The two servant girls planted their feet firmly against the furniture and pulled as hard as they could. Carmen let out a yelp of pain as she felt something move inside her abdomen that she was sure wasn't supposed to move.
Magda let out a sigh. “I suppose that will have to do. Perhaps we can have the photographer do some shaping with his software. Don't worry, dear. I won't let you look fat in any of the photos.”
The servant girls tied Carmen off and allowed her to stand up and look at herself in the mirror for the first time. Her dress was breathtaking. A pearl color with intricate lace that made her feel like a piece of antique jewelry. She let herself enjoy the moment before returning to her normal disgust with the whole ceremony.
Magda tapped on the screen and said, “Let's get moving. The Imperator is waiting to bless the union, then we'll take some photos, and you and Maksim can have the rest of your evening to... spend together.”
Magda wasn't trying to hide it. It was as if the entire Grand Citadel was preparing for her wedding night instead of her actual wedding. Impregnating her was at the top of everyone's list of priorities, and the murmur of excitement surrounding the act made her want to cross her legs and never open them.
Carmen followed Magda out of the room and through the corridors, a legion of servants following them. They moved quickly, so much so that Carmen nearly toppled over in her high heels multiple times. She would have face-planted into the floor were it not for the servants there to catch her. Every time she nearly toppled over, Magda made a scornful noise loud enough for Carmen to hear.
When they reached the throne room, Carmen steadied herself. She had no idea what to expect waiting for her inside, but when she entered the room, she was surprised by the modest gathering. She had seen royal weddings before, whether they were Zharkovs or Domini from around the world, and what she saw looked nothing like any of those ceremonies. There were no decorations, there were no guests, and only a few family members stood in attendance.
Imperator Padamir sat upon his throne, looking bored. Azakor's wife, Simone, stood to one side of the throne with two of her children, Zana and Yuri. Maksim stood on the other side of the throne, his face stoic and cold. Yet when he saw her enter, something softened in him. She could have sworn she saw a gentle smile stretch across his lips, but it wasn't only happiness that he showed. There was a deep sadness as well. She didn't have time to study him for long before Magda grabbed her by the arm and walked her down the aisle.
“There's no music,” Carmen whispered.
“They'll add it in for the broadcast,” Magda said in a tone that told Carmen to keep her mouth shut.
When they reached the throne, Maksim stepped down and took Carmen's arm from his mother. Magda's iron grip was replaced with Maksim's surprisingly gentle embrace. The man looked as though he would accidentally crush her with his super strength, but his touch was carefully delicate. He was polite enough to smile down at her and she couldn't help cringing when she saw the fist-shaped scar on his cheek fold in the creases of his smile.
Imperator Padamir stood up from his throne and adjusted the crown atop his head as Maksim and Carmen bowed down in front of him. Carmen's stomach was more compressed in the posture, and she couldn't help but grunt in pain. Maksim helped her back to her feet as Magda took her spot next to the throne, and Padamir clapped his hands together to signal the start of the ceremony.
“The honor of marriage has been granted to you by your Imperator. It's a beautiful thing. This union is a very powerful joining of your bodies.”
It was the standard imperial wedding speech, but the Imperator was stumbling through it, adding his own awkward improvisations. Carmen tried to hold back a giggle as he continued, but soon he went off script, and Carmen felt the tension in the room rise. Magda flashed a dirty look at her husband when the cameras were pointed at her.
“I mean... you two are beautiful people. And you're going to make beautiful children. And just look at Carmen. The power she has? Can you imagine what their child is going to be like? Let's hope it's a boy. I mean, girl or boy, sure. But let's hope it's a boy.”
Maksim gripped her arm a bit tighter, but it wasn't uncomfortable. He clearly meant it as a sign of strength, to let her know he was there, and they would get through the ceremony together, but when she looked up into his eyes, she still saw an enemy, the man that was going to crawl on top of her later and try to put a child in her womb. The imagery, mixed with the discomfort of her corset, made her want to vomit.
“And I have to say,” the Imperator continued with a devilish grin, “I never really thought we'd find someone willing to marry Maksim.”
Maksim jerked when Padamir said his name, growing physically uncomfortable, but the Imperator either didn't notice the man's embarrassment, or didn't care, because he kept talking.
“Don't get me wrong, you're as handsome a fellow as the rest of your family. Well... until your soon-to-be bride went and messed up your face.”
Padamir laughed to himself while the rest of the attendees exchanged awkward glances. “But seriously, even before that, you weren't exactly the most – how should I say? – elegant man. All brute force, this one. Let's hope, for your sake, little woman, he shows more restraint tonight.”
Padamir laughed again. Carmen looked up at Maksim, whose embarrassment and anger burned his face into a deep red.
Magda hissed through her teeth, “Padamir!”
The Imperator slowed his chuckle and rolled his eyes. “Yes, yes, dear. Just giving the boy a bit of grief on his big day.”
He clapped his hands together again and returned to his script. “So it is with great pleasure that I use my power as the Imperator of the Zharkovian Empire, to grant you the title of husband and wife. You are forever joined in this imperial decree!”
