| THE LORELEI SIGNAL |
.
| Written by Sylvia Hiven / Artwork by Holly Eddy |
| A Very Special Child |
Autanna's anxiety had been a fairy-light flutter in the pit of her stomach all morning as she paced the corridor
outside the queen's bed chamber. However, as she heard the thunder of hooves exploding into the courtyard
below, her insides flared with dread―hot and scalding like dragon's breath.
A quick glance out the window confirmed her fear. King Isur and his posse had heard the news, and they had
returned.
By the Gods, Autanna thought. This will be the end of peace in our kingdom.
She took a few deep breaths and searched her heart for the right words with which to deliver the bad news.
But nothing could prepare her for the exalted look upon King Isur's face as he came dashing up the steps.
"Midwife!" the King exclaimed. "Is it over?"
"Yes, my Lord, it is over," Autanna replied solemnly, pained at the double-meaning of her answer.
"The Queen is well? And the child also?"
"Yes, the birth went just fine." At least that much was true.
The King's face lit up even brighter and a wide smile cracked his fair face open. "Oh, you must let me see
them. Is she awake? Tell me―is it a girl? I have two sons already; I would love to have a beautiful daughter
to spoil with the finest gems and silver."
"Well, my Lord, there is something―"
"Oh, don't tell me. I will find out for myself."
The King pushed past her, tossing the door open to the Queen's chambers. Autanna followed, twisting her
hands. She mumbled a quick prayer as the king approached the Queen's bed.
The Queen sat propped against a pile of silk pillows, looking tired but radiant. A wrapped bundle lay in her
arms.
The King was immediately by his queen's side. "Oh, my love. I came as fast as I could!" He placed a gentle
kiss on her cheek, and then reached for the child in her arms. As he removed the blanket from the babe,
revealing its face, Autanna held her breath.
The child was wrapped in elven blankets and the royal circlet had already been placed on its tiny brow, but it
mattered little. The babe's ruddy complexion and grumpy little face spoke the horrifying truth.
The King looked down upon the child. "Oh," he said.
"Please, my Lord, don't do anything hasty!" Autanna pleaded, taking a cautious step towards the bed.
The King looked at her, bewildered. "Why were you so concerned, midwife?" he asked. "A daughter would
have been wonderful, but another healthy boy is just as welcome."
He leaned closer to the child and caressed its cheek. In response, the bundle let out a ferocious roar of
anger. It was followed by a crunching sound. The King flinched in pain. When he pulled his hand back, he
sported a nicely gnawed fingertip.
"Oh, such strong teeth he has, my little son," he said with delight. "And such healthy lungs, too!"
Autanna frowned. "But, my Lord…Is everything alright?"
"Well, of course it is." The King proudly wrapped his arm around his queen. "It is a miracle, after all! We were
away from each other for so long, and, well…I didn't expect this to happen."
"Yes, the Queen's visit to the lands of the Dwarves was quite lengthy," Autanna said sullenly. "Nine months,
wasn't it?"
"A year," the Queen corrected her.
"Ah."
Autanna looked at the King, waiting for the inevitable explosion of realization―but it did not come. His
expression remained full of exuberance and fatherly pride.
"It truly is a miracle," he said. "All that time apart, we only exchanged letters. Many where heated, angry
words were exchanged, and there was much frustration over us being apart. Were we not indeed frustrated,
my love?"
The Queen nodded. "Not only was I frustrated and alone, without my husband. But I was also a lone woman,
surrounded by brutes. So obviously, I was on my knees every night."
"Praying, of course." Autanna's words snapped with sarcasm.
"Why, of course," the King said, looking admiringly at his wife.
"But, my Lord…the baby…" Autanna could not contain her outrage. "He has a…beard!"
The King reviewed the child with a crinkle between his slender eyebrows. "Oh…yes, I suppose he is a little
fuzzy around the cheeks. Imagine that."
