The Queen's Curse

by Hellenthal, Natasja

  ‘A married couple! I’m not married!’

  ‘Do not confuse me with someone else, Artride! I’m not responsible for this or to blame.’

  ‘You’re the one who gave it to me! Is there no other way? Can you not lift the curse another way? Please?’

  ‘I’m not like Sempervirens who could snap her fingers and do the impossible!’

  Artride stared long into his face and looked away, almost in tears.

  ‘Is it so hard to accept that this might be the only way to lift the curse? That you will have to marry?’

  She looked him in the eye and one big tear slowly rolled down her cheek when she said, ‘It means I have to find a king, whilst I thought I had found … my … queen.’

  She walked away feeling numb.

  ~ ~ ~

  Tirsa had been looking for Artride when she saw her sitting on one of the cliffs overlooking the sea. She was staring into the vast stretch of water. The sun was climbing higher in the sky; they had to leave soon.

  ‘Artride, we have to go now. Did you speak to Eolas or Roalda about this?’ And she waved the counter spell in her hand. Artride couldn’t face her, so she didn’t turn around when she said, ‘I have. He says he cannot change it, for it is basically set in stone. For it to work there has to be a queen and a king; and who knows that might not even work? For it says ruling king?’

  Tirsa sat next to her in sympathy. ‘So what, you have to marry? Just grab the first guy you can find; the curse will be lifted and you can divorce him the following day.’

  Artride suppressed a snigger.

  ‘Our bodies will have to meet.’

  ‘What?’ Tirsa’s eyes grew wide, forgetting the slab she held in her hand and what it read.

  Artride turned round and quoted, glancing at the slab of wood, ‘“Their two bodies shall be as one.”’

  Tirsa followed her gaze and read once again the words of the counter spell. She was right.

  ‘So, you’ll have to sleep with him.’ She swallowed hard with a worried look. ‘Alright, but then you can divorce him …’

  ‘Oh, Tirsa. Why does it all have to be so complicated?’

  Tirsa stared at the counter spell again and her eyes suddenly opened wider and grew brighter.

  ‘It says ‘king and queen’, alright. But since you are the queen and there is no king, if you take it literally it will not work anyway!’

  ‘I cannot appreciate why you are so happy about that!’

  ‘No, I mean, it means we cannot follow it to the rule anyway, can we? So where does it say you have to marry?’ and she touched every word, every line. And when she did not get a response, ‘Nowhere! It says “the couple”; so it could even mean you; king or queen, it’s the same thing; it’s just a title, and you’re …’ but she didn’t finish her sentence, however both thought the same thing, in unison, ‘Queen’.

  ~ ~ ~

  It was just like one of her dreams, or was it one?

  No, it was far too real for that. She could feel the wind and the cool whipping against her face, pulling at her clothes and stinging her eyes. And although the wind was as gentle as could be at this altitude, for a human this would mean freezing to death; but yet she still was human, the difference was that she possessed wings as a result of the gratitude of the TalamhClann. That seemed to include not much hindrance from the weather conditions. Surely it was the Windchildren making sure of that.

  The snow-capped mountains below looked magnificent and she felt the invisible wings on her back moving, pushing her forward, without much effort. They must be huge to carry the weight of a human and fly at this speed.

  And she was not alone.

  When she looked to her right, she saw a tear stung Artride with widespread arms flying beside her. They both held their arms stretched next to them out of instinct, but there was really no need for that. It felt great to fly by themselves. It was the utmost sense of freedom. Not only would they be on time this way, but they would be able to use their wings in the future. Secrecy was the only down to it. But at least they could share it together. They held hands in the air and felt power radiating from one to another.

  Below was the wide mountain range, the woods and they could also see parts of Zoria and Razoras in the distance. After a day they’d already recognised the great mountain range between Ceartas and Dochas and flew lower to search for the wide swamp where they left Fiosa, Tirsa’s horse. Soon they found it and landed on a safe spot, near the flower fields where she was grazing. Artride was amazed to see it was true; she had waited for Tirsa.

