The Peasant Queen

V Alcyan Ford twenty years earlier.

V

Alcyan Ford twenty years earlier.The chirping of the birds and dampness of the dew woke the young farmer. She was lying in the grass by the river. She raised herself up on one elbow and looked around, bewildered. The buckets were right next to her, overturned. She wondered how she could have fallen asleep on the way to fetch water. On the horizon, the sun was rising. Despite the cool morning air, she was sweating. Her nightmare had shaken her, and she was still shaking. This dream would haunt her for days on end.

She walked over to the river and rinsed her face in the water, despite the risks it might pose. Touching her cheeks, her fingers met small, hard growths. She panicked. She untied her blouse so quickly that she broke the laces. She looked at the diamonds that studded her throat and the golden threads embroidered in her deepest terror-stricken flesh.

She sat sobbing for a long time on the shore. Then she got up and ran towards the family home, calling for her father.

The screams alerted Jensen. He dropped his pitchfork and ran out of the barn as fast as he could. He had recognized the voice. Outside, he saw his second daughter, whom he thought was gone forever, rushing towards the door of the family farm, lifting her dress to run faster. He dashed to meet her. When he grabbed her arm, she panicked for a moment. Recognizing him, she collapsed against him, in tears. He held her tightly to him, as if afraid that she would be taken away again. Silently, he thanked the gods for this gift. Then he tried to calm his daughter with reassuring words.

He tried to bring her inside. The girl's legs could no longer support her. He took her in his arms and returned to the family home. He called out to his wife. She came out the room that served as their bedroom, grumbling. Seeing Deirane in her husband’s arms, she froze for a moment. Then rushed on her, shouting her name and started to cover her with kisses. Her fingers brushed the scarifications on her cheek. Then she noticed the small stones embedded in the skin.

“What is this?”, she whispered.

Completely bewildered, she followed the gold threads and small diamonds embedded in the cheeks. Bringing back the hair on the side, she released the ruby which adorned her forehead. She stepped aside, her hand over her mouth gaping in horror. Jensen, discovering this tattoo in his turn, hugged his daughter more tightly. Daisuren, close to hysteria, began to follow the drawing. Reaching the base of her neck, she violently opened her bodice. Jensen looked away abruptly.

“Enough woman!” he cried. “You're going to undress your daughter in front of her father, don't you have any respect for her honor and mine?”

She was no longer listening. Jensen tried to push her aside, to no avail. Even his furious look had no effect on his usually submissive wife.

A firm yet gentle voice mingled with their cries.

“Stop arguing, can't you see that she needs some peace and quiet?”

Cleriance, Deirane's older sister, was coming down the stairs. She joined them with the serene gait she had adopted since she was pregnant. She wrapped a protective arm around her youngest daughter, pulling her away from the family hustle and bustle.

“I'll take care of her," she said, "and you can join me when you've calmed down.”

When Daisuren brought in a hot soup, Deirane was asleep. Comfortably seated in the chair Jensen had made for her when he learned he was going to be a grandfather, Cleriance was watching. She put the tray on the nightstand.

“How’s she?" asked Daisuren, whispering so as not to wake her.

“She was totally incoherent. She just calmed down. She's asleep now," Cleriance replied.

“Do you know if she's been... she's...”

“Still a virgin? I think so. She wasn't r***d. Whoever did it to her at least spared her that.”

Daisuren sighed, relieved. Her daughter's honor was safe, except for the stones, of course, which should be cleared up soon.”

“She didn't say who it was. I think I understood that it was a Drow.”

Jensen's furious voice roared from the doorway.

“A Drow,” he cried, “that monster. And to think that I went to ask him for help, he must have had a good time seeing me.”

“You're not sure it's that Drow," protested Cleriance.

“Do you know another one around here? There aren't many of them in the kingdom. It can only be him. It won't happen like that. I'll get my revenge.”

“You're no match for him, he's a warrior," Cleriance remarked.

“I don't intend to fight him, I'm not crazy. But I will rally the village against him. If necessary, I'll go to Sernos to ask the king for justice.”

“The king doesn’t care a peasant girl," cried Daisuren, "he has plenty of them in the kingdom. Drows are rarer. He won't listen to you.”

“Mom is right”, Cleriance added. The Drows are valuable in his army. He would never sacrifice one for a peasant girl.”

Both women were right. Jensen had to admit it, despite his repugnance. He turned on his heels and ran down the stairs to the common room. Daisuren glanced hesitantly at her older child.”

“Go ahead," Cleriance said, "I'll join you in a moment.”

Obediently, she dashed after her husband. Cleriance stood up. She wrapped herself in her shawl; since she was pregnant, she was always cold. She watched her sister sleep. Buried in the white sheets, she looked fragile. She was too young to experience such a trauma, if there is an age for that. Unfortunately, this was not uncommon in the countryside, even in Yrian kingdom. She admired her younger sister's altered face. Despite herself, she had to admit that the person responsible for it had talent. He had done his work. His monstrosity. Without destroying the girl’s beauty. She placed a kiss on her sister’s forehead, then silently left the room, closing the door without a sound.

Two days passed. Elhrine, the penultimate of the siblings, entered the bedroom and jumped onto the bed, waking her sister.

“Get up," she cried, "it's time to get up.”

Deirane rolled over, burying her face in the pillow.

“Leave me alone," she grumbled.

“Get up, you’ve been in bed for two days, get up and do your own share of work.”

And with a quick gesture, she tore off the pillow.”

“I’m sick, leave me alone.”

“Ever since you left, I've been doing everything. It's not fair. Get up.”

At that moment Cleriance's figure stepped through the door.

“What are you doing?" she cried, "Leave your sister alone.”

“She's sleeping instead of working.”

“You selfish little girl. Get out of here.”

“No!”

Elhrine accompanied her refusal with an angry gesture of her foot.

“I don't want to continue doing her job. Let her get up and...”

“Get out or I'll call your father.”

“Call him, I'll tell him everything.”

The threat was serious, and the pest jumped to the ground and ran away.

Cleriance picked up the pillow that Elhrine had thrown into a corner and brought it to Deirane. She took the opportunity to sit next to her.

“Don't take Elhrine's words seriously," she said, "she loves you even though she doesn't show it.”

“I know," answered Deirane in a very small voice, "I felt him crawling into my bed that night.

With a delicate gesture, Cleriance freed her face from the mass of golden hair. Deirane convulsively pulled it back.

“Don't look at me, I'm ugly.”

“You’re not ugly. You were the most beautiful of the three of us and you still are.”

“That monster disfigured me.”

“He didn't disfigure you.”

The young woman lay down next to the teenager and put her arms around her. Deirane turned around, buried her face in her sister's ample chest and began to sob. Cleriance stroked her hair, saying soothing words to her.

“What will become of me?" she said between sobs.

“When you get better, Daddy will take you to a shaman to try to take this off.”

“And if that fails, I'll have it for the rest of my life.”

“You'll have to get used to it.”

“I can never, I'd rather die.”

“Oh, come on, now. Don't overdo it.”

Cleriance placed a kiss on her sister's forehead, right next to the ruby.

“You know, I wish my husband would cover me with jewelry like that.”

“Really, like that?”

“Maybe not really like that. But you must be the woman with the most diamonds in the world.”

“If you say so...”

Deirane gave a sad little laugh.

“We'll do everything we can to free you from this curse," Cleriance said. “And if that fails, I'll always be here for you.”

Saying that, she hugged her sister to comfort her.