Too many people had already gathered, packed tightly in the grounds, pushing against the erected barrier like a single living entity. Their indistinct cries and shouts only rose higher as they were being constantly rebuffed by the guards.
Queen Evelyn could not fathom the reason for their agitation. She sat on her throne on the erected stand overlooking the hangman's block and the mass of people, dressed in shimmering white. By her left stood General Sira in full Queen's guard armour, with a dozen soldiers behind her. Princess Lilith stood by the Queen's right, leaning easily on one of the support beams and looking glum. Behind her stood captain Agrat and the squad captain; Diana Luhan.
"I'd think they'd be more acceptable," Queen Evelyn grumbled, frowning down at the crowd.
"Emotions are strained these times, my Queen. What with the siege and food," General Sira said.
"Food scarcity? There's enough in the barns to last for years,"
Lilith looked at her mother sideways. She really had no idea.
"Councillor Ruth's rationing is a little step from starvation, my Queen," Sira answered.
"Remind me to speak with her before her departure," the Queen said, her frown deepening.
Lilith scoffed. No one heard it though because just then, the large wooden doors of the prison block swung open, allowing the guards who were escorting Moira to exit.
The sight of the condemned and dishonoured lieutenant had a peculiar effect on the crowd, who surged forward with renewed vigor. Following closely behind Moira was the hangwoman, covered head to foot in black. Lilith knew that underneath all that cloak was a very beautiful woman, still, she found it difficult reconciling the image before her with the one from her memory.
"Let her go!" the crowd was crying.
Queen Evelyn shifted uneasily on her throne as did some of the guards. General Sira kept her face impassive, but Lilith saw tears in the eyes of some of the guards, even Agrat. She frowned at her.
When Moira stood beneath the noose, the Queen stood up and a grudging silence fell.
"Moira Eliaz Perez, you are being condemned to death for treason. Before we proceed, do you have any last words or wishes?" the Queen asked.
"I'm no traitor, my Queen! It's Adam! He has you under a spell, my Queen!" Moira proclaimed, looking up defiantly at the Queen. The crowd resumed their cries. Lilith hid her smile. "He has you under a spell, my Queen! You have to believe me!"
The hangwoman looked up at the stand and the Queen gave her a single nod. Moving fluidly, she forced Moira's head through the noose, then moved to the lever and paused amidst the shouts, before pulling it.
The crowd gasped as the floor beneath Moira dropped away and she fell. The rope grew taut, suspending her body a few feet from the ground. She didn't struggle, but hung silently. A hush fell over the crowd and the faces of the guards were carved from stone as they watched the dangling body of their lieutenant.
"Let's get on with this, shall we?" Queen Evelyn mumbled. She stood up and addressed the dumb-struck crowd. "The death of Moira left a gap in the ranks of the Queens guards and must be filled. Former ccaptai; Agrat Mahlat have been raised to lieutenant, and Diana Luhan have been raised to captain. Let the death of Moira Perez serve as a warning to all traitors to the throne and our great country. May the light of the creator shine on you all."
Turning immediately before the crowd regained their voice, the Queen started down the stand followed by general Sira and the guards. Lilith reached out and laid a hand on Diana's shoulder, stopping her. The captain turned to her.
"We'll be holding a service tonight in honour and remembrance of lieutenant Moira. You're welcome to bring as many people as you can," Lilith said, schooling her features to radiate sympathy and loss.
"Thank you, my Princess," Diana replied, allowing a smile before joining the others.
Lilith turned and came face-to-face with Agrat. "Lieutenant," she said.
"The devil hasn't got anything on you," Agrat whispered.
"Why thank you, lieutenant. I assume you know what to do next?"
"I do," Agrat said and stood on her toes to plant a kiss on Lilith's lips before following behind Diana. Lilith licked her lips and smiled before following the others.
The cries of the crowd followed them all the way into the palace grounds.
#
"My princess. Lady Naamah," one of the healer's assistants who was tasked with monitoring Adam's progress curtsied, surprised to find either of them in the Wards. Silently, she closed the door behind her as she stood on Lilith's permission.
"How's he doing, Thalia?" Lilith asked and smiled inwardly when the woman flinched at the mention of her name.
"He's stable, my princess. Still unconscious though," Thalia answered, fiddling with the stitches on her dress.
"We're going to see him, Thalia. Hope that's not a problem?" Lilith replied, as she and Naamah brushed past and went into the room.
"Yes, my princess," Thalia mumbled to herself uselessly before continuing on her errand.
Naamah closed the door behind them and turned to face Lilith with a suspicious look on her face. "How did you know her name?" she asked.
Lilith turned to her and smiled. "Don't be jealous now, darling. I only have eyes for my Lilins. Besides, she already has a man waiting for her."
"And have that stopped you before?"
"Please, you're making it sound like I sleep with every woman I meet," Lilith said, frowning, as she turned her back to Naamah and started towards the bed. Naamah scowled at her.
"No? But you slept with Inanna! A fucking hangwoman!"
