LOVE ME AGAIN PRIM

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

Fireworks lit the sky all around the kingdom of Ravia. Within the palace walls, guests dressed in traditional ravian attire sat on beautiful large cushions, which had been arranged in the courtyard of tranquility.

The pillars of the courtyard were decorated with strings of sweet smelling flowers and draped with purple coloured silk. On the tables could be found beautiful and delicately crafted silver ware filled with exotic food and drinks. Large pots of burning coal were strategically placed around the courtyard to provide warmth with a servant stationed beside them to periodically stoke the fire and throw in pinches of sweet smelling incense into the burning coal.

Prince Arin arrived into the courtyard, followed by all his wives. The nobles bowed to him and noticed his cold demeanour as he walked past them to sit on one of the cushions with a deadly glare. His wives took their time to speak with their friends and family while they all waited for the arrival of the kings and queens. The noblemen engaged in small talk and were laughing together while Peka who was sitting besides her father scowled, watching them. The kings and queens were announced, and everyone bowed to the floor as they came in.

King Dyrai wore a traditional ravian attire of a dark coloured long sleeved jacket made from the finest linen, embroidered with threads of gold at the neckline and cuffs paired with a lighter coloured silk wrapper. On his head was a small golden band with no embellishments, which exposed his thinning hair. His wife wore a silk gown with a matching colour to her husband's, which was embellished with beautiful precious stones that glittered beneath the stars. She wore no crown and wore her long, greying hair as a single braid that fell on her shoulder.

King Ceyres and his wife, Pinas, followed beside them dressed in equally beautiful Cudanian attires and sat on huge cushions placed to face the nobles. In the middle of the courtyard was a rectangular shaped pool, and in the middle of the pool stood a carved statue of a beautiful woman with her hands and face stretched upwards towards the sky.

An elderly female dressed in beautiful traditional attire walks into the courtyard. She bowed to the guests and royals in introducing herself as the chief librarian of the ravian royal library and thanked the king for giving her the honour of telling the story behind the celebration of the new moon. She spoke in a tone and at a pace that showed her experience as a master storyteller, captivating everyone who listened

'Long ago, in a time before time. There was a hunter and warrior whose name was Bewan. He was famous for the accuracy of his arrows and long range of his spear.

He protected those who were too weak to protect themselves and fought evil to protect the good. Life rewarded him with wealth, lands, women, and titles and gifted Bewan with all of his desires except one. He had no child.

Every woman who was blessed with his seed either died during pregnancy or miscarried. He was troubled and feared he had been cursed. He sought the aid of a grand seer and begged to know the reason for his childlessness.

She informed him that he was a child of the sun and no mortal woman could carry his seed. Only the daughter of the moon could bear the ferocity of his flames within her womb.

He returned home heartbroken and received the news that his favourite wife Ravia was with child. Fearing for her life, he asked that she terminate the pregnancy, but she refused, misunderstanding his intentions; causing tensions between them.

As Ravia's pregnancy progressed, her health faltered, and the tensions between her and Bewan grew stronger. One night, they argued so badly that she left their home in tears and ran away. She got lost in the darkness and arrived at a river. Upon seeing the reflection of the sky on it ripples, she looked up at the moon in tears and begged for the life her child and her husband. It is said that she suddenly heard sweet music and followed the sound into an open cave where she found a very beautiful woman, dressed in sparkling robes, playing the zither upon the reflection of the full moon in a pool of fresh water. Unable to help herself, Ravia danced to the music, forgetting all of her troubles and pain until it seemed like her entire body was consumed by a raging heat. She sat on a rock trying to catch her breath, and suddenly, the music stopped.

Ravia looked up and found the woman looking at her as the heat within her intensified, causing her discomfort. The woman stood up and used a bowl in her hand to scoop water from the pool at the exact spot of the moons' reflection. She handed the bowl to Ravia, who nodded gratefully and drank it. The water immediately doused the heat within her, soothing her. Ravia was laid to rest by the strange woman and soon fell asleep.

Ravia was awoken by the panicked voice of her husband. She realised the sun had risen and came out of the cave to meet Bewan, who had spent the entire night looking for her, fearing the worst. They returned home, and Ravia told her husband of her experience and told him the heavens had favoured her, but her husband mistook it for a dream and did not pursue the matter. Time passed, and Ravia's belly grew, but she did not show any discomfort or have the expected miscarriage like her predecessors.

Soon, jealousy grew within the harem, and after many failed attempts on her life, Ravia was accused of witchcraft. Many testified against her, saying she always danced on nights of the full moon claiming to hear music that no one else could. Fearing for Ravia's life, Bewan had her placed in solitary confinement with only her most trusted servants. However, this angered some tribal lords who were happy that Bewan had no heirs and were waiting patiently for his death so they would share his kingdom between them.

Claiming that Bewan had been bewitched and was no longer fit to rule, war was declared, and Bewan was forced to leave his home and battle to protect his unborn child.

However, he was betrayed by one of his wives, a daughter to one of the tribal lords whose name was forgotten with time. She allowed her father with the other lords into the palace to kill Ravia. Bewan returned quickly, but retaking back his palace proved overwhelming as many sacrificed themselves to protect the future of their lord. Hearing the commotion, Ravia who was now heavy and close to delivery, wept as she danced beneath the new moon praying to her friend whom she discovered was the lady of the moon to once again rescue her husband and child. The lady of the moon heard Ravia's prayer but could nothing because she could only descend when the moon was full. Therefore, she sent her son, who was enchanted by Ravia's beauty, and asked to be given the child if it was a girl. Ravia refused and offered herself in exchange, which was what the moon prince truly desired. Their pact was sealed, and the lord called his moon dogs, who landed on the earth and massacred the invaders.

Bewans enemies were killed, and he stood alone as the only surviving tribal lord of the seven tribes. He raced to his wife and met her as she struggled to bear his child. She bore him a son and a daughter, but the nurses couldn't stop her bleeding. Ravia told her husband of her pact with the moon and asked him to let her dance one last time to ease her pain. He danced with her under the light of the new moon until she fell in his arms and, with her final breath, prayed to the moon for her husband and her children.

To honour her life and sacrifice for her husband, her children, and her people, Bewan named his new kingdom after her, and all may remember her forever. To remember the night that the daughter of the moon danced her last and to continue to request for blessing of the mother of the moon upon our warriors, our sons and our nation. Our daughters, sisters, wives, and mothers continue the tradition and dance through the night of the new moon in the sixth month of the lunar year. The night of her death

Tonight, your majesties marks the third century of her death and the birth of our nation', the librarian finished and bowed to the standing ovation of her audience.

King Dyrai stood up and gave his own speech before ordering for the festivities to begin. Several female dance groups of royal, noble and military descent danced and entertained the guests and at the auspicious hour, both queens came down to the pool when the reflection of the new moon was upon it, surrounded by all the women in the courtyard.

Together holding lamps in their hands, they surrounded the pool and prayed while the men watched. One by one, they began to place their prayer lamps in the pool and returned to their families, continuing with the festivities.