Politics at the Dinner Table
"Your highness, wake up." whispered A'ishah.
Alcmene stirred, throwing her pillow over her head. "What is it A'ishah?" she asked groggily.
"Your sister wishes to spend the day with you. It is already three hours past sunrise." Alcmene groaned, Kalinda had arrived two days earlier and had wished to spend some of her time with her two younger sisters. "Alright, summon Nalani." mumbled Alcmene beneath the voluminous covers.
"Yes, Your Highness."
"A'ishah? Would you please come with, as a, um, assistant?"
"Whatever you wish, Your Highness." A'ishah answered compliantly, and she walked away, carrying a pile of linens to the laundry.
It was half an hour before Alcmene was ready. Even with A'ishah's help, getting into her ensembles caused her to run late. Her hair also proved to be another pending disaster. A'ishah broke two hairbrushes trying to tame the snarls and roars of Alcmene's hair.
Kalinda was waiting down in the great hall, rolling her eyes with impatience. "Why must I always wait on you?" she demanded, her eyes flashing, when Alcmene came bumbling down the stairs.
"Sorry, I awoke late." Alcmene replied meekly, running her hands through her still mussed hair.
"Well, let us leave immediately, I have our whole day strictly planned." Alcmene gave a quiet groan.
She spent the rest of the day wandering the oasis with Kalinda and A'ishah, shopping at the small markets on the outskirts of the oasis, flanked by over a dozen armed guards. Alcmene did not particularly enjoy visiting these quaint marketplaces; they made her feel awkward and uncomfortable. She could feel the prying eyes of the passerby and their not so subtle intake of breaths as she walked by. Attention was something she never coveted; her sister wallowed in her lofty social position, grinning and flashing pearly white smiles at the populace.
Kalinda pulled her along through throngs of people, stopping occasionally at an interesting looking stand. Despite her attempts in trying to make herself be as miserable as possible, Alcmene ended up buying more things than planned, including an expensive, imported garb she had purchased for seven Daleons.
Back at the palace, Alcmene shuffled lightly down the hall running near Saba's apartments. She was about to continue on down, but she noticed her grandmother searching frantically through an old chest in her front apartment, things flying every which way.
"What are you looking for, Saba?" Alcmene asked. No one called Saba 'grandmother', just Saba, and she liked it that way.
"Oh, Alcmene, come here darling." Saba said, looking a bit exhausted. "I want you to help me find something. It's a small little box made of wood. Just keep looking in this chest." Then Saba went over and sat on the enormous crimson draped bed.
As Alcmene looked through the chest, she said, "Saba, I heard His Majesty a few days ago. He was complaining about the Frihet's. Who are they, exactly? I know they're some revolting party, but what's happening?"
Saba's face went a little whiter. "Saba, what is it?" Alcmene asked looking very concerned.
"Oh, Alcmene, I just had a feeling of great horror, you must find that box, hurry."
Alcmene searched and searched until finally there was nothing left in the room unturned. "I'm sorry Saba, it's just not here." There was a slight pause. "Saba, what's the box for?"
Saba just sighed, "Oh, nothing really. I just wanted to find it. You may go now."
"Yes, Saba." replied Alcmene. Her grandma's unusual behavior perplexed Alcmene, but she just dismissed it, after all, Saba was more than four score and five years, she was apt to have some spells of incoherency.

Dinner proved a little more interesting than usual. Kalinda had brought her husband, Galin, along. His cold brown eyes and set face nearly rivaled the kings. Alcmene watched apprehensively as the two noblemen barked their greetings. The first few moments appeared awkward, but after the first entrée came scuttling in, Galin and her father were jovially talking politics and what seemingly wretched order they were now forcing upon their countries.
The usually stolid and apathetic king was so pleased to have someone who shared his skewed views, he suggested something that Alcmene had previously believed her father loathed: "I think we should attend the Plays tonight."
The Plays were just as they sounded, plays. About twice every moon cycle, the Plays were put on, mainly to please the royal family. They were held near the outskirts of the oasis, performed by the local residents at a quaint little theater. Alcmene loved this theater; the dazzling costumes adorned by an ensemble that spanned generations. They were very entertaining to attend and made an evening enjoyable.