"Seriously? You're going to do this now? What about your time with Benedicta? Or Eishet's whoring? Or Agrat's time with Phiona? I've never held it against any of you. Besides, me and Inanna is in the past. Believe me when I say I love you alone." She sighed. "I knew her name because I pulled it from her memory."
"You knew about Benedicta? Phiona? How… how?"
"I have eyes and ears, darling."
"I'm sorry…"
"Don't be. Let's do what we came for, yes? I still have a class to brainwash," Lilith said after silencing Naamah with a kiss.
"It's not brainwashing if it's the truth," Naamah said as she followed Lilith to Adam's bed.
"If you say so."
Adam's body was covered completely with the blankets, leaving only his head visible.
Naamah sneered as him, "It's a wonder he's still alive. He must have some decent sword skills."
"If he had just decent sword skills, hell be dead. Moira was a great swordsmaster," Lilith replied as she reached out to feel the man's forehead.
Naamah nodded and folded her arms beneath her breast.
"Can you stand by the door, to tell me when someone's coming?" Lilith said, then closed her eyes and took a deep breath.
The air in the room thickened immediately as though it was charged with electricity. In her mind's eye, Lilith saw the field around her and reached for it, drawing it into herself and congregating it in her solar plexus chakra, where they were being converted to usable energy. Controlling her breath, she drew from her source and channeled it through her arm and into the hand in contact with Adam's forehead. Accompanying the waves, she added her own compellment and suggestions.
The waves of energy traveled through her hands and into Adam, but it didn't travel far before it met with a barrier. Lilith frowned at it , then started probing and searching for holes, but it was solid. Her frown grew into a scowl. "Sneaky bastard," she growled.
"What is it?" Naamah asked from the door.
"Magic barrier. How come mother never saw that?"
"She did say that nobody should probe him. Perhaps the saying was also meant for her?"
"No matter. Just keep watch. This might take longer than we anticipated."
Breathing deeply, she sharpened the point of the wave and began drilling. The process was slow going; whoever put up the barrier was strong, but not strong enough. After minutes of meticulous drilling, she finally broke through and immediately smoothed out the point to avoid damage to the brain. She directed her compellment and suggestions through the waves that now bathed Adam's brain. The man jerked and muttered incomprehensible things, but didn't wake.
"Are you done? I think Thalia's coming back," Naamah called in a whisper.
"In a minute. I have to make sure it's fully integrated into his thoughts. I can't risk him or anybody finding out."
Breaking off the flow from her source, she focused on the waves already in Adam's head, molding them into a rotating loop and pressing it down gently, into his brain. She withdrew her hand, sighed and opened her eyes, just as Naamah stepped away from the door and Thalia entered, carrying a bundle of blankets.
The woman didn't even spare them a glance as she dumped her bundle on a nearby chair, grinning from ear to ear. Her lipstick was smudged and her neckline was lower on the left side, thanks to the strap hanging off her shoulder.
"Thalia," Lilith cooed as she approached the woman and gently replaced the errant strap, which made the woman blush furiously. "We'll leave you to…everything," Lilith added with a conspiratorial wink.
Thalia's blush got darker.
Naamah smiled as Lilith approached her and wrapped her arms around her waist. Side by side, they left the room, leaning on each other.
#
"You summoned me, General?" Agrat asked as she closed the door behind her and came to stand before the general's desk. The office was as she remembered – small and unassuming, with more emptiness than normal. On the wall behind the general was her armour stand and weapon's rack. A painting hung there too, of a very old drawing of the citadel, said to be from the time of Queen Ama – nearly 2000 years ago.
General Sira looked up from the parchment she was writing on and fixed her gaze on Agrat. She sighed and dropped her quill in the inkpot. The table was littered with folded maps, unread letters and finished ones too, with two burning candles dripping wax into their stands.
"I expected to see your Lilins with you," the general said.
"I do know the difference between duty and pleasure, commander," Agrat said in a steely voice, wearing a straight face.
General Sira studied her for some time before nodding. "You do, don't you? Well, what I'm about to ask you concerns the princess herself."
Agrat was silent. Her face revealed nothing.
"I've been hearing word of a party tonight, lieutenant. You mind explaining that?"
"It's a memorial service, General. In honour and remembrance of my predecessor, lieutenant Moira," Agrat answered.
Sira frowned. "And the princess is hosting this?"
"Yes, general."
"You didn't talk her into it?"
"No, general. Lieutenant Moira was her teacher too. She feels her death like everybody else."
"Be that as it may, lieutenant, Moira was condemned a traitor and sentenced to death. Mourning her is a waste of valuable time," the general said, picking up her quill to resume her writing.
"With respect, general. You and the Queen might just be the only ones who believe that," Agrat said.
"And does that make it any less true!?" barked the general as she tossed the quill, frustration and anger warring.
"Maybe not, but lieutenant Moira never got a judicial hearing as is deserved by every citizen less of a lieutenant. We can sit in arrogance and ignorance, general, but I know it is not right. I was there too in the war room and I noticed the Queen's animosity towards lieutenant Moira. I was also there when she passed the sentence that night. It seems impossible, but I'm inclined to believe that the Queen had a personal grudge with lieutenant Moira," Agrat replied in a steady, determined tone.
