The Rebellion (Chapter 3)

Wella’s choice

Japhin knocked on the door of Wella’s house early the next morning. An old Imaginese came to the door. “Japhin! what is it? Come in!” Japhin stepped inside the house and pulled off his coat then moved into the living room where he took a seat on the couch. “Can I get you something to drink?” Wella’s father asked.
“No thank you Punt. I’m fine.”
“So to what do I owe this visit?” The man asked settling down into a chair
“Well everything is just about set for the attack on the Zotac all that’s left is the poison.”
“Ahh yes I have it up in the lab I’ll be right back.” Punt got up and shuffled into another room. While he was gone Japhin took a look around the room. Pictures of Wella and Punt’s late wife, Wella’s mother hung on the walls. The place was well taken care of due to Wella’s artistic nature. But the thing that he cared the most about-but that no one would know by looking at this room-was the riches of this family. Although Punt Kinder didn’t like to flaunt his wealth to the world, this was what drew Japhin to this family
Punt, who had grown up rich and spoiled, had fallen in love with Yolana, a poor girl with out a care in the world for money. When they had married Yolana had insisted that they buy a smaller house and sell most of Punt’s valuables. Because of Punt’s love for her he agreed and when Wella was born Yolana’s dying wish was that her daughter would not know how truly wealthy she was. And so far Punt had kept that promise to his wife. But Japhin knew better.
Something that not even Punt knew was that Japhin was the son of Yolana’s late best friend. His mother had told him many times of the riches of Punt and so he had vowed that one day he would marry the girl.
Punt returned then, shuffling over to him carrying the potion in one of his many hands, “Now be careful whose cup you put it into.” Punt said before dropping it into Japhin’s waiting fingers, “It’s strong and will most likely kill instantly.” Punt lifted a finger to shake at the young Imaginese standing before him. “If my daughter gets any of this you’d better leave the planet because if you stay on this planet you won’t live for very long.” Japhin took the small glass bottle with an arm in his stomach and pulled it inside himself.
“Don’t worry, Punt, you’re daughter won’t even be at the party.” With that he pulled on his coat and walked out the door.

Brittney grabbed another dish off the kitchen counter and dipped it into the water. She grabbed the rag and absently wiped the old food off of it. She jumped as another firecracker went off down the street. She pushed back the curtain and looked out into the blackness as the young boys slapped each other five, laughing in the dim light of the street lamps.
There was only one more week until the Forth of July and every firecracker that went off was a painful reminder of how close they were getting to her mothers inevitable death. The boys were beginning to set up another one as Brittney let the curtain drop back in front of the window and put the clean dish into the other sink.
Her heart jumped again as the next shot rang out. Will it be a gun that will end her life? she thought she gritted her teeth as yet another one rang through the house each one seemingly louder than the last.
She slammed the bowl she was washing down. Soap and water spilled on the counter and dripped down the sides but she ignored it. She leaned up against the wall, clutching her ears with her wet hands, trying to block out the horrible sounds and slid to the ground as she began to cry.

Wella awoke the morning after her meeting with Japhin and the first thing that popped into her head was that in three weeks she was going to betray Wilhelm. She wasn’t sure why this mattered so much to her. It’s because you love him you idiot. No that’s impossible you love Japhin. Are you sure that you love Japhin? Or you just enamored by his strength and Charisma? You know the truth you don’t love him and he doesn’t love you.
Then why does he want to marry me? You know it’s your status, more your father’s status and riches that he wants. He thinks you don’t know about your fathers riches but that’s where you’ve outsmarted him. You’re no one to him just a pawn a way to get rich and you know it. He’s using you. Wilhelm’s the only one who’s ever really cared about you and now you’ve just betrayed him. Him and his entire family. Wella sat up in her bed now as the thought completely dawned on her. What had she done? In three more weeks Wilhelm and all his family would be dead and it was because of her. The man that she had come to love so deeply was to die in a three week’s time. And it was all because of her.
She slipped out of bed and pulled on her robe, she looked in the mirror and shuddered at the look of utter hopelessness she found there. It was so horrifying that she decided not to worry about her hair for the day. She opened a small jewelry box and pulled out a simple, silver hoop earring. She hadn’t worn it since she had first met Wetam. How could she when she was trying to hide the truth of her engagement from him?
She pushed back her hair and slipped the earring painlessly through the hole in her ear. In three months time, when her and Japhin were wed the earring would be joined by another similar hoop placed in her right ear, this one gold. She fingered the hoop gently and examined her reflection in the mirror.
She sighed and spoke gently to her reflection. “Well, it’s about time you tell Wilhelm the truth. I can’t live a lie any longer.” With that she turned and slipped out of the room in search for Wilhelm.

