The sound of the giant snail’s shell echoed in
the cave.
The warriors open their eyes, slowly waking up
from the magical slumber Iluku had put on them.
It was time, they felt their hearts racing.
The special chicha Iluku had prepared was ready
and well fermented.
They just needed to carry it to the cave
entrance.
So that Iluku could give it for the jaguar men
to drink during their feast.
In silence, each of the warriors grabbed his
spear and lifted his vat of chicha.
In an organized progression they exited the cave
and started the long walk towards their destiny.
The moonless night felt oppressive, the queen
shuddered from the weight of the star filled sky.
Somewhere her son whined and moved around in his
deep sleep.
Sleep that she had cursed him with, sleep that
he would never be aroused from.
The night sky gleamed and the stars winked
around her.
- Oh, you darlings, she sighed, always trying to
give me hope.
Her magic sang with her enchanted
bird’s voice and cuddled against her neck.
- How can there ever be hope when I know that I
will never be together with my son or my husband again, the queen sobbed and
embraced her magic.
High up in the sky Lusiru winked again.
- Brave brother, she smiled, you never gave up
hoping but kept fighting until your brother and the human race was safe. But
who will save my husband or my son?
The light of the star grew stronger and
stronger, until it filled the night sky.
The queen had to hide her face and cover her
eyes with her hair.
Finally the light dimmed and she could see the
form of a man in front of her.
His straight, long, black hair was loose around
his face and his coppery skin glowed with fire from inside him.
He was only clothed with a jaguar skin on his
lean hips.
- Lusiru, the queen shrieked.
- Lusiru, she then repeated
with a more composed voice, what are you doing here? And where is your brother,
Kuyllur?
- Our job seems to be unfinished,
the man’s handsome face smiled briefly, it seems that we didn’t quite kill all
the jaguar men but they are still here to plague the humans and make your life
impossible.
- What do you mean; the
queen asked glancing around her nervously.
There was no one to be seen
and a visitor, especially a visiting star and a hero, demanded to be treated
properly.
- It seems that the jaguar
men are behind your husband’s disappearance, Luciru, the night’s star,
explained, they have him and his men hidden in their cave. And your son was
leading his warriors to save them when he was turned into a monster by Iluku’s
magic.
- Why would Iluku do
something like that, she felt the tears flow down her face.
- She didn’t mean harm to
your son, the star answered, she is trying to help him with our father, Killa,
but they also needed to defeat the vulture men. And they are a dangerous foe.
- Why did my son get mixed
into something like this, the queen’s voice trembled, he is just a boy!
- It is a long time since
he was a boy, Lusiru corrected her gently, and he was trying to find a way to
help his people and free his father. Now it is up to us to find a way to free
him from the curse you put upon him.
To be continued....
This is the twenty fourth part of the story.
To read the first part of the story, go to The Queen With The Frozen Heart 1
To read the second part, go to The Queen With The Frozen Heart 2
To read the third part, go to The Queen With The Frozen Heart 3.
To read the fourth part, go to The Queen With The Frozen Heart 4.
To read the fifth part, go to The Queen With The Frozen Heart 5.
To read the fourteenth part, go to The Queen With The Frozen Heart 14
To read the sixth part, go to The Queen With The Frozen
Heart 6
To read the seventh part, go to The Queen With The Frozen Heart 7
To read the eight part, go to The Queen With The Frozen Heart 8
To read the ninth part, go to The Queen With The Frozen Heart 9
To read the tenth part, go to The Queen With The Frozen Heart 10
To read the eleventh part, go to The Queen With The Frozen Heart 11
To read the twelth part, go to The Queen With The Frozen
Heart 12
To read the thirteenth part, go to The Queen With The Frozen Heart 13
To read the fifteenth part, go to The Queen With The Frozen Heart 15
To read the sixteenth part, go to The Queen With The Frozen Heart 16
To read the seventeenth part, go to the The Queen With The Frozen Heart 17
To read the eighteenth part, go to The Queen With The Frozen
Heart 18
To read the nineteenth part, go to The Queen With The Frozen
Heart 19
To read the twentieth part, go to The Queen With The Frozen
Heart 20
To read the twenty first part, go to The Queen With The Frozen
Heart - The Night Of The Black Moon
To read the twenty second part, go to The Queen With The Frozen Heart - To The Enchanted
Night
If you wish to read the twenty third part, go to The Queen With The Frozen Heart - At The Mouth Of The Cave
Lovely words and your pictures are brilliant - thanks x
ReplyDeleteSo very well written - and love the accompanying photos.
ReplyDeleteThere's something about the telling of a good story that at onces transports the listener to far-away places, yet at the same time, holds them in a womb of safe enjoyment. You are my little tidepool of escapism in a busy day. Thanks.
ReplyDeleteWhat a great post and again with the photos. Love it.
ReplyDeleteGreat photos and such a vivid description of the story x
ReplyDeleteThe photos really make the story great! They are such a vivid description!
ReplyDeleteGreat story, and even better photos to go along with it!
ReplyDeleteSuch a nice read on this lovely morning and your pictures are amazing.
ReplyDeleteI love the muted photo of the flying bird. Beautiful! I need to keep checking in every day for the story continuation. Thank you!
ReplyDeleteI post a new part every Thursday. But you can check every day if you want to for other posts :)
DeleteEvery single post... blows.me.away!!! I love your photography. You've single handedly over the last few weeks had me add things to my bucket list!
ReplyDeleteI love to hear that, YAY :)
DeleteSo impressive how you keep us waiting for each instalment, and despite the wait each one links seamlessly :)
ReplyDeleteWhat a great story! Love the photos, sounds like it was fun.
ReplyDeleteReally great written!
ReplyDeleteLove reading your story, such beautiful pictures too.
ReplyDeleteI've loved looking at all your pictures during your entire series. Each picture tell its own story.
ReplyDeleteThis is an really interesting story. Love the pics!
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing your experiences and stories and photos with us.
ReplyDeleteThis is so beautifully written! I'm going to have to come back later and reread with the pictures. For some reason I can't get them to load and I know how awesome your pictures always are.
ReplyDeleteAlways so poetic. Great photos! One of my faves has to be the bird between the leaves.
ReplyDeleteI love the photos and the idea of the jaguar men going together.
ReplyDeleteGreat pictures as ever x
ReplyDeleteThe story you have created is great. I love this.
ReplyDeletehttp:///prettybigbutterflies.com
Very well written and you have such gorgeous photos!:)
ReplyDeleteThis is such an amazing story you've shared with us! Thank you! and your pictures just tell the unsaid words right along with it!
ReplyDeleteAwesome story once again - and your photos never disappoint!
ReplyDeletei just learned about chicha from a beer documentary. :)
ReplyDeleteLove seeing these segments on Thursdays!
ReplyDeleteLooks like an interesting ceremony, I am enjoying your prose!
ReplyDeleteEcuador seems like such an interesting and amazing city! I love your photos so much <3
ReplyDeleteSuch a great story. Your pictures are always so great
ReplyDeleteYou are a lovely writer!! The pictures are a great bonus! :)
ReplyDeleteI just always love those pictures you put up! gorgeous!
ReplyDeleteThe pictures you have to go along with your story are stunning! I look forward to that just as much as the story itself.
ReplyDeleteI just love your stories and photos. My favorite part was that they were always giving her hope.
ReplyDeleteOh my gosh...you keep sucking me in with this story, but the pictures you use I keep thinking part of it's real!
ReplyDeleteI really enjoy reading your posts, and your pictures are always so beautiful!
ReplyDeleteI'm so impressed you've done this many parts! How many do you anticipate are left?
ReplyDeleteI always say ro myself, ten more, but that was about fifteen parts ago, lol. I know that we have passed the first half of the story but exactly how many, I'm not sure.
DeleteI'm always so enamored by your shots! Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteGreat story and goes so well with your wonderful pics
ReplyDeleteBrilliant imager x love the story
ReplyDeleteSo interesting. I love the pictures too.
ReplyDeleteI love your writing style. This is beautiful!
ReplyDeleteYou have such a beautiful way of writing, I always enjoy your stories and your pictures from Ecuador.
ReplyDeleteYES! Keep it coming. Love how you tell this story.
ReplyDeletebeautiful words and pictures. So descriptive!
ReplyDeleteKatie <3
As short as it was it was really into the story. Great writing I really enjoyed it.
ReplyDeleteThe story sounds like it's getting exciting right now. And you always pair perfect photos with it.
ReplyDeleteYour pictures are so beautiful. You really capture the essence of Ecuador.
ReplyDeleteI love all the pictures and this part of the story is great. You are a wonderful writer.
ReplyDeleteSo great and beautiful photography as always. Each week makes me want to visit Ecuador even more!
ReplyDeleteWhat A Amazing Story Love All The Beautiful Pictures!
ReplyDeleteI really log show you use photos to tell a story. This was beautiful.
ReplyDeleteI really enjoy reading your posts. I can not wait for the next part of the story. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteYour story always fits the photo - very wonderful.
