A Nightmare Within a Dream

(20) Epilogue: In Darkness lies Secrets and Deceit

~2 years later~

"Are you sure you want to do this?" Cathy asked Alex as they walked the halls of the prison. Alex shrugged and shook her head.

"She keeps threatening to kill herself if I don't," Alex said urgently.

"But today of all days?" Cathy responded.

"I don't have a choice Cath," Alex said stopping in front of the maximum security block. She turned to Cathy. Her face no longer serious and cold but soft and gentle. "Sweetness, I'm going alone, but I promise you, she won't win a second time," she said softly caressing Cathy's cheek. She stared at her wedding ring and smiled. Cathy sighed and leaned into her touch.

"I know, just be careful, please,"  she asked holding Alex closely, softly pecking her lips. Alex smiles,

"I love you Cathy,"
—

"You've got a visitor," the guard says as he opens the door.

"Alexis is that you?" Sali asked reaching out from her prison bars. Alex enters and keeps close to the wall.

"Yeah it's me Alex," she responded curtly. She fiddles with her ring slightly nervous.

"You came," Sali said standing as close as she could to the bars.

"I had to," Alex responded shortly.

"I wanted to see you," Sali said quietly. it had been years since her arrest. Alex said nothing."I heard you got rid of the monarchy," she asked leaning on the floor. Alex nodded sitting and leaning on the prison wall in front of her mother's cell. "How was that?"

"It was a little hard, it took a while to get it all organized, especially while fighting for the integration and full rights for the Zenzontle people, but I've finally done it. No more kings and queens, no more absolute power," Alex said firmly. Sali nodded her head and looked at the floor.

"What will you do?" She asked, picking at the floor. Alex shrugged.

"What ever I want I guess. After all I wasn't raised to rule. Anyways They've left me the summer home. I suppose I'll live there, although me and Cath want to travel, see the worlds, meet people. We probably won't even familiarize ourselves with the house," Alex said looking at the conditions of her mother's cell.

"Will you have to work?" She asked quietly. Alex wasn't sure what to make of this, her mother asking questions for what purpose? To con her? To try to worm her way out of jail? Or maybe she just wants to know? Spending near to four years in prison gives a person an awful lot of time to ponder over their life choices.

"The new democracy has agreed to give me a royalty check, as a sign of gratitude for what I've done for the nation, it'll have me living comfortably for my life," she responded cautiously.

"No children?" Sali asked looking at her child. She had grown the last time she saw her. The last time she actually saw her, She was a child. She looked at her now and noticed things. Alex's hair was shorter, her face was longer and calmer, filled with more joy than when she was a child. She had also pierced her ears.

"No," Alex replied. "Cathy and I don't want children," she said calmly. Sali looked down.

"Bummer," she said "well, at least you won't have to explain how their grandmother killed their other grandmother," she said lightly trying to cast a joke. Alex glared at her and shook her head. She got up and dusted herself off. Sali knew she had messed up. Badly.