Lover of the Queen: Magic
Lover of the Queen
“Shut up, you loud bunch of hungry monkeys!”
Elder Shu yelled at the top of his lungs, waving his cane in the air. Those who had experienced the Solstice covered their mouths with their index fingers. My parents, like the other adults, whispered for me to be quiet and leaned against the walls to clear the way. They pressed on my shoulders, and the village plunged into an ocean of silence.
A peculiar sound filled the air — a melody born from nature itself, Lossar’s most cherished voice: birdsong. The adults stirred. Alejandro dropped to his knees and clenched the fabric of his cotton shirt against his chest.
“Father, what is it?”
“I-it’s them! The birds, Alessio! It represents the Great Mother. The Revered Women crossed the barrier that separates their world from ours. She is coming!”
The heart pounded — as ritual drums echoed through the air. Rain fell, moistening and refreshing our bodies. It steamed away the heat of the moment. As it swept through the village, we spotted an enormous flock.
Avian of every shape and color gathered at the forest’s edge, chirping softly as they perched and awaited the Lady of Lostany.
Some younglings smirked and bit their lower lips. Others picked at their fingers and tried to disguise their shivers. Nobody could hide how the expectations for the feast affected them. An intoxicated mix of excitement and dread spread over me, but nothing shook my determination and willingness to offer my life to the Queen on that magical night.
Moments later, the Lady of Time’s splendor enchanted again. Birds hopped down the road and vanished into the forest. Feeling blessed, I understood it as a sign of luck. I straightened my back, puffed out my chest, ran my fingers through my hair, and grinned. A breeze blew and carried a new sound.
Voices and laughter. Loud and delicious.
They had found the trail of offerings in drinks of many kinds. A sweet tune warned our long wait would soon be over—another song, sung since the time of our ancestors, started. Old Shu raised his arms, smoothed the flowers in his beard, and walked the path to the woods’ edge. He moved step by step, stern and proud. The grin on his face showed how much he enjoyed the benefits his privileged position offered.
The adults commended and kissed the youthful Khaarians for the last time, and straightened our clothes. We pulled our instruments and warmed our timber. Butterflies in my stomach made it hard to play the proper notes. I sought Mayowa and Dinesh for support. We exchanged looks, our faces brightened by wide-open smiles.
Every villager gazed at the elderly man as he walked and turned, before we noticed the winged ones, who also waited, became more agitated. Then, the men fell silent; our talking ceased as Shu stopped before the tall trees.
The fowl parted. From the forest emerged a hooded figure, wearing pants and boots, Lostany’s traditional vests. Her curvaceous body starkly contrasted with the flickering candlelight along the road. The woman bent down to the man’s level, kissed his forehead, and took his hood off. He gave out a cry, jumped, and applauded, before covering his mouth in awe.
They stood beside the former ruler, in all her majesty. The Ancient Mages, who were young women during the last Solstice, also came forward, pulled back their hoods, and joined them. As the late Sovereign reached for her instrument, the others picked theirs, and the melody began again.
All the birds flew, and landed on the village houses, like colorful live trinkets sent by the Great Mother herself. As the first chords rang out, all the men went into an uproar. They shouted, jumped, and clapped their hands. Even Alejandro’s tears dried, and he seemed to forget his pain.
My mouth ran dry, and I shivered, as an energy surge invaded me, my pores overflowed with euphoria. The Old Enchanted moved onward, their ranks divided, to allow the New to advance through the center. They played and headed toward the village.
From afar, I could see its charms. Each woman carried a beauty all her own: among the older Lostany, there was one with a winter frost white shimmer, a silver crescent moon dangled from her neck; another, statuesque and golden, her looks sharp as sunlight on glass; and another with short, dark strands that fell over her forehead, her presence quiet but magnetic. And then there was the Late Sovereign — her long blue hair flowed like silk in the wind, and her eyes, just a shade deeper, glimmered with the calm of distant seas.
I had drifted away in my thoughts when Father Brandon snapped me back to reality.
He shook my dad as if he were a pair of pants hiding an important note in the pockets. “Alejandro! Do you see that? It was her all along!”
“What in heaven are you talking about, husband?”
“Ji-Ah! She’s the Late Sovereign!” He cheered and reached for me. “Alessio, she brought you to us!”
Those words invited thunderclouds to darken the brunette’s gaze, and he muffled through his breath.
“So that means-”
Before he could finish, I gasped and chuckled, staring unflinched.
“The Queen herself delivered me to you and was the one to take your friend away? Hah! Praised be, in all her wisdom. That can only be a sign!”
I didn’t mean to say that aloud, but the alcohol tricked my perception. I spent a dozen seconds to realize my parents stared, eyebrows crinkled, their sweaty hands on my arms.
“Of what, child?” Alejandro frowned, hissing.