The Queen looked ponderous. "Well, your uncle Dolahad has unusually fast-growing hair, doesn't he,
darling?" she said with a sweet smile. "Your son must be taking after your side of the family."
"Oh, you are right! Now that you mention it, the likeness is quite astonishing. Is it not amazing that family
traits can be seen so early?"
Autanna's jaw dropped. She could no longer contain her frustration. "My Lord, don't you see? Your wife has
been unfaithful to you!"
The royal couple both looked surprised and offended.
"Oh, what a terrible accusation!" the Queen wailed. "How could I have betrayed my husband? After all, I was
overseeing the Dwarven forests for the past year! I was completely isolated with just a legion of Dwarves
around!"
"Yes, and working hard to maintain friendly relations with them, at that!" the King added angrily.
"Working really hard, I am sure," Autanna mumbled with gritted teeth.
Large, clear tears tumbled down the Queen's pallid cheek, and her husband squeezed her hand to comfort
her. Then he drilled his bright eyes into Autanna with disdain.
"You watch your tongue, woman, lest you want to end up in the gallows for spreading such horrible rumors,"
he said. "Get out of my sight, and do not destroy this tender moment any further!"
Autanna knew better than to protest. With clenched jaw and curled fists, she turned to the door to leave, but
she was halted by the sugary sweet voice of the Queen.
"Oh, but if you see the royal barber, will you please send him up? Our son's beard already needs a bit of a
trim, from the looks of it." The Queen turned to her husband again, firing off yet another innocent smile. "Now,
my love, what should we call this little miracle?"
"Well, how about
Doreg?" the King
suggested. "After all,
the Dwarf chief was
very helpful to you
during your visit, was
he not?"
"Yes, we were very
close," the Queen
replied, her eyelashes
fluttering shyly.
Autanna groaned, and
without another word,
she left the room.
Walking down the
hallway to fetch the
royal barber, she shook
her head.
The kingdom will not be
up in arms today over
their unfaithful queen,
she thought, but they
will surely be soon
enough over their
idiotic king.
outside the queen's bed chamber. However, as she heard the thunder of hooves exploding into the courtyard
below, her insides flared with dread―hot and scalding like dragon's breath.
A quick glance out the window confirmed her fear. King Isur and his posse had heard the news, and they had
returned.
By the Gods, Autanna thought. This will be the end of peace in our kingdom.
She took a few deep breaths and searched her heart for the right words with which to deliver the bad news.
But nothing could prepare her for the exalted look upon King Isur's face as he came dashing up the steps.
"Midwife!" the King exclaimed. "Is it over?"
"Yes, my Lord, it is over," Autanna replied solemnly, pained at the double-meaning of her answer.
"The Queen is well? And the child also?"
"Yes, the birth went just fine." At least that much was true.
The King's face lit up even brighter and a wide smile cracked his fair face open. "Oh, you must let me see
them. Is she awake? Tell me―is it a girl? I have two sons already; I would love to have a beautiful daughter
to spoil with the finest gems and silver."
"Well, my Lord, there is something―"
"Oh, don't tell me. I will find out for myself."
The King pushed past her, tossing the door open to the Queen's chambers. Autanna followed, twisting her
hands. She mumbled a quick prayer as the king approached the Queen's bed.
The Queen sat propped against a pile of silk pillows, looking tired but radiant. A wrapped bundle lay in her
arms.
The King was immediately by his queen's side. "Oh, my love. I came as fast as I could!" He placed a gentle
kiss on her cheek, and then reached for the child in her arms. As he removed the blanket from the babe,
revealing its face, Autanna held her breath.
The child was wrapped in elven blankets and the royal circlet had already been placed on its tiny brow, but it
mattered little. The babe's ruddy complexion and grumpy little face spoke the horrifying truth.
The King looked down upon the child. "Oh," he said.
"Please, my Lord, don't do anything hasty!" Autanna pleaded, taking a cautious step towards the bed.
The King looked at her, bewildered. "Why were you so concerned, midwife?" he asked. "A daughter would
have been wonderful, but another healthy boy is just as welcome."
