Synopsis
14 long years ago Japhin led a rebellion against Linda and her family killing her and all her followers and taking the title of king upon himself. Now he rules Imaginess with an iron grip and kills all those who defy him. But among all the death and destruction Japhin’s own son is safe. Raised in luxury 14 year old Wetam is beginning to realize just how evil his father really is. But his life takes a change for the better when his mother Wella decides that it’s time that he learns the truth and sends him on a mission to a place he didn’t know really existed. Everything Wetam once knew has changed as he sets out on a mission that will change his life forever. A mission to return Imaginess to its former glory.
Preview
“Well have you made your decision yet Pollok?” Jaller’s mother stood firm and Wetam saw a look in her eyes that he had never seen before one of extreme determination.
“Yes Japhin I have, I will never serve you. I told you that when you killed my husband and I still believe it now. Do what you have to do Japhin but I will not back down. You’re a fake and a murderer and no matter how hard you try that will be with you for as long as you live.”
“Silence.” Japhin nodded toward one of the soldiers and a guard drew his sword, He grabbed her by the hair and pressed it against her neck. Jaller cried out and made a run for his mother but he met the back of one of the guards hand’s and fell to the ground.
Saturday, February 25, 2012
The Rebellion (Chapter 6)
A Shimmer of Hope
1 week later
Wilhelm sat in a corner his head between his knees Jatar lay in the opposite corner nibbling at a small chunk of bread through the mouth where his nose had once been. He was trying to coax a small overly furry creature known as a puffer from its hiding place beneath the rickety cot. Wilhelm smiled at Jatar’s attempt to befriend the creature knowing full well that in about a year or so when his nose had fully grown back he would feed off this creatures brain waves and therefore survive. That is if his nose ever grew back. There was a good chance Jatar would have them both killed before then or else continuously break Jatar’s nose so that he would never have the chance to truly feed again
Wilhelm stood up and walked over to the window and stared out. All he could do was think of Wella. He hoped to see just a glimpse of her though he knew that she was most likely dead or imprisoned just like everyone else.
He sighed and went over to sit next Jatar. “Four more were taken today.”
“Yes, so I’ve heard.”
They both sat in silence for a moment. Each day the guards emptied one of the cells bringing those who had been loyal to Leena before Japhin.
“Of course that doesn’t necessarily mean they’re dead.” Clarified Japhin finally looking away from the puffer and into his friends haggard face.
“They are if they were truly loyal to my mother.” He responded bitterly.
Jatar nodded and looked away from his friend knowing how hard this had been on his friend and not wanting to say anything that would upset him, “So you would rather die than fight? Your mother did everything in her power to protect you and your sister. Are you saying her death was in vain?”
Wilhelm stood to his feet crossing over to the window again, “My mother would be more disappointed if I served as Japhin’s slave for the rest of my life.”
Jatar nodded turning his attention back on the puffer. This time Wilhelm noticed the strange look on Jatar’s face, “You’re considering betraying her.” He spit out in disgust, “After all she’s done for you, you would rather serve Japhin than die?”
Jatar stood to his feet stretching to his full height though he was still a good foot shorter than Wilhelm and anger flashing in his eyes, “Let’s get one thing straight, Wilhelm, I am very grateful for what your mother has done for me these past years. I am grateful for the friendship and acceptance I have received from your family. I would never do anything to harm you or your family.” He sighed and sat down on the hard cot, “I’ll admit, I have thought about it, after all Japhin has access to my people. If I sided with him…I could go home. Do you have any idea how long I have dreamed of returning home?”
Wilhelm swallowed realizing how selfish he’d been and went to sit down beside his good friend. “Jatar,” he hesitated, not wanting to say what he knew he had to say, “you should go home, this isn’t your war. You should get out while you have the chance.”
Jatar shook his head sadly, “This is my home now. I don’t belong on Jupiter anymore. Sure, it would be great to see my family again, but I’m a fugitive. The only way for me to truly get Japhin to trust me enough for him to let me go home…would be to help him destroy everything that your mother stood for…and I just couldn’t betray her like that.”
Wilhelm slapped his friend on the shoulder and smiled weakly, “It’s good to know that no matter what I’ll have a friend through all this, you really have been a great friend to both me and Brittney for all these years. You’ve always been there to give us some sage advice when we needed it and be our friend when no one was listening.
“It’s a shame you always had to live in the basement. It wasn’t much better than this cell when you get right down to it. Always feeding off those poor creatures, a diet not much better than bread and water. That was no way to treat a good friend; I’m surprised you put up with us.”
Jatar shook his head, “I wouldn’t have had it any other way. I loved living with your family, I loved the privacy of my lab, I enjoyed my pets; though you are right about how filling they were. But the fact of the matter is, coming here to Imaginess has been the best thing that’s ever happened to me. I would do it all over again in a moment.”
As they both sat there lost in their thoughts of the past and their fear of the future a sound from outside their cell caused them to both come to attention. Wilhelm stood to his feet and moved to the door to look out but didn’t see anyone there. He was just turning to head back to his cold corner when Mattim materialized in front of him and he took a step back, “Dad!” he exclaimed in surprise.
Jatar rushed to Wilhelm’s side when he heard the announcement. As Wilhelm reached through the bars to greet his father Mattim glanced down the hall to be sure that no one was around before turning back to his son. “I don’t have a lot of time, Will, so listen closely,” He released his grasp on his sons arm and pulled one of his left arms into its pouch and pulled out a small vial. “Japhin has sent his guards to kill you; they will be her in less then an hour. This vial contains the only known antidote for Japhin’s poison. If you take this now then the injection won’t work, but you must still be sure to fake suffocation or else they will find a more sure way to kill you.”
Mattim handed the vial to his son and then reached into the arm pouch again and pulled out another vial. “This vial is Morfal, a drug that will slow your heart rate to a point so near death that even your heart connection will falter which very well may save your wife.”
Wilhelm gave his father a shocked look. “Wella is alive,”
His father gave a slight nod as he handed the second vial through the bars “She is indeed alive but unless she is able to make the heart connection and marry Japhin she will be sentenced to death. That is why they want to kill you.”
The sound of voices was heard coming down the hall. “I have to go son, drink the vials and when they bury you I will find you, and remember you must pretend to suffocate.” With that Mattim disappeared once again and Wilhelm turned toward Jatar.
“There’s only enough for me –“
“It’s ok Wilhelm, I’ll manage. Now quick drink it, they’re almost here.” Jatar was right the voices had gotten considerably closer. Wilhelm quickly pulled the cork out of the first vial and downed it in one gulp then did the same with the other. Then pulled both vials into one of his arm pouches then took back up his position at the window trying to look natural despite his beating heart.
The guards came in and grabbed hold of Wilhelm. “Wilhelm, you have been declared an enemy of the people and a threat to the Imaginese government by Japhin, Zotac on the planet of Imaginess and ruler of the people of Zora and as such your penalty is death by poison.”
Another guard came to him a syringe filled with an orangish liquid in his hand. Even as Wilhelm watched the guard come closer he could feel his heart beginning to slow and he found himself wishing for the guard to hurry up with the needle so he didn’t have to keep fighting the exhaustion.
The guard thrust the needle into his neck and relief washed over Wilhelm as he allowed himself to slump to the ground remembering just in time to fake suffocation. He could feel the steady beat of his heart beating slower and slower with each of his faked gasps of breath. Soon he could fight it no longer and sleep overtook him. The last sound he heard was the ever slower beat of his heart slowly disappearing into silence.
Wella waited nervously in Japhin’s bed chamber. She paced back and forth and every sound made her jump within her skin. She dreaded the moment when Japhin returned knowing that he would only return with the news of her husbands death and knowing he would demand that she connect her heart to him.
