by Dani Hoots
I got out of my chair and wrapped my arms around him. I was so lucky to have had him by my side this entire time, and I was glad that he still stood up for me. “Thank you.”
“Anything for my cousin,” he rubbed my back. “I will always be by your side.”
“How can you and Emmerich have so much faith in me?”
“Because you are a lot stronger than you believe. Don’t you remember the fights we used to have as children? I recall getting beat to a pulp.”
I laughed, remembering. “That’s different.”
“It isn’t that you aren’t strong, Angela, it’s that you care so much about your people that you can’t stand them getting hurt. And that, my cousin, makes you stronger than any of our ancestors.”
Before I could respond to his statement, the door opened again. A tall bald figure walked in. His hands were webbed, his eyes white and his skin was slick and light grey. He wore a long white robe that lightly brushed the ground. This made him seem almost heavenly as it appeared as if he was floating as he moved around. I stared in awe. It had been so long since I had seen a Galaftn.
And this wasn’t just any Galaftn, but their leader Kwai. I remembered meeting him before the kidnapping. We had talked quite a few times, even though my people only met him with angst. Elwood and I stood and bowed.
“King Kwai, it is an honor to be in your presence. I offer my deepest gratitude for helping me in my time of need. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.”
He motioned for me to sit back down. “There is no need for such formalities, Empress Starr, it is my pleasure to find that you are well,” his voice, like all Galaftns’ voice, was melodic, almost like speaking in song. “Elwood, sir, would you mind if I talk to the Empress alone?”
Elwood bowed again. “Not at all.” With that, he left us. I sort of wished he could stay but I knew a discussion between leaders needed to be private. Even though I felt I could trust Elwood, we still had to be careful.
“I am sincerely pleased that you are back, for the past year this world has been in chaos,” Kwai went on.
It ate at me, that so much had happened while I was on a different world, that I had been totally unaware. “Yes, so I have learned. I am deeply sorry for my absence, but I had no memory of who I was.”
“That is what Emmerich has told us. He has stayed in contact with our people since you disappeared, making sure that your belief in peace still gave us hope. We still have complete faith in you, and now that you are back and healthy, we may precede in regaining your power as Empress.”
“You still trust me, even after all of this?” I asked.
He nodded slowly. “I have always had faith in you, Empress Starr, all my people have. We watched as your ancestors destroyed civilizations. But in you we saw something different. That was why we stepped foot on land, knowing you would bring peace to this world.”
I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. I never knew they had seen what my ancestors had done and that they would believe in me so much as to risk coming on land. “I think you made a mistake.”
Kwai raised an eyebrow, at least where there should have been eyebrows. “Oh?”
I moved a strand of red hair away from my face. I had to be honest with him, I couldn’t lie to a leader whom I consider to be a friend. “Honestly, I don’t think I can sway my people. Michael has them so wrapped up in this war that I don’t think they will trust that you truly want peace. That both of us want peace.”
Kwai took a seat at the desk and steepled his webbed fingers together. “Do you really think that? Do you really not trust your people?”
I turned away from him and looked out at the ocean. I could see far into the dark abyss, the sapphire blue more beautiful than any gem ever could be. It seemed calm and pleasant but I knew what was happening above it. “Michael... He betrayed me. He turned my people against me. They wanted a fight, they wanted to go to war before he claimed you kidnapped me. How will I get them to take me back?”
“Please sit,” he motioned to the chair. I obliged. “Empress Starr, have you ever wondered why your people turned to Michael?”
And why they betrayed me? How they could easily turn to someone else other than me? I had thought about it constantly since I had woken up. “Because they want war.”
Kwai shook his head. “No, they don’t. They want a powerful leader to tell them what they need. They look to someone for guidance. Although you were a good leader, you were never strong in the eyes of your people. That’s where Michael has the advantage.”
“You are right, I was weak. That’s why I don’t understand why you are putting so much hope in me.”
“It’s a matter of perspective, Empress Starr. I can see what others can’t, and what I see is a true leader within you, you just have to find it,” he explained.
I wished I could believe him, that inside myself stood a powerful, strong leader, but I didn’t view it that way. No, I didn’t believe that for an instant. “I grew up being told I wasn’t strong enough to be a leader, that I wasn’t good enough. My mother and father prayed for another heir until the day they died. When I finally made a decision that was my own, someone tried to kill me. How am I supposed to stand up for myself when all of that has happened? How am I supposed to believe in myself?”
“You are quite honest, and I like that about you. It’s a quality I quite admire, you know why?”
I shook my head.
“Because you are one of the few that still have that virtue. Most people spin lies and give promises they cannot keep. You, on the other hand, are upfront about everything. Besides, there are plenty of people who follow you, who believe in you. You need to stop looking at those who betrayed you and look at those who have always stood by your side.”
He was right. It was just so hard to see those who want to help compared to those who don’t believe in you, those who want to always bring you down. Their voices always seemed louder. “You mean like Emmerich? And Elwood?”
“They are a start, yes.”
