Shan Sa - Alexander and Alestria

The whales were quick-tempered. When their queen was angry, she spewed columns of water and stirred up giant waves that overturned the boats. But the People of the Volcano carried on harrying her. Maddened with rage, she gave chase to her attackers, setting off up the channel and throwing herself onto the shore.

The death throes of the queen of the ocean were accompanied by celebrations. Out among the waves the other whales circled, singing their mournful song for many days and nights before electing a new queen and heading off toward the south. The whale meat was salted and kept for lean years. Her skin became roofing for huts; her grease, oil for lamps; and her bones, pillars bleached by the wind, formed a gigantic alleyway along which, I was told, the God of Ice would come.

Autumn came round again. The grasses turned yellow and dried out, the birds flew south, and the caribou set off once more. On clear evenings when the stars twinkled in the sky, the Great Mother stood by the fire and sang:

I, Alexander, the warrior from the other side of the mountain, could not feel my queen's gentle caress. I could not tell her how much I loved her. I drank in her body, embraced her soul, lived in her eyes, in her laughter, in her happiness at having me by her side.

When the migraines struck me, she lay over me, and her cool skin soothed the blazing pain.

I spoke to her with my trembling hands. I loved her with my heart, which fought against death for her sake. I had offered her war, kingdoms, and endless traveling; she had offered me whales, white cranes, and a volcano spewing the blood and ash of life.

Come with me, Alestria. Let us fly toward the light shining down from the glacier.

Come with me, my queen. Let us fly toward the sun.

Come with me, invincible soul. Let us fly toward the centuries that shall sing forever of our names, our exploits, and our glory.

Alexander and his monkey were always cold, so we wrapped them in thick layers of fur.

Alexander had difficulty speaking. He could not feel when he was being touched. But with simple gestures he told me how grateful he was to the arrow that had transformed his fate.

Alexander and Alestria held hands and spent their time looking at the glaciers. They woke to watch the sunrise and gazed in rapture at the sunset.

Alexander and Alestria loved each other intensely for thirty-six moons. Alexander left one morning in spring. Alestria came back to the steppes with me and dictated these words to me in the language of birds.

Alestria disappeared one morning, and her horse returned.

I, Ania, the faithful serving girl of the queen of the Amazons, wrote the end of this book. The following day I rose at dawn. I drank the potion prepared the day before and gave some to Nicea to drink. He climbed onto my shoulder, and I walked out of the tent.

I urged my horse into a gallop. Following my queen's instructions, I shall bury these pages of stone in a cave. I shall close the mouth of the cave.

I shall stop when we come to a river.

There is a white eagle in the sky.

Guiding me to the summit.

SHAN SA is the author of several acclaimed novels, including Empress and The Girl Who Played Go (winner of France's Goncourt Prize). Born in Beijing, she moved to Paris in 1990. She is also a celebrated artist who has had prominent exhibitions in Paris and New York.