Caged Bird

Instructions

“The Queen,” the people whispered. “A useless, ill woman. The King, ever so merciful, keeps her around out of sympathy.” “I heard that she wasn’t very bright as a child.” “I heard that the King only married her as a part of a business transaction.” “I heard that she can’t even bear children.” “I heard that she’s had two miscarriages.” “I heard-” “I heard-” “I heard-” ____________________________________ Queen Maxime sat in a chair by a window, a book laid across her lap. Linus, her husband was in a meeting with his council, leaving the bedroom quiet and still. She, of course, was never invited to such meetings. The words on the page danced across her vision, but she kept on scanning the lines, struggling to make sense of them. Reading never worked well for her. Linus would just say that women couldn’t read as well as a man could – that was why she couldn’t understand it, why she never did, why she knew everything about reading but could never do it. Books were the only thing she had to entertain her. Maxime wasn’t allowed to leave the castle, or somebody would see her for the disgrace she was. After she lost two children, her reputation was tarnished. She was known as the sickly queen who couldn’t even produce an heir. Her name was dirtied, and her spirit was broken. Even if she was permitted to leave, she wouldn’t. It had been so many years since she’d left, and she’d grown used to a life confined to the rooms of her palace. Castle, cage. They both had the same purpose for people like her. Looking upon the rooms upon rooms filled with books, the queen wished she knew how to write. Just to record her story. Linus was known to be the most powerful man in the world. His family had raised a kingdom that had connections running everywhere. He carried on the legacy and led with an iron fist that demanded respect. Respect. Respect, respect, respect, respect, respect. Oh, how she wished that she received any of that. Once upon a time, Linus was a dashing young man, and she was a naive teenager, entranced by his flirtations. “A lovely smile for a lovely,” he would say only to her. He had always known how to make her feel special, like she was the only thing that mattered to him. It just happened to be that her looks were the only trait that he liked about her. She’d come for a visit with her father for the annual summit, where all the world leaders gathered. How stupid she had been. At first, it had been wonderful. She’d been the strong woman at his side, helping him win the war. They had – once upon a time – been in love and were in charge of the biggest nation in history. What could go wrong? Once upon a time, Linus grew greedy. He wanted more than the power he possessed. He wanted all of it. Once upon a time, the King began to drink. In unbelievable amounts. When he drank a bit too much, he beat his wife. And, once upon a time, she’d been pregnant. But that didn’t stop him. Then after she’d lost their daughter, he became even more bitter. And the abuse became even more frequent. And then it happened all over again, and they lost a son. Once upon a time, there was a Queen and a King. Once upon a time, there was a _____ and a King. Once upon a time, there was a King. Maxime Le Coultre was erased from history, and her name was replaced with “Linus Toussaint’s wife”. This Queen, who was meant to be the most influential woman in the kingdom, was merely a prisoner, locked up – only taken out to be kicked and yelled at. “Smile more. Sing more. Why are you laughing? Don’t speak.” Nothing she could do was right. And you know what? Linus never asked. He never talked about it. Not the beatings. Not the effect the miscarriages had on them. Not their past. Not the issue with heirs. Not her feelings. Not even his alcoholism. He never talked about them. The children. The little boy and baby girl that died before their lives even started. He didn’t name them. He didn’t know that she had. And God forbid he apologize for killing them. Their children. The future prince and princess. Maybe it was better off this way. She'd have been an awful mother. Because every time she'd look at those kids, she'd see a glimpse of the man she once loved. And she didn't know what she'd do then. But no matter how much she tried to push it out of her mind, she kept coming back to them. Beautiful Juliet and handsome Abel. The heirs that would be alive had the King not been so vain.