Finally the moment she dreaded came to pass. Japhin entered the room an evil smile playing at the corners of his mouth, he came up to her and grabbed her by the arm, “Well my pet, it’s time we finally finished what we began. After all these years you will finally be mine.
“That dastardly husband of yours is dead and now theirs nothing to stand between me and what’s mine.”
Wella’s nostrils flared, “Take me then Japhin but though you may own me in body, you will never own my soul. Though your heart may be connected to mine, it will forever belong in the grave with him. You’re a monster and I will not love you.”
Japhin squeezed her arm tighter and pulled her close to his grabbing her face in his other hand and sneering angrily in her face, “You will suffer for those words, Wella.” He threw her to the ground as he said her name then crossed to the side of the room opposite her and taking a long drink from the Raspberry cordial sitting on the table.
He took in a deep breath and then turned back to where Wella still lay on the ground, he crossed back over to her, grabbing her by the hair and forcing her to stand to her feet. She let out a small cry and Japhin grabbed her by the throat with his other hand as he released her hair. “Connect with me my bride before I change my mind and you join him.
For a brief moment Wella thought about how wonderful that sounded. To be buried beside him, to join him forever in death rather than live beside this monster, sounded like the much better option. But then there was the gentle flutter once again, the flutter that only she could feel. If she didn’t hurry he would be able to feel it too when they made the connection, he would know she was pregnant and would probably kill her anyway.
She nodded rapidly pretending as if the sound of death was a thought that absolutely terrified her. With a shaking hand she placed her hand over his beating heart. He smiled his cruel smile once again and placed his hand over her heart. The burning sensation of the heart connection filled her hand and her heart as he grasped her hand and pulled it inside his arm pouch, she could feel the steady thrum of his heart, something that would have been romantic if she loved him, something that had filled her with joy when she had done this with Wilhelm. But with Japhin all she could think of was how badly she wanted this to be over and terrible this whole thing felt.
Finally it was over and she fell to the ground weeping. Japhin summoned Sira and instructed her to “escort my wife back to her room,” and as Wella took Sira’s hand and stood to her feet Japhin spoke to her coldly, “You can have tonight my dear, but tomorrow I expect you to fulfill your duties as my wife.”
He shot a glance at the bed and then stared back at her hungrily and for a moment Wella almost grabbed the shot of poison sitting on the table beside the door, almost drove the poison into her own neck, almost took her own life…almost. It was in that moment, that the flutter saved her life.
As Wella left the room Japhin gave a contented sigh. Everything was going according to plan. He left his bed chamber and descended the stairs into the dungeon where his Juptan workers were hard at work.
“Ah, perfect timing,” announced Olangton as he came to the bottom of the stairs. “We’ve just placed the finishing touches on the laser and earth is in the perfect place to be targeted.”
Japhin smiled, could this day get any better? He pushed past Olangton and stopped at the screen that showed just where the gun was aimed, it was perfect, at the press of a button earth would remember nothing of Imaginess, or aliens, things would go back to way they were supposed to be. And the foolish Imaginese that had decided to live there would join their comrades in forgetfulness.
“Sir,” said a Juptan at his side, “should I give the order, sir.”
“Yes, fire, obliterate Imaginess from their minds once and for all.”
Brittney grabbed her small hand bag and went outside. Shanti and Evan stood there waiting for her as she placed her bag in the trunk of the spacepod along with the other bags. “Are you ready?” Evan asked turning toward his wife.
She brushed past him, “are you kidding me its been a week since Fourth of July by now we may be too late. It’s already been a month there, who knows what could be happening. My mother’s probably dead, Wilhelm and father too”
“Yes but you wouldn’t have been able to save them anyway and you’d be dead to, you’re just one person, Brittney.”
“I know I just want to get out of here as soon as we can.” She said as she climbed into the back of the pod beside Shanti
Evan was finally satisfied that they had everything and climbed into the driver’s seat. As they broke atmosphere tears began to fill her eyes at the thought of what she might find when she got there. Shanti placed her hand comfortingly on Brittney’s shoulder and forced a smile, “I’m worried to, don’t forget Leena’s my cousin, and my family would have proudly died beside her.”
Brittney nodded and blinked back her tears turning to stare out the window at the stars zooming by. Imaginess was already in sight and she could see the faint silhouette of Zora. But something didn’t seem quite right about it. “Evan, what’s that strange glow coming from Zora?” She asked her husband.
Evan looked up from where he had bent over the controls, he quickly reached for the wheel and turned it rapidly to the right just as a beam of light shot past them, so close they could feel a zing of electricity shoot through the small pod as it headed toward earth. Evan righted the pod and turned in his seat to face the women. “Are you girls alright,”
They nodded slowly as they gathered their wits. “What on Imaginess was that?” Exclaimed Shanti her voice shaky.
“I don’t know.” Brittney responded.
Evan was staring at earth which was now surrounded by a bright green hue that slowly faded away. “I’m sorry, guys but I’m turning around.” He said turning back toward the wheel and directing the pod back toward earth.
They arrived a couple minutes later and landed in the middle of Shanti’s courtyard. Shanti immediately jumped out of the pod and raced into the house shouting for the maid or the butler. Brittney and Evan followed her. “Ramona.” Shanti was saying to her maid “Are you ok?’
“Why wouldn’t I be ma’am?” The woman asked in confusion
“Didn’t you see that beam that came from Imaginess?”
“Imaginess?” Ramona looked at her questioningly.
“Yes you know Imaginess the planet I’m from. Certainly you remember you’ve been there yourself.” Ramona really stared at Shanti now then a look of recognition lit her face.
“Oh you mean that new TV show that’s been on Tuesday nights.” Shanti looked at her dumbfounded then turned toward Brittney and Evan as Ramona headed back to her duties.
“It seems to me.” Brittney said “that she’s forgotten.”
Shanti shook her head not wanting to believe it. She dashed out of the room shouting for anyone she could find and inquiring as to if they had ever heard of Imaginess but all of them said the same thing either it was a TV show, a book, a dream or they’d never heard of it.
She found them in her office a couple hours later, “I can’t believe it. No one remembers Imaginess it’s like their minds have been wiped. I even called some of my Imaginess friends and they don’t remember either. They even have an explanation for their space pods. They think they’re replicas from a TV show.”
Brittney turned toward her husband who was sitting behind the desk. “We have to try to go back. We have to know what’s going on.”
He shook his head, “It won’t work, as soon as we came into the atmosphere the pods engine started giving out, we barely were able to land without before losing power. I tried restarting it while you guys were running around but it’s fried. Whatever that beam was it messed up the atmosphere. It was meant to remove Imaginess from our memories that much is obvious, but I think something in it sapped up the fuel in our pods as well.
“Of course,” Shanti said sadly, “It makes sense. My pod has a Gunger engine, an important gene found in the Imaginese. It allows the computer to learn faster and understand what it pilot wants before the pilot instructs it. If that laser was aimed at Imaginese then the pods would fail as well.”
“But what about the humans?” Said Brittney sadly.
“It seems the laser was created to target both, only a Juptan could manage this kind of a weapon.”
Brittney shot a look at her husband, “Oh Evan, you don’t think, you don’t Jatar could have done this do you?”
I don’t know, Brittney, I don’t know,” He said unable to hide the desperation in his own voice. “All I know is if this stuff is in the atmosphere it probably won’t be long before we forget too.”
The sun shone the window of a small hut and fell softly on Wilhelm’s sleeping form. He stirred at the sound of a birds caw and opened his eyes to see his eagle, Vito staring back at him. He smiled up at the bird and pushed himself into a sitting position lifting his arm for the bird to land on. “I didn’t think I’d ever see you again friend.”