Everyone began talking at once. "Oh really?" asked Kalinda. "I haven't seen one since I was young." Alistair nodded with a small smile on his face.
Within the next hour, everyone was prepared his or her most elegant garbs and jewelry worn, all save Alcmene. She was still putting on her jewelry.
"Oh, Goddess!" Alcmene sighed as one of her rings fell through a crack in the floor.
"Oh, I'll get it Your Highness," said Nalani, her head chambermaid, "you go, the others are waiting."
Nalani was Alcmene's head chambermaid for various reasons. Nalani's father was an important leader in the town of Aragon, a city near the dark oasis. The reason for her coming was somewhat of a mystery.
"Thank you Nalani." said Alcmene as she and A'ishah ran out of the room. Every member of the Royal Family was to bring one personal attendant along.
The Royal Family enjoyed their evening thoroughly. Laughter and chuckles filled the spacious halls of the castle; a foreign sound to the age-ridden walls. The sun had retired to its bed behind the horizon three hours before, and the royal family, weary and spent, also decided to turn in early.
Alcmene reached her upper apartments, slowly taking off her over garments as she opened her bedroom door. A'ishah was already there, since she had to prepare Alcmene's bed. In her callused hand was the ring that Alcmene had dropped earlier that evening.
"Thank you for my ring, A'ishah. You will be rewarded; that ring meant a lot to me."
"I don't deserve any recognition, Your Highness, My cousin, Nalani, was the one who found it."
"Oh, well, thank your cousin for me, A'ishah and give her one day's rest."
"Yes, Your highness, but there is something else she found too. Come here and look."
A'ishah pushed aside Alcmene's bed a little, with great effort. "Watch closely." she said. Then A'ishah began prying up a dark polished oak board, and another and another, until there was a small square in the floor, no bigger than her headboard.
"Here." said A'ishah as she struggled to set aside the heavy boards. A small door was present, just faintly and seemed to be embedded in the surrounding wood.
"Wow!" exclaimed Alcmene, "What is it?"
"Apparently, it is an old storage cellar." answered A'ishah as she moved aside a small latch that opened the door, which swung down instead of the normal up.
"We're upstairs though. How can it be a storage place? There is
supposed to be a room below this one." Alcmene pointed out.
"There are stairs leading down. See?" A'ishah grabbed a small candle and lit it, then began to descend the stairs. Alcmene followed her hesitantly, always keeping in sight the light yellow glow of the candle flame.
The descent to the bottom was long with many broken stone steps that seemed to wind down for eternity, but finally, they reached the cellar floor. Alcmene glanced around using the candle A'ishah had brought.
The cellar was relatively small, but was cluttered with many things. Intrigued, she inched closer to a nearby shelf filled with aging, dusted sculptures, and what looked like curling documents. She bent over the objects, slowly blowing the layers of dust off. Underneath it all was what appeared to be some sort of ancient religious relics. One was sun, personified with fiery, golden features, much like her own appearance. Another that was wedged in the corner of the shelf was a moon; given the features of a lithe, pale man, cold and distant. She picked up the two relics, placing them in the palms of her hands. It was then she realized that each of the statues bore a fissure, and when she brought them together, the cracks fit together, like a hand to a glove. "A'ishah, what, may I ask, is all this. stuff?" she gestured around the small room.
A'ishah shrugged. " I'm not quite sure. By the looks of it." She dusted off an object that looked like a tiny shrine. "Some sort of archaic religious place? I really don't know, but I suggest you explore it tomorrow, Your Highness. It is late and we have school in the morning."
"I suppose you're right A'ishah." sighed Alcmene. "We'll search after school."

The morning ran by like an old crippled man. Alcmene could not keep her attention from wandering off. Twice she had been called on and had not been paying attention. She kept thinking about that tiny room beneath her chambers. Was it a religious shrine? If so, why had it not been discovered before? Religion had left her world long ago, disappearing with much of the greenery that once decorated it.
"Alcmene!" snapped a crackling voice.
