Ashtium: City of Sun

ENOCH

“Enoch, I have never seen you jog with such concentration. Let Lucas know I’m expecting the bank to be built in three months. That is where you’re headed, isn’t it?”

Since when does he come into the library so early in the morning?

“Yes, emperor. We’re expecting to have it finished a few weeks early.”

“Oh really?” Adler says while standing up from the cushioned bench.

He shuts mother’s book of jurisdiction, then pushes it toward me across the slate table. “Why don’t you stay for a moment? I’d like to discuss something with you.”

Perfect, he must have found out about Urdmin’s little run-in with Greta again.

He leans back in his seat, looking at ease. “Your mother is still going on about the number of poverty-ridden mongrels. I do not wish to hear of any more murders or whores, but this book confirms this is a growing issue in our empire. Executions are costly and inconvenient. Our slave population is at its necessary maximum...”

What news could this be to him? It’s always been this way! Although, this is the first time I’m hearing him bring up the slave population in a while.

“Poverty has increased. Of course, it’s become commonplace.”

He takes a sip of his wine. “You’re always locked in that room of yours messing around with your drawings and such. I’m surprised you’ve even come to that conclusion,” he chides while watching me over the cup of his wine with a small smile. “You must be getting out more.”

“Well, I do have to oversee construction-”

“Yes, but I’ve also been hearing other things; entertaining rumors spread by the one and only Urdmin. It’s one of the few reasons he’s lived to see another day.”

Rumors? Why am I not surprised? Urdmin probably has had the courtyard watched since encountering Greta. That’s why I’ve been avoiding it. It’s so great to know my efforts were in vain.

I’m not going to confess anything. I really don’t know why he even cares. “What rumors?” I ask.

“That you’ve finally met a woman. It’s about time you’ve started thinking about the future. When will I get to see her?” he asks all serious again.

Good. He doesn’t know. I rather keep him out of my personal life the best I can. Urdmin probably didn’t see Greta since I last saw her. He had it in his mind she was a spy. I’m sure he’d love to conjure a tale up about me being in love with one.

I’m relieved but annoyed I get to compose more lies to avoid bringing Greta into the subject.

“Sure,” I wave my arms dramatically. “I’ve met many, but the last place I would bring them is here.”

“Don’t be embarrassed Enoch-”

“Embarrassed?” I echo. Why do I get the feeling he’s mocking me? I’m perfectly capable of settling down. I just don’t have the time to now. “What is there to be embarrassed about? I’m a grown man, my days of schooling are over. If I wanted to settle down, I would have already!”

“Huh, well I might as well warn you before your mother does. I take it she hasn’t. Be warned, there is a growing number of whores and other homeless encroaching on empirical property. One burst into my temple the other day-”

“They’re always in your temple,” I scoff in disgust. “That is no secret. Did mother find you in the act or was it your guards this time?” I rebuke.

I’m waiting for him to get angry, but he remains calm and collected while rolling a small piece of paper in his hands.

“No...” he admits in a gruff voice. “But it was a close call,” he adds in an undertone. He stands up, sandals lightly hitting the floor as he paces over to the open balcony. “I can’t help being worshipped around here. Just look outside at our beautiful streets and plentiful markets,” he articulates sharply while holding the marble railing.

I follow his gaze, thinking about Greta as I peer down into the lively morning market across from our palace.

“One day you will rule, Enoch. What do you look for in a future empress? Do you wish her to be like your mother?”

“Not really, at least, personality-wise. If she’s smart, adventurous and able to withstand my humor, that’s good enough for me. I really don’t feel picky about who...just as long as they somewhat can fill in those areas.”

Adler nods his head slowly. I’m starting to wonder if this could be our first heart to heart.

His voice turns harsh, “What else?” he asks curtly. What could I have possibly said to have made him angry now?

“Ugh-”

“You know what I’m getting at,” he mumbles while turning his head slightly toward me. “What do you desire her to look like?”

This is really uncomfortable. I’m starting to think mother put him up to it.

“Someone beautiful,” I begin earnestly. I smile down at the civilians, ignoring his demanding presence. “Ideally, though, I can’t say for certain what I like or don’t. I think I just know it when I see it.”

“It?” he laughs.

“She, her, you know what I mean.”

“I don’t think I do,” he replies lightly. “But, I will say it’s wise to know exactly what you’re getting into before making any promises. You can never trust anyone as much as yourself.”

“Emperor!”

I turn around at the sound.

One of his guards breaks away from the entrance of the library. Father doesn’t give the guard his immediate attention, his gaze lingers on the busy market below.

Then, when the guard meets his side, he walks off with them in dismissal of me.

Once outside the library, I mount Belle and head directly for the temple. It’s been too long I feel. I hope she’s there.

My heart soars finding, finally, Greta where she belongs. Her bead bobs up out of the fountain. She must have been taking a swim.

She darts out of it, seeing me.

Soaking wet still, she jumps at me and latches onto my torso like she never intends to let go. Her head burrows into my chest as she comes to a still.

“Where have you been?” she whispers. “I thought you were never coming back.”

“I told you I had to go away for a bit. I’m so glad you’re okay. I’m sorry I was away for so long,” I breathe out in one breath.

We pull apart. A small cut rests below her eye, healed over. I’m surprised it didn’t get infected though.

