The Silent Princess

PART ONE

You feel the tremors of the thunder before you hear it

Everyone remembered the storm... There was no possibility of taking a walk that day.

If you sit still and concentrate, you can almost hear the low, deep thunder roaring and lingering in the air... in erratic rhythms, echoing as if the lions are in deep angry conversations to each other, approaching from the far, far side of the mountains... getting closer. The sky is unusually dark; it is not the greys in slates and charcoals, or the blacks in chestnuts, pearls, plums, and liquorice that we normally see but they are infused in the colours of shades of greens in moss and forests, and if you look even more carefully, you can pick up the blues in cetaceans, galaxies, Oxford, Prussians, the purples in elderberries, Murasaki and ripe plums in the clouds.

You feel the tremors of the thunder before you hear it.

Way before the low and uncomfortable thunders and the almost kaleidoscopic but dark clouds is the lightning. The lightning strikes the entire mountains like they were the canopies of the trees... nothing like one or two lightning strikes they strike in tens and twenties as if they were conducting a symphony from Beethoven, the infamous, moody Fifth symphony.

We are all immersed in it. There is no way out.

And if you didn’t need to worry about the consequences of the upcoming damage, you could almost enjoy the lightning strikes as if they were works of a great master that you will never come across again in this lifetime.

It is at this precise moment, as the weather is taking an unprecedented turn for the worst, that the queen goes into labour. She is heavily pregnant. It is her first pregnancy and she is very over-due. The queen is suffering from terrible discomfort for days; she has no contact to the outside world due to her condition. The spasms and the labour contractions come on suddenly as the first lightning strikes. The intervals between the contractions are very short.

The storm came as quickly and as suddenly as the labour and vanished in a split second as the first cry of the new-born princess is heard. There is no sign of the thunder or lightning. It is, indeed, very strange.

PART TWO

She was the only person who could hear herself talking

Her name was Tullani. Tullani was a headstrong girl; she knew her likes and dislikes and she had very strong beliefs. She was also very intuitive. As a princess, she was always surrounded by people – lots and lots of people. Some of these people were not genuine; the type of people who were after their own interests and would get what they wanted at any cost. And, there were the others – kind, compassionate and putting the greater good before their personal gain.

Princess Tullani relied on her intuition to distinguish these people apart as many of them were good at disguise, appearing to be sweet and good mannered. Tullani was able to see through the facade straight into the hearts. Her gift was fundamental for the future of her people and the kingdom which she would inherit one day. Her responsibilities were heavy. Even at a very young age, Tullani understood what her role was: she was first and foremost the property of her people, only able to be herself and relaxed to be a young girl when she retired into her chamber and her private realm.

But there was just one tiny problem... although the princess was a strong-willed girl, she was mute. What she wished to say was never heard... not even the king and queen could hear her, or, at least they could not remember if they have ever heard her making a sound.

She was the only person who could hear herself talking.

The king and queen and certain trusted courtiers were concerned about this issue, but it was never discussed in the presence of the princess. Everyone knew that Princess Tullani had strong preferences when it came to her dresses, her reading books and the subjects she studied. She would refuse food that she did not enjoy. Not everyone realised, however, that she did all that without a sound.

To begin with, the king and queen thought their first and only child was born a quiet and gentle soul. On the contrary, their precious princess, although mute, was strong-willed.

The time flew by quickly. Princess Tullani’s seventeenth birthday was fast approaching. It was the tradition in the kingdom to throw an elaborate celebration. The king and queen’s anxieties began to creep up as the day approached.

There was this apparently sweet courtier who was the king’s main adviser. He had lots and lots of ideas; some of them were slightly unusual in Tullani’s eyes. His name was Danforth.

Danforth had been a soldier, but after suffering a stroke a few years earlier he needed an outlet for his ambition. Slowly, skilfully, he insinuated himself into the business of the court. The king and the queen sympathised with him and greatly appreciated his devotion to the kingdom. They came to rely on him in all matters of state and slowly, skilfully, he became ever more powerful.

Danforth was rather curious about Tullani’s ‘quiet’ nature. On many occasions, he looked for opportunities to speak to the princess alone. Tullani was always able to reply with her enigmatic smile and graceful listening manner, but each time Danforth pushed further for a spoken answer. Tullani was not pleased with his behaviour. Instinctively mistrusting him, guided by her intuition and fearing that he wanted to influence her as he did her parents, she began to avoid him.