He leaned closer to the child and caressed its cheek. In response, the bundle let out a ferocious roar of
anger. It was followed by a crunching sound. The King flinched in pain. When he pulled his hand back, he
sported a nicely gnawed fingertip.
"Oh, such strong teeth he has, my little son," he said with delight. "And such healthy lungs, too!"
Autanna frowned. "But, my Lord…Is everything alright?"
"Well, of course it is." The King proudly wrapped his arm around his queen. "It is a miracle, after all! We were
away from each other for so long, and, well…I didn't expect this to happen."
"Yes, the Queen's visit to the lands of the Dwarves was quite lengthy," Autanna said sullenly. "Nine months,
wasn't it?"
"A year," the Queen corrected her.
"Ah."
Autanna looked at the King, waiting for the inevitable explosion of realization―but it did not come. His
expression remained full of exuberance and fatherly pride.
"It truly is a miracle," he said. "All that time apart, we only exchanged letters. Many where heated, angry
words were exchanged, and there was much frustration over us being apart. Were we not indeed frustrated,
my love?"
The Queen nodded. "Not only was I frustrated and alone, without my husband. But I was also a lone woman,
surrounded by brutes. So obviously, I was on my knees every night."
"Praying, of course." Autanna's words snapped with sarcasm.
"Why, of course," the King said, looking admiringly at his wife.
"But, my Lord…the baby…" Autanna could not contain her outrage. "He has a…beard!"
The King reviewed the child with a crinkle between his slender eyebrows. "Oh…yes, I suppose he is a little
fuzzy around the cheeks. Imagine that."
The Queen looked ponderous. "Well, your uncle Dolahad has unusually fast-growing hair, doesn't he,
darling?" she said with a sweet smile. "Your son must be taking after your side of the family."
"Oh, you are right! Now that you mention it, the likeness is quite astonishing. Is it not amazing that family
traits can be seen so early?"
Autanna's jaw dropped. She could no longer contain her frustration. "My Lord, don't you see? Your wife has
been unfaithful to you!"
The royal couple both looked surprised and offended.
"Oh, what a terrible accusation!" the Queen wailed. "How could I have betrayed my husband? After all, I was
overseeing the Dwarven forests for the past year! I was completely isolated with just a legion of Dwarves
around!"
"Yes, and working hard to maintain friendly relations with them, at that!" the King added angrily.
"Working really hard, I am sure," Autanna mumbled with gritted teeth.
Large, clear tears tumbled down the Queen's pallid cheek, and her husband squeezed her hand to comfort
her. Then he drilled his bright eyes into Autanna with disdain.
"You watch your tongue, woman, lest you want to end up in the gallows for spreading such horrible rumors,"
he said. "Get out of my sight, and do not destroy this tender moment any further!"
Autanna knew better than to protest. With clenched jaw and curled fists, she turned to the door to leave, but
she was halted by the sugary sweet voice of the Queen.
"Oh, but if you see the royal barber, will you please send him up? Our son's beard already needs a bit of a
trim, from the looks of it." The Queen turned to her husband again, firing off yet another innocent smile. "Now,
my love, what should we call this little miracle?"
"Well, how about
Doreg?" the King
suggested. "After all,
the Dwarf chief was
very helpful to you
during your visit, was
he not?"
"Yes, we were very
close," the Queen
replied, her eyelashes
fluttering shyly.
Autanna groaned, and
without another word,
she left the room.
Walking down the
hallway to fetch the
royal barber, she shook
her head.
The kingdom will not be
up in arms today over
their unfaithful queen,
she thought, but they
will surely be soon
enough over their
idiotic king.
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Sylvia Hiven's fiction has appeared in publications such as Daily Science Fiction,
EscapePod, Flash Me Magazine, PseudoPod, and more.
She edits the speculative fiction e-zine LingerFiction.
EscapePod, Flash Me Magazine, PseudoPod, and more.
She edits the speculative fiction e-zine LingerFiction.