Chris
I was in a wonderful state of euphoria, peace, and dreaminess. This is what Juliet felt like getting those shots… she exchanged sexual favors for. If so… I understood why. There was so much wrong with that sentence. I giggled… Even better for her, she was going to marry her drug dealer… And it wasn't true; I didn't want to think about what happened or my new reality. The last thing I remembered was holding Juliet's hand and meeting my father… He had to be… She handed Caleb over to him. Her little hand gripped mine so tightly. And… then… we had to let go… She saw what I would become. Although my father wasn't as big as Silvanus, he couldn't even manifest in the house. The others were a little bit bigger than me. I had some growing up to do. I was probably on another planet, and it hadn't sunk in yet… I smiled at the odd thoughts floating through my mind; the sway left and right of being in motion and carried made me want to fall back to sleep.
I struggled to open my eyes. No one with me. I lay on a hard surface with four posters in each corner of the square, draped by plain curtains. The roof was the same material, sinking a little in the middle. Pretty. I shook my head; I had no right to like anything or feel this good. Juliet was on her way to the compound. Qadir opened up her back with a belt again… Juliet would suffer. I sighed… An unbearable heat swept in with the wind; sand hit my face in tiny strikes of pain… I coughed… "Party over…" I whispered.
I sat up, preparing myself for whatever I had to face there and however long it would take. My goal was to get back to her… To take her son back to her… She said her goal was to make her way to me. It was a race to see who loved the other more.
I pulled back the curtain… desert… rocks… sandy dunes all around me. I wasn't so high off the ground. Horns stood out toward me; those were the men in the house who came for me, carrying me on their shoulders. I manifested and jumped out.
The four men bellowed into the sky, making the whole convoy come to a slow stop. The train of riphaths in the procession stretched from my left to the right as far as I could see. Everybody fell down to the ground. I groaned. I had wished it wouldn't be the case. I didn't want to be important. Look what it did to Marcus. At best, I hoped maybe we were just rich. My father came walking up to me and clapped his hands together in the air. Everybody slowly got up, and the convoy moved again. No one was in human form. I held out my hands to take Caleb. He was fine and sleeping well with no issues away from Juliet. The magic of rubbing your thumb over your child's head came in handy to put him out; I'd have time to try it later. How it would've helped to know the first few days he was so difficult.
Out of habit, I changed back to human, putting Caleb on my shoulder. My father picked me up around the waist and hugged me, putting me down and turning me this way and that way. At least he seemed friendly… And he came for me… waited for me. "Aren't you going to say something to your father?"
"Does the whole planet look like this? It's freaking hot!"
A low rumble escaped his lips… "Yeah. Why do you think… no one wants this place," he laughed out of his stomach and slapped me on the shoulder.
"What do I call you?"
"King Manaen… Father… Dad… My name is Ira."
Manaen? Guess my surname wasn't Rheed anymore. With my past, I should've been happy knowing where I came from. Who I was. All of this… was never even an option. "King off?"
He lifted his hands in the air, "Zoreah!" The whole convoy cheered and went into song… Each riphath sang different parts. Some took out instruments—alien in their shape and sound. The melody and harmony were beautiful and echoed into the desert around us, breaking the unbearable silence.
"Is Zoreah a place or the planet?"
"The planet stands united under the name of Zoreah… There are no wars here. No clans and no one else besides who you see here. The city we are walking towards is called Yaroun… We are a peaceful species that doesn't like to fight… We have no crime and no strict laws like on your… Earth…" The mention of the Earth as a third party made me revisit the idea; I was actually on another planet, in another system. How far was I from… home?
"You're a very serious boy…." he tapped my head. "Too much going on in that brain of yours… Very much like your mother." I peeked up at him to see if I could see any emotion in his features about her. I couldn't really make out what his human attributes would be. In our riphath form, we all resembled each other in some way. There weren't really distinctive features to separate us, not like the vampires… Maybe when I was there for a while, I would see what they saw.
"Where are we going?" I started walking in the same direction as the train of riphaths.
"We are migrating north for the winter months."
He handed me a sack I could drape over my shoulder and carry Caleb on my chest. We walked in silence for some time before Silvanus came to join us. They seemed friendly to each other, and Silvanus didn't perform royalty formalities on my father. "So who am I that they bowed like that… Silvanus bowed the first time, and the four guys yesterday… what's the deal here?"
