The Journey Through Ferramoust Ch. 2

2. The Full Moon Festival [Alek]-

A while later the queen came knocking on the door, jolting Alek from his sleep. He looked over and saw that Zeeta rubbing the sleep from her eyes, had been woken by the commotion. Zyn was laying on her stomach on the bed tying together some tethers of rope. It looked like she was really concentrating because when a second set knocks at the door came, she huffed in frustration and loudly called, "Doors open! No need to knock!"

"Zyn! That's the queen you just addressed so rudely!" Zeeta said, anger eminent in her voice as the door opened and Queen Mylah stepped through the door. She was wearing a figure-fitting dark purple dress that showed off her curves and ended mid-shin and Alek figured was short-sleeved. Over it she was wearing a lighter purple thin silk robe that just brushed against the ground and fluttered behind her when she walked. Her hair was down in tight curls going halfway down her back and a crown on top of her head, almost hidden by the curls.

Zyn's face went blank with fear, she stood quickly and bowed stiffly. "Your highness! I apologize! I didn't-"

Queen Mylah raised a hand to silence her and smiled, "It's quite alright. Who would expect the queen to be coming to visit them in their quarters." Then she turned to Alek and Zeeta. "I must have just missed you entering the castle. I have been waiting for a while. Would you like to join me in my study?"

"Of course!" Zeeta replied quickly.

"Why on earth would we turn you down?" Alek said with a smile and held the door open for both ladies to exit ahead of him. "Lead the way, your highness." They filed out of the room, closing the door behind them and leaving a very awkward Zyn behind wondering if she should continue her project.

They walked quickly down the corridor back to the main entrance to the castle, then went up the steps in the main hall and took a left at the top of the stairs. The queen walked up to a maid and whispered something in her ear. The maid curtsied and walked off quickly. The queen winked at them and continued walking past several doors that led to various parts of the castle, finally reaching the end, and entering a door that led to a circular staircase and starting climbing those. They went up about three stories before they walked through another door. They walked to the end of that hall and the queen pulled out a key and unlocked the door in front of them.

They entered the queen's study, which was roughly the size of the common room they were staying in, only square instead of circular. Alek looked around. The room didn't look any different than the last time they were there. It still had the same heavy purple drapes that were wide open. There were still 6 chairs in a semi-circle around her desk. One wall opposite the window was a bookshelf lined with books of all genres.

Along the wall from just inside the door were shelves waist-high, filled with all her collection of oddball items from journeys of the past. Some were odd-shaped wood that looked like human faces. The queen swore that one looked like Bastien, it even had a line down the right side of it, similar to the scar on Bastien's face. Rocks found in the Mountainroamer's caverns were a variety of bright colors. One blue and green swirled with purple polka dots all over. There was even a drawing that a little girl had given her of herself from the Waterwakers tribe. Though it didn't look like the queen in Alek's opinion, she kept it anyway because the little girl had been so proud of her picture and claimed the queen to be the most beautiful woman in all of Ferramoust.

Alek's favorite was a painting that was of Queen Mylah and his parents. They all stood arm in arm. Mylah, then Maudi, and then Bastien. This was before Mylah had been made queen. He knew this because Queen Mylah's hair was jet black and her eyes were honey-brown. Those are the two major changes that happen when a queen is finally ready to accept her role and take claim to the throne after the spirit has chosen her. Some queens woke up with the change complete, while sometimes the throne would be empty for years while the next successor grew, matured, and was finally ready for the throne.

The light was cast mostly across her desk which was covered with loose parchment. The parchment had scribbles of writing and pictures that looked like they were quickly etched. These were the queen's visions, yet to come, and yet to be figured out. All of her visions came to pass as she saw them, there was no way of changing them, as much as she had used to try. In the center of the desk sat a big crystal ball that was covered by a cloth when not in use. The crystal ball helped her channel her visions and project them from her thoughts to others as she reflected on what she had seen.

