The great doors of the palace opened up, a beautiful cage was carted through, for that was what it was despite its beauty. It was gold and rubies and other rare gems lined the golden bars. It was a captured good but the value of its occupant was the reason why such pains were taken to create its hold.
The carriage was ushered into the castle, within its very walls. The throne was in the center of the castle, where the carriage was bound. The castle could not be compared to any of the Medieval ones in Europe that still stood tall. This one was more something out of a fairy tale, Aladdin perhaps. So, it could be more accurately be called a palace. A large golden mosaic dome in the center and turrets rising high above, it rose high above the humble peasant clay homes.
Zooming in on the castle's throne room one could see the fat sultan sitting high above and his pretty spoiled brat sitting only three paces away on her own ruby jeweled gaudy throne. Not that far from her stood her entertainer, a curious fellow clad in black despite the humid Persian weather. His robes were edge in silver thread. He wore a mask covering his entire face. He stared straight ahead, unmovable and silent. More like a strong black column than a man.
The owner of the unique cage strode forward and bowed low before the king and princess.
"Good day, O Great Sultan."
"What have you brought me!"
"A gift for your daughter and goods from far off lands for you, Sire." The Sultan nodded his head and grunted, while the little sultana clapped her hands joyfully in the prospect of something new.
"Where's the gift, merchant? I want it now!"
The now nervous merchant bowed once more towards the spoiled princess and gestured behind him at the jeweled box. The young girl peered greedily at it wondering what such a beautiful case contained for she could not see the inside do to it being curtained off by crimson drapes.
"First I must tell the story that's behind this valuable treasure." The child clapped once more and servants carefully lifted her from her throne onto many feather down pillows beside it.
"It is said that this item came not from this world but from a fantastical place. Where magical creatures reside. They guarded this treasure with their lives but one day strangers came and there was a great battle. Despite those creatures powers they were no match for the weapons wielded by these new strange beings. So, their most treasured possession was taken from their land. It was tossed from ship to ship, it became a well-known kept secret. Many wondered what was its secret, what did the box hide from the world. This treasure has been coveted even by the worst of pirates. For all fear that if any harm or defilement occurs to this treasure a disaster beyond their imagination will occur. For their have been rumors of those with wrong intentions towards this object being found dead or missing the next day before being able to harm it. " The merchant took a deep breath, fearing the consequences with his actions, but knowing this was the only way to make a truce with the king. "So without anymore delay I
bestow upon you your gift as long as you promise to uphold its only law." The man shivered and took a deep breath. His face was paler than the blare of a cold snowy day.
"Without further ado I present to you're the masked nightingale." With a sweep of his arm he pulled a lever to reveal the most beautiful being the court had ever seen. There was a collective gasp as all saw the cage's occupant.
Inside lay a girl no more than ten years old and she was beyond the doubt the most beautiful girl who ever lived. Her hair fell down her back in fiery curls, her hair was the color of rubies and still looked absolutely real. Ivory skin graced her long, lean form, it was unblemished and perfect and seemed to let off a sparkling glow. Large eyes looked out from the mass of hair like two sparkling gems in a fire's glare. She looked like a fiery pixie who lost her wings and could no longer fly, but still had her fiery spirit. . She wore a sea green harem costume with a swooped neck and her face glittered. Yet the oddest thing about her was a mask that covered her face from her hair line down to the tip of her nose, and it was black. Identical to the one the masked entertainer wore.
The merchant looked hesitantly at the young girl and then announced, "And now she shall sing." And with that he opened the cage and the pixie withdrew from it carefully, quietly and gracefully.
Her head turned towards the crowds viewing them. They all looked at her with deep curiosity. She surveyed them with cool resignation. She walked down the aisle and bowed before the king and princess and then she looked at them and looked both of them in the eye discerning their characters. She nodded her head once seeing their greed in their eyes, but as she turned her head to the tall pillar beside the princess the mood changed. He was unimpressed and she could see he didn't believe a word and at this a smile graced her figures and all felt warmth seem to emanate from her. As she returned her gaze to the sultana she gave one last look at the entertainer and an urge to wink at him surged through her. So, that's exactly what she did and as she was turning she still saw a flicker of shock come to his eyes.
Then, she began to sing.
And dance.
There's a story old,
Of a girl who lived upon a hill
She used to sing
To the birds in the fields
They'd stop and listen
They'd listen
To her voice
Creature would come and listen
They would come by and sing along
Dream along
She was young and fragile
They knew they devise a new story
A new beginning
So thus began my tale
The tale is old
As old as anything
To some its young to me its gone
A saga that has closed
And a new day has begun
Find me here
Find the sun
Find your melody
Find your new beginning
Find your…way….to my heart
She sings the same old song
Over and over
It becomes a tale older than time
She's known to many as the one with the dream
The one that found the stars
The first bird to ever take….wing….
The first to ever sing…its own song…
To dream the impossible….dream……
Her voice was soft and slow but it was a clear as a bell, and even the most hard hearted felt drawn to this girl, whether a pixie or not, she was definitely magical and had a power beyond belief.
Her days were spent entertaining along side the other, the one who was masked for another purpose yet still similar. They both used their voices to impress and to excite. She grew fond of him as the days passed on. Soon she came to her thirteenth year and he built an invention that would mean the end of his days at the great old Persian court. The rosy days of the Mazarin had finally come to a close. He escaped only by the skin of his teeth by the aid of a certain Persian policeman and a masked girl who disappeared shortly afterwards.
So thus, our story shall continue….
