"I didn't really understand what happened," I admitted. "Rosso died, someone tried to kill me, but I waved the flute, and it was like an invisible force threw the attacker back. Then Papagalino helped, and we flew away, but he got scared that he'd be blamed for not protecting Rosso and tossed the body. But he's not guilty, he's just very afraid."

"Don't worry," the Queen said. "I don't care what happened to Rosso; I never met her. It's better that you're here instead of her."

"You shouldn't say that. She died..."

"Says the one who tossed her body out of the carriage."

"Touche..."

The Queen burst out laughing.

"Alright, alright. Why do you think it was Sarastro's people?"

"Pappagalino said so. He said, who else would want to harm the Queen? And what could be better than killing one of her concubines?"

"That sounds quite logical," the Queen sighed.

"I don't belong here. I need to go home. Please, return my flute. It's my only protection and my way back. I'll take Papagalino with me, and if you want, you can come too."

"Why would I go with you?" the Queen asked, surprised. Only now did I notice that my flute was neatly fastened to her dress. Every time I mentioned the flute, she touched it as a pregnant woman might touch her belly.

"It makes sense. Someone here wants to harm you, but in my world, no one will know you except me and Papagalino. You might not be worshipped there, but no one will kill you or your people either."

"A generous offer, but I can't abandon my people. So, you can use the flute?"

"You know this flute."

"It once belonged to our kingdom until I was betrayed, and it nearly fell into Sarastro's hands."

"How did it end up in my world?"

"It's still hard for me to believe you're from another world, but I found records mentioning different worlds. It's one thing to read about it and look at ancient drawings of witnesses; it's another to see you. The flute is magical and powerful, but no one has been able to use it for a long time to maintain the balance of light and dark. When my parents died, Sarastro sought to establish his sole rule and eliminate me as a representative of the night."

"That would be terrible. Darkness could be bad, but sometimes it's good. Night could bring peace, comfort, sleep, and rest. Darkness could be in shadows. "Shadows are cast by objects and people. There's the shadow of my sword. But there are also shadows from trees and living beings. Would you strip the entire world bare, removing all trees and life, just for the sake of your fantasy of enjoying naked light?""

"Wise thoughts for someone as young as you," the Queen mused.

"I read it in a book once. Shame the writer was a bit of an ass, though I can't prove it. But I liked this idea."

"Let me guess, he was a man? Even when they have good ideas, there's always this underlying rot, like a worm in a shiny apple."

"Yeah, pretty much."

"I believe the flute ended up in your world during a battle when spells clashed. I'm glad it found its way to you. Three of my concubines died helping me fight Sarastro."

"How many concubines do you have, for God's sake?" I exclaimed. "And why do you even need them? I mean, I get why male kings have concubines. An official heir might die, or his queen might be barren or only bear daughters. Lower-status women can provide backup heirs for the king or prince, ensuring the throne doesn't pass to another family."

The Queen laughed softly, her eyes glinting with amusement. "You really are something, aren't you? My concubines served different purposes. They are loyal, skilled, and have their own unique abilities that aid in the governance and defense of my kingdom."

I raised an eyebrow. "So, they're like your personal army and advisors rolled into one?"

"Exactly," she nodded. "Each one brings something valuable to the table.

"How many concubines have you had," I persisted.

The queen's stern gaze bore into me, but I detected a flicker of curiosity and perhaps even a hint of confusion in her eyes.

"Three loyal women who gave their lives for the flute," she repeated. "There were no other concubines. Now, you have arrived —women from three different corners of the kingdom."

"How can you not know them?" I pressed. "You had no idea about Rosso. Does it really not matter to you who you're with?"

"You ask too many questions," the queen said, her tone sharp.

"But wouldn't you ask questions if you were in my place?" I shot back, my voice trembling slightly but firm.

"Perhaps I should exercise my royal right and use the concubines for their intended purpose," she said, her words cold but laced with an underlying tension.

I bit my lip, a nervous laugh escaping me despite my attempt to suppress it. "If you have concubines, does that mean you have a husband?"

For some reason, it was important to me to know if she had a husband.

"Technically, I have a husband..."

Hearing this, my eyes grew sad, and I couldn't even understand why.

"I mean, I do, but he's only a few years old or something like that," the queen quickly assured me, as if she didn't want to upset me. "He's too young to rule the kingdom with me or in my place. The tradition of concubines existed long before I was born. My father and grandfather had concubines. I'm the first woman to claim the throne."

"So, not everyone acknowledges your right to the throne... and neither does Sarastro. You have to play by men's rules. And you've cleverly arranged things with your husband. While he grows up, you can peacefully rule the country, and everyone is satisfied. Who knows what might happen to him while he's growing up far from the castle? He might not even exist. The boy is both there and not there."

"You're perceptive and know a lot about such matters, though you look like a stable hand."

"Why do people keep calling me a stable hand?" I pouted. "I don't know that much about royal affairs, I've just read a lot of books, I guess."

"Sit down and dine with me," said the queen, looking pleased and somewhat relaxed.

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