Chipped Heartz & Broken Smilez

A Silent Threat

I stood at the top of the staircase and looked down as our entry was announced by one of the robot butlers. The number of families that made up grids A and B could be counted on seven hands, and most of them had been gathered here tonight to celebrate the union of Alexander and me. Alexander held my arm, and we started down the steps, the skirt of my pink dress sweeping behind me. A white mask covered my eyes.

I noticed my family; mother, sisters, brothers, cousins, aunts and uncles sitting in the left wing. The Prime Minister and his favourite wife for the season sat on decorative golden thrones near the back of the room. Our leader, though old, was still lean and turning seventy instead of the rumoured three thousand years old. Deep lines creased his face as he smiled at me. His favourite wife of the season, number three, was an Asian lady with a small face, golden skin and monolid eyes. Her stern expression said she was mildly impressed.

A few years from now, the prime minister and his wives will drink poison and peacefully pass away in their sleep. Alex would take over as prime minister, and everything would continue as it did before. The people would never see their leader grow old and weak. And our leaders wouldn't have to deal with the hassles of old age.

The loose straps of my dress seemed as if they had simply slipped off my shoulders. Small diamonds worth more than a hundred thousand dollars decorated the bodice of my gown. Alex placed his hand on the small of my back as we left the stairs behind and walked down the aisle to his father. The audience watched us in captivated silence.

When we reached the thrones, we knelt before the old man and his wife, then stood and waited for their blessing. Alex's father nodded at me, but his stepmother twisted her lips in disgust and snorted. I glanced at Alex; he shrugged.

The Prime Minister said, "I look forward to seeing the two of you married. My body grows tired, and I'm no longer capable of the physical feats I could do when I was younger; passing the torch to such a hardworking son and his beautiful wife is nothing short of a blessing."

I smiled.

Alex said, "I'll represent you to the best of my abilities, Father. No one will know you ever left."

The old prime minister chuckled. "You already have the image down; now, all you need is the experience. Don't forget to hold your ground when lesser men try to shake you down. Whatever they say, you're the king; your decision is final. If your people get out of hand, punish them. If they behave well, give them plenty of gifts and festivals in celebration, but make sure they never mistake you as someone they can abuse."

Alex bowed his head, absorbing his father's words.

The old prime minister glanced at me, and I curtsied out of respect. He addressed me, saying, "You're young, and young people make mistakes, but I hope you learn to respect our family's reputation and mind your actions. By marrying Alex, you become a reflection of us. So, be careful of how you interact with others from now on. As much as I like you, you can be easily replaced."

At his admonishment, the third wife smiled.

Under their study, sweat gathered under my armpits. My fingers clutched my dress as I remained bowed. "I apologize for any wrongdoings and promise to work on myself."

The wife nodded, then spoke, "It's a shame to hear about the mysterious illness spreading through U-grid. So many homeless people are dying one after the other.... Oh, dear, it hurts my heart."

By mysterious illness, they meant the improper vaccination practices carried out by the boys from lower grids after the uppers abandoned them. A fierce feeling stung the back of my eyeballs, but I avoided the urge to glare at the woman and dug my nails into my palms to stay composed. I replied, "How strange it all is. We tried to help them, but this new illness was most unexpected. My heart goes out to those who survive."