“…..I need to be stronger…” Igor said, his heart bitter and disheartened. Greed had never controlled him. He hoped to be a king neither horrid nor incompetent but a king able to manage his kingdom well and to live a happy life with his wife, one whom he could respect as a human being, if not love.
But… did he hope for too much?
A soft hiccup snapped Igor from his whimsical thoughts. He turned his head and saw a little girl. Tears fell from her cheek and she wiped it roughly with her sleeves. She looked distracted, thus failing to take notice of his presence.
Igor moved, not wanting to have his presence known. Though he unconsciously watched her from afar. She was pleasant to look at, cute like a doll. She had porcelain skin too puerile and silver hair too innocent. She was younger than Igor, it looked like. Her beauty could not be disguised from the pearl-shaped tears rolling down her cheeks from her wide luminous eyes.
“…..Huh?”
Igor followed her line of gaze. It was directed towards the tree in front of him. Igor looked up and found a small yellow bird with wings hanging from the branch unable to fly and flap its wings. Meanwhile, a cat nearby approached the little thing carefully.
“Oh no….!” The girl stamped around and thrashed its arms around. “Wh-what do I do?”
‘What do you mean what you will do? Leave it.’
Igor mumbled.
There was nothing wrong to have a ravenous cat crave the bird’s flesh and meat. And the tree was too high. It was dangerous for her.
Igor clicked his tongue and shook his head slightly. He continued watching.
The girl picked up a stone and threw it, but the stone could only go so far. It fell down helplessly. Igor thought she would have given up, but much to his expectation, the girl moved around, looking for other ways to help the bird. Though she was near Igor, she had not seen his presence for her eyes was glued to the bird on the tree.
Eventually, Igor opened his lips and said, “Give it up. That is the bird’s fate.”
“!!”
The girl looked over her shoulder with a look of surprise. It was as if she had seen a ghost.
When did you get here,
her beautiful oceanic eyes asked. Igor was dumbfounded. Then he chuckled. He thought it cute and innocent.
He ran his fingers through his disheveled hair and looked at the girl stupefied.
“Who are you?” she said.
“……”
Yes. He was left stupefied. No matter his age, he was a king and he had never seen anyone speak to him as such.
‘This girl…’
“You’re absurd. Who are you?” Igor said.
“I’m Ri… no, I need your help!”
Suddenly, the girl quickly grabbed him by the hand and dragged him towards the tree, but her actions proved ineffective. Her slender arms could not budge him.
Igor looked at the whimpering girl, her eyes doe-like and innocent. Then he sighed and walked toward the bird.
“I told you to give it up. That’s the bird’s destiny.” He pointed to the cat. “You see that cat? Look at her drooping belly. She’s a new mother. If the hunt fails, the bird will live, but her kittens will starve.”
“Yes, but…”
At his words, the girl’s face which had brightened slightly seconds ago grew somber. The girl had accepted his words to a certain extent.
‘Well, this is enough.’
But just as Igor had thoughts of leaving, he discovered droplets falling from the corner of her eyes.
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“…..Are you crying?”
The girl shed tears like a river dam flowing uncontrollably and Igor did not know what to do. He had fallen in the deepest difficulty of his life. He had never soothed a crying girl before.
“Don’t cry! People will think I made you cry. Hey, don’t cry… ok?”
Still, her tears did not stop.
Eventually, Igor gritted his teeth and said, “Oh, okay, I got it! I’ll save the bird!”