“I hope you both enjoy milk. You are in for a real treat today." the queen said. Alek and Zeeta looked at each other, confused. As if on cue, an older tall dark-skinned man with no hair on his head, and honey brown eyes walked in pushing a cart in front of him with an odd-looking box, a stack of bowls, and several spoons on it. A maid walked in after him carrying a metal pitcher. He set the machine in the middle of the room and then looked at queen Mylah waiting for her to introduce him.

“So, as you know I go on journeys a lot. And on my latest journey, I made a trip to my homeland. After going past XianXi (Zee-an-Zee), I traveled to Vando. The village of Vando is a lot closer to water and more tropical than XianXi. Walking down the main path of the village I met this warrior in front of you. His name is Katkan. When he came home after serving his three years in Aoba (Aye-oh-bah), he decided he wanted to do more for his village.

“You see, children, Katkan’s Special power is that he creates ice. He has created a new sweet dish that he calls... Creamy ice?” She turned to Katkan as she said this last part and looked confused.

“Iced cream.” he corrected.

“Ah, yes. Well, why don't you explain it? You are the expert after all.” she said, smiling.

“Certainly, your majesty.” Katkan gave a small bow to the queen and then turned to the children. “I call it iced cream. When you milk the cow after you have finished milking you take the cream off the top, separating it. The reason you don't take the milk, but the cream is because the cream has more fat in it, which means that it is sweeter than the milk from the cow. Because I can freeze things, I was able to freeze the cream to store for longer periods of time than most people.”

He started to open the box as he spoke. “One day while defrosting the cream, I was experimenting to make a dessert dish for my family. I stuck a spoon in it to see how hard the cream was. It was soft but solid. I tasted it. It wasn’t overly sweet, and tasted nice. I worked for months perfecting it, and finally came up with this.” He reached inside and grabbed a big bowl out that contained the dessert, scooped out a couple of scoops into five bowls and put them on the cart.

The maid walked up holding the pitcher and started to pour-

“Chocolate?” Zeeta asked hopefully watching as the brown liquid was added on top.

“It is one of my favorite toppings!” the queen said nodding. After the chocolate was added, Mylah handed one out to everyone in the room. This made the maid excited to be the one that was chosen to help the queen out today. There was a moment of silence while everyone tried their iced cream.

“Oh, my spirits! This tastes amazing!” Zeeta exclaimed hopping up and down in one spot. “Do you have a shop? Oh! Do you think you could teach Zenya-”

“Zeeta, he doesn’t have the slightest idea who Zenya is, and probably doesn’t have time to teach anyone if he does have a shop.” Alek reminded her, “But she is right, this is delicious. Did you bring this to display for the Full Moon Festival?”

Katkan nodded, grinning and his enthusiasm showing. “I do have a shop, actually. Funny thing, the very day that I displayed the iced cream was the same day Queen Mylah stomped into the shop demanding to buy some. And before trying it, proclaimed that she would fund me to come to the Full Moon Festival at the castle and display my dessert there in one of her tents.”

“I didn’t demand... did I?” The queen chuckled.

“Knowing you my whole life, yes, your highness. You can be a bit demanding.” Alek responded laughing. “But the queen knows what she is doing and your business will probably be very successful when you return to your village. Thank you for the treat.” he added setting his now empty bowl down on cart.

“Thank you, young warrior. And thank you my queen. I’m sorry, but now I need to get back to my tent to prepare. I have a lot to do still, and I have to keep the dessert cold.” Katkan began taking the now empty bowls from Zeeta, the maid, and the queen.

“Of course, Katkan. And if you need anything at all, please don’t be afraid to ask my staff for help. I am most positive they will help. Am I right, Saidy?”

“Oh! Yes! Of course! I would be honored to help you if you would like, sir.” The maid’s cheeks flushed. She didn’t expect to be spoken to. Or maybe it was that she didn’t expect the queen to know her name. Either way, her surprise quickly turned into excitement.