"You are the born prince… Riphaths only have one child their entire lives. So you are the next king…." The way I always walked was eyes cast down and in my head thinking; hearing this didn't make me lift up my gaze to survey all I would rule. On the contrary, my heart sank a little every time he said something... One child… In nine hundred years. Caleb would be my only kid.
It was quiet between the three of us. Silvanus came closer and patted me on the back, "You okay, son?" I shook my head from side to side. "What's the problem? You miss that little girl…?" Hmmm… Chuckle noise. "Don't worry, we will get you some woman to make you quickly forget about her… Here on Zoreah, we do what we want to with who we want to… There are no commitments here… You fit right in… With the easy way, you accepted your life on Earth."
"Why did I end up on Earth?"
"Your mother paid someone to take her away from here. There was a problem with the communication. She ended up stranded on Earth for some time. She had you…. And according to the orphanage you were in. She died in childbirth," Silvanus slapped me on the shoulder, "A sad business for sure."
"Why?" I turned around and glared at Silvanus and my father, "The truth!"
"It's nothing like that… She wasn't running away or fearing for her life… There was a problem with the water supply around that time. Drought for years and years. She got pregnant… We wanted her off-planet… Paid to have her stay somewhere safe."
"Where?"
"I… don't remember… she was doing it all by herself… As I said, no one here gets married or stays together for life… There is no point… We are not very sentimental." Silvanus held out his hand to Manaen. Who nodded in agreement.
"Why so sentimental about me…? Couldn't you have left me there?"
My father grabbed my shoulder and picked me up again, hugging me, "Children are an exception… We love our children to death… We do it as a community. No one is lost, forgotten, or forsaken… The thing is… I trusted your mother with the arrangements… Accidents do happen… We never lost hope, Chris."
***
We had been walking for hours, and Caleb was fussing, waking up after his forced nap. I was glad I was fit and that all I had done for months was exercise, fight, and study; how would it look if they had to carry me all the way. My surroundings were still only rocks and sand everywhere I looked. The scenery didn't change. A soft breeze repeatedly made the sand blow up and into my eyes. My father hadn't left my side and was walking behind me, and faithfully behind him was Silvanus. "He needs to be fed soon. How is that going to work? I don't see bottles here." Ira didn't respond. "King Manaen…" It didn't sound quite right. I cleared my throat. I tried again… "mm… Father?" Silvanus and Ira laughed.
"Yes, boy?"
"Did you hear me ask about milk?"
"I did," Ira clapped his hands together. A very young riphath came running up to him, bending a knee. "Go get the nursemaid."
My head snapped around, "What?" That was why he didn't answer me? That morning, Caleb was still on Juliet's breast. He would be suckling on a strange woman; I came to an abrupt halt, making the whole convoy stop. I groaned and rolled my eyes… Irritation made my feet move again. The entire convoy proceeded. What a production for a peaceful nation.
"Here, we nurse the kids in a neighborhood of people… If you want, we can assign only one to Caleb."
I wondered what happened to Juliet when we left. Her son was taken away from her. I disappeared. Did she change? Could they control her? Was Michael already taking my place with his special button? I looked up from the small path we were all walking on. Another human person came toward us. A woman. As she came into view, I blinked several times... I jolted visibly, taking a step back; she was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen. Stunned me off my feet. Silvanus laughed. My father slapped me on the shoulder, "She is one of the ugly ones," he whispered.
I choked on a burst of laughter, "How can anyone be prettier than this goddess walking toward us."
"Forgetting about Juliet so soon?"
Who's Juliet…?
Oh yeah, the mother of my child. That girl… who had the body of a boy and small, perky breasts. A mouth you needed to kiss, or else she would say something to put you down. You had to hold on to her, or she would do something stupid like bring another boy home… A little girl with tiny hands. Piercing blue eyes. Ones… that could see BS. a mile away. See right through you. She would be so jealous… I would have to beg for forgiveness. I didn't mind fighting with her. Open communication built a connection… But I would never see Juliet again. I didn't have two hundred years of fornication like Louis and Marcus had before meeting her. It was implied both of them had several women over the years, never anyone after meeting Juliet… And they would never have anyone else again.
