riding boots and long
black trench coat flaring out behind him as he walked against the wind, adding
to the dramatic effect of his unannounced entrance.
Inara and Fallon
flanked Gabriel and I presenting a united front to the Chromis King.
Aleksander didn’t
seem to care about the others on the platform. His eyes never left mine as he
walked directly up to me. Only then did he drop his gaze to take in my attire.
“I see you’ve
finally decided to come out of mourning for my brother,” he said in an intimate
tone with a faint smile playing across his lips. His voice held the flat
accent of the people of Chromis. Some vankaran’s considered it uncultured
since it didn’t hold the gentle nuances of our own national tongue. “I’m glad
to see it,” he nodded approvingly. “It’s about time you forgot about him.”
“I’ll always
remember him,” I corrected. “I have Dena.”
Aleksander’s eyes
shifted to his niece still clinging to her nanny for a split second before
returning to me.
“What made you decide
to come early?” Fallon asked Aleksander, not trying to hide his suspicion of King’s
true intentions.
Aleksander took in
Fallon’s new uniform with a lopsided grin. “So, she finally got you to accept
her offer of becoming Queen’s Marshall.”
Fallon shrugged
nonchalantly. “I thought it was time to come back. You didn’t answer my
question, Chromis. What made you change your original plans?”
Aleksander smiled
at Fallon but there was no friendliness fueling the expression. “I thought I
would take a look around the city. I’ve never really seen it. I wanted to
experience first hand what your people are like.”
“And what did you
discover?” Fallon questioned, folding his arms over his chest in a defensive
stance.
“That your people
are similar to mine. They just want an end to these plagues and go back to the
way things were before. However,” Aleksander arched a thoughtful eyebrow, “I
uncovered something which surprised me.”
“And what was
that?” I asked, curious to know what an outsider might find worth noting about
the people of Vankara.
Aleksander’s eyes
met mine, his look turning serious. “That some of your people don’t
particularly like the automatons. It seems there is a bit of discontent
concerning the machines taking jobs away from the living. I suppose you can’t
blame the rich for welcoming free labor into their homes and industries. It
certainly makes for healthy profits margins not having to spend money on a
labor force which can work around the clock if need be.”
“The people of
this country don’t resent the machines as much as you make out,” Gabriel
defended.
Aleksander
shrugged his shoulders. “Perhaps, I suppose you know your people better than I
having just spent a day in their midst.” He looked back at me. “But if I were
you, I would take a hard look at how things are being handled before real
problems surface.”
I knew for a fact
what Aleksander was saying was true. Even my own father and mother had to flee
the city to find a way to make a living. The automatons were free
labor. There was no way for a regular human to compete with their ability to
work without needing to be paid, fed or housed.
I didn’t think it
prudent to say I agreed with Aleksander’s observations. But I decided on a
compromise.
“Thank you for
your advice,” I told him. “I will keep what you have said in mind.”
He seemed appeased
by my statement because his smile widened beatifically causing my pulse to
involuntarily race. I could feel color creep into my cheeks and hated how I
was reacting to one of the people I had been charged to keep Vankara safe from.
Apparently
Aleksander Chromis wasn’t a man who missed much. His smile widened even
further, pleased by my obvious reaction to him.
“Perhaps we should
all go inside,” Gabriel suggested. I had the distinct feeling Gabriel’s
black trench coat flaring out behind him as he walked against the wind, adding
to the dramatic effect of his unannounced entrance.
Inara and Fallon
flanked Gabriel and I presenting a united front to the Chromis King.
Aleksander didn’t
seem to care about the others on the platform. His eyes never left mine as he
walked directly up to me. Only then did he drop his gaze to take in my attire.
“I see you’ve
finally decided to come out of mourning for my brother,” he said in an intimate
tone with a faint smile playing across his lips. His voice held the flat
accent of the people of Chromis. Some vankaran’s considered it uncultured
since it didn’t hold the gentle nuances of our own national tongue. “I’m glad
to see it,” he nodded approvingly. “It’s about time you forgot about him.”
“I’ll always
remember him,” I corrected. “I have Dena.”
Aleksander’s eyes
shifted to his niece still clinging to her nanny for a split second before
returning to me.
“What made you decide
to come early?” Fallon asked Aleksander, not trying to hide his suspicion of King’s
true intentions.
Aleksander took in
Fallon’s new uniform with a lopsided grin. “So, she finally got you to accept
her offer of becoming Queen’s Marshall.”
Fallon shrugged
nonchalantly. “I thought it was time to come back. You didn’t answer my
question, Chromis. What made you change your original plans?”
Aleksander smiled
at Fallon but there was no friendliness fueling the expression. “I thought I
would take a look around the city. I’ve never really seen it. I wanted to
experience first hand what your people are like.”
“And what did you
discover?” Fallon questioned, folding his arms over his chest in a defensive
stance.
“That your people
are similar to mine. They just want an end to these plagues and go back to the
way things were before. However,” Aleksander arched a thoughtful eyebrow, “I
uncovered something which surprised me.”
“And what was
that?” I asked, curious to know what an outsider might find worth noting about
the people of Vankara.
Aleksander’s eyes
met mine, his look turning serious. “That some of your people don’t
particularly like the automatons. It seems there is a bit of discontent
concerning the machines taking jobs away from the living. I suppose you can’t
blame the rich for welcoming free labor into their homes and industries. It
certainly makes for healthy profits margins not having to spend money on a
labor force which can work around the clock if need be.”
“The people of
this country don’t resent the machines as much as you make out,” Gabriel
defended.
Aleksander
shrugged his shoulders. “Perhaps, I suppose you know your people better than I
having just spent a day in their midst.” He looked back at me. “But if I were
you, I would take a hard look at how things are being handled before real
problems surface.”
I knew for a fact
what Aleksander was saying was true. Even my own father and mother had to flee
the city to find a way to make a living. The automatons were free
labor. There was no way for a regular human to compete with their ability to
work without needing to be paid, fed or housed.
I didn’t think it
prudent to say I agreed with Aleksander’s observations. But I decided on a
compromise.
“Thank you for
your advice,” I told him. “I will keep what you have said in mind.”
He seemed appeased
by my statement because his smile widened beatifically causing my pulse to
involuntarily race. I could feel color creep into my cheeks and hated how I
was reacting to one of the people I had been charged to keep Vankara safe from.
Apparently
Aleksander Chromis wasn’t a man who missed much. His smile widened even
further, pleased by my obvious reaction to him.
“Perhaps we should
all go inside,” Gabriel suggested. I had the distinct feeling Gabriel’s
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