Luna, Luna

 

By: Maya Stokley

 

Most people don’t remember such a tale. This tale was never spoken throughout the town as it was before. Redmi, an abandoned town filled with mysteries from the night sheets. A town who graced this Earth with fine plants sprouting every marble stone. What happened to the forsaken place of youth? What happened to the glass of glass? What happened to the one, they call Luna?

 

Shine, oh shine great golden sphere that lays at the tips of the grassy hills of Redmi. Hair mixed the fine rich colors of brown and purple with eyes filled with the chocolate of Paris. Skin kissed gently by the wheat that grows by the infamous river. Clover skips to the market with her heart consumed by the breeze of love and innocence in the air. Everywhere in sight, the villagers do their daily routine. Scooping the soil from the Earth’s roots, reviving life with droplets of water, bread baked with beans and paste and a  book to curl up with sounds of nature’s finest. Closing into the bakery, Clover replied, “Good morning, Baker Kate! Got that bean-paste bread that Mama ordered last night?” “Of course Four-leaf. Finest of the finest. With a touch of sugar to brighten that smile of yours. Also a free bottle of my secret ingredient to help kick the knockers off your waist,” Baker Kate responded with a jolly mood. A small giggle escaped her heart-shaped lips and received the riches of the town.

 

“Oh, by the way, Four-leaf, the royal family is coming into town tomorrow with a special announcement about the Night of Dance,” Baker Kate mentioned while washing his hands with a cloth. “The Night of Dance? We still celebrate the day where a weird moon goddess descended from the gates of heavens. The holiday dreads me,” she responded with a frown appearing on her heart-shaped lips. “How so? I remember the day when the King described her. Hair kissed the lights of the orb. Eyes splashed with the pigment of the river and Him guided her presence to our small town.” Baker Kate described the beauty while Clover scoffed in annoyance.

 

“Trust me. I won’t be attending until she herself graces my eyes. Besides, Mama and I are going to pick fresh berries from the nearby garden outside of town,” Clover said while leaning on the counter. “Alrighty. Be safe now. Good luck with your annual picking!” Baker Kate waved Clover farewell while she pushed the door to exit. A few minutes later, Clover walks her way up the infamous Wish Hill where her eyes spot her mother kneeling near their back door where the chicken coup is. “Mama. Your bread is here. Kate said to eat up with an empty stomach,” Clover skips to her mother with a smile. Her mother turned her head and asked why Baker Kate would say such a thing. Then, Clover went on and on about how the taste will make her body pop like a nice apple pie in an oven. She chuckled and shook her head in amusement. “C’mon now. We don’t want to be late. The sky will paint the color of lavender if we don’t hurry,” Clover’s mother said while gathering her picking basket. While she was doing this, Clover didn’t mind her mother stressing out but it was bothering that the first day of the weekly festival will begin. “Of course. It is Lunar Day. Well, the first day of the entire festival. Is the King going to show his face or hide the depth of his cell?” Clover’s mother pondered her words while Clover rubbed her back in reassurance. “I’ll explain more to you while we stroll through the garden Mama,” Clover unlocked the door and let her mother go through first. “You have my ears at full command.”

 

Clover and her mother stroll through the garden with laughter surrounding their hearts. Her mother told about her day at the farmer’s market and how the corn was rotten with the Devil’s pig feet. Once they arrived at their usual spot, Clover’s mother used her gloves to pick the weeds around the newly sprouted raspberries near the river. She commanded Clover to search the deep end of the river towards the west to find any gooseberries. “I’ll be right back Mama,” Clover responded while walking towards west.

 

Her feet guided her to the western side and she accidentally stepped on a piece of metal. This piece of metal was a pendant of the royal family. Curiously, she bit it to see if it was made of chocolate because she thought the gold there was chocolate. Coughing up the remains of dirt, the pendant decided to glow with flurries of magic circling her body. Blue speckles of snowflakes ascended and it rested on her raven hair. A few mixed with the spring breeze and she closed her eyes in relaxation. Bewitched by the color and elegance of its movements, the flurries started to move towards the west in the forbidden forest. With no control of her specimen, she walked the same path as them. “Call to us. Call to me. Guide you to our queen…” A song rung Clover’s ears, the flurries’ voice caused Clover to open her eyelids. Once they repeated it three times, everything turned black in a snap.

