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“Life is filled with adventures. Life is filled with sorrows. You have the choice to make it your story.” Winny began singing to the sky while Ley wriggled her waist to the melodious tune that filled her body with rhythm. Ley loved to dance to her grandmother's songs. The woman had the most beautiful voice Ley had ever heard - she was the best singer of her time. Ley had learned to sing just like her grandmother. Her voice had the sweet pitch of a nightingale and the softness of a catbird. Ley twirled around with a gentle smile on her face. Winny could not help but be mesmerized. “Never stop dancing Ley. That's your power.” She whispered between her lines.
“Why do you always sing to the sky Grandma?” Ley cut in.
“Dear, do you know why the nightingales sing so beautifully? In this clan, we send our voices to the heavens so that when we die, our souls connect to a nightingale.” Winny paused to speak before she continued her singing.
The burrowing huffs of the king's guards' horses and the voice of the town crier began to compete with Winnie's voice to produce a cacophony. Ley stopped dancing and quickly ran to the window of their hut. Gently, she lifted the raffia blinds to reveal the king's guards. She often wondered why there had to be a commotion in the village just to deliver news from the king.
“Such a racket. From a faceless king even.” Ley allowed the blind to fall from her hands. She hissed and took her seat beside Winny on their bamboo bed.
Winny sat up abruptly. She peeked through the blinds first before adjusting it properly. “Shh Ley! Do not speak about the king like that. The walls have ears. We do not know the king much but he is merciless and frowns at criticism. You know better.”
Ley rolled her eyes. She then let her back rest freely on the bed. Winny came to rest beside her. “Would you join the contest? They have announced the invitation for another. I think you should. No maiden has a voice like yours yet you haven't taken part. The king lives by his name, ‘Norak’ the beautiful voice.
“Yet it is rumored that he can't sing to save his life.” Ley giggled.
“Perhaps he makes up for that with all of the singing contests he organizes. This is the sixth time this season.” Winny scowled. You know, the King, Norak is said to have been reincarnated. King Olay, six generations from his lineage used to love singing so much but he had a terrible voice. He began to devise means to be a good singer. Some said he did terrible things in his bid to be a great singer. The six curses they called it. It destroyed him. Our present king is said to share the same birthmark with Olay.”
“Grandma, that's an interesting story you never told me about. Do you believe in reincarnation?” Ley flipped and lay on her stomach.
“Even if the legend were true and we knew exactly what the six curses are, it would only take the blood of a true nightingale to deliver it. That is what the legend says. Besides, no lineage has seen a nightingale in decades. Perhaps I would change that story when I die. It's in our bloodline.”
“I'm not sure I want to sing, the weather is bad. All five winners of the season have lost their voices to the dry and hazy weather.” Ley spoke after being silent for a while.
“Well, I hear the king will reveal himself during the contest. Don't you want to know what he looks like?” Winny beckoned.
“I'm not interested. Speaking of faces. I've been seeing a strange face during the previous five competitions. I do not think he is from here. He had this odd clothing around his head and he held a jar made of viper skin. I managed to catch the fine dark line beneath his left eye.” Ley turned to look at her grandmother but the woman had dozed off. She smiled and snuggled closer to her.
It was the last conversation Ley and Winny had. Winny never woke up from her slumber. Ley became devastated and for weeks she had no will to live. The woman whom she considered her idol had left her to be with her ancestors.
The night of the competition came. Ley made up her mind to take part. She wanted to do it for Winny. That night, Ley wiped her tears and adorned herself. She tied her favorite wrapper to her chest and waist. She then brought out the sapphire waist bead and anklet her grandma had gifted her. With some more beads on her hair and neck, she was ready to join the other maidens for the contest.
Ley began to walk through the river to the village square. She stopped by the water to look at her reflection. She was pleased. Looking closely, Ley thought she saw something hovering above her. She quickly raised her head but she wasn't quick enough. Only a black feather and a distant hum lingered in the air. She quickly dashed to the square.
Chants, heavy drumming, and vibrating bodies welcomed Ley to the village square. The excitement within the maidens was quickly replaced by whispers and murmurs. They didn't expect to see Ley in the competition. She sang better than all of them put together.
The time came for the highlight of the day and the competition began. Maiden after Maiden, the villagers became enthralled by the sweet voices serenading the atmosphere. Ley began to feel nervous. It was almost her turn. She looked around at the happy and anticipating faces. She then saw the previous five winners sitting in the king's cabinet. Ley thought there was something weird. They didn't look happy or vibrant. It was like they'd been drained and just moping. Ley swallowed hard. She looked at the King's throne. He was seated this time with his face concealed.
It was now time for Ley. She took the floor and when she opened her mouth for the first time, the village went silent. The silence was loud. Ley continued. She had captivated the souls of her people. The villagers watched as Ley serenaded them into a trance.
The King sat up abruptly. “She is the one!” he announced, unable to control himself. Ley stopped singing. The drumming and dancing came to a halt. Silence ruled again. The King suddenly dragged a jar from underneath his chair. Ley instantly recognized the viper jar. The King then took off his mask to reveal his face. “Tonight, the legend of the six curses will be fulfilled.” He growled and faced Ley. “You are the sixth curse. I've waited two lifetimes for this day. The voices of six maidens will finally grant me the golden voice I've always wanted.”
King Norak opened his jar and black dust filled the air. Ley began to feel a numbness in her throat. Her lips parted and she felt like something left her. Everything happened faster than anyone could comprehend.
Terror filled Ley's eyes. The villagers were equally terrified and in a state of panic. Ley saw the same fine black line beneath the king's left eye. It became clear to her what the king had done. She recalled her grandmother's story about reincarnation. King Norak was the stranger she had seen during the previous contest and It wasn't the weather that took the voices of the maidens.
Ley fell to her knees weeping. She tried to yell but no words came out of her mouth. By now, the entire village had been thrown into chaos. Suddenly, a bird appeared from nowhere and began hovering around Ley.
“A nightingale!” A chorus filled the air.
The bird began humming. Ley recognized each line like the lines on her palms. It was her Winny’s favorite tune. Tears continue to flow from her eyes. She stood up and began to move her body to the sounds like she always did. Her beads wriggled and dangled. Ley kept dancing like her bones would break. The more she twirled and turned, the restless the king became. Soon he let go of his jar. It fell and lost its lid.
Just like that, sounds of different pitch and tones began to waft like smoke from the jar. Through the wind, the voices began to travel to their owners. Immediately, all the girls regained their melodious tones and once again, they became alive.
The Nightingale stopped singing as the girls took up the lines. It rested on Ley's shoulder. “Your soul found its nightingale, Grandma,” Ley whispered.