The Age of Aquarius

Prologue

"Airiana..." The pause following my name distributed throughout the room, hushing even the swish of the curtain, stopping the bouncing of the flame, and halting the lungs from breathing. There was no exasperated sigh; the time for sympathy had ended. Time stopped; it was the only way. "Your actions continuously demonstrate your unsuitability for your position, and yet, there are constant reactants from your people to allow yet another incidence to remain unnoticed..." That is why time had stopped; no one could argue when they couldn't speak. "Airiana, Your Highness, what am I to do?" Now came the sigh, the baa of exasperation that I had been hoping for.

"Ea, Pan, Your Eminence, my creator, my teacher, my friend," I tilted into a slight crusty, slight enough that the hem of my dress did not hit the floor. "I beg for a chance to explain myself." We weren't always this formal, but desperate times, court hearing...they all call for desperate measures. His Eminence fiddled with the bar of his lute, his fingers so riddled with knots couldn't quite grasp it. He nodded softly, dejected..."I have always had a connection with water, something that couldn't quite be explained. I control the air, as you know, but we Aquarians have always been affected by the water; it's part of us, but an untouchable part, one we can only watch from a distance. Your Eminence, haven't you ever felt drawn to something so strongly that you couldn't help grasp it, hold it...and if you couldn't, haven't you, wouldn't you do anything in your power to do so?"

"What you speak of is heresy and treason. The gods separated your powers for a reason. That draw you feel is temptation, a temptation that must be avoided at all cost for to possess it would mean the destruction of millions of years of peace among the 12 houses. You know this as well as I, and yet, yet..." he spat in anger. "This is now the third time I have heard this case, the third time YOU have been seated in front if me, You of all people, Airiana of the house of Aquarius, direct descendant of the stars, YOU, who are sanctioned to inherit the throne, to inherit the earth, YOU, who should uphold our laws, consistently tempt them, break them....for what? Love? Power? No, no...you have not such passions; curiosity, a draw that cannot be explained. Do you have no other defense? Is that all that you lay before me, a man who has worked to serve you for years?"

"Sire, teacher, eminence, holiness, you are but the supreme example of curiosity. It led to nature, to followers, to beauty, to us...are we not meant to share these temptations, if not, then why must I respect you who with false power do so wield an example of curiosity and yet reject it in the citizens of your great nation."

Ea, ever observing, replied "Curiosity is not the matter in question today." The curtains began to move again; time had commenced. I had but no moment to speak further on my behalf. The decision had been made, and no number of voices could set me free.