“I would enjoy your help very much, my dear.” He replied with a smile.

“I would be delighted.” She sounded delighted as well. She began helping him gather the dirty spoons and bowls together into a pile, then picked up her pitcher of chocolate sauce, and opened the door for him. With a final bow, the two left the room.

Once the door closed, Queen Mylah went and sat behind her desk and Alek and Zeeta took two of the center seats, pulled them closer, and sat in front of her. The queen put her fists under her chin, elbows on the desk, and looked at the two of them with a smile.

“So how has training been? Are you two ready for the real deal? Where do you think you would like to serve your three moons?”

Alek answered first. “Training has been great. We have such a great team and we work well together.”

“We are definitely ready for the real deal. In fact, we're so ready, we’re ready for it to be over with. I miss Ezri.” Zeeta sighed. “But if I had to serve anywhere, I think I would want to serve in the Waterwakers tribe.”

Alek nodded in agreement. “Definitely wouldn’t mind doing some swimming workouts every day. But I also wouldn’t mind somewhere close to home as well. I think this is the year we will be graduating. I am so ready to graduate to a warrior.”

“Well, I believe I have seen somewhere that this is your year as well.” The queen said winking at them both.

Zeeta gasped. “You had a vision! Why didn’t you tell us sooner?”

“I figured you deserved a reward before the good news!” Queen Mylah laughed. “You and your team will receive your staff this evening at the kick-off feast of The Full Moon Festival.” She beamed at them both like a loving mother doting on her children.

“So, we get to stay with our team then? Have you seen where we go yet?” Alek asked, hopeful for more information about the future.

“No, unfortunately, I haven’t seen that yet. But I do have the best news for you Zeeta, and you will be happy about it as well Alek.” she paused for dramatic effect.

“What is it?” Zeeta asked bouncing excitedly in her chair.

“Your parents will be at the feast this evening. Actually, you should probably head to the castle doors. They will soon be here waiting for you. Alek, your father will be with them when you get there.” She smiled, stood up, and crossed to the door opening it for them. As she turned, she was attacked by one of Zeeta’s glomping hugs that nearly knocked the queen off her feet. She always gave this kind of hug when she was excited.

“Oh! Are they really? Thank you, thank you, thank you for letting me know!” She pulled back and looked at the queen suspiciously. “How long have you known we were graduating?”

The queen smiled innocently. “Long enough. Now go. They have just arrived and will be wanting to see you.”

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Alek and Zeeta spent the rest of the afternoon with Zeeta’s parents and Alek’s father, Bastien. They went around looking at all the different tents. Zeeta and Alek showed them their favorite spots for the several years that they had been coming to the castle. They even showed them their new favorite with the iced cream that Katkan had. This was by far one of the busier tents.

Alek was relieved to find that his father acted more like his usual self this year. Maybe it was being around old friends again, but Bastien even put an arm around his son’s shoulders from time to time, would look him in the eyes, smile, and they even joked around. As the sun descended, Alek began to rank this day as one of the best days he’d had in a long time. He didn’t want the day to end.

When the sun wasn’t far from the top of the castle wall, they all headed towards the castle steps. The area had been transformed from the open grounds to twenty long tables and benches perpendicular to the steps with plates and cutlery on them for the training soldiers and their parents to sit and eat. Alek, Zeeta, and her parents took seats as close to the front as they could, where the rest of Aleks team sat saving them a seat. Bastien went to sit with Queen Mylah at the top of the stairs just before the door.

They waited until the sun was under the wall, to let all of the soldiers and some of the villagers find their seats or gather around the steps. Alek looked up at the top of the steps and noticed that the queen didn’t look well. He could only tell because he knew her so well. It was in her eyes. They kept sweeping over the crowd, slowly scanning all their faces like she was reading a book in each one but not finding one she liked.