ReplyDeleteThis is a great story that makes me feel awe every time. How long was the walk to their destiny, I wonder.
ReplyDeleteYour photos are always so good. It really gives a sense of the Equadorian culture.
ReplyDeleteGreat story! Love it!
ReplyDeleteHo do you manage to find the right photos for each stanza? You are brilliant! I am just startled by the names, I think I have to write them down to remember. That's what I always do when reading books. LOL.
ReplyDeleteIt is not always easy but I have literaly thousands of pictures I've taken through the years here. And I try to find the feeling of the story, even if the picture isn't exactly from the story.
DeleteBeautiful writing and beautiful pictures. You have so much inspiration around you!
ReplyDeleteVery well written, liked the photos too
ReplyDeleteWow I'd love to visit Ecuador. This is really well written.
ReplyDeleteWhat a beautiful piece. Thank you for sharing it with us.
ReplyDeleteCan't wait to see what happens next like always. I love how you fit the photos with the story too. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteI always love the pictures in your pieces.
ReplyDeleteThanks for wanting to be involved in #TheList and we appreciate your links, but please can you make sure the posts are lists, as this one doesn't qualify. Thanks so much.
ReplyDeleteAnother lovely episode, your pictures are great.
ReplyDeleteAs always I love your photos...great piece.
ReplyDeleteI so understand the queen feeling her son is still a boy. Awesome photography as always. :)
ReplyDeleteLove coming back and reading your story, and your pictures tell us even more details.
ReplyDeleteFantastic narrative. That bit about the long sleep just sent a shiver down my spine.
ReplyDeleteI see an interesting story, beautifully written, for a moment I felt as I was part of it. I love how you illustrated too.
ReplyDeleteHugs,
Rally
Great story, and the pictures added more dimension to the story.
ReplyDeleteGreat job!
Cheers~
Pingerrain*Priscilla
http://www.pingerrain.com
Next next~ Faster, I want the next part of the story~ You are so infuriating to give us stories by parts! Argghhh
ReplyDeleteNext chapter please! I want to know what happen to the son.
ReplyDeleteI could so totally picture the scene. I could feel the pain the queen was going through... beautifully written
ReplyDeleteWhat is the festival where you got the photos in your post? are these a native festival or a religious one? - Fred
ReplyDeleteThey are from the festivities for Bilingual Education here in Tena. It's a cultural one, they celebrate their culture and language. All the programs are in Kichwa, the participants use traditional clothing and the programs need to be done culturally correct.
DeleteLove this story so far! Great pictures to go along with it!
ReplyDeleteA magical story, you manage to perfectly portray the characters surrounded by a veil of magic around them. I love the portrayal of the Queen. The jaguar men are so mysterious to me, and it is so interesting what will happen to the man who was leading his warriors to save the husband but was turned into a monster by Iluku’s magic instead.
ReplyDeleteOh how I've missed The Queen With a Frozen Heart! I always look forward to the photos that you share and as always, they capture so much of Ecuador. Thank you for sharing them with us.
ReplyDeleteSuch a riveting tale with wonderful photos. You have quieted my need for a good read once again..
ReplyDeleteI feel that it's a matter of time before they free their father. You always have your unique way of telling the stories and it makes it more interesting.
ReplyDeleteLove how you told the story! I'm completely drawn in and I cannot wait for the next leg of this story! :)
ReplyDeleteI love your story! You right so well and the photos you include are awesome! Keep up the great work!!
ReplyDeleteAnother beautifully written story accompanied by equally as stunning photos.
ReplyDeleteWhat great storytelling. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteYour pictures explain all the story in one short, even some time i do not need to look at the story :)
ReplyDeleteWhat a thrilling tale. Seriously, you should put these together into a little book!
ReplyDeleteI super like this! I love how it is a story and a poem at the same time..
ReplyDeleteWhat going to happen next? It's been an interesting journey, this series!
ReplyDeleteAs always, your pictures are incredible and your words are so imaginative.
ReplyDeleteGreat addition to the story! I am excited to read what happens next.
ReplyDeleteVery nice and concise construction of words. Very detailed and clear. It was a good story.
ReplyDeleteEvery words of the story are define the very aspect of the whole story. You deliver it with clarity and conciseness.
ReplyDeleteOh how beautiful! The artistry you put in to the words and the pictures to accompany it are vivid and smooth! Loved seeing some of the other posts.
ReplyDeleteGreat story, thanks for sharing. I love reading your posts :)
ReplyDeleteWhat is the occasion of that wonderful celebration? Is it for the tourists or a traditional exercise? Love it.
ReplyDelete