Noble Affairs

1. The Ballad of Lillian

Fireflies dance about as sparks burst into the air. Magic seems to have filled the cold night sky as people chat to one another, prance to the sound of rustic strings, and keenly watch a play. Stalls with steaming food attract the attention of young adults while children occupy themselves with a game of tag. All but one, however, sits neatly on the ground, enthralled by the scene of the play before her. Her dark brown hair and equally dark brown eyes almost camouflage her in the black night, only lit by torches and lanterns. Her eyes rapidly follow the movements of the actors on stage.

"My cousin from Itasa wrote to me," a woman speaks nearby. She sits tamely on a chair beside another woman around her age. Together, they sort through a wooden crate filled with grapes, separating vines and leaves from the fruit. They toss the purple orbs into another crate.

"Never has that woman bore you any good whispers," her companion responds. The woman nods in agreement. Yes, but this time she has brought me a fortune with her words!" she proclaims. Her friend pauses to listen intently. "Her majesty has lost the babe!" Both shout in delight at the misfortune of another woman, if they could consider the Queen a human to begin with.

"Praises to Hilo! We didn't need another royal mouth to feed with our silver." She responds as she resumes her work. Her smile never fades as they continue their chat.

The little girl digests none of the women's words. Her ears are solely for the story of the play. She clings to every word. On the stage are two characters: Ilder, who wears a thorny bougainvillea crown, and Ahnentha, who a hummingbird follows.

Liora, the hummingbird, has been her loving companion since Ahnentha's creation millions of centuries ago.

Ilder is far older than the youthful actress. He sports a graying beard and his skin sags from his bones. His sunken eyes bore into Ahnentha's with unwavering disgust.

Ahnentha displays aggression and displeasure towards Ilder. He bares his teeth to her, "We are Gods, Ahnentha! Do not equate yourself to mortals!" He storms towards her.

"The mortals are restless! I wished to see it with my own eyes." Ahnentha huffs. The young girl recites these words concurrently.

The sound of flapping cloth pulls the girl's attention away from the performance. It is a banner hanging above the stage. With painted letters, it reads The Ballad of Ahnentha. She squints her eyes as she makes out the shapes of the letters. Though she can't read quickly, she can recognize familiar circles and lines.

A sudden scream from Ahnentha brings her attention back to the stage. She is on her knees with multiple guards swarming her like vultures, "What do you think you're doing?" Ahnentha screeches as she flails her arms in an attempt to free herself.

"It is for your own good," Ilder states with a practiced impassiveness.

"Unhand me! Ilder!" She blows through guard after guard. Just as her fingers graze Ilder, she is pulled back by more guards. Ilder turns his back on Ahnentha. She screams, "God of guile and deceit! Do not leave me like this!"

Ahnentha continues to shout curses as she is detained and ultimately subdued. Guards yank her arms painfully behind her back and drag her off of the stage.

"Lilly!" The little girl hears the faint shout of a familiar voice but pays no mind - not when her favorite scene is about to play.

Set pieces are picked up and replaced. The fabric backdrop is reeled in, and another is revealed. Ahnentha is now displayed in a jail cell.

Alone and cold.

Her hands were pressed to the flooring as she buried her face on top of them. She cries painfully into the floor. The straw scattered about on the floor fails to muffle her wails. She abruptly lifts her head, panting. Ahnentha claws at her throat and chest as she screams in agony, leaving a trail of red marks in their wake. "Liora...Liora...Liora!" she howls for her familiar, nowhere to be seen.