When her eyes fell on him and recognition kicked in, that worry that she had disappeared and she smiled down at him. Alek knew better, she was trying to hide something. He would go talk with her after the festival. He looked at Zeeta to see if she had seen the same things he had, but she was so caught up in a conversation with her parents she didn’t notice anything. So, he turned back to the queen who was still looking down at him.

At that moment, the queen looked up at the sky and stood up putting her hands up palms out quickly quieting the crowd. Queen Mylah waited to be sure that everyone had stopped talking before picking up a small cone-shaped object with a purple stone in the handle. With the stone's magic and the shape of the cone, it would help amplify her voice to be heard by all. She put it to her mouth and began her speech.

“Welcome, friends! You know all too well why we are here. Another year of prosperity has been blessed upon us by the spirit, as is another year of peace!” The crowd let out a cheer. “We have 20 new soldiers that are graduating as warriors tonight as well. As I call your names, please stand up so everyone can give you a proper cheer. Everyone, please refrain from cheering until I have finished calling all names.

“We'll start with Albart. And next is Alek, Angie, Basot, Callie, Constance, Densot, Dottie, Earo, Ebar, Ella, Jessen, Kianna, Manston, Marv, Orra, Tensym, Zenya, Zeeta, and last but most certainly not least is Zyn. Let’s give them a huge celebratory cheer.” Another cheer, this time louder than the first. Alek also cheered and glanced around at the rest of his team to see Tensym punched a fist in the air, wrap an arm around Earo’s neck, and Alek swore that Tensym gave the loudest cheer of them all. Earo’s ears were red, probably from embarrassment, but he was cheering too. Kianna and Zenya were grinning at each other. Zyn looked like she was going to be sick. She wasn’t big on being the center of attention. Zeeta was hugging her parents. Her back was turned to Alek but he knew she was ecstatic.

He looked up at the table and saw his father beaming down at him. His eyes were full of pride and happiness. He saw something else, but couldn’t place the look. ‘Possibly sorrow.’ he concluded to himself. His mom would have loved to have been here. But the way his father looked at him reminded him of how the old Bastien used to look at his son.

It took several minutes for the crowd to calm down. Once the queen finally got everyone to quiet down, she continued. “After the feast, Bastien will call all of those graduating and take them to the tents where they will each receive their staff, specifically crafted for them. But for now, I’m hungry and I am sure you are too! Let the feast begin!” She clapped her hands together twice and several groups of people spread out around the tables started to play the same lively tune.

All around him, people got up from their table to go from tent to tent trying all different types of food and placing what they liked on them and continuing on down the line. Alek decided to wait until the crowds died down a little. He looked up at the table where his father was sitting to see him no longer there. In fact, the table was completely empty. He started to scan the crowd hoping to catch sight of him.

“Not looking for me, are you?” Alek jumped. His father had walked up behind him, probably while he was looking the other way. Bastien laughed, something Alek hadn’t heard for a long time. “I’m sorry my boy, I didn’t mean to scare you. May I?” He gestured to the empty spot next to Alek.

“Yeah, of course!” He noticed as his father sat down that his eyes were clear and focused. Normally they were glossy and distant. After Maudi passed, Bastien started drinking more. He never got full on stumbling out of a tavern drunk, but just enough to help him cope with the pain. “You look great, poppa. Have you been working out?” Alek teased him, trying to pull attention away from the fact that he stared at his dad a little longer than normal.

“Actually, yes. I also gave up drinking. I’ve been cleaning myself up. I have been a total mess for years.” He ran a hand over his face and chuckled. “I didn’t expect us to jump straight to this subject. But better to get it over with quickly. I owe you an apology. I have not been the best father to you since your mother has passed.”

“Poppa, you don’t need to apolo-”

“No, please. Alek, let me do this.” Bastien sighed. “When your mother passed, I hit rock bottom. I was hurting in ways I didn’t know I could. And as the years went on, the pain still didn’t ease. Even with the drinking. Your mother was my best friend. I had loved her for most of my life. We were childhood friends, you know? Like you and Zeeta.

