The Queens of Ida

4

 "Mom, why couldn't I stay with you?" Emeline asks.

"Because we're in another kingdom now, darling, and some things are going to be a little different," Morkana replies, pulling a pink nightgown from a trunk of clothes. It's spattered with little red spots on the front of the skirt. "Darling, what did you do to your nightgown?"

"Oh, that one? There was a rat," Emeline says simply. "I think I need another one." Morkana pulls a black-and-blue nightgown out, setting the pink one aside. "Don't I have another pink one?" Emeline asks.

"No, darling. But this one is pretty, too."

"Morkana?" Raya asks as she bursts into the room, letting the door swing closed behind her.

"Mm?" Morkana answers as she helps Emeline take off her stiff dress.

"Where's my ring?"

"Which one?"

"The important one," Raya replies drily. "I had it on during the tour."

"I don't know where it is," Morkana pauses, leaving Emeline to fiddle with her dress's tiny buttons by herself. A look of worry flashes onto Morkana's face. "Wait, you lost your seal ring?"

"Yes, that one. The important one. Like I said. Where is it?" Raya demands.

"That's not something you can just lose, Raya," Morkana says again. She is still visibly worried, but she returns to unbuttoning Emeline.

"Yes. I know. It's important. But I did lose it. Do you think that Oodeli king will let me wander around looking for it, or do I have to be secretive and hope he doesn't notice?"

Morkana's so distraught by this point she doesn't even correct Raya's pronunciation of the kingdom's name. She stands up, abandoning Emeline again, and paces the length of the bedchamber. "Raya. You aren't able to lose that ring. It's magic. You can't just drop it. Someone had to have taken it."

"What?" Raya says in surprise, though something about the emotion seems off to Morkana, though she can't place her finger on it. Then Raya's face morphs into something else. "A theft?" She asks gleefully. "What a game."

"It's not a game!" Morkana yells furiously. Emeline whimpers, and Morkana turns away, clutching at the back of an armoire's chair. Raya glances at her family, smiles widely at Emeline, then walks over to Morkana and places a hand on her back.

"Kana," Raya starts gently, pulling Morkana into an embrace. "Kana, you forget who I am. A theft is a game. A game I always win."

Morkana frowns angrily, then sighs. "I love you, Raya," she says. "Don't you ever change."

"I won't," Raya whispers to her wife. "I never have." And with that, she pulls herself away, turns, grabs a dark cloak and a black satchel from their perch on an end table, swirls them onto her body in a quick motion, and walks toward the door. On her way out she looks back and blows a kiss at Morkana, then Emeline, who giggles. Then Raya turns back around and half-walks out the door before Morkana's voice stops her.

"Raya, I know how good you are at these 'games', but I'm still going to worry about you nevertheless," Morkana says. "Just stay safe, okay? And don't get the royals here mad at you if you can help it."

"I will," Raya responds. Morkana gives her a warning look, and Raya hurriedly adds, "Stay safe. I'll stay safe," and makes her exit.

For Penna, sleep is elusive and cruel that night. It isn't unusual for it to be, but tonight is even worse. She rolls over in the bed she shares with Mara, accidentally pulling the covers off her sister. She hurriedly fixes them before the sudden temperature change causes her sister to wake up.

Penna looks at the window, trying her old technique of letting the glow of the moonlight lull her into a peaceful serenity, but tonight there is no moon.

Penna sighs, squinches her eyes shut, and tells herself she won't open them until morning, sleep or no sleep. She tries to transport herself to a happier place: a little cottage surrounded by an ancient, mossy forest. Smoke blows up from the chimney of the cottage, welcoming Penna as she steps on the threshold, but just as she's about to open the door, she hears the window curtain open and a pale face peeks out at her. A face that is not supposed to be in her happy place.

"You're not supposed to be here!" Penna says quietly.

"And you're supposed to be asleep," the face says, smiling slyly.

And Penna suddenly realizes that she no longer has her eyes closed, and that Queen Raya has pulled aside the curtain around the princesses' bed.

"What?" Penna says in confusion. "You're not supposed to be here!"

"So we've established."

Penna's stomach turns suddenly. Her heart starts racing, but all she says to the Queen is, "I'm not afraid of you."

"Thank you, it's always nice when people aren't afraid of me," Queen Raya says, but Penna doesn't think she really means it.

"Why are you in my room?" Penna asks, her eyes fixed on the Queen.

"I lost something," Queen Raya, in turn, fixes her eyes on Penna, and Penna nearly screams because Raya's gaze is so hypnotizing. Her yellow eyes have an unhuman red sheen that almost looks like blood.

"What'd you lose?" Now Mara's awake too.

"When did you wake up?" Penna hisses at her sister.

"Just a minute ago," Mara replies. "What did you lose, Your Majesty?"

"A little thing. Nothing, really. A small ring. I lost it during the tour. Do you know anybody who would've taken it?"

"I'm sure it just fell off," Mara says, smiling reassuringly. "We can help you look for it on the tour route."

Queen Raya looks for a moment as if she's startled by the offer. Then she composes herself. "That would be lovely."