Chapter 2

Arrival

Chapter Two-

I feel my body feel numb and tingly as his words sink in. 

Marniah of our own Central City!

“Oh No”, I croak as my throat goes dry, “That’s me…”

I suddenly feel every eye in the hall boring into my skin as they hear my declaration.  The voices of all the other girls start to buzz and echo through my frozen brain. Sira whips her head towards me, her eyes wide with shock.  She reaches toward me, but her hand drops before it reaches my arm. 

“Oh Marni,” she breathes.

“Don’t look at me like that!” I hiss as I get the wild urge to slap the awed look off of her face.  The large doors of the hall bang open and Sira’s eyes grow so large that I think they might pop out of her sockets.  I stifle a hysterical giggle and turn towards the sound.  The hall is filling with palace guards.  It takes me a second to realize that they are looking for me.  I feel a thin thread of anger start to wind behind my eyes.  No, this absolutely is not happening.  I turn back towards Sira to tell her that the computer has made a mistake, but she bows her head and sinks towards the floor.  The rest of the crown follows her example and I’m left the only one standing.  The guards start towards me now that they have a definite target.  I look over all of the bent heads towards the sensescreen to see President Ekthros clapping and smiling along with the rest of the Parliament.  Queen Lessa stands beside him now and she has a slight smile on her face.  I’m sure that she is imagining some happy, excited girl out here who has just been given the best gift in the world.  Instead the world gets me. 

The guards reach the spot where I seem to have grown roots and start to usher me towards the doors.  Everything to moving too fast.  My feet plant themselves against the pulling hands and I stop momentarily.

 I can see Sira’s white-blond head still bowed and call towards her, “Sira, go get my parents.  This has to be a mistake!” 

I see her eyes look up before a firm hand takes me by the arm and steers me forward again.  I fight the urge to smack the fingers that grip me.  Mostly because I now realize that the entire country has seen my less than dignified reaction and my face flames with embarrassment.  A quiet voice whispers in my ear, “The Choice has been made.  The computer doesn’t make mistakes.”

I glance up and discover that the owner of the deep voice is a tall young man with black hair and a nose that has been broken more than once.  He plants his other hand on the small of my back and pushes me down the steps towards a black lift that has appeared in the south square.  I don’t know if it is the sight of theLift or the unfamiliar touch that makes me stop again, but I plant my feet in the dirt and meet the guard’s sharp green eyes. 

“I’m not getting on that lift.” I spit with venom behind my voice.

One corner of his mouth turns up slightly, “You don’t really have a choice, Your Highness.  Your feet might touch the ground a couple of times, but I am going to put you in that Lift.”

I meet his eyes again and see that he means it.  I can also see that it makes no difference to him what my choice is.  I can fight well, but not a dozen trained palace guards.  I’d look ridiculous on national broadcast and in the end what little vanity I have wins out.  I shake off his hand and walk past the right wing of the lift to the door.  I thrust my chin into the air and climb into the seat with as much grace as I can muster.  The tall dark guard gets in behind me and slams the door shut for takeoff.  I can feel the thrusters under the craft hum and my stomach lurches as we leave the ground.  I can see the south square slowly get smaller beneath me as the lift rises.  The statue of Miles Lowry glints in the watery sunlight and I remember my 2^nd year history for the second time today.  Miles Lowry is the savior of mankind.  The plaque on his statue says so.  He was the one who gathered the meteors that fell from Moon 2 and discovered Lunarium: the strongest material in the known universe.  He found a way to bond the new element with plastic and created the first of 24 Domes that would protect us from the effects of the new moon.  The elastic properties of the plastic cushion us from the earthquakes that rip across the plant during springtime when our second moon is closest to the planet.  The Lunarium properties of the Dome protect us from heat, harmful gases, ash that erupts from volcanoes that result from the close orbit.  After four months the ground settles and the skies clear giving us time and sunlight to travel, farm, and, of course, build more domes.  Almost 86% of the population died in what used to North America during the first wave of natural disasters.  With the invention and Miles Lowry gave the survivors hope and a path to the future.  We gave him a statue in a garden.  Not exactly a fair trade.  We are taught that he died before he could realize the full impact of his discovery.  Pity.

I realize how callous that sounds but honestly I’m finding it hard to feel sorry for anyone but myself at the moment.  As we fly through the air my situation really starts to sink in.  This would be my life now.  Ruling a country means putting up with things like public appearances, armed escorts, and making decisions on behalf of the people.  My people.

  I feel panic start to rise in my throat as I remember that I have no idea how to do anything even remotely close to ruling a country. Why, oh God, why would the stupid computer pick me? I have a hard time keeping up with my responsibilities as it is and now a machine wants me to manage the affairs of an entire country? 

  The panic hardens into a tough lump that threatens to erupt into a full blown sobbing fit.  My mother’s words suddenly came back to me, “Keep it together in front of those that matter and only cry alone.”

I swallow hard to dislodge the painful lump and squeeze my eyes shut to discourage tearful leakage.  I spend the rest of the short flight preparing myself for the onslaught of cameras that will meet me on the ground at the palace.  I am determined to make up for my bad beginning and make the best of things.  At least that’s what I will keep telling myself, at least until I can be alone.  Then I can feel whatever I want.  My parents are probably as shocked as I am and will be watching when I hit the ground. I want them to be proud of my response. 

The lift starts to descend and I take one last look out at the landscape beyond the dome walls.  It is a clear day in the fall so I can see Dome 23 only three miles away.  The ground between our Dome and 23 is cracked and broken from hundreds of years of new shifting, but it is green with grass and a few trees cling to life. 

