The Cerulean Queen

by Sarah Kozloff

  Spinner answered first. “Peace. Peace is what we desire.”

  The young Water Bearer stood up in the center of Moot Table, now holding his bowl steadily. “We do have a price, but it is not riches. In return for this gift, we ask that you renounce your long-held aim of killing the Nargis Queens.”

  No one spoke further. Always impatient at long meetings (because Ghibli was the Spirit of restlessness), Hunter took off her hat and began combing the long feather with her fingers as she puffed air through her cheeks. Smithy paced, tapping his fire tongs absently against his boot. Peddler became aware of the waves crashing on the rocky isle’s edge and heard the bells in his own hair and beard making a small tinkle. Since he could think of nothing to add that would help the situation, he kept his mouth shut.

  After the silence grew awkwardly long, the new Gardener, however, sank down on his knees and stretched his arms out in entreaty. “Won’t you agree, my friend, we should always reach for life, life in all its bounty and richness!”

  Gardener’s humility made an impression. Very grudgingly, Smithy said, “We will try this compound and filtration. We make no promises.”

  “Will your fires warm the people when it is cold and illness threatens?” Healer asked.

  Smithy made no reply.

  EPILOGUE

  Reign of Queen Cerúlia, Year 6

  WINTER

  Cascada

  Cerúlia and Thalen’s daughter, Catalina, had her father’s blue eyes and her mother’s blue hair. At three summers she was a thriving toddler with fat caramel-colored cheeks—never fretful, though truth be told, occasionally willful.

  Peace between Oromondo and Weirandale had prevailed since the Battle of Cascada Harbor. Cerúlia and her consort, Lord of the Scholars, were free to concentrate on the improvements they wanted to make domestically, such as founding a branch of the Scoláiríum and upgrading under schools.

  Then a grippe epidemic struck the country. Waves of grippe periodically swept Weirandale in the winters: ofttimes mild, occasionally severe. Sometimes they sickened mostly the elderly, or the middle-aged, or the young. Sometimes they spread slowly, sometimes rapidly. The people generally found there was little to do but endure and wait for the eventual triumph of spring over winter.

  This year, the grippe spread rapidly, harvesting nearly all of those unfortunate enough to be afflicted. And it struck the most precious segment of the Weir population: the children. The Weirs named it “Reaper of Babes.” Shrieks of heartbroken mothers pierced the night air of every neighborhood, rich or poor. Cerf and the other healers tried every remedy they knew, but each day carts carrying tiny shrouded figures rumbled down the streets. Thalen worked feverishly and fruitlessly in his new laboratory, trying to discover a cure.

  Frantic parents thronged the Courtyard of the Star, fighting one another for Nargis Water. When the Waters helped one sick child but did nothing for another, desperate citizens turned on one another in envy and rage. Queen Cerúlia had to station guards around the Fountain to keep order. These were the darkest of days.

  The queen wanted to send Princella Catalina to the Eastern Duchies, but Lord Thalen pointed out that reports of outbreaks there were as grave as in the capital.

  Then the Reaper snuck into the palace itself. Percia and Marcot’s two sons, Parkier and Larkeen, fell ill. Cerúlia could do nothing but support her distraught sister.

  With Nargis Water, Parkier rallied; but Larkeen, the four-summers boy, was failing. Cerf did not expect him to last the night.

  Tilim had been dispatched to the Princella’s Bedchamber. He was vainly trying to distract and entertain her while the adults of her circle were so preoccupied and distraught. Jothile, her usual nurseryman, had had to be dismissed for the evening because he was too upset to tend his charge.

  “Come on, Catalina. Stop playing with your food and finish your supper. Eat that nice apple,” he said.

  “Jo-Jo peels my apples,” she replied, so Tilim impatiently took out his knife. The apple was slick and he wasn’t attentive; his knife slipped and cut his own thumb.

  “Blast!” he muttered, sticking his bleeding thumb in his mouth.

  “What happened?” asked Catalina, climbing up on her chair to grab at Tilim’s arm. “Did you get an ouchie? Let me see.”

  She tugged Tilim’s thumb out of his mouth and looked at the small bleeding gash. “Does it hurt?” she asked with wonder.

  “Of course it hurts, silly.”

  Catalina touched the wound with her index finger. The wound closed as if the knife had never touched it.

