Past is Prologue
The Queen, the Chancellor, and the Professor
One of Shuriki's most popular initiatives was to ban magic (except for her own, of course.) She styled herself the Scourge of malvagos and vowed to protect the citizens of Avalor from their depredations. One of her first acts was to battle and strike down a malvago who had been terrorizing Nueva Vista. This was done publicly and won her acclaim. There were those who saw Shuriki as a magical protector from supernatural threats - not in Avalor City, of course, but in outlying districts. Granted, no distinction was made for how or why wizards used magic; they were all treated as outlaws. By her 10th year when Shuriki outlawed music, there was no longer anyone in Avalor who could stand against her. – Don Esteban Flores, former Chancellor under Queen Shuriki of the Northern Isles and Crown Princess Elena Castillo Flores; former Councilor to Crown Princess Elena Castillo Flores; pardoned for treason by Queen Elena Castillo Flores in the first year of her reign. A People's History of the Reign of Queen Shuriki, compiled by Professor Catalina de Torres
Queen Elena Castillo Flores and her Chancellor stood in the foyer of the palace, speaking with Professor Torres. "You can interview me if you like," Naomi was saying, "but I don't know how much help I'll be. I didn't really have any dealings with Shuriki until after her reign ended, and we were trying to capture her."
"And I want to hear about that as well," Professor Torres answered. "But my book isn't about the former Queen. It's about what life was like in her reign for those who lived through it. What you were taught about her in school, how her laws affected you growing up, that sort of thing."
"I'm curious, Professor, how you would answer that question," Elena broke in. This entire project made her uneasy. Shuriki had been defeated years ago. What was the point of dredging this all up? But the queen didn't actually have the authority to stop it without turning tyrant. And so she – reluctantly – agreed to cooperate. But she didn't like it and wanted this Catalina de Torres to feel a bit of the emotional strain herself.
Professor Torres smiled. "That will be detailed in the introduction of my book, Your Grace. I was targeted in the Third Purge and was forced to flee to Córdoba. You are familiar with that?" When both younger women shook their heads, the professor continued. "Queen Shuriki kept tight control over what was taught and studied. She was especially concerned with how the past was portrayed. I'm a historian. Somehow my work was deemed dangerous to the State. I was put on a secret list to be arrested and, presumably, executed." The historian fell silent for a moment, lost in thought.
"That's awful," Elena responded. "I had no idea. How did you get away?"
"Fortunately, the list was secretly smuggled from the Palace to Professor Mendoza, who was able to warn those of us who were targeted. I had my own contacts among the Night Singers, and so was able to get myself and several others out of Avalor in time. It's part of my reason for writing this book. I owe so many people my life. Their deeds deserve to be remembered."
"But isn't it better just to forget all that…unpleasantness? To focus on how much better things are now?" The queen asked.
"Ah, but how would we know it's better if we have nothing with which to compare it? And how can we avoid the mistakes of the past if we don't know what they are?"
With impeccable, or impeccably rotten, timing, Elena was saved from answering by the arrival of her cousin Esteban. The young queen was glad to see her cousin out and about but was worried that this project of Professor Torres might open old wounds. Upon returning to the family two years ago, Esteban had sunk into a profound depression fueled by guilt over his admittedly many betrayals of his family over the years, as well as the deaths of their grandparents. He always made sure to be there for Elena or Isabel if they needed anything, but for nearly a year he seemed drained of all joy. Esteban's years finally caught up with him, and for the first time in a life of looking far younger than he was the sixty three year old looked his age. Elena couldn't bear the thought of losing him so soon after getting him back. Elena and Isabel had worked hard at convincing Esteban that they loved him and that they knew he loved them, and slowly he recovered and was eventually able to laugh again. But Elena thought the last thing he needed was to be reminded of his time serving Shuriki.
However, Esteban seemed in good spirits as he approached the women. He smiled as he bowed. "Your Grace. Chancellor. Professor. Forgive the intrusion. I simply wished to see if Isabel has returned yet."
Elena smiled back. "Not yet, primo. She's not due back for another hour at least." She turned to Professor Torres. "My sister is a full-time student at the Science Academy. She's returning home from break today and we're all excited to see her."
"And how goes your book, Professor Torres?"
"Very well, Don Esteban. Your contributions have been invaluable."
"Wait," Elena said. "You're being interviewed for this project, Esteban?"
"Only by letter." Her cousin looked uncomfortable. "I didn't want to trouble you with it. If you have objections…"
"No, no, of course not. I just don't want you to feel pressured into anything you don't want to do."
