Ecuador Joannan silmin - Ecuador in my eyes: good and evil

Thursday, May 22, 2014

The Queen With The Frozen Heart 6

This is the sixth 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.

Silently the prince closed on them and with utmost care he took hold of the moon's loincloth. Because Killa was only dressed with a leather cloth on his hips and feathers in his hair. His lover, Iluku, had a traditional blue pacha and she was full of jewelry that her lover had given her as token of his love. Seashells hang from her ears and coral, gold and silver decorated her neck from faraway places. On her arms she had bracelets made artfully from different seeds.

- Who are you, cried the moon, feeling the prince’s touch.

He shielded Iluku with his body and tried to find the arms the prince had stolen from him.

- Are you looking for this, prince showed the obsidian dagger to Killa.

- Who are you and what you want, the moon demanded to know, do you have any idea who we are.

- Yes, my lord the moon, prince bowed his head, and my lady Iluku. I know who you are. But I only have one request, one tiny question that you may be able to answer or me.

- And why would I answer to you, Killa raged, you insolent young pup!

- Because you are renowned for your wisdom and cunning, prince bowed even lower, and only you can help me in my dire need. I have heard of your keen eyes and sharp mind. And of the brave warriors heart that beats in your chest.

Next to him the bear almost burst out laughing but yawned instead. Everyone knew the story of the moon and Iluku. How he had ran away from her family, scared to death and flown hiding to the sky, in his scare leaving his lover behind and damning her to live as a bird instead. Brave was not a word people up used to describe the moon. And that is why he loved to hear himself so described.

- Yes, he said, I presume you must have heard of my incredible valor. So, what is this thing you wish to know and only I am able to tell you?

Moon's curiosity was awaken.

- Years ago, when I was but a little boy, the prince answered, my father the king rode to fight the evil monsters plaguing our land from the north. He rode and never returned again. And not even the land was able to tell what happened to him and all his men. Only thing that the land was able to say was that not a strange foot was set on our land.

The moon laughed.

- Oh, I know all about your father and his faith, he claimed, I saw it all happen from my thrown up in the Heaven. There I sat, admiring the view and longing for my loved one when the foul condors, vultures with men's bodies but wings and heads of a bird rose from the northern hills and like giant bats descended on your father's men. The land is right, not a foot was set on it. Because your father and all his men were snatched from up above and carried by vultures to their lair.

- And where are they now, prince could not believe what he heard, what happened to them? Were they killed? Or do they still live?

- The vultures are men eaters, Killa shrugged; I would say your father was gone a long time ago. Fed to their little ones I presume.

- Oh no, Iluku shaked her head, like my dear Llullukilla claims, the vultures are man-eaters. And so are the jaguar men, their friends and allies who live together with the vultures on the mount Sumako. But most of your father's men still live, locked inside the mountain. I have heard them yelling for help and the condors and jaguars laughing and bragging on their royal visitor, when I have flown by during the night. No, your father shall be the last one they'll eat. But I don't think it'll bring him happiness to watch his friends go first.

- Have they eaten many already, prince asked trembling.

- No, because they have had all the horses and cattle your father’s army was bringing along, Iluku answered sadly, but it will not be long. Like I said, I have heard them bragging and they are planning to make a huge feast of it. To show how much they despise the men and how little they fear you.

- I will show them how much the men will despise them, the prince swore, and how much they have to fear us. I only wish Kuyllur were here, to help me with his wisdom and bravery.

The moons face become dark and angered and he spat at the young man.

- How do dare you mention that name in front of me, he cried, like that little star could shine brighter than I.

And he threw himself to the sky in his anger. Prince looked at him in sorrow.

- Why did I open my mouth, he lamented, now who will help me to find the mountain and the cave where they keep my father in.

- Do not worry, Iluku consoled him, I was a human woman once and I do not wish to see my kin to perish. Even though I am a bird I will lead you and show you the way. We will just have to travel through the night. And on moonless nights you must let me to go see my lover, because I cannot live without him. Now go, find the brave men who will chance their destiny together with you, for alone you shall surely perish. And meet me here, in this same place, in a fortnight.