“I know that they believe in me, but that is the problem. I don’t want to let them down. I want to be the person they see me as, but that is so hard.
“How do you know you will let them down unless you try?”
Truth be told, I didn’t. I glanced out the glass at the fish swimming around, watching as a beautiful purple and yellow one go by the wall. I was being weak, but it was a lot to take in after the last year. I couldn’t let myself fail again and lose my throne. I felt like if I had been stronger, then none of this would have happened.
I didn’t respond to his question, knowing he was right. I had to try for my people, I couldn’t just stand by and let Michael throw the world into chaos. It was my turn to stand up and fight, just as Emmerich and Elwood had been doing for the past year.
Kwai tapped one of his long fingers on the desk as these thoughts were running through my mind. After a moment he gathered himself and stood up. “Come with me, I have something to show you.”
I followed him out of the room, curious as to where he was leading me. King Kwai was an extraordinary being, I had always thought. He never spoke exactly what was on his mind, but always seemed calm and decisive. I had truly hoped we could have bypassed this war and sign a treaty, but that wasn’t the case. I was glad that after all this time, he still wanted peace with me and my people, even though my people had shown him nothing but prejudice and hatred.
As we walked down the hallways, I took in the beauty that was the Galaftns palace. The colors were subtle, blues and greens and some greys, while the walls that led to the outside were clear so you could enjoy the sight of the ocean. I watched as fish danced around and groups of Galaftn people moved around the city. Their city wasn’t too large, nothing compared to Capitol City, but that was understandable. My ancestors had many generations to expand our empire, and had destroyed many other civilizations to get to where it was today.
While they didn’t have a large city, the Galaftns did have a gr
eat military. King Kwai had shown me their arms and technology, so he knew that I understood that if we went to war, even with their small numbers, they would put up a fight. He knew he didn’t need to show that to me, but as a leader, he had to make sure I acknowledged at what lengths he would go to keep his people safe. I admired that about him, and I felt the same way about my own people.
Fish of all different shapes and sizes swam by the transparent walls. In the distance I saw some of the Galaftns swimming around near what appeared to be some kind of sport court. The Galaftns were special in that way, having both lungs and gills so that they could breathe on land or in the water. It was why my kind had never seen them before. They had been hiding in fear that what happened to the Goedwig would happen to them as well.
My father and grandfather would have punished me if they knew I was allying with a leader from a different civilization. I was glad that I no longer had to live by their rules and could try to make peace with other leaders, even though my people didn’t necessarily want me to. They felt allowing new species of humans into the city would jeopardize our way of life. I had tried to get them to understand the importance of learning from other cultures and how the trade of goods and information would be beneficial to everyone, but then Michael had interfered. Now we were here, near the end of a very long battle.
King Kwai held open a door, and I walked into a large ballroom, jam-packed with both Galaftns and Cartrefians. I saw my men standing side by side with King Kwai’s people, and for once I felt that I did have some backing by my people. It brought tears to my eyes.
This was what King Kwai wanted me to see, that I shouldn’t give up hope, that some understood what I was fighting for and were behind me all the way. Those gathered there didn’t notice as King Kwai and I snuck into the back of the room, as all of them were facing the front, waiting for someone to stand up and talk to them. With King Kwai standing next to me, I wondered who they could have been waiting for.
The ballroom was loud as people spoke to each other about the end of the war coming soon. If they defeated Michael once and for all, they believed, they could finally bring peace to the empire. They even spoke of me and how the gods must have been on their side for me to come back and be healed. I couldn’t believe that they still looked to me as a leader, after disappearing for so long, and for that I was grateful.
After a few moments, someone appeared on the stage near the podium. I squinted to get a better look and could just make out who it was. It was Emmerich. Everyone had been waiting for him, I couldn’t believe it.
The crowd hushed as he readied himself for a speech he was about to make. I watched in amazement, never having seen him talk in front of a group like this. How much had he changed since I had disappeared? He cleared his throat and spoke.
“Michael has lied to all of us, he claimed the Empress was kidnapped by the Galaftns but it was Michael himself who tried to kill her,” Emmerich began, his voice firm and not wavering. A murmur rippled through the crowd. I heard people ask each other how such a thing could happen and how someone like him could ever have taken rule over the empire. “I know this because I found her just a few days ago, poisoned. Thankfully a group of us got her here in time to be saved.”
“Then where is she?” one man shouted from the middle of the ballroom. “She is our leader, why does she not speak to us herself?”
I knew I should have spoken up right then and there, but I wanted to hear what Emmerich’s response would be, how he would handle a situation like this. This was his turn to talk. I glanced over at King Kwai. He was as intrigued as I was in how Emmerich would act.
Emmerich didn’t seem phased by the question but kept his calm. “She is resting. Michael had given her a powerful poison and it made her body weak. We are lucky she is still alive. I have personally seen to it that she will be in perfect condition for this battle, don’t worry. She will be with us soon.”
“How do we know you aren’t lying? How do we know this isn’t some trick?” another person asked.
