smiles after that.
Lucas took a seat under the portraits and watched his friends eat and laugh. He watched his mother cut the cake and give pieces to those who eagerly waited for their turn. But something was missing he knew it was, though he couldn’t remember what.
That’s when the doorbell rang. “That must be our newest guest,” his mother said. “Sweetheart, will you accompany me to the door?”
“Do I have to?”
“It’s your birthday, sweetheart. You have to greet your guests.”
Lucas said nothing more. He followed his mother out of the room and down the stairs. The hallway was long and wide with wooden walls colored in dark brown. Portraits hung from them as well. The door was at the far end and Alana opened it when it was in her reach. The sun blinded Lucas for a moment, made him squint. Through the light a shape of a woman appeared. And then the light receded. The woman had a long red hair and bright blue eyes. She was already smiling when she hugged his mother.
“And who is this handsome man?” she asked as she leaned closer to Lucius.
“Lucas,” his mother said, “say hi to Mrs. Lora Arlington, a very dear colleague of mine.”
Lucas extended his hand. “Nice to meet you, Mrs. Arlington.”
Mrs. Arlington gave a gentle laugh. “Aren’t you a polite little man. The pleasure is all mine, Lucas.” She straightened but kept her eyes on him. “There is someone I want you to meet.” She moved aside. Behind her was a girl showered by the sun. Her hands were clasped behind her back, her legs close to one another. She wore a white dress with blue flowers on her waist and shoulders. Her hair was red in long curls just like her mother’s, her eyes were blue and gentle and she had freckles over her nose. A shy smile appeared on her face.
Lucas wanted to say something, but all he could do was just stare at her, the cutest girl Lucas had ever seen. He found himself frozen. His legs couldn’t move, his hands hung uselessly beside him. He felt his lips tight and dry, his stomach fluttered.
Smile, stupid. Don’t stand like that.
“Eleanor, say hi to Lucas,” her mother said.
Eleanor. That name meant a lot to him, Lucius remembered. The simple mentioning of that name unleashed sudden warmth inside him. But he couldn’t remember how or why or when did it happen for him to care so much.
Lucas finally smiled. “Nice to meet you, Eleanor.”
Her hands came in front of her. She held a tiny box wrapped in blue paper with a golden ribbon on top. She looked at him under her eyebrows when she said, “Happy birthday, Lucas.” And she gave him the box.
Lucas had to force his hands to take it from her. He loved all his gifts even though he didn’t want to admit it to his parents, but somehow this gift, whatever it was, meant a lot to him.
“Aren’t you going to open it?” Mrs. Arlington said to him.
Lucas looked at her and then at the box and did what she told him to do. He was eager to know what was inside.
His little hands fumbled around it ripping the ribbon and the paper until he was left with a wooden box in his hands. It was dark red and well polished. Lucas was expecting a toy, not a wooden box. He couldn’t hide his disappointment. Mrs. Arlington was grinning. She nodded to him, urging him to look closer. His focus was back on the box. He turned it and read the inscription on the other side.
Ordinary men stop at their first obstacle – great men tread over it.
– Gen. Arthur William Arlington.
Lucas whispered the words, trying to find a meaning.
“It was Eleanor’s great grandfather who said that. Open it.” Lucas pushed a metal hook. Inside the box he found a tiny golden globe. He took it between his fingers, feeling the metal on his skin. “It belonged to him,” Mrs. Arlington said.
Lucius didn’t find the globe interesting, but it was a gift from her and that meant more than anything. He put the globe back and closed the box. “I cannot accept this gift,” he said.
“I thought you were a polite little man.” Mrs. Arlington gave him a scowl. “It is rude to give back a gift.”
“This is your family’s fortune,” Lucas said. His father told him once that he must keep all family treasures, and he must increase their family’s wealth in time. That is how it was done in his family for generations. This box was clearly a family possession, something that was priceless to the Arlingtons. Lucas could not accept it.
Mrs. Arlington crouched next to Lucas, their heads leveled. She said quietly, “Have you heard about the Battle of Olympus?”
Lucas nodded. Everyone knew about that. It was hundred years ago when the rebels gathered on Mount Olympus to destroy the laboratory of Food Industries. Lucas couldn’t remember why the rebels wanted to destroy it, but he knew there were thousands of them, marching toward the lab. It was then that General Arlington with what little soldiers he had, marched to meet the rebels on the battlefield.
