A Grand Celebration - Pt.1

During the weeks that followed after our return from the Black Planet, thoughts of the Black Queen kept coming into my mind.  Was she dead or had she emerged victorious from her battle with Black Eye?  I asked Lao Tze but he didn't know as he had not been to the vicinity of the Black Planet since our return.  So I had to leave it at that.

I was sunning myself in the garden one afternoon when all of a sudden, I heard a squeaky voice say, "Hello, are you the one they call 'Da'?"

I turned round and to my surprise saw a large black raven.  It was standing on the sun dial and carried a black envelope in its beak.  I also noticed that there was an emblem on its right wing - that of a black cat on a white background.

"Yes, I am Da," I replied, wondering what it was all about.

"My name is Black Raven and I am a special messenger from the Black Planet."

Before he could continue, I gasped in excitement, "You're from the Black Planet?  Tell me, is the Black Queen alive?"

"Yes, Her Majesty is alive."

"Thank goodness!" I exclaimed.  "So I gather Black Eye has been defeated and all is well."

"Yes.  Black Eye and his conspirators have been arrested and thrown in prison.  Her Majesty has restored peace and harmony to our planet.  She has in fact done a lot in the last few weeks building new homes for those that had been destroyed, giving out food and caring for the injured.  Now that order has been restored, she is throwing a grand celebration for all her subjects and you and your friends have been invited to join in. She has instructed me to deliver her invitation to you."

He then handed over the black envelope to me.

"Her Majesty is very anxious that you all come.  She has in fact made special arrangements for her spaceship to pick you up and take you to the Black Planet.  You have to give me a reply before I go back.   I have flown for three days and two nights and I am dead tired.  May I have a little water, please?"

"Yes, of course," I replied.  I ran back to the kitchen and brought him a small bowl of warm water.

"Thank you, my friend," he said. "Now I would like to rest a little before I return home.  May I sleep under that bush?"

"Certainly, Black Raven," I said.  "If you need anything else, please let me know.  In the meantime, I shall ask my friends whether they would like to attend the celebration.  I shall be back with you in a short while."

Ning was aghast when I told him of the invitation.  "I 'm not going back to that dreadful place," he said.  "You can go with Lao Tze.  You'll have to give some excuse to the Black Queen for my absence."

When I asked Lao Tze, he didn't seem too keen either.

"We can't disappoint her, Lao Tze,"  I said.  "She took such pains to extend her invitation to us, I feel we should go."

"Well, alright, my friend," said Lao Tze. "I can't very well let you go alone, so we shall both go."

When Black Raven had taken his rest, I told him that we had accepted the Black Queen's invitation.  I had to make up some excuse about Ning being sick and unable to travel and he noted that carefully down.  He then told us of the time and place to wait for the Black Queen's spaceship to pick us up.  With that, he flew away.

Head Nun nearly fainted when I told her of our plans to attend the celebration.  She mumbled "A Mi Tuo Fo" and went to lie down.

As I sat in the kitchen, I thought how strange things had turned out.  A foe had become friend and now she wanted us to rejoice with her in her victory - and the least we could do was not to disappoint her.  It would be an interesting and enjoyable experience ... at least that was what I thought ...

(To be continued)

An invitation for us ....!