Lilith's Blessing 12

12.

Days later, Constantine and Iulia ate fresh fruit, kinds they only saw in picture books. The contrast between the treatment of prisoners baffled the couple. Zuveans threw people into cells with only a bucket and hardtack bread. The Kushites fed them three times a day. The room had a bath and shower, fully stocked. Iulia took a bath the first night. He’d never seen her so relaxed.

Every morning like clockwork, servants entered, removing used towels, making the bed, all quiet. Not a word said. The silence irritated Constantine. He wanted answers. But what could workers tell him? Iulia comforted his irritation. “Believe in Zeus.”

On the fourth day, a guard escorted the couple to the hangar. They board a small shuttle, flying toward the city. Constantine and Iulia glued their faces to the window. The scars of battle. Gone. The seawall held true, protruding from the city, breaking up the waves. Construction built up the old homes that vanished into the water. It looked new again. Hope built up. Maybe a new day dawned.

They landed in the courtyard. Constantine shook his head as the guard led them to the furthest ballroom. The notorious mythical room, an open secret amongst the rich and nobility.

The guard pushed open the door. A formation of thirteen chairs flanked two in the center. With two small podiums facing the middle. The room differed from his imagination. He thought it’d be dark, but it was bright, filled with Kushite banners.

A large dormant screen dominated the background, catching Constantine’s attention as the guard restrained them to the chairs in the middle. He tugged on the restraints and, mentioning to the guard, Alexia said nothing about cuffs. She remained silent.

A minute later, court ministers, governors of provinces, and traders filled in. Their glowing faces pissed Constantine off. He wanted to snatch their smiles clean off. “They made a deal.” The hope he built disappeared. He looked at Iulia. She looked stern, no fear, judging the jury.

Constantine shuttered. “Why are we in the middle?”

Prince Mene entered and approached the podium. “Ladies and gentlemen of the newly appointed Court of West Kush.”

The giant screen behind lit up. A shadowy figure appeared, sending chills through the Zuveans. His aura leached through the screen, forcing the Zuveans to bow.

Constantine and Iulia struggled against the compulsion. Their faith prevented them from bowing to another godlike entity. But the weight of the world fell upon their necks.

“I am First Prince Mene Memet...” His words tore through the tension, gathering their attention.

“Zuvea has a problem.”

Constantine couldn’t count the problems Zuvea had.

“Constantine and Iulia Shannon. You failed to protect the city from internal and external threats. Last year alone, 238 children went missing. You were the head guard. Why did you not protect the citizens?”

Constantine’s heart sank. Every time he tried to find a culprit, major roadblocks hindered the investigation. He knew for sure court ministers and the King himself had a hand in certain disappearances. They used raids from the Million Lakes as cover for the abductions.

Alexia stepped to the podium, laying out her argument. Constantine had checked out. He knew the trial was a farce and now planned a way to get Iulia out of the King's clutches. But his ears perked up when Alexia tore into the Court ministers. They squirmed in their seats as she accused them of covering up the king's crimes.

The Kushite's knowledge of Zuvean internal affairs amazed Constantine. He scrunched his face, looking at Alexia. How? But it pleased him to see the perpetrator uncomfortable. Their nefarious activities are being brought to light.

The prince interrupted Alexia multiple times. He tried to interject, but the imposing figure on the screen behind him raised his staff. Every time the prince closed his mouth, allowing Alexia to finish.

That damn smirk. Constantine wanted to rip it off the prince's face. He did not know why, but it bothered him. “It's ok, Conny, I’m here.” Iulia’s soft voice infiltrated his mind, calming him down.

“I spoke with Minister Clark. He said they did not have the funds because Constantine wanted funds for expeditions into the Million Lakes.” Prince Mene looked directly at the Minister. He turned away, too ashamed to meet Prince Mene’s gaze, nor the shadowy figure in the background.

Constantine grew impatient. “That’s a lie.”

The Prince snapped at Constantine, hurling verbal insults. “...you have no right to speak.”

Constantine shook his head, seeing the Kushites equal to the King. He glared at Alexia. She clicked her pen, then raised it to her lips. “Shhhh.” He flared his nostrils, tugging at the restraints.

King Mueller ridiculed Constantine. “...no one likes you. You undermine my authority at every turn.”

“I respect the position, not the man.”

“You have harassed myself and many ministers for years with misguided fabrications. Zeus, the almighty God, will now judge you, using the Emperor as his tool and vessel.”

Emperor Memet raised his staff, tapping it on the ground. The metallic sound it created rang throughout the room, rattling their bodies. The lights flickered off, One man screamed. Then another. Another.

The restraints prevented Constantine from action. If attacked in the dark now, he could not fight back. He pulled at the restraints until the lights flickered on again. He looked to his left. Iulia’s expression changed. She showed fear for the first time.

The King, the prime minister, lower ministers of the court, and merchants lay headless next to their chairs. Black clad individuals with a single red armband stood at attention next to the dead.

“Complete. The. Mission.” The shadowy figure disappeared from the screen. The assassins vanished.

Only two remained, Constantine and Iulia. They looked at each other. Thankful to be alive, but confused. Iulia demanded an explanation from Alexia. She smiled, telling the guard to release their bonds. “We deemed you worthy to serve the Empire.”

Constantine wanted no part in their empire if they ran it in that manner. To put on this show? Why? the words exited his mouth before he thought.

“You know why they died.”

“What is the mission?”

“Do you know anything about nation building?”

“What?”

Alexia sighed. “Damn, Zuveans. People will forgive mass killings of leadership, as long as it's brief. Taking a nation requires a lot of sacrifice. The previous leadership and their families bear the cost.”

Constantine did not understand. His belief system ran into a brick wall thicker than his faith. None of it made sense. Iulia prayed aloud to Zeus, invoking his name.

Alexia sighed. “You have a lot to learn, my friend. You call him by the wrong name. It’s Enki. Zeus was his Greek name. Gaia is Terra, our planet, and Isis is our mother. We are their children.”

Constantine and Iulia blinked as the information went over their heads. Their two cultures clashed as Constantine struggled to grasp the situation. “You still haven’t answered my question. What is the Mission?”

“To cull the former leaders and their families.”

The couple looked at each other, unsure how to process the information.

Alexia lowered her eyes at Constantine. She pulled out a tablet, handing it to Constantine. She asked if they ever heard of Niccolo Machiavelli and the Prince? They shook their heads. Zuvea banned any book other than the New book of Zeus.

“Governance is about necessary evils. When a new prince comes to power, they have to perform evil acts to keep said power.”

Iulia contemplated. “The evil. Kill any threat to the new king. That means lineage. Right?”

Alexia nodded, adding the destruction of the previous power structure needed to be total. That meant the entire bloodline. Fear surged through Iulia. She looked at Constantine, horrified.

What now? Constantine clutched Iulia’s hand. After the display they witnessed, he was skeptical of Alexia, too.

“Constantine and Iulia, you have two options. One, you're free to go. Two. Work for me.”