Song of the Mirror Maker, Chapter Six
Kali was standing in front of her brother’s obsidian throne with one hand clasped over her forehead.
“Do not make me go through with this,” she demanded. “You’re just going to kill him anyways!”
Lord Zeta smirked at his sister and folded his hands neatly in front of his dark stubbled chin.
“You forget the point is to take over the realm, Kali,” he intoned. “The Gleissen will never accept my authority without the precedence of your installation as queen. When Theta is tragically poisoned by the Inquisitor, the guards will turn on him, neatly eliminating any incriminating evidence against me. Then and only then, I shall take the throne, and you'll be free from your marriage vows.”
His green eyes flashed as the Princess frowned deeply.
“You’re going to frame Admar?” she asked. “I thought he was our ally in all of this? Has he not shown loyalty?”
Zeta sneered and straightened in his throne so that his bronze breastplate refracted off of the candlelight.
“Loyalty cannot be proved or earned,” he retorted. “It’s in the blood. Anyone who is not of my house is my enemy.”
He glared at the stained-glass windows that decorated his main hall as a flash of lightning danced in a gathering storm outside.
“Don’t you agree sister?” Zeta asked suddenly, breaking out of his reverie.
Kali lowered her eyes and nodded her head reluctantly.
“Trust is in the blood,” Zeta continued thoughtfully. “Our house has always known what’s best for the realm, and we can be trusted to do what’s right for it. That’s why our family alone wields the Hoard of Travesties.”
He smiled cruelly as Kali shivered. The gargoyle-like creatures had served their family for generations, but they never ceased to frighten her.
“Don’t be scared of that which protects you,” Zeta said gently as he stood to his full height. He walked over to his sister and touched her cheek reverently. “And don’t forget it either,” he said darkly.
--
Rose woke to the sound of light rapping on her doorframe. She blinked away the fuzzy remains of dreams and shifted under the covers.
“Yeah?” she croaked uncertainly.
Theta’s hand slipped through a small crack in the door, brandishing a cobalt blue gown.
“Thought you might want to wear something clean,” he said gruffly.
Rose giggled and slid out of bed with a light blue sheet wrapped around her. She opened the door and assessed the dress inquisitively while the Overlord gaped at her naked shoulders.
“Or anything at all…” he murmured under his catching breath.
Rose made a sound of approval in the back of her throat.
“It will do,” she declared brightly as she shot him a dazzling smile.
The fearsome Overlord stumbled as he backed away from the door frame as she accepted the dress.
“I’ll just…wait here,” he said lamely.
Rose rolled her eyes and pushed the door back firmly as she whirled around, clutching the beautiful gown to her chest. But then she caught sight of herself in a dim mirror on the other side of the room. Her face was still streaked with dirt and grime. She hummed to herself as she approached the mirror and glanced down at the dressing table beside it. There she found a pitcher of clear water along with a silver bowl. She poured out a quart and proceeded to clean herself thoroughly. Later, after nodding appreciatively at her reflection, she threw down her sheet and prepared to lace up the somewhat confusing blue garment.
Rose didn’t get very far before she realized she couldn’t tie up the back. Taking a brave breath, she stepped outside of the room and found Theta sitting on the edge of a large wooden table near the window. He was staring thoughtfully at the landscape when she cleared her throat.
“Can you um…” she said, indicating to the back of her dress.
Theta jumped up and Rose twirled around, giving him her exposed back. She peered around her shoulder and caught him blushing profusely as he took up the strings.
“They certainly make these complicated, don’t they,” he muttered in defense as his fingers slipped and stumbled over the laces.
The truth was that he could hardly concentrate when so much of her creamy skin was exposed. He took the opportunity to sneak in a step closer and inhaled the scent of her hair as he pulled tightly at her corset.
“Jasmine,” he said distantly.
“What was that?” Rose asked curiously.
Theta chuckled and pulled at the next row of laces, causing Rose to inhale sharply. “Your hair still smells like jasmine tea,” he commented, “even after getting covered in cobwebs.”
Rose lifted a hand to trace over her hairline and plucked a stringy bit of web out in annoyance.
"I could probably use a good long bath,” she sighed, "but I imagine we have more important things to think about today.”
She turned back around to face Theta after he finished tying her stays.
“Yes, we do, unfortunately," he agreed. "So here’s something else I got for you.”
Rose accepted a bundled garment from him that unrolled to reveal a hooded black cloak, not unlike his own.
“Now you can go about unrecognized,” he offered.
“Go where?” Rose asked automatically, a little afraid that he might still turn her away.
“Wherever I go,” Theta replied heavily. “I want you by my side at all times.”
Rose lowered her head and stared up at him through her dark lashes. “I will be,” she affirmed solemnly.
A knock on the door disrupted the moment as the Overlord signaled for Rose to shroud herself. She threw the cloak over her head and stood behind him as he received a messenger from the Gleissen guard.
“The Inquisitor is nowhere to be found, my Lord,” the woman said robotically. “Shall we seek the outer bounds?”
“That won’t be necessary,” Theta replied angrily. “He’s no doubt decamped at this point to Zeta’s realm. Send word to the Lord of the south of Admar’s duplicity. Between the two of us, he’ll have very few options on where to hide.”
The guard nodded curtly and turned to leave, while Rose approached the Overlord from behind. “You already notified the guard?” she asked as he shut the door soundly.
“I called them up as soon as I woke, hoping to catch the villain before he decamped. Then I had Mrs. Atta bring me that cape and gown before going over my weekly regiment of managing the realm. In fact, I’ve had a surprisingly efficient morning,” he returned playfully. “Unlike some lazy humans that sleep in all day.”
He smiled softly at her and drew the black hood down from around her face.
“You used to sleep til’ noon, leaving me bored out of my mind all morning,” he mused.
Rose smiled faintly and reached out to touch his hand that was lingering around her cheek.
“That wasn’t me,” she reminded him gently.
Theta's smile faded as he shook his head.
“No it wasn’t…was it.”
He released a heavy sigh, one that spoke volumes beyond what words could say. It captured his concomitant loss and recovery of the one person who mattered more to him than life itself. Rose blinked rapidly as she realized she knew exactly how he felt.
“Doc…Theta,” she said, correcting herself with embarrassment, but the Overlord only blushed slightly. “Are you sure you should trust Lord Zeta?” she asked. “Admar had said that Zeta was working with him to depose you.”
Theta shrugged and folded his arms heavily.
“Who says I trust Zeta? My message to him is a formality, to let him know that I know something isn’t right. It will put him on the defensive, which is exactly where I want him. Given Admar’s disappearance, I can only assume he is out there building an army to rise against me…and if what he wants is both realms, then Zeta’s will be a target as well.”
Rose leaned against a nearby table and stared at her feet that were peeking out from the dark blue material of her gown.
“What will happen if Admar succeeds?” she forced herself to ask.
Theta shifted his weight as he considered it. “Whether he takes the southern realm or my own, we will have a battle to fight,” he said. “The only question is what kind it will be. Zeta could use the opportunity to mount an army with the Could’ve Been King to bring down Admar. Or perhaps all three will form an alliance and improve their chances against my forces. Only one thing is clear…I have no allies in this fight.”
He walked away from her and opened a set of windowed double-doors, leading out onto a small balcony. As he took in the view of his vast territory, Rose approached silently and admired the way the strange orange skies reflected off of his black cape as it fluttered in the wind. He turned back toward her and Rose had to hold her breath when she saw the intensity there. This version of her Doctor had seen so much death, fought endless battles and suffered greatly, and still there was no end in sight.
She couldn’t think of what to do other than offer her small hand. He took it contentedly and turned back toward the landscape of his hostile, alien world.
Rose watched the glittering edge of his eye as he surveyed his territory in a practiced, militaristic manner.
“I’ll need to reinforce the outer keep,” he said, more to himself than her, “and prepare for a lengthy siege after the initial attack. With any luck, the castle will hold. With more luck, we will hold.”
Rose leaned into his shoulder and closed her eyes, willing herself to remember happier days with another version of him…but not all of their days had been filled with levity after all. During the darkest hours when he needed her the most, she was always there, as he was for her. Her heart fluttered in her chest with the fear of what was to come, but she rallied with what she knew was the ultimate strength of their relationship.
“We will hold,” Rose said firmly. “We always do.”
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