“But I doubt he would kill him because of that.”
“Well, you’re his mother. I’m sure with the right persuasion, he would. For now, we wait. Continue to make your appearances as the Queen Mother. Don’t make yourself obvious. Act like nothing has changed.”
Bianca took Benedict's words into perspective. For a while, that’s what she did. She made her appearances. She gave some advice to her son in how to monitor the kingdom. Cassius made his plans that would make his late father proud. Throughout it all, Bianca kept her eyes locked on her nephew and niece.
****
Tension increased, mostly from Cassius’s part. He would have conversations with Isabella. They were all the same. It was all about Hector.
“Why do you deal with him?”
Isabella would come with the same answer. "Because I want peace in our house.”
Since then, Cassius and Isabella separated themselves as Isabella acted like the princess and Cassius assumed his kingdom responsibilities.
For a while, there was peace as all sides kept away from each other and tried their best to not ruffled feathers. Cassius was doing what others thought he would do being Ichiamo’s son and heir. However, Hector was doing anything but.
The roles of each ruler were presented for the planet to witness. Cassius pushed the policies his father preached. Hector escaped from the Santos Palace and into each township to find places to drink and have sex. As far as he was concerned, having the title of king only meant doing whatever he wanted.
It took a few seconds for news and gossip to hit the airwaves about Hector's alcoholic exploits and his philandering with other men's wives. It took a few more seconds for the court to ask for Hector's exile from Crystal Metropolis or at best, fight for sole ownership of the crown. He had the Starstriker ring on his finger, but no one saw him as a King as long as Hector continue to embarrass the family...
****
“How do you feel about being king?” Bianca asked as she brought Hector back down to the Special Records Chamber. She realized after all the news Hector has made that she had to get him away from the limelight.
“How am I supposed to feel?” Hector said as if he was stingy. “I’m king. What else is there?”
“You’re carrying a lot of responsibility. It’s what Ichiamo wanted.”
“I thought Ichiamo hated me. That’s what most people are saying out there."
“When I talk with him, he said that he admired you because you was my son and you had heart.”
“I don’t care for heart.”
Bianca took a deep breath, having her work cut out for him.
“Hector, what if I told you that your father was killed by Cassius?” he asked.
Hector laughed wildly. “What are you talking about? Cassius loves his father to death.”
“But he loves power more,” Bianca said. “And if he can killed his father, do you think he won’t kill me or you?"
Bianca burst in tears. Hector went to her. “What is it, Mother?”
She looked at Hector so he could see the tears. “I… I didn’t want to tell you this. Cassius wants you dead. He wants me dead. Can’t you tell from the way he looks at you? And Isabella? Do you think he can’t do the same to her? We’re all in danger. That’s the only reason why I made this trip. He could kill us all if he wanted to without question. The court is already asking for him to get rid of you. It won't be long before Cassius had the entire court eating off the palm of his hand."
“What do you want me to do?” he asked sincerely.
Bianca found his heart. “He has…he has to be dealt with before…”
She went into crying mode again. Hector hugged him tight. Inside, Bianca was doing back flips. Her son was going to do what she wanted, just like Luciana got Timon to submit to his destiny.
Benedict was right, she was thinking. Learning the history of the Santos clan was going to work for them.
"Cassius is playing some games for the court in a couple of days. That's the perfect time to strike."
Hector nodded, acknowledging that it was time to step up...
****
It was the last month of the last year of the first century. After dismal times, Cassius told his court that it was time for fun times again. So he planned some games for his royal court and the public. On one of those days, it was going to be a hunting game, with the prize being some gold courtesy of Ichiamo Santos.
The hunting game took place in open ground near Sigeberht. The target was a wild borat to cook for dinner. Most of the court and all of the family went to the Rhombus Forest wearing their most fashionable hunting wear.
Every person that had a name and a title were involved in the hunt. Leading the way was Cassius with a shotgun. With one rebel yell, the game began.
Suddenly, the swift borat pig was released into the forest and every hunter in the game ran after the pig in a wild frenzy shooting their guns. The borat ran with fury in and around hunters to the point they tripped over each other's feet.
One hunter, Hector on his white horse, kept his eyes on Cassius and his black horse, watching patiently for the borat. His horse was not fast enough to catch up to it and lost it in the fray. So many things were going through Hector’s mind. He had Cassius in the right position, but was not sure if he wanted to do it.
For the time being, he followed Cassius.
Then, Cassius stopped. He got off his horse to tend to his horse. From a distance, Hector got off his horse as well. He went under his pants and took out a small pistol. Just when he was about to raise it, someone screamed out Cassius’s name. Hector saw the man come out with a sword in his hand.