  Heartbeat quickening, Tilim looked at the princella closely. “Have you ever done that before?”

  She casually tugged on the apple in his hand. “Finish.”

  “Catalina, look at me. Have you ever cured a cut before?”

  “Yeah,” she said.

  “What else can you do?” he asked. “If I burn myself, can you cure that too?”

  “I want apple,” she said, now single-minded about the food she had refused earlier.

  Tilim finished peeling the apple and cut it into slices. Then he went over to the fireplace, took a deep breath, and put his hand in the flames.

  “Oh, Sweet Waters!” he screamed at the pain, tears filling his eyes. Catalina rushed up from her small-sized table, overturning her chair, ran to Tilim, touched his hand, and removed the burn. Tilim felt faint from the instant relief.

  He got down on his knees to look her in the eyes, holding her shoulders in his hands too tightly. “Catalina, have you—or Jo-Jo—ever felt ill: you know, your head hurts, your throat hurts, your nose gets all clogged, and you feel really hot or really cold?”

  Catalina nodded and took another bite of her apple.

  “Are you able to make that go away too?”

  The princella nodded.

  “Catalina, this is so serious. Are you certain?”

  She nodded gravely, unable to speak because of the slices she kept stuffing in her mouth.

  Tilim picked her up with his arm around the back of her upper thighs and started running down the hallways, shouting at people in his path, “Make way! Make way!”

  When he got to Marcot and Percia’s suite, he saw that Percie sat in the common room, her head in her hands, weeping, while his mother rubbed her shoulders and Cerúlia sat on her other side, gripping her thigh.

  When Cerúlia realized that Tilim carried Catalina against his chest, she sprang up in alarm.

  “Tilim, what are you doing? No, no! You can’t take her in there!!!”

  When he didn’t even pause at her command, Cerúlia pulled out her dagger. Tilim didn’t quite believe that his sister would stab him, but he rushed even faster into his nephew’s dim bedchamber. Marcot sat next to the bed, his face frozen in misery, holding Larkeen’s hand. The boy’s breath came in ragged gasps.

  As Tilim dropped the princella down on Larkeen’s bed Cerúlia and his other kinfolk crowded together at the doorway.

  Catalina crawled up the bed covers until she sat beside Larkeen, dropping bits of apple out of her chubby hands. Then she patted her cousin on the forehead, crooning softly. “Lar-keen, Lar-keen.” Little bits of chewed apple sprayed about. “They won’t let you play with me. Don’t you feel good? Go away, ouchie. Larkeen and me want to play.

  “Lar-keen, Lar-keen. Don’t you want to play with me?”

  Immediately, Larkeen’s breath steadied. Catalina watched him, still chewing, with a saucy grin on her face. A few moments later he opened his eyes.

  “Why are you sitting on my arm, Little Lina?” he asked. “You’re heavy—slide off, will ya?” Rubbing his eyes, Larkeen noticed the crowd of breathless adults. “I’m awful hungry. Could I have apple fritters?”

  As Percia and Marcot embraced their son and promised him he could have anything in the Nine Realms he wanted to eat, Cerúlia picked up Catalina and twirled her round and round with glee.

  “Find Chronicler Sewel this instant!” she ordered the room in general. “
This princella must have her Definition! ‘Catalina the Healer’!

  “Sweetie, can you cure other children?” the queen was asking, but Tilim had taken her order personally and dashed out of the room. He ran through the palace hallways singing to the tapestries, the portraits, and anyone passing by:

  When danger through the realm may reach,

  The Nargis Nymph allots to each,

  A Talent for the Times.

  APPENDIX ONE

  CHARACTERS AND PLACES IN ENNEA MÓN

  The Spirits

  ‘Chamen, Spirit of Stone

  Agent “Mason,” chosen realm, Rortherrod

  Ghibli, Spirit of the Wind

  Agent “Hunter,” chooses no country

  Lautan, Spirit of the Sea, “the Munificent”

  Agent “Sailor” (unnamed, then Mikil), chosen realm, Lortherrod

  Mìngyùn, Spirit of Fate

  Agent “Spinner” (Destra)