There was a loud clapping that came from Magda, which sounded more clumsy when echoed in the empty chamber, and accompanied by a small, slow clap from Simone and her children.
Maksim glanced down at Carmen, offering her a look of apology as he leaned down to kiss her. She closed her eyes and tried to put her mind somewhere else as he pressed his lips into hers. Instinctively, her hand reached up to cup his face, but she retracted her touch as soon as her fingers felt the scarred flesh of his cheek.
Simone stepped down and offered Carmen a hug as Magda did the same for Maksim, but when the golden-skinned woman leaned in, she whispered into Carmen's ear, “You're going to be alright. Just make it through this one night, give them what they want, and they'll leave you alone. Your life doesn't have to be over. There is happiness in this place. You just have to find it.”
The woman stepped back and looked at Carmen as if she were silently asking her if she understood. Carmen gave her a weak smile back and nodded her head. Maksim took her hand again and led her down the throne room's carpet and out the door.
“Thank you,” Maksim said quietly. “That was... pleasant.”
“Pleasant?” Carmen asked, half-chuckling at the use of the word.
Maksim became uncomfortable again and mumbled, “I only meant... with my mother, my family... that speech. It could have been worse.”
Carmen shrugged her shoulders and looked away, mumbling to herself, “Um... I'm glad it wasn't awful marrying me, I guess.”
Maksim rushed to correct himself, saying, “I didn't mean-” but Magda and the servant girls quickly joined them, pushing them down the hall.
“We must get these photographs taken,” Magda explained. “Once the media finds out we've rushed through a royal wedding, they will not wait for a peek inside the ceremony.”
“Why is there so much secrecy?” Carmen asked as she was hurried down the hall by Magda and her servants. “Why are you trying to sneak me through the system?”
Magda spoke through her laughter. “Child, I'm not sneaking you through anything. What I am trying to do is run an empire. An empire that is dealing with a rather large uprising in the east. So please excuse our family if we don't feel
it is in the best taste to make a big deal about a wedding during this time of...”
Magda's voice drifted off as she searched for the word she was looking for.
Carmen couldn't help herself.
“This time of war?”
Magda slapped her. The shock of the action struck her harder than the woman's open palm. A few servant girls caught her and pushed her back upright as she held her hand against her reddened cheek.
“Mother!” Maksim growled. “You will not strike my wife!”
Magda pressed her finger into his chest and said, “I will strike whomever I want to strike... especially my daughter.” She then turned to Carmen and said, “And that is exactly who you are now. You are a daughter of the Imperator of the Zharkovian Empire. And you will act like it. You will follow rules. You will get in line. Or you will feel the full extent of my wrath.”
Carmen didn't look at her. She just stared at the floor, searching for anything that would give her the strength to hold back her tears. Magda did not wait for her. She gripped the back of Carmen's head, somehow wrapping her fingers through her elaborately designed hairdo without messing anything up. She yanked Carmen's head backward and leaned her face in close. Maksim moved to react, but Magda stopped him with a single finger held straight up in the air.
“Do you understand me?” Magda hissed.
“Y-yes,” Carmen said with a whimper. “I... I understand you.”
“Good.” Magda let go of her hair with a whip of her hand and said, “Now let's go take a picture of the new couple, and show the world how happy the Zharkovs are.”
A servant girl wiped the tears from Carmen's cheeks as Maksim slouched and shuffled his feet in defeat, following his mother down the hall. They entered another chamber, this one decorated in a way that reminded Carmen more of what she was expecting from a royal wedding. Hundreds of flowers. Elaborate candelabras. The paintings of every royal wedding from the past hanging behind them. A rather dramatic photographer posed her and Maksim into a hundred different configurations, physically moving their arms, legs, and heads as if they were mannequins.
Once the flash bulb had blinded her, she was being whisked off to her and Maksim's private quarters. She didn't have time to grow nervous before she was standing in the giant bedroom. A huge, four-poster bed sat in the middle of the room, with a glass dome over the top, exposing the stars of the night sky.
Carmen stood absolutely still, unsure of what she should do or say. Maksim closed the door behind her, and the latching sound made her jump. He moved to a large, wooden armoire and unbuckled his cape in silence. Carmen remained still.
When he began to unbuckle his Guardian armor, she asked, “Would you... like some help?”
Maksim glanced at her in surprise, then nodded his head. She moved across the room and helped him take off his breast plate. He then took a seat on the edge of the bed, and she helped unstrap his armored gauntlets and leggings. When he stood up, he only wore his black under garments.
“You are uncomfortable,” he said.
She looked away from him bashfully and said, “Yeah. This is a really weird situation. I have no idea how to... what to do.”
He frowned and said, “I meant your corset. It looks... tight.”
She grinned and said, “Oh. Right. Yeah... this thing is the worst.”
He stepped forward and touched her back as he asked, “May I help you?”
She silently nodded and felt his huge hands pinch the ends of the ribbons that bound her so tightly. With a few gentle pulls, her abdomen heaved in relief as her ribs settled back into place and her lungs filled with air. It was a strange mixture of feelings, the comfort of being free from the restrictive clothing, and the anticipation of what they were disrobing for.
