The Queen With The Frozen Heart - Down In The Dungeons

The delicious smell of cooking food wafted down the dungeon corridors.

The men around the king stirred in their cells, it was such a long time since they had eaten.

- I am old, he heard a muttering voice, hundreds of years old and nobody respects me. Who needs to carry food to the prisoners? Killa, of course. No, there's no one else around to do it. It has to be me. No respect for the age...

The aroma of the food grew stronger and the king could hear sounds of something being dragged on the cave floor.

- So which one of you is the supposed king, a grumpy voice asked from the darkness.

The men waited in silence, they had not given him up, even after all that had happens to them in the jaguar men's hands.

- For goodness sake, Killa swore, your son sent me, Amarun. I'm supposed to be here to save you.

King could see the old man dragging large bowl of food.

- My wife sent this to you, he explained, you'll need all your strength to escape.

- To escape, the king repented his bursts instantly.

- Yes, we are here to save you and get you back to your families, the old man sneered, I have bowls for you here somewhere. You need to eat fast so you'll ready when Iluku says it's time to leave. I'm Killa, by the way, nice to meet you and all that.

- Killa, one of the warriors shouted in surprise, the man from the moon?

- Yes, that's me, Killa preened, and who are you?

- I'm Rumi, the man stammered and blushed.

- And I am Umasiki, the king interrupted, what I would like to know is, why should we trust you?

The men in their cells took a step back and waited in silence.

- You don't need to trust me, Killa started serving the food, just eat and be ready. It won't be long anymore.

To be continued...

This is the twenty-seventh 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

To read the twenty third part, go to The Queen With The Frozen Heart - At The Mouth Of The Cave

To read the twenty fourth part, go to The Queen With The Frozen Heart - The Visiting Star

To read the twenty fifth part, go to The Queen With The Frozen Heart - Time To Leave The Home

To read the twenty-sixth part, go to The Queen With The Frozen Heart - A Suitable Wife

The Queen With The Frozen Heart - Time To Leave The Home

Silently the warriors passed under the canopy of the giant trees.

The early morning sun shone golden through the leaves.

The men warmed themselves in its rays while walking from the waterfall to the jaguar men’s cave.

 Their magic fluttered in the air, jumped from tree to tree and skulked behind the green growth of the forest floor.

The vats of chicha were heavy on their backs but they trudged on.

They have promised Iluku to have everything ready for her at the cave’s mouth by the night fall.

The walk was long but they did not falter.

It was not in their nature.

Nor was to care about the cold or the heat, the insect bites or the sun in their eyes.

They were warriors and their skills were needed, tonight.

Sisa stared at the sun’s play on the river.

She had not been able to forget Amarun or shake the feeling of threat.

The village was quiet, everyone worried about the faith of their men.

What had happened after they left?

Why had not they returned with the snakes?

Her magic had finally taken the shape of an ocelot.

Small, but fierce and dangerous, feline hunter.

Not something that the village was accustomed to see as a female’s guardian.

It purred and pushed its head against Sisa’s feet, trying to calm her down.

- My soul can’t rest, she petted the magic, not until I know what happened.

- And you won’t be able to rest then either, her magic answered her.

It had gotten its voice as soon as it had chosen a definitive form.

- What do you mean, Sisa’s voice trembled.

- You will only want to help, the magic laughed, you say that you will be at rest when you know what has happened. But when you do, you won’t be at rest until you can help and make everything right. That is your nature, embrace it.

She shook her head.

It was not a female’s place to change the world.

Her place was at home, taking care of the hearth.

- It is time you accept who you are, her magic demanded, you cannot keep hiding and living here anymore. Not with a magic like this.

Sisa looked around her.

She saw the worried faces of the women, the silent looks and eyes evaluating her.

Their backs so eloquently shown to her.

The way the women huddled together, closing their circle and shutting her out.

- You don’t belong here anymore, the magic repeated, and they all know it.

- What am I to do, Sisa bursted and then drew a shuddering breath.

- You know it, the magic shook its head, take your things and find the queen. She is the only one who can help you!

Inside the cave the king roamed in his cell.

He could hear his men, their desperate sobs when they remembered their homes and families.

There was no more hope, nothing to look forward to.

- Tonight, the jaguar kasike had told them, tonight we feast. And you will be our main course.

To be continued... 

This is the twenty fifth 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

If you wish to read the twenty fourth part, go to The Queen With The Frozen Heart - The Visiting Star

The Queen With The Frozen Heart 20

A huge boa glided through the water and slid to its place under the the boulder guarding the river.

The yellow dapples in its skin shone in the sun and attracted the eyes of the children playing on the rock.

- Pretty snake, a girl called and giggled.

- A snake, a snake, the boys shouted together, it's a boa, a giant boa!

- There are no boas here, an older boy sneered them, calm down and let everyone in peace!

- Snakes, a scream pierced the air, there are snakes everywhere!

Women looked around themselves with wariness.

Sisa gasped and backed away at the sight of heaps of boas slithering on the warm sand next to the river.

The trees around the water were filled with their colorful sinuous forms.

She could see the reds and yellows gleaming in the sun while the snakes lowered themselves to the ground.

- They are back, she whispered, but what happened to Amarun?

- Where are our husbands, a voice wailed, where are our fathers and sons? What has happened to them? Why have you abandoned them?

A flock of butterflies bursted in the air and only the wind and the sound of the water answered to the anguished question.

- I will hunt them down, a boy bolstered and threatened the boas with his spear, I will kill them all for abandoning my father and brothers.

The sky darkened and a strong wind lifted, the air filled with the hammering sound of tropical rain and the sky was pierced by a sudden lightening.

- Don't anger them, a woman's voice complained, they will call the thunder on us and kill us all!

- But what about my father, a little boy asked with tears in his eyes.

- Yaya, a girl cried, father! I want my Yaya, bring me my father!

The air around Sisa filled with sorrow while people run to their huts to protect themselves from the storm.

She could feel her magic hiding itself under her clothes like a little scared lizard.

Her thoughts were heavy and her feet even heavier while she followed her mother to their fireside.

The rain pounded the earth harder and harder and drooped the leaves and the tree tops, it raised a mist from the river and it was impossible to see around.

She peeled maniocs with her experienced hands while her mind wandered away and filled a pot with them.

It was time to put the plantains on the grill that was waiting over the fire.

An armadillo waited next to her, wrapped in banana leaves.

Its meat was still tender and tasty after waiting overnight for them to finish eating it.

What had really happened, she wondered.

Where was Amarun?

Where were all the men from the village?

Why hadn't they returned together with the snakes?

To be continued ...

This is the twentieth part of the story.

If you want 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 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 fourteenth part, go to The Queen With The Frozen Heart 14

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

If you want to read the eighteenth part, go to The Queen With The Frozen Heart 18

If you want to read the nineteenth part, go to The Queen With The Frozen Heart 19