  Nargis, Spirit of Fresh Water

  Agent “Water Bearer” (Tiklok, then Nana), chosen realm, Weirandale

  Pozhar, Spirit of Fire

  Agent “Smithy,” chosen realm, Oromondo

  Restaurà, Spirit of Sleep and Health

  Agent “Healer” (Myrnah), chosen realm, Wyeland

  Saulė, Spirit of the Sun

  Agent “Peddler” (Gunnit is agent-in-waiting), chosen realm, Alpetar

  Vertia, Spirit of Growth

  Agent “Gardener,” chosen realm, the Green Isles

  In Weirandale

  THE EIGHT WESTERN DUCHIES (WEST TO EAST)

  Northvale

  Prairyvale

  Woodsdale

  Lakevale

  Maritima—includes city of Queen’s Harbor

  Riverine—includes Cascada

  Crenovale

  Vittorine

  THE THREE EASTERN DUCHIES ACROSS THE BAY OF CINDA (WEST TO EAST)

  Androvale—contains Gulltown (port city) and Wyndton (country village)

  Patenroux

  Bailiwick—Barston (major city)

  THE FORMER GENERATION ON THE THRONE

  Queen Catreena the Strategist (deceased)

  Consort: King Nithanil of Lortherrod (abdicated)

  THE ROYALS

  Queen Cressa the Enchanter (deceased)

  Consort: Ambrice, Lord of the Ships (deceased)

  Cerúlia, the princella

  PEOPLE IN CASCADA, THE CAPITAL CITY

  Bakilai, Lorther envoy

  Editha, head of Editha’s Exceptional Garments for People of Quality

  Lemle, friend of the family from rural Wyndton

  Judiciaries (unnamed)

  Mistress Stahlia, Cerúlia’s foster mother, a weaver

  Percia, the queen’s foster sister

  Lord Marcot, son of the former Lord Regent, married to Percia

  Tilim, the queen’s foster brother

  Rakihah, Rorther envoy

  Tovalie, servant at West Cottage

  Brother Whitsury, a Brother of Sorrow

  AT THE PALACE

  Athelbern, sergeant of the palace guard who becomes captain

  Jadwinga, sergeant of the palace guard

  Tade, sergeant of the palace guard

  Besi, the head cook

  Borta, baker

  Ciellō, Cerúlia’s personal bodyguard, from Zellia

  Darzner, Cerúlia’s secretary

  Geesilla, a hair maid

  Hiccuth, a stableman

  Kiltti, a room maid

  Nana, Water Bearer, the queen’s former nursemaid

  Sewel, royal chronicler

  Vilkit, chamberlain of the palace

  THE NEW QUEEN’S SHIELD

  Captain Yanath, former shield to Queen Cressa

  Sergeant Pontole, former shield to Queen Cressa

  Branwise, former shield to Queen Cressa

  Gatana, hired by Yanath

  Mirja, healer, shield

  CONSPIRATORS AGAINST QUEEN CERÚLIA AT THE PALACE

  Duke Inrick, from Crenovale

  Lord Regent Matwyck

  Duchette Lolethia, his fiancée (deceased)

  Duchess Felethia, Lolethia’s mother

  Murgn, captain of the Marauders, nephew to General Yurgn

  Prigent, former councilor and treasurer

  Vanilina, his mistress

  IN RIVERINE

  General Yurgn, head of the armed forces and former councilor

  Burgn, son

  Clovadorska, daughter-in-law, widow of deceased son Lurgn

  Yurgenia, daughter

  Cosmas, a manservant

  IN VITTORINE

  Belcazar, former councilor of Queen Cressa

  Engeliqua, wife

  Chamberlain Gruber

  QUEEN CERÚLIA’S COUNCILORS

  Alix, Steward, former reporter for the Cascada News

  Fornquit, a cheese wholesaler

  Lord Marcot, son of Matwyck the Usurper

  Naven, Duke of Androvale

  Nishtari, specializes in diplomacy

  Wilamara, also seamaster

  The Alliance of Free States, once a unified country called “Iga,” now four smaller nation states

  Fígat—contains Latham and the Scoláiríum

  Jígat—contains Jutterdam

  Vígat—contains Sutterdam

  Wígat—contains Yosta

  SUTTERDAM (SECOND-LARGEST CITY)