 

Thoughts of the song still played repeat in her memory with a sniff of honey lingering her nose. A gasp escaped her lips when she popped her body up with swiftness. Clover then realized that the night sheets covered the lavender sky. She analyzed where her body laid, a soft covering was felt under her bottom. She ran her hands on it and the cotton filled mattress was similar to hers. The coincidence was unlikely but it was true. She was back home in her cottage but it was nicer than what she left. “Mama? Mama!?” Clover sped towards the door, twisted the wooden knob, it was locked. Banging on it and crying for help, no response came her way like a bird messenger. She grabbed a crowbar from the fireplace and pound it on the door once. Then twice. Thrice. She went to pound it again but the door bounced a magic field with a purplish-teal color that flew Clover on her back on the Auburn floor. “Oh man. How did I get back here? Where is Mama? Where am I?” She shook her head and paused in shock. “Sweet poor child. A beauty as rare you shouldn’t be so violent…” Clover screamed when the floating goddess whose lips were plump like blueberries on a spring harvest. Hair kissed by the rays of the sun and skin white silk from Earth’s finest. “Luna?”

 

Luna gracefully placed her small bare feet on the floor and walked towards Clover by staring into her soul with her ice blue pupils. “Where am I? This is a dream, right?” Clover asked while straightening herself up from her position. Face to face, they both stood with Clover’s arms crossed. “Nonsense child. I am Luna. The goddess of the Moon. One of the goddesses of the universe. The goddess that you worship.” Luna padded her feet away from Clover and placed her hand on the window. “I don’t worship you. I don’t even know. I hate you,” Clover spat on the spot where Luna’s feet laid on and Luna only chuckled at her childish remark. “Why do you hate me so? It appears to me that my presence repulses you. Is it because of the story that defines me here?” Luna revealed her concerned and innocent face when she spoke to Clover. “Tell me, child…” Luna whispers to Clover and gently leans her lips to Clovers. They touch subtly and Clover’s eyes widen with confusion and Luna smirked. A snap came between her fingers. “Everyone in this town knew what you did to the King. Seduced him into depression and still, we celebrate a creature who only causes destruction her path. The idea of thinking of you disgusts me. I hope someone more powerful as you kill you off for good,” Clover revealed her emotions with droplets of salty tears rolled off her face. Her vile words caused a stir in Luna’s stomach and heart, she inhaled and exhaled the conversation. She was about to open her mouth until she saw something sparkle in Clover’s pocket in her dress. 

 

“I understand your feelings and I don’t want a fellow human to hate my influence and creation. I will erase this town’s memory of my existence, especially the King’s.” “You will?” Clover rose her eyebrow. “Yes but on one condition. I know there is a festival in my honor and tomorrow nightfall will be the Night of Dance correct?” Luna replied with her hands folded behind the small of her petite back. Clover nodded in response. “You are with beauty just like me and…” Luna caressed Clover’s hair by twirling her index finger slowly. “NO! I FORBID MYSELF TO USE MY BEAUTY TO YOUR ADVANTAGE!” Clover swiftly backed away from Luna and tried to open the door with all her might. “Listen, child. The pendant you have in your hand holds the promise I gave to the King. You must bring it to him but I rather you give it to his son.” Clover halted her attempts and turned to Luna’s direction with the pendant in hand.

 

“Return the pendant to the prince at the Night of Dance. You will be my representative of peace and negotiation towards the town and royal family. After the job is done, I will disappear forever,” Luna extended her hand out but Clover shook her head to the suggestion. “What do I get out of all of this? Do I keep my miserable life even without you in it?” Clover asked with a frown on her face. Furrowed her teal eyebrows, she agreed that her mother will be granted the life she ever wanted for her children in a luxurious setting of peace and nurture. Cannot agree with Luna more, she shook her hand and a grin spread her mouth in a mile. However, the heat started to form between their fingers and Clover winced in pain unexpectedly. Hesitantly, she glanced at her palm and a Jasmine flower appeared with vines scattered in twisted rows. “See you at nightfall tomorrow, my dear Clover…” Everything turned into darkness and Clover’s eyes fluttered back to the lavender sky with the sun still peeking from the hills. Her body laid flat on the Earth’s base where she was led. The river was still at its daily course with slow rolls. “Clover! Where on green Earth would you be here?!” Clover’s mother used the little strength she had and put her daughter in standing position. On the walk home, she scolded her daughter for getting lost but her mind still wandered about Luna’s deal. When the actual night covers came to her window, her body laid on the cot face up. “I can’t believe I’m doing this…”

