“I am prepared to reign, and to rule with fairness. I vow, in the names of your beloved former emperor, Constantyn Tieron, my mother Thalia Tieron and lastly my father Zeus, to protect the empire with diligence. I will conquer any entity that stands in the way of our survival as a whole, whether it be an entity from outside of our ranks, or from within our ranks. I won’t stand for treachery, or the member who rises above the laws of this family in order to tip the scale of power. He… or she,” I said, eyeing Thaddeus and Alexandria briefly, but cautiously. “Will not go unpunished.”
Roaring cheers and boisterous clapping erupted to my chagrin. I suddenly felt nervous. The eruption was overwhelming as their devotion to me, their long awaited leader, was immeasurable. The joy couldn't be contained in this room. I peered over at Evan and he was beaming as were all the members, including his contemptible parents. My comment had gone right over their heads. Bethany inched closer to them, with both hands clasped together firmly in front of her face as if she was praying. My hope was that she was indeed praying hard. Bethany’s blue eyes glistened like perfectly shined silverware and the tears that you would expect to see pouring from a proud mother’s eyes overflowed from hers. I didn't want to lose her; she was my sister and had sort of taken on the role of a mother while she watched over me in the future. But, once Bethany and Evan knew the truth, I knew that I would be sympathetic to their reaction and feelings, yet I couldn’t allow their anguish to distract me and waver in my decisions. For that reason I was trembling and apprehensive. I thought to reconsider. Perhaps my parents were right. I held my hands up to quiet everyone down. The volume in the room was lowered to silence.
I gulped to clear my throat.
“I figure since we are all here together now for just a little bit longer, that I will not let the opportunity pass to personally thank two very extraordinary people.” I searched the crowd, and witnessed their two faces, cheek to cheek, gracious. Ah, the scent of betrayal was camouflaged by the scent of victory.
I thought of my parents. My gut was raw with rage. I held their gaze and they continued to beam – teeth white and glistening.
“They have done their best to guide me so that I could be here tonight.” Thaddeus and Alexandria knew that I was referring to them, and appeared to be enjoying the tribute. The crowd also knew that I spoke of the duo, but they thought nothing but admiral thoughts. I listened to the accolades of commendation as I swept through their minds. Not one member had a bitter conception of the Capius’. Was it fair to shatter their empire with tales of blatant deceit? I battled within myself for a split second, and then resumed. Damn right it was. My disciples deserved to know.
“They skillfully put all the pieces into play, guaranteeing my place in this empire as well their children’s.” Every demigod’s pair of unwavering eyes was on me, and every set of ears perked up at attention.
“My devoted loved ones, the plan was devised many years ago, when I was just a mere child playing in the pond of the Capius’ garden along with their own children, as were many of you here tonight.” I glanced at Julius, his sister, Hedea, Bertrand, Olympia, Heracio and his brothers, and Ophelia and her sister Felicity, and they all nodded joyously.
“Including, the Iptian children.” Everyone’s eyes revealed surprise, and then both sorrow and angst when I spoke of Victor and Evangelia.
“Indeed a strategic plan was put into play, a successful attempt to corrupt a family name. One of our own.” My voice climbed effectively grabbing everyone’s attention.
Thaddeus’ eyes bulged, and then narrowed. He couldn’t be sure of what he had just heard, as I read his thoughts. Alexandria’s heart rate accelerated slightly, but she blamed it on too much champagne.
“Our family. The Iptian family, the second family of power, following my family in the chain of command. Isn't that right Thaddeus?” My voice rang out high above the crowd, stronger than I ever remembered it, fortified by my mother and fathers words.
The Capius' were blindsided. Everyone was. A symphony of gasps from all around the room had subsided; the entire ballroom was as quiet as a morgue.
In fact a mortician couldn’t put the color back into Alexandria’s cheeks. She and her husband stared at their daring new leader in disbelief, and to their horror; everyone in turn stared at them. They were as infectious as the plague as every member stepped away from them. A path opened up as I glided within two feet of them, but the couple were stone and couldn’t move as if they were cemented to the marble floor.
“Where there is love and power, there is always betrayal. Greed, jealousy, and envy equal murder. Killing was just the beginning in acquiring the power possessed by the Iptian's. That’s correct,” I said, as I nodded my head up and down at the Capius’, and then at my disciples who nodded shocked ‘no’s’ in return.
