GRETA

Baloop, baloop! Baloop!

"Good morning," I say into the noisy shell.

"Good morning," Brommy sounds happy. "How are you feeling today? Did you receive my gift?"

I knew guards were watching this atrium, but yesterday was the first time they came inside.

"I'm feeling sad today, Brommy, I'm worried that Adler will find me-"

"He will never find you. You are safe. I'm certain you look ethereal in your new robes. They were imported and made just for your size. How do they fit?"

"Very well! Are you coming soon? I miss you, Brommy."

A moment later, I jump to my feet seeing a form emerge from the shrubbery across the atrium's expanse.

My heart lurches. Brommy is not alone. I stagger backward. Why would he do this to me?

He promised no visitors.

The man wears a strange head piece and striped tunic. He carries a lyre and sets it down carefully next to the large marble fountain. I frown as Brommy curtly gives him instructions. The man looks nervous, but he settles onto a bench beside the instrument.

A familiar tune begins to trickle through the air.

It's the same song I heard back on Ashtium during yule.

What a terrible night.

"Greta."

"Yes?"

"I do not want you to be living alone in here anymore. Enoch has asked me to have you moved away from empirical premises...for your safety."

"He doesn't want me caring for the children, does he?"

"At the moment, I'm afraid not. They will be moved to hospice care as they are due for wellchecks."

"Oh."

We sit down together beneath the shade of a large tree.

He smiles, but it's tight-lipped and feels empty.

"What god do you pray to now?" he asks while watching the ground in front of us.

"Whoever feels like listening I suppose-"

"I'm listening. Isn't that good enough?"

I feel small under his new stare. His mouth is formed into a hard line. In the darkness, his smile is no more.

His thumb traces lightly over my chin. Annoying bugs live even in here. They buzz behind us in the seclusion of shade. In the absence of much light, the lyre's drunken tune whirs around riddled in forgotten memories and broken dreams where dark water weighs me down.

"Isn't that good enough?" Brommy repeats in a whisper.

Like a childish girl, I hug the muscle of his arm just like I did when he pulled me out of the black sea. His stare remains impassive as his hand slips behind my back to stroke me.

"I love you, Greta."

Love me? Brommy loves me? I don't like how vulnerable I feel under his touch. I have to keep reminding myself he isn't his brother.

"I don't feel like that's true," I admit lightly.

"Why not?" he asks in a low voice. I gulp feeling the heat of his breath near my neck. I turn, his eyes are no longer cold but twinkle in a way that makes me blush. "Do you think I rather have someone else?"

"Yes...and I just want my pets. I do not want to be-"

"Hurt again?"

My face burns when he kisses my neck lightly.

"Stop it, please."

Relief fills me when he pulls away quickly. I feel strange watching the purple tint in his face.

"Do you want to see my chamber? It is only a short walk. Tomorrow, we will find a more suitable place for you to stay-"

"But I like it here!"

"You no longer will have the company of children. You will be alone-"

"No, my pets. My pets live here, Brommy-"

"Of course, we can take them with us."

A strange whistle leaves his mouth. I gasp watching Rog full of sudden energy and clambering over our way.

My Fluff, curled up on my shoulder, shrieks at the sight of the approaching beast.

Brommy grabs Rog's leash and walks by my side.

"We don't have far to walk at all. Don't worry, Greta."

***

ENOCH

Morning already?

Well, at least I can rest assured there won't be any angry mobs knocking on the palace doors. The light has been successfully restored, and sooner than expected, at that.

The civilians are very well off and we have been able to integrate slaves back into society.

Albeit, not all slaves, but a significant amount. Unfortunately, infrastructure here is still inadequate and no amount of organized labor will ever match the excellence of our slave manpower back home.

We can only work with what we have. I do not wish to rely on slaves forever.

It would be nice to get others to finally agree. If they weren't too busy fooling around with the exotic women in this empire, we would be able to make much more progressive efforts.

I can get Brometheous to change Adler's opinion of slavery, eventually. No progress is going to be had at all if he is skipping meetings. Usually, he is never tardy. For him to not only be late, but absent, is something I cannot afford.

"Brommy! Brommy? Where in Ashtium's name is that entitled bastard?" I growl under my breath.

