The Phoenix People

Chapter Two

My brother sat impassively on the king's throne, one leg resting on top of the other, staring coldly at a Lowborn before him. The man had been forced to his knees and spatters of blood adorned his clothes and the floor around him. His back was bleeding heavily from several large, new welts and two guards stood on either side of him, pulling his arms so widely apart that it seemed as though he might tear in half. His head was bent low.

Audric caught sight of me. "Ah, Alexia. Come forward."

I was frozen where I stood, horrified at this scene of brutal treatment. The familiar tattooed numbers stood out boldly on the back of his neck, hair chopped in a rough haircut that suggested he had recently had long hair to cover up his tattoo, which was his identification, a serious crime for Lowborns.

"Don't be scared, Alexia. Come forward," the king urged again, a hint of impatience entering his voice. I knew that impatience, if left to grow, could be dangerous, so I jerkily stepped forward as if I was a puppet controlled by an inexperienced master. I didn't know what was happening, but something felt terribly wrong.

"Sit, sister," Audric ordered calmly, gesturing to the throne next to him. I blinked. That was the queen's throne, and sitting in it would mean to assume myself as such. I thought it unwise to disobey my brother, however, so I stumbled past the Lowborn man, watching my feet rather than him as I did so, and climbed onto the platform on which the thrones were held. I sat as primly as I could, staring past the prisoner and focusing on our family crest shown above the double doors: a sword, partially sheathed. In the revealed portion of the blade, the reflection of a griffin was depicted, the animal of the Highborns.

"Alexia," Audric said, dragging me from my thoughts. "Listen carefully. Your seventeenth birthday was last week, correct?"

I knew that he well knew it had been - as was customary, there had been a week-long celebration, although my brother had only briefly attended the festivities. However, I wasn't about to point any of this out, so I merely nodded.

"It is customary, when a princess reaches eighteen years of age, that the ruler at the time chooses her husband."

I flushed. Where is this going?

"However, I have decided that when you do turn eighteen, you shall be named regent princess temporarily while I..." He smiled grimly. "I will be dealing with some business up north."

I quickly drew a mental map of our world. The only kingdom to our north was Starrin, a land rich with valuable natural resources. The citizens were a kind, peaceful people, and had been our long-lasting trading partners until they had abruptly cut ties with us a few years after Audric took the throne. My brother had already tried to reason with them, bribe them, and even threaten them during one dark year. What else could he do...?

No. It couldn't be.

"You plan to wage war on Starrin," I said quietly, praying to the gods that he would laugh and tell me I was incorrect. Tell me I was being a foolish child, jumping to such conclusions. But why else would he practically name me honorary queen?

"You are a perceptive girl. Your tutors weren't lying." I looked at Audric, horrified, and he smiled coldly. "So, in preparation for your temporary ruling, I have decided to teach you of the policies I have been putting in place over the last few years and our efforts to end the silly little Lowborn...revolution. After all, you will need to uphold the policies and work on the eradication efforts while I am gone, and there's no time like the present to start practicing."

My heart beat faster. What policies? What was Audric talking about?

"First thing's first. The man before you is a crucial part of the Lowborn rebellion - the 'Phoenix People.' He was discovered looting a local shop. The owner was found dead in his upstairs apartment, clutching his similarly deceased daughter."

"I'm telling you, he committed suicide, and the girl had been dead for days! Probably the reason her father committed suicide!" the man growled furiously. He was dressed in ratty clothing, speaking of poorer origins, along with his thin build and sunken eyes. He looked insane, certainly, but part of a rebellion? That was pushing it. He looked nothing more than a common thief.

Audric gestured to one of the guards and he drew a bludgeon from his belt, slamming it into the man's stomach. He folded into himself from pain.

I realized that Handmaiden-for-Alexia was still in the room, watching from several feet behind the prisoner. Her face was impassive, but her hands gave her away - they were trembling violently.

Audric saw me watching her, finally taking note of her himself. His eyes narrowed. Hurriedly, wanting to protect the woman although I wasn't sure why, I said, "You are dismissed, Handmaiden-for-Alexia." My shaking voice rang much too loud across the throne room.

"You can never trust a Lowborn, brother," I parroted in response to Audric's furrowed brow, remembering Father's favorite slogan. I knew it was the correct thing to say as the king smirked and waved my handmaiden out of the room dismissively.

"Now, where was I?"

I was hardly focusing - I was still attempting to figure out why I had let Handmaiden-for-Alexia leave. It wasn't as if I cared about the emotions of Lowborns...but she had been so scared...

"Oh, yes. Your choice. The...Initiative," Audric recalled, oblivious to my internal struggle. His lips curled upward and I felt my stomach tighten.

Whatever he was about to say, it couldn't be good.