The bird cawed its reply and cocked its head to the side and Wilhelm frowned, “I sure wish Brittney were here to tell me what you were saying. I hope she’s alright.”
The bird cawed again and Wilhelm smiled as if he knew what his friend had said, “Of course, you’re right, she was on earth so I’m sure she’s fine.”
Wilhelm looked up at the sound of footsteps coming up to the door. There was a gently knock and then Mattim came in carrying a tray of food. “Oh good you were awake, I brought you some lunch. Vito helped me hunt it especially for you. He knows how much you love halliboo meat.
Wilhelm smiled and took the tray from his father and began to eat Mattim pulled over a chair next to the bed and was silent. Finally Wilhelm could stand the silence no longer, “Jatar, did he escape.”
His father smiled, “Yes, it’s amazing how quickly his power returns here, he managed to keep the guards so focused on you that they forgot they was even there. His nose is almost completely grown back and he’s currently mustering himself an army of little pets to feed off of when the time is right.”
Wilhelm smiled and took another bite of the halliboo meat, looking around the small room as he chewed. “Where are we anyway?”
“Utavi village, this cottage is quite livable. With some work the rest of the houses will be sure to follow. And Kohath willing we will begin to fill them with Japhin’s enemies. Thanks to the great work you and your wife did on this house, we have a place to begin.”
Wilhelm clutched at his heart at the mention of his wife’s name panic beginning to well up within him. “The heart connection. I don’t feel her. Is she dead?”
Mattim shook his head, “No, but you were for a time, in case you’ve forgotten.”
“So I’m not married anymore?”
Mattim shook his head, “I’m afraid not, son, she’s Japhin’s now.” He stood and crossed over to the window looking out at the deserted and village and the houses that were in shambles, “This is where we will have to stay until the time is right. One day you will go and take Imaginess back under Baker rule once again. Your mother was wrong Brittney shouldn’t rule Imaginess she should have listened when Japhin told her not to put a human on the throne, but we can’t change the past now. Now we must prepare to take back Imaginess and restore it to its former glory even if that takes years.”
1 week later
Wilhelm sat in a corner his head between his knees Jatar lay in the opposite corner nibbling at a small chunk of bread through the mouth where his nose had once been. He was trying to coax a small overly furry creature known as a puffer from its hiding place beneath the rickety cot. Wilhelm smiled at Jatar’s attempt to befriend the creature knowing full well that in about a year or so when his nose had fully grown back he would feed off this creatures brain waves and therefore survive. That is if his nose ever grew back. There was a good chance Jatar would have them both killed before then or else continuously break Jatar’s nose so that he would never have the chance to truly feed again
Wilhelm stood up and walked over to the window and stared out. All he could do was think of Wella. He hoped to see just a glimpse of her though he knew that she was most likely dead or imprisoned just like everyone else.
He sighed and went over to sit next Jatar. “Four more were taken today.”
“Yes, so I’ve heard.”
They both sat in silence for a moment. Each day the guards emptied one of the cells bringing those who had been loyal to Leena before Japhin.
“Of course that doesn’t necessarily mean they’re dead.” Clarified Japhin finally looking away from the puffer and into his friends haggard face.
“They are if they were truly loyal to my mother.” He responded bitterly.
Jatar nodded and looked away from his friend knowing how hard this had been on his friend and not wanting to say anything that would upset him, “So you would rather die than fight? Your mother did everything in her power to protect you and your sister. Are you saying her death was in vain?”
Wilhelm stood to his feet crossing over to the window again, “My mother would be more disappointed if I served as Japhin’s slave for the rest of my life.”
Jatar nodded turning his attention back on the puffer. This time Wilhelm noticed the strange look on Jatar’s face, “You’re considering betraying her.” He spit out in disgust, “After all she’s done for you, you would rather serve Japhin than die?”
Jatar stood to his feet stretching to his full height though he was still a good foot shorter than Wilhelm and anger flashing in his eyes, “Let’s get one thing straight, Wilhelm, I am very grateful for what your mother has done for me these past years. I am grateful for the friendship and acceptance I have received from your family. I would never do anything to harm you or your family.” He sighed and sat down on the hard cot, “I’ll admit, I have thought about it, after all Japhin has access to my people. If I sided with him…I could go home. Do you have any idea how long I have dreamed of returning home?”
Wilhelm swallowed realizing how selfish he’d been and went to sit down beside his good friend. “Jatar,” he hesitated, not wanting to say what he knew he had to say, “you should go home, this isn’t your war. You should get out while you have the chance.”
Jatar shook his head sadly, “This is my home now. I don’t belong on Jupiter anymore. Sure, it would be great to see my family again, but I’m a fugitive. The only way for me to truly get Japhin to trust me enough for him to let me go home…would be to help him destroy everything that your mother stood for…and I just couldn’t betray her like that.”
Wilhelm slapped his friend on the shoulder and smiled weakly, “It’s good to know that no matter what I’ll have a friend through all this, you really have been a great friend to both me and Brittney for all these years. You’ve always been there to give us some sage advice when we needed it and be our friend when no one was listening.
“It’s a shame you always had to live in the basement. It wasn’t much better than this cell when you get right down to it. Always feeding off those poor creatures, a diet not much better than bread and water. That was no way to treat a good friend; I’m surprised you put up with us.”
Jatar shook his head, “I wouldn’t have had it any other way. I loved living with your family, I loved the privacy of my lab, I enjoyed my pets; though you are right about how filling they were. But the fact of the matter is, coming here to Imaginess has been the best thing that’s ever happened to me. I would do it all over again in a moment.”
As they both sat there lost in their thoughts of the past and their fear of the future a sound from outside their cell caused them to both come to attention. Wilhelm stood to his feet and moved to the door to look out but didn’t see anyone there. He was just turning to head back to his cold corner when Mattim materialized in front of him and he took a step back, “Dad!” he exclaimed in surprise.
Jatar rushed to Wilhelm’s side when he heard the announcement. As Wilhelm reached through the bars to greet his father Mattim glanced down the hall to be sure that no one was around before turning back to his son. “I don’t have a lot of time, Will, so listen closely,” He released his grasp on his sons arm and pulled one of his left arms into its pouch and pulled out a small vial. “Japhin has sent his guards to kill you; they will be her in less then an hour. This vial contains the only known antidote for Japhin’s poison. If you take this now then the injection won’t work, but you must still be sure to fake suffocation or else they will find a more sure way to kill you.”
Mattim handed the vial to his son and then reached into the arm pouch again and pulled out another vial. “This vial is Morfal, a drug that will slow your heart rate to a point so near death that even your heart connection will falter which very well may save your wife.”
Wilhelm gave his father a shocked look. “Wella is alive,”
His father gave a slight nod as he handed the second vial through the bars “She is indeed alive but unless she is able to make the heart connection and marry Japhin she will be sentenced to death. That is why they want to kill you.”
The sound of voices was heard coming down the hall. “I have to go son, drink the vials and when they bury you I will find you, and remember you must pretend to suffocate.” With that Mattim disappeared once again and Wilhelm turned toward Jatar.
“There’s only enough for me –“
“It’s ok Wilhelm, I’ll manage. Now quick drink it, they’re almost here.” Jatar was right the voices had gotten considerably closer. Wilhelm quickly pulled the cork out of the first vial and downed it in one gulp then did the same with the other. Then pulled both vials into one of his arm pouches then took back up his position at the window trying to look natural despite his beating heart.
The guards came in and grabbed hold of Wilhelm. “Wilhelm, you have been declared an enemy of the people and a threat to the Imaginese government by Japhin, Zotac on the planet of Imaginess and ruler of the people of Zora and as such your penalty is death by poison.”