"Not at all. It seems the least I can do to help shed light on those dark days."
"And I am very grateful," Professor Torres broke in. "You have a unique perspective…"
"Since he served the dark queen for so long," a mocking voice interrupted. All turned and saw Royal Wizard Mateo de Alva glare at his smirking junior older apprentice Victor Delgado, who had been the one to speak. Inwardly, Elena groaned. She had pardoned Victor and his daughter two years ago for their crimes against the Crown, and since that time the Delgados had served the realm well and faithfully, but there were times the young queen found Victor exasperating, especially when it came to his treatment of her cousin.
Esteban returned coldly, "But you served her far more recently than I did, old friend." Both men were well into their mature years. So why did the 22-year-old queen so often want to send them both to bed without supper? It was ridiculous.
"Gentlemen," she said, putting just a touch of steel into her voice, "please remember your courtesies. We have company."
"Oh, no, this is fine," replied the professor. Elena saw she was taking notes. This was just perfect.
Mateo, bless him, stepped forward to give his version of a courtly bow. "Mi reina." Mateo had recently taken to calling Elena that, and while it was technically her title, it was also an endearment. The queen didn't know if it was deliberate or not.
"So, Mateo might be someone you'd like to interview, professor," the Chancellor interjected. Elena was certain Naomi was trying to distract the professor from pursing the feud between Esteban and Victor any further. That's why she's my chancellor, Elena thought gratefully.
"The Royal Wizard, yes. I was planning to contact you after I've written up my interviews with Rafa de Alva."
"You're interviewing my mom?" Mateo sounded almost appalled.
"Indeed. Her perspective is invaluable to my work, especially her activities with the Night Singers."
"I would imagine so," Esteban murmured. His tone seemed almost…amused? Proud? Mateo just shook his head.
"My mother is not the sort to take part in a resistance movement. I don't remember her having anything to do with the Night Singers. She was always telling me to keep my head down and stay out of trouble. Rafa de Alva always plays it safe."
"She had a life decades before you were born, Mateo," Esteban pointed out. "Do not be so quick to assume you know what that life was like."
"Oh, dear," the professor said. "I didn't mean to reveal family secrets. Perhaps you should speak to your mother before the book comes?" Mateo nodded, a disquieted look on his face.
Elena suspected there would be a great many such discussions among families when Catalina de Torres' book finally came out, not exempting la familia Flores.
"May I put you down on my list, then, Señor de Alva? I'd especially like to hear about your experience learning magic when you were younger."
"I'll probably have that conversation with my mother first, but yes; I could talk to you about the difficulties of studying magic under Shuriki's rule. It's changing now, of course. I have three formal apprentices," Mateo continued, nodding at Victor, "and I'm teaching some of the Guard a few basic spells. And one of my apprentices is even teaching Introduction to Magical Theory at the local elementary school for students who show an interest and aptitude for the Art. Here she is now." Olivia appeared, but seemed reluctant to join the crowd. Elena couldn't fault her for that. The queen wished she had arranged to meet with Professor Torres in Naomi's office rather than greet her in the foyer to offer a tour of the palace.
"It's all right, Olivia," Mateo said kindly. "You can join us." He held out his hand to beckon her.
"Hi, uh, Your Grace," Olivia changed her casual greeting to a more formal one after seeing that the Queen had company. Elena ran an informal court, and her courtiers only trotted out their royal manners when guests were present.
Elena smiled at the girl. "Olivia, this is Catalina de Torres. She's writing a book about Shuriki –"
"Avalor under Shuriki," the professor corrected.
"And I was telling her how you and I are bringing formal magic back to Avalor," Mateo interjected. "Very different from my own childhood when I had to study magic on my own in secret. Back then the study of magic brought severe penalties. Be glad you're too young to remember that."
"I'm not, though," the apprentice wizard responded. "I remember hearing bells for the first time when Queen Elena came back. I remember marching with my parents and brother on the palace that day." No one needed her to specify which day she meant. "And when I was a child, I remember guards coming after me for pretending to be a wizard." Esteban sucked in his breath at that.
"What do you mean by pretending to be a wizard?" Professor Torres asked with interest.
Olivia squirmed awkwardly as she realized all eyes were on her. A part of Elena wanted to rush in and rescue the girl, telling her she didn't need to answer. But another part wanted to hear just what Mateo's youngest senior apprentice would say. So the queen kept silent, letting Olivia choose if she would answer or no.