Wilhelm knocked on the big, steel door at the bottom of the basement stairs. The clanging of machinery sounded on the other side of the doors and then swung open. “To what do I owe this visit?” Jatar asked as Wilhelm entered the room. Wilhelm hesitated and looked around the room, his eyes resting on the simple bed that Jatar slept in night after night and felt guilty for the luxury he lived in while this alien lived only a little better than a prisoner. “One of these days Jatar I’m going to get you a better place to stay.”
Jatar chuckled, “No Wilhelm, this is how I like it simple living working hard day after day for my stay.” He returned to his table then felt obliged to add, “it’s not like I’m a prisoner after all, your mother has told me often that I don’t have to stay down here as long as I stay away from her office where people are constantly coming and going. It’s not that I can’t go upstairs it’s that I don’t want to.” He cleared some books off of another chair and motioned for Will to sit, “Now what is it you wanted, surely you didn’t come down here to discuss my living conditions.”
“I have a question I need to ask you.”
Jatar waved his hand in a welcoming gesture, “Well ask away.”
“Well,” Wilhelm began positioning himself comfortably in his chair, “I know that no matter how hard you try you can’t help but invade people’s minds, especially people you just met.”
“Yes that’s correct,” Jatar admitted, a bit embarrassed at where this was going, “although I hate to admit it.”
“Well I was wondering what you saw in Wella’s mind?”
“Ahh, ahh, ahh,” Jatar chided, waving his finger in Will’s face, “it’s none of your business what I can’t help but see. That is between me and Wella.”
Wilhelm frowned and nodded in understanding, “Ok, then can you answer this. Is Wella part of the conspiracy against my mother?”
“And why would you think that?” Jatar settled back into his seat his face not betraying even a hint as to whether or not Will had struck a cord
“Well last night I saw her sneak out of the house. I followed her to the gate where she met with this man. I wasn’t close enough to tell what they were saying but I have a feeling that she may be a main part of the conspiracy against us.” Will paused, “She…she was wearing an engagement ring in her ear.”
Jatar sighed. “It is true it was written all over her mind she is most definitely not what she seems.” Wilhelm’s shoulders slumped and put his head in his hands.
“What am I going to do? I can’t tell my mother or father they’ll order her to be put in prison and…and I love her.
“Well does she love you in return?”
“I don’t know I thought she did. But that could all be part of her act. You would know better than I would Jatar. Does she?”
Jatar shook his head smiling, “Maybe you should confront her and find out for yourself.”
“You’re right I’ll talk to her.” Will stood up and Jatar followed suit. Will glanced at the bed again. “Really Jatar, as soon as I can I’m going to get you some more comfortable lodgings,”
“Stop worrying so much about me, it’s Wella you must worry about right now.” With that Jatar pushed Wilhelm out the door closing the door firmly behind him.

Wella sat on a bench in the courtyard, a gentle breeze stirring her short-cropped gold hair as she said there thinking and worrying about what she would say to Japhin. She knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that he would be furious and may even threaten to kill her as well. But she knew she had to do it she had to protect the one she loved. And I have to warn Wilhelm too. She sighed at the thought of having to admit to Wilhelm that she had been a major part of a plan to kill him and his family. “I’m so afraid,” she whispered into the wind, “There are worse things than death in this world.”
“What’s the matter?” Wilhelm said coming up behind her. She jumped and spun around on the stone bench her eyes wide with the fear of what he may have heard.
“Wilhelm.”
“Wella I need to ask you something.” He seemed distracted and she realized that he hadn’t heard her thoughts.
“I need to tell you something too.” She said turning completely to face him now and taking a deep breath, “But you first.”
“Wella do you love me?”
She was taken aback by this question for a moment before answering, “Of course I do, Will.”
“Then answer me honestly. Are you making plans against my family?”
“Wilhelm I—“ How could he have possibly known, he knew for sure and now he was testing her loyalty. This was the opportunity she had been looking for and here it was practically falling in her lap, “Yes I am. But you have to understand,” she added quickly, “I’m done with that I don’t want to hurt you or you family. They don’t have my help anymore.” Then Wella began to cry. “But it may be too late I already have said too much they have enough information to destroy your family without my help. I just wish I had quit sooner.”
Wilhelm was speechless he couldn’t believe that she had actually admitted everything.
Finally he spoke, “Is there anything we can do to stop them?”
“No, not Japhin hates humans and therefore hates your mother because she has brought the humans to Imaginess. He’s ruthless. I think this has been part of his plan all the time, to attack when our world is the weakest and make himself ruler instead. He could care less about the rightful ruler, he’s the only ruler in his eyes that could ever be good enough. There’s no way to stop him. Even if she canceled the 4th of July party it would do no good. Japhin has been planning this for years and he won’t be thwarted so easily.”
“We only have one choice.” Wella looked at him expectantly through tear filled eyes, “We have to warn my mother. She needs to know of this so she can take the necessary measures to stop it.”