“There are clothes for you,” he said, opening the armoire. “I will let you change.”
He walked across the room, behind a divider, and sat down. She was surprised by his modesty. She was sure that Magda expected them to be naked by then, but she didn't question him. She slid out of her wedding dress and found a silk robe that she wrapped around herself. It was both light and warm, which she was sure only a tailor that worked for the Zharkovs would know how to make.
“I'm... done,” she said quietly.
Maksim stepped around the divider and stood near the end of the bed. His eyes glanced at the sheets a few times before looking away. Carmen found herself smiling at his bashfulness, surprised that this massive warrior wasn't more aggressive. She sat down on the edge of the bed and patted the spot next to her with the palm of her hand.
“You can... sit here.”
He took a step closer, then looked at her as if he were studying her.
“You are still uncomfortable,” he said.
She shook her head and touched her robes saying, “No. These are very nice.”
He shook his head. “That is not what I meant.”
Carmen took a deep breath. “I appreciate your concern, but there's nothing you can do. This is an uncomfortable situation. You're not going to make that better.”
He frowned, looking around the room as if he were trying to think of something to ease the situation. Carmen laughed to herself, shocked that she was going to have to be the aggressor.
“Seriously. Let's just... get this over with.”
Maksim looked at her with a horrified expression on his face, and shook his head. “I will not do that.”
Carmen's head tilted back in surprise. “What? You won't do what?”
“I will not... take advantage of you.”
Carmen laughed louder this time, unable to deal with the oddity of everything around her. Reality kept slapping her in the face, sometimes literally.
“Your whole family is taking advantage of me, Maksim. There's really no way to make this normal.”
He shook his head defiantly and stepped toward the glass balcony doors. “You are my wife. I am sworn to protect you. Even from them.”
Carmen's laughter subsided, and for the first time since she had arrived, she felt something sweet in the air, but she rejected it as soon as she felt it.
“The only reason I'm your wife, is because your mother made us get married.”
Maksim stared out into the night sky as he said, “That changes nothing.”
Carmen shrugged her shoulders and said, “Maybe not for you... but this isn't exactly how I pictured my wedding.”
He glanced over his shoulder and asked, “How did you picture it?”
Carmen was taken aback by the question, but shrugged her shoulders and said, “I don't know. Maybe something small. Intimate. Just... not like this. I definitely never pictured signing on a dotted line to become some kind of baby factory for the Empire.”
He nodded, looking visibly hurt, but then turning back toward the open balcony doorway. “We will do nothing we don't want to do. Starting now.”
Carmen smiled with sympathy for the giant man. “You know that's not true.”
He spun around and said, “You question my devotion?”
Her smile grew larger. “No! But that's the problem, Maksim. Your devotion is to your family, to your title as Guardian... to the Empire. You'll do as you're told. You'll always follow their rules.”
He walked over and bent down on one knee, enveloping both her hands inside of his enormous palms, and said, “You do not have to trust me. Not yet. I understand I must earn your affection. That is the way of things. But know, from this point forward, I will put you above all else.”
She wasn't sure what she saw in his eyes. It looked like honesty, but it was possible he just believed his own words, no matter how unlikely he was to follow through. There was an earnestness, though, that she couldn't deny, and it filled her with an emotion she didn't recognize.
Her hand reached out and touched his scar again.
“I'm... I'm sorry I did this to you.”
He yanked his head away from her touch with a look of shame striking across his eyes.
“T
here is nothing to be sorry about,” he said. “You should be proud of your strength. You are a mighty woman.”
She laughed.
He looked confused at her reaction and asked, “What is so funny?”
She shook her head in apology and said, “No. Nothing. It's just... no one has ever called me 'mighty' before.”
“You do not like it?”
She looked at the floor and spoke without considering her words. “Actually... I think I love it.”
There was a long moment of silence between them before Maksim turned toward the balcony and asked, “Have you ever flown?”
Carmen tilted her head to the side, confused by the question. “Actually, when your mother brought me to the Fatherlands, that was my first time on a plane.”
Maksim reached out, offering his hand to her, and said, “No. Not like that.”
She reached up and accepted his hand, allowing him to lift her off the ground with little effort and scoop her up into both his arms. He stepped out onto the balcony and his feet lifted from the floor. The night sky rushed closer to her as the Grand Citadel disappeared below them. Her breath swept away from her as they skimmed through the clouds, the air rushing across her skin. The earth was so far below them, she could barely make out the structures that dotted the farmlands. She felt far away from everything, like they were actually alone for the first time. No Magda. No Imperator. No Empire. Just the two of them.
“Are you cold?” he asked.
She tapped her chest with a smile and said, “No. I have a burning star inside of me, remember?”
He looked into her eyes. “But you're shaking.”
She held him tighter and whispered, “I know.”
14
ANDRE
When Andre came out of his cell in the morning, there was already a large group of men gathered in the common area. A single TV was set up, an item he had procured for the cell block, and everyone was gathered around it, like they did on movie night. There was a low murmur of voices, no cheering or catcalling. It piqued his interest, so after doing a few stretches, he made his way downstairs. Vulcão was waiting there for him.
Rise of the Supervillains Page 10