The apprentice wizard chose to answer. "I don't ever remember not wanting to practice magic from the first time I heard stories about wizards and sorcerers. I had no access to real magic, of course, or books or tamboritas or anything of the sort. But when I'd play 'let's pretend' with the other children I was always the wizard or witch or sorceress. When I was alone I kept up the game. I used to gather random wildflowers and put them in bowls of water and call them potions. I also tied a pinecone to a stick and called it my tamborita. I used to chant nonsense syllables and claim I was casting spells. And one day when I was seven two royal guards caught me at it." She paused and crossed her arms as if to protect herself. "One of them took my make-believe tamborita and broke it while the other grabbed me by my arm and demanded to know what I was doing. I said I was just playing, but that wasn't a good enough answer for them. They demanded I take them to my parents. I didn't want to answer – one of my classmates' father and vanished after complaining about Queen Shuriki, and I didn't want that to happen to my parents. But the guards dragged me to the square and asked where I belonged. Once of my neighbors answered, and the guards took me to confront my parents about my 'magic.' They convinced the guards I was just playing and didn't know real spells, and the guards left, telling my parents that I should be working and not playing. After that, 'playing magic' was like music – only to be done behind closed doors."
After a moment of silence, Mateo said, "You never told me that story before."
The apprentice wizard shrugged. "It never came up before. And nothing real bad happened, so it's not a big deal."
"If you don't mind, Olivia, I'd like to include your account in my book," Professor Torres offered. She'd been taking notes this whole time, Elena saw. "It really illustrates how Queen Shuriki's policies impacted daily life."
"Sure, if you think it would be helpful."
"Excellent. I'd like to set up a time to interview, well, all of you, if you'd let me."
The chancellor spoke up. "Why don't you come to my office, and after you and I talk I'll set up a schedule for those willing to speak with you." Naomi led the professor away.
The blasted book hadn't even come out yet and Elena already felt she knew far more than she wished. Not for the first time the queen wondered if her happy, peaceful kingdom would ever get beyond the scars of its dark past. She glanced at her cousin's troubled expression and inwardly sighed. Or if her family would.
"I owe both of you an apology," Olivia was saying to Mateo and Victor. Trouble in the magical ranks? Curiosity and a noble desire to give her friend and his apprentices privacy warred within Elena. Curiosity won, naturally. She turned away but did not go far.
"Elena, if I might have a word with you," Esteban said. Curbing her impatience – she really should not be eavesdropping – Elena looked up at her cousin, who murmured, "I take it we're listening in?" The young queen stifled a laugh. Trust Esteban to provide her cover. He didn't scheme often these days, but Elena supposed it was a talent one never really loses.
"Apology accepted, apprentice," Mateo was responding. "Just don't be so quick to get ahead of yourself. You've accomplished amazing feats already, and will do great things, in time." Olivia was straining at the bit, was she? Not that surprising, really. But Elena had faith in her royal wizard.
"Sr. Delgado," Olivia continues, "I really didn't mean to insult you. I just felt left out when I heard that Mateo took you and Carla to fight the duendes and left me behind."
"That's because Mateo doesn't see you as expendable," Esteban cut in, dropping all pretense of not listening. "Take it as a compliment."
"Esteban, please," Elena muttered, as both Mateo and Victor glared at him.
"None of my apprentices are expendable," Mateo stressed. "I just thought Olivia is still a bit young…"
Rafa's son, overprotective? Whoever would have seen that coming? Don't interfere…don't interfere…
"I don't want you to think I don't respect you," Olivia would not be deterred. "You've done a lot more than I have…"
"Especially when it comes to criminal pursuits," Esteban pointed out. Elena elbowed him in the ribs.
"You're fine, Olivia," Victor told the girl before turning to his former best friend from childhood. "And someone whom all the children of the realm call 'Traitor' is hardly one to talk, El Segundo."
"Gentlemen, enough!" The queen spoke sharply, but with resignation. If Esteban and Victor were to be able to forgive one another, surely it would have happened within the last two years. But their mutual hatred showed no signs of abating.
Victor was the first to disengage. He bowed to Elena before turning on his heel and leaving. Elena was about to scold Esteban (again), when she heard the sound of a carriage and horses outside. "Isa!" She ran outside, her cousin following behind.
Esteban helped Isabel from the carriage and then Elena swept her into an embrace. "I've missed you, hermanita!"