Late for yester-evening's dinner and absent from this morning's advisoral meeting.

It's a first for him.

"Brommy!"

Not in the library. Was he watching the streets today?

Eventually, I make my way outside and enter the stables. His voltak is still here.

Odd.

Perhaps, he went to fetch Adler and got held up. Both mongrels were absent.

Well, their presence isn't truly necessary today. Although, they are legally binded to attend as my highest ranking officials.

With a sigh, I leap onto my own voltak and move down behind the palace to the advisoral quarters. Each advisor is housed here with their families. Large and marble columned, but not open, and instead, walled securely with marble stone. It was decided they live close together behind the palace rather than scattered across the city. It's more convenient for meetings and in the case of an emergency, of course. 

I arrive at the one belonging to Brometheous.

"Brommy!" I holler.

Instead of himself, a guard opens the slate door.

"Enter, ruler Enoch."

With a frown, I dismount my stead hearing Greta's voice inside.

"What a funny look! Keep your head still...stop moving!"

I widen my eyes finding the advisee's normal scowl absent and replaced with a wide grin. The object of his attention sits behind him, on his clout, and has his silver-white curls tied into a ridiculous manner.

"Stand to greet me!"

Promptly, he follows my command. Greta scurries behind him on the bed and buries her face in the cushions like a child. Her clothing thankfully is tied properly.

Brometheous's is not. He looks just like our father standing there with his black tunic tied improperly at the waist.

"My apologies, ruler Enoch. I did not hear you enter."

That smirk on his face, oh, it's like I'm staring down the same soul. The demons are one and the same. He's the spitting image of him.

"No, it is I who should apologize. You are more timely than all the others. I see no issue here in taking a morning off. Although, I request next time you inform me before such a thing."

"Of course, ruler Enoch."

Greta sits up. Her long hair has grown in beautiful framing her delicate soft features in a nice way. Those big sad eyes find my own.

"Hello, Enoch."

"Hello," I greet while doing my best to appear impartial finding her in here. "I hope you are doing well," I add tightly. What is Brommy doing with her? Is Adler aware? He was to keep her in the atrium and deliberately disobeyed me. "I have been looking forward to your full recovery. I'm sure you will be safe here. Please let me know if there is anything I can do to help you. I'm sure we will be seeing more of each other. It's wonderful to see you happy."

"Greta is happy. She does not need to stay in the atrium anymore. She is no longer a child, ruler Enoch, I-"

"So your wish is to endanger her life, and the lives of all our civilians, by bringing her out of hiding and giving Adler the chance to see her?"

"If I may be informal, for a moment, Enoch, you and I know Adler has limited attention. He has married Ren and no longer needs a young whore. Ren is younger and more...stable and smart."

Greta's eyes swell at his words. It's about time she understands what her purpose to Adler was and could only ever be.

***

GRETA

The night is quiet.

Brommy is sleeping. I'm glad Enoch left. I didn't really want to see him. It hurts too much to know he didn't bother to visit me sooner when he knew my life was restored.

No one here really cares about me. Brommy may be nicer than Adler, but I do not trust Brommy very much at all. No one here let's me be free.

Baloop! Baloop, baloop! Baloop!

Who could be calling at such an hour? I shake Brommy's shoulder, but he does not wake.

"Brommy! The fona!" I whisper-yell, "Someone is calling. Brommy!"

Still, he remains completely out of it.

With a frown, I slip out of bed and move to his bed side. The ringing shell angrily jumps up and down in place.

I go to pick it up, but Brommy suddenly becomes awake and grabs my arm lightly. Was he truly asleep?

He taps the spot beside him in bed with a stern stare and finger to his mouth. Reluctantly, I find my place beside him and watch him pick up the shell.

The intergalactic device becomes silent and he sets it back down.

"Relax," he says while watching me down the bridge of his nose. "Do you understand now what I'm doing? No matter where you are, it's only a matter of time until he finds out."

"I thought he would have forgotten about me. Why...w-why hasn't he forgotten about me, Brommy? Why won't he leave me alone?"

