Page 43 of The Tsarina's Favorite
Krintova glanced first at his fellow guards, then at the crowd around us.Realizing he had little support from any quarter, he returned his attention to the tsarina.“It would have killed us.”
“I wish it had,” she said, her voice icy and dispassionate.“A firebird is worth a hundred of you.You are under arrest for wounding my prize.”
Two guards materialized from the right and took position on either side of Krintova.They put their hands on his shoulders and arms, not as they had done with me, with force and malice, but with sympathetic gentleness.
“I helped ensure that it found its way back to you!”he called when he realized his situation.
“Pray my firebird is not gravely injured or you shall be also.”She gestured for the two guards and prisoner to leave.
My personal captor continued, “Although it is not violent now, I would like to move it to the menagerie to ensure there are no repeats of this incident.”
“For now, yes,” she agreed.She heaved a sigh as she resumed her seat, her face drained of all animation.Even her dour expression sagged.“I am so very disappointed.”
XV.
They passed me fromone set of hands to another, each new set taking the rope-lead with a little less zeal and a wealth of apprehension.No one wanted to be near a creature who had, as the entire palace had now heard, maimed and nearly killed several of the armed guards who patrolled the park, even if I had gone docile on the leash.
Could anyone figure out that I was intelligent and had thus deduced the futility of fighting when injured and bound in such a way?No one put it together.And while the tsarina knew, she would not say.She could not say, not if she wanted all to think that she possessed a firebird and that her former jester was truly dead.And, even more personal to her, did she want everyone aware of the power she wielded via The Kind and Fair?Many had said that the tsarina was a sorceress, although mostly as a descriptor of her unchecked power, but no one had seen the truth of it, or had witnessed enough to give others proof.Unless they too were like me, put in an impossible situation where disclosure would ruin any hope of their freedom.
The menagerie was a broad term to describe many of the enclosures, exhibits, pavilions, and aviaries where the Great One, successors, and other palace residents stored and maintained creatures from foreign dignitaries, personal hunting expeditions, and courtier gifts.The only thing it told me was that I would be put somewhere outside of the palace and with greater precautions so that I would not be able to flee again.
My guard settled on a pavilion out in the park, not far from the palace.Secluded and shielded by a line of trees, I would be completely alone.Peacocks might once have occupied it, which might have been why they brought another massive bird to it.With no gates or cages — doubtless because the peacocks had been allowed to roam freely — it only possessed a half-roof to keep out the elements and old straw laid out on the ground.A private bench occupied the wall across from the shelter in the event anyone should want to observe the tsarina’s bird.My attendants led me to the stone wall that circled the shelter.My last remaining guard from the transfer held the lead while one of the last attendants to receive me bound my ankles, a small length of rope between them so that I could still move, but not enough to let me run off with ease.They secured that rope to a metal ring in the wall, much like jesses in falconry.Then they backed away to see if they had neglected anything, the guard eager to drop my lead after prolonged exposure.
Another came to join the two assigned to my relocation.This one, a stout man likely not much older than I, came armed with a bolt of fabric and a leather bag.He set his burdens down at the edge of the shelter and observed for a long moment, a mix of awe and wariness.After an awkward period of watching me, he held his hand out in front of him to see if I would fight.When I simply stepped backward, he scooped up his leather bag and fabric and pressed his advance.
“I’m not here to hurt you,” he coaxed.“I need to look at that wing of yours.”
If I continued to back away, my companions would assume I would lash out as any cornered wild creature and try to pin me.If I moved forward at the reassurance of aid, then my companions might guess that I could understand them.So I didn’t move.
“Can’t have our firebird wounded now, can we?Not after all the time it took for the tsarina to finally get you.You’re doing so good,” he assured me as he reached to unbind my wings.
I twitched them away.
He glanced over his shoulder and eyed the guard and attendant to see if either of them might be useful in holding me should I struggle.The disappointment in his face as he turned back to address me again almost made me smile.An impulse I quickly had to squash lest I give myself away.
Except I had a beak now.Could I smile at all?Probably in no way that would translate to a person not expecting such a thing from such a creature.
