As she walked towards the door, she noticed the hand painted murals either side of her on the stone walls. They were stunning depictions of the forests to the left and the chaos of War to her right.
Right now, she wanted war. After almost getting her friends and her brother killed. She wanted to Slaughter Ares.
Of course, Alessandria was a Procurator by nature and the fact she was a Dominicus Procurator made her feel guilty about wanting to kill Ares without a trial. Alessandria almost felt as if she was letting her Procurators down and not leading by example.
However, the sound of a big wooden stick tapping on the stone floor made her turn around and walk backwards smiling for a few moments before turning back around. Reminding her this wasn't about being a Procurator, this was being a best friend, a sister and a loyal servant to her Queen. She needed to kill Ares for them, to protect them.
Knowing that Daniel, Hellen and Nemesio were all behind her in this, she turned the door latchet, feeling the cold metal against her skin, and opened the door.
Revealing a massive rooftop balcony with a shiny white marble floor and beautifully carved marble pillars with a golden guard railing running along the top of the pillars.
Stepping out onto the balcony, the warm afternoon sun gently warmed her skin and the sun shone dimly reflecting on the shiny marble.
Continuing to walk out onto the balcony, the warm salty air filled her nose, making her want to sneeze. Then she saw him. Alessandria saw Ares leaning against the guard rail staring out over the country he had just tried to destroy.
Looking back at Daniel and her friends, they all nodded. They all wanted her to have the honour and she was not going to resist.
“Ares!” Alessandria shouted as she walked to him and stopped a few metres from him.
“I really tried you know. I wanted to be successful. I wanted to rule,”
“That was never your choice, and you were successful. You were loved and admired by the men and women that served under you,”
“Perhaps, but I wanted to make Ordericous what it once was. We used to be a superpower. If we demanded something other countries would come calling. Then past kings made stupid errors. The military should rule!”
“That is not you to decide. I doubt Ordericous would be better off with a military dictatorship,”
“You don’t know that. I would have... ruled and done right by my people,”
“Ha. How? By forcing them into military service and shipping them away to fight your futile wars?”
He nodded.
“It is honourable to serve the throne,”
“Yes, but it is not for everyone,”
“Then those people must die,”
“You have deluded yourself Ares,”
>
As he started to nod to himself, Alessandria knew that at least a part of him knew what he did was wrong. It was never up to him or any other to decide who sits upon the throne.
However, Alessandria knew she still needed to punish him despite his partial repentance.
“The assassins, why?” she asked.
“I had the money. They’re all dead now. Such a waste of money and life. I am sorry for wasting those lives,”
“That is not the point. If there is a god on the other side, then plea with him or her. Do not plea to me,”
Alessandria started to walk slowly towards him. Feeling the cold stone ground as she moved.
“Who is the Triad? You and two others. Who are they?”
“No one you can touch. I might have waited but the Word Bearer will deal with your brother soon enough,”