by Ceri Beynon
“Yes, quite as the Prince says. We want to establish order. Okay, so if that’s all the questions. Thank you so very much for coming and I’ll see you all again next week” says Frank Speakman.
“Wow Calix. That was intense!” I say, as we walk out together holding hands.
“I think there is a lot of work to be done here. There’s huge differences in opinion and a stubbornness on behalf of both groups. A compromise is definitely needed but Dad will never agree to one. I’m sure he wouldn’t even approve of group meetings like this. When he gets back from wherever he’s been, he’ll be furious. I know it” says Calix, looking worried.
When I return home from the city, I think of how its changed since I first entered it.
I wonder where the king is and I’m perplexed by Frederic’s silence at the meeting. He’s a charismatic character and I’m sure everyone would have been intrigued by what he had to say. While he looked interested and seemed to concentrate intently, his brooding and mysterious nature prevailed. Although maybe he found it difficult to get a word in anywhere, what with Anita and the Smiley doing most of the talking.
Suddenly I get a text from Calix ‘Home safe in palace. Dads back, business trip apparently. Oh Joy! Catch U tomorrow. C, xx.’
‘Ha-ha, rather U than me! C U tomorrow babe. Seren, xx’ I reply.
I wonder if the King already knows about the divide or will Calix have to fill him in. I fall asleep looking forward to new gossip in college tomorrow.
Chapter Thirteen.
Love and War
We sat a test in sociology. I found that it went well, the only problem being that I was running out of time as I had so many theories to cover. We have no break today ,we started college later than usual to make up for this, so its straight to lunch. I go to find Calix. I see the back of his head, framed with his wondrous thick hair.
“Calix !” I call out to him. When he turns around ,I am shocked.
His eyes have dark circles underneath them and look red and puffy as though he has been crying.
“Seren” he says quietly.
I rush over to him.
“Calix, what’s wrong? You look awful” I say, realizing as I get closer that even at his worst, he still looks better than most people at their best.
“Oh, yeah. I guess I’ve had a rough night” he says, not elaborating.
“Why, what’s happened? Lets go somewhere quiet to talk about this” I say ,grasping his hand, leading him to the library.
We sit in the corner, as far away from everyone else as we can get. I’m starting to feel concerned why he seems so reluctant to talk about what’s wrong.
“Calix, please tell me why you seem so upset. I’ve never seen you like this before” I say gently, putting my hand on top of his.
He shakes his head and remains silent and is reluctant to make eye contact with me.
“Please Calix, you really are starting to worry me now” I say urgently.
“I cant tell you Seren. It would upset you too much” he says finally, looking every inch a broken prince.
“Upset me? Let me guess, this is to do with your Father again. One night back and he’s already causing havoc. Look at the state you’re in” I say bluntly.
He sighs.
“Its to do with him, yes” ,he says before returning to silence again.
“Frankly its upsetting me more that you’re keeping it a secret. I’m imagining all sorts. Just tell me, no matter how devastating the news is. My heart is beating so fast and my hands are shaking from worry” I say truthfully.
“Okay, okay. We cant get married. Dads banned non-citizens such as you, from marrying citizens such as me” he says.
“Oh is that it? Calix just recruit me and I can be a citizen” I say, not getting why he’s making such a big deal out of this.
“That’s where he’s been clever Seren. You can now only become a citizen of the City of the Broken if you are born one or personally recruited by the king” he says.
“What? You mean you no longer have the power to recruit” I say frantically.
“Exactly” he says.
“This man is insane. He’ll stop at nothing until he’s ruined us. The city’s divided and still all he cares about is our relationship! Why am I such a threat, now that the Smiley’s are bringing happiness to the city?” I ask enraged, tears streaming down my cheeks.
“That’s what I don’t understand myself. He didn’t want us to marry in case we encouraged happiness .But the Pro-Happiness group is the biggest threat at the moment, not you” he says, bemused.
“Oh he’ll soon have them under control. But if the prince was happy ,then that would be the end. He knows what he’s doing. You are the figurehead ,the symbol of the city. You are all that matters” I say furiously.
“Yes ,I think that could be his logic .He views The Smiley’s as irrelevant and rather powerless but I think he underestimates them sometimes” he says, thinking deeply.
“Oh Calix. I’m devastated. Yes, I’m perfectly happy as your fiancée. But I truly wanted to be your wife. Our wedding is off” I say.
“I know. I’m so sorry Seren. Don’t give up on us, that’s the only way he’ll win. We still have each other .He cant spoil our happiness by preventing marriage” says Calix convincingly.
“I was just so looking forward to our wedding and now he’s spoilt that .But yes, you’re right. He cant stop our love and if he thinks he can, he’s a fool. Did you tell him about the group meeting?” I ask, changing the subject, as I wipe away my tears.
“No way! He’d only ban that as well. I mentioned the divide but shockingly he didn’t seem that concerned. All I had last night was ‘you cant marry that girl Calix’ and ‘you cant recruit anymore’ ” he says.
“That’s probably where he’s been. Arranging for those new laws and rules to be brought in” I say.
