Keerat led a small contingent of armed men and women, their faces twisted in menacing scowls. They formed a circle around him, brandishing their weapons. Keerat strode toward the cluster of news cameras in the center of the temple, bellowing, “Over be their reign!”
The few cameras still pointed at the High Priestess pivoted to focus on him. “For sixty years, his family line has ruled the colony. Too many remote regions like my great Isle of Modhikat have been stifled by his family’s poor leadership. Cousin, you cannot deny me my turn like your father did to my father forty years ago.”
Bel borrowed the High Priestess’ headset so everyone could hear him. “Your turn? Keerat, you know our elective monarchy votes every twelve years to keep the sitting monarch or have them step down. Your father lost every election. If you want the throne, campaign against me in four years.”
Silence fell on the assembly as every eye and camera trained on Keerat, waiting for his response.
Unmoved by Bel-mar’s statement, Keerat yelled, “My father wasted his lifetime begging King Ajeet-mar for money to modernize our infrastructure.” He sneered into camera. “I am not here to beg. I am here to demand Bel and Nordhi give the throne to someone who will lead us to greatness.” He pumped his clenched fist into the air, trying to stir up support.
Instead of endorsing his cause, the crowd recoiled in shock. All eyes turned to King Bel-mar, anxious for his response.
Bel-mar waited until he had made eye contact with Artee. “Keerat, words cannot heal the rift that drove us apart as teenagers. We are men now and both of our fathers are dead. You could have tried to reconcile. Instead, you came here to steal the throne entrusted to my family by the citizens of our world.” He narrowed his eyes, voice hardening. “I hereby charge you with treason.” He nodded at Artee and barked, “Arrest them!”
At the king’s command, security androids rushed to form a protective cordon, shielding the crowd from the conspirators’ weapons. Keerat let out a mocking laugh. “How so like you. Little Bel who hated droids now commands them to sacrifice themselves for him.”
“Surrender peacefully and I will guarantee a fair and open trial.”
An ominous silence hung in the air before Keerat replied, “Step down now before I have to kill you and your family.”
In a commanding voice that echoed from the temple walls, Artee shouted, “Guards, protect your king.”
To the amazement of everyone in the temple, dozens of guards disguised as guests placed berets on their heads and pulled out concealed weapons. They converged on Keerat’s small force to disarm them. The security forces then whisked the royal family to a safe house. The military secured the royal estate before allowing Bel-mar and his family to return.
Artee waited until the family had eaten dinner and the queen was bathing Rangpu before updating Bel-mar. “Only half of the force that we estimate was on the ships have been captured. I believe they were dispersed in cells around the capital city to seize key infrastructure. My security forces are hunting them down.”
Bel-mar’s eyes showed relief. “I doubted you about my cousin. I am grateful you planned for the worst anyway. What is your next move?”
“King Bel-mar. Now that everyone who tried to kill you and your family has been captured, the extension on your assassination has ended. Prepare to die.”
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I’ve been so busy, I forgot the extension was about to end. “You just said there are other conspirators at large. The safety of my family is not assured until all the perpetrators have been tried and punished.”
“You have my assurances, they will be captured. Your continued existence is not required. The courts will handle punishment.”
“I promised you and Keerat a fair trial and assure you that will happen.” Bel held up a hand to stop Artee from repeating his previous statement. “Since I was their primary target, that makes me the prosecution’s key witness. Therefore, I am not prepared to die.”
The fingers of Artee’s repaired arm twitched like a gunfighter warming up for a showdown. “Because it would hinder the process of Justice, I will not kill you until after the trials.”
Instead of regaining his calm, the king seethed. “You really test the limits of my patience. You repeatedly go to extraordinary lengths to save my life and then threaten to end it moments later.” Bel-mar shook his head in frustration. “My cousin is sitting in a prison cell for threatening to kill me once. I have lost count of your threats against me.”
The assassin shifted into a fighting stance, his repaired arm twitching for action. “If you are threatening me, that would violate our original conditions–”
Bel-mar waved his hands. “It’s not a threat.” He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. “It has been a long and emotionally fraught day. I am upset and you are the only one I can openly express my frustrations to.” The king bowed his head and pressed the palms of his hands to his eyes. “I just want to be with my family. Please leave.”
* * *
“Bel.. sorry, Bel-mar, why would Keerat do this? Why is he so angry at you?” the queen inquired when he entered their bedroom.
“Because I married you, dear Nordhi-sha. He has envied our relationship since we were teenagers.”
From her position in bed, she asked, “Do you think he is jealous enough that he would have killed you?”
Bel-mar paused his undressing. “Not me... us. He wanted to kill us.”
She sat up. “Surely you cannot mean that.”
“It was no accident that Artee’s security forces were prepared for today.” Bel-mar changed into his evening robe, his movements tense. “I never mentioned any of this because, until today, I did not believe in Artee’s suspicions.”
“What suspicions?”
“Ever since our wedding, Artee has suspected Keerat is trying to kill me so he can become king. When you became pregnant, my cousin considered Rangpu a threat and tried to have him killed too.”
Nordhi-sha gasped. “When? Why was I not told about it?”
“The lion attack. Artee has evidence the lion was smuggled into the garden to kill you both.”
“I never would have thought Keerat was capable of being so spiteful. What are you going to do to him?”
Bel-mar paced, punctuating the air with his index finger as he spoke. “I wish the lion were still alive so I could feed him to it. Regrettably, it is not, and I promised a fair trial.” He stopped mid-stride. “I can recommend he do hard labor for the rest of his miserable life.”
Nordhi-sha frowned. “That would only make you look petty.”
Throwing his hands up in exasperation, the king exclaimed, “He tried to kill you, he tried to kill our unborn son, and today he tried to steal the throne. What would you have me do?”
Nordhi-sha replied, her voice calm and measured. “Let a jury decide his fate.”
“As king, it is my duty to protect the integrity of the government. As a husband, am I not honor-bound to take retribution on anyone who threatens my family?”
The queen stared at the blanket for a moment. “I want him to pay as well, but we are the king and queen. The needs of the colony must take precedence over our desires.”
Now she sounds like my mother. Bel-mar cocked an eyebrow. “How is a harsh punishment not in the interests of the colony by deterring others from rising up?”
She recited a passage from their pre-coronation training: “The royalty must be a beacon of hope and inspiration against the harsh reality of this world.” Her eyes met his, her expression resolute. “If you act out like a tyrant, the seeds of doubt Keerat planted in people’s minds will sprout. If those doubts take root and grow into grievances, we might lose the next election.”
Bel-mar settled on the bed, his eyes shining with adoration as he kissed his wife’s face. “How did I get so lucky to marry a woman with an abundance of brains and beauty?” He joined her under the blankets, and they channeled the turbulent emotions of the day’s events into passion.