Page 67 of Ghosts and Ginger Tea

Good man? Keanu was a good man? Since when? I had never considered him to be the honest type. He’d been so overly confident to the point that he defied the gods.

I have to forget him. But how could I, when I was taking his place as ruler of the kingdom–the kingdom that he literally gave and bargained his life for time and time again?

Before I entered the courtroom, an attendant handed me a letter. It was from Malia.

Greetings Queen Oli,

News of your husband’s death has reached our shores. I am truly so sorry. I wish I could write more about the legacy he has left, but I write in haste. If you have ever trusted me–in the brief time we’ve known each other–then I must tell you that the warlord is on the move. I’ve seen his armies with my own eyes, and the people of our island are severely outnumbered. Going against the warlord would mean death. My father has chosen to beg mercy from the warlord. When he was told of Keanu’s death, he asked me to send you this message right away. Oli, the warlord has weapons that change the whole nature of the war. If you care for your people, you would do the same as my father. Kalani does not understand.

But we do.

Burn this note as soon as you can. I do not wish for the warlord to have any evidence that we’ve seen him as an enemy. We hope to join his side as soon as possible.

Aloha pono,

Malia

I blinked.

I’m queen. I had to make a decision. I trusted Malia, I really did.

“Are you ready?” Alohi asked, cutting my thoughts.

I shook my head, but I didn’t have any choice. We entered the room.

“Queen and Chiefess Oliana,” said one of the king’s counselors once I sat on the throne. It took all of my strength not to look at the empty throne beside me. Much to my relief though, Malu perched there instead.

“We grieve with you at the loss of the king.” The counselor bowed, and the rest did the same. “He was a good king, the best king. He cared for our people and the land like no other kings before him did.”

“To him, we were all ‘ohana,” said another.

“May he rest in peace,” said another counselor, and the others murmured in agreement. I tipped my chin to them, hoping it was thanks enough. But my legs were shaking under my black skirts.

What am I doing here? I was not fit to be queen.

“As Queen and Chiefess of the kingdom, you know that the warlord has finally arrived. Word reached us this morning that a battle is soon to take place at Nu‘uanu.”

My blood went cold.

“Chief Kalanikupule has asked ‌you to assist in the battle. The people of our island must make one last stand. We can’t be frightened that he has weapons from the foreigners.”

Peter, the only white counselor in the room, stood forward and bowed before saying, “He means to say that the warlord has guns, your majesty.”

I thought of Malia’s letter: The warlord has weapons that change the whole nature of the war.

I’d heard of guns, though it sounded like something that was not real. I shuddered just thinking about Kalani, the other chiefs, and their people coming face to face with such weapons, machines that spit powder and balls and killed so swiftly.

“What should we tell the messenger?” asked one of the counselors. All eyes turned to me, and I wished I could disappear. I wished I could jump into the ocean, tell myself silly riddles, and spearfish, like none of this ever happened. I shouldn’t be here. Keanu should.

I remained silent for so long that one counselor kindly cleared his throat and said, “Your majesty?”

“What is your counsel?” I asked, unable to think clearly.

“We should give them aid,” said a counselor. “It’s our only hope of protecting our people.”

“Protect our people by sending them to war?” My voice was surprisingly strong, but also filled with agitation. “The king said the final word last night. We are not going to war. Whether Kalani comes and asks himself or the messenger comes, the answer is the same. We are not going to war.”

“What will we do when the warlord comes here?” The counselors murmured among themselves. “Surely he will kill all of us.”