The Purple Parrot

By Bethany Kohler

The green sun of Lilen rose over the city of Shooshun. Its warm rays pierced a certain upper-story window of a certain stone house near the outermost edge of the city’s innermost ring. Soft green light shone on the face of a young Lilenite as she slept among piles of silky-soft furs.

She stirred.

Suddenly she sat up as a most thrilling realization came into her sleep-muddled head.

“Dita! Dee-taaah!” she called.

A mechanical servant appeared carrying a pretty little-footed bowl on a silver tray. A sweet floral scent filled the room. The Domestic Class One Trainable Assistant—D1TA—bowed and held the tray while the young Lilenite dipped her fingers in the bowl and washed the sleep from her eyes.

“Do you know what day it is, Dita?”

“Yes, Miss Persi, it’s—”

“It’s my day. That means everyone must do everything I like. Bring out my new gown, Dita.”

“As you wish, Miss Persi.”

Persi watched as D1TA obeyed her command, setting down the tray and maneuvering to the wardrobe. The mechanical servant returned to the bedside, almost completely concealed behind the voluminous puffs and flounces of Persi’s new gown.

A few minutes later, Persi surveyed her reflection with sparkling eyes. “Don’t you just love purple?”

“It’s very pretty,” the servant assented.

There was a sharp tap at the door. D1TA opened it.

A non-mechanical servant entered and bowed. “Your first gift, Miss Persima,” he announced, then stood to one side and bowed again.

Behind him came a fat little Dolenite carrying a large something covered with a sheet. In typical Dolenite fashion, he had a blue beard trimmed like a square, a large round nose, and eyebrows like little pyramids. The gift was placed on the floor and the sheet was removed with a flourish.

Persi clapped her hands and squealed. “A bird!”

The bird flapped its wings. “Pretty bird—squawk!”

“A talking bird!” Persi ran up to the cage.

“In honor of your tenth journey around the sun, Miss Persima!” The Dolenite bowed.

“Squawk! Congratulations, and many more journeys!”

Persi beamed. “Your feathers even match my dress! Go on, say something else.”

The bird only bobbed its head and made an odd clicking noise.

“No, say words!” Persi commanded peevishly.

The fat little Dolenite chuckled and patted his belly. “Purple parrots are the most intelligent birds alive. He’s just a bit stubborn.”

“Well, I can be stubborn, too.” Persi narrowed her eyes at the bird. The bird stared back at her unperturbed.

For several minutes, Persi alternated between coaxing and bullying in her attempts to make the bird speak.

“I’m thinking of calling you Dullard,” Persi said at last to the purple parrot. “You’re certainly acting like one.”

“Acting like one—squawk!”

It was too little, too late. Persi was still in a foul mood. But it was enough to make her feel victorious and she could give attention to something else. She noticed the Dolenite and the servant who had announced him were gone. Only D1TA remained, awaiting instruction.

“Go to sleep, Dita,” Persi commanded.

The machine bowed, withdrew to a corner, and powered down.

Persi went over to her dressing table, choosing to ignore her new bird, who was still out of favor. She bent over her jewelry box, looking for an ornament to add to her ensemble.

“I don’t trust them.”

Persi’s eyes snapped up. “Don’t trust who?”

“Any of them.” The purple parrot sidestepped along his perch.

Persi forgot about jewelry and approached the birdcage. “What do you mean? Why don’t you trust them?”

“Because I’m not actually a purple parrot.”

Two large round noses drew close together in a dark passage.

“I don’t like it, Flenn.”

“Oh, stop worrying. You didn’t see what I saw. It’s perfect, I tell you.” Flenn patted his belly and chuckled.

“Mark my words, this’ll come back to bite us. All he has to do is tell her who he really is, and how to reverse the spell, and we’re done for.”

“That’s the beauty of it, Remm. Even if he tells her everything, that spoiled little snip would never do what was necessary to lift the spell. Rest assured, my old friend, the Wizard of Cornwall is dealt with. Done and dusted.”

Remm wagged his blue beard. “I hope you’re right.”

Persi wore an expression of mingled disgust and skepticism. “So, you’re telling me you’re actually from another planet called ‘Earth’ and you’re cursed and I’m supposed to give up something precious to me so you can change back into your true form? Why would I do that?”

“Imagine you were the one turned into a purple parrot. Wouldn’t you want someone to help you?”

Persi actually thought for a moment what it might be like to be transformed into a bird, trapped in a cage, pecking at seeds, unable to enjoy cake. Something almost like sympathy touched her heart. “I suppose I could find something to give up.” She gave a cursory glance around the room.

“Not so easy as that. The magic determines what will be relinquished.”

Persi tossed her head. “You expect me to give up something precious without even knowing what I’d lose?”

“Please. I’ll make it up to you someday.”

Persi bit her lip as she deliberated. “Oh, all right,” she said at last.

The purple parrot plucked a feather from his tail. Persi took it from his beak with tentative fingers.

“Hold it up and say, ‘I’m willing to make the sacrifice.’”

Persi screwed up her face like she was about to take some nasty medicine. “I’m willing to make the sacrifice.”

POOF!

The bird and cage disappeared in a purple flash.

Persi was alone. Instead of a feather, she held a slip of paper between her fingers. It read:

I.O.U.

–The Wizard of Cornwall

P.S. Being willing was enough.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Bethany Kohler is a writer and poet with a penchant for witty banter, a weakness for verbose descriptions of scenery, and a passion for weaving truth into fiction. She carries a deep regard for nineteenth-century literature, and counts many dead authors among her mentors. When she’s not reading or writing, Bethany enjoys baking delectable pastries, sewing historically inspired dresses, and singing. Her book Trompe l’Oeil: Beauty and the Beast Retold is now available.

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