111. You’ll be Crying Soon

Louis

We had thought that Marcus would be gone in an hour. I opened the room door. I heard them in the shower. I had never seen Juliet with anyone. Only in her thoughts and kissing. But never naked. They were also not talking or laughing. I had to steel myself before I entered the room… I slowly walked over, clearing my throat.

“Hey Louis. Come on in,” Marcus said. “I have to go.” He climbed out rather quickly, throwing the loofah at me. Grabbing a towel, he started drying himself off. I was taken aback.

Marcus was already in work mode. Juliet was shaking. Not from being cold. Marcus didn’t even notice. She didn’t want him to go. Biting back tears, she bit her bottom lip. I gave it a minute, hoping he would handle it better that time. Not like when we came to the compound. We didn’t know when we would see him again, and the fear gnawed at her... She closed the water. I took another towel and draped it over her shoulders. She couldn’t even look at me.

“Oh, baby. Was it that good?” I finally said, knowing he would leave without noticing the waterworks. He stopped abruptly, staring at us. There was a knock at the door.

“Hey, Louis. I need to talk to you.” Michael opened without waiting. Closing it again. He didn’t know what he was walking into. Marcus still just had a towel around his waist staring at Juliet, trying to figure out what to do. Michael slowly took in the scene. Juliet was in my arms, sniffling…Hair wet.

His eyes flashed to Marcus. His teeth grinding. “What did I tell you? What did you do?” He spat at Marcus.

Bachelor number two had never had to deal with Juliet. All that she was and needed. He was used to short periods, long absences. Marcus stuttered, “You told me to come, Louis… I thought she understood.”

My head snapped around. Michael walked over and pushed him on the shoulder, telling him to shut up. All three paused when Juliet got out of the bath.

Her eyes slowly came up to mine… “He didn’t come by himself?” She took a ragged breath. My gut was wrenching. “You asked… Him to come?” Voice braking… “How could you do that, Louis?” I was speechless. Gripping onto her arms.

Her gaze met with Marcus’s. “You didn’t want to come? You didn’t plan this? F-!” She yelled so loud. Her eyes rested on me again. “How could you take that from me. He had to make the choice.”

The whole situation was going downhill fast... All the red flags went up. I had stuffed up. I tried to hold on to her, but she shrugged me off. “Baby, no. Please. I think I made a mistake. I thought I was helping. He needed the push.”

I turned to Marcus. “Do you have any kind of discernment, you idiot! What is wrong with you?”

Marcus’s face was turned away from me. “You know what, Louis… who will get her to Caleb… You?” He snorted.

That time I walked over and hit him. He wasn’t expecting it… and I didn’t hold back. Manifested used my ability. His lip split, he went flying and broke the cupboards against the wall.

Marcus didn’t like it. Staggering back up. “Do you think that this is easy for me?!” He got up… picked up his clothes, and started getting dressed.

“It sure seems easy. You’re not here.”

“Your complaining that you are Louis? Is she getting too much for you? Too much to handle?”

Michael grabbed his shirt and fisted it. “You better shut the hell up, or we will take her and leave. You will never see her again.”

Marcus’s face contorted. His chest rose and fell. He didn’t like Michael making demands. “I don’t have time for this! Do you even know what would happen if Ahasuerus decides to cut off all transport? Juliet! You have to grow up. This is bigger than your freaking feelings. You have to stop manipulating me.”

Michael’s arm pulled back, and he planted one in Marcus’s nose. Marcus had to take two steps back to keep his balance. Feeling his nose, he pinched it at the bridge. Blood trickled down over his lips.

“Do you think you’ll see Louis or me again? There are no papers for him. Your other husband… We don’t even know where he came from. No record of his parents or why he got to live the way he did… You’ll stay… alone. Michael will die, and you’ll be alone on earth.”

“You know what, Marcus… You always have an excuse… I’m sick of it. You have to, at one point in your life, take responsibility. You have been there too long… The power is getting to you, and when push comes to shove, you won’t choose her… and I gave you the one thing you wanted.” I retorted.

Marcus was walking up to me. Juliet stepped in front of me just as he pulled back and was going to punch me. Michael had already started moving. Marcus stopped just in time… not to hit her. We all stood frozen with his fist inches away from her face. Everything was getting out of hand…

“Ahasuerus isn’t dead…. Yet.” He whispered and lowered his hand. His eyes softened. “And if he invaded Zoreah and took over, we will have to deal with him for a lot longer.”

We all stood staring. Waiting for him to explain himself. But he didn’t. He only ran it by me… Explaining Zoreah, the time the seasons. That he only had a few months to maybe get Chris back… He has been waiting for the acceptance of the invitation.

He had to be there... He felt he needed to study and train and work. Find something that Zoreah needed… Figure out the teleporters so he could go anywhere he wanted.

“Go, Marcus. There is always going to be something. And you could have let me know….”

“What do you want me to do first? Please, if you can do this better, take over.”

“I at least know where my home is. I at least come home. You just didn’t want to.”

Marcus was holding his nose at the bridge. He went into the toilet and blew it hard to get all the gunk out. He swore at the sting it created. “Last night was your fault and was a mista….” After realizing what he said, his eyes shot up to Juliet’s. She gave a half-hearted sardonic laugh and walked to her cupboards. Tired of standing. Tired… He covered his mouth, running his fingers over his lips. He was just making it worse… He didn’t mean it like that. Marcus was holding on by a thread. Not used to any of the emotions. Slowly he walked around the corner. Juliet was getting dressed. She had put a t-shirt on and was pulling up sleeping shorts. