Lover of the Queen: Preparations
Lover of the Queen
I finished my bath and hung the damp towel on the fence outside, a signal I was ready for the evening’s preparations. A few houses away, Frederik copied me, draping his towel over a fence. He was about my age, with reddish-brown eyes, thick blond hair, and more scars from wild beasts than anyone could count. I waved to him in acknowledgment before I hurried back inside.
My garment was ready. Over several days, Dad Alejandro made me the most beautiful outfit: a knee-length black and purple kilt, a sleeveless gown, and a luxurious leather belt. Hours of careful dyeing and stitching showed in every detail. Meanwhile, my father, Brandon, carved a necklace for me with a small amethyst and fashioned a pair of leather bracelets.
Words stumbled on my tongue—I was breathless with awe. I threw my arms around them, clutching tightly, then rushed to my room. The sun was sinking into its well-deserved rest, yet urgency surged in my chest; there were still preparations to finish.
As I stepped inside, the mirror on the wall greeted me. I got closer and exchanged glances with my reflection—memories surged: a shy boy, with amethyst gaze and purple mane, burdened by self-doubt and longing. He now lives inside the fine, brave man before me. The blessings Lossar bestowed upon my life felt almost impossible to grasp.
My parents followed me, eager to continue the preparation rituals. Since I was six feet tall, they sat me on the bed and braided my hair and decorated it with wildflowers. As they worked, I applied my makeup—black eyeshadow, blended toward my cheeks with a hint in the center of my lower lip, emphasized my luxurious intentions.
I rose, and my heart thundered as I surveyed myself. This is truly a sight to savor. Goosebumps prickled my skin, and a wild, nervous flutter stirred in my stomach. What would unfold under the night’s velvet cover? Would the goddess heed my plea? My pulse quickened at the thought.
“Look, Alejandro! What a precious gift Lossar trusted us to nurture.” Brendon’s voice cracked, but the glimmering sight and the puffed-out chest spoke louder than his words.
“Indeed, husband. What a balm for the sight, our Treasure of the Ages is!” My father reached for my shoulder, giving it a gentle squeeze. I turned to the two men who had shaped me into who I was and hugged them tenderly.
“We love you, Alessio,” my blond dad kissed my forehead.
“May the Mother of Us All accompany you and bring good luck. I hope she forgives my blasphemy, for every turn I wished the Queen to avert her eyes if she found you,” Alejandro sobbed, caressing my cheeks.
“Father,” I kissed his hand. “The Lady of Time is wise. Her will is sovereign, and I am the most fortunate Treasure of my era. She sent me to you and holds my destiny in her hands. Let’s enjoy today and make happy memories together.”
Both nodded, and we picked up the barrels of beer and bottles of wine. I grabbed my flute, and together we left. I went ahead while they walked hand in hand behind me, laughing and talking. Once, I wished my future were like theirs, but I had found no one who completed me the way they seemed to complete each other.
As I reminisced, my parents and I got deeper into the forest. Other voices joined ours, and a familiar tone grew louder fast. Mayowa came my way. He looked stunning in his black and yellow kilt, his curly blond hair pinned high, with a flower necklace hanging from his neck.
“Are you feeling it too, Alessio?” He hugged and kissed me on my cheeks.
“What is it?”
“There’s something different in the air, and we’ll finally be adults! I can’t wait.”
“You seem really excited!” Someone else got closer.
Dinesh was tall and very muscular. He wore a white and red kilt, but nothing to cover his torso—the sight of his bare skin was a little off-putting due to the five necklaces he had on, which matched a brown wristband with red ribbons.
Their laughter was infectious, and I couldn’t believe my luck—these two goofballs had chosen me as their favorite introvert. Because of them, I flourished, learned to be more open, more social. He slung an arm around Mayowa’s neck and pulled him close, grinning.
“I’m so anxious, I’ve been practicing new steps for two months now!”
“You hardly need to know any dancing with that physique, my dear friend.”
“You never know, Alessio! We have to use everything we can, especially with people like him disputing the attention of the mages.”
As Dinesh tilted his head, our gazes became arrows toward someone else. Khenan leaned against a tree, setting a bottle of wine beside him. Over six and a half feet tall—strong as a bear, clever, unfailingly polite—he was both sweet and strikingly handsome. Long dreadlocks framed his face, and the scars across his chest, carved by the mages’ ritual, marked the courage it took to become who he truly was.
Frederik, my neighbor, followed him everywhere—a dog waiting for its master’s caresses. His infatuation with the amber-eyed prodigy was as obvious as the river we swam and fished in as kids, yet he had never confessed.
We moved on—there were yet many drinks to leave at the side of the road. Once we finished, the sun set, and we walked toward the village. The adults followed behind the youngsters, clapping and singing. Khenan, Frederik, and other boys joined our group. We chatted and told jokes until we reached the entrance to the village.
Candles were everywhere, along with colorful scarves, potted plants, and flowers, which decorated windows and porches. The folks who were already there welcomed us with cheers and hugs.
“People of Sur Nam Khaar! Today we gather again, as our ancestors have done since the Great Cataclysm. Today, we give thanks for the gifts of our most precious jewels, our Treasures of the Ages.”
Some of us whistled, shouted, and applauded.
“Rejoice, oh ones who received these blessings from the hands of the Lostany! Be proud of the individuals you taught how to walk, speak, dance, and play. May your hearts bloom with happiness, for a cycle ends, and now the little birds leave their nests, flying to an unknown destiny. Remember all the men of old who departed from here, guided by the hand of the Great Mother.”
For a moment, the crickets were silent, as if honoring our tears and sighs. I mirrored the others, but there was no sorrow in my soul—only a fierce envy for those who had been chosen.
Our tales told of a sovereign as cruel as a mantis, yet she crowned her favored with pleasures untold. I craved that, no matter the gruesome fate that followed. My prayers burned for such a fate to claim me, too
Elder Shu broke the silence minutes later with four taps of his cane on the ground.
He addressed us all: “To the young men who are blossoming today and catch a glimpse of the benevolent women: you can grumble as much as you like, but I will be the one to receive the Ancient Queen’s first kiss.” His body shook with laughter, which brought the joyful mood back. “Let the celebrations begin!”
The adults cheered, pulled out their instruments, and played. Others brought mugs and served us. It was the first time ingesting that amount of alcohol. After all, the festivities would last until dawn the next day. I got a mug of beer, toasted with other youngling near me, and emptied it in five large gulps. Almost as fast, it was full again.
The conversation was lively, and the music moved our souls and bodies. I was already tipsy when I finished my first drink. My parents joined me in dancing. The moon rose in the sky, beautiful as a silver ring, as if to announce our fate was at hand.
The initial chords of the song I’d learned in my childhood began. Jacob and Elder Shu played mandolins, and their singing was phenomenal.
Our seniors clapped and summoned us to a large circle in the middle of the village. Violins, flutes, tambourines, and other instruments played, voices rose louder, and lulled our spirits, already clouded by the pleasurable torpor of the drink.
“Give me your hand, my treasured delight,
A feast awaits with joy untold.
Bring all your kin, step into the night,
We’ll laugh, we’ll dance, let passions unfold.
The night is her cloak. She soon appears.
Encircled by Mages, fierce and divine.
One of us, in longing or fear,
Will taste if the Queen is cruel—or kind.”
Those lyrics entranced me from the moment I grasped their meaning. I sang at the top of my lungs and drank at my heart’s content. I sensed that my secrets’ reveal drew near.
“Do not speak Her name
Throw away your fears
That is the duty of a man
Who will understand Her secrets?”
The Sovereign had lived in my most intimate thoughts and desires. During my nighttime reveries, I dreamed of touching her face, kissing her lips with passion, and hearing her sweet voice whisper in my ear things human minds could not comprehend. I longed for the chance to witness her mysteries and taste her essence, even if it meant I disappeared from this world.
“She was born in the New World.
The Mages chose her; and the Wheel began to Turn again.
Her incomparable beauty, her profound gaze.
Can show you truths or deceive you.”
Though I felt my parents’ sorrow, the silence of my hidden truth cut deeper with each passing year. Throughout the last, I whispered triple prayers that the Great Mother might bless me as the first chosen—and she carried me into the waiting arms of the Sovereign of Lostany.
Not that I wanted to die or anything, but I wanted more from life than I had seen with my eyes. And who, if not her, would be the one to make me witness so much wonder?
“O treasured soul, join the circle’s flame,
Sing and dance, drink and cheer.
This is the hour; no fleeing remains.
The Solstice is Theirs—desire draws near.
Whisper no name,
Let your fears be shed.
A man earns his claim
In the secrets she’s bred.”
My body shivered as I danced with my friends, and I couldn’t stop giggling. Was the same joy emanating from everyone? I couldn’t tell. My body drifted with the music, and I chanted my last prayer to the Lady of Time. May the Queen of the Lostany, in all her might, accept the devotion from this humble servant and accept me as her offering. Dear Mother, I pray thee.
I lost count of how many times my mug had emptied and refilled. Every young man seemed excited as well, dancing nonstop, sweat beaded on their bodies, making them glow in the light of the candle flames and bright moonlight. It was a moment of intoxicated happiness, abruptly cut short when Elder Shu yelled.
