Forbidden love(?) 

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Summary 

When a caged bird meets a free soul. 

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1

The Nightingale had a beautiful singing voice. Soothing and calming. Healing even. Royalty would come far and wide, across the ocean and the sky just to hear the voice of the nightingale. It was rumored that the nightingale also had a face matching one of a god. Perfection. Beautiful in every angle.

And then it was gone.

***

"Catch him! That rat stole my bread again!!"

Yells passed from one mouth to another as the thief dashed down the street hurriedly, trying not to trip every so often on the rocky ground. His pants grew stronger when his body could no longer produce the energy to keep up with its usage. He had not eaten in days and yet the bread in his hand remained untouched. He hastily pulled himself up into a hidden corridor and waited there until the commotion died down. His stomach grumbled as he looked at the bread but he must be patient. He peeked out when the screams and shouting were well far away. He hopped out and made his way back home. His living space could barely be considered a home too. There was no proper furniture, bedding or anything within. Only a couple of other stray kids who were in a worse condition than him. Some sick even. The thief was greeted with warm welcomes and hugs as he split the bread apart for the kids to eat. He himself took none as he watched them stuff their faces hungrily, lying that he was full when one of them offered him bread. He gave the kid a pat on the head and crawled off to the straw mat strewn together that he called a bed. He would sing them songs to sleep, tell them stories and tuck them in. 

"Big brother, do you think the story of the nightingale is true?" 

"The one with the most beautiful singing voice? I don't know." 

"But big brother, you have a beautiful singing voice too. Could you be the nightingale?" 

A dry laugh escaped his parched throat. "No way." 

***

"No! Let me go!"

"Baekho!"

". Let them go! Take me! They did nothing wrong!!!" The howls of the children made his spine crawl. How dare they lay a hand on them. He rammed his body against one of the many men who had grabbed onto one of the kids, sending himself and the man toppling to the ground. "Run!!"

The kids scattered, even the sick ones with the help of the slightly older and stronger ones. Baekho was pinned to the ground. He growled and tried to break free despite having no strength in his arms, scratching and irritating the guards who had found his hiding hole after many failed attempts. As long as the kids were safe, he didn't care about his own life. He knew someday this would happen. He was dragged up forcefully after his hands were bound behind him. He was shoved into a carriage and taken away. He tried to look out the small window to make sure none of the kids got captured as well. He knew what was in stall for him and frankly, he would rather die than to be a slave for the kingdom.

He laid in jail, awaiting his punishment. Stomach growling to remind him of the countless days he hadn't eaten yet. There were others in the jail cells beside him but none of them made any noise either. He rolled to his back, groaning when he laid on his tied hands. He wished life had turned out different. He wished that he didn't have to be a thief. Tears started streaming down his face when he thought back on all the years he had spent, taking care of the stray kids and himself with no adults to help fend or feed them. He had to be the adult because he was the oldest and the biggest in size but he couldn't say the same for his heart. He was a coward and he was easily frightened and emotional but he held it together until now. His sobs got caught in his throat and he choked them out.

Then he heard the sweetest voice.

His teary eyes looked up at the small window that allowed little light through its barred spacing. The voice made him feel at peace somehow. His tears slowly stopped, turning into sniffles as the voice sang words of comfort. He felt warmth envelope him as he pushed himself up to a sitting position. He looked at the other prisoners who didn't seem to react to the voice as if the voice was only singing for him.

"Am I dying soon? Is that the voice of an angel?"

"Not quite," he heard a reply that started him. It came from the other side of the wall. It shocked him and he tried to get away from the wall he was leaning against only to fall to the ground again because of all the strength drained from his legs. His eyes widened into saucer sizes.

"Are you... Real?"

"Yes. I heard you crying and I thought a song would help cheer you up."

Baekho could almost laugh bitterly hearing that. Cheer him up when he was either about to die or die from overworking? There was no other path for him apart from death now. "Thanks, I guess." Just then, his stomach let out a loud grumble again, getting impatient from the lack of sustenance in itself. He heard the lightest laughter echoing into the cell. "Hey! Don't laugh at me. I haven't eaten in days."

"My apologies. Would you like some bread? It's all that I have with me now."

"That's better than nothing. How are you going to pass it to me?"

Then he saw a slim hand slid bread through the barred window. He was startled when whoever it was dropped the bread. He had one last spurt of energy as he caught the falling bread between his teeth since he couldn't use his hands. Sweet heavens. The bread was soft and airy as he chewed on it, making sure not to waste a single bite. Just as he was munching, he heard a rather loud yell.

"There he is! Catch him!" Familiar words were tossed around. Baekho wondered if the other behind the wall was also like him. A thief. A prisoner who had managed to escape but was going to be caught again.

"I have to go now. Its been a pleasure."

"Catch the nightingale! Don't let him escape again!"

The rumored nightingale?