Chapter 16: This Is The Start... Of How It All Ends
Late Spring, Pantocyclus Palace, The Next Day
'Crash and burn', didn't even come close to describing what happened the next day.
While Bill's plan was perfectly thought out and probably would have been successful, he never got the opportunity to implement it.
The next morning, Bill awoke to chaos. Or what seemed to be chaos, at least to him.
He opened his eye to two very tall Isosceles on either side of the bed, both armed with truncheons.
"Sifras, your presence is required on the platform. Now."
No 'sir', not even a 'Mister'.
"What? Do you think I'm going to fight you?" Bill snapped, pushing up in bed. "Geeze, I just woke up!"
"Now."
"Okay, okay. Just give me a minute!" Bill got up, shoved past one of the guards and started for the bathroom to splash water on his eye.
He didn't make it that far. A baton blocked his path.
"So I'm thinking a cup of coffee is out of the question?" he grumbled.
"You're required now."
"You'd think I was under arrest or something."
"Technically, you are."
Oh yeah, right. Guess that didn't end when I got here.
"Well isn't that fun?" Bill said acidly.
"No, I don't believe it is," the guard blocking him said humorlessly. "You will accompany us, now."
"Yeah, yeah, 'now', I get the concept."
He was escorted to the doorway of his suite and out, where another group of Palace Guards waited. It was in the midst of a group of the Isosceles Palace Guard that Bill was brought through the Palace's residential quarters and onto the Chief's Platform in the Circle Council chamber.
Vyraius awaited him, resplendent in an elegant formal ensemble of pristine white velvet and silver, handsome as ever and just as arrogant as Bill remembered. He turned as Bill was brought in and his eye curled in a triumphant smirk.
"Billy, so nice to see you, finally," he said smoothly, "are you over your little tantrum?"
Bill bit down the snarky, vicious response that he ached to spit at the man and resolutely refused to say anything.
"Well, I'll take that as a 'no'," Vyraius said and chuckled. "Have a seat, my boy, I have a surprise for you today that I'm sure you'll love." He patted the low chair next to his throne.
Bill frowned, a sick feeling rising in his stomach. "Surprise?" he said before he could stop himself. "What do you mean?"
"Oh, you'll see, my boy. You'll see..." Vyraius purred. "Sit. Watch. Enjoy."
Martial, triumphal music began to fill the chamber below.
It was a soaring, circular space with ranks of elevated boxes for the Council on either side of the platform, a lower level with boxes for representatives of each of the eight provinces and the City and the lowest level, the floor, which took up the rest of the vast space. At each one of the eight massive double doors, stood four Palace Guards. Ranged out throughout the entire circumference was the Circle Militia. There were far too many military men in the space for this to be anything other than what Bill feared it to be.
A Tribunal.
He swallowed hard.
He knew who was to be the subject of the trial.
The Circle Council were filing in at the moment, taking their places in their boxes. Once they were situated, the chamber doors opened, all at once, admitting media teams and Palace reporters, who quickly ranged out on the floor, setting up and taking their positions, while the Prefectures' remaining representatives made their way into their boxes. Bill noticed, with a sinking heart, how few there were now. Teren, Yora, Leva, all loyal to the Circles. Dest, the province next to Cyran, was empty, as were the ones he already knew were gone: Naran, Arca and Rylan.
He swallowed hard when he realized Cyran was one of those empty boxes.
What had happened in Cyran? Were they alright? Was Tveir alive? Perhaps Tveir had simply refused to attend. It was possible. It was well known that he and Vyraius hated each other. That must be it. That had to be it. He refused to think about the alternative!
He glanced at Vyraius. The man was pointedly ignoring him.
Finally, 'the public' was allowed in; which were really just a selected group of wealthy Capitolites, those who offered to pay the most for the privilege.
This is going to be a farce, Bill thought furiously. A travesty of epic proportions.
Vyraius was waving at the cameras and the people, chuckling and making cute comments, posing for photos and generally making Bill sick.
