Imperatrix Fallen: Alith's Cradle

I

Angel: Messenger of the word; winged being, sometimes described as beautiful and luminous; the form of god.

General Dictionary, XIV edition, Book County.

Where did he go?

Arthur Kuth, with brown eyes, a scruffy beard, and hair already turning white, searched excitedly through the rooms of his home, quickly peeking his head through the doors; the two rooms, the only bathroom, and finally reaching the kitchen. In the center of the kitchen was an empty table, with four empty chairs, which were supposed to be stored against the table to allow passage. A woman stood next to a wood-burning stove, whose original color was hard to distinguish due to soot stains.

"Dear, have you seen Makia?" Arthur asked his wife. "I've searched the whole house for him."

Alana Kuth, a tall woman with an elongated face and deep black eyes, was cooking, slowly stirring a pot over the fire. She turned to respond to her husband.

"You yourself told him he had to chop the firewood early today, dear..." she replied without taking her eyes off the pot she was stirring.

"Oh yes, oh yes, I remember..."

The kitchen door that led to the backyard suddenly flew open as a young man struggled in, carrying more logs than he could hold.

"Dad, what's happening?" Makia said, breathless.

Makia, a 15-year-old with his mother's build and his father's eyes, hurriedly placed the freshly chopped firewood next to his mother.

"Son!" Arthur rushed toward his son, grabbing him by the shoulders. "Today is the day, what I promised you!"

Makia looked at him with some confusion.

"The job, son! Today I'll take you to the plant, I'll show you the turbines, the generators..."

Alana glanced at her son to make sure he didn't give the wrong answer.

"Yes, Dad! Sorry... I thought it was tomorrow, I'll get ready right away!"

"I'll be waiting outside, hurry up, or we'll miss the transport," Arthur replied.

Arthur grabbed his briefcase from the table and left. Alana ruffled her son's hair to tidy it a bit.

"You know how important this is to your father, don't disappoint him. Pay attention."

"I know, Mom, don't worry, it won't happen again... Give me something for the road, it's already very late... please..."

Alana took a loaf of bread from the pantry and handed it to her son.

"I don't understand how that girl could have set her sights on a scatterbrained guy like you," Alana said with a smile.

"What?" Makia said, hurriedly heading out the door.

Makia went out to meet his father, who was standing on the sidewalk, looking impatiently down the street for the community transport that would take them to their destination.

The morning was cold, and the usual fog that forms at this time of year, coming from the river that passed just a few meters from Makia's house, had mixed with the smoke from the surrounding houses, significantly reducing visibility. This started to worry Arthur, as he wasn't sure if the shuttle was coming or had already left. Fortunately, from the thick fog, a Motor Fuel Passenger Transport, or TPMC, approached. It stopped in front of Makia and his father, slowly opening its doors with a high-pitched squeal. Arthur paid for the tickets while the doors closed, producing the same squeal. Makia noticed the twenty or so seats on the TPMC and found only one available, telling his father so he could sit. Arthur sat comfortably, opened his briefcase, took out the newspaper The Morning Frontier, and began reading it. Makia stood next to him, leaning on one of the worn metal railings provided for standing passengers. Out of the corner of his eye, Makia noticed that his father's newspaper edition was several days old. The transport began to move.

"Look, son!" Arthur said, tapping the newspaper. "The paper says it, we're the city of the future! And all thanks to the new power plant, look; '... Quinta Uldrich, heir to the County of the Sacred Inquisition Order, is expected to visit...'" Arthur read aloud to his son, "'... for the inauguration of the new renewable energy plant in Frontier III, the only one in the world, capable of generating energy through the potential energy of the Rhine River...'"

"That sounds important!" Makia said. "It's been many years since an official visit from one of the Ancient Counties came so far south of the Free Cities. When is the inauguration?"

"Oh son, I'm sorry to disappoint you, but it was a few days ago. I didn't even get to see the countess, but from what my colleagues at the plant said, she was very beautiful," Arthur said, giving his son a friendly pat on the stomach.

The bus stopped at the next stop, opened its doors, and a young woman with light pink hair, freckled and with milk-white skin, boarded. As she paid for her ticket, three other young women joined her. The first, tall with golden hair, the second with black curly hair and a large black mark on her left eye, and the last, the smallest, with short black hair and a hooked nose. The group immediately caught Makia's attention. Arthur quickly stood up with other men to offer their seats, but the girls walked briskly to the back of the bus. Arthur shrugged and sat back down.

After five stops, Arthur and Makia finally arrived at the new Frontier III Power Plant. On the sidewalk, Makia watched the transport drive away and saw that from the rear window, the four young women followed them with their gaze as he and his father walked toward the plant entrance. Arthur stopped and took his son by the shoulders.

"Son, I'm sorry you have to go through this. I'm sorry you have to lie to your mother..." Arthur said, with his head bowed.

Makia smiled.

"I also want to help with the house," Makia said, "for once... This is my choise".

"Thank you for not telling her...", Arthur said, apologetic.

"Thanks to you for not telling her... you know she'd kill me if she found out I'm going to be going to the Institute, less because of work in a factory.", respond Makia, triying yo be comforting.

"By the way, what a great performance you gave your mother!"

They looked at each other for a few seconds and started laughing together. Father and son entered the plant just before the shift whistle blew.