The Queen's Nemesis

The LMAC Community run by Hive account@shaka holds a weekly collage contest for its members. In the Community, you'll discover a variety of themed entries submitted for consideration. If selected for the final round, contest hopefuls anxiously await results indicating where their placement that determines the prize awarded. It's a fun contest that any Hive member can participate. If you'd like to join in, just visit the LMAC Community account here and follow the rules of the contest for details on the latest round.

The LMAC Community also offers an opportunity for members to create and post in the Community "freestyle" collage themes. In the freestyle option, more freedom is allowed to design your creations without having to incorporate the weekly contest photo. However, contest rules still apply.

For my Freestyle Collage No. 93, my theme is "revenge". I share with you a flash fiction story:

House of Navechi. In a medieval land of kings, one family rose to power by eliminating its border enemies and consolidating power over the peasants, who had no choice but to submit.

King Omni Navechi was greedy. Of that the entire kingdom could second. He amassed a treasure of silver and gold. His conquests were legend as he added to his lands from all four corners of the country. He possessed through brutality both humans and material wealth. Questioning his source of power led to instant death.

The king's trusted adviser, Janvier, summoned daily, worked tirelessly to perform various tasks. Paid handsomely as high sorcerer, among his duties were to utilize his concoctions to neutralize the king's enemies.

However, on that day in late summer, his dark magic was ineffective.

It wasn't her bronze strands that hung to her waist full of vibrant hues. Nor was it her dazzling silvery colored eyes that smiled at you as they danced. Nor was it her tall, thin frame perfectly proportioned that mesmerized you as she strolled the palace gardens in attendance.

It was her compassion for all living beings and animals. It was her foresight into the future of a world without tyranny and equal opportunity to become whatever one wished of his or her life. And it was her melodic voice that calmed the spirit and uplifted you to heights of ecstasy as she offered her hand in friendship.

And it was her hatred of King Omni and her contempt for his wife, Queen Agnes, that caught the attention of Janvier.

Strolling with the Queen, Janvier interrupted their walk through the garden. Issuing instructions, Mylecent listened quietly. When introduced, the sorcerer recoiled as she offered her hand in greeting. Not from the evil he felt, but the unselfishness and pureness of heart that jolted his magical being and rendered it useless.

Was she the one foretold in the Book of Grimoire? This young girl named Mylecent who had yet to reach adulthood?

Janvier nodded and relieved himself of their company to obey a summons from the king. He stood on the balcony watching the king who watched his wife from below. King Omni's eyes transfixed on Mylecent. Janvier remained silent. He already knew the fate of this young girl would soon change.

Immediately after the meeting, Janvier rushed from the castle. But before he could retreat to his lair, Queen Agnes ordered him make haste to her bed quarters.

The queen was not to be temporarily replaced yet again.

Janvier was given a task. Rid the kingdom of Mycelent's presence and destroy the longing the queen felt and saw in her husband's eyes that was different from any he'd previously possessed.

He worked tirelessly to produce the azure-colored potion, stirring mindlessly as Mycelent's reflection stared back at him smiling sweetly.

"Follow you heart" were the words that rose from the pot. Janvier froze. In all his two hundreds years, he'd not felt the presence of purity. An intense urge to consult the book jolted him. He sat silent after reading with his head in his hands. He'd never disobeyed an order from the king or queen, so with a heavy heart he proceeded to prepare the potion.

Already a wife and several concubines, Janvier kept the king's not-so secrets. But his greed knew no limit. Determined to acquire Mycelent, he'd already made arrangements.

To save her, Janvier transformed Mycelent into a a beautiful, yet powerful mermaid to rule the depths.

But Janvier also longed for her presence. He knew the world would slowly turn to good under the right leadership. So he created a second potion; one that would release Mycelent from the depths of the lake.

Each half-year, he'd visit the lake and pour out his magic potion. Immediately upon the potion touching the water, Mycelent ascended and sat upon the cliff overlooking the kingdom. She would gaze down lovingly at the sorcerer. She held no hatred for his act. She understood her day would come.

It's my atonement, Janvier thought as he read from the Book of Grimoire, believing that in another year, Mycelent would be fully restored as an adult human.

Then, her power would surpass his. Then, she would rule the kingdom without magic.

In preparing my theme, I wanted to utilize two LMAC Contest Round Images to add texture to the landscape:

^{Source: LMAC Round 193}

^{Source: Round 211}

Below are the additional images I included to complete my theme for a mermaid who returns on land with the aid of a sorcerer.