To be continued...

This is the sixth 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 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

Thursday, May 15, 2014

The Queen With The Frozen Heart 5

The prince had even gotten used to his mother’s sorrow. Just like the rest of the land. The people have come to accept it, to treat it like it was the most natural thing to have a queen that would never smile or laugh. And while the prince grew up and came closer to his adulthood, it was a rare time his mother would smile even to him, or laugh at something he would say or do.

She was never cruel, and had nothing of evil, so even the land had come to terms with her frozen heart. After all, the land knew the winter and cold, it was used to winter’s ice and the spring’s thaw and the coldness of the high mountain peaks. And it knew that the sun would always come out and unfroze everything again. It was just matter of time until the queen’s heart would be unfrozen, at least from the earth’s viewpoint. What would it have more than time, so the earth waited and while it waited it let the winter’s lethargy come over the all land and everything and everyone who lived there.

Only the prince was free on this enchantment, it was like in him the blood flowed with the spring’s strength while the other’s moved around at the tired pace of the winter. For him the time moved on and days passed, as the rest slumbered on in their charmed existence.

It did not bother the prince, because he knew that it made everything easier for his mother. Only thing that saddened him was that his mother did not seem to understand how much he had grown. He would return from his wondering in the forests and the mountains, to find that the queen thought that only a night or two had passed when for the prince it had been weeks or even months. Finally he saw that the time in the castle had practically stopped while his run ahead. But he knew the secret; it was only to allow him more easily to disappear to quest for his father.

On a dark moonless night, when the talk of his upcoming manhood and driven him to search for refuge in the mountains beyond the forests, he sat under a tree. He sat, his hand buried in his bears fur and listened to the rain around them. The earth under them and leaves above them were dry, just as he had asked. And because it was a mild night and not a very cold one, he had not started a fire. His certainty made the earth smile, how young was he, how sure of himself.

Prince visited the castle and his mother for the last time. He sang to her once more, whispered his goodbyes to her ear, promising to return swiftly and left. Away he wandered, further and further towards the north. During the nights he could hear a bird calling; it was Iluku, calling for her lost lover, the moon. Sad was the birds song as it gazed the shining moon.

Even though he walked through the days, taking longer and longer steps, he did not grow weary. It was like the land came to meet him halfway, the tree branches moved so not to bother him and a place was cleared for his feet. When it was necessary the earth would rotate a little bit faster, so when he landed his foot he was a mile further on the road.

It was hard to sleep without feeling tired and on a many night he stayed awake, listening to Iluku’s call. She would only sing when the moon was shining, Killa, Killa, Llullukilla, she would cry, moon, moon, sweet moon. During the moonless nights the forest would be silent around him; respecting the only time the two lovers had to meet again. On the moonless sky the stars shone bright and the prince could see Kuyllur, the wise brother, shining bright and announcing the morning to come.

The echoes of the bird's call vanished and a beautiful woman with long black hair dancing on her back stepped out of the forest. She was holding hands with a tall and handsome warrior. The prince stirred, the stranger looked so much like his father that he almost called him out loud. Then he saw the man kiss the woman and knew it could not be the king, his father. Because he would never kiss another woman besides the prince's mother.

The prince stirred as the man and the woman gazed each other to the eyes and talked in low voices. He warned his bear not to scare the couple. So intent they were in each other that neither of them stirred when the prince and the bear left their places under the tree. Slowly they crept on, intent on hearing what they talked about.

- Oh, how I miss you my lord, the woman would sight, I cry for you, Killa, throughout the night when I see you so high above me.

- And I watch you down below me, the man would answer, and curse the moment, I had to flee and leave you behind. How cruel the destiny to give us only the moonless nights to spend together.

Prince nodded, it was as he had known in his heart. It was the moon, Killa, himself, with his lover, Iluku, who was enchanted to live her days and nights as the enormous bird. Crying out for her distant lover and becoming woman again only on the night when the moon was hidden and could walk on the earth again.