“What is this?” Cassius asked.
“Down with the Santoses,” he said and launched at Cassius. Cassius wrestled with the assailant. Hector became indecisive again.
Should he attack or watch? He watched.
Cassius was stabbed in the shoulder and the assailant applied more pressure to it. Then, from out of nowhere, the assailant screamed for dear life. Then, Cassius picked up the sword and stabbed his wannabe killer.
Not thinking anymore, Hector ran to Cassius as the King composed himself and pushed the gun to his back. He fired twice into Cassius's spine and he fell back, grabbing his backside.
Shouts were heard as a couple of hunters spotted something. Hector jumped back on his horse and rode away, breathing harder and harder before Cassius was flat and motionless.
Hector went back to the starting point of the forest where spouses and others waited for the hunters to return with the borat. Waiting for him was Queen Bianca. Hector went to her and hugged her tight, his body consuming Bianca’s stature.
“He’s dead, Mom!” he said softly. "He’s dead.”
As they continued to hug, Bianca could hear the screams. That confirmed her that her son told the truth. It sounded nerve-wrecking for Hector. For Bianca, it was music to her ears.
In her mind, once again, learning the secrets of the Santos clan saved her again...
****
Days later, not too long after Ichiamo’s death, there was another funeral for young Cassius. Instead of a widespread funeral, it was only a private ceremony with only the family and the court offering the final rites. No one could really mourn for the young king due to the fact he did not have sole control of the kingdom.
Then, one of the cursers gave Hector the Starstriker ring. Hector slipped it on and clinched his fist. He raised his fist in the air and yelled "Santos!"
All of the court shouted the name with him.
Hector put his fist to his heart as Bianca stood to the side of him, admiring her son's success to the crown.
There was no one else standing in Bianca or Hector’s way. Hector became the sole ruler of Crystal Metropolis and the ATM and Bianca ruled with him as the Queen Mother.
The Boardwalk Santos had been replaced by the revival of the Lysander Santos and Bianca Stilicho Lysander Santos had become the new Luciana Boardwalk Sa
ntos...
NINETEEN: BIANCA AND HECTOR
105 B.E.
In the start of the second century, Hector Bozario Lysander Santos was the new king. Despite the past, where he was reluctant to take the title, he started living up to his new title immediately.
However, it was really his mother, the regent Queen Bianca Lysander Santos, who ran the political spectrum of Crystal Metropolis.
She took care of the business side while Hector enjoyed the perks: Even as king, he didn't spend much time with his court, the Strator Circle, or anyone else. This meant he could do what he wanted, pursue any avenue he wanted, and if anyone didn't like it, he could order them killed.
Killing his brother Cassius awakened another aspect Hector never thought he had. He had the power to kill, or could use murder if necessary. As far as he was concerned, his word was law. If anyone said anything or suspected of saying anything ill about him or his mother, it was punishable by death or endless torture. A few gave their views out loud, but it never got as far as relentless gossip: There were few that did, and if they were, it was done undercover.
Other than the usual plan of the day for his court, Hector never took his responsibilities seriously. He was going after other interests, mostly of the fun kind; leaving Bianca the chance to run Crystal Metropolis and the ATM the way she wanted.
By this time, her father Baptista Lysander, had passed on to another life at the start of the new century with his daughter avenged by the death of Ichiamo. To honor his father and his sister as well, the Katharina Lysander Stadium and the Lysander Villa was built in Crystal Metropolis. Some were skeptical about this move because of the stigma Katharina left behind.
Unlike her older sister, Bianca was serious about being a leader. It had been a first since the Queen was completely involved in the activities set aside for the king. Kate helped Ichiamo with the politics of the planet, but without him, she was left to her urges. Bianca was luckier than her sister. Thanks to Benedict Biondello, she knew all the angles and was able to play the same game with the other political powers, including the increasingly irrelevant Strator Circle.
One of her famous orders was the complete change of the guard in the planets of the ATM. She had the names of potential men who could become the movers and shakers of the new Lysander Santos rule, brought all these leaders from all the planetary sectors together to Illyr, and she told them the plan. No one knew if she had the power to do this, but no one questioned her about it. After all, as she reminded them time and time again, she was the widow of the past king and mother to the present one.
“Today is a new day in a new century,” she told them. “And since this is a new century, we have to show that change. I call you men together because you’ll be the men that start he charge. I appointed you the leaders of the new order. And you’re going to make that statement known to your respected planets.”
One of them asked Bianca, “And how are we going to do this?”
“That will be up to you. Since you’re my new leaders, you have to make that statement known to the world. I don’t care how you do, but by the middle of this decade, you’re going to take your places as new leaders for a new generation.”
The men were bewildered about this move, but Bianca's beauty and persuasiveness proved to be cunning that these young future leaders realized. She learned the lessons of the past Santos rulers too well. In her new ambitious plan, she took a page from the first warlord Pisanio Santos and threw a wrench in the mix.
What if there were warlords working personally for the Santos family?
After that secret meeting, for the next three years, there were news of riots and coups all over the ATM. Elder leaders were taken off their posts, forced to resign, or assassinated in broad daylight. There were even small wars in individual planets and moons to bring that order to life. Using Second Renaissance's WAVE, a new messaging system improving on communication between different planets, new leaders sent their message to Bianca letting her know the deed was done. Bianca returned the message with her blessing and money tributes as first payment.
Either way, there were new leaders by 104 B.E., all working under the order of Bianca Lysander Santos.
So far, she was having a ball playing the queen and having some say in the power structure. It had gotten to the point when she had so much of a good time, she didn't want it to end. And she was going to do anything in her power to make sure she stayed in power.
There was only one concern she had during her reign. That problem was the king himself.
Since Hector omitted himself from making political moves, he was free to drink and party on the floating villas. This time, no more secrets. He made all of Crystal Metropolis know.
Like the first few years of Cheron Santos’ rule, it was playtime. He would host parties, special games at the Katharina Lysander Stadium, and anything else that came to his mind. Everyone was invited as if it was just some club to go to after a hard day's work.
Then came the female flesh.
Since becoming king, he was able to have any woman he wanted, not being picky. He liked all shapes, sizes, and sometimes, even ages of women. His favorite, a surprise to most, were midgets and older women. Rumors spread that this fixation may have something to do with his mother. Bianca was a short woman, and she was getting older in spite of the proof on the contrary. It led some people to think that maybe the king and queen were fitting into their roles in more ways than one. It wouldn't be a surprise, since he was married to his own stepsister, Isabella. Since Isabella never questioned his actions, Hector was freed to have sex with any woman he wanted and not have to feel her wrath. However, he made sure Isabella didn't bring any male flesh in her bed while he was achieving his sexual conquests.
Another love the king had was theater. He always loved to act as far back as he could remember. Like Katharina, at a young age, he caught the acting bug. However, he could not exercise on it because he and his mother were always moving around. When they finally landed in the Hallow Points, those dreams took a backseat to protecting her mother from others, mostly herself. In coming to Crystal Metropolis, he caught the theater bug once again with the art form in full bloom on the planet. Since he was king, he could go to the theater as much as he wanted, or even participated like he usually does. He even wrote plays for the influx of actors coming into Crystal Metropolis to make it big, thanks in the most part to Katharina's illicit affair with theater and film star Hero Borom.
This was a problem for his mother. Hector's party-loving attitude gave Bianca a bad reputation: It made people think the worst:
She claimed control the ATM, yet couldn't even control her own wily son?
Since everything else in space was handled, Bianca made it her mission to make Hector at least the image of a leader.
This started with curing him of the theater bug, since this was the central problem. Hector had put all his time and kingly efforts into it, making everything else obsolete. She put her plan to action when Hector hosted another play at the Lysander Stadium.
This time, the play was a carnival of sorts. Hector wanted to really lighten the place with the theatrics. In the midst of the play, which was about a forbidden romance between two daughters of a king, soldiers came in and stormed the entire stadium. People went out in so much of a panic that some got ran over, ending in some dead and others with broken bones. It was the first theatrical disaster.
Days later, Hector was in a rage. He wanted to know what ruined his play. The play called Sisters was going to change the nature of theater according to Hector. His court found out that it was Bianca that asked the soldiers to stop the play.
This started the tension between mother and son. And it got worse since the play’s destruction.
Not wanting to feel weak, he hired another writer to come to the Santos Palace and write another play for him.
"What would this one be about?" The writer asked.
"My mother and I," Hector answered. "And how we got here!"
What followed was two days and nights of Hector telling the story of his rise to the throne. The writer listened carefully and jotted down every single detail.
****
"He did what? Why would he do this?"
Bianca wanted to get up and throw something on the floor, but she was in Benedict Biondello's home, so she remained seated.
Biondello revealed Hector's plan to tell all the family secrets through a writer. Retired completely from political life, he still kept in contact with Bianca. He was sure that she was going to need him from time to time.
“I don’t know what to do about that boy, Benedict," Bianca said. "What is Hector trying to do?"
INIQUITOUS DOMINION: The Galactic Classic Page 40
