"CAGED"

'I am tired of this place. I have to leave. I can't stay here any longer" a soft sad voice whimpered.

The disrepair staircase, disheveled room echoed with thunder as droplets of water fell into the tiny bucket.

The brown dilapidated walls showed years of wearing away, as the cold wind forced its way through holes.

''I can hear nature calling out to me....'' she mumbled softly while lying on the wooded floor glaring at the ceiling.

''Why was I locked away in this place?'' A question she asked herself daily with nothing but the echoing wall and wind reminding her no one answers. 

Memories of the past floods her mind like waves along the shorelines. She burst into tears and ran outside the room up the staircase to the highest point of castle then shouts, 'SOMEONE...ANYONE...CAN YOU HEAR ME?'.

The wind gushed at her face fiercely, as the rain pierced her skin pushing her back every step forward.

''The only way I can be free from this nightmare, is...is... if I jump.... I will save myself...' she whispered. 

The handrails of the tower rust due to years of neglect. Sian slowly climbed to the edge and without hesitation, she jumps.

Eyes closed, tears gushing from her eyes, she falls deliberately or so she thought. Faded memories of her distant childhood glanced at her, as she yearned for her parents and love she had. 

Suddenly, warm hands embraced her gently in the rain. As they carry her steadily to the pavement of the balcony. He glared deeply into her brown eyes.

A surprised and amused expression fell on her face as she gazed at him and enquires in a shocking tone "How.... who are you?" 

The man smiled tenderly at her and collapsed. She gently pulled him towards her bosom. It was that moment she realized he was badly injured. She pressed the balcony door of the castle wide open and hauled him inside quickly. 

While moving the knight, she clumsily stubbed her toe on the chair "Ouuch!!…. Sweet chili pepper!... dear me! ", she yelled while hugging her feet on the ground. Her eyes began to twitch and immediately she tried to hold her tears.

She gently laid him on the bed and whispered, "I have no clue what to do" she yelled panicking.

"This is my first time nursing another human being. I have read it in books before. I hope I can put all that knowledge into practice to save his life" she utters. 

She began removing the armored breastplate gently, and at the first glimpse of blood below his ribcage she began to cringe and almost fainted.

"Oh, my gosh. This is so much Blood. Mother, please give me your strength..." she whispered while holding her breath.

"Oh, gosh I don't think I can do this. This is oh my. I think I'm going to faint ...'' She yelled while hugging her belly.

She looked away every five minutes before attempting to clean the wound and with every attempt she became nauseous and overwhelmed.

The Knight began to groan in pain as his wound was being cleaned. For every sound he made, she would cringe her eyebrows and grit her teeth. The scent of blood was so overwhelming she became nauseous and whimpered "I am about to collapse".

Her vision became blurry, and her body felt heavy for a moment.  ''No wait, pull yourself together!'' she screamed pinching her hands while holding her stomach. 

A sudden outburst bought her back to the present "Stop....'' he said.

''Please....stop!' he whimpered and grabbed her small frail hands as she attempts to stitch his wounds. 

"Let go of me!'' she shuddered and pulled her arm away from him fiercely. He glared at her small and frail hands. He knew he was unable to do anything in his state and falls unconscious. 

''Thank goodness he fell asleep....'' She sighs anxiously. She threw the bloody cloths and equipment in the basin, while gently covering him with warm blankets as she quietly leaves the room. 

The storm ceased that night along with the fierce wind. She sits by the fireplace in deep thoughts like never before. "I wonder where he came from. He must be a knight of some sort.

Obviously, he is, he was wearing armor. He showed up right after I jumped and saved me". She jokingly muttered and smiled for the first time.

With eyelids heavy from exhaustion, she fell asleep that night. The sight of a human, not just any human but one who was able to break through an ancient shield made time stop and shifted something in her from that day forward. 

At the brink of dawn, the sound of sparrows chirping, strong winds brushing against the shutters awaken her from sleep. She got up quietly and went over to check on the knight to see if he was alive, or if she was dreaming. Sian carefully rests her head on his chest to check his heart beat. 

"Thank goodness he is alive. I thought I lost him for a second there" she uttered while sighing heavily. The knight jumped upright, quickly grabbing her shoulders, toppling over on the bed while holding a knife close to her neck. 

''Who are you?!'' He shouts angrily. ''Who are you? answer me!'. 

She replied softly ''My name is Sian. You saved me last night. You fell unconcious due to severe bleeding and I nursed you back to health. Can you please release me? or should I take it that you're going to kill me now'' She blurted. 

He looked at her ramosely while gently removing the knife and replies 'My apologies Sian. Thank you for saving my life. I am indeed in your debt.'

He gently released her from the hold as he sits upright holding his left side in pain. 

"Sir, it is better if you lay down. If you move around too much your wound may tear open" she said anxiously.

''Very well. I will rest for today and leave tomorrow" he replied in distress while lying on his back.