“I can’t do this, Will.” Wella said placing her hand on Will’s shoulder as he lifted his hand to knock on the door, “What if she gets angry.”
Wilhelm turned and cupped Wella’s face in his hand, “Just tell her what you told me and I’ll be here to defend you.” She nodded and Wilhelm turned back and knocked on the door. There was a gentle call from inside and Wilhelm opened the door.
Leena was sitting in her office reading a note that Rowel had just sent her when they entered.
“Hello Wilhelm what is it Sweetie?”
“Mother we have come to warn you of an uprising. Some people are planning to take over and will kill us all if you don’t do something to stop it.”
Leena looked up at him suddenly a cloud of pain filled her eyes. “Don’t think that I’m clueless about this uprising,” She said to him sadly, “I know more about it than most.”
Wilhelm stared at her curiously and tried to get her to look into his eyes. “What do you know?”
She brushed away a tear and crossed to the window. “The end has begun for me my son and there’s nothing I can do about it.”
An irrational fear gripped Wilhelm but he wasn’t sure why, all he knew was that his mothers talk was beginning to scare him. “What are you talking about?”
She turned to him a wild fear in her eyes. “You must get out of here, both of you, Japhin is going to kill all the humans and human lovers in just a couple of days and there’s nothing we can do stop it.”
Wilhelm and Wella exchanged looks; she really did know what was happening. Will took a step towards his mother trying to reassure her that all was not lost. “Mom, you can stop all this, cancel the party, set up guards, something.”
Leena shook her head. “It’s no use, Will, Japhin will stop at nothing to rid Imaginess of the likes of me and he will succeed.”
“If you keep thinking like that he will.”
Leena shook her head, “I’ve already done everything in my power to protect as many people as possible. Your sister and her husband have returned safely to earth. I have ordered all human serving stores to be closed or humans rejected in the hopes of sending as many of them home as possible. I have warned your father and my workers of the coming attack asking them all to flee for safety, though many would rather stand by my side and now I ask, no, command you to get out of town.”
“I won’t.”
Tears were pouring down her cheeks now, “You have to. You are the true heir and only through you and Wella can our world be restored.”
“We won’t leave.”
“Than I banish you.” She said angrily, “get out of my presence, get out of Zora and don’t let me ever see your face again.”

70 year old Mrs. Rowan answered the door at the soft knock. “Wilhelm to what do I owe this visit?”
“We need a place to stay Mrs. Rowan. My mother has banished me from Zora.”
“Oh dear come in, come in.”
“I never thought I’d see the day when that sweet, young girl would turn against her own family.” Wilhelm was too upset to correct her assumption as he moved into the living room and sat down. “I was 30 when she first came here,” The old woman was saying, “and she was such a sweet little thing and now she’s losing her head. If my husband hadn’t already had a heart attack he certainly would have when he heard this. You can definitely stay with me until all this is passed. I’ve been quiet lonely since my husband died and I don’t see the children often.”
Wilhelm recovered his voice enough to speak, “We do plan on going to that party still whether my mother likes it or not. We have to be sure she’s safe. And…” he said taking Wella’s hand in his, “We plan to be married by then we have three months still before all the chaos and I want to be married before it’s too late.” Wella smiled and nodded.
“Of course you can be married whenever you want.”
“Tomorrow.” Said Wella quickly “The sooner the better.” And then she looked out the window close beside her “And no one shall know it must be a secret wedding. Japhin can’t know that I’m married or he will do everything in his power to get revenge.”