 

The afternoon came on the day of importance for the young Clover but her thoughts were with her mother and their daily rounds in the town. With baskets of food and essentials, Clover and her mother were tripping every step while balancing the goods left and right. Suddenly the pebbles started to vibrate and Clover’s eyes spotted a herd of horses coming down the stony public main path. A white horse was leading the herd and it was coming towards her mother. So she dropped the goods and slammed her body on her mother's out of the road. The herd stopped abruptly and the townspeople were helping them collect their purchased goods. “What vile creature needs to get his eyes watered down for clearness?!” Clover’s mother was hot and she threw her shoe towards the man. “My dear lady, I am so NOT sorry for not seeing your feet dragging across the road for horses,” the man started to laugh with his kinsmen. Clover placed her hand on her mother’s shoulders and stood in front of her. “For someone who calls himself a man is unworthy to carry the package for sustaining a legacy. Who will even bother trying to create one with such a man?” Clover crossed her arms and the citizens snickered and murmured. The action that he portrayed surprised Clover, he smirked.

 

“Is that any way to talk to your future ruler of Redmi?” The citizens bowed on their knees while Clover and her mother stood in annoyance. “Prince William. How can the King as kind and gentle create a monster on two legs?” Clover’s mother took her other show off and started to beat William with it. The kinsmen dismounted their horses and started to grab her arms to resist her. Clover fought the men and they scurried off from her sudden actions. “ A feisty one I see. Being feisty isn’t a lady trait my sweet dragon,” William touched her cheek and lightly placed his lips on it. She turned her head the opposite way and spat on his face. “Burn in hell.” That was Clover’s final response. Her and her mother started to get their baskets and walk to their house. “I will gladly, my dragon.” William climbed on his horse and traveled back to the castle.

 

“Son! Why am I getting letters and complaints of your behavior in town this hour!” The King was livid with William that his face was turning red every second he glances at him. “One job! One task is to make sure the town hall was in order for the Night of Dance! Why is that difficult for you!?” The King stomped to his tower while William followed. Rolled his eyes, William was growing tired of this yearly festival for this Luna. Luna, the supposed woman that broke apart his father and will forever the heart of this town. Then, the King keep ranting on about the event but William’s thoughts returned to the mocoa skinned woman who challenged him. A light chuckle filled the room and the King came to his face. “You think your mannerism now is a joke!” “No father. I assure you that the lesson is learned but my mind has traveled to a beauty.” William replied to his father and his father smiled at the remark. He patted his shoulder and walked out of the room but reminded his son that beauty is deceiving in every way.  With that being said, William gazes in the small window on the townspeople, daydreaming about the beauty he came across today. Was she new? Is a regular near the bakery because everyone is? Why haven't I seen such a woman in my nineteen lifespans? “A beauty that she is…”

William drew his sword and there stood Luna rocking in the rocking chair in the corner.

 

“Mother? You gave me a heart attack just now.” William withdrew it and looked at her puzzled. She nodded and she embraced him with such love and nurture. “My son, will you come to the Night of Dance in your mother’s honor?” Luna chuckled and William did the same. “I know, mother.” William rolled his eyes but she smacked his head. Arched in pain, Luna explained to him that a beauty will appear in her honor with a message to the city. “I can’t wait, mother,” William started to leave the tower but she whistled for his attention. “Don’t tell your father that I came here and my messenger maybe a face you might be excited for my son.” 

 

Nightfall was ready to be set upon when Clover gazed in the window once again. “Even though I have to see that wretched William again, I will be going first to the festival before I am bombarded with folks,” Clover’s mother replied while buttoning up her olive green flared dress with gold bracelets around her wrists. Clover ensured her mother that she will be present later in the night. A kiss on each cheek was shared between the two and she exited the cottage with ease. “Are you ready for the event my dear Clover?” Luna, once again, appeared with no warning but Clover wasn’t fazed by the sudden intrusion. Slowly turning to Luna and shrugged her shoulders. “Let’s get it over with Luna.”

 

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