"Come on, Billy," Vyraius said, "sit down. You're just making yourself look more like the little prima donna they already think you are. I mean, look at you. You didn't even dress for me!"
"They didn't let me, even if I'd wanted to!" Bill snarled. "They pretty much grabbed me out of bed and marched me here!"
"Yes, well, they don't know that, do they, Billy?" Cerchio said with a sneer and a very nasty snicker. He indicated the gathering crowd with a wave of his gloved hand. "To them, you simply look like a spoilt little brat who continues to enjoy snubbing your very indulgent master."
"Oh, you're so put-upon, Vyraius," Bill snapped at him. "You poor thing you!"
"Respect, Billy," Cerchio said, shooting him a dark look. "Sit down. Now."
"No," Bill said with a nasty smirk all his own. "Make me. I don't take orders well, pal."
"It's no bother to me if you decide to continue to look like a spoilt brat, Billy," Vyraius said, turning back to observe the council chamber as things started to settle down. "It only makes me look better. I'll get what I want from you. Everything I want from you. Be assured of that."
The Speaker of the Council, a large, pale Circle carrying a massive, elaborate Staff of State made his way to a raised rostrum directly below the Chief's platform. He slammed the Staff hard against the floor once, twice, three times.
"SILENCE! This Tribunal will now come to order! All present shall attend to the Circle of Circles, His Supreme Majesty, Vyraius Cerchio!"
The room fell quiet and all eyes turned toward Vyraius as he rose and stepped forward, to the rail of the Royal Platform.
"My good Shapes! Welcome today to this most serious assembly of the People of Flatland. I would that it were a pleasant occasion that necessitates our assembly this day but unfortunately, times being what they are, we are lamentably gathered to pass judgment upon one of our own, a Shape accused of the most heinous crimes against the People of Flatland: Fomenting a Rebellion, Encouraging Terrorism, Commanding Seditious Actions against the Militia charged with the Protection of the People and the most damnable of crimes: Plotting the Assassination of the Circle of Circles."
Bill went very, very still.
"I give to You, my People, the Accused: Alistair Kendrick, also known as Cipher! Bring in the Prisoner!"
Everything inside Bill turned to ice as the doors behind the Speaker's rostrum opened and a group of Palace Militia dragged in the chained figure of a very familiar, very beloved Rhomboid.
The Chamber erupted into a hateful din of jeers and shouting as the young man was escorted into the room.
Alistair looked awful. He could barely walk on his own, stumbling as he was shoved and mostly dragged across the floor to the prisoner's dock: a raised cage in the center of the chamber. He was placed inside this structure, his chains secured to the bars of the railings and locked inside it. Though the cage had no top to it, there was no way he would be able to escape.
Bill was moving before he could stop himself. He rushed to the railing, crying, "ALISTAIR!" in a high-pitched, terrified voice.
Alistair's eye raised to connect with Bill's. The young man gulped visibly and Bill could feel his strained whisper, "Bill!"
Behind him, he could hear Vyraius' low, triumphant snicker.
"I told you, you'd enjoy this," he purred, placing a hand at Bill's back. "Now sit down like a good little pet and keep quiet."
"Alistair," Bill breathed, heart pounding and body filled with ice. "Oh, please no, Alistair..."
"Ah, there's that please again," Vyraius murmured thickly. "I do so love to hear you beg..."
Bill gulped, hands curled tight against the rail, staring down at Alistair as if looking away would destroy the poor Shape. "Alistair..."
Shh... Bill... shhhh... this will not be easy for you and I am so, so sorry...
Bill was on the verge of tears and Alistair's gentle voice in his mind didn't help things.
No... no Alistair... I-I'll do something... I-I can't let this happen...
You have to... it doesn't make sense, I know but you must...
"Alistair Kendrick, you stand accused of Sedition, plotting the assassination of the Chief Circle, acts of terrorism against the State and Leading a Rebellion against the Rightful government of Flatland. How plead you?" Vyraius' voice boomed across the Chamber.
Alistair took a deep breath, brought himself up to his full height, raised his apex and glared rebelliously back at Cerchio. Despite his horror, Bill was filled with pride as he watched Alistair's bravery even though he was suffering.
"I plead guilty to all charges!" he said, his rich, beautiful voice strong and powerful, defiant and angry. "I am Cipher! And I would do it all again if I could! Free for ALL! The Chief Circle is a dictator who needs to be deposed!"
Bill was standing, horrified and furious and impotent to do anything but watch in dumbfounded silence.
"SILENCE!" Vyraius thundered. "You have no remorse for what you've done, Alistair Kendrick? I'm deeply disappointed in you! Look what you're doing to your former boyfriend!"
"Alistair!" Bill shouted, "I love you!"
"Shut him up!" Vyraius hissed to the Palace Guard, "Now!"
One of the Isosceles guards grabbed Bill and yanked him back from the edge of the platform, wrenching his hands from the rail, shoving him back, down to the floor as Bill cried out in pain, scrabbling to try to grab the rail again so he wouldn't lose sight of the Rhomboid. "Alistair!"
The Chief turned back to regard Alistair, coldly. "You refuse to renounce your blasphemous views, Alistair Kendrick?"
"I do," Alistair snarled at him. "I will never renounce them. Flatlanders deserve freedom. They deserve equality. I will fight until my dying day to help them achieve what they deserve."
"I fear that day might be at hand, young man," Vyraius said in a dark, cold voice. "Members of the Circle Council and this Tribunal, I put it to you. This man stands accused of the Capital crime of Sedition. He denies nothing, indeed has admitted his guilt in front of this august company and refuses to recant his beliefs. I ask for your decision. Judge him as you see fit."
The Circle Council glanced at each other, then, one by one, they stood and pronounced their verdict.
"Guilty."
The word spread through the chamber, echoing in Bill's apex like a funeral march.
"Guilty... guilty... guilty..."
Bill groaned, unable to help a whimper of pain as he was pushed against the floor by the man standing over him. "...no..." he whispered, "no, no, no..."
Vyraius' voice, when he spoke next, had a tinge of malicious pleasure that only Bill could hear.
"Your decision is guilty. My judgment is the same: Alistair Kendrick, this Court and your King find you Guilty of Sedition. As the Circle of Circles and Supreme Ruler of Flatland, I will now pass sentence: execution. To be carried out in this court immediately."
Bill heard the sound before he registered that he was the one making it. A cry of utter devastation and despair. Sobbing, he struggled desperately against the Isosceles holding him, fighting like a rabid animal, finally bashing the man in the eye, causing him to shout in pain and stumble backwards, loosing his grip.
Bill surged towards the railing. "ALISTAIR! NO!"
"Sit down, Billy, or I will have you restrained!" Vyraius snarled at him.
"DO YOUR WORST, YOU MONSTER!" Bill screamed at him, his anguished voice screeching high, colored with a rising hysteria.
Spinning on Bill, Vyraius slammed a fist into Bill's midsection, sending him crashing to the floor.
"BILL!" Alistair shouted, "STOP! PLEASE! DON'T DO THIS!"
Bill growled and surged to his feet, with every intention of breaking the Chief Circle in front of everyone but the Palace Guard was faster and this time four of them descended on Bill, dragging him, kicking and screaming, backwards on the platform.
"Chain him!" Vyraius snapped. "He's obviously distraught and most likely drunk..." His voice carried just enough for the reporters and Capitolites below to catch his accusation. "If he tries anything, hurt him," he added in a low aside to the guards. "But make it look good."
The commander of the Palace Guards, a beefy Pentagon, nodded. "Of course, Your Majesty," he said with an unpleasant glance towards Bill, "You know we will."
The chair next to the throne was removed and the Guards shoved Bill to his knees next to it, trying to chain him. Bill fought them hard, sobbing furiously but he couldn't stop all four of the Isosceles who were overpowering him.