Another guard came to him a syringe filled with an orangish liquid in his hand. Even as Wilhelm watched the guard come closer he could feel his heart beginning to slow and he found himself wishing for the guard to hurry up with the needle so he didn’t have to keep fighting the exhaustion.
The guard thrust the needle into his neck and relief washed over Wilhelm as he allowed himself to slump to the ground remembering just in time to fake suffocation. He could feel the steady beat of his heart beating slower and slower with each of his faked gasps of breath. Soon he could fight it no longer and sleep overtook him. The last sound he heard was the ever slower beat of his heart slowly disappearing into silence.
Wella waited nervously in Japhin’s bed chamber. She paced back and forth and every sound made her jump within her skin. She dreaded the moment when Japhin returned knowing that he would only return with the news of her husbands death and knowing he would demand that she connect her heart to him.
Finally the moment she dreaded came to pass. Japhin entered the room an evil smile playing at the corners of his mouth, he came up to her and grabbed her by the arm, “Well my pet, it’s time we finally finished what we began. After all these years you will finally be mine.
“That dastardly husband of yours is dead and now theirs nothing to stand between me and what’s mine.”
Wella’s nostrils flared, “Take me then Japhin but though you may own me in body, you will never own my soul. Though your heart may be connected to mine, it will forever belong in the grave with him. You’re a monster and I will not love you.”
Japhin squeezed her arm tighter and pulled her close to his grabbing her face in his other hand and sneering angrily in her face, “You will suffer for those words, Wella.” He threw her to the ground as he said her name then crossed to the side of the room opposite her and taking a long drink from the Raspberry cordial sitting on the table.
He took in a deep breath and then turned back to where Wella still lay on the ground, he crossed back over to her, grabbing her by the hair and forcing her to stand to her feet. She let out a small cry and Japhin grabbed her by the throat with his other hand as he released her hair. “Connect with me my bride before I change my mind and you join him.
For a brief moment Wella thought about how wonderful that sounded. To be buried beside him, to join him forever in death rather than live beside this monster, sounded like the much better option. But then there was the gentle flutter once again, the flutter that only she could feel. If she didn’t hurry he would be able to feel it too when they made the connection, he would know she was pregnant and would probably kill her anyway.
She nodded rapidly pretending as if the sound of death was a thought that absolutely terrified her. With a shaking hand she placed her hand over his beating heart. He smiled his cruel smile once again and placed his hand over her heart. The burning sensation of the heart connection filled her hand and her heart as he grasped her hand and pulled it inside his arm pouch, she could feel the steady thrum of his heart, something that would have been romantic if she loved him, something that had filled her with joy when she had done this with Wilhelm. But with Japhin all she could think of was how badly she wanted this to be over and terrible this whole thing felt.
Finally it was over and she fell to the ground weeping. Japhin summoned Sira and instructed her to “escort my wife back to her room,” and as Wella took Sira’s hand and stood to her feet Japhin spoke to her coldly, “You can have tonight my dear, but tomorrow I expect you to fulfill your duties as my wife.”
He shot a glance at the bed and then stared back at her hungrily and for a moment Wella almost grabbed the shot of poison sitting on the table beside the door, almost drove the poison into her own neck, almost took her own life…almost. It was in that moment, that the flutter saved her life.
As Wella left the room Japhin gave a contented sigh. Everything was going according to plan. He left his bed chamber and descended the stairs into the dungeon where his Juptan workers were hard at work.
“Ah, perfect timing,” announced Olangton as he came to the bottom of the stairs. “We’ve just placed the finishing touches on the laser and earth is in the perfect place to be targeted.”
Japhin smiled, could this day get any better? He pushed past Olangton and stopped at the screen that showed just where the gun was aimed, it was perfect, at the press of a button earth would remember nothing of Imaginess, or aliens, things would go back to way they were supposed to be. And the foolish Imaginese that had decided to live there would join their comrades in forgetfulness.
“Sir,” said a Juptan at his side, “should I give the order, sir.”
“Yes, fire, obliterate Imaginess from their minds once and for all.”
Brittney grabbed her small hand bag and went outside. Shanti and Evan stood there waiting for her as she placed her bag in the trunk of the spacepod along with the other bags. “Are you ready?” Evan asked turning toward his wife.
She brushed past him, “are you kidding me its been a week since Fourth of July by now we may be too late. It’s already been a month there, who knows what could be happening. My mother’s probably dead, Wilhelm and father too”
“Yes but you wouldn’t have been able to save them anyway and you’d be dead to, you’re just one person, Brittney.”
“I know I just want to get out of here as soon as we can.” She said as she climbed into the back of the pod beside Shanti
Evan was finally satisfied that they had everything and climbed into the driver’s seat. As they broke atmosphere tears began to fill her eyes at the thought of what she might find when she got there. Shanti placed her hand comfortingly on Brittney’s shoulder and forced a smile, “I’m worried to, don’t forget Leena’s my cousin, and my family would have proudly died beside her.”
Brittney nodded and blinked back her tears turning to stare out the window at the stars zooming by. Imaginess was already in sight and she could see the faint silhouette of Zora. But something didn’t seem quite right about it. “Evan, what’s that strange glow coming from Zora?” She asked her husband.
Evan looked up from where he had bent over the controls, he quickly reached for the wheel and turned it rapidly to the right just as a beam of light shot past them, so close they could feel a zing of electricity shoot through the small pod as it headed toward earth. Evan righted the pod and turned in his seat to face the women. “Are you girls alright,”
They nodded slowly as they gathered their wits. “What on Imaginess was that?” Exclaimed Shanti her voice shaky.
“I don’t know.” Brittney responded.
Evan was staring at earth which was now surrounded by a bright green hue that slowly faded away. “I’m sorry, guys but I’m turning around.” He said turning back toward the wheel and directing the pod back toward earth.
They arrived a couple minutes later and landed in the middle of Shanti’s courtyard. Shanti immediately jumped out of the pod and raced into the house shouting for the maid or the butler. Brittney and Evan followed her. “Ramona.” Shanti was saying to her maid “Are you ok?’
“Why wouldn’t I be ma’am?” The woman asked in confusion
“Didn’t you see that beam that came from Imaginess?”
“Imaginess?” Ramona looked at her questioningly.
“Yes you know Imaginess the planet I’m from. Certainly you remember you’ve been there yourself.” Ramona really stared at Shanti now then a look of recognition lit her face.
“Oh you mean that new TV show that’s been on Tuesday nights.” Shanti looked at her dumbfounded then turned toward Brittney and Evan as Ramona headed back to her duties.
“It seems to me.” Brittney said “that she’s forgotten.”
Shanti shook her head not wanting to believe it. She dashed out of the room shouting for anyone she could find and inquiring as to if they had ever heard of Imaginess but all of them said the same thing either it was a TV show, a book, a dream or they’d never heard of it.
She found them in her office a couple hours later, “I can’t believe it. No one remembers Imaginess it’s like their minds have been wiped. I even called some of my Imaginess friends and they don’t remember either. They even have an explanation for their space pods. They think they’re replicas from a TV show.”
Brittney turned toward her husband who was sitting behind the desk. “We have to try to go back. We have to know what’s going on.”
He shook his head, “It won’t work, as soon as we came into the atmosphere the pods engine started giving out, we barely were able to land without before losing power. I tried restarting it while you guys were running around but it’s fried. Whatever that beam was it messed up the atmosphere. It was meant to remove Imaginess from our memories that much is obvious, but I think something in it sapped up the fuel in our pods as well.