“You know, sometimes I think this isn’t about happiness and the city, but love .Its almost like he doesn’t want anyone else to be in love since he lost his wife. Its almost envy” says Calix.
“You really think he’s that bitter?” I ask, uncertain that I agree with this idea.
“Yes. If he cant have someone to love, then neither can anyone else. Of course I could be wrong, but its my theory” he says.
“Has he told you of his plans in reuniting the city?” I ask, interested in what the king’s strategy will be in defeating the Pro-Happiness parade.
“He didn’t mention anything. And its less reunite and more like ‘destroy the enemy’ with him” says Calix as we head back to class.
In psychology ,it finally hits me that I’m not getting married. Now I feel broken. I also feel a great deal of sympathy and admiration for Calix. He has so much to deal with, both as a son and a prince and yet he manages to remain just and sensible himself .I can understand now why he’d just like to be ‘normal’. He’s beautiful, talented, intelligent and he’s royalty. It would seem he has it all, but does he really? I wonder if my Calix has ever felt carefree .Has he ever laughed so hard it hurts or not had the burden of his father and the responsibility of the city on his shoulders? Life is always seriousness for him and the thought makes me sad. Maybe he’d be more privileged if he was normal .He could marry who he wants, not worry what the public or the press thought, not have to organize groups and attend meetings all the time and he could just be himself. Despite his fortunate circumstances, Calix could sometimes appear quite tragic.
After class, I walk with Calix through the car park, where Alfred is waiting with the Rolls-Royce.
“Now Calix, you’ve got to start standing up to your father. He’s a control freak-changing laws to prevent you from getting married. When you get home, be sure not to let him push you around” I tell him forcefully ,fed up of fighting this impossible problem.
“I do stand up to him all the time Seren. I’m forever trying to make him see reason, but its no use. I’ve tried and failed to change his mind so many times in the past, that it fe
els pointless to even attempt to again. He just ignores me and sometimes my complaints to him can even make the problem worse” he says, seemingly tormented by the topic of his father.
“This man is ruining my life. I would never have thought it possible that one human alone could be such a barrier to bliss” I say, shaking my head.
“He really is the most unreasonable man ever, I know. I’m going to work on some ideas for next week’s reuniting group tonight, but maybe you can come to the city tomorrow and we can show Dad that our love is still going strong” smiles Calix, trying to make me feel better.
“You never stop, do you Calix? Its an irony that such a horrible man could have such a kind and altruistic son. Yeah I’ll come tomorrow, but I don’t care what your Dad thinks about us. I’ll come because I want to come, not to put on a show for him” I say.
“See you tomorrow then” he says, leaning in to kiss me, instantly cheering me up in a way that talk alone never could. But I still feel the sting that my wedding has been robbed from me.
I wave and as he drives away, in my melancholic state, its only now I realize the hearse-like quality of his car.
I walk home, past the cemetery where the married couples lie, the lucky ones in life, who I suppose didn’t have an overbearing parent preventing them from becoming one flesh. Walking through the City of the Broken is like walking through a cemetery at night-eerie, forbidden yet morbidly beautiful.
I’m still wearing my engagement ring and will continue to do so. We cant be husband and wife but he cannot stop us from being engaged. I do wonder whether or not the King would have been a likeable person when his wife was still alive. Heartbreak and grief can change a person and must make life hard to deal with sometimes, but is that really an excuse to be so corrupt and cruel to others, especially one’s own son? I don’t think so.
After college ,I head alone through the gates of the Broken to meet Calix, who left early as he’s so busy with the plans for the meeting. I’m eagerly looking forward to the next showdown between the citizens, finding a dark delight in the drama akin to those who used to go to public hangings.
Calix is meeting me by the black columns of the Bank of the Broken. As I walk to our meeting place, I note that there are far fewer citizens dressed in bright colours and exhibiting smiles than the last time I visited. I presume this has something to do with the kings return.
I spot Calix leaning against a pillar, with dark shades on looking like a male model posing noncommittally for a gothic fashion shoot .As I get closer, I realize he looks a little stressed out.
“Hey Calix, are you okay?” I ask him and he looks more relaxed when he sees me.
“Yes Seren. Don’t worry, I’ m fine. I’m just really busy organizing everything ,this on top of college and dealing with Dad. Hey, I’ve come up with an idea and I’d like to know your opinion before I start to work on it”, he says, eyes illuminating with the light bulb of innovation.
“Okay, go ahead” I say intrigued and flattered that Calix wants to know my opinion.
“I want to do a public vote on whether people are Pro-Happiness or Pro-Despair. Public in the sense that it wont be limited to group members only. It’ll include anyone who’s a citizen. It will also be anonymous, which I think is important as it’ll encourage people to vote. What do you think?” he asks leaning in, eager for my answer.
I pause for a moment to think before answering.
“Well its an interesting idea I guess Calix, to know what the opinion of the majority is. But what are your intentions when you discover the result of the vote? And we have to bring it back to the main problem again-what about your Dad? If it’s a public vote, he’s going to know about it!” I say, still not completely certain of Calix’s idea.
“The intention Seren is to show Dad the City’s true feelings. If there is a landslide vote either way, the city will need to follow that direction. I see myself as a modern prince and I’m not opposed to change .I want Dad to know what the public really think, and I think this is the best way to do it” he says exuberantly.