"Well, you'll have me for a whole month," Isa said with a smile. "It's so good to be back!" She turned and threw her arms around her cousin. "Did you miss me, too, primo?"
"Tremendously," Esteban replied, hugging her close. As servants began unloading the carriage, Isa linked arms with Elena and Esteban and they headed inside.
"So what time are you eating breakfast these days?" Isa asked. "I should warn you I've become a proper university student now and don't get up quite as early as I used to …" She saw a look pass between Elena and Esteban. "But I can get up whenever you need me to."
"It's not that," Elena said. The family had always breakfasted together. It was a tradition going back to Elena's childhood. But after their grandparents had died and Isabel went away to become a full-time student at the Avaloran Science Academy (at only fifteen!), it just didn't seem worth the effort for only Elena and Esteban. The former chancellor usually ate alone in his room and Elena either ate with her friends or grabbed something from the kitchen to munch on while she was working.
"Elena is often too busy with her duties to have time for proper meals," Esteban replied smoothly. "But now that you're home, perhaps she will take better care of herself to set a proper example for you, hm?"
"Yes, absolutely. I want to spend as much time as possible with you while you're here." It would be nice to share meals with her familia again. "And maybe now I can be the one to wake you up." Isa giggled at that.
As they entered the front door, Isabel was inundated with people wanting to greet her. It seemed everyone had heard the carriage pull up. As Isabel happily yet graciously responded to each person, the queen thought that the crown princess had grown up in the last six months. It made her proud but also a bit wistful.
Two things happened that showed the child Isabel was still there. The first was when General Gabriel Núñez arrived and swung Isabel around even as she said laughingly she was too big for that now. The second was when she stopped comically in front of Mateo and said, "What happened to your face?"
"What do you mean, what happened to my face?"
"I think she means this," Elena reached out and playfully tugged Mateo's goatee. Mateo batted her hand away.
"Neither of you mentioned this in your letters," Isa said accusingly to both Elena and Olivia.
"Oh, yeah," Olivia shrugged. "Mateo's growing a beard. He thinks it's something male wizards are supposed to do."
"And I wouldn't presume to speculate on the arcane affairs of a master wizard," Elena proclaimed with mock solemnity.
"Well, I think it makes me look dignified," Mateo responded.
"It's so good to be here," Isa declared. "I've missed all of you. And I have so much I want to share…"
At that moment, a guard came in, announcing Admiral and Captain Turner. Both sketched hasty bows, and Admiral Turner said, "Your Majesty. Forgive my unscheduled appearance, but we must talk. It's a matter of grave importance." She glanced at Gabe. "The General will need to hear this as well, and Noams."
"Of course, Admiral." Elena hid her alarm. Scarlett Turner seemed unusually grave. "Let's go to the council room, shall we? Armando, will you get Naomi?" As she said that, she realized Armando was already halfway down the hall, anticipating her request. "I'm sorry, Isa. I promise we'll catch up later."
"I'll help you unpack, Isabel," Esteban offered, putting his hand on his younger cousin's shoulder.
"Perhaps – uh- don Esteban should join us as well?" Scarlett asked uncertainly.
"My cousin has no formal role in my administration." Elena spoke in a cool voice. She softened her tone and turned to her sister and cousin. "I promise to catch up with both of you as soon as I can." Esteban nodded and gave her a small smile to show he took no offence at her words. Elena squared her shoulders and led the way to the council chamber, preparing to face this new threat to her realm.
AN: A story cannot contain a song, of course. But if you would like one, imagine this – a salsa entitled "Catching Up." Everyone in the palace sings to Isabel about what has been happening in her absence. Among the highlights: Doña Paloma and Don Julio's wedding in two weeks will be held in the palace and it's thrown everyone in turmoil. Doña Paloma's best friend Lady Yolanda and Don Julio's sister Carmen both think they should be the one to make the wedding cake. Both Olivia and Marlena will be performing at the wedding, but Armando is worried because he and Marlena are expecting their first child and Armando wants her to rest; she thinks he's being ridiculous. Also, Doña Paloma has forbidden Armando from performing a puppet show. Ixlan and Antonia had a quiet Maruvian handfasting without all the wedding drama and are content. The fountain has been unharmed for two years now – a record. And in an aside between Gabe and Mateo unheard by anyone else, Gabe reveals he's bought a Norberg engagement ring and plans to propose to Naomi at the wedding. Mateo admits he still hasn't told Elena about his feelings for her, nor has she said anything to him.