Challenge Post - 217
Challenge: [217] Letting Go
Title: Why Does the Caged Bird Sing?
Wordcount: 514
Notes: I’ve been taking inspiration from poems as well lately, as is obvious. *LOL* No real spoilers, unless you haven’t finished CoM or KHII.
She hums sometimes while she’s hunched over her notebook with pencils and crayons scattered everywhere-hums because it gives her something else to do; hums because it helps fill the silence between one line on the paper and the next.
She senses suddenly that she isn’t alone: the humming stops and she pauses in her drawing as well, tense as a bowstring for a moment, until her visitor speaks and she realizes that said visitor is neither her nor him.
“You know why the caged bird sings, don’t you?” he queries, and even though the question is spoken casually (as is typical of him), she senses that there is some deeper meaning to it.
“I haven’t seen a bird since I’ve been here,” she replies before resuming work on her drawing, trying to capture the way the golden key reflects the light.
He half-chuckles. “Look in the mirror, Naminé. You’re his little bird, wings all clipped.” His hand on her shoulder is gentle. “The caged bird sings because it wants to be free.”
She doesn’t comment on his words, but she remembers them.
~*~
She reads about a thing called ‘happily ever after’ and ‘tragic love’ in the fairy-tale books he gives her-reads about how, sometimes, it’s best to let a loved one go.
She says this to Marluxia one day, completely out of the blue, obviously catching him off-guard.
But then he is smiling eerily again and running fingers through her hair and pulling her close. “This letting go and happily ever after business? It’s not for us, my little flower, but for those who have hearts.”
She doesn’t think Marluxia really understands, but as she closes her eyes and lets herself lean against him, she thinks that maybe she doesn’t understand, either.
~*~
The hero that has arrived at the castle isn’t her hero (never was and never will be), but he thinks he’s meant to save her, and it’s his misguided, kind, beautiful heart that lands her in the position she is currently in.
“You’re free to go, you know,” Axel tells her pointedly. “I… I’ve got to get back, myself. Without him, there’s nothing tying you to this place. Go and try out your wings, why don’t you?”
She shakes her head solemnly. “I made Sora a promise. I’ve… got to fix things.”
Axel snorts and shakes his head. “Stockholm syndrome, huh?”
She pretends that she doesn’t hear him.
~*~
She steps outside of the castle by herself for the very first time and wonders why freedom tastes so bitter.
~*~
“Something’s wrong.” Roxas can see right through her and Kairi can too, which isn't surprising at all, really.
Kairi can feel her pain, her loneliness, her loss. “You have to let all of that go, you know. You can’t hold onto it forever.”
Naminé supposes that she is right: she has a heart now, and therefore no longer has an excuse.
If only putting something into action were as easy as speaking it.
~*~
… Sometimes, she wonders if the caged bird ever sang because it was happy.
----------------------------
… If that made no sense whatsoever, I’m sorry. :/ *bows a thousand times in apology*
Title: Why Does the Caged Bird Sing?
Wordcount: 514
Notes: I’ve been taking inspiration from poems as well lately, as is obvious. *LOL* No real spoilers, unless you haven’t finished CoM or KHII.
She hums sometimes while she’s hunched over her notebook with pencils and crayons scattered everywhere-hums because it gives her something else to do; hums because it helps fill the silence between one line on the paper and the next.
She senses suddenly that she isn’t alone: the humming stops and she pauses in her drawing as well, tense as a bowstring for a moment, until her visitor speaks and she realizes that said visitor is neither her nor him.
“You know why the caged bird sings, don’t you?” he queries, and even though the question is spoken casually (as is typical of him), she senses that there is some deeper meaning to it.
“I haven’t seen a bird since I’ve been here,” she replies before resuming work on her drawing, trying to capture the way the golden key reflects the light.
He half-chuckles. “Look in the mirror, Naminé. You’re his little bird, wings all clipped.” His hand on her shoulder is gentle. “The caged bird sings because it wants to be free.”
She doesn’t comment on his words, but she remembers them.
~*~
She reads about a thing called ‘happily ever after’ and ‘tragic love’ in the fairy-tale books he gives her-reads about how, sometimes, it’s best to let a loved one go.
She says this to Marluxia one day, completely out of the blue, obviously catching him off-guard.
But then he is smiling eerily again and running fingers through her hair and pulling her close. “This letting go and happily ever after business? It’s not for us, my little flower, but for those who have hearts.”
She doesn’t think Marluxia really understands, but as she closes her eyes and lets herself lean against him, she thinks that maybe she doesn’t understand, either.
~*~
The hero that has arrived at the castle isn’t her hero (never was and never will be), but he thinks he’s meant to save her, and it’s his misguided, kind, beautiful heart that lands her in the position she is currently in.
“You’re free to go, you know,” Axel tells her pointedly. “I… I’ve got to get back, myself. Without him, there’s nothing tying you to this place. Go and try out your wings, why don’t you?”
She shakes her head solemnly. “I made Sora a promise. I’ve… got to fix things.”
Axel snorts and shakes his head. “Stockholm syndrome, huh?”
She pretends that she doesn’t hear him.
~*~
She steps outside of the castle by herself for the very first time and wonders why freedom tastes so bitter.
~*~
“Something’s wrong.” Roxas can see right through her and Kairi can too, which isn't surprising at all, really.
Kairi can feel her pain, her loneliness, her loss. “You have to let all of that go, you know. You can’t hold onto it forever.”
Naminé supposes that she is right: she has a heart now, and therefore no longer has an excuse.
If only putting something into action were as easy as speaking it.
~*~
… Sometimes, she wonders if the caged bird ever sang because it was happy.
----------------------------
… If that made no sense whatsoever, I’m sorry. :/ *bows a thousand times in apology*