Part Three

Her Broken Wings (Part Three)
by Phoebe Lee Mathius

She saw the palace in a distance and almost lept for joy. She began hobbling as fast as her feet would let her, towards the great Wall of Truth that separated the forest from the Courts.

"Oh, won't Liv be simply overjoyed to see me again!"

She stood, trembling in fatigue, gazing at the towering wall before her. She quickly made her way around it, searching for the gate that faithfully guarded the entrance.

Several hours later, she was facing the intricately designed gate. Her fingers traced the pearl-carved vines, distractedly. How she had loved to peer into the world beyond between those railings! She had never realized how foolish she had been till that very moment.

"Hey, you there! What are you doing at the Gates?" called a guard, rushing up towards her, drawing a sword.

"I'm Lady Shyne, I have returned. Please let me in," she replied.

The guard narrowed his eyes and inched closer towards her, suspicious. His sword was half-way out of its sheath. "L-lady Shyne?" He gazed at her for the longest of moments. Suddenly, he bursts out laughing.

Shyne was beginning to get exasperated. Why wouldn't he believe her?

"Sir Clyde! Yous better comma hava looka dis one! Sez she's Lada Shyne!" He called to another guard, sniggering.

Clyde approached the gate. "What's going on here?"

"I'm Lady Shyne! Please believe me! I lost my way in the forest. But I've returned now. Please let me in." She was begging now, desperation getting the better of her.

He looked bewildered. He nodded for his subordinate to leave. "I'll handle this."

After the other had left, Clyde looked at her closely and frowned. "But, you don't look anything like her, my child. You are filthy, you share no beauty the Lady possesses, you are scrawny, and most evident of all," he craned his neck to have a second look down her back, "you have no wings."

"B-But they were torn out! B-by beings I had trusted to show me the way! Shape-shifters, who could assume the shape of many! I hardly know what they are now. Please, believe me!" Shyne was desperate now.

Clyde nodded his head gravely, "The Temptors. They roam the Forest of Darkness-- hungry for straying, royal blood..."

"Please, Clyde. Let me in. Don't let me stay out here! I'm afraid!" Shyne pleaded with him.

Clyde waved his hand. "Let me consult my superiors," he said and turned to leave.

Her heart was pierced with sickness.

"O Lord, h..."

And then she stopped short.

"That's it! The Lordship! Clyde, please, take me to the Lordship! The Lord Our King! He would surely recognize me!" She yelled with the very little strength she had remaining.

He turned around. "Are you sure?" he asked.

"Yes!"

Tapping two fingers to the right side of his head, a holographic image appeared before him. He navigated through the interface using, what seemed to be a menu. After keying in a familiar 5-character security code, (Shyne had counted the bleeps the first time she had left) the pearly Gates began to creak. And then...

It disappeared.

Shyne hurriedly hobbled in.

“Oh, thank you,” she reached out to Clyde, in gratitude. He took a step back. “Not until you’re clean. Sorry.”

Aghast at his reaction, she quietly obeyed. “Now follow me,” he instructed as he began to weave through the crowd that had gradually grown to witness the fracas at the Gates.

“Who, or What is that?”
“Oh, she’s horrid!”
“She smells foul! Like something was rotting!”
“She’s ugly!”
“Why is her back so hunched?”
“Ugh, I haven’t seen garments in that color before!”
“Oh, my heavens! She doesn’t have wings!”
“Does she even have a face?”

Tears stung her eyes. Falling to the ground, she buried her head in her hands, in shame. When she looked up, Clyde had already disappeared into the crowd.

The crowd was almost atop her now. The taunts had gradually risen in a crescendo.

“Please stop it,” she sobbed.

“Oh, how hideous!”
“Keep her away from me!”
“Dylan, get away from there! You might catch her disease!”
“Is she leprous?”
“She stinks!”

Thud.

Someone had hurled a pebble at her.

“STOP IT!” Shyne screamed.

And didn’t stop screaming. Everything around her began to drain away.

“My Lord, save me…” she pleaded in her heart’s voice.