Ashtium: City of Sun

GRETA

“Mmm...” I mumble while snuggling deeper into the fluff of warmth beneath me.

Sweat trickles down my neck. I don’t think I’ve ever felt so warm. I kick my legs a little, feeling them buried and tangled beneath heavy cloth. Something freezing cold slides under my belly and scoops me up.

A low voice hovers near my neck, “Are you feeling well?”

I turn my head near the source of the sound. My eyes peel open. It takes me a moment to realize I’m not even laying down. I’m sitting up against the fluffy backrest of my god’s bed. Adler’s freezing cold arm moves around me keeping me snug against his side. I squirm in his hold, moaning quietly in protest against the discomfort.

“Good morning, my sweet little pearl,” he chuckles over my head. “You are acting very grumpy. Did someone not get enough of a nap?” he coos while adjusting his robes around me.

The heavy material makes me sink even further against him. His skin is like ice.

Tiredly, I yank the pile of cloth closer around myself while turning over away from my god. Free of his suffocating hold, I wiggle around until I’m comfortable again in the puffs of warm fluff.

“Thank the cosmos you don’t kick in your sleep. You are quite sour in the morning,” he teases while pulling away my source of warmth. “But it’s time to get up now and embrace the day,” he adds in a sing-song.

I sit up while wiping the sleep from my eyes. “No...” I argue meekly.

“I don’t think I’ve slept so soundly in a millennium either,” he murmurs while playing with my hair. “What do you think? Hmm? Are you awake yet?”

I bury my face back into the fluff. “I want my own cloud,” I admit shamelessly.

Adler moves right behind me. His cold hand settles over my stomach making me twist upright in discomfort.

He said it was just going to be a nap and now it is morning. My sisters will kick me out of the hospice if I show up late. I’ll be homeless and out on the streets without a job.

There are many empty glasses scattered around us. Self consciously, I tug my robes tighter around myself under his unfaltering stare.

“I’ve failed,” I mumble in distress.

“No, no, no,” he argues lightly. Adler rubs his nose against mine before moving his face to my stomach. I tense up feeling him blow air on it. It produces a loud farting noise and a great ticklish sensation sending me into a fit of squeals and laughter. “It was not a trick to make you miss work. I need you here.”

“Please, no more!” I cry out while biting my lip and twisting my legs together. “It tickles.”

My insides feel like they’re going to burst. He sits up letting me catch my breath. A strange silence grows between us as I watch him watching me in the mirrors on the wall. He scoots off the cloud bringing several empty wine glasses clattering to the ground.

Something holds his silliness away as he trudges over the cluttered ground. He opens a metallic cabinet on the wall and pulls out a book after undoing a series of noisy contraptions to get it open.

The book looks very old. Adler flips through it while returning to the cloud. He sits down and then leans back against the backrest.

“Do you want to learn more about the city?” he asks.

“Yes!”

“We can read together. It gets lonely reading alone and I must read this dreaded thing every day.”

“Why?”

“I create our light. Hasn’t Enoch told you? I am the one who controls your day and night,” he chuckles while stroking my hair. “I’ll show you firsthand how it all happens here. We’ll make it morning together. If...if I mean, if you want to, little pearl. It’s, um, up to you,” he tells me. He sounds uncertain himself, “Do you want to?”

***

ENOCH

“Good morning, my dearest. How goes the hunt for the newest addition to your court?” Father chirps while entering the dining hall.

It’s a rarity for both of them to be eating at this hour with me. I think the emperor has been putting in more effort on his part to mend things, but I don’t know where it’s coming from when Urdmin is still alive.

Mother shakes her head. “I’m not going to be adding another courtmaiden. I have my hands full with this spy issue and don’t forget that tomorrow an envoy from the Kingdom of the South Sea is coming here to discuss plans of population control.”

Adler clasps his hands behind his back. He remains behind his seat at the end of the table with pieces of his ashy curly hair hanging in his eyes. His tunic is covered in wrinkles as if he slept in the same one.

Mother starts brushing the creases in it out for him.

“That’s right, I forgot about that,” he tells her with a tight-lipped smile.

Is his memory already starting to go? He is not that old.

I can’t help raising my voice, “How could you forget? Over ten thousand of their citizens will be migrating here. We do not have room!”

“I’m going to give them our slaves,” he elaborates. “They are overworked and will be unfit to rehabilitate here once free. We need new ones if we are going to reconstruct new housing for so many people.”

Mother scowls. The heavy jeweled scarf she wears around her waist jingles as she steps back from him with new disapproval. “What will they do with our slaves then?”

“It is not our concern, my lovely Femke. Their kingdom needs labor and we agreed to give it to them,” he explains shortly. Adler’s attention turns to me next. He still sounds chirpy as ever.

“What do you think, Enoch?”

“Well, I was hoping we’d be done with the slaves altogether. We have records of distant stars who have already obsoleted this practice. For years, I have been trying to tell you both our city is well advanced enough,” I round off while walking over to the balcony over-looking the streets below.

Mother plays with her new gold necklace around her neck. Adler kisses her. I watch surprised as she doesn’t pull away and kisses him back.

“How is Urdmin doing?” he asks her.

“Much better. He returned to his private chambers in the palace today. Now, are you going to tell Enoch and I what causes this new happiness you radiate with?”

He looks my way with a charismatic grin. “Enoch suggested I seek outside help. I want to be better for you both. I’ve started to talk through my problems-”

“With who?” Mother promptly asks.

He rubs his neck. “My advisors, Femke. I was thinking this is something we could both do to help make things better.”

The sweet tone Mother uses doesn’t falter, “Fix things? The only one who needs fixed is you. I’m so glad you took this step though, my dear.”

I’m waiting for Adler to explode, but the only reaction we can visibly see his how dark purple his face turns at her statement. I can tell he’s holding back and I’m sort of glad he’s trying to, but at the same time, he isn’t wrong about my mother.

She walks off with a pair of her personal guards before Adler can get a word in.

Adler makes an awkward coughing noise while playing with the sleeves of his tunic. His voice turns into a sneer as he looks my way, “How is your lover, Enoch? I hope you are having more success than your mother and I.”

I’m tempted to just leave, but as prince, I’m obligated to listen especially in front of servants and guards.

“Greta is doing well. I want to thank you for helping her the other day. We got into a fight about it actually, but I’m hopeful my concerns are for nothing.”

“Yes, she is just a child in my eyes. A blind one at that, but in time, she will hopefully heal more. By the way, are you going to give me my optic lense back?”

How did he know I took it from Greta?

Silently, I dig around for it in my pocket. I hand him the diamond prism with a bad feeling seeing him watch me with new scorn.

“Remember Enoch, we may not be equal in age, but in youth and mind we are identical by our city’s standards. I should hope you are only seeing Greta. From what little I’ve learned, she has a very fragile heart. I’d hate to see you break it.”

Who is he to tell me off?

He grips my shoulder to keep me from walking away. “I just don’t want you to follow in my footsteps, Enoch. The less of my mistakes you make, the better.”