“Yeah, I want proof that she is alive, that she is still the leader that she once was. I don’t want to put my trust in anyone other than her, not after what Michael did!” another person called out.
“Why would I lie to you?” Emmerich asked, and the room went silent once again. “You have turned against Michael’s rule and looked to me for guidance. I did not make you come here, you knew that I stood for peace and equality from the start,” he straightened his jacket before going on. “But one thing is for sure, we must bring down Michael’s reign. We must stop him. This is our only chance, if we wait any longer he will have persuaded all of the masses to attack the Galaftns head on. As people of both races, we cannot allow this!”
Everyone cheered. I watched as Emmerich worked up the crowd’s morale. I was impressed that he stepped up after I disappeared and became the resistance’s leader. He had changed so much from the boy I had found in the palace, confused and smarter than he would ever admit. He always said I had taught him so much about the universe, but I disagreed. Emmerich had taught me so much more. He had always been there for me, it was time that I returned the favor.
I knew what I needed to do, why King Kwai brought me to this rally. My people needed to see me stand up for them, to see that I was there and that I would be their Empress once again. They had waited long enough.
Stepping forward, I made my way to the platform. Murmurs echoed across the ballroom as they noticed my approach and cleared a path, bowing. I kept my head up and smiled to them, letting them know that everything would be all right, that I was finally here to take lead.
I knew it wasn’t Emmerich’s job to guide these people, it was mine and mine alone. I had to stand up and face the fact that this was where I belonged. I was thankful to have someone like King Kwai on my side, letting me see this for myself, understanding what a leader needed to see in order to regain their strength.
Emmerich gave me a grin as I stepped up on the stage. I placed my hand on his shoulder. “I’ve got it from here, Emmerich, thank you.”
“My pleasure, Angel,” he whispered for only me to hear. I peered out at the crowd. “Michael has broken one of the most sacred laws of our empire! He has betrayed me and used his power for evil and corrupted the people’s beliefs. He is a traitor and must be stopped!”
The crowd roared, louder than I ever remembered hearing. I looked down at all who followed me, all who believed in me. I remembered what it felt like to be the Empress, to have people look up to me. They needed a leader, they needed me. And luckily, I had friends to back me up if I were to falter.
“He has betrayed this empire!” I yelled out, the tension that had been building up inside me spilled out, making me stronger. “He has betrayed us all! And I am going to put an end to it!”
The crowd erupted into more cheers. I could see they all wanted to join up and help our empire be the powerful empire it once was. Galaftns and Cartrefians were standing together in this time of need and it brought so much joy to my heart.
“I am not my father, nor his father before him. I will not put up with unjust war, I will not put up with this discrimination.” I nodded to Kwai, who I believed still to be in the back of the crowd. “With King Kwai’s help, we will return peace to this planet, let no one live in fear, and move forward into a better empire!”
“We trust you with our lives, Empress Starr,” a voice called out. “But do you have what it takes to defeat Michael and bring back order?”
It was a good question and just moments ago, I might not have been able to answer, but now I did have an answer. “I have the support of my people and all those around me. I have faith, and with all of you and the Galaftns behind me, I believe we can take down Michael once and for all. I know that we must attack now before it is too late!”
“We have a plan,” Emmerich interrupted. I glanced at him, momentarily surprised, remembering that he had mentioned this before. I still needed to be briefed on it, but was thankful
that during the time I was out, they had already moved forward with military strategies. I presumed that King Kwai’s men helped put together the plan as well. Knowing Emmerich, I knew it had to be foolproof. He was a smart lad and I was very thankful he was on our side.
Emmerich went on. “We will attack the palace at midnight. Each of you have been assigned to a unit and each of the unit leaders has their orders. We will have our empire back tonight, if it’s the last thing we do!”
Loud cheers erupted and people began to separate into what I presumed to be their units. I could feel the excitement in the room as everyone hurried off, to get ready for battle. They were ready to fight to have peace once again. They were ready to put Michael in his place and go back to the world that they once knew.
As everyone left the ballroom, Emmerich took me aside, away from the microphone. He embraced me quickly. “So you made it to our little meeting.”
“I did. Thank you for saying what I needed to hear,” I shoved Emmerich playfully. “Sure you were just a physicist on Earth? You seem to be more of a general.”
Emmerich laughed. “My father was a general, actually, in Deutschland. It was one of the reasons I left home, I didn’t want to be drawn into that kind of life. My Mutter tried to get me to stay, but she knew I could never be happy there.”
He hated war. I couldn’t believe what I was hearing, he had never told me that was why he moved to the United States. I had always thought he had gone to the U.S. to study. Instead, I had put him exactly where he didn’t want to be. “I’m so sorry, I didn’t know. You could have said—”
He placed his hands on my shoulders and stopped me from going on. “This is different, though. This is worth fighting for. This is where I want to be.”
He leaned in and kissed me gently on the lips.
“I see that you two are closer than ever,” Elwood commented as he stepped on the stage.
I blushed, hating it when someone saw me show affection to Emmerich. I had thought everyone had left.