  The meeting was touching, and the queen thought about her own stead who had died on the way, with pain in her heart.

  They mounted and travelled in the direction of the border river. They took a different route, so as to avoid seeing the dead bodies of the poor horse and the two men. They travelled by night under the guiding light of a full moon and they reached Ceartas by morning.

  They left the Magical Land of Dochas with mixed feelings.

  ‘I have never been more afraid, Tirsa.’

  She knew she spoke the truth; however, it wasn’t so much fear for herself.

  ‘I know.’ And she remembered the words Kasching had spoken to her, “You need never be afraid again.”

  How ironic. No Windchild or magic could help her now.

  ‘I will make sure you won’t have to, trust me.’ Tirsa spoke.

  Artride was silent. She had expected that. Ever since she found out that the counter spell wasn’t as straightforward, she had been quiet.

  They camped shortly by the riverside.

  ‘What I feel for this country is the feeling you have for the mother who gave life to you. It’s unconditional love. I could never hate this country,’ Artride spoke softly.

  ‘And soon all the negative energy the curse holds on her will be gone and you will learn to love her again,’ Tirsa added, but Artride didn’t reply.

  Tirsa inhaled the freshness of the new leaves and the flower scent in the air.

  ‘This is magic. Do you smell it and do you feel the soft breeze on your skin?’ and she picked up a small pebble; smoothly shaped. ‘This pebble once was a mountain and as harsh and sharp as it; before the waters curved and shaped it. Now after many centuries it has become like this, smooth and round,’ and she moved her tender fingers around it and caressed it like an animal.

  ‘But still it’s not the end of it. It has a soul now, can you feel it? It’s old and wise after all those lives; first as a mountain, then as being part of water; rivers, streams, sand, small creatures. Perhaps even the sea before it became part of this forest floor. It’s part of your country now! Now that is magic.’

  Artride stared amazed at her, then smiled. ‘I have never thought about it like that.’

  ‘Everything has a soul; every rock, even the river and the wind, the TalamhClann taught me that … and you did.’

  Artride held her gaze longingly.

  ‘Oh, Tirs! What am I going to do?’

  She bit her lip at that, for she knew what Artride meant.

  ‘And don’t say you want me to marry some man for a day and a night, I cannot bear it!’

  ‘With great power comes great sacrifice …’ Tirsa said absently. ‘Isn’t that what Eolas said?’

  Artride opened her mouth to protest, but shut it closed again, beaten; she knew she was right.

  Tirsa glanced up at the sun and said, ‘Tomorrow morning early a waning moon will set. The first in three mornings; for the moon will have to meet the sun. And when the sun rises you’ll have to be ready to …’ The queen started shaking her head in protest.

  But more softly, Tirsa added, swallowing away her excitement, ‘You’ll have to marry tonight or ...’ And turned to face the queen and spoke vehemently, ‘Marry me.’

  With big eyes and open mouth she faced Tirsa to see if she was serious.

  ‘What?’

  ‘You heard me.’ And she got up and kneeled in front of the queen and smiled up at her.
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  ‘I know, a bit cliché,’ and she reached out for her hand. ‘But I promise I will make up for it. Artride Cumhachd, will you marry me?’

  ‘Oh, Tirs, how I hoped you would say that,’ and tears came to her eyes. ‘In my dreams – for how can we? as long as Ceartas is under its curse? The Law book won’t allow it.’

  ‘I promise you I will marry you … after.’

  ‘After?’ Artride raised one eyebrow and Tirsa rolled her eyes.

  ‘I know I promised I would avoid the cliché, didn’t I? Alright, here comes: Plan A: Let me be your queen. It won’t hurt to try. It’s after all a waning moon for three mornings … And if it doesn’t work; if the curse won’t be lifted after we, well you know … well then … there’s still time to go ahead with plan B; to marry and then sleep with your king husband?’

  ‘Oh, Tirsa Lathabris, as much as I want this, don’t you see, that technically only in marriage you will be my queen and as we cannot legally marry before the curse is lifted, the counter spell won’t work!’