Part Three

Tullani flushed with anger

One day, Tullani found herself walking towards the garden, the private garden where only the royals were permitted. Tullani loved nature, she often come out here to attend to her plants and listen or talk to her animals – the squirrels, the birds and even the insects came to her when she was alone. They could hear her!

To her surprise, when Tullani lifted her head up from greeting the squirrel clans, Danforth was standing not far away from her. The princess felt the anger rise from her stomach... she was contemplating how she would react to him. Danforth made the first move and approached the princess. She watched him walk towards her and there was something in his eyes – she knew he would push her to react today. She wanted to know how far he would go. She was waiting. And perhaps this would be the crucial turning point in the power struggle growing between them, and that was inevitable.

Danforth greeted Tullani. “My lady.” The princess returned his greeting with a gracious smile. He wondered if the princess would question his intrusion in the private royal secret garden, but she didn’t.

He then began, slow and skilful as ever, to ask several questions – questions that seemed to have been heavily practised, as if he was using this moment to test their effectiveness.

 “Princess Tullani, please forgive me for the intrusion; entering the private garden without permission... for it is an important matter that I urgently need to discuss with you, my princess.”

Danforth bowed and apologised. He waited patiently for the princess to accept his apologies but Tullani did not respond.

He went on, “It concerns your Highness’s grand seventeenth birthday celebration. It is a national matter and the king and the queen are overwhelmed by the organisation and the ceremony. I must bring up this matter to you, my lady. The king is troubled and the queen has been losing sleep over this...” He continued. ”We mere servants are also losing our sleep over this. Do you not wish to participate with organising your birthday?”

Tullani listened as he went on pushing the boundary, watching him manipulate the questions to make her speak. She was determined not to give in; Danforth was determined to make her talk.

“You see, your Highness, as I am the Head Courtier in charge, I am responsible for overseeing everything, from the safety and security of the ceremony, to the final farewells. It is my responsibility but I cannot execute my duties if I do not know what is wished for. I wonder if you my princess, would just give me a word if you have any preferences; just a word..

Tullani was silent.

 “My lady, you do not wish me to do my job badly, do you, Princess?”

 Silence.

 “There is so little I need; only one word, Princess, just one... would you be kind enough to say it?”

Tullani flushed with anger.

They stood in the bright, shiny sunlight. For a moment, the world seemed to slow down with the sudden silence, waiting to see what would happen next.

The reflections of the sunshine landed on the leaves of the birch tree, then suddenly a flock of magpies emerged from the nearby beech trees, breaking the silence and tension.

The birds surrounded Danforth, clearly shielding the princess. Taken by surprise, he had to steady himself so he did not fall. Danforth realised the princess had powers that he did not comprehend nor he was able to challenge. He felt defeated and shocked. He excused himself abruptly and left.

Princess Tullani signed with relief. “Oh, my lovely magical friends, thank you for intervening. What would I have done without you all today?”

The head of the magpies replied, “It is our pleasure, Princess Tullani. We are here to protect you.”

Part Four

She was remembering the bombshell that Danforth had cunningly slipped into their last conversation

On the eve of her birthday, on the night before the full moon, Princess Tullani went onto the roof of the castle’s east wing. She needed time to gather up her thoughts. She was worried about a particular part of the plans that Danforth had set up and proposed to her a few days ago. It was something no one else knew but the two of them. Danforth did not involve the king and the queen and the rest of the courtiers, claiming they were all under enormous pressure and stress preparing for the upcoming national celebration. Tullani’s parents were happy to leave Danforth to liaise with their daughter. Tullani gazed into the sky and moon, whispering for help and divine intervention.

She was remembering the bombshell that Danforth had cunningly slipped into their last conversation.

 “My lady, what a surprise to see you here again, I must apologise yet again for my intrusion into the royal private garden.” Danforth’s entrance was so quick and secretive, not even the magpies had noticed.

Princess Tullani was taking refuge in the garden; she was listening to the birch tree, with her eyes closed, her left hand touching the trunk of the tree and her right hand on her heart space. Deep in silent conversation with the birch tree as she was, Princess Tullani was taken by total surprise

She opened her eyes, glaring furiously at Danforth.