“How did you get this cut?” I ask. Then I can’t help asking the next thing, “Did you get caught trying to steal this new tunic? It’s...w-white,” I mumble nervous for her.

What has she gotten into now?

“The god of the sun gave it to me.”

Not this again.

“Greta,” I begin while rubbing my neck and peering down at her. Only robes of silk would be so regal and soft like mine. How could she have gotten something of this quality? “You cannot wear something like this in public. You are not royalty. Someone will see you and slit your throat.”

She shrugs her shoulders, wringing out the bottom portion of her stolen tunic.

“My old one was much itchier. The god of the sun said he’d send you here this morning,” she tells me with stars in her eyes. I don’t want to ruin her happiness, but she can’t be so naive. There are no gods, certainly none of the sun. “He was the one who gave it to me.”

“Really?” I go along with it in a tight voice while trying not to look at her.

Until her tunic dries, it will be see-through being the pure white it is.

“I didn’t steal it!” she insists while crossing her arms and backing away from me with new panic.

Her cloudy eyes are watching my hip. When I look down at it, I see why. I forgot to leave my whip at the palace! I had went to check on the workers this morning and forgotten to leave it behind in my hurry over here from the library. I don’t use the item, but it’s one of the stupid rules Adler makes us obey when supervising.

“I know you didn’t steal it,” I say while sitting down on the edge of the fountain. “Now, will you please tell me where you got it? If you wanted a new one, I could have found you one.”

Tears well up in her eyes, her soft chin jerking away from me as she tenses up again. “I told you, my god gave it to me! I know you are his messenger. Why won’t you just confess it?”

Dread seeps into me, watching her eye father’s temple in the not-so-faraway distance. “Did you go in there?”

“No,” she says quickly while bringing her gaze back to mine.

“You did, didn’t you?”

“My god asked me to.”

“Greta! You cannot make such reckless decisions! You could be killed for just looking in its direction if my mother were to find you.”

“She already has.”

What? I can’t help looking at that cut on her face when I speak, “Did she find you in the temple?”

“She did.”

“So you did go in it?”

Her face turns red. “N-no,” she stutters lamely.

I don’t know why she’s lying to me. One moment she says she didn’t go inside it, then she tells me mother whipped her in there. She must have been caught stealing over there. I’m not sure how she managed to get such a luxurious robe though.

Her new tunic is bound to get dirty back here.

I know one thing for sure, wearing white will most definitely make her stick out like a sore thumb if she steps foot outside of these gardens.

“What happened?” I ask.

She gives me a long look as if not believing I don’t already know. “I didn’t listen to your warning and she attacked me in there. Your mother didn’t see me with this new tunic though. By the god of the sun’s will, she went away, and then, he gave me this.” She twirls around in the dripping wet cloth.

This talk of her god won’t get us anywhere. She’s lucky my father happened to be absent on her little outing to his temple. If mother found her in there with him, she wouldn’t be here talking to me right now.

“Alright, alright. Please, don’t go in there ever again. If you need anything, please just ask me to get it. You’re lucky my mother didn’t kill you.”

“But you weren’t here,” she pouts while coming to my side. “The god of the sun was though. What’s wrong with taking a gift from him?”

No one would ever donate such a garment to a civilian, let alone a Krexbin. She’s just making up excuses, but I understand her curiosity.

I really need to shake this god-talk from her though, but I don’t see how that’s going to be possible with the limited amount of time I have to come back here and check on her. I’ll just have to hope these books will be enough.

Greta frowns when I hand her the small stack of them to read.

“Enoch, why do you keep giving me these things? I much rather learn about your family,” she whispers with a knowing look. She speaks of them as if the very subject is something sacred.

Surely, my family can’t be that interesting to her. I thought she’d be terrified knowing I’m the emperor’s son and how terrible he is. I could go on all day about him and mother, but that would push her further away from me. I think I’ve upset her enough pestering about her newly acquired tunic.

“I think you know from what I’ve told you, and now have experienced, they are both crazy. Now promise me, please, do not leave this courtyard ever again without me.”

Greta shuffles her feet. “I promise, but...I think you are afraid of my god. You need to open your heart. I did and he has blessed us. He told me himself,” she tells me while gripping my arm with a very serious look.

“What else did he tell you?” I don’t mean to sound so sarcastic, but I’m not sure she even knows what sarcasm is.

It really makes me sad, and angry too, that she has become so obsessed over a figment of her imagination. She is a grown woman now, she shouldn’t be believing in these tales of the desert folk. She should be learning and making her own living like the rest of our people.

“Nothing,” she whispers in defeat.

“Greta?”

“I don’t understand why you won’t confess you are his messenger.”

“Because he isn’t real!” I shout in frustration.

She scrambles away from me, running around the shelter of a bush.

“Shit!” I whisper. I didn’t mean to grab the handle of my whip, but sometimes I just hold onto it out of habit. “I don’t use the whip, Greta. I’m forced to carry it...for show. Won’t you come out now? I found some urkmink for you in the market today.”

Slowly, she emerges from behind the green shrubbery. Her ashy blonde hair is all dried up nicely now from her bath, it whirs around her face as she races back to my side and hugs me tightly.

“I’m sorry,” I whisper into her hair. She really needs to start eating more. She’s all skin and bones. “Have you been eating the food I left you?”

A little blush forms on her face as she shakes her head ‘no’.