Alcmene averted her eyes, inwardly sighing. Why couldn't she pay attention?
"How many times to I have to ask you to pay attention?" The words cut into her like a knife to flesh.
"No more, ma'am."
"Three times is too many times, princess or no."
Several, cumbersome books weighted her down. Alcmene despised homework, especially additional. It's my own fault. She thought glumly to herself.
Up in her apartments Alcmene was bent over piles and piles of paper and books, her quill racing rapidly back and forth. The sun had slipped moments before below the horizon. She dropped her quill down, flexing her aching hands. "There, my work is complete."
With a click of a door, A'ishah was in the room, buried behind a mountain of laundry. She placed it on the bed, and immediately began sorting.
Alcmene turned around in her chair, silently watching her. "A'ishah, when you are finished with my load of absolutely dreadful clothes, will you help me investigate the secret room? I'm quite anxious--."
A'ishah looked up from her work. "I cannot Your Highness," She frowned, "Tonight is when I visit my family's home." She paused, thinking. "I would, Alcmene, truly, but I haven't seen them in nearly a month, and you mentioned last week that I could."
Alcmene smiled through her disappointment, not about to go back on her word. "Of course, A'ishah." And she began to gather up her books. "Wait." She turned back around. "Could I go with you?"
A'ishah stared at her with incredulous, raised eyebrows. "Go with me? Why would you want to go with me?" She shook her head sadly. "I'm sorry to say that my accommodations are not nearly as pristine as these." She indicated the surrounding room with a sweep of her hand.
Alcmene grinned, almost giving her a look of disbelief. "How long have you known me, A'ishah, to know that I would gladly take a comfortable hovel over this fake, artificial, stifling atmosphere that some like to call the 'high life.'"
A'ishah bit her lip, trying to fight a smile. "Yes, of course, but you cannot go out looking as you do."
Alcmene briefly looked down at herself. She was gowned in a satin, rippling, shining dress that would herald her as royalty from miles away. "I see what you mean. But all I must do is to don some peasant clothes I have reserved for market visits."
A'ishah smiled a full smile, happy to bring her friend. "Of course, your highness, whatever you wish."
Alcmene rose and began to pull out her peasant clothes from the bottom of a large cedar chest. She brought out a tumble of dully colored, long garbs. Suddenly, she stopped. "You can't call me that."
A'ishah finished folding the garments. "Call you what, your highness?"
"That."
"What's that?"

" 'Your highness,' it would give me away in a heartbeat." She began taking off her plethora of clunky jewelry.
A'ishah nodded in agreement. "Yes, it would. What title would you prefer?"
"Serena." She replied simply.
"Serena." A'ishah reiterated, listening to the sound of it. "It's quite beautiful, for such a plain peasant." She said commenting on Alcmene's updated appearance of a lowly commoner. "Come, we should go, before darkness completely descends."
The journey to A'ishah's dwellings was negligible in distance; Alcmene did not have to ask permission to borrow the palace horses or camels. Alcmene and A'ishah were greeted by a woman who looked as though she much more than her years might have suggested. Her face was drawn inwardly, pulled in by a tight, threadbare shawl, her skin coarse and abrasive.
"Mother." said A'ishah as she hugged the woman. The woman embraced A'ishah tightly, not wanting to let her go. Alcmene knew from previous conversations with her friend that her mother was in what seemed to be the family business of candle making. It was not uncommon to find candle makers in Talos. As of late the business had abruptly boomed.
A'ishah's mother slowly let go of her daughter, looking past her to Alcmene. "And who is your friend?" She beckoned her into their home. "And will she be staying for supper?"
A'ishah nodded. "Yes. Mother, I would like you to meet Serena. She--- ." She faltered, biting her lip. "She is a friend from school." She added quickly.
"Pleased to meet you, Serena. I am Sabirah Ade of the candle-making guild. Please make yourself at home."
Alcmene extended her hand, firmly shaking the strongly callused hand of the worn woman. "A pleasure." She smiled broadly, but her smile was cut short when she noticed a glimmer of gold on her own right hand. Goddess! She thought. I forgot to remove my signet ring! Alcmene took her hand away as quick as she could without appearing rude.