"Of course, he has forgotten about you. His brain doesn't work like yours and mine. The whores, drinks, smoke, and vanity have trapped his mind in an illusion. The future doesn't exist to him. It's not enough to care, never enough to care about you or what happened. Not enough to bother. He only lives in the present. Imagine living a life so meaningless," his voice hardens, "We're all dying. Only he has died long ago, Greta. Do you think you are his only star?"

"No."

"And you won't be the last," Brommy whispers fiercely, "He has hundreds of stars, hundreds of stars, a whole sea, shining in his mind. One moment, he thinks about one, the next another. He can't decipher between any. It's all a blur where one memory mixes with another dead one and the faces all fade to black. You are not special to him. Tonight, he sleeps beside his youngest star. He doesn't cry for you or care about your death. Adler thinks you never loved him, so he celebrated it. He was free to continue living without the shame of collecting and discarding more stars. In his mind, he is entitled to do whatever he pleases. Do not be fooled and think he feels remorseful or sorrowful for your death. You mean nothing to him. "

"I know!" I cry out. "I know I'm not special," I sob. "I never loved him either!"

"But you do. You still love him. I do not want you to find the truth yourself. So I will tell you because it saves you the heartache."

"I assume he does whatever he wants," I grumble, "I mean so little to him. I want to go away, Brommy. I do not like it here. I'm so tired of living. There's nothing stopping me anymore. Nothing stopped me before. No god tried to stop me. Only an evil god could bring me back to suffer. When does my suffering end? I gave Adler my all and he...he gave me so little. I don't have anything left."

"I know you don't," Brommy whispers while stroking my hair. He tucks my head under his chin. "You don't have any love for yourself left because you gave it all to him. Go to sleep now, please."

For a long time I lay still. I can hear Brommy snoring again. This time, I think he really is asleep because his face is softened and his snoring is very much louder.

Baloop! Baloop!

Just as I was instructed, I don't answer the fona. My limpnut curls up around my neck sensing my anxiety in the darkness.

I watch the fona jump up and down in place ringing, but suddenly, it goes silent mid-ring.

Baloop! Bal-!

And I know what's coming next. He will leave a message. He used to do this when I ignored his calls after they relocated me with my sisters in the caverns beneath our home star.

Good evening, Brommy. I was hoping you and Praegg would join Ren and I down in the city tonight. You know, our favorite tavern. You must be busy, you were absent from our meeting with Enoch today-

Suddenly, Brommy bolts upright. With a scowl, he picks up the pointy shell.

"And so were you. I have attended every session both on our home star and on this planet. What are you really calling about, Adler? Since when do you care about my private affairs? I always get my work done regardless of where I am."

"Oh, so where are you then?"

"My home, you would know that if you agreed to live where all the other advisors do - right beside me. You could walk over to check on me whenever you wish. You could walk over right now-"

"Are you alone? Because gorgeous Praegg is here waiting for you. How long have you been seeing each other? It's unlike you to be late for your women especially a woman like this. If I'm not mistaken, dear friend, I think you completely forgot about her."

"No," Brommy cuts back. He stands up with the shell in hand, "I'm coming with a gift. I had to pick it up in the market and got caught up in the crowds. There was some disobedience. You know mongrels, they are slow to move out of my way. I'll be there in a few moments-"

"Oh, I think...I think, no, I know you've had enough moments," Adler says through a drunken chuckle, "Yes, I think you had enough moments," he repeats slowly in a new bitter tone. The next change in his voice is ridiculous, light and cheery as though not a moment ago, although drunk, it was laced with the faintest touch of suspicion, "Don't be shy! Bring your guests down to the tavern or anyone else you pick up on the way. Let's make sure you enjoy this day off, to the fullest!"

"As I said, I'm on my way."

The shell becomes silent and still. Their conversation is finished.

Before leaving, Brommy eyes my own fona on the side of the bed. I can tell he is considering grabbing it as well, after a long moment, he folds his arms.

"I won't take it from you. That is because I want you to trust me and not him. I will tell you about Praegg in the morrow - when I return. I am so sorry, Greta."

"There is nothing to be sorry about, Brommy. You deserve to find love or at least have your own fun. I am happy for our companionship. Have a good time tonight."

"I want you to have fun too, Greta. Soon, we will and there will be no more hiding. You will never have to hide again. I just need you to wait a little longer. I will be back soon. Goodnight."

☁️