“It was difficult for me to pick up the pieces and take care of you after she passed. You look so much like her, it hurt to even look at you half the time. That’s why I stayed away so much. I wish I could take that back. For it I have missed out on so much of your life.

Anyway, one day I was sitting in the tavern, slowly losing myself in some mead, when a traveler came in. He was an old fellow, at least 20 moons or so older than me. He came and sat down by me and bought me a drink. He started making small talk with me by asking me what my story was. So, I told him about losing your momma, and how I felt like a failure for not even being strong enough to be around you long. After I got done telling him my sorrowful tale, you know what he did?” He stopped and waited for Alek to answer him.

Alek shook his head no and Bastien finally continued, “The old man hauled off and back-handed me across the face. I got mad, obviously, a total stranger just hauled off and hit me. But before I could decide to hit him back or arrest him, he spoke to me like a father scolding his child. As you know, most people don’t talk to me like this because of my titles, so I was taken aback.

“He said to me, ‘Now you listen, and you listen well. You need to pull your head out of your arse before it’s too late. Yes, it’s all sad and such that you lost your wife, but when the spirits are willing you will see her again. You have a boy who has been raised by two people who are not his parents, when he needs his father. You are a coward too afraid to face your future, so you drown them in your past. You disgust me. And to think you call yourself our Commander.’

“I was shocked speechless for a long moment. I didn’t hit him or arrest him. Actually, I laughed. He probably thought I was crazy for a moment. I gave him a hug and thanked him for the drink, then put the rest of the coins I had brought with me on his tab and left the tavern. Once I got outside, I realized I didn’t catch the old man's name. But I figured I would come back the next night and he’d be there again. Most people who traveled to Panri stayed for several nights before moving on.” Bastien shook his head. “The tavern keeper said he turned to help some customers on the other side of the bar and when he turned back, the old man was gone.

“If it weren’t for him talking to me in a way that nobody else dared, I don’t think I would have gotten sober. I know I can’t make up for lost time, but I hope you would allow me to be the father I should have been all along.” He concluded. He had been staring down at the empty dish in front of him, avoiding Alek’s stare. When he finished his story, he looked Alek in the eyes. His gaze shifted back and forth between each eye.

“You don’t even have to ask, poppa.” He replied and threw his arms around his father. “I’m just glad that you are here now.”

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Alek spent most of the rest of the evening with his father, Zeeta, and her parents. His father took them, and of course everyone else who was graduating to finish customizing their staff to their unique powers. All staves have the basic ability to shock people or creatures at the touch of their skin. But each staff gets a unique skill that helps aid the person's specific abilities. Alek was told by the Mountainroamer woman he saw at the tent earlier that day, that his staff allowed him to store an immense amount of energy in his staff so that he wouldn't have to use up all his energy on healing people.

The festival was in full swing. It started at dusk on the first night when the full moon stopped waning and would end on the second morning after. Most of the celebration happened on the first night. There was a lot of dancing, and singing, then when it got really late and started to get cold the people would gather around huge fire pits and all different kinds of stories.

This was normally a great part of the night for Alek. He would walk from fire to fire, listening for a story that sparked his interest. But not this time. Alek stayed at one fire and he and his father sat and talked about all the adventures his father had went on. They talked about where Alek would want to go while he was serving, about his accomplishments so far since he had been a soldier, what he wanted to do when he was done serving his three moons wherever he was stationed.

Bastien was surprised to learn that his son didn’t want the responsibility of being Commander; that he didn’t even want the lead of his team, but they all just listened to him after his and Earo’s fight. Alek told his father that he wanted to take after his mother and be a healer. This made Bastien proud. How could he not be? Taking after his mother was the next best thing after being the next Commander.