When Sabirah turned to return to the kitchen, Alcmene hurriedly took off the ring and cupped it in her palm. It glittered in the dim light; an ornate gold ring with the royal crest of a blazing sun. How could she have forgotten to take it off? Probably because she never did.
Hoping that no one had seen, she followed A'ishah into the tiny kitchen where the rest of the Ade family sat in finely crafted wooden chairs. All eyes in the room drew immediately to her, as insects to a bright light. In one corner sat an older man, who she presumed to be A'ishah's father. His broad shoulders and overall thick, muscular build made Alcmene surmise that he did some sort of physical labor. Carpentry, perhaps, judging on the finely made furniture. Sitting next to A'ishah's father was a younger man, with dark, inquisitive eyes and hair the same ebony brown as his sister's. He looked a few years her junior.
Both men stood up when approached the table.
"A pleasure to meet you, miss." Said the elder man. "Ammon Ade." And he gave a quick bow.
Alcmene nodded her head in acceptance. " Serena."
The younger boy seemed to rush over to her, taking her hand and kissing it after a short bow. "Dagon Ade, at your service."
She almost laughed at his earnestness, but didn't when she saw the guileless look in his eyes, which were boring fiercely into hers. He led her over to a chair, pulling it out for her, almost tripping himself in the process.
"Thank you so much, Dagon." She said with a gracious smile, sitting down at the table.
When they were all seated to a supper of a meaty, aromatic stew filled with beans, carrots, and celery, a conversation, which alluded to previous ones, rekindled.
"I heard," began Dagon, grabbing a nearby roll, "that the Frihet's are beginning to move." Alcmene nearly snapped her head in his direction. Frihets? she thought incredulously. What would they know of the Frihets?
"Excuse me," interrupted Alcmene, "who exactly are the Frihets? I know they don't like the king, but..." Ammon's face experienced a fleeting look of surprise that disappeared rapidly.
"The Frihet's," he began, setting down his spoon, "are a revolutionary party determined to usurp the throne from the false king. They originated years back when the "king's" so called proclamations involving absurd demands just went too far. They're a secret group, really only coming out when things get especially bad. I would support them if it weren't the fact that that cheep, greedy, so-called king, wasn't my best buyer of carpentry." Ammon pounded the table to accent his point. His thin, tan face was flushing with each pound on the rough wood table.
Alcmene commended herself on her accurate depiction of Ammon's profession.
A'ishah went red with embarrassment. "Um, father, let's not discuss politics at the dinner table."
Ammon colored once more, nervously slurping his stew. "Oh, yes of course A'ishah, I'm sorry, I just get so upset when I think about what the king has done."

"I am so sorry about my father, Your Highness. I didn't know he had changed his views so drastically. I'm just so sorry." A'ishah sobbed as she and Alcmene walked back to the palace.
"It's all right A'ishah, I've suspected much about that. I've heard the whispering rumors that buzz around about them. My father's tyranny is no secret." She patted A'ishah affectionately on the shoulder. "Besides, it was my fault. I shouldn't have asked him, and he knew nothing of my background."
"Thank you, I'm truly sorry. Excuse me, I must attend to my duties now." whispered A'ishah as they walked in the back door of the palace.

Alcmene walked through the corridors of the sullen palace, her feet slightly dragging. She wasn't quite as upset at Ammon's comments as she might have been a few years back. Through her father's view, the world was painted a slightly rosier shade; her family ignored many of the terrible going-ons of the outside world, and everything her father did was justified in some odd, nonsense manner. She really didn't know what to think. Was her father the tyrant that the populace claimed? She wished that he wasn't, not wanting to reside in a palace filled with a ruling family that the populace despised.
Alcmene decided amidst her troubled mind to visit Saba. She had not been well lately. Tip-toeing quietly past Kalinda's apartments, she stowed into Saba's room.
Saba was sitting up in her bed reading, her white hair, with just a tint of the red that the white covered, was pulled back into a long braid. In her lap was a thick book filled with dilapidated pages. "Oh, Alcmene, come here. I have something for you."
