Eden: The Eighth Day Part 1

As the moon doth shine,

And the great knight rides,

I will see you smiling.

As the land doth dry,

And our crops all die,

I will soothe your crying.

As the evil doth come,

And our luck seems done,

I will stand by you fighting.

Castus smiled up at his sister from his hay bed, her sweet voice soothing his mind. His eyes became heavy as she stroked his hair. She smiled back at him as she pulled his threadbare blanket tightly up under his chin and kissed his forehead as he gave in to slumber. He was much too old for her songs now, but neither cared. It was a special bond they shared, more a parent-child than a sibling relationship. Vita had raised him, after all. She pulled herself up, stiff from sitting on the hard stone floor. He looked so peaceful and for a few moments she felt as though there was nothing in the world that could harm them.

She dragged herself to her own room, the weight of the day leaving lead in her leather slippers. She glanced up to see her friend Virgo sitting awkwardly on her own hay bunk and Petrus beside her in his chair. Virgo looked shyly in Petrus’s direction.

‘Oh, Vita,’ Virgo cried, as she jumped up to greet her friend. ‘We heard what had happened. Thank goodness you are okay.’ Virgo’s golden curls bounced as she lunged for Vita’s embrace.

The cook’s son looked pale. He self-consciously rubbed the scar on his cheek, the action stretching his face and highlighting his empty eye socket and disfigured jaw. Vita knew these were the best of his injuries and she knew it pained Petrus to know everything he had lost. Once, such a handsome boy with his pick of the girls, but now the same ones would cross the street to avoid him.

‘I’m OK,’ Vita sighed. ‘He had it coming.’

‘I don’t know what happened to him,’ Virgo added. ‘He used to be so kind. Do you remember when you broke the emperor’s pendant?’

Vita passed a sad smile at the memory. Kayin had been talking to them as they cleaned his father’s chambers. She saw his face in her mind’s eye and recalled how grown up he had looked to the youthful pair back then. Vita had accidentally knocked a pendant to the floor, the impact loosening two of the precious stones. It was believed his precious pendant was passed down through generations from the original Meridian Dolus. Hearing the clatter, the emperor had stormed into the room and seeing the fear in Vita’s young face, Kayin had taken the blame and had been beaten, right in front of the pair.

‘He has changed, though, Vita,’ Petrus chipped in. ‘You need to be more careful around him now. We’d be lost without you.’ Vita looked to the stone floor, ashamed.

‘He’s right, Vi,’ added Virgo. ‘I know you have had a different start in life than us, but you are in the emperor’s rule now.’ Virgo’s tone turned to worry. ‘What will they do to you?’

‘I don’t know,’ said Vita.

‘Perhaps he will show leniency? You have always been special to him,’ Petrus added.

‘No,’ said Vita. ‘I will no longer be under his protection as from my birthday. He made that perfectly clear.’

‘What do you mean?’ Petrus said, anxiety etched over his face.

Virgo and Vita glanced at one another nervously. ‘He intends to sell me to the highest bidder.’ She walked to her bunk and sank into it beside her friend.

‘Sell you?’ said Petrus. ‘But he can’t. Not after everything your father did for him.’

‘I know,’ said Vita, ‘but life isn’t fair. Just promise me you won’t tell Castus. If I disappear, let him believe I have crossed the border. That will please him.’ The pair solemnly nodded their agreement.

‘Poor boy,’ said Virgo. ‘You know I’ll always watch over him, Vi.’

‘Let’s just hope there are some good souls left in this damned place,’ Petrus said. ‘You may have a happy life,’ he finished, with a tone of hopeless optimism.

‘Vulcan Bilo is expected to be the highest bidder,’ Vita whispered. This silenced him. Virgo slumped backwards against the stone and all three sat around, staring at the floor with nothing left to say.

‘You must run,’ Petrus decided, after what seemed like hours of silence. ‘He will kill you.’

’There is nowhere to run, Petrus.’ Vita despaired. ‘I have nowhere to go in the town, the people would gladly hand me over and then what? I would still end up his property, only he would be even more bent on punishment. Or worse… Malum would send me to the arena.’ The conversation was interrupted as Sera returned to the dorm, a dark look on her face. Vita knew she needed to talk with her alone.

‘Listen, I am strong,’ she said. ‘I will figure it out.’ They nodded with uncertainty, but took her cue to leave.

‘Sera?’ Vita asked when the pair were alone. Sera avoided eye contact with her friend and went to sit on her bunk. ‘Sera!’ Vita tried again, becoming cross with her friend. How can she ignore me after what has just happened? Vita stood from her bunk, arms folded and shoulders pulled back in an intimidating stance.

‘What?’ Sera snapped in response.

‘What was that up there?’ said Vita, repulsed by Sera’s actions.

‘What do you think?’ Sera continued. ’I was doing my duties for the man I love. He is mine, after all.’ She passed a warning glare to Vita.

’Yours?’ Vita retorted. ‘Kayin Dolus is not anybody’s. He is a pig, as he very well showed you tonight. He does not want you or anybody else!’

‘You’re wrong. He loves me.’

‘He threw you to the ground like a used rag! What do you expect to come from this? He will take what he wants from you and leave you crying on the ground. That man is more dangerous than you could possibly imagine.’

’I will be his. Just you wait,’ said Sera, a determined look in her eye as she glared at her.

Vita sighed, realising there was no getting through to her. The pair fell silent with a stagnant tension that putrefied the air like a heavy fog. Vita rose from her bed to change into her nightclothes. She slowly removed her day garments, folding them away. Standing naked, she glanced down at herself studying the bruises and cuts from her beating as she contemplated her dark future. She raised an arm and delicately stroked a huge bruise on her side.

