Ashtium: City of Sun

GRETA

There’s comfort in knowing my god is watching over my temporary home along with his messenger, Enoch.

Both have told me to stay here. So I don’t know why I’d be tempted to leave when the god of the sun admitted his guards are watching my place of refuge.

However, I’m still not sure if my decision to remain here was right when Adler asked me to stay in the temple. Everything would be so much easier if Enoch would quit pretending he knows nothing about my god.

Yesterday, it seemed like he genuinely believed there was no god of the sun.

Either he is a very good liar or I’m completely wrong about everything.

This morning, I woke up to find a small weaved basket sitting near my head. There was a loaf of bread inside. I know I won’t be able to stomach so much of the food, but I imagine the slaves are far worse off than I. If only I had more time to ask my god about them.

I never imagined the god of the sun doing that to his own people.

I’ve been thinking a lot about that. I’ve been thinking even more about the reasons Enoch could be right.

“Over here,” comes Enoch’s mother voice. My heart races as I grip the handle of the basket. Swiftly, I duck under the shade of a thick bush behind the fountain. No sooner do I see a group of silver forms standing around the fountain.

“Urdmin,” the empress announces. A silver form moves toward her. It must be the false god. I can tell by his evil shining crown of hate. “Let us commence construction today. Bring forward the workers. I want to oversee its new design with my empirical sculptor.”

“Yes, empress Femke. Shall I fetch Enoch? He is late.”

“No,” comes her quick reply. “He is working the streets right now.”

Working the streets?

Adler must have been right about the temple being the safest.

Enoch’s mother appears to have plans to extend her stay here with her band of followers, the false god included. I will not be forced to hide all day.

She pulls out her whip. Two workers, chained together, clink away at her crumbling statue in the fountain. She whips them both in a routine about every five minutes. No one objects or tries to show any sign of stopping her.

The slaves are on the streets too. Is this how Enoch treats them?

I want her out of my fountain!

“Ah!” I hear one of the slaves scream again. “Please...empress, no!”

Their heavy tool clatters to the ground. The false god picks it up while Enoch’s mother approaches the fallen worker striking them again with no remorse.

“Urdmin, at dinner, do tell the other advisees I am disappointed in the workers they assigned for my sculpture’s remodeling. In the meantime, I wish you to oversee my statue is properly taken down while I return to my court.”

The false god moves very close to her. “Yes, empress.”

***

ENOCH

I’m the first to arrive in the dining hall because I also hope to be the first to leave. I’ve come up with a better way to get Greta eating more. If I buy enough urkmink, I can mash them up and mix them in with our food. That way, I can begin to get her to eat properly.

“Enoch, your father tells me you met a woman.”

I smile politely as mother looks me up and down. She tugs my arm, walking with me toward the long table.

“Rumors are just rumors.”

“Could it be a friend of yours?” she probes.

Trying to be well mannered, I pull out her chair for her. “Nope!” I answer rapidly.

She sits down. “Well, I must admit, I hope you bring her here soon so we can meet her. In case you forgot, you will be promptly leaving tonight with your father to-”

The emporer surprises us both as he passes us silently. Curse him, I don’t think either of us heard him come in. Without greeting, Adler walks the length of the table. He claims his seat on the opposite side of it with his guards following shortly behind.

“Leaving?” he questions while looking in mother’s direction.

Mother raises a perfectly plucked brow. “Yes...” she answers in a monotone. “My imported cloth was to be delivered tonight from the Ontrich exchange. You forgot about it, didn’t you?” She rolls her eyes. “You always forget what I want.”

“Did I not give you new jewelry and robes from my last pillage?”

I try to ignore their arguing. Father’s advisees enter the room and find their places at the table.

Dinner is finally brought out and that ends their hostile chatter momentarily. By the time dessert arrives, mother and him are at it again.

She stabs her chilled cream.

“You must start to have faith in me if we wish to get anywhere in our relationship,” Adler announces over her yelling.

“Do not tell me how to behave! You have always been with other women, but I? If I dared be with anyone else, you’d just replace me in a heartbeat!” she shouts. “No one...no one would bat an eye,” she whispers to me hysterically.

Oh, I’m sure Urdmin would.

I pat her hand. “I would care mother, but,” I look at Adler knowing my words will put mother, hopefully, at ease. “I don’t think father would think of doing such a terrible thing when you have been together for so long. You two belong together.”

An uncomfortable silence follows.

When Adler finishes eating he stands up. “Do not lie for her sake, Enoch. Ever since you were conceived, we have been like this. I’m sure it pains you to see us as such,” he says with a cunning look in his stare. “Why don’t you take Belle out for a little trip in the desert to fetch her things?”

“Little trip? You are asking me to leave on short notice! Do it yourself,” I cut back.

His smile grows. “Where do you have to be? A day away is trivial.”

“Ashta forbid you spend a little more time with mother,” I shoot back. “Why not come along with me like the empress wants you to?”

Mother, looking ill, sets down her utensils. Urdmin caters to her needs, helping her gracefully stand up from her seat as to not get her shimmering, stain-free robes tarnished from the crumbs on the floor.

They leave together, hand in hand.

Adler doesn’t move to follow them. Instead, he picks up a conservation with his advisors.

Is he really going to let Urdmin walk off like that? I have never seen him stand-off to father in so bold a fashion.

“Don’t you care?” I grit out while glancing the way they left.

“Of course I care,” Adler answers. “I’ll let her have her way with him because I know at the end of the day she will still be in love with me. Don’t worry about getting her things, I’m sure Urdmin will be on it. Make sure he leaves to do so tonight just in case.”

“You are delusional. She does not love you. At least, not anymore. And you know what? I don’t blame her for hating you either. Did you see her? Did you even hear what she said? You have driven her to madness,” I accuse. “You don’t love her!” I finish with certainty.

I’m waiting for him to signal one of his guards to strike me, but he remains stoic as if actually considering my words.

“I did, but I’m not certain how I feel now. I’m much more busier than I used to be. So much has happened,” he replies in leisure. “Perhaps, I need some more consultation on the matter. Thank you, Enoch.”

Consultation? It’s not what I hoped he’d say, but at least we are finally getting somewhere. It’s not often he thanks me for anything. All I did was state the obvious, but some people like him are unaware of such things.

“You’re welcome,” I never thought I’d say those words to him either. Feeling like I’m dreaming, I walk out of the dining hall hearing their chatter resume behind me as if nothing happened.