''My name is Ryu'" he spoke softly while observing the room wondering why she was alone in the castle. 

Suddenly She exclaimed "You must be hungry, and thirsty. I will get you something to eat. Please rest a while. I will be right back. Do not move an inch". However before heading towards the kitchen, she went to wash herself from the scent of blood. 

A few minutes later she returned with a jar of fresh water and fruits. Sian gently laid them on the side table beside him. He gazed outside the bedroom window and uttered ''Where did you get the fruits from? I don't see any fruit trees around the palace yard.'' 

She responded with a smirk "If I tell you, I might have to kill you. Hahaha I am kidding. I have a garden in the backyard'. He gazed at her with seeming admiration and starts ravishing the fruits.

''Whoa! you seem like you haven't eaten in days' she utters. 

He replied calmly "I haven't eaten in three days. I think". Sian handed him a cup with water.

"You should try eating slowly and avoid rupturing your wound" she said sympathetically while combing her hair. 

''I will. Thank you" he said with a warm smile. 

''You know it's all girls dream to be rescued by a knight in shining armor at her lowest state'' she said. "I dreamt about it when I was a little girl, but I didn't actually believe it could happen. I am probably dreaming right now."

Ryu turned his eyes towards her then uttered "Is this something you have always wanted to happen? A lady who has been living in this castle can overcome the slightest drop of loneliness and fear. You don't need a knight to rescue you". 

She replied "You may be right but at some point, in this life we all need someone and want to be needed by someone. I have tried many things to leave this place on my own, thinking I need no one's help, when in fact I do''. 

The cold wind brushes against her skin as she gazed towards him then whispered softly 'Humans were never meant to be alone. But me. I have been alone all my life in this place. I am starting to think I am not human. I was never treated as such when I was born into this world. I've just accepted the reality that this is my fate" she said remorsefully. 

Her words were like a knife that pierced his heart and soul deeply. He felt her sadness, pain and desire to be liberated from captivity. She was like a bird locked in a cage, trying desperately to fly, but with each attempt ends up where it started. 

And he, he wanted to set her free. He had no interest in how or what she was feeling at the time or so he thought. For a moment she reminded him of someone he had lost years ago. Her smell, her bright brown eyes were like the golden sunshine on a rainy day. He admired her strength, her persistence, her courage, humility and warmth.  

'Would I be able to hold on this long, alone like she did? he asked himself.  

''How many times have I felt the urge to give up and give in and..'' he paused and sighs.  

''Ahh what was that for? she asks playfully with a smile.  

''It was nothing. I will help you' he said softly as he walks toward the door.  

''Really! 'She exclaimed in excitement.

''Thank you so much!'' She shouted with tears in her eyes.  

''Here use this" he murmured giving her an embroidered kerchief. A look of surprise fell on her face. 

''You can keep it" he said.  

He seemed cold at first and kept his distance. No, he was reserved and quiet, but deep down he was warm and tender-hearted, she thought. She had never met any other human outside of the castle walls until now.

Sian had always thought of ways to interact with those around her as a child growing up. Even though it was only a thought that ran across her mind once or twice, she had never imagined it to come true until now.  

Her heart palpitates unusually fast, and her breathing became intense. ''What is this?' lost in thoughts she asked herself subconsciously while holding her chest.  Her body became heavy as her vision blurs.

''Ryu...'' She called him with heavy breaths holding her chest and walking briskly towards her closet.  

''Are you alright, Sian?" he asked with a worried look on his face. 

''Help me" she cried aloud then faints as cold sweat gushed from her face like a waterfall. Before her body could hit the ground Ryu caught her in his arms.  

She was burning up with fever which was unusual for a human.

''What is this?'' he enquired as he gently rests his hand on her forehead.  

''This girl. She is burning up!" He exclaimed in fright. 

''If I don't do something now, the fever will kill her'' he grasps in panic. Ryu quickly took Sian in his arms and rushed to the bath. He laid her gently in the tub filled with ice water.

Shockingly she began to gasp for air as her heart palpitates even faster. The heat from her body causes steam to evaporate and filled the room.

'Ice.'' she muttered softly. 'Ice' she cried out while holding her chest.  

Ryu quickly took his armor and gloves off, unsheathes his sword. ''Frost ice' he said softly towards Sian in water. Droplets of water froze as if time had stopped in an instant and cold frost covered Sian entirely in water. 

"This girl. Who is she, what is she?" he asked abruptly while gazing at her.

Sian's body relaxed, her breathing steadied. His strength waned and darkness clouded his vision.

His right hand started getting cold and he began to shake abruptly from the cold air. He sighs and starts taking deep breaths constantly. 

"Darn this curse. I almost forgot I am not supposed to use my gift for any reason whatsoever. I haven't in years. I am not even sure why I did to save this girl" he murmured softly before falling asleep.