"for the beauty of the rose, we also water the thorns."
Descendant of Loa lineage, Karliah Shango stems from masters of Haitian and the old Oyo Empire Vodou. After the nuclear wipe out, she finds herself thrown into leadership with little comprehe...
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Karliah sat her pen down, her process of jotting down notes regarding the kingdom's ballots suddenly interrupted when a hand fell upon her shoulder. Looking up, she found the familiar blue eyes of Michael, leaning past her shoulder as he peered down at the open binder on her desk.
His jaw shifted, an obvious look of disinterest lining his features, "You make your people vote?"
"Yeah, I don't necessarily see a point in trying to govern a community without their input." She spoke matter-of-factly.
The blonde-haired boy hummed, "I think that's what ruined the world, too many idle-minded people all butting heads, unable to get anything done."
An incredulous look crossed her face, "I'm pretty sure your nuclear bombs are what ruined the world."
A closed mouthed smile grew upon Michael's lips, obviously amused by her jab. "So, let's make a new one." He suggested lowly, his gaze meeting hers.
She raised a brow, blinking as she attempted to process whether his statement was figurative or literal. Sitting up, he rested his hands on either of her shoulders, his pale skin contrasting against hers as he raked his fingers across her upper arms.
"We still need to work on your possession and cognitive abilities." He noted, earning a nod from her.
"I know."
A silence fell over them. Michael tilted his head, brows tugging together in the slightest as he looked down at her. "Is there something on your mind?"
Karliah couldn't suppress her scoff, his question was anything if not an understatement.
"Yeah. I'm just trying to figure things out around here." She muttered.
She was greeted by his silence, assuming he was waiting for her to elaborate. Her shoulders raised under his hands as a deep breath escaped her nose, "My people know I've differed from the prophecy, it's the reason the man I told you about the other day attempted to kill me, and the reason people around me are finding it harder and harder to trust me."
He listened, making his way around the chair to face her, beckoning her to stand. "They don't know what's ahead of them," he declared, his finger lifting her chin up. "Under our rule, the new world will flourish, the chosen few will thrive and lead better lives than they ever could before all of this."
It didn't sound right, not only in regard to the prophecy, but in regard to every moral Karliah held dear. His plan was unethical, difficult to take seriously. Michael noticed the lack of response from her, confidence faltering as she shook her head.
"You know, the prophecy ends with the world being restored."
He eyed her skeptically, "And why would you do that?"