“You convinced the entire empire that the Iptians’ were a cancer to the family, and had them sentenced along with their two innocent children. It didn’t matter that Evangelia Iptian was betrothed to your son.” My eyes went to Evan who returned my gaze with a horrified glare, but I was seething by now and couldn’t console him and tell him that this fact made no difference as to how much my heart belonged to him. He didn’t know what was going on, but soon would. I stared at Thaddeus as if I would put him through the marble walls of the ballroom. “But Evangelia wasn't the right match.” I informed the members.
“No she wasn’t. So you had a child murdered because you preferred Evan to marry me. My stature was promising. Evan’s power would ascend which would guarantee that your power wouldn’t diminish like the other elders would. Have I got it right so far, Alexandria?” Alexandria looked a second or two away from fainting. Thaddeus’ looked prepared to take me on.
“It’s a lie!” Thaddeus roared as Alexandria tried to grab one of his flailing arms. They looked at each other, and then to their fellow members who stared back in devastation and incredulity. The ballroom was quiet besides the shuffling of fine fabric. Evan and Bethany stared from me to their parents, lost.
The hatred for unveiling them was evident in Thaddeus eyes. I looked at him with disgust. I sent him a message that only he could hear.
Denial will get you nowhere old man.
“Lies?” I sneered. “May the gods have pity on you, but I won’t. You murdered my mother and father and led everyone to believe that it was Victor by sending him their hearts so that when he killed me, he could burn them all together and be rid of us once and for all.” The gasps rippled throughout the sea of Ischeros disciples once again to lastly fall on the shocked and infuriated eyes of Thaddeus and Alexandria.
“Go right on ahead and deny it!” I dared, but they said nothing. What the hell could they say?
“You killed Nikolas' parents, and who knows how many others. It’s your fault that the Apolluon have found us, not Victors!” My scream shook the mirrors on the walls, and several cracked in fractured lines. Out of the corner of my eye I saw a boy version of Nikolas for a split second, and it tore the already shredded fragments of my heart into more pieces. He looked at me, ghostly, and I calmed down long enough to nod sadly, and apologetically for letting him know like this. His numb gaze was fixed on Thaddeus and Alexandria. He stood still as if without any emotion at all then twisted his head to look me in the eyes. Not a word from Nikolas’ lips as his eyes spoke to me.
They must die now.
I felt Bethany's eyes pierce through my soul, and I could feel the shock traveling through her quickly stiffening body. She was enraged at the wrong person at this moment. I felt dreadful but I was determined to expose the betrayal. She is my best friend, and I loved her almost as much as I loved Evan, yet I had chosen to divulge their parents’ disloyalty, and hurt them in the process. She wanted to know why. Evan wasn't even reacting. He was stunned speechless. I refused to look at him. It would have felt better to have knocked his teeth out. That couple of seconds of pain would be more welcoming than this torment. I had wanted desperately to spare them the humiliation but they deserved better. They deserved the truth. I hoped that they would understand why this had to be done, and would forgive me someday. They would have all the time they needed, in all the centuries that would come.
My accusations were of colossal proportions, and it seemed that everyone in the ballroom waited for a reply from the Capius'. One of the elders from another family, a close confidant of the Capius’, the Viniturin, spoke up. Lucien was slightly older than Thaddeus and grayer with a steely disposition, he was also Ophelia’s and Felicity’s father. When he spoke, he was precise with his question, clearly demanding.
“Thaddeus, Alexandria, the Empress has made some extreme and grossly troubling accusations. Is any of it true?” Lucien probed, with an overcast demeanor.
Both Alexandria and Thaddeus appeared somewhat shaken, by the words of one of their closest family members. Their eyes pleaded to Lucien, as well as the entire family to believe them over me. I wouldn't allow them to escape. Thaddeus cleared his throat. “These accusations are an insult to both Alexandria and I. We are innocent in the eyes of the gods. It’s obvious that Victor got to her. He’s put these ridiculous notions into her mind.”
With those words, Alexandria gravely shied away from her husband, knowing better. She wouldn’t dare to try and manipulate the coven again. Her eyes were down cast and disapproving. If only she had acted this way when the plan was being set, perhaps, she wouldn’t be in this precarious situation.