“Of course,” Shanti said sadly, “It makes sense. My pod has a Gunger engine, an important gene found in the Imaginese. It allows the computer to learn faster and understand what it pilot wants before the pilot instructs it. If that laser was aimed at Imaginese then the pods would fail as well.”
“But what about the humans?” Said Brittney sadly.
“It seems the laser was created to target both, only a Juptan could manage this kind of a weapon.”
Brittney shot a look at her husband, “Oh Evan, you don’t think, you don’t Jatar could have done this do you?”
I don’t know, Brittney, I don’t know,” He said unable to hide the desperation in his own voice. “All I know is if this stuff is in the atmosphere it probably won’t be long before we forget too.”
The sun shone the window of a small hut and fell softly on Wilhelm’s sleeping form. He stirred at the sound of a birds caw and opened his eyes to see his eagle, Vito staring back at him. He smiled up at the bird and pushed himself into a sitting position lifting his arm for the bird to land on. “I didn’t think I’d ever see you again friend.”
The bird cawed its reply and cocked its head to the side and Wilhelm frowned, “I sure wish Brittney were here to tell me what you were saying. I hope she’s alright.”
The bird cawed again and Wilhelm smiled as if he knew what his friend had said, “Of course, you’re right, she was on earth so I’m sure she’s fine.”
Wilhelm looked up at the sound of footsteps coming up to the door. There was a gently knock and then Mattim came in carrying a tray of food. “Oh good you were awake, I brought you some lunch. Vito helped me hunt it especially for you. He knows how much you love halliboo meat.
Wilhelm smiled and took the tray from his father and began to eat Mattim pulled over a chair next to the bed and was silent. Finally Wilhelm could stand the silence no longer, “Jatar, did he escape.”
His father smiled, “Yes, it’s amazing how quickly his power returns here, he managed to keep the guards so focused on you that they forgot they was even there. His nose is almost completely grown back and he’s currently mustering himself an army of little pets to feed off of when the time is right.”
Wilhelm smiled and took another bite of the halliboo meat, looking around the small room as he chewed. “Where are we anyway?”
“Utavi village, this cottage is quite livable. With some work the rest of the houses will be sure to follow. And Kohath willing we will begin to fill them with Japhin’s enemies. Thanks to the great work you and your wife did on this house, we have a place to begin.”
Wilhelm clutched at his heart at the mention of his wife’s name panic beginning to well up within him. “The heart connection. I don’t feel her. Is she dead?”
Mattim shook his head, “No, but you were for a time, in case you’ve forgotten.”
“So I’m not married anymore?”
Mattim shook his head, “I’m afraid not, son, she’s Japhin’s now.” He stood and crossed over to the window looking out at the deserted and village and the houses that were in shambles, “This is where we will have to stay until the time is right. One day you will go and take Imaginess back under Baker rule once again. Your mother was wrong Brittney shouldn’t rule Imaginess she should have listened when Japhin told her not to put a human on the throne, but we can’t change the past now. Now we must prepare to take back Imaginess and restore it to its former glory even if that takes years.”
Friday, February 10, 2012
The Rebellion (Chapter 5)
Sira's Allegiance
1 Month Later
Sira sat on the hard, stone floor with Alita’s head in her lap. The woman had been shot during the invasion and her breathing became shallower and shallower with each passing minute. Alita’s husband Rowel was pacing back and forth like a caged animal he stopped for a moment in front of Sira and spoke in a panicked voice, “How is she?”
Sira placed her hand on Alita’s forehead and checked her pulse, “She’s fading fast. If we don’t get her help soon…she’ll die.”
Rowel crossed over to the wooden door and grabbed hold of the small bars on the window and gave them a shake. “Let us out! You can’t hold us here we work for the Zotac you can’t keep us here. Let us out!”
“Will you just stop it!” Adan snapped. He had been staring silently out the window for the last couple of hours but at the sound of Rowel’s shouting he couldn’t keep quiet anymore. “They’re not going to let us out, Rowel, don’t you understand? The Zotac is dead, Japhin’s running things now.” He stopped to take a deep breath struggling to get a hold of himself. When he spoke again his voice was quiet and shaky. “The only way we’re getting out of here…is through death!”
Sira swallowed and she watched as Rowel loosened his grip on the bars and slumped to the floor. He pulled himself into a fetal position and his shoulders began to shake gently. “There has to be another way.”
“There’s not another way, Sira.” Adan snapped again.
“What about Wilhelm? He’s got to be out there somewhere. He’ll come and…”
“Stop it, Sira, just stop it.” She jumped at the anger in his voice. In all the years they had known each other he had never shown this level of anger toward her. “It’s over, Sira, it’s over” He took another deep breath and dropped down onto the hard cot that was thrust up against the wall.
For the first time Sira noticed the fear in her husband’s face. Rowel had crossed over to his wife’s side and Sira gently pushed Alita into his arms. She crossed over to her husbands side and sat beside him. “Adan please, don’t give up. I couldn’t stand if you gave up. You’ve always been the strongest person I know. If you die…” Her voice broke and she couldn’t finish. Adan wrapped three of his arms around her and pulled her close as she sobbed into his shoulder.
The four sat in silence for a few moments the weight of their future and how little time there was left for them hung in the air. A sound of a door opening down the hall brought them all to attention. They listened as the footsteps came closer to their cell. An Imaginese guard stopped in front of their door and fit a key in the lock.
Two guards came in and pulled Sira away from her husband. Another guard crossed over and pulled Rowel to his feet and a fourth knelt next to Alita. As Sira and Adan were led out of the cell followed close behind by Rowel, they heard the last guard call from where he knelt next to Alita. “Sir, this ones not moving. It looks like she was shot.”
The leader of their squad nodded for the man to leave the cell, “just leave her, she’ll be dead in a couple of hours.”
“No,” Rowel struggled against the guard holding him trying to get back to his wife’s side, “No, she’s alive, you can’t leave her, she’s still alive.” Rowel managed to break away and ran toward his wife, a shot rang out and Sira screamed and ducked to the ground. As the sound of the shot faded she stood up and was relieved to find that it was only a warning shot.
“I’m not leaving,” Rowel shouted at the guards from where he had fallen to the ground next to Alita, “and I’m not going to swear allegiance to your new Zotac so just leave me here, let me die here with my wife.”
The guard grinned at him and raised his gun out again, “As you wish,” He pointed the gun at Alita and pulled the trigger. Rowel’s cry filled her ears as pulled his wife’s still body into his arms. As he cried into her hair, the guard re-aimed his gun in Rowel’s direction and pulled the trigger again. This time it was Sira to cry out and she buried her head in her husbands chest.
The guards pulled them apart again and forced them to leave the dungeon area of the mansion. The were both quiet contemplating the death of their two close friends and their own fate which was just around the corner. They were led to the room where the dinner had been held just a month before.
The room had been completely transformed into a type of throne room where Japhin sat at end on a chair covered in the vegetation that was so rare on Imaginess. There were guards lining each side of his makeshift throne and all the tables and party decorations had been removed and instead replaced with flowers and plants of every kind.
Japhin stood to his feet as Sira and Rowel were led to the base of his throne. “Awe so if it isn’t two of Leena’s most trusted servants.” He turned to the captain of the guard. “Where are the other two?”
“Dead sir, the women had been shot and the man tried to attack.”
Japhin nodded, I suppose its better dead now than rebel later.” He had crossed the space between them and had started circling them. He stopped in front of Adan and looked into his eyes. “So what will it be? Death or allegiance to the new Zotac?”
“I would rather die.” He said spitting on Japhin’s shiny boot. Japhin scowled at him and nodded at the guard behind him. The guard grabbed him roughly by the arm and pulled a syringe out of his pocket and thrust it into Adan’s neck.