He slowly retreated, not wishing to encounter another incident with her magic. He muttered, “It is my duty to inform you that the birthday celebration will include you, my princess, giving a brief speech of appreciation to the nation. It will be a wonderful surprise for the king and queen. We must keep this as a surprise for them, my lady.”

Tullani lost her poised composure and turned around abruptly, only to see the back of Danforth as he swiftly disappeared. Her anger turned into rage; every single animal in the garden felt the rage and surrounded the princess.

The red squirrels, the rabbits, the foxes, the deer, the badgers, the voles, the bats, the mouse, the hedgehogs, the robins, the bees, the butterflies, the dragonflies, the ladybirds, even the night owls had woken up. The branches of the birch and beech trees lowered themselves, and with the leaves on the branches, they covered the princess and gave her powers. The magpies were last to arrive and arranged themselves on the branches of both birch and beech trees.

Part Five

Drowning in emotions, Princess Tullani turned around 

Standing on the roof of the east wing, Tullani had her powers from her animals, plants and nature but still, she couldn’t make any human being hear her speaking. Anxiously she thought to herself,

“Tomorrow evening is less than twenty-four hours away. I have to present myself and address the nation, my kingdom to come. How will I make everyone hear me? What am I going to do?” She was lost in her deep thoughts.

Once again, out of nowhere, Danforth, malicious and dark, sneaked on to the rooftop. A sinister shadow, he appeared next to Princess Tullani. With a short, croaking laugh and slightly quivering voice he said, “Oh, my lady, I sympathise with your worry in addressing the nation tomorrow, on your grand birthday celebration, but I can help you with this situation, my lady. This speech can be cancelled, for one tiny favour in return...”

Drowning in emotions, Princess Tullani turned around, her clarity and ever graceful composure lost. In extreme fear and rage, she raised her hand and slapped across Danforth’s face. Taken by surprise, he fell to the floor. Tullani held up her hand high in the air; she did not move and she was standing her ground as a true royal blood.

Danforth yelled in a high pitched voice, “I know your secret, my lady. I know your dark secret. You are not fit to inherit and run the kingdom to come. You have a disability; you are not able to rule the kingdom alone. Only I can help you to execute your orders after the king passes and you succeed to the throne... Only I can help you... Together we will rule this land... Queen Tullani and King Danforth...”

On his hands and knees, Danforth crawled a few steps forward towards the princess. He stumbled to his feet and unsteadily lurched towards Tullani. The princess was filled with fear as Danforth took hold of her shoulders and shook her with terrible force.

With her head shaking uncontrollably, it was as if Tullani time-travelled. She saw the shadows of two silhouettes in the candle lights, the broken pieces of glass and ceramics everywhere...

She screamed... and screamed... and screamed... Her screams were so loud and piercing across the night sky, high pitched and full of magical powers, that Danforth, surprised and shocked, stumbled away, close to the edge of the castle ramparts. At that very moment, the princess’s flock of magic magpies flew in from nowhere and swept Danforth backwards over the low edge of the rooftop wall.

Princess Tullani watched as he fell in slow motion backwards from the roof of the castle... his arms thrown backwards, his head tilted back, his body following, then his legs disappeared. All that was left was one of his boots.

A few seconds later, she heard the low thump as his body hit the ground.

She didn't look but stood for a moment before she walked away from the spot where it all happened; the place where she gained a lost memory of fifteen years ago. Slowly, Princess Tullani walked towards the door with grace and great composure.

Part Six

She was only two 

From that night, Tullani was never able to make another sound

Her hands were shaking as she pushed open the door. The little princess was barefoot; she tiptoed and toddled across the corridor from her room. She heard the screams and shouts from the far end of the corridor. There were sobs mixed with high pitched smashing of glass and ceramics, heavy and dull thumps of a body bouncing against furniture and cushions. The entire atmosphere throbbed with fear and despair. 

She was only two.

Too little to comprehend, what she saw that night, she did not remember. She was found as zombie-frozen, like a Roman marble statue skilfully carved, standing still in the open door where the king and queen quarrelled.

From that night, Tullani was never able to make another sound.

As Danforth pushed and shook her, she remembered everything. Her memory of that eventful night when she was two years-old came back to her.

The security guards heard the screams and run up the stairs. They moved out of the way for the princess and watched as she stepped through the doorway with a dark and solemn expression.

Tullani said, “All is well.”

~ Leigh-Lin Shao