She turned unconsciously to the sound of scuffling at the doorway. She stopped suddenly, seeing the mauve gown revealing a hint of bronze skin below and the flowing wave of dark hair atop his strong face. Kayin’s face was expressionless as his eyes bored into her naked flesh. She reached for her nightgown, pulling it quickly down over her head.

Sera glanced up at the reaction and noticed their visitor. She stood from the bed seductively, pushing her fingers through her dark hair and letting her full lips break into an almost smile. She bit down on her lip teasingly as she eyed him, thankful that he had come for her.

A look of superiority travelled in Vita’s direction, but was quickly replaced with malice at the scene before her. Kayin’s eyes watched Vita’s intensely as she watched him back, unable, despite her fear, to turn from him. Both with lips parted and the weight of history between them.

I knew it. The lying witch. Sera had never seen such pain and passion in his tired eyes as he stared at Vita’s wounded surface. At that moment, she felt pure hatred for her best friend rise up through her stomach.

‘Kayin, I’m here,’ she purred, desperately trying to bring him back to her. She looked at his eyes with sadness, the shadows of the basement quarters making them appear like deep caves, hiding many dark secrets in their shadows. She thought it must be days since he last slept. Vita didn’t know his pain like she did. She saw it whenever she looked at him. Vita didn’t deserve this attention.

Her purring voice broke through Kayin’s deep thoughts. He glanced briefly in her direction, shaking off whatever moment had just passed, turned on his heel and was gone.

Bacchus rose off his knees, dabbing his pretty mouth with the sleeve of his dress. Malum exhaled a contented sigh. He rose from the bed, letting his robes fall. Bacchus watched the emperor’s now limp member disappear from sight and breathed a subtle sigh of relief. Shrivelled as an old snakeskin, he thought as he fought his stomach from heaving. But one must do one’s dues, Bacchus, just think of all the pretty dresses you’ll get for that performance.

‘Sire,’ he said, ‘I think you get bigger every time I visit.’

‘Bacchus,’ the emperor replied, ‘you’re my best boy, there is no need for flattery.’

’Oh, I know that,’ said Bacchus. ‘Probably better than most of your little sluts too,’ he added under his breath.

The emperor raised his eyebrow. ‘Do you know why I called for you?’ asked Malum.

‘You mean—’ said Bacchus, in mock horror. ‘You mean to tell me you had agendas beside my exhilarating company?’

The emperor did not indulge him; instead, sent an air of disapproval in his direction.

’Apologies, sire. I was simply trying to lighten the mood. I would imagine you need counsel with that little imp’s performance with Kayin this evening? I do so wish I had been invited. I don’t know what that girl—’

‘Bacchus!’ the emperor warned.

‘Sorry, sire,’ said Bacchus, looking suitably remorseful.

‘Yes,’ the emperor continued, ‘I am at a loss what to do with the child. She is quite out of control.’

‘She always has been. I told you she would be trouble.’

‘Perhaps I should make an example of her,’ said Malum. ‘She has got away with too much in this place and I fear the people are beginning to see me as soft.’

‘Yes,’ said Bacchus. ‘Yes, I believe they are. You have treated her with too much leniency. You need to be seen as taking action, perhaps a more severe punishment. The demons, maybe?’

’The demons,’ Malum repeated, stroking his beard. ‘Yes, that’s excellent. They would surely beat some sense into the girl.’

‘Of course it’s excellent,’ said Bacchus. ‘I wouldn’t be your advisor if I was anything less.’

‘Yes, yes,’ said Malum, becoming irritated. ‘You may leave now. Be back here tomorrow morning.’ He waved his hand at the half-breed to leave.

‘What is it with that girl?’ Bacchus muttered, as he exited into the hallway. ‘She’s merely a silly little runt.’

Bacchus crossed the dark courtyard, feeling uneasy about the prevailing silence. He knew all the guests would be tucked up in their scratchy beds by now and briefly celebrated his own intelligence to have managed to secure a real bed in his chambers. The demon half of him, on his father’s side, added to his century-long practice made him rather skilful at manipulating old fools like Malum Dolus. Thankfully, Bacchus thought, I don’t look a day over sixteen. Meridian forbid my manly parts should shrivel like that old boar’s. He shuddered.

The emperor may be old, useless and guided by his sagging balls but this didn’t bother Bacchus one bit. It just made it that much easier to execute his plan of overthrowing the empire. And I should be the rightful emperor. I have ample experience in manipulating the masses, without having to use ancient magic, and I am charming. The people would actually like me rather than fear me. I would use the citizens as my tool, and I certainly wouldn’t let the likes of a silly runt like the Dulcas girl cause me problems.

The empire is cracking and sooner or later the townsfolk will rise up and what chance does old Malum have then? He can’t even handle a pathetic girl. Kayin is just a drunk who has no interest in running the empire and would happily hand over the rule. It won’t be long now.

His thoughts were interrupted by a cough from behind, which echoed in the silence. He turned and his stomach lurched at the hooded figure. Of course, he always forgot that little problem.

‘G-good evening,’ Bacchus said.

‘You will have to learn to tolerate that “silly little runt”. You work for me, not the emperor.’

‘Oh, you were listening. I never know when you’re going to be creeping around in the shadows.’ Bacchus screwed up his face and used his fingers to mimic some scuttling creature.

’I am always listening,’ it replied. ’And don’t you forget that. If you try to double-cross me, I will know. I am not as lenient as the emperor is with his pets.’

‘Yes, yes,’ said Bacchus. ‘I am well aware of that. But why the special interest in Vita?’

‘I will call you when I need you.’ The figure turned back towards the palace, leaving an unnerved Bacchus to continue to his chambers.

‘Nice talking to you, as always,’ said Bacchus.