“Umm… o-of good fortune for me, of course! She blessed me herself, w-when she chose you two to care for me. You were close, a-and she knew how much you missed your friend. She was certain you still had plenty of love to give to a baby.”
Brandon sighed and squeezed both my shoulders in reassurance.
“You are right, my dear. Ji-Ah sanctified our wedding, built our hut herself, and gifted us with you, our precious Treasure. Kenta’s gone now, but I’m sure he’s rejoicing wherever he is. Our friend sacrificed himself, and we are grateful; he earned the greatest honor, the title of the most virtuous Khaarian”.
My father scoffed, relieved.
“We are very thankful, after all. You are our pride and joy.”
I couldn’t find the words, and tears welled up in my eyes. I almost let my secret out to the people it would hurt the most. The Queen herself brought me to my parents’ porch. Maybe my destiny was already determined at my birth. Was it the same with Kenta?
I also wondered that, if they had slept with her, the legends weren’t accurate; she didn’t seem terrifying at all.
Other parents shook their children, showed off their longtime lovers, eager for them to attract the attention and receive the favors of the New Mages. Our leader signaled for us to play, and we did. While I tried to move to the music and get the melody right, my sight wandered over the newly adult women.
Among them was a sturdy redhead, another with a dark green mane tied in a neat knot, who skipped alongside a woman with soft brown locks that brushed her shoulders. And there was another — crowned with a pink ponytail and delicate deer antlers, each of them a different reflection of grace and allure.
I had never seen such beauty. The women, already flushed from the heavy drinking, clutched their half-full mugs, unconcerned as ale splashed over the rims. Others let the empty containers dangle loosely from their belts.
But nothing had prepared my soul for one of the shortest. She leaped with wild abandon, her guitar a blur as she sang at the top of her lungs. Her hair blazed in every color of the rainbow, shaved sharply on the left side. Her dark skin glistened with sweat, and each curve of her generous, vibrant body radiated a joy that made the air around her quiver.
I lost the ability to play for a heartbeat, but recomposed soon, as we all began singing the first verse. The Ancient Mages stopped near, and our seniors poured a drink into our mugs. All the women there stretched out their hands, which made the surrounding trees emit a sound I had never heard before, like a voice coming from the wild itself.
Adorned with spirits, with suns and with stars,
The shining path opens; its wonder is ours.
The elder calls, his laughter bright—
Come, meet the Lostany, daughters of light!
Raise your cup, may your joy ignite,
Behold the Mages of Day and Night.
They’ll dance with us until the dawn is near.
And bless our hearts with song and cheer.
The young ladies strutted forward and surveyed us with mischievous looks, giggled, and licked their lips. My legs weakened, and my palms sweated as I noticed the wry twist of their lips and winks.
Flutes and drums, sweet voices blend.
Their music charms; it has no end.
As the night unfolds, their smiles gleam.
They gift us laughter, love, and dreams.
Come young man, join the play.
The forest hums; don’t drift away!
It’s your last chance before dawn.
To ball until all your cares are gone.
The Ancient Mages pulled the boys to the path they had opened, and my nervousness only increased when my parents bowed. The Ancient Monarch reached for and guided me into the middle of the procession. I felt embarrassed that my hand was so wet, but I swallowed hard and followed.
For a moment, my legs trembled. Would that be the first step toward my demise?
Amidst the whirlwind of people, the girl with the guitar twirled and smiled with her lids closed, as if in an uninterrupted trance under the moonlight. Beautiful from afar, now within reach of my humble sight, she was the most stunning creature I had ever seen.
The adults made way, and the music flowed. She looked up, laughed, and played with gusto, cheering with her sisters. Then she noticed me staring and raised a thick eyebrow above the blackest gaze I had witnessed. I drew my flute, locked eyes with hers, and swore I would not let her out of my sight.
Bodies and voices in soft delight,
Birds and petals drift through the night.
Desire and magic, pure and free —
Are you prepared to dance with me?
That was the first time she had smiled. I was overwhelmed; my emotions collided in confusion, but I was sure she’d struck me with powerful wizardry. My whole body shivered; my chest was on fire, but still I mirrored her gesture.
Tonight rejoices; the stars align;
Tomorrow waits, its promise divine.
Joy overflows, bright and clear,
While every soul is gathered here.
Come young man, join the play.
The forest sings—why stay away?
It’s your last chance before dawn.
To dance till all your fears are gone.
I saw her small hands masterfully pluck the strings, better than I ever could. The short mage proved to be an excellent musician. She walked within the group, oblivious, dancing with the other Mages in the middle. A knot of panic twisted in my stomach at the thought of losing her, but after she returned, she played her guitar and waited for me to strike the chords on the flute.
Her cheerful face showed she longed for the right notes, so we could share the same harmony. She bit and licked her lips in silent pleasure, and my eyes couldn’t tear themselves away from her enchanting figure. That was the moment I felt my fate had been sealed.
Editor: Lucy Cafiero
