Desire and the Devil

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FEB 2025
“The devil is in the details.” – Proverb

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Word Count: 1980

On the continent of Lemuria, thousands of years ago….


Kala walked down the halls of the royal palace, her High Guards behind her. The palace was made with precision cut stone containing wide, bay windows. A cool ocean breeze wafted in through the open windows, lightly tossing her long, black hair back and forth. Kala had a suspicion why her mother had called her, and while it was something she was anticipating, she’d hoped she’d have more time. Kala had wanted to put off the event - she wasn’t ready, not emotionally, but she knew very well she was ready physically.

Kala was in her prime, and her body was honed and tanned. Her wardrobe was reflective of her status. She wore high, yet thinly laced leather boots that came up to her mid-shins, and a simple white tunic with no sleeves. Around her waist was a tightly laced gold belt and above her heart a gold circle within a cross – signaling she was the Crown Princess of Lemuria, the only heir to the throne.

Servants yielded the hallway to her as she approached the royal receiving room. Kala poked her tongue against her cheek, trying to not show that anxiety that thrummed her bones. No doubt there would be an audience. This was a royal summons after all. She truly detested formality like this, but her mother said these were ancient customs that had to be honored.

Kala paused before the door and glanced at the guard. He wore a guard’s uniform, with leather boots similar to hers. He had a on a blue and silver tunic, her mother’s colors, a gold belt, and the Queen’s symbol on his left chest above his heart.

“Your mother has been expecting you, Alii Wahine.”

“Thank you,” she replied politely, yet tersely.

The guard went inside. Kala glanced at Rua, who stood behind her, but closer than he should. Their eyes met. She turned away, not wanting to reveal her feelings. She had known Rua since childhood. He’d worked hard to earn a place in her guard. Honestly, Kala couldn’t quite describe what she felt for Rua, but a deep yearning for him - to be only with him. She couldn’t quite explain this feeling, this desire, just that she believed deep in her heart that Rua was destined to be her soulmate, and yet, no words had ever been spoken between them regarding a relationship, only furtive glances and incidental touches that she wished could have been more.

Her mother’s guard returned, motioned for her to stand next to him and threw open the doors.

“To all – Alii Wahine Kala and her High Guards.”

Kala paused to acknowledge him, maintaining her royal bearing, and walked down the aisle to see her mother, seated on the dais. The dais was simple, as her mother preferred simple things, with a wooden chair of average height, but intricately carved. To her left, sat her mother’s mother, Kala’s grandmother, Sefina, and the High Priest, her mother’s consort, Hawea. On the right, were her mother’s three High Counselors and seated on the floor, were several prominent community members from the capital city, Kawaii.

Her mother wore similar clothes to Kala, the leather boots, a blue and silver tunic that showed off her tanned arms and a gold belt. She stood and smiled. “Ah, Kala, it is good to see you daughter.”

Kala and her guards bowed. “You as well, Mother.”

Her mother sat back down. “I have just returned from my journey to the Pae and my visit with the crystals.”

Kala drew in a slight breath. The Pae was a community of monks overlooking the shoreline on a high cliff. They kept the sacred crystals which was passed down in the royal family from generation to generation. The crystals were sacred to the royal house, and one must be a blood member to respond to the vibrations of the crystals.

“What did they share with you?” Kala asked.

“It is time.”

Several ‘awes’ filled the chamber. Her mother held up her hand and the room quieted.

The queen stood again to her full height, and her voice took on a commanding tone. “As you know, it is our custom that our royal princess conceives and carry an heir after she has reached the Age of Ascension. It has been two years since our Alii Wahine has reached eighteen. I have been waiting for a sign and it has been given now. It is time for the princess to carry on our legacy.”

Kala closed her eyes, only briefly, and tried not to look down as her heart fell into her stomach. She had to be brave in this moment, and while she had faced many challenges with her High Guards from the barbarians in Yamoto, to the gray bears in the bamboo forests she dreaded the cold ceremony of conception. There had to be more to the act than such an open and distant procedure for strangers to witness. Didn’t her mother find it embarrassing for her and her high guards?

“You appear anxious, Alii Wahine,” Hawea stood and joined her mother.

“Perhaps,” answered Kala.

Her grandmother, Sefina stood. “Ah, weren’t you, Hawea? The day of conception was not an easy one for you to endure.”
“No, it was not,” Hawea’s voice sobered a little.

Kala’s mother held up her hand. “Enough.” She paused and looked at Kala. “The last day of your cycle that you reported to your grandmother was accurate?”

“Yes, Mother.”

“Then the day of conception is set for two weeks from today. It will be held in the Grand Hall at Pae. I will send out a handful of invitations to the trusted members of Kawaii to observe this important event.”

A loud cheer filled the room.