Even Juliet had more men than I had had women. Before Sita, there was—no one. An outsider in school and a nerd. It didn't make me the most popular guy around. Studying at a community college on a scholarship had me working my ass off to put myself through school so I didn't have debt when I got out of there. All I had to show for it was a teaching job. I wasted so much time on things that, in the end—here on Zoreah would mean nothing!
The goddess came closer and closer. She wasn't one of those pretty from far off but far from pretty up close. She was both and had massive breasts like Juliet said they would. "Does this mean she has a child of her own?" I asked but got no answer.
She fell to the ground in front of me, bowing. Such a mixture of emotions coursed through me; my brain worked overtime. Her platinum blond hair was long and thin with a slight curl to it. She looked up. Oval face, perfect luscious lips. Soft green feminine eyes. "If you're not pleased with me, we can find someone else," she said so softly I could barely hear her.
Irritated for too many reasons I held out a hand, "Get up!" She took it. "Don't do that again." She inclined her head. Reluctantly, I took Caleb from the pouch around my neck and handed him to her. She took him from me as if he were the next king. Which he was.
She didn't go far and got into the chair I was in earlier. The four riphath men picked her up… boosting her onto their shoulders. She closed the curtains. You could barely see her outline. Half-naked and willing, the way she and one of the carriers had made eye contact said she was... This would be harder than I thought. Everyone really just did what they wanted? Maybe when the supernatural drugs wore off, I'd be able to think straight.
Ira slapped me on the shoulder, "That's a good boy. You love that girl so much we were ready for you three to put up a fight… That you would fight and not want to come."
"Why you drugged us? Unnecessary…" Ira bobbed his head. "So what are the major laws I should know about? Before I break any of them? Or even something important?"
"Peace should always be the only resolution," Ira stated. "Not to hurt anyone as far as you are able." I frowned. Rather vague. "Children are the most important thing on our planet." Ira continued the last part very slowly so it would sink in, "And… the fact… that…" he hesitated and drew in a breath… "One… year… on Earth… is five… on Zoreah."
It was another one of those moments when my mind went completely blank. No thoughts were computing or wanted to. He was joking, right. I stopped. That time, I didn't care if the whole convoy copied me. My father wasn't waiting for thirty years… A hundred and fifty years… For me. If I didn't see Juliet for a year... Caleb would be five… I couldn't do it, not to her or myself. "How do I go back?" I spun around.
"Chris!" Ira tried.
"How do I go back!" I yelled. He came out of his riphath form and stood before me human. The whole convoy did the same. I didn't care. "How do I go back?" I pleaded.
"You can… never go back," Ira whispered, trying to grab hold of my retreating shoulders.
***
Michael
"Michael!" A voice whispered loudly. A hand shook me, Michael!"
My one eye wanted to obey me. The lights were so bright. It wasn't easy to focus on the person in front of me. "What do you want?" my voice was croaky. I coughed, trying to sit up. Kubra helped me get my torso into the air. I was already weak, and I hadn't even been there very long. It could only have been a few days. My body felt it, though. Being locked up in the dark. No food. A lot of drugs. Kubra held up water for me. Eagerly, I drank down the cool liquid. I had to clear my throat to find my voice, "What do you want?" I asked again.
"Where is the freaking button? The tech to control Juliet… She changed and nearly killed Marcus."
He got my attention. Revived, I breathed in a deep breath and lifted my head to the roof; thank the universe for making all my plans work out. "Safety deposit box. Chris's box. The old town they lived in."
Our heads jerked to the left toward a figure in the doorway. Jabin didn't stop and strutted up to Kubra, fisting a clump of material in his hand, pulling him up by his jacket. "What are you doing?" Kubra stayed silent. "What have you been doing, boy?" Kubra still didn't answer. Jabin let him go by tossing his clothes back at him, pushing him slightly. "If you think I don't know what's going on, you're more naive than I thought."
"You have your master… I have mine."
"You're supposed to be above this and helping Marcus in the right direction and not assisting him with his stupidity! You're my son!" Kubra cast his eyes to the ground. "Where are the feeds for the last two weeks, Kubra?"
"I set it to live feed… I've been watching, but no one will ever know what happened."
I got the sense Kubra was lying… Would his father know? Jabin was furious; he pointed his finger at Kubra, turning on his heels and spinning back at his son, "You just killed your own father. Ahasuerus specifically wanted to know what happened."
Kubra's features hardened, "Like I said. You have your master, and I have mine."
Jabin laughed with restraint, "You think Marcus is better than Ahasuerus… Why?"
