lowering her eyes
“Why?”
“She said, she doesn’t deliver for fat people.”
I looked at her in shocked a peacock called her fat, that sound less peacock more bully bird.
“Anna, for this particular moment I give you the rights to call upon the Peacock on my behalf,” I said in a firm tone of voice after hearing Anna encounter with the Peacock.
“I request the presence of the Peacock,” spoke Anna in a polite mannered voice with curtsey gesture.
Anna remained in the gesture, but no sign of peacock yet. Anna looked at me with the corner of her eyes, feeling nervous, but I shook my head encouraging her not to worry.
“I call upon the Peacock, on behalf of Lady Minz”
I was looking around to figure out where this Peacock was hiding and suddenly...
There was a...... a bird... peacock... no... a woman! In front of Anna Hutton mirroring her gesture.
A woman covered all in feathers was in a curtsey motion in front of Anna with clearly no sincerity in it. In fact, she was staring at Anna with eyes full of arrogance, superiority and disgust.
I was stunned, I couldn’t even blink. Her face was green in color with huge beautiful green rings circling her dark black eyes and long thick lashes guarding them, straight perfect nose with a red hearted mouth having a seductive grin to it. Her hair was long lower than her waistline, which was no ordinary human hair, but resting beautiful eye covert feathers. Her body was all blue feathers still showing off her crafted to perfection curves. I was lost, mesmerized by her beauty and my eyes slowly moved down towards her feet...
I covered my mouth in shock when I finally saw her feet, they were red, burnt wrinkled, having ugly ring skins to it. So ugly that I could not even bear looking at them. Unfortunately the arrogant Peacock noticed that...
She immediately in aggression and anger, she charged in my direction, I covered my face with my hands in defense and my eyes got closed in response as well.
I slightly opened my one eye to see what happened. To my surprised the once arrogant Peacock was now terrorized.
She backed two steps almost loosing her balance and her eyes were full of terror now. In puzzlement, I looked at Anna, who was half lost herself. I notice the Peacock was staring in horror at my wrist... my bracelet..
Nothing came out of my mouth except for, “You were about to spit on me! Weren’t you?” I questioned, controlling my rage, remembering her aggressive reaction wishing I had a blade to kill her!
Anna gasped, realizing what the arrogant Peacock had in mind.
“Weren’t you!” I screamed my voice echoed in the room
The Peacock trembled down into a bowing curtsey
“Please! Please, be merciful on this servant of yours, Lady Minz,” Peacock begged in a shivering voice. “Please I beg you! My sensitivity to my ugliness blinded my judgement, please! Have mercy,” she begged again remaining in the bowing position.
I couldn’t understand a minute ago, she almost attacked me now she begs me. She lowered herself more in the position. I rubbed my forehead, trying to clear my head.
“If you won’t forgive me, I will be punished severely, please! I will serve you with my life, give me one more chance. I will obey every word of yours. Be merciful to me.” With tear dropping from her one eye, she waited for my response.
“Stand up” I ordered
The Peacock obeyed keeping her eyes lowered.
“What changed your mind out of sudden?” I asked, looking at her not being bothered about her feet this time, she was beautiful as a matter of fact extremely beautiful she would have any man on his knees in a second she held such a beauty, but her feet...
“Are you going to answer or not?” there was no softness in my voice no doubt Anna didn’t like her, no one would.
Peacock looked at me with eyes full of tears, “I can’t disobey anyone who is loved... I can’t disobey or harm a beloved.”
She looked at my bracelet, “The purer the love, the deeper obedience and submission.... I in my unawareness disrespected you, now I am completely at your mercy. If you won’t show me any... they will...” she stopped with tears falling out of her eyes.
I looked at her in confusion, she was arrogant, beautiful and a bully. Now she was crying, shaking with fear and vulnerability. She was so beautiful that even being a woman I wasn’t able to keep my head working her face could stunt anyone until you start hating her like Anna.
Anna moved and positioned herself beside me, feeling that it was now her chance to intimidate the Peacock and she didn’t delay and bullied, “You dare to be disrespectful to us?”
To which I turned my face in the direction of Anna asking her with hand gesture what... she just embarrassingly smiled and took a step behind.
“I didn’t know who I was addressing to, else I would not have woe such situation on my head! Please believe me Lady Minz” Peacock tried to convince.
I took a deep breath, “What would happen if I don’t or if you don’t obey someone you are suppose to?”
She bit her lower lip harshly, “ I will not disobey you please, I can’t disobey anyone’s beloved please trust me.”
“That isn’t what I asked.”
Anna, who was enjoying the misery of the Peacock couldn’t resist and popped up a question,“Would they take your hair away?”
At this the poor Peacock flinched, which reminded me of how Seraph reacted when asked about his feathers.
“Answer her Peacock,” I ordered
“No, worse.... They would take away my face” Peacock answered
Hearing this I and Anna both exchanged looks our expression soften and we suddenly understood the poor creature’s misery. Her face was the only thing human rest of her was a bird, she was clearly very proud of her beauty, but without her face she would be just a big bird. We both felt bad for her.
“No, they won’t, don’t worry... just obey the orders and we are done here.”At this she delightfully bowed again. I laid my first order, “For starters, I heard you called Anna fat. I want you to apologize to her.”
The egoistic Peacock, who was smiling a second ago her smile vanished she had no other choice, so she licked her bottom lip and said, “ forgive me, for calling you fat Anna”
I and Peacock both waited for Anna to respond so I looked at our slightly chubby Anna, whose chin was up high now as she has conquered some wild animal. Anna, came back to senses and noticed me and blushed in embarrassment, “It’s alright I guess, but if you ever called me fat again, I would tell Lady Minz right away after all I am not fat at all!” she looked at me for approval and support. Peacock nodded her head.
I was facing Peacock again, “Secondly, and most importantly” I stopped looking deep into Peacock’s eyes to make sure she listens to each and every word carefully,“If you ever tried any of your dirty tricks on my friends... any of them! I wouldn’t take your façade... I would literally take your head off!” I sincerely warned her meaning each and every word. Peacock nodded her head and bowed quietly.
“Very well, this is a letter which I want you to deliver to Lady Aleish of Dark Faes” taking out the letter I notice Anna blushing as she figured out the letter wasn’t for Laen.
I pointed the letter toward the Peacock, then realized that she does not have hands, hoping she doesn’t mind my unawareness.“Kindly, place it in front of me Lady Minz,” Peacock guided.
I placed the letter on the grass. Then came the real show, the Peacock hairs were upstanding circling her body like the sun, she started dancing in circles moving her covert eye feathers front back. In a swift her hair picked up the letter. As soon the letter was in the grip of her eye patterned hairs, her hairstyle changed into a long feather braid. She smirked as she notice I was astonished by her moves, unpredictable tricks and charms. In a bright light she disappeared.
I said to myself in my head, and you thought her face was her weapon......
“Don’t think about her,” Anna said, clearly her feelings haven’t differed
“She is beautiful, Anna. She said, sorry in her way so, let it go now.”
“Lady Minz, you know well she didn’t mean it. And it’s her beauty and her arrogance due to which she has ended up like that.”
“What do you mean?”
“Didn’t you notice, her face is green as pea and her feet... she is cursed,”Anna said in a low voice.
“Cursed?” I repeated
“Yes, cursed... it’s an old long story”
“Well, then what are you waiting for? Tell me the story of the curse,” with excitement I rubbed my palms and my cute chubby storyteller smiled.