“There is one person who should be here to defend himself.”
At that moment, Victor's presence in the ballroom sent a turbulent shock wave throughout the entire roster of members, especially the Capius’ – all of them, including Evan and Bethany. Low growls, viper like hisses, and glowing crimson eyes were like daggers in his direction. The greeting was as expected after two years of Victor’s evil plotting, and random attacks to destroy their empire.
Victor stood next to me, still in his tux, still powerless, and very vulnerable. He looked strangely youthful with his natural steel eyes finally shining through the once pitch black irises that had harbored so much malicious angst. His expression was unreadable but his thoughts weren’t.
I hope you know what you’re doing, Delia. I don’t want to die by the hands of so many.
“You have no reason to be afraid or to fear anyone in this room or to be feared by anyone here.” I stated to him as well as all of my disciples. “We are your family. He is our brother. Once fallen, which we can’t hold him to blame. He needs the guidance he was robbed of. I don't know that I wouldn’t have chosen the same reckless path upon knowing my family’s demise was caused by members of this empire. I’m delivering this message from the gods.
I ask you all to look into your hearts and for a moment put yourself in Victor's place. How would you have reacted at his age, with these circumstances?”
I made eye contact with nearly every member.
But it wasn’t going to be that easy. I flipped through their minds, and there were many who couldn’t grasp the idea of forgiving him, instead succumbing to the harbored feelings of hatred for him. Lucien held his hand up. With your permission, Empress? I granted it because as mine, Lucien’s patience was thin.
“Thaddeus? Alexandria? It’s been a long evening… and morning. We all wait for your answer. You may not think much of your peers but, Evander and Bethany are owed that much.”
“It’s isn’t true.” Thaddeus, the fool, lied, and I was beside myself.
“Are you calling me a liar? Are you saying that I stood here before my disciples and wove this treacherous and deceitful tale?” I screamed.
“You you killed my mother and father – a sitting Emperor!
“You killed Nikolas’ parents!”
“You destroyed the Iptian family.”
I lost it then.
“Tell them the TRUTH or you WILL SUFFER the WRATHE of the UNDERWORLD!”
My screeching voice caused the mirrors that had already cracked to shatter. The crowd began to quickly move away from Thaddeus and Alexandria.
They had been abandoned. Only Evan and Bethany stood fixed to the marble floor.
“It – is – true. Everything is TRUE. I’m so sorry. Please forgive me.” Alexandria said, falling to her knees in front of Evan, and pleading for his forgiveness.
I hoped that he didn’t fall for the act, although I knew he would, she was his mother, and he had her on a pedestal. Evan loved his mother dearly. I tried to stay out of his head. The Capius’ took a moment, but I guess it was inevitable that it would go this way. Bethany closed her eyes, and turned away from her mother. Alexandria, broken and officially abandoned, felt the consequences of her actions for the first time as she stared up at Evan, who followed his sister, and did the same. Alexandria whimpered then sobbed uncontrollably, dropping to the floor like a wet sack. Bethany peered sadly at her father, and then took Evan's hand which he had held out for her. They both deserted their parents. Ignoring the cries of his wife, Thaddeus stood with a furious scowl on his face. He refused to admit his crimes. That suited me just fine. Evan looked his father squarely in the eye and took the floor.
“For as long as I can remember, I've tried to emulate you, and you've always found a way to make me feel as if I was never strong enough, and would never be as strong as you. You pushed me to excel at my strengths, and when I did, I still wasn't good enough. You are nothing but a selfish coward.”
Evan stopped. He was heaving and practically out of breath. Then he looked at me with the saddest most vacant eyes I’ve ever looked into before turning back to his father.
“You’ve stolen enough from me!” I knew instantly what he meant. Oh no! I felt week and my heart ached as if a thousand forks had been stabbed into it.
Please, Aphrodite, I called on the goddess of love, don’t let this happen. I won’t survive without his love.
“Son –” Evan cut Thaddeus' off knowing it was sure to be a pathetic plea.
“I am NOT your son! You are a MURDERER!” Evan's body leaned forward as if he was going to strike his father, but he stopped just short of doing so.