The Lift gently sets down on soft gravel and I can see the crown gathered behind ropes that line the path up to the palace doors.  The tall guard gets out first and offers a hand to help me down.  I am tempted to push past it, but I want to appear queenly so I take it and climb down the stairs.

“Thank you”, I say out of the side of my mouth.  He bows politely in response.

 The crowd includes reporters from other Domes along with their cameras that are all pointed in my direction.  I gather my courage and smile what I hope is a cheerful smile and transfer nervous energy into a lively wave.  The crowd cheers wildly and suddenly, with all the cameras trained on me, I  feel under dressed in my dull black leggings, dark green tunic, and .  One thing is for certain, I’ll never be allowed to dress plainly in public again.  At least my hair is acceptable in its’ smooth knot at the back of my neck.

 Maybe I’ll start a trend, I think optimistically.

Parliament President Ekthros comes bursting out of the palace doors and sweeps down the steps in slick motions.  Behind him are the other 14 members of Parliament and more guards.  I briefly wonder why there are so many guards everywhere.  There are more than 30 now including the tall one that has become my shadow.  President Ekthros strides over to me, smiles for the cameras, and leans over my hand to kiss it.  His fingers feels boney and his lips are clammy as they press against my skin.  I fight a shiver and beam with fake sweetness into his hard eyes.  With another wave at the cameras Ekthros tucks my hand in the crook of his arm and leads me up the stairs and through the thick glass doors into the largest hallway I have ever seen.  You could fit my entire housing pod in the entryway of this place.  Thinking of home makes me remember where I am supposed to be right now.  Getting ready for my graduation ceremony and talking about my future with my mother.  My future.  I feel dread leech into my bones as I realize the death of my dreams.  The Genetic Library… I’d never have the chance to work there now.  My knees feel weak all of a sudden.

 “I’d like to sit down please!”

Everyone who had been talking and laughing now looked at me with expressions of surprise mingled with concern.

  Ekthros recovered first, “Of course!  This must be quite a lot to take in!  Your primp chamber  is around the corner, you can rest there.”

He smiles at me indulgently, but the name sounded stupid so I had to ask, "Primp chamber?”

“Oh yes,” he replies, “You need to be prepared for the coronation in a few hours.  Everything will be arranged for you.  All you need do is learn your oaths and sit quietly while your maids dress you.”

Before I could start in on any number of questions that I had about that last sentence we turned the corner and stepped into the first door on the right. 

My first thought is, My Gods, I could go blind from the amount of pink in this room. 

I must have said this out loud because there is a rumble of laughter that moves through the crowd.  I can’t seem to tear my eyes away from the room.  The amount of color in the room almost makes me nauseous.  Rich flowers, fluffy carpet, and silk chairs all scream at my eyes in blinding shades of pink and mauve. 

Only the very rich can afford brightly colored fabric, hence my drab green tunic and brown shoes.  I barely notice when President Ekthros pushes me into the room and moves away to leave. 

As he is walking away I overhear a comment that makes my cheeks flame red.

“At least this one is semi-attractive.  I was afraid we’d get another repulsive girl like the last one.  Have you ever seen the pictures from that coronation?”  Ekthros whispers to an assistant and chuckles. 

His voice trails off down the hallway.  I glance one more time at the door only to see my shadow guard looking at me.  He was close enough to have heard the whole thing.  If my cheeks get any hotter I think I may burst into flame.  I’m not sure if I should say something, but before I get the chance he gives me that half smile I remember from what seems like hours ago, turns smartly and marches down the hall.  Maybe he didn’t hear anything after all, I think.  At least he didn’t laugh…

  I watch his broad back move away and then I hear a tiny cough from behind me.  Startled I turn around quickly to see a line of girls standing along the far wall of the pink room. 

A short girl in a blue striped uniform stepped out of the lineup and curtseyed in front of me. 

“My name is Amica, but you can call me Ami if it pleases your Majesty.  I’m you head attendant.”

My head attendant?

“How many attendants do I have?”

“Quite a few, Your Majesty”

“Call me Marni.”

“I don’t think that would be appropriate your Majesty.”

I frowned.  I had been for maybe an hour and already the titles sounded absurd.

“Is there anything you can call me that doesn’t sound ridiculous?”

Her eyes were still on the floor, but I thought perhaps there was a hint of humor in them.

“We could refer to you as “Lady”.  Would that make you feel better, your Majesty?”

Well, it didn’t have that uptight ring to it and I am trying to be a lady.

“Sure.  ‘Lady’ sounds great.”

The line of maids chittered with laughter which surprisingly made me feel better.  Maybe if these girls treated me like a person instead of royal candy glass everything would be alright.  Ami gave them a stern look that silenced their minor outburst.

She stood up and headed for the closet while talking over her shoulder at me. 

“Would you like anything before we get started, my Lady?”

“No.  I just want to get this over with.”

The maids, apparently finding my morose attitude highly entertaining, tittered again and flew into action grabbing scissors and jewelry and clothing from various drawers and boxes scattered throughout the room. 

One of the girls led me to one of the sickly pink chairs and I sat down to endure the preparations to come.  As the maids started work on my hair and nails I found myself wondering idly where my shadow guard had gone to and of he would come back. 

If President Ekthros is the kind of man that I think he is, a nasty one judging from his comment on my appearance, then I could use all of the help and protection I could get.