Chapter 13- Glowing Queen (India)

Danielle/Ellie

India was a very cool place and it was almost hard to describe. The market was busy and loud, people were moving at a fast pace, and the few cars that passed by seemed to be following little to no driving laws. It was seriously packed. If not for my intangibility, I wasn't sure if I would have been able to maneuver my way through the sea of people. Everywhere I looked there was someone selling something. People were shouting from all sides and directions about different products. I had my backpack in front of me, holding onto it tightly. I didn't want to lose anything in it. If someone stole it, I knew I could get it back easily, but if I lost it, then it would be lost with little to no hope of being found.

A blue wisp escaped my mouth and I was almost relived since it gave me a reason to live the market. Though I could leave any time… I didn't think this through. I scrambled through the markets toward where my gut told me to go. My gut was usually right. Before I knew it, I was outside the market and away from prying eyes in an empty ally. I looked around cautiously. Come out, come out, wherever you are, ghost… My ghost sense went off again just as there was a bright light in front of me. I shielded my eyes and once they adjusted, I saw that the light was caused from the glint of a long ancient sword… Two swords actually and there's a ghost holding them… The ghost in question was a woman with light purple skin and dark black hair covered with some sort of large head wrap. A red chakra, I believed that was what they were called, was on her forehead and golden jewelry adorned her wrists, neck, and ears. Red henna tattoos were across her hands and feet and they glowed with an eerie ghostly aura of their own. Blue and black clothes were draped over in a traditional manner, held together with golden armor at her waist. There was a sash around her shoulders and back that looked like it was made for carrying a baby, but it was empty. She towered over me. The two swords she held were aimed right at me and she glared at me with dark black eyes.

"Who are you child and how is that you can see me," she asked sternly, "I do not take kindly to foreigners."

I adjusted the backpack so it was on my back and then held my hands up in a defensive gesture. She had yet to attack me and I wasn't just going to attack without a reason.

"I'm a half-ghost and I'm just traveling through. I don't mean any harm, I swear."

"You are not of Britain," she questioned with hostility.

"No. I'm a half-ghost. I'm from America," I explained, "But my family origins are actually Irish."

She nodded approvingly as she lowered her swords, attaching them to holders on her waist. She looked around us cautiously and seeing that no one was nearby, she motioned for me to follow her. Some say it's not exactly good to follow strangers, I mused, but I'm not one to listen to others. With an almost pounce in my step, I followed her with a curious grin. She phased through the ally's wall and I followed. What was on the other side amazed me. The wall itself was apparently a ghost portal in disguise because when I walked through the wall, I found myself in an Indian palace. At least it was best described as an Indian palace.

The place was just one huge room filled with very soft looking pillows, blankets, cushions, and more. Golden jewelry hung from the windows and curtains and just about everywhere really. I looked around in awe. The ghost who had led me here motioned for me to take a seat in the middle of a pile of cushions so I did. I plopped down, taking off my backpack and tossing it aside, and groaned from how nice it felt. It was nice to just sit and relax after all the traveling. I closed my eyes to relax. If I wasn't careful I could just fall asleep.

"Glad to see you are enjoying yourself," an amused voice said.

I opened my eyes to see the woman. She sat down across from me with a tea tray in her hand. She handed me the tray, which held some various different foods and drinks. I looked at her questionably, but she just motioned to eat and drink. I did so cautiously, taking the time to look over and sniff at it to make sure it was safe. It was ecto-laced, which meant that ghosts could eat it. Most of the food seemed to be some sort of curry, but some looked like flour cakes. I started to take a small bite of the curry and my eyes widened. This is delicious… I started to devour it as the ghost spoke to me.

"I am glad you like the food. I am Queen Rani Lakshmibai. It's been a long time since someone has been able to see me. I could not pass up the opportunity for a visitor. Forgive me if I startled you."

She bowed her head slightly and I swallowed my bite before I spoke.

"It's okay… My human name is Ellie. It's… It's an honor to meet you, Queen Lakshmibai."

I said her name slowly since it was a bit foreign. She smiled at me as I continued to eat the food quickly, savoring the taste.

"You may call me Queen Rani if it is easier for you, child. You are very amusing… Do all Americans eat like you do?"

I slurped up the rest of the curry and then wiped my mouth with my hand before giving her a sheepish grin.

"Umm I don't think so… Sorry…"

She laughed, the sound coming out loudly and echoing through the room.

"You are very amusing, young Ellie… You are welcome to stay here for as long as you please. I have plenty of food and many recipes."

My eyes lit up in excitement. Food? She's offering me food? For free? And a place to rest? All because I'm amusing? Oh I like her…

I ended up staying with the Queen for several days. She told me stories of her days as a real Queen, telling me how she slaughtered many to regain her kingdom, and I told her stories about others places I had visited; her favorite was when I told her about Arachne in Nigeria. In my visit, I had learned that she was a very powerful ghost as a skilled swordsman and excellent with strategy. She fed me so much food that I was sure I gained a lot of pounds. She was very polite, funny and a bit motherly. When it came time for me to continue on my journey, I was almost sad to go. We both stood by the wall which held the contained disguised portal. She had given me curry and some other food for the trip in special containers as well as some very fine silken cloth.

I bowed to her politely.

"Thank you for your hospitality."

She bowed back, but not as deeply,

"It was a pleasure. You are welcome to my lair any time, young Ellie. I wish you a safe journey and may the gods watch over you."

I gave her a thankful smile and then I headed through the wall, back to the real world. One day I'll explore the Zone, but for let's get one world done first…