The King has no concubines.

They’re loud, messy, and a nuisance to keep around. Why should he spare any of his attention on pigs who will only bicker amongst themselves?

Instead, he keeps pets, sparing no expense in expanding his collection. A snow white tiger, a winged serpent, twin ferrets with boots of fire, a group of water sprites, and you.

You were his most prized pet.

Ramon had found you on a returning trip from another kingdom. One of your magnificent wings had broken, bone and sinew jutting through feathers damp with blood. It was a whim that brought you back to the palace, brought about by your beauty and the exhilaration that came with keeping something new.

Ramon spared no expense in your care. He desired the sight of your wings in their full glory, so the finest vets and physicians were brought into the palace for your treatment. Only the freshest fruits and meats found their way into your meals, and each night, you slept on a bed filled with the softest of bedding.

With each passing day, you recovered beautifully, eventually stretching your wings out to their fullest against the bright blue sky.

It was beautiful.

It was unlike anything he had ever seen before.

And it was too much.

You stayed now, sure—but when would you decide to leave? To soar through the skies as easily as you did before?

From his worries, a new wing of the palace began to develop. Ramon spent his days coaxing you to his side with new delicacies, jewels, books, paintings—anything that would interest you to stay a little longer. He refused to miss any of your flights, dismissing meetings early so he can remind you to land once more, to stay another day.

Then, the new wing of the palace was completed.

You awoke in your room, stepping out onto the balcony for a flight.

Thick golden bars divided the expanse of the blue sky, transforming it into a pattern of blue and gold stripes. The garden, normally awash with the soft light of dawn, now danced with shadows as gold greedily soaked up the rising sun’s rays.

“You would only get hurt outside." Ramon explained when he visited you that day. “I’ll keep you safe.”

You were given everything inside the cage. The finest and freshest of meals. The softest of bedding. Yet, what had brought you joy previously now only felt like weak platitudes for a choice taken away. You could wander the garden—could unfurl your wings and fly—but only as far as the golden chain around your ankle allowed.

Ramon smiled as he unlocked the small hidden entrance into the garden. This was always the part of his day he looked forward to the most, visiting his little bird. He made his way towards the center of the garden, knowing that you would be resting on a crystalline perch, staring forlornly at the sky.

Drawing closer, Ramon tugged at your wing, pulling you against him. A low hum—another smile—and a crystal rose was suddenly in front of you, glittering under a stray ray of sunlight. Ramon tugged at your wing again, pleased with the softness of your feathers.

“You look lovely as always today, my little bird."