  ‘Ah, but who’s to say? Am I not your best friend, your …soulmate? The keeper of your heart? Your heart’s queen? And the day after we’ll marry and when I will technically be your queen, it will still be a waning moon two days after and we’ll repeat the procedure then if necessary?’ Tirsa held her hands, stroking her fingers gently.

  ‘For magic to work, we have to believe in this!’

  Artride’s face lit up at that, and she held her face cupped in her own hands.

  ‘You’re amazing.’ And she hugged her so close Tirsa thought she would crush her ribs.

  They laughed. ‘It’s worth a try,’ Artride said.

  ‘You still haven’t said yes or no?’

  ‘Yes, yes, yes,’ she cried in her hair. ‘I love you, Tirsa.’

  ‘And I have loved you from the day we met, how can I stop now? You are the queen of my heart and I will be yours,’ she in return spoke tearfully, hoping her plan would work.

  ~ ~ ~

  As soon as they crossed the Royal valley and neared castle Tarac they speeded their pace and galloped on Fiosa towards the gate.

  The castle guard recognized their queen and quickly opened it for the two women on one horse.

  Artride dismounted and ran towards the castle. Tirsa walked off towards the stables with her mount. The guards looked surprised and alarmed at her pace.

  They bowed for her and said as one, ‘Welcome back, your Highness.’

  ‘Thank you, good men. Everything well?’

  ‘Nothing out of the ordinary happened while you were gone, my Lady,’ one said with questioning big eyes.

  ‘Good. Now, go and find me some beeswax candles!’ and she gestured at the heavy doors.

  ‘My Lady?’

  ‘You heard me: I need a black, a red, a white and a blue beeswax candle. Even if you have to knock on every door in Satrea, find me those!’

  The guard scratched his stubble and repeated her words, then nodded, thinking the queen to have gone mad. She explained quickly, ‘There will be a party. I’m getting married!’

  They opened the doors for her and nodded.

  ‘I shall see to it straight away, my Lady.’ The guard smiled, relieved.

  It felt as if she’d been away for years; so much she had changed in these last weeks. Life never would be the same again and looking at the castle she was bound to make some changes around this place too.

  She climbed the winding stairs and noticed all was quiet in the castle.

  Panting heavily she crossed many a floor, noticing the sun setting with a spreading red glow through the big oval windows on the marble staircase, and on her face. Artride moved on until she walked through a narrow corridor and stopped in front of a black door heavily locked. The Chamber of the Law Book.

  Unlocking the door by touching the lock, by magic it clicked open; only Royalty could do that, she pushed the door gingerly open. She held her breath.

  The book will soon punish me for the death of my uncle and a slow death will befall me. How slow and how soon I do not know …

  ~ ~ ~

  With a dry throat and her heart heavily beating Tirsa walked over to the open black door and peeked in. The candles were lit in each corner and flickered; one red, one black, one blue and one white.

  It was still dark; the night sky falling through the large oval window, but still she could see the sliver of the old waning moon rising in the night; its light falling on the long, black hair of her queen. And soon it would be the moment in between for the magic to work; the passing of the night meeting the new day empowered by the rising of both the sun and the moon at the same time.

  ‘You’re early,’ Artride said.

  Tirsa smiled, ‘Of course.’ And she looked in awe at how stunning Artride was; she had bathed and was dressed in nothing but a thin light blue nightgown. She had to look away as not to be carried away too soon. She spotted the small round table with the closed thick book on top.

  Artride had already removed the protecting cascade the book normally lay in.

  ‘Be careful not to touch it, Tirsa.’

  ‘I will. Er, I mean I won’t.’ And she looked at her and bit her lip in yearning.

  And together they waited, in silence, the presence of the book so oppressing, and excited about what was to come; they could not talk or do anything else other than wait awkwardly.