Item	Contributor	Source
Castle (Contest Round 193)	Hive account@lmac	Link
Underwater Reef (Contest Round 211)	Hive account@lmac	Link
Fantasy lake	PxFuel	Link
Mermaid sitting on cliff	Public Domain Pictures	Link
Tree fantasy	Pixabay	Link
Branches	Pixabay	Link
Knight	Hive account@alex2alex	Link
Magic Potion #2	Hive account@quantumg	Link
Wizard #9	Hive account@quantumg	Link
Gull flying	Hive account@redheadpei	Link
Small elongated mushroom	Hive account@borjan	Link
Red mermaid	Hive account@adncabrera	Link
Moon	Hive account@redheadpei	Link

When compiling my freestyle collage design, I upload my images to Canva. It's my design program I use to blend my images. Below are the procedures I use that incorporate the tools at my disposal in my Annual Pro Membership Subscription.

To a blank white canvas, I added the mermaid sitting on a cliff.

Resized woman to fill the screen; then added the moon and gull flying. Resized and positioned both in the skyline.

Added the castle. Removed background, then positioned it in the middle of the screen. Added branches behind the castle.

Needed a lake, so created one with a landscape image I discovered. The image provided a distinct boundary.

Removed landscape water background. Duplicated the image to fill the bottom screen.

Added the knight and mushroom image. Removed mushroom background. Positioned both on opposite sides of the screen.

Added underwater image. Instead of removing background, placed in frame.

Duplicated underwater image to create a lake. Added second mermaid and fish.

Added the sorcerer and magic potion. Resized and repositioned them. Completed the project.

Below is my completed collage:

Thanks for your visit. I appreciate it. I hope you like my freestyle collage theme.

CONTEST RULES

IMPORTANT NOTICE:

It is imperative that you read the post LMAC School - Public Domain Picture sources (Free Materials for creating collages) by Hive account@quantumg, which discusses public domain issues. The post offers valuable information on images for commercial use. Links are included to sources that offer public domain images and other images that are free for commercial uses. Using public domain pictures and free pictures for commercial use are requirements for all collages that are submitted as entries in the LMAC contest and the LMAC Image Library (LIL).

What is Let's Make a Collage?	It is a weekly photography and collage contest.
Who created the contest?	Hive account@shaka is the contest owner.
What type of contest is it?	This Contest utilizes a single photo provided by the contest owner as the basis for you to create your own photo collage by adding to the photo provided.
What are the rules?	1. Use as your starting point for your collage the photography provided by the contest owner. It is located on the contest owner's post for free use without any copyright protection.
	2. Entries are required to be posted to the LMAC community and must contain a link to the contest post.
	3. Entries need to set the LMAC account (Hive account@lmac) as 20% beneficiary to be eligible for the dynamic component of the prize pool.;
	4. Extra support with the LMAC trail to all collages where LIL assets have been included AND the respective LIL-contributors set as 2% beneficiaries;
	5. By submitting your contribution you agree that your artwork remains public domain and that it can be copied, modified and distributed, even for commercial purposes, without requiring further permission.
	6. Any graphical element that is added to the photography either needs to be your own original work (e.g. own artwork or photography) OR needs to derive from sites whitelisted by LMAC.
	7. IMPORTANT: Indicate the source of all materials used in your accompanying post. Otherwise your entry can NOT be put up for the final vote.
	8. All sort of editing, modification and/or manipulation is allowed as long as no copyright is affected.
What do you win?	Prizes listed on the contest owner's post.

Good luck everyone with whatever your endeavors.

SOURCES:
a) JustClickindiva's Footer created in Canva utilizing its free background and images used with permission from discord admins.
b) Unless otherwise noted, all photos taken by me with my (i) Samsung Galaxy 10" Tablet, (ii) Samsung Phone, & (iii) FUJI FinePix S3380 - 14 Mega Pixels Digital Camera
c) Purple Butterfly part of purchased set of Spiritual Clip Art for my Personal Use
d) All Community logos, banners, page dividers used with permission of Discord Channel admins.
e) Ladies of Hive banner used with permission of and in accordance with the admin's guidelines
f) Thumbnail Image created by me in Canva.
g) "Flames." What is Apophysis 2.09. https://flam3.com/

English is my native language.
If translation included, I use DeepL to assist my readers.
Thanks for your patience an understanding.