Japhin smiled, “you’re going to wish you had put up more of a fight back at the cell. A laser gun wound will seem like relief compared to the excruciating death of my poison.” Just as Japhin finished speaking the poison kicked in and Adan grasped his neck choking and struggling to breath, he fell to the ground and Sira cried out as she watched her husband endure the slow death of Japhin’s poison.
As Adan continued to writhe, Japhin turned to Sira her heart jumped to her throat. “And how bout you my dear? Would you also prefer this painful death rather than swear allegiance to me? Is it really worth it?”
Tears streamed down her face as she looked into her husbands eyes. He was barely breathing now but he was staring at her as if dreading her answer.
She knelt down beside Adan and spoke as if he were the only one in the room. “Adan, do you remember when we were kids, and Leena came. I was so mad at you for betraying her to the Tuli. I thought were such a coward, but more than once you have proven that your far from it. I could only wish I was as brave as you.”
Adan reached up and gently brushed her purple hair out of her face and struggled to speak through his slowly closing throat, “Don’t…die…find…Wilhelm…save us” He let his hand drop and she grabbed it firmly as his breathing became more labored. His breathes became shorter and closer together and finally he pulled in one last short breath passed out.
Tears filled her eyes as the guard pulled her to her feet. Japhin’s patience was growing thin as he eyed her, “What did he say to you?” Sira was confused for a moment before she realized that Adan had spoken to her in English a language that Japhin had refused to learn because of his prejudice against the humans.
She shook her head, “Nothing of importance, he only told me he loved me.”
“Why in English?” He asked skeptically
Sira’s anger was boiling by now and she snapped at him, “Because it was private and he didn’t want the likes of you to hear his dying words.”
Japhin scoffed, “Oh how perfectly romantic and I’m sure you’ll join him now won’t you. The perfect ending to a tragic romance.”
“You’re wrong!” Sira shouted, trying to regain her composure. She took a deep breath and swallowed past her fear. Everything within her demanded that she take the needle just like her husband had but she had to respect his wishes. He wanted her to live, he knew something she didn’t and he wanted her to help with the resistance in the years to come. “I don’t want to die.” She lied, “I want to serve you…the new Zotac of Imaginess.”
Japhin smiled, “Well that’s a pleasant surprise, and I have just the job for you. Wella and I shall be getting married shortly, in days time to be exact. She will be in need of a servant. Someone loyal to me. I think you might be perfect for the job. After all anyone willing to betray her own husband for me is…perfect.”
Sira bowed her head slightly at these new orders, “Yes, my Zotac,” she said and the words tasted like poison on her tongue, “I would be honored to serve as Wella’s maid.
The Wedding was held two days later. Wella had spent most of the week locked away in her room drowning in her steady stream of tears. In her darkest moments of despair she had almost taken her own life but then there would be that small flutter in her stomach and she knew that she couldn’t do it. She couldn’t take the life of her unborn child because of her own selfish desire to die.
On the day of her wedding she thought her heart would break. A sweet older woman who Wella was sure she had seen a few times with Leena came in to help her dress. This women had come in a few times in the last few days but always Wella had been too lost in her depression to notice.
As the servant, Sira, prodded her out of bed and tried to encourage her to take a bath, Wella did her best to block out thoughts of her future. In just a few hours she would be having the wedding she had always dreamed of but with only one thing missing: she would be marrying the man she hated, while the man she loved lie somewhere dead. She didn’t want to think about Japhin or consider what her life would be like once she was officially his wife.
“You’re going to make such a beautiful bride.” Sira said as she pinned up Wella’s thin pink hair.
Wella sighed and pulled away from Sira’s skilled hands. She stood and crossed over to a full length mirror and examined her reflection. “No, I’m not a beautiful bride. A beautiful bride should glow with the love she has for her groom. There is no glow in my eyes, nothing but death shows there. I’m nothing but a beautiful corpse ready to march to my death sentence. It shall indeed be the longest death in the history of deaths.”
Sira crossed to stand beside Wella staring into the mirror at her reflection as if trying to see what Wella saw. “I don’t understand. If this is how you feel why did you agree to this arraignment? Why didn’t you refuse to marry him? It would have been a far quicker death.”
Her nostrils flared and stared at her through the mirror, “I have my reasons for going through with this.” She turned away from the mirror and faced Sira, “And what about you? Weren’t you one of Leena’s closest friends? Yet here you are serving under Japhin in order to save your own skin. The way I see it, I am no worse than you.”
Sira was silent and Wella knew her words had hit their mark. When Sira spoke her voice was shaking. “It’s been two days since my husband and brother were brutally murdered by Japhin’s soldiers before my eyes. Each day that I continue to live without them, I die a little. But I live so that their deaths will not be in vain. If I can find some way to overthrow Japhin from the inside than I will do it without hesitation or worry for my life.
Wella nodded and a slight smile played at her lips, the first that had crossed her features in days. “Maybe together we will be able to save this kingdom yet. Though Wilhelm is surely dead his offspring will surely live. Japhin will not win this battle if his successor is Wilhelm’s own son.”
Sira stared at Wella for a moment in shock, “What do you mean Wilhelm’s offspring, Wilhelm never married, let alone have a child.”
Wella’s smile grew and she pulled two of her arms into their stomach pouches in order to cradle her small child in her womb. She could feel the gentle flutter of the month old fetuses beating heart. It would be imperceptible to anyone but herself, something only her own hand could feel when it pressed against the lining of her stomach pouch.
Sira stared at Wella curiously and Wella snapped out of her thoughts, “You’re right, Wilhelm doesn’t have a child, at least not yet. And if I do this right Japhin will never know that his enemy’s child is being raised in his own house as his own son.”
“Do you mean? You?”
Wella nodded again, “Me and Wilhelm eloped three months ago, I’m about a month along in a week I can tell Japhin that we’re having a baby he’ll be so pleased that he won’t think twice. The baby will only come a little early and he’ll raise it as his own.”
Sira gave a little jump of pleasure than her eyes widened and she pulled a small watch out of one of her arm pouches, “Oh dear, we’ve wasted precious time, we need to get you ready for your wedding or all our planning will be for naught.”
Wella agreed and the two women hurried to finish the preparations
While Wella and Sira planned for the one day overthrow of Japhin and the reestablishment of Leena’s grandson, Japhin was making preparations to be sure that his kingdom was never overthrown.
He entered a small room in the underground room that had once housed the late Juptan traitor, Jatar. The room had been set up as a type of lab and was completely overrun by Juptans. They were working on the biggest weapon that had ever been created on Imaginess. “How’s it coming Olangtan?” Japhin asked the big brute that met him at the door.
“It’s coming along well we should have it done in a couple of hours. It would have taken considerably longer, perhaps longer if Jatar hadn’t done most of the work for us.”
Japhin’s eyes narrowed, “What do you mean?”
The Juptan grabbed a notebook off of the research desk, “Jatar had been making notes for a shield that would protect Imaginess from attack after he died. With a few alterations we were able to turn it into a weapon that would erase all memory of us from the people of earth.”
Japhin smiled, “A shield huh. That sounds useful make that as well and be prepared to attack earth by the end of the evening. I would like to be able to show my new bride the extent of my power. What better way to end my day than with a fantastic light show that will wipe earth’s memory of us forever”
The burly Juptan smiled a wicked grin that reached both of his crooked mouths, “An excellent idea sir.”
The wedding would have surely been beautiful if it had been someone else being married. It was a wedding fit for a queen for certain and any woman should have been delighted to be standing next to Japhin, who all things considered was a rather good looking Imaginese, and exchange the embrace of marriage.