  And when at last the sun was on its way, they undressed. It wasn’t as if they hadn’t seen each other naked before, but this was different. Slowly, Tirsa let her clothes drop on the floor and took Artride’s face gently in her hands and their lips met. They kissed long and hungrily as if their lives depended on it, well Artride’s did. Tirsa wrapped her arms around Artride’s neck and Artride’s hands glided over Tirsa’s bare back and pressed her body against hers. Tirsa helped her out of her nightgown and started kissing her neck, shoulders and breasts and they laid down on the rug, their bodies and hair, black and gold, moving and merging as one in front of the book, the candles, the rising sun and the waning moon …

  ~ ~ ~

  When the sun rose higher and the moon went down and they had forgotten about the book and all around them, they felt a wind of change blowing through the room. They looked up from the rug. It had built up into a storm above the book; so vivid they had to close their ears against the sudden noise, and a reddish black light rose from the now opened book, lifting it up about five feet, before dropping it. Holding close to one another, the next thing they saw was black smoke rising and slowly circling from out of the book, leaving. And the reddish glow together with the thick black smoke drifted through the window, smashing it, leaving pieces of shattered glass on the windowsill and floor.

  The shock overwhelmed them, but not just the quick departure of the curse they literally saw descending; no, Artride even felt it inside her body and her spirit, something evil was leaving them.

  The two women stood and watched the book, surely empty now, but to be sure, Artride picked up one of the candles; the white one, and set the book on fire.

  It burned on its altar, it burned like a normal book would; its cover and pages scorching, blistering and crumbling to ash.

  Artride turned to face Tirsa, tears streaming down her face, who opened her arms and held her while she wept tears of joy.

  ‘It’s over Artride, truly over. Our lives can start now,’ she said stroking her hair. Artride spoke gratefully through her smile, ‘If I hadn’t had you, I would not have known what to do.’

  ‘Same here, my queen. Same here.’

  ~ ~ ~

  ‘Perhaps there will be a day kings and queens no longer will be needed,’ Artride said to her wife a couple of days later, sitting on a comfortable, broad rocking chair in the Royal Garden when they finally, after days of celebrating, were alone again. They had to speak to so many people and explain so many things and it had been tiring, but well worth it. Well, at least there had been a wedding. It was the most perfect wedding one could ever imagine a
nd both wore the most stunning dresses, one light green for Tirsa and one pale blue for Artride. Elimar was present and so was Tirsa’s mother and her sister Fiosa; they were all surprised, but couldn’t be more pleased. As for the Ceartasians, well, people will be people and some were happy for them and some narrow-minded about it, but at least they could not be happier with the curse being lifted and the explanation from the queen that all this time it had been just that and not her, who saw to the penalties. At least now they knew she wasn’t cruel, that was a start. They would have to learn to get to know her now, and so they would as the queen’s plan was to be nearer the people and choose a government to help her rule. Together they would be strong.

  ‘People will always need leaders; that is the law of nature,’ Tirsa yawned. ‘And we shall make excellent leaders.’

  ‘Hmm, perhaps. However, when power falls into the wrong hands things could seriously go wrong. Look at Volmer and Sempervirens and other dictators in the world. Those people were not chosen. They just took the power into their hands and sometimes people let them, out of fear or wanting new changes, hoping for a better future.’

  ‘Apes, monkeys and wolves, our closest relatives have leaders and they know order. It does not mean it has to be a bad thing.’

  ‘No, you’re right of course. But they were chosen, sort of, or fought their way to become a leader, without too much bloodshed. Even you, you earned the rank of commander and most certainly earned the right to be my queen.’ And she smiled warmly at her. Tirsa kissed her, caressing the ring on her finger with the blue gem; Artride’s ring. Tirsa had given her a ring in return with a real diamond in it; she had bought it with all her savings in a neighbouring city. Artride had not expected this and felt a little guilty, but very honoured. Tirsa would have riches beyond her imagination, although Artride could finally share them with her people now, whereas before she was not allowed to. Times would change; she would make sure of that.

  ‘But how can you still talk like this, after all you did both for Ceartas and Dochas? Believe me, you’ll make the best queen ever, don’t worry.’

  Humbly she lowered her face.

  ‘It is a great responsibility, one that is new to me, but as long as I have you by my side to help me, I will be alright.’