A execution squad of Circle Militia were trooping into the chamber below, while the Palace Guards were moving the onlookers back and away from the condemned prisoner. Many of them were being forced to leave, much to their dismay. The chamber was emptying of people quickly. Even the majority of the press were being told to go. Only one team of reporters were allowed to stay, the Palace's own military press, who would continue to record and broadcast the upcoming event to the entire country.
Vyraius settled back into his throne, once he was assured things were in hand in the Chamber and turned to look at Bill.
"You really are a little brat, aren't you, Bill? You knew what Alistair was up to, yet you let him continue his rebellion." His eye narrowed. "Oh I know you may hate me, you may want me dead but you're really just a weak little Triangle, aren't you? It may surprise you but I actually have some respect for that man down there. He may be insane, he may be wrong and he may be a dangerous criminal but he's at least got enough guts to continue to defy me. He's going to die today and he knew that before he came in here. Yet he's not sobbing and screaming about it. He's strong, Billy." He snorted. "But you? You're powerless. Pretty, yes. Talented, yes. But that's all you are. You're mine. You're not even a cute little paramour anymore, Billy. You're a slave. A performing dog. My performing dog. That's all you'll ever be."
Bill glared back up at him. "How can you even still want me when you know how much I hate you?"
"Because I don't care. I want you, I will have you and I don't care how you feel about anything." He chuckled. "Besides, eventually you'll change your tune. They all do. Lavish living and gifts have a tendency to do that to creatures like you. You'll come around... and then, even this won't matter so much."
I will kill him. I will kill him and I will laugh as he dies!
"Attention!" the Captain of the Circle Militia bellowed, his voice filling the room. "Bring forth the condemned!"
Bill's stomach curled into a ball. He watched breathlessly as guards brought Alistair from his cage and shoved him forward. He was made to stand atop a platform in front of the Chief's balcony, arms chained behind his back. He gazed up, silently defiant, standing very still, his gaze sweeping the occupants of the balcony and resting softly on Bill.
Be brave, Bill. You know how much I love you. Never give up. Make him pay for everything he's done to you.
Bill gulped.
Alistair... I-I wanted to help you... I was going to save you...
I know. Save your parents... you can do it. I believe in you. I always did. I always will.
"Alistair Kendrick, do you have any last words before you meet your end?" Vyraius said, not even bothering to stand. He considered Alistair coldly, tapping his fingers on the arm of his throne.
Alistair was trembling, just a bit. The Shapes assigned to his dispatch were now beside him, their sharp, black truncators at the ready.
"Only this," Alistair said in the same strong, firm voice that was not loud, yet carried to every Shape in the vast room, "freedom is not for the faint of heart, yet it is everyone's right. I am prepared to die for the equality of all People of Flatland." He took a deep breath and continued, his voice seeming to ring with a strange sort of resonance, "Attend me now and hear what I say: I will not die this day, in you I will live on. You cannot stop what has already begun." He turned his gaze to Cerchio. "Silencing me will not help you, Vyraius Cerchio. Your time is ending, your days are numbered." He looked back at Bill and caught and held his eye. "William, I love you. I will always be with you. Call upon me and I will hear. I will answer. I will wait for you."
His voice rang through Bill and he was sobbing, now harder than ever.
Call me. I will answer. When your need is the greatest, I will come to you. Believe me, please, my love.
...Alistair...? I don't understand!
"Execute him!" Vyraius ordered with an audible snarl in his voice. "NOW!"
"ALISTAIR!" Bill screamed even though his guards slammed their batons into his sides, sending bolts of pain shooting through him, "I LOVE YOU!"
The executioners raised their truncators and in one breathless, agonizing instant, swung them.
It was swift. Painless.
Bill collapsed, gasping as the weapons finished their deadly arcs.
Where kind, smart, loyal and incredibly courageous Alistair Kendrick had once stood, lay three sections of what had been a beloved Rhombus, in a pool of black blood.