It was a rather simple ceremony compared to the stories Wilhelm had told her about the extravagant weddings on earth. Where the wedding took many hours and was preformed before hundreds sometimes ever thousands of people. Here only a few attendants were present as witnesses. She was dressed in simple attire, nothing more than she would probably wear on a regular day.
They all entered together rather than her entering alone as the human brides did and rather than exchanging vows or rings of any kind they simply exchanged a complicated embrace that consisted of them bringing one of their partner’s hands into the arm pouch near their heart as a symbol of their undying love and commitment for and to the other. Once one had touched the heart and felt its beat they were bound forever by a strong bond that could only be broken in death.
As Japhin pulled Sira into the embrace she immediately noticed that there was something wrong. With Wilhelm she had felt the connection immediately but with Japhin she felt nothing. At least not until his hand came to rest on her heart. As he placed her hand on her heart a searing pain rushed through her body and she tried to resist the urge to pull away but thankfully Japhin pulled away himself as if his hand had been burned.
He glared at her evilly. “You’ve already connected yourself to him.” He spat at her. He turned toward the guard nearest him. “I thought you said he had been taken care of.”
“He was sir, we put him in the deepest dungeon in all of Imaginess.”
Japhin grabbed the man by the collar and pulled him so that they were nose to nose, “When I said take care of him I didn’t mean to actually care for him, I meant finish him off. Idiot!” He threw the man on the ground and turned toward Wella, “Don’t worry my dear this little issue will be cleared up momentarily in the meantime, handmaiden, please take my wife to my bedchamber to await my arrival. This ceremony will be finished in an hour’s time.”
1 Month Later
Sira sat on the hard, stone floor with Alita’s head in her lap. The woman had been shot during the invasion and her breathing became shallower and shallower with each passing minute. Alita’s husband Rowel was pacing back and forth like a caged animal he stopped for a moment in front of Sira and spoke in a panicked voice, “How is she?”
Sira placed her hand on Alita’s forehead and checked her pulse, “She’s fading fast. If we don’t get her help soon…she’ll die.”
Rowel crossed over to the wooden door and grabbed hold of the small bars on the window and gave them a shake. “Let us out! You can’t hold us here we work for the Zotac you can’t keep us here. Let us out!”
“Will you just stop it!” Adan snapped. He had been staring silently out the window for the last couple of hours but at the sound of Rowel’s shouting he couldn’t keep quiet anymore. “They’re not going to let us out, Rowel, don’t you understand? The Zotac is dead, Japhin’s running things now.” He stopped to take a deep breath struggling to get a hold of himself. When he spoke again his voice was quiet and shaky. “The only way we’re getting out of here…is through death!”
Sira swallowed and she watched as Rowel loosened his grip on the bars and slumped to the floor. He pulled himself into a fetal position and his shoulders began to shake gently. “There has to be another way.”
“There’s not another way, Sira.” Adan snapped again.
“What about Wilhelm? He’s got to be out there somewhere. He’ll come and…”
“Stop it, Sira, just stop it.” She jumped at the anger in his voice. In all the years they had known each other he had never shown this level of anger toward her. “It’s over, Sira, it’s over” He took another deep breath and dropped down onto the hard cot that was thrust up against the wall.
For the first time Sira noticed the fear in her husband’s face. Rowel had crossed over to his wife’s side and Sira gently pushed Alita into his arms. She crossed over to her husbands side and sat beside him. “Adan please, don’t give up. I couldn’t stand if you gave up. You’ve always been the strongest person I know. If you die…” Her voice broke and she couldn’t finish. Adan wrapped three of his arms around her and pulled her close as she sobbed into his shoulder.
The four sat in silence for a few moments the weight of their future and how little time there was left for them hung in the air. A sound of a door opening down the hall brought them all to attention. They listened as the footsteps came closer to their cell. An Imaginese guard stopped in front of their door and fit a key in the lock.
Two guards came in and pulled Sira away from her husband. Another guard crossed over and pulled Rowel to his feet and a fourth knelt next to Alita. As Sira and Adan were led out of the cell followed close behind by Rowel, they heard the last guard call from where he knelt next to Alita. “Sir, this ones not moving. It looks like she was shot.”
The leader of their squad nodded for the man to leave the cell, “just leave her, she’ll be dead in a couple of hours.”
“No,” Rowel struggled against the guard holding him trying to get back to his wife’s side, “No, she’s alive, you can’t leave her, she’s still alive.” Rowel managed to break away and ran toward his wife, a shot rang out and Sira screamed and ducked to the ground. As the sound of the shot faded she stood up and was relieved to find that it was only a warning shot.
“I’m not leaving,” Rowel shouted at the guards from where he had fallen to the ground next to Alita, “and I’m not going to swear allegiance to your new Zotac so just leave me here, let me die here with my wife.”
The guard grinned at him and raised his gun out again, “As you wish,” He pointed the gun at Alita and pulled the trigger. Rowel’s cry filled her ears as pulled his wife’s still body into his arms. As he cried into her hair, the guard re-aimed his gun in Rowel’s direction and pulled the trigger again. This time it was Sira to cry out and she buried her head in her husbands chest.
The guards pulled them apart again and forced them to leave the dungeon area of the mansion. The were both quiet contemplating the death of their two close friends and their own fate which was just around the corner. They were led to the room where the dinner had been held just a month before.
The room had been completely transformed into a type of throne room where Japhin sat at end on a chair covered in the vegetation that was so rare on Imaginess. There were guards lining each side of his makeshift throne and all the tables and party decorations had been removed and instead replaced with flowers and plants of every kind.
Japhin stood to his feet as Sira and Rowel were led to the base of his throne. “Awe so if it isn’t two of Leena’s most trusted servants.” He turned to the captain of the guard. “Where are the other two?”
“Dead sir, the women had been shot and the man tried to attack.”
Japhin nodded, I suppose its better dead now than rebel later.” He had crossed the space between them and had started circling them. He stopped in front of Adan and looked into his eyes. “So what will it be? Death or allegiance to the new Zotac?”
“I would rather die.” He said spitting on Japhin’s shiny boot. Japhin scowled at him and nodded at the guard behind him. The guard grabbed him roughly by the arm and pulled a syringe out of his pocket and thrust it into Adan’s neck.
Japhin smiled, “you’re going to wish you had put up more of a fight back at the cell. A laser gun wound will seem like relief compared to the excruciating death of my poison.” Just as Japhin finished speaking the poison kicked in and Adan grasped his neck choking and struggling to breath, he fell to the ground and Sira cried out as she watched her husband endure the slow death of Japhin’s poison.
As Adan continued to writhe, Japhin turned to Sira her heart jumped to her throat. “And how bout you my dear? Would you also prefer this painful death rather than swear allegiance to me? Is it really worth it?”
Tears streamed down her face as she looked into her husbands eyes. He was barely breathing now but he was staring at her as if dreading her answer.
She knelt down beside Adan and spoke as if he were the only one in the room. “Adan, do you remember when we were kids, and Leena came. I was so mad at you for betraying her to the Tuli. I thought were such a coward, but more than once you have proven that your far from it. I could only wish I was as brave as you.”
Adan reached up and gently brushed her purple hair out of her face and struggled to speak through his slowly closing throat, “Don’t…die…find…Wilhelm…save us” He let his hand drop and she grabbed it firmly as his breathing became more labored. His breathes became shorter and closer together and finally he pulled in one last short breath passed out.
Tears filled her eyes as the guard pulled her to her feet. Japhin’s patience was growing thin as he eyed her, “What did he say to you?” Sira was confused for a moment before she realized that Adan had spoken to her in English a language that Japhin had refused to learn because of his prejudice against the humans.
She shook her head, “Nothing of importance, he only told me he loved me.”