“That could work out well in theory I suppose Calix but it could also backfire, if there’s not a landslide, it could divide this city even more and enrage your father to the point where he’ll take serious action” I say concerned Calix hasn’t thought this seemingly democratic idea through enough.
He considers what I’ve said, looking slightly perturbed I’ve highlighted weaknesses in his idea.
“I do see your point Seren, but to be honest I think this city is already divided in a detrimental way and a vote couldn’t cause much more harm. Dad can do a lot, but even he cant argue with the majority. If there’s not a huge difference between the results then I don’t really think the vote will make much difference, people will stick to their chosen side and Dad will continue to oppose any changes to the city” he says ,still confident in his idea.
“With regards to the divide Calix, when I was walking through the city today I’m convinced there were much less people wearing colour and looking happy. Why is this”? I ask.
“Dad’s had wearing bright clothing made into a criminal offence, many of The Smiley’s have been arrested. That’s one thing I am concerned about as this could have a substantial impact on the vote Seren as a lot of Pro-Happiness members are now in hiding or in jail” he says.
“Will the Pro-Happiness members come to your group this week now that they’ve been criminalized“? I ask feeling sympathetic towards The Smiley’s as I don’t think they deserve such harsh treatment.
“Well prior to Dads return I had people giving out flyers and advertisements in newspapers for my group, but I think that at the moment its absolutely essential its kept a secret and that as many Pro-Happiness group members as possible come without the fear of being arrested or getting into trouble by attending” he says, fair and just as always.
“So how are you going to organize it this week, if you cant advertise? I ask.
“Well all the group members from last week know the time and place to attend ,but since they wrote their details down I’ll contact all of them to reassure them that its okay for them to come” he says kindly.
“Surely though, a Pro-Despair citizen at the meeting will report them to the King? They are enemies after all” I say, concerned that this meeting will result in a siege.
“That’s a possibility. I’ll ask the Pro-Happiness group to dress casually and not to wear bright colours, for their own safety, not because I have any allegiance to the Pro-Despair group. Hopefully they’ll believe my motives to be sincere” he says altruistically.
My Calix, noble by blood, noble in heart.
Chapter Fourteen.
The Black Hospital
I dress neutral to attend the secret City Reunited meeting, while last time I leant far more toward Pro-Despair, the oppression of The Smiley’s makes me want to champion the underdog, but since its now illegal to dress colourfully, I opt for causal-white t-shirt and black skirt. I spot Calix at the entrance of the community centre, it seems he had similar ideas to me in terms of dress. He’s wearing black jeans and a light blue shirt, much different from his usual all-black outfits. I assume he’s done it to help make The Smiley’s feel more relaxed.
“How’s the turn out Calix?” I ask, aware that as I’m late, the majority of the group should already be here.
“Bad. Three Smiley’s who are leaders of the Pro-Happiness movement are not here, although I’ve been informed that two of them have been arrested. Anita is also absent and there is a lot of hostility between the two groups” he says, looking worried.
“What, more than last time?” I ask, not believing that this group could get any more hostile.
“Yes, last time was tame compared to the furore that just occurred in there. And don’t forget this is meant to be a secret meeting. I was hoping for quiet and stealthy, not a brawl that could be heard a mile off” he says ,sweat running down his brow.
“Oh Calix, don’t fret. We all knew t
his meeting was going to be a little chaotic. Why isn’t Anita here?” I ask, wondering if the less than stylish venue was too much for her to endure more than once.
“No idea. I did ask Frederick but he remained silent and looked like he didn’t want to talk about her .” he says.
“Perhaps they’ve split up?” I suggest.
“Maybe. Lets go inside, we’re missing all the action out here” he says, grabbing my hand.
As we walk in, I’m aware there is an atmosphere of hatred. The Smiley’s that are here look extremely anxious, as though they feel they are putting themselves in immense danger. Frederick looks on guard, as if he’s hiding a dark secret that he doesn’t want anyone to know.
We take our seats. Frank Speakman looks flustered and horrified ,as if amazed by the arguments that happened before I arrived.
“Right, we all know its been a little hectic in here to day. But if you can all calm down, we can try and get back to sensibly discussing the issues at hand.” says Frank, trying to establish order.
One group member, who I think is a Smiley dressed in the guise of an ordinary citizen, speaks up.
“Why is this group necessary anymore? The divide that was here last week exists no more. The King is yet again forcing us to be broken, making colour and joy illegal. Since he has criminalized the Pro-Happiness movement and all we stand for, I really don’t see the point in you holding future meetings” she says in a calm but dejected voice.
“That is an excellent point. Prince Calix, do you think there is any point in holding the meeting anymore?” asks Frank.
“While I acknowledge that Dad has changed laws to criminalize the Smiley’s, he cannot change peoples beliefs .I think that the argument that erupted today is evidence of that. There is continuing resentment and the whole point of this group is to reunite the city, to get us to work together and value each other as fellow citizens. It isn’t about changing people views. Therefore I still think its necessary, perhaps even more so than last week” says Calix charismatically.