  Hartling, a potter and owner of a thriving pottery business

  Norling, Hartling’s older sister

  Hake, his oldest son

  Pallia, Hake’s girlfriend, a candlemaker

  Fordana, a servant girl

  JUTTERDAM

  Bellishia, captain of the city watch

  Minister Destra, formerly Magistrar Destra of the Green Isles, Agent of Mìngyùn

  Hulia, a tavern owner, once a member of the Defiance

  Quinith, former student of the Scoláiríum

  THE SCOLÁIRÍUM OF THE FREE STATES

  LOCATED IN THE TOWN OF LATHAM, REACHED BY FERRY FROM TROUT’S LANDING

  Rector Meakey

  Andreata, tutor of Ancient Languages

  Irinia, tutor of Earth and Water

  Granilton, tutor of History (deceased)

  Graville, his son (deceased)

  Helina, tutor of Poetry

  Hyllidore, porter for the Scoláiríum

  Setty, widow in Latham

  Wrillier, innkeep in Latham

  Alnum, Oro deserter

  Unvelder, Oro deserter

  SURVIVING MEMBERS OF THE RAIDERS

  Commander Thalen

  Cerf, a healer

  Dalogun, surviving twin

  Fedak, cavalry

  Jothile, cavalry

  Kambey, weapons master

  Kran, swordsman

  Tristo, Thalen’s adjutant, formerly a street orphan from Yosta

  Wareth, cavalry scout

  Lortherrod: capital city Liddlecup, castle Tidewater Keep

  King Nithanil, abdicated and twice widowed

  Iluka, his common-law wife

  King Rikil, the current king

  wife and two sons

  Prince Mikil

  Arlettie, wife, originally from the Green Isles

  Gilboy, adopted

  Alpetar

  Peddler, Agent of Saulė

  Dewpepper, a beekeeper, sister to hostler Culpepper

  Gunnit, an apprentice

  Smithy, Agent of Pozhar, now living in Camp Ruby

  Zea, wife of General Sumroth, now living in Camp Topaz

  Rortherrod

  King Kentros

  Filio Kemeron

  APPENDIX TWO

  NOTABLE HISTORIC QUEENS OF WEIRANDALE IN CHRONOLOGICAL ORDER

  Cayla the Foremother

  Carra the Royal

  Chista the Builder

  Cayleethia the Artist

  Carlina the Gryphling

  Charmana the Fighter

  Cinda the Conqueror

&
nbsp; Chyneza the Wise

  Crylinda the Fertile

  Cashala the Enchanter

  Catorie the Swimmer

  Ciella the Patient

  Cenika the Protector

  Chanta the Musical

  Carmena the Perseverant

  Callindra the Faithful

  Cymena the Proud

  Chella the Kind

  Crilisa the Just

  ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

  In the years that I worked on this series I incurred debts, large and small, to those who guided, helped, and encouraged me.

  I am grateful to Vassar College, which has always valued creative pursuits on an equal plane with traditional scholarship, for travel funds and the William R. Kenan Jr. Endowed Chair.

  Throughout the drafting, Lt. Colonel Sean Sculley, Academy Professor and Chief of the American History Division at West Point, generously shared his military, historical, strategic, and sailing expertise. (I drew specialized information from Angus Konstam’s Renaissance War Galley, 1470–1590 and Sean McGrail’s Ancient Boats in North-West Europe.)

  Professors Kirsten Menking and Jeff Walker of Vassar’s Earth Science Department led me away from grievous errors concerning world-building.

  Stefan Ekman, Professor of English at the University of Gothenburg, took the time to share his unique knowledge regarding fantasy maps.

  Professor Leslie Dunn of Vassar’s English Department, a Shakespeare scholar, studied my poetry with the seriousness and skill she applies to more exalted works.

  Professor Darrell James, who teaches stage combat in Drama, showed me his swords and taught me about their use.

  I was fortunate indeed to find Penelope Duus, Vassar ’17, who was trained in cartography. She started the map of Ennea Món when she was a senior and has patiently, loyally tweaked it for years. For the final corrections I am grateful to Amy Laughlin of Vassar’s Academic Computing office.

  A professional editor, Linda Branham, critiqued the first fifty pages. Friends who read drafts—in whole or in part—provided comments and encouragement that kept my roots watered. Thank you for your time, Fred Chromey, Joanne Davies, Madelynn Meigs ’18, and Molly Shanley. Feedback from Madeline Kozloff, Daniel Kozloff, Bobbie Lucas ’16, and Dawn Freer came at particularly timely moments or was particularly influential.