Chapter 42
Queen Lethe and Odin walked onto a balcony that overlooked the night skyline of Tzen. She was dressed radiantly in white with gold trim and a tiara inset with rubies. Odin tried to hide the concern on his face.
"My Queen I wish you every happiness for you union with King Hasdrubal," he said.
She smiled sadly. "We would not have agreed without your approval Captain Odin."
"I'm just glad the King was amenable to your terms," he replied his brow furrowed in thought, "Yet I still feel uneasy."
"He agreed that we should rule jointly," said Lethe reasonably, "The capital of the new Empire will be Styx."
Odin nodded. "And he agreed that he cannot inherit Asgard personally?"
Lethe took his hand. "Captain, we're sorry to worry you so. Yes, only our children will get Asgard."
Odin sighed deeply. "It's my job to worry Your Majesty. But I suppose I can take comfort that Lord Diablos will be livid when he learns of the terms."
Lethe giggled quietly. "Yes, we're sure."
"But Your Majesty, will you be happy?" he asked gravely.
She shook her head. "We cannot permit ourselves such selfishness. A Queen must live for her people, not herself."
Odin bowed his head. "And a Captain must live for his Queen."
He took a bouquet of red roses from under his cape. "May the goddesses bless and protect you forever my Queen."
She gasped and took the bouquet. She sniffed the delicate fragrance and met his gaze. As a tear ran down her cheek she stared at him in silence, longing to say a thousand things.
Diablos emerged from the doorway.
"Your Majesty pardon my intrusion, there will be a dance tomorrow night," he said with a bow, "The King requests the honor of your presence."
Lethe turned to face him.
"We will be honored to accept the King's gracious invitation," she said, trying hard to smile.
Diablos bowed and left.
"Your Majesty," said Odin taking her hand and kissing it. He walked through the doorway as well.
Lethe walked over to the edge of the balcony and stared into the night sky. As she gazed at the stars twinkling over the night skyline she absentmindedly let the bouquet drop from her grasp. She watched it fall away into the darkness. She then wordlessly walked back indoors, her face a mask of pain.
After a few minutes Siren dropped silently onto the balcony from the overhanging roof. She walked indoors and down a staircase into a long corridor with plush scarlet carpeting. She reached a room and knocked on the door.
"Yes?" said Shiva's voice.
"May I come in?" asked Siren.
Shiva opened the door.
"Sure, come in."
Siren followed her in. Shiva's went back to unpacking clothing from her bundle. She set her ice staff against a small chest in the corner of the room next to the bed. A pair of enormous windows was wide open admitting a cool night breeze. Shiva was humming happily to herself.
"Is your room alright?" asked Siren eventually.
"Yes, it's great!" said Shiva with a laugh, "It's palatial!"
Siren smiled faintly. "Well, I thought you'd like the view."
Shiva nodded and hung her dresses on pegs mounted on the walls. "The city is quite lovely from here."
Siren chuckled and went to the window and gestured for Shiva to come over. Shiva walked to the window and followed her gaze to another nearby tower where they could see another open window. Ifrit walked past without a shirt.
Shiva gasped and covered her mouth with her hands to stifle her laughing.
Siren grinned. "I told it had a great view."
Shiva hit her on the arm. "You wench! Is that why you came by?"
Siren chuckled and sat on the bed. "No, I wanted you to listen to a tune I wrote."
Shiva sat cross-legged on the foot of the bed. "Sure."
Siren closed her eyes and began to play a sweet and at the same heartbreaking melody. It seemed to Shiva that it contained hopeless longing. When she finished Siren opened her eyes.
"Well?" she asked.
Shiva wiped away a tear. "It's beautiful. What's it called?"
Siren smiled wryly. "'True love'
Queen Lethe and Odin walked onto a balcony that overlooked the night skyline of Tzen. She was dressed radiantly in white with gold trim and a tiara inset with rubies. Odin tried to hide the concern on his face.
"My Queen I wish you every happiness for you union with King Hasdrubal," he said.
She smiled sadly. "We would not have agreed without your approval Captain Odin."
"I'm just glad the King was amenable to your terms," he replied his brow furrowed in thought, "Yet I still feel uneasy."
"He agreed that we should rule jointly," said Lethe reasonably, "The capital of the new Empire will be Styx."
Odin nodded. "And he agreed that he cannot inherit Asgard personally?"
Lethe took his hand. "Captain, we're sorry to worry you so. Yes, only our children will get Asgard."
Odin sighed deeply. "It's my job to worry Your Majesty. But I suppose I can take comfort that Lord Diablos will be livid when he learns of the terms."
Lethe giggled quietly. "Yes, we're sure."
"But Your Majesty, will you be happy?" he asked gravely.
She shook her head. "We cannot permit ourselves such selfishness. A Queen must live for her people, not herself."
Odin bowed his head. "And a Captain must live for his Queen."
He took a bouquet of red roses from under his cape. "May the goddesses bless and protect you forever my Queen."
She gasped and took the bouquet. She sniffed the delicate fragrance and met his gaze. As a tear ran down her cheek she stared at him in silence, longing to say a thousand things.
Diablos emerged from the doorway.
"Your Majesty pardon my intrusion, there will be a dance tomorrow night," he said with a bow, "The King requests the honor of your presence."
Lethe turned to face him.
"We will be honored to accept the King's gracious invitation," she said, trying hard to smile.
Diablos bowed and left.
"Your Majesty," said Odin taking her hand and kissing it. He walked through the doorway as well.
Lethe walked over to the edge of the balcony and stared into the night sky. As she gazed at the stars twinkling over the night skyline she absentmindedly let the bouquet drop from her grasp. She watched it fall away into the darkness. She then wordlessly walked back indoors, her face a mask of pain.
After a few minutes Siren dropped silently onto the balcony from the overhanging roof. She walked indoors and down a staircase into a long corridor with plush scarlet carpeting. She reached a room and knocked on the door.
"Yes?" said Shiva's voice.
"May I come in?" asked Siren.
Shiva opened the door.
"Sure, come in."
Siren followed her in. Shiva's went back to unpacking clothing from her bundle. She set her ice staff against a small chest in the corner of the room next to the bed. A pair of enormous windows was wide open admitting a cool night breeze. Shiva was humming happily to herself.
"Is your room alright?" asked Siren eventually.
"Yes, it's great!" said Shiva with a laugh, "It's palatial!"
Siren smiled faintly. "Well, I thought you'd like the view."
Shiva nodded and hung her dresses on pegs mounted on the walls. "The city is quite lovely from here."
Siren chuckled and went to the window and gestured for Shiva to come over. Shiva walked to the window and followed her gaze to another nearby tower where they could see another open window. Ifrit walked past without a shirt.
Shiva gasped and covered her mouth with her hands to stifle her laughing.
Siren grinned. "I told it had a great view."
Shiva hit her on the arm. "You wench! Is that why you came by?"
Siren chuckled and sat on the bed. "No, I wanted you to listen to a tune I wrote."
Shiva sat cross-legged on the foot of the bed. "Sure."
Siren closed her eyes and began to play a sweet and at the same heartbreaking melody. It seemed to Shiva that it contained hopeless longing. When she finished Siren opened her eyes.
"Well?" she asked.
Shiva wiped away a tear. "It's beautiful. What's it called?"
Siren smiled wryly. "'True love'