"He is different."
Jabin smiled sardonically, "You are ignorant. Knowing nothing of what's going on. They are one family! Ahasuerus made sure they would never die out… Or let the rule of the planet fall into the hands of another clan… Marcus has been indoctrinated for so long… Do you really think he will be different? So far, he has grown up the worst of all the sons of Ahasuerus. Even worse than Qadir. And look what he did… There is no duty to anyone but themselves… and the throne. Do not let Marcus's self-control and nature fool you. As soon as he tastes the power… Marcus will turn into something you don't recognize."
Kubra smiled back at his father with the same mouth and face. Their facial features were almost identical. The one was just older, a little bigger, stronger, and had a few lines around the eyes. Scars on his face. Black short hair they both wore the same way. Identical black three-piece suits. A shirt collar and a black tie came up high into their faces. They painted an impressive picture. Running alongside a king was an honor, no matter the species.
"I see you've been in the same place for far too long, father… Next to the same person for far too long. You make decisions based on assumptions… When Marcus kills Ahasuerus and takes the throne… I'll make sure he gives you an island somewhere far away from me." Kubra was going to get his ass handed to him. Jabin would never stand for the disrespect.
The older man turned away towards the door and stopped, "Come Kubra, no one is allowed down here." The son wanted to defy… but ultimately walked towards the door. Jabin spun towards Kubra, "Right there, you proved to me how wrong you are! How many times must Marcus show you who his master is? He is just—"
"Don't say it!" both Kubra and I yelled at the same time. I smiled, hoping Jabin was wrong and I was right when I told Juliet to trust Marcus… All of us together couldn't have been wrong about him… That he wasn't just like his father.
***
Kubra
I knocked on Carl's hotel room. My eyes darted to my watch. It was already 8:00 am. The two of us were still in Paris and needed to get to America. Tiny little details needed to be finalized in France before we could go to Washington.
He opened the door. "Hey, you ready?" He was not. Red nose. Droopy eyelids. Hair hung messily around his face. My eyes darted into the room. Empty plates. Wrappers. Bottles. He wasn't close to being anywhere near presentable. The stench of alcohol overwhelmed me. "That bad, huh? I was so sure you and Charlene would end up together… eventually. I actually thought she would come with you." I pushed him into the room.
"You're so much livelier than I pegged you for, Kubra," Carl's words slurred.
"When did you stop drinking?" He lifted up the small bottle in his hands. "For the last year… I've never seen you drink this much."
"Mmmm, I wanted to know what it felt like… Juliet and Charlene are always drunk. Smoking and with someone."
I scoffed at his logic, "You could've been that someone. Seems like you're drinking because you were fooling yourself. At least they know what they want. You, my friend, have no clue what's important to you."
"Says the guy with a black suit on and has been sucking… someone dry for two hundred years," he stumbled a little.
I grabbed him—pushed him toward the bathroom, and into the shower. Coldwater assaulted him. He screamed and danced around as I kept shoving him under the freezing stream.
"I'll make you a cup of coffee. Get undressed and take a proper shower. We need to go!" He glowered at me. I pouted my lips and shook my head.
The last year, we've all been watching them. We've noticed and seen so many things going on in that house; I sometimes felt a connection with them. Marcus was so invested. I had to be too. So, not only was Carl Bertram's son… but my new best friend and ally. I also added watcher tech to keep a close eye on Charlene. Seeing her so scared last night… after fighting with Ben was like salt in everyone's wounds. I just couldn't go back at that moment. She had to stay safe for two days at most.
The family Juliet created went beyond my understanding, and how she ever got Marcus to accept sharing her... I had watched Marcus grow up in horrific conditions. The day he met Juliet, something changed in him. I saw it grow—flourish. I was there when he went against everything he had been taught. Choosing her. It sustained me for a while. Made me believe the universe wasn't as screwed up as we thought. Maybe we could choose another way. And that year… I decided I also wanted it. Watching how they lived off the compound opened my eyes. Wide.
I took out my phone and sent a message…
Anonymous { Hey. Everything will be okay. I'm still watching the house. Hang tight. }
I made Carl a cup of coffee and kept an eye on the news. We needed to report to our fathers. Bertram wanted him… and Jabin wanted me away from Marcus. There was contention between fathers and sons. All around. A fight that would end badly for either the older generation or the younger one.