76. I Know Why the Caged Fairy…
Thankfully, the walls were lined with torches in the next room, allowing Rosella to discard of her low burning candle. As
she allowed her sensitive blue eyes adjust to the brighter glow, the princess took in her newest surroundings. The room
was mostly nondescript with rundown looking walls and floor strewn with loose bits of hay. The most notable details were
a door across the room that matched the one she had come through, and then a pair of doors on the walls to either side
of her. These four doors were different than the ones that connected each room of the castle. They were of sturdy
wood with small barred windows at eye level. Rosella’s gut told her that she was inside some kind of dungeon room and
the feeling was not pleasant.
Seeing that no guards were standing outside the cells, Rosella slipped off her heels and took tip toe steps in her
stocking feet toward each of the doors to peek inside and see if there were any inhabitants, living or dead. Gulp! The
first two doors yielded empty cells but for some rotten straw bedding and miscellaneous grisly tools of torture that made
the princess’s heart race. The third revealed a skeleton hanging slack from some chains on the wall, and if not for the
quick clamp of her hand, her scream would have filled the chamber. When her instincts told her it was okay to remove
the hand from her mouth, Rosella moved to the fourth door trying not to think about who the skeleton used to be.
Hoping and praying not to see another horrifying sight, the princess slowly peered into the barred window of the fourth
cell with one nervous eye. The butterflies were in frenzy in her belly, but the anxiety was quickly diluted by a different
surprise. Amidst all the dingy unkempt grime of the cell was a small cloud of glitter emitting a pleasant glow. There was
no mistake; it was one of Genesta’s fairies! The poor thing looked unconscious on a small pile of rotten straw. A feeling
of heroism filled Rosella with excitement. The opportunity to rescue was at hand. A quick check on the cell door proved
it obviously to be locked. It seemed the princess had a choice to make in breaking this poor fairy out of jail.
Kick the door open
Call for help
Check the north door