Zoe Thanatos(94)

“You said we all have a part to play,” he whispered hoarsely in her ear. He took a step back and Alcander appeared at his side, dressed in his military finest. “Walk behind us in the processional,” Evan instructed before turning back towards the Queen, giving Alcander a brief look as he did. The soldier held his arm out to her and she linked hers around it, not knowing what else to do in the state of shock she felt stuck in. The Queen Mother emerged second, dressed in an equally beautiful blue gown that made her blue eyes all the more piercing. She had her usual air of satisfaction and superiority, and a smile that could cut glass.

It was an incomprehensible blur. The Queen and Evan walked out hand in hand from the Royal Residence into the Throne Room, walking around the partition to confront a room full of formally dressed residents. Eva was escorted by Alcander after them, and taken to a luxuriously ornate chair at the base of the pedestal, just beneath where the Queen and her brother sat on the throne, the Queen Mother at their side. She could see in the faces of those in the crowd that they were as confused by the scene as she was. Somehow, in the short amount of time since she was taken into custody, her own brother had married the Queen and become the King of Terra. He had a part to play, indeed, but not even she could comprehend that it had gone so far.





So it was done. Evan was the new King of Terra. He’d never once imagined he’d be in such a position. Much to the disdain of the Queen Mother, the Queen did not want to have the ceremonial pronouncements of their engagement and eventual wedding, and instead requested they marry in private. The ritual itself was fairly quick, each of them exchanging vows to one another before signing an official royal document legally binding their matrimony and his new title of King. It would be a while before the realization would sink in.

He’d never particularly imagined getting married, but would have preferred to have his only living family member there at his side, whether she supported their union   or not. The Queen offered to have Evadine released and officially welcomed as a part of the royal family, even going as far as to offer her a palatial private apartment within the royal residence. By the time his sister was released he was married and titled, and there was no way to softly break the news to her. She more than anyone had to understand that he was doing what he felt was necessary, but assumed the shock of it would ultimately temper her reaction. In any event, she was the Princess Royal by marriage, and with the title came certain rights and expectations. He would simply have to find the right time to explain everything to her.

In the meantime they would need to strategize. Owyn was to be deported to the outlying cities, he had no idea what had become of Thea, and he had heard no update on Zoe. Whether or not Thea’s plan was ultimately foiled, he intended to keep going, Eva at his side. Whatever came next would require planning and thoughtful consideration. He hadn’t married the Queen for nothing and intended on seeing the plan through to the end, especially for Zoe’s sake.

He wondered how soon he could head to the Reproduction Unit and see her. Perhaps as King he could do his part to see to it that her real identity was not revealed any sooner than it had to be, and maybe even keep her safe from the wrath of either Queen.

Kyra rose from her throne to address the Residents gathered in the great hall and welcomed them each. He watched the faces of those in front of him as she spoke, wondering what each of them was thinking. He’d been on their side his entire life, even as a technical prisoner of the Crown under the rule of the Queen Mother. Several heads turned to look at him throughout the Queen’s oration, their faces a mix of confusion and intrigue. Could they accept him as their new King with the memories of the former King still so fresh in their mind?

“As your Queen I always want to be open and honest with you, to include you in the life of Royal City so that you know it is your home as much as it is mine,” the Queen spoke. “It is with great sadness and difficulty that I must inform you a serious crime has been committed against the Crown. A priceless and treasured artifact was stolen from the Royal Anthology recently, a crime spearheaded by an Elder from one of the outlying cities. Unfortunately, the former King was a party to the crime for reasons we still have yet to understand. Rest assured that those who are responsible for the theft from the Crown have been punished to the fullest extent of what their crime mandates.”

“Who was the Elder?” a voice called from the crowd. Evan’s hears picked up at the sound, but he couldn’t see who had spoken.

“No one of significance,” the Queen answered in the general direction of the crowd. “She was a very bitter woman who had taken it upon herself to defect from Terra, and for reasons unknown felt she could gain notoriety or fortune from stealing from the Crown. Whatever her reasons she now knows the consequences of her actions, and will no longer be a threat to the Crown.”