It was early in the morning when Alek finally decided that he couldn’t keep his eyes open any longer. After apologizing to everyone he made his way slowly to his room. When he opened the door, he was pleasantly surprised to see that he was alone. That meant that everyone was still out enjoying the festival. He probably wouldn’t be bothered until just after sunrise. Plenty of time for him to get some sleep.

He lay down on his bed and was just about to doze off when he heard three soft knocks on the door. It was so soft he assumed it was someone knocking on the door across the hall... until they knocked again. This time a little louder and more urgent. He got up groggily and made his way to the door. As he put his hand on the handle, there was a third set of raps on the door. This time loud. Alek opened the door on the second knock, trying not to scowl at whoever was disturbing his sleep.

The queen stood at the door, with a worried look that Alek had never seen on her face before. She spoke to him quickly and quietly, looking around as she did so, “I’m sorry to disturb you like this Alek. But I had to wait until you were alone. I need to talk to you in my study. It can’t wait.” Alek no longer felt tired.

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After Alek had entered the queen did a few things that she hadn't done earlier when he had joined her in her study. The first was locking the door behind them. The second was locking the windows and closing the heavy purple drapes casting the room in darkness; except for a lantern that was in the corner of the study, constantly letting off a soft glow. And the last was her pulling out a purple mineral stone and muttering a spell under her breath, so low Alek couldn't hear what she said.

Once she had finished those three things, she let out a relieved sigh and crossed over to her desk, falling into her chair, laying her head in her arms, and looking less like the Queen Mylah that he knew. She stayed this way for a few minutes. Alek had sat in one of the two chairs most center to the desk silently waiting for his queen to gather her composure and tell him what was bothering her.

Finally, the queen sat up, looking extremely tired and moons older than she did earlier that day. She gave him a weak smile and said, "Forgive me, Alek. I have been anxious since just after you left earlier."

Alek, face full of worry, asked, "Why are you anxious? Did you have a vision? Was it bad? What was it about?"

Queen Mylah took a deep breath. Then another. "I did have a vision, actually, three visions. I don't know if they were bad. One was about us, in this room... discussing this very matter." She paused and took another deep breath, like she couldn’t get enough air in her lungs. "I believe something bad is going to happen here at the castle. I don't know what, how, or when."

She started shuffling through the loose parchment on her desk gathering it all up into a pile as she looked quickly at each one. She left three papers out of the pile and stuck all the others on the right side of the desk. She carefully moved her crystal ball to the left side of her desk, then pulled open a drawer, pulled out what looked like a small ordinary jewelry box, and placed it right where moments before her crystal ball had been sitting.

She reached for a gold chain that hung around her neck that had a gold locket and a small gold key hiding behind it. She took a key and opened the Jewelry box. Out of it, she pulled another gold locket attached to a chain. It was identical to the one she was wearing but didn't have the key on it. She handed it to Alek. "This has been given to each queen for many generations. I had a duplicate made after my visions. That was what the first vision was about." She laid out a sketch of her speaking to a Mountainroamer, holding the locket out for him to look at. On the side, scribbled in barely legible handwriting the queen wrote, 'make duplicate.' and 'give real to Alek.'.

"This is my second vision. What's happening right now? I don't know why, but Alek, what we are discussing right now, it can’t leave this room. You cannot tell anyone that you have this locket. There is more power in this locket than any magical stone a Mountainroamer could craft. It is far more precious as well.”

“I can’t tell Zeeta? Or my father?” Alek asked, confused as to why he couldn’t tell his best friend or the queen’s most trusted advisor.

“Alek, nobody. You must not tell a soul you have this locket, or that we even spoke this morning! I believe something bad is about to happen to me, and they are coming after the locket. Or else why would I ask this of you? The less who know, the more safe you will be. Alek, this is very important. Will you keep this secret for me?”

Alek nodded. “O-of course.” He slid the locket into his pocket. He would have to figure out someplace better to hide it later. “And what was the final vision you had?”

“I know where you are going for your 3 years of service.” the queen said. “And this is why it is so important that you are the one to keep this secret for me.”