He wanted to avoid unnecessary bloodshed, it was said, but the rebels couldn’t be reasoned with, so he gritted his teeth and said his famous words before he led his men into battle. He lost half his soldiers then, but he routed the rebels and saved Food Industries’ laboratory.
How do I know these things? Lucius wondered, but he tried not to violate his dream and let it unfold.
“You see,” Mrs. Arlington went on, “the odds were not in his favor when he clashed with the rebels, were they not? But at the end of the day he prevailed.” She put her hand over his and made his fingers curl around the box. “Whenever you feel lost, remember what General Arlington said. It will always help you find your way.”
Somehow he had the feeling that she felt sorry for him, for his illness. Maybe she didn’t think he would live long enough.
Lucas lowered his head. “Thank you, Mrs. Arlington.”
She smiled. “Thank Eleanor. It was her idea.”
Lucas turned to say thank you, but he stopped, mouth open wide, as he heard heavy footsteps rushing through the hallway. It was Carl, their butler. The wooden floor creaked under the sturdy man in a black elegant suit. With a gruff voice he said, “Mrs. Carington, it’s your husband.”
“What about him?” All color washed from her face. “Where is he?” Carl glanced at the boy not saying anything, but then his mother grabbed his shoulders and shouted, “Carl, where is he? What happened to him? Talk to me!”
“He had an accident. He may not survive.”
Alana sucked in her breath, her hands closed her mouth.
“I am sorry, Mrs. Carington,” said Carl.
Lucas found he could not breathe. His vision blurred and slowly turned dark…
…And Emperor Lucius opened his eyes. He gasped for air, wanted to stand up. Instead, his hand pushed him to the side and he unwillingly fell down. His face smacked the floor. He cursed, and rolled on his back, trying to detach the tangled wires from his heart and skull. He breathed, his mind rushing from dreams to reality. And then he remembered the words.
Ordinary men stop at their first obstacle – great men tread over it.
Captain – Lucius sent – set a course for Palatine and get me to the bridge. It is time we take my empire back.
AILIOS
His seat inside the bridge was tilted back almost in a lying position, and he was trying to endure the unbearable pain on his forehead every time the wet gauze would touch the bump. “Ow!” he would exclaim from time to time like a wounded animal. It might have felt worse than the moan, but he wasn’t sure, the bullet wound was too damn painful to even try to think of anything else.
“Watch the hair,” he said.
Olivia smiled. “I thought you were tougher than that.” She dipped the gauze in the alcohol cup and then gently tapped the spot above the brow. It was cold and painful. And smelly. Sharp, intoxicating smell spread out from the gauze. Ailios thought it was intoxicating enough to hold his screams back, but not enough to ease the pain. He then felt the cold liquid slide into his left eye. He clenched it shut. His right eye was his only window to the world and the
bright light coming from the overhead. Whenever Olivia moved underneath the light, her beautiful face made him regret he couldn’t look at her with two eyes.
Ailios honestly thought she was pretty, not just because she was a pilot and a telepath, but because he never saw a woman with as loving face as hers and with such soft skin before. Her golden hair gently brushed his lips. He wanted to smell the locks, to smell her, but all he could smell was the alcohol.
That’s better, he thought. He couldn’t bear the thought of being so close to her and not think of something dirty. Not that she was alien to his thoughts – she knew quite well how he looked at her and how much he wanted her, but he wanted to keep what little was left of it hidden, no matter how difficult it may seem.
She dipped the gauze again and tapped the bump. His head instinctively turned to his side to escape the pain, but she put her hand on his cheek and turned him back as he was. The touch was too gentle for him to be immune to reacting. Suddenly his underpants started to tighten up. He was sweating. And the pain on his forehead made him sit up and grab the cup. He emptied it with a single swallow. It was then that the true pain started – with a slight delay, though – his entire digestive system was on fire: his throat burned and his gullet screamed for water. He thought the alcohol would burn a hole in his stomach. He exhaled fire through his gritted teeth and slumped back on his seat. “Finish it,” he said.
“I didn’t plan for anything else,” she said with her teasing smile.