1- Henrietta and the Queen - Draft

We shall begin where any good tale begins, at the beginning. A highly watched and anticipated birth was about to take place on Wahid. Queen Narcissus, ruler of Jahim was expecting her first child on Christmas Day. The whole world prayed for this child in every possible way.

There’s something happening here.

But what it is ain’t exactly clear.

There’s a man with a gun over there.

Telling me I got to beware.

The sounds of Buffalo Springfield filled the nursery. It was Henrietta’s favorite song. Wahid was changing. What little strides she made as a woman, a Black woman, a lesbian and a citizen, felt like they would be short lived. So many strides for equality had been accomplished in her short life but she saw the pushback. She felt ominous about the future. She tried to be more optimistic for the baby growing inside of her and for Frannie but no one lives without fear.

Frannie was Henrietta’s world. They had been through a lot since they first kissed all those years ago. Very few people knew the truth about their relationship. Many assumed that Henrietta was Frannie’s maid. Frannie was seen as a woman who was too kind and compassionate for taking in a single, pregnant Black woman by the more liberally minded in their community. Even some members of the gay community who knew of their relationship were squeamish about their difference in color. They would ask them why they didn’t find a nice girl who was the same race as they were.

A few years ago they decided to go to a gay bar to be among others like them. They longed for the freedom to be themselves. Unfortunately the bar was raided by the police. Since Henrietta worked for the queen, she couldn’t afford to get arrested. Frannie was from a well known, wealthy family and looked it. She had to tell the police that Henrietta was her servant and that she didn’t know what kind of bar it was. The police chose to believe her instead of being accused of harassing a member of a prominent family.

When Henrietta’s favorite lines came on, she belted them out at the top of her lungs.

There’s battle lines being drawn.

Nobody’s right if everybody’s wrong.

This, out of all moments was when the queen made her entrance by slamming open the nursery door. ”Why is this song being played in not only my kingdom, but my very own palace?” Queen Narcissus shouted.

Thankfully, Henrietta was good at thinking on her feet. She had a lifetime of practice.

“Why wouldn’t it be played here? It should be our national anthem. The young people speaking their minds ARE getting so much resistance from behind. I think that everyone needs to wake up and see what’s happening.”

The Queen’s blood was about to boil over at Henrietta’s oh-so-true statement until Henrietta began to lie.

“The young people, like me are tired of hearing all of the lies and fake news about you. If we don’t denigrate you in school, we get a lot of resistance for it. We’ve been protesting in the streets to get them to stop, Your Majesty but it’s tough out there.”

Henrietta even managed to shed a tear for her benefit. The Queen smiled, quite content with herself before quietly inspecting the room and leaving without saying another word.

Henrietta was overcome with emotions just then. She knew how evil the Queen was and how she would only keep making life harder and harder on everyone. She fell to her knees and did the only thing that she could think of, she prayed with every fiber in her being with unmatched love and sincerity for the child of the Queen, her own child and the future of Wahid.

She put all of her hopes and dreams in those two children at that one moment and miracles happened from that ripple in the pond, for the gods had heard her. They always heard her prayers.

Henrietta was bawling uncontrollably as she prayed. It was the most sincere and heartfelt prayer that anyone could muster, even if it was unintelligible. The gods don’t listen to words though, they listen to the heart. Henrietta’s heart was heard in Al Bidaya by every being that inhabited it. Her plea was too strong to be ignored.

Henrietta was slowly able to stifle her sobs and look up for her answers. What she saw would never be believed in a million years by anyone on Wahid. The room was full of lights. Some lights were extremely small, like that of a distant firefly while others were the size of humans. She felt a wave of happiness, contentment and ease envelope her. Her mind cleared of all thoughts. She was at peace. It was Nirvana.

One of the human sized lights came up to her as if to speak but never uttered a word. It took a tiara from its head and held it to the sides of Henrietta’s head. At that moment, Henrietta just knew. She knew everything that was happening and about to happen as if she had known these things all along. Nothing surprised or shocked her, although it probably should have.

She knew that these lights were fairies, sent by Umm Kul Hayat herself to protect her and her children. While humans are given two fairies to protect and guide them, Henrietta received a palace full. That was how important she was to the gods and all of Wahid.

Henrietta knew that the light would conquer the darkness. She knew that she would be instrumental in this fight but not how. The fairy gave her just enough information to put her mind at ease and help her be prepared for the battles to come. The details would have to wait.

The fairies shown their lights as long as Henrietta needed to let it all sink in and compose herself. As she grew in strength and confidence, the lights faded more and more until they were all gone. She knew that they remained with her, just hidden from view so that she could concentrate on what lay ahead.