Saturninos (wlw)

Chapter 9 - The Maladjusted

Adonis of House Sappheiros sat by his father's deathbed, nerves wound too tightly to do anything other than stay there and clench his fists. He had been like this for days now, ever since the sovereign's condition took a turn for the worse and it became clear that it was only a matter of time.

The young lord was superstitious and prayed to his gods to aid his ailing father--Sovereign Lord Pythagoras, ruler of Saturninos--through his illness. Surely a man as great as the king would have won favors from across the cosmos? It would be so simple for a divine touch to heal him.

"I have exhausted the gods' patience, boy," said Pythagoras, who read his mind. "My time has come."

The old man coughed and Adonis leapt out of his seat to kneel beside him and take his hand.

But it should not have come so soon, thought Adonis. The lord sovereign still had years of life in him, had this not happened.

Adonis was a simple man, with a simple way of looking at the world--most of the time he was correct about it. As he saw it, his sister's disappearance was the catalyst for this. Pythagoras loved his children, and losing one was enough to spiral him into whatever state he was in now. Whoever took his sister had doubly offended him, Adonis, as his father was dying as a result, and his sister was missing. For this--to Adonis--the perpetrator deserved nothing less than death.

Pythagoras wheezed and Adonis clutched his hand harder. The old king squeezed back. "My son, listen carefully."

The young lord leaned eagerly closer. His father coughed before speaking. "You understand that everything I ever did was for the future. That it was for you. You are my greatest work, herald of my legacy. I have loved you in life, treasured heir, and I will love you even beyond."

Distantly, Adonis's mind told him that he had heard these words before, that Pythagoras would wax such poetic to Harlequin in years past. But there was only Adonis here, now, and he heard these words and opened his heart.

"Speak no more, father. Save your strength," he said, as Pythagoras choked and spluttered.

"Your sister," he gasped in between racking breaths.

"Yes, I will find whoever took her and they will suffer for it." He smoothed the blankets that covered his father, and was startled by the force with which the old man grabbed his hand.

"No, you must know this. Your sister was not taken. I have made it my life's work that she may never be placed in harm's way. This was my mistake."

Adonis was confused and would have already begun talking if not for his gut telling him that it was vital to listen now. The old man continued.

"I know your sister's mind, boy, better than anyone. I know she felt trapped, and yet I followed my own judgment. Had I listened, then perhaps we could have avoided all of this."

Adonis was not patient, and was about to break past his limit when his father said, "You sister left on her own."

When you are a simple man, not many revelations can surprise you, mostly because you did not comprehend their implications. This particular one was a surprise, and yet he did not understand it.

"You will have to ask the investigators. She had sent away her retinue, had locked her apartments. We found parts of the rope ladder she had destroyed after descending. Forgive me for keeping this from you, it would have caused panic if word got out." Adonis would have forgiven his father for anything.

"Harlequin escaped the stronghold, and not a single one of us noticed. Magnificent, your sister is magnificent." His father had a faint little smile on his face. Adonis always thought his sister was smug.