"Thoughts and words like that can see your head separate from the rest of you. I'm not willing to lose another lieutenant so soon."
"But that's my point, general. It wasn't always that way. Lieutenant Moira kept insisting, up until the moment she died, that the Queen was under a spell by lord Adam."
"Nonsense! Are you buying into that rumour too?"
"I believe in facts, general, and the timing…the timing is too convenient to be coincidence. Lord Adam's arrival heralds a siege the Queen is unwilling to act on. Minor offences lead to severe punishments. Lieutenants are executed without a formal hearing. I might be wrong, commander, but I know that lieutenant Moira wasn't a person to chase fantasies. She had a reason to duel with lord Adam and a reason to accuse him of treason and enchanting the Queen. The question is 'what'?"
General Sira sighed heavily and reclined on her chair, with a distant expression on her face. "You're right about Moira; she doesn't chase fantasies. But these accusations…"
"Not accusations, general. They're deductions from common observations."
"These deductions better not be true, lieutenant. It's bad enough with the enemies from outside. If we have even one on the inside…the creator help us." Sira sighed and shook her head, resignedly. "You're dismissed, lieutenant,"
Agrat nodded and turned to leave. She'd grabbed the door handle when the general called her attention.
"I wouldn't want the Queen getting wind of your gathering, if I were you. Under the right circumstances, a paranoid mind interprets a smile as a sneer."
"Yes, general." She paused for a few seconds. "You should come with us."
"Go have your memorial, lieutenant."
Bowing, Agrat stepped out of the room, closed the door behind her and smiled, before heading off in the direction of the royal chambers.
#
The hallway connecting the classrooms to the library was packed by students going to and from classrooms to libraries. Some clutching books, while others carried potted plants. They were all dressed in blue gowns and hardly noticed nor paid any attention to Lilith. She didn't particularly care.
Walking down the hallway, she came to stand before the last door on the right. She turned the handle and stepped inside. As expected, her arrival intruded on a lesson. Multiple heads swung to regard her and shining orbs blinked up at her. She smiled at them before turning to the raised dias, where councilor Elaida scowled down at her, with unmasked animosity.
"Sorry for the intrusion, professor. Can I talk with you outside for a second? Make it minutes, actually," Lilith said and some of the students chuckled.
Elaida stood up and followed Lilith outside. Once the door was closed behind them, she turned to her.
"What's the meaning of this? My class is a sanctuary and should never be disturbed."
Lilith looked at her simply. Elaida's eyes narrowed and grudgingly, she added, "Princess,"
"I know you have no love for me, and I confess I don't know why. I'm certainly likeable enough, but no matter. I want to make up for that, professor. You're understaffed, so I've come to apply. I have the qualifications afterall," Lilith said.
Elaida's eyes narrowed. "Why?"
"Did I not explain that just now? You're understaffed, professor. Understaffed and exhausted, if your face is any indication."
"Why does the princess want to teach?" Elaida insisted.
"Because you need her to, and she's free otherwise. With Moira's death, sword practice is at an indefinite end. I need another pastime. I thought you'd be grateful," Lilith said with a deepening frown.
"Who says I'm not, princess? Since you're here, let's see what class I can assign you to."
"Actually, I was thinking I'll start with this class. They're young and more likely to listen to me. That way, I'll get a feel for what'll be like."
The professor looked at her for some time before shrugging. "This is their last class for today and it's on history. If you think you can handle that lot better, then go for it."
"I'll try my best, professor,"
Elaida scoffed and walked away.
As soon as Elaida was swallowed up by the crowd, Lilith opened the door and entered the classroom. The children all turned again to look at her. There were few awkward bows and greetings to which Lilith ignored. She walked to the desk that Elaida had evacuated and picked up the tome she was using to teach. Looking up, she discovered that on the desk before every student was the same monstrosity.
"You're being taught with this?" she asked the class. Her voice spoke of her unbelief.
"Yes, princess Lilith. Professor Elaida says that Jasmine's edition has more facts than any other history book," a red nosed girl answered from the front row. She had an air about her that reminded Lilith of a younger Eishet.
"Your professor is right, child. But I wouldn't recommend it for you lot. How far have you gone on the other studies?"
"Pretty far, princess Lilith. The teachers said that they are pushing us so, because of the war," the same girl answered, while the rest of the class looked on, nodding when necessary.
Lilith nodded, looked down on the tome and scoffed. "Who knows the story of Queen Maeve the just? Or tyrant? Depends on who's writing."
All the students raised their hands.
"Good. But which of the two do you know?"
"We've read about the two of them, princess Lilith." The red-nosed girl answered again.
Lilith shook her head. "I want my class to be interactive. Everybody must participate. You don't need a spokesperson yet, understood?"
"Yes, princess Lilith," the entire class answered.
"I don't like that title," Lilith said with a smile as she pushed the tome aside and sat on the desk, looking expectant. Her glare stopped the red-nosed girl from speaking.
"What should we call you then?" another student asked finally.
Lilith's smile got wider. "Call me mother,"
* * *