The sun blazes off the clay roofs, adding an extra sparkle to an already magical place.
Clusters of people line the sidewalks on either side of the wide street, congregating under the shade from the mature trees. Small children are perched upon their parents’ shoulders or hanging from the tree branches. They smile and cheer at our passing entourage. Their joy is contagious, and I smile from ear to ear and wave back excitedly.
Men in the crowd are clad in leathers or muted linen tunics and trousers, their polished knee-high leather boots gleaming in the sunlight. The women wear a combination of flowing dresses or skirts in a delightful array of colors.
Mina leans in to whisper, “Try to figure out who came from which war. It makes boring public events much more fun.”
I’m really enjoying getting to see the people, and I am not the least bit bored, but I ask, “Which wars?”
She rolls her eyes playfully and scoffs at me. “The time span for the recruitment period was quite large. I’d say anything from Egypt’s first dynasty, so 1250 BCE,” she taps her chin, “to the Battle of Hingakaka in 1810.”
I halt, gawking at her. “You mean to tell me that you were recruiting warriors for this tiny island for almost 5000 years?”
Her grin is wicked. “I’m not that old,” she huffs, and her short hair floats up and around her in the breeze, making her already young face appear even younger.
“How old are you, exactly?” I study her expression, and she flicks a stray hair away from her face.
“I’m one of the youngest. I just celebrated my 116th birthday. Mathilda is 200-something. I think. I don’t really remember. We don’t usually keep track.”
My mouth pops open in shock. “I thought you were my age,” I splutter out.
She shrugs. “It’s kind of the same, really. We don’t age here as you did in the human realm. I’m still considered a youth. Which is why I never recruited anyone. Odessa did a lot of recruiting, but she’s much, much older than we are.”
“There must be millions of people here,” I breathe, looking around at all the different faces. There is no way there are that many people here. This island looks so small from the terrace’s vantage point.
Confusion flickers across her face. “This isn’t the only island on Idirhalla, and this realm is only one of many that the Father created for his warriors.”
I glance sidelong at Odessa for confirmation, but she’s smiling and waving at the people passing, absorbed in her queenly duties.
“Oh, I didn’t know that,” I mumble.
The embarrassment of my lack of knowledge floods my cheeks.
We continue making our way down the street, then we slow as we come upon a large white tent spanning an entire alley. The people inside are speaking or arguing with vendors. Tables are full of fruits, vegetables, flowers, and spices. They pause their bartering as we pass, turning to us with smiles as they wave in our direction. Everyone seems so happy here.
Mathilda sidles up on the other side of Mina and leans over her to tell me, “That is where all the best fruits and vegetables are sold.”
Odessa even points out a few stores to me in between her waves to the people. “I know you’re used to the human realm with its rigorous customs and laws, but here, there aren’t so many rules and regulations. Some of the citizens and their families find fulfillment in opening up stores to sell clothes, books, jewelry, or running bakeries and restaurants. But some are happy to only live off the land. The royal family provides the basics, but of course, for the extra things people desire, they will barter for them with gold, livestock, weapons, handmade items, and the like.” She waves at a passing family as she explains.
Mina points out a little girl from a family that’s waving at us. “Her mother is from Egypt when Hatshepsut was the female king.”
Her revelation stuns me. There is an abundance of history and different ways of life, and they all live harmoniously in this place. She waves to the girl’s mother, but I continue gawking at her. Mina nudges my shoulder and points to the little girl who extends a tiny hand holding a red flower crown out to me.
I kneel in front of her, observing the flowers woven into a crown, similar to the ones my mother used to weave for me.
“Thank you so much. It’s beautiful.”
I reach gently to take the crown from her. She beams, her warm dark eyes sparkling, and she dips her head, insinuating I should do the same. I smile broadly at her as I bow my head, the noise of the crowd ebbing away as she places the crown upon my brow.
“Our savior,” she whispers, her little voice ringing in my ears. My smile fades as her words land a blow to my chest.
Meeting the people was not the best idea. How will I be able to walk away from this place now after seeing children like her who depend on me?
She looks up at her mother, her smile still dimpling her cheeks. I glance up to see her mother smiling down at her withpride and love. A lump forms in my throat as I work to swallow back my tears. When they both turn back to me, I smile through my longing.
“She’s precious.”
The woman bobs her head, whispering, “Thank you, Your Majesty.”