“Why in English?” He asked skeptically
Sira’s anger was boiling by now and she snapped at him, “Because it was private and he didn’t want the likes of you to hear his dying words.”
Japhin scoffed, “Oh how perfectly romantic and I’m sure you’ll join him now won’t you. The perfect ending to a tragic romance.”
“You’re wrong!” Sira shouted, trying to regain her composure. She took a deep breath and swallowed past her fear. Everything within her demanded that she take the needle just like her husband had but she had to respect his wishes. He wanted her to live, he knew something she didn’t and he wanted her to help with the resistance in the years to come. “I don’t want to die.” She lied, “I want to serve you…the new Zotac of Imaginess.”
Japhin smiled, “Well that’s a pleasant surprise, and I have just the job for you. Wella and I shall be getting married shortly, in days time to be exact. She will be in need of a servant. Someone loyal to me. I think you might be perfect for the job. After all anyone willing to betray her own husband for me is…perfect.”
Sira bowed her head slightly at these new orders, “Yes, my Zotac,” she said and the words tasted like poison on her tongue, “I would be honored to serve as Wella’s maid.
The Wedding was held two days later. Wella had spent most of the week locked away in her room drowning in her steady stream of tears. In her darkest moments of despair she had almost taken her own life but then there would be that small flutter in her stomach and she knew that she couldn’t do it. She couldn’t take the life of her unborn child because of her own selfish desire to die.
On the day of her wedding she thought her heart would break. A sweet older woman who Wella was sure she had seen a few times with Leena came in to help her dress. This women had come in a few times in the last few days but always Wella had been too lost in her depression to notice.
As the servant, Sira, prodded her out of bed and tried to encourage her to take a bath, Wella did her best to block out thoughts of her future. In just a few hours she would be having the wedding she had always dreamed of but with only one thing missing: she would be marrying the man she hated, while the man she loved lie somewhere dead. She didn’t want to think about Japhin or consider what her life would be like once she was officially his wife.
“You’re going to make such a beautiful bride.” Sira said as she pinned up Wella’s thin pink hair.
Wella sighed and pulled away from Sira’s skilled hands. She stood and crossed over to a full length mirror and examined her reflection. “No, I’m not a beautiful bride. A beautiful bride should glow with the love she has for her groom. There is no glow in my eyes, nothing but death shows there. I’m nothing but a beautiful corpse ready to march to my death sentence. It shall indeed be the longest death in the history of deaths.”
Sira crossed to stand beside Wella staring into the mirror at her reflection as if trying to see what Wella saw. “I don’t understand. If this is how you feel why did you agree to this arraignment? Why didn’t you refuse to marry him? It would have been a far quicker death.”
Her nostrils flared and stared at her through the mirror, “I have my reasons for going through with this.” She turned away from the mirror and faced Sira, “And what about you? Weren’t you one of Leena’s closest friends? Yet here you are serving under Japhin in order to save your own skin. The way I see it, I am no worse than you.”
Sira was silent and Wella knew her words had hit their mark. When Sira spoke her voice was shaking. “It’s been two days since my husband and brother were brutally murdered by Japhin’s soldiers before my eyes. Each day that I continue to live without them, I die a little. But I live so that their deaths will not be in vain. If I can find some way to overthrow Japhin from the inside than I will do it without hesitation or worry for my life.
Wella nodded and a slight smile played at her lips, the first that had crossed her features in days. “Maybe together we will be able to save this kingdom yet. Though Wilhelm is surely dead his offspring will surely live. Japhin will not win this battle if his successor is Wilhelm’s own son.”
Sira stared at Wella for a moment in shock, “What do you mean Wilhelm’s offspring, Wilhelm never married, let alone have a child.”
Wella’s smile grew and she pulled two of her arms into their stomach pouches in order to cradle her small child in her womb. She could feel the gentle flutter of the month old fetuses beating heart. It would be imperceptible to anyone but herself, something only her own hand could feel when it pressed against the lining of her stomach pouch.
Sira stared at Wella curiously and Wella snapped out of her thoughts, “You’re right, Wilhelm doesn’t have a child, at least not yet. And if I do this right Japhin will never know that his enemy’s child is being raised in his own house as his own son.”
“Do you mean? You?”
Wella nodded again, “Me and Wilhelm eloped three months ago, I’m about a month along in a week I can tell Japhin that we’re having a baby he’ll be so pleased that he won’t think twice. The baby will only come a little early and he’ll raise it as his own.”
Sira gave a little jump of pleasure than her eyes widened and she pulled a small watch out of one of her arm pouches, “Oh dear, we’ve wasted precious time, we need to get you ready for your wedding or all our planning will be for naught.”
Wella agreed and the two women hurried to finish the preparations
While Wella and Sira planned for the one day overthrow of Japhin and the reestablishment of Leena’s grandson, Japhin was making preparations to be sure that his kingdom was never overthrown.
He entered a small room in the underground room that had once housed the late Juptan traitor, Jatar. The room had been set up as a type of lab and was completely overrun by Juptans. They were working on the biggest weapon that had ever been created on Imaginess. “How’s it coming Olangtan?” Japhin asked the big brute that met him at the door.
“It’s coming along well we should have it done in a couple of hours. It would have taken considerably longer, perhaps longer if Jatar hadn’t done most of the work for us.”
Japhin’s eyes narrowed, “What do you mean?”
The Juptan grabbed a notebook off of the research desk, “Jatar had been making notes for a shield that would protect Imaginess from attack after he died. With a few alterations we were able to turn it into a weapon that would erase all memory of us from the people of earth.”
Japhin smiled, “A shield huh. That sounds useful make that as well and be prepared to attack earth by the end of the evening. I would like to be able to show my new bride the extent of my power. What better way to end my day than with a fantastic light show that will wipe earth’s memory of us forever”
The burly Juptan smiled a wicked grin that reached both of his crooked mouths, “An excellent idea sir.”
The wedding would have surely been beautiful if it had been someone else being married. It was a wedding fit for a queen for certain and any woman should have been delighted to be standing next to Japhin, who all things considered was a rather good looking Imaginese, and exchange the embrace of marriage.
It was a rather simple ceremony compared to the stories Wilhelm had told her about the extravagant weddings on earth. Where the wedding took many hours and was preformed before hundreds sometimes ever thousands of people. Here only a few attendants were present as witnesses. She was dressed in simple attire, nothing more than she would probably wear on a regular day.
They all entered together rather than her entering alone as the human brides did and rather than exchanging vows or rings of any kind they simply exchanged a complicated embrace that consisted of them bringing one of their partner’s hands into the arm pouch near their heart as a symbol of their undying love and commitment for and to the other. Once one had touched the heart and felt its beat they were bound forever by a strong bond that could only be broken in death.
As Japhin pulled Sira into the embrace she immediately noticed that there was something wrong. With Wilhelm she had felt the connection immediately but with Japhin she felt nothing. At least not until his hand came to rest on her heart. As he placed her hand on her heart a searing pain rushed through her body and she tried to resist the urge to pull away but thankfully Japhin pulled away himself as if his hand had been burned.
He glared at her evilly. “You’ve already connected yourself to him.” He spat at her. He turned toward the guard nearest him. “I thought you said he had been taken care of.”
“He was sir, we put him in the deepest dungeon in all of Imaginess.”
Japhin grabbed the man by the collar and pulled him so that they were nose to nose, “When I said take care of him I didn’t mean to actually care for him, I meant finish him off. Idiot!” He threw the man on the ground and turned toward Wella, “Don’t worry my dear this little issue will be cleared up momentarily in the meantime, handmaiden, please take my wife to my bedchamber to await my arrival. This ceremony will be finished in an hour’s time.”
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