The Apocalypse Script

by Samuel Fort

  Chapter 35 - Lilian’s Respite

  At mid-morning a new caravan of cars, trucks, and vans began rolling into the Steepleguard parking lot. They brought with them dozens of room attendants, cooks, florists, and others needed to prepare the Great Hall for the reception and to tend to the wants and needs of the guests. The old hotel’s courtyard was a beehive of activity as men and women in a variety of uniforms hustled in and out of the main building carrying crates of food, wine, chairs, bed linens, towels, tablecloths, candles, and hundreds of other items, large and small.

  Lilian, dressed in jeans and a turquoise sweater, her hair in a ponytail, made her way through the swarm anonymously. She navigated toward a trail that started at a far corner of the estate and zigzagged up a forested hill, hidden from those below. She had walked this trail often as a girl, brooding over her future and concocting outlandish plans to gain her father’s stolen throne. None had been as outlandish as the one she had settled on as an adult, however.

  She had told Fiela she was going for a walk to clear her mind. As always, the Peth had been adamant that she be allowed to escort her. Lilian had refused and suspected the girl was watching her from some secret vantage point but she knew the Peth would not follow her, no matter how strong the urge. Fiela was helpfully obedient when given a direct command.

  Lilian suffered a quick, painful moment of doubt as she walked up the hill. There had been so much subterfuge that she had almost lost track of who knew what. A single indiscretion or mistake could unravel the entire scenario. Even if everyone did their part, and all that was scripted occurred, there remained a reasonable possibility that her plan could fail.

  She wished she could tell Ben about her plan but the fact that it relied heavily on deception would have only reinforced his current opinion that she was a conniving and deceitful woman. He was right, of course, but she had a lot more on her plate than the study of some old stone tablets. She had a throne to win and she would do whatever it took to win it.

  Almost.

  She had finally accepted that there was one thing she could not do. She could not beat her sister. Not again. Though she had tried to rationalize her failure to inflict the dozen lashes she had planned as a calculated move not to injure a valuable asset, a night assassin, she knew that to be a lie. She had not inflicted a dozen lashes because she lacked the willpower to do so. Fiela’s screams and tears had stopped her.

  It was a weakness, but she fortified herself with the promise that her love of Fiela would be the only one. Caught up in her thoughts, she walked to the end of the path, where she was surprised to find Ridley.

  “Good afternoon, Lilitu,” he said as she approached. For once, he was not wearing his sweatpants and faded red robe. He instead wore a thicker yellow robe, woolen except for silk trim. A large hood was draped over his head.

  “Good afternoon, Scriptus,” said Lilian. “I am familiar with that robe. It is the one you wore while serving my father.”

  Smiling, the man said, “I’m surprised you remember. Officially, I am prohibited from wearing it. But such things do not matter anymore, do they?”

  “They do not,” the woman replied agreeably, “and the guests at the reception will be pleased to see the Great Sage in all his glory.”

  The man’s smiled faltered. “Alas, that will not happen.”

  “Why not?”

  “Because I’m leaving, Lilian.”

  The woman froze. “What?” she gasped, the blood draining from her face.

  “My job here is done. My scripts have converged and there is no time for any others to be written. I am now more burden than benefit.”

  Lilian shook her head vehemently. “No, no, no! You cannot leave me! Me, or Fiela! We need you now more than ever. Surely you can see that!”

  Clasping his hands in front of him, the old man said, “You are wrong, Lilitu. This scenario is on autopilot and I have other commitments elsewhere.”

  “Other commitments? Where?”

  “Places you do not know.”

  “But what shall I do? I have no other scribes. There will be no one left to guide the kingdom. Who will write my scripts? I must have scripts, Ridley!”

  The scribe cocked an eyebrow. “Princess, do you doubt the efficacy of the ones that I have already set in motion for you?”

  Lilian regained control and said more respectfully, “No, Scriptus, I mean only that this is…unexpected.”

  “The events of the better scripts usually are. But do not worry. A scribe of unusual ability will be sent to you. Do not doubt my commitment to you, Lilitu.”

  Lilian looked appropriately chastened. “I’m sorry, it is not doubt. It is shock. Why must you leave me?”

  “Because while I am the author of many scripts, I am the actor in still others. I am summoned to be an actor once again.”

  “Will you return?” The feeling of abandonment was overwhelming. Ridley was the last living reminder of her few happy days as a child and, she now realized, the living embodiment of her hopes.

  “Perhaps, but it is an exacting voyage.” He paused and said, “May I ask a favor, Princess, in return for what I have done for you?”

  “I will do anything you ask.”

  “Be kind to my niece, always. Love her as she loves you. I know that she can be burdensome at times. Stubborn, petulant, immature for her age…but if you are kind to her, she will improve and return your kindness ten-fold.”

  The voice in her head returned. “Kindness? Tell him, you monster! Tell him of her screams and sobs as you beat her for daring to sigh in your presence! You, love anyone? You’re shit, Lilitu! If only he knew!”

  Putting her hand over her mouth and wondering if he did know and if that was why he was abandoning her, she said in a hoarse voice, “I have always considered her a sister, Scriptus, and I do love her. But will you not say goodbye to her? She will take it very hard if you do not.”

  Ridley shook his head. “No. You see, in this way, I am a coward. I would not want her last memory of me to be of a sobbing, broken old man. Tell her only that I am going away to do something important and will return, soon.”

  “Will you, though?” she asked, hoping for a more definite answer.

  “All that matters is that you tell her that.”

  Lilian knew it was pointless to push the man. “Will you say goodbye to Ben, at least?”

  Ridley’s expression was puzzling. “Definitely. I have some rather fantastic insights to share with him.”

  That worried her. “Insights?”

  “Yes. The Nisirtu world is much like the Ardoon world, Lilitu. It is not exactly as it appears.”

  Lilian shook her head, “I don’t understand. Fantastic? What does that mean?”

  “Ma’am?” Ridley said, but he had switched from Agati to English, and his voice was wrong. It was a boy’s voice.

  What the-?

  Lilian swooned, steadied herself. Blinking rapidly, she looked around and saw that she was standing in the courtyard in front of Steepleguard. A teenage boy wearing a vest and bowtie stood before her holding a crate of oranges.

  “Fantastic…” she mumbled, disoriented.

  “Yes ma’am. Organic.”

  She stared at the boy, who regarded her with concern. “Ma’am, can I help you with something?”

  It was a moment before she found her voice. When she did, she mumbled, “Can you pull the rabbit back out of the hat?”

  “Pardon me?”

  The woman turned and buried her forehead in one hand. “Never mind.”