“All are dismissed except the princess and her guards.”

The community members began to disperse. Kala’s mother waited until the room was emptied then stepped down from the dais and approached her daughter’s guards. One by one she stopped before them, looking them over. Kala watched nervously as her mother inspected them. When she was done, she turned and addressed Kala.

“Your guards are fit and appear healthy.”

Kala nodded. “They are.”

“One of them will give you a fine child.”

“Yes, I suppose one of them will.” She looked at the ground.

Her mother lightly cupped her fingers around Kala’s chin, lifting her head so they were eye to eye.

“I am sorry,” she began, her voice barely above a whisper, “but it has to be like this. Hawea is not your father, you know this, he could have been, but he was not. I still honored him and invited him to be the High Priest, to balance the masculine and feminine. You can do the same if your daughter is not fathered by your heart.”

“Yes, Mother,” Kala replied.

Her mother turned toward Kala’s guards. “You are to report to Hawea in the morning. The next two weeks will prepare you for the conception. I expect all of you to do your best.”

“Yes, my Queen,” they replied.

“Dismissed.”

********************


Kala couldn’t sleep and it was hard to tell the time when the moon was not out. She stayed close to her window, watching the constellations move, until the mighty hunter, Keno Pua, was above the small inlet. She hoped Rua had received her message. She climbed out of her window and sat on the ledge, palms up to the stars, and whispered, “P’nau P’nau water and wind.” Slowly, her vibrations rose. Her body hummed with electricity and gently, she rode the wind down onto the stone steps that twisted around the castle. In her heightened state, she walked carefully so as not to make a sound, until the steps parted directions – one way toward the castle entrance, and the other to the inlet where she had first met Rua.

The inlet had proven dangerous in the past, but Kala always took the time to raise her vibrations before going there to ensure no harm would come to her. The small body of water forked in two directions, one toward Kawaii and one toward a small cove. Kala made her way to the cove.

Rua ran into her arms.

She drew back, staring into his eyes, then slowly took a finger and traced his collarbone before placing her hand over his heart. His breath hitched. With her other hand, she ran her fingers through his long, dark curly hair. He was bare chested and wore only shorts and sandals. She wore a nightgown and sandals.

“May I hold you close?” he asked.

“Yes.”

He took her in his arms and her heightened senses pulsed faster and more rhythmic in her body and she realized, in this moment, her body was craving his touch. She drew in a long breath, and nestled her cheek against his strong chest. “I had hoped my message made its way to you.”

“It was not easy leaving my quarters, since I’m under guard,” Rua whispered. He kissed the top of her head. Her body continued to vibrate at a high level, his touch flooding her with warmth. “I want to be the father of your child.”

“I want that as well.”

“Then why can’t I be?” Rua asked.

Kala parted from his arms and cupped his cheek. “This ceremony has been with us since the first queen.”

“What exactly is this ceremony? The guards think they will have to fight for you.” Rua’s voice hardened.

Kala sighed. “Nothing of the sort. It’s a cold, harsh ritual. I have to watch all of you,” she flinched, “watch all of you produce your seed. My mother, grandmother, Hawea and the monks watch as well. I can’t imagine how hard it is for the guards to produce with such an audience. My grandmother told me only 3 of my mother’s guards were able to produce. Hawea was not one of the three, but my mother loved him.”

Rua looked at her in stunned disbelief. “What? Are you serious?”

“The seed is mixed by the monks in a special bowl and then I am inseminated.”

“How inhumane.”

“I’ve been told this method sees that the best possible child is conceived. My family’s DNA is strongly attuned to the crystals in Pae, as well as the stars and moon. The father must be strong, brave, and quick witted. The guards have been trained to be such, that’s why the father comes from my high guards.”

She felt his body tightened. “I do not want to mix my seed with the others.”

“What can we do?”

“Do you care for me?”

“With all my heart, Rua.”

“Heaven and stars, I have wanted only you since I saw you pick up your first starfish in this very cove years ago,” he paused. “Kala, if it is time for you to conceive, to have a child, I have a suggestion.”

“Yes?”

“Let us mate our bodies, here and now. Let’s meet here for the next two weeks and make love, my darling.”

“Make love?”

“Ah, did your mother or grandmother tell you about this?” he asked.

“I am not familiar with the words.”

“Let me inside you so I may father the child. I could not bear the thought of you pregnant with other’s baby.”

She paused. “But our ritual – our customs…”

He placed his finger to her lips. “The devil is in the details. I will not take a chance of being your child’s father. I will be the father.”

She looked into his eyes, her body warm and excited, not quite knowing what he meant, but craving his touch that much more. She nodded her consent.

He kissed her mouth and fire shot out from her core. Rua’s lips trailed down her neck. In that moment, she knew she could deny him nothing.