Alcmene smiled at her grandmother, moving closer to her. "What is it Saba? What is it that you give me?"
Saba slowly closed the book, placing it on a small table nearby. She got out of the bed and crouched near the bed, looking underneath it. After a few moments search, she came up with an old, crumbling, nondescript box. She held it in her hands like it contained life's secret.
"It is something only to be opened in a time of danger or trouble." Her voice was slow and pained.
"Saba, is something going on?" She asked, almost not wanting to know.
"Oh, no Alcmene." replied Saba trying to hide the quavering in her voice. "It's just and old heirloom with a legend intertwined."
Alcmene cocked her head curiously at what looked like an innocent box. "What is in it?"
Saba gave her a cryptic smile. "I don't know, I've never opened it." She said bluntly, as she handed Alcmene a little wooden box.
Alcmene examined the little box in her hand; on it was a keyhole. "Saba, there is a keyhole, but I don't have a key."
Saba chuckled. "Oh, yes. Almost forgot about that." And she reached behind her neck, unclasping a necklace looping around a key. "Here."
Alcmene took the key in her hand. "Thank you." And she started to walk away, but before she could do so, Saba stopped her.
"Alcmene, wait." Saba whispered. "I need to tell you something." She patted her bed to indicate that Alcmene should sit down.
"Saba, what is it?" Alcmene asked, pulling herself onto the grand four- poster, her face drawn with concern.
Saba sighed. "What I'm going to tell you, is not going to make very much sense, as of now. But I hope, that at a later date, you will understand."
Alcmene shifted anxiously. "Please tell me Saba."
" I was born a long way from her, many, many years ago in a land very different from Talos. I was a member of the Emene clan, which was made up of priestesses. The Emene were given something called the Modsiw. This stone supposedly kept peace in our land and was passed down through the head female in the Amaranta line, which was started by Naisere Amaranta. When it was my mother's turn to take possession of the stone, there was a scandal. Nariah, another priestess in the clan, stated that it was unfair that only those in the Amaranta line should posses the stone, and so the stone was split into two parts, one given to my mother, the other to Nariah.
"But something unexpected happened. When the stone was split, the place I once resided became twisted with turmoil. People, who were once peaceful and content, began to start riots, and rebellions. While my mother kept her half of the stone safe, Nariah used her stone malevolently, casting dangerous spells, and instilling fear in the people of my land. She soon rose to be a powerful priestess, but very much feared. The Emene clan was forced to eliminate Nariah, but to no avail. Nariah was just too strong. The only thing that became of it all was two pieces of stone, and a broken clan. I was forced to take the stones, and forget about my priestess ways.
"And forget, I did. In a matter of years, I had almost completely forgotten who I once was, and what had happened. The people of my land had forgotten too, and life there steadily turned back to normal. But then I met a man of my wildest dreams. Ferran, he was called. I soon fell in love with him, and before I knew it, I married him. I gave him one half of the stone as a token. I did not think the stone would have any effect, due to the fact that he was not of the clan and not a woman. The stone did strange things to him. He became obsessed with power, and even began tutoring a young prince, to gain political standing. It became too much for me. I could not stand to see the man I once loved turn into such a cruel hearted being. So I fled. I fled to Talos, with the other stone intact. Here I met a young prince, your grandfather, whom I later married and had your father."
Alcmene looked at her, clearly bewildered, wondering why Saba was telling her all of this now, and not any time before. "Saba, but what happened to the other half of the stone?"
Saba smiled, almost sadly. "That is something you must discover for yourself. All I can tell you is that greed divided the stone, goodness must put it back together, and that together the stones are wisdom, apart they are treachery." She got up and looked at Alcmene. "Go, it is time for you to sleep. I will miss you Alcmene."
Alcmene looked at her in disbelief. "What are you talking about Saba? I will see you in the morning at breakfast."
" I will see you, but not tomorrow." She smiled again. "Go to bed, Alcmene."
Alcmene left, confused. What had Saba meant by all that, what was she trying to tell her? When she entered her room, she placed the little box in one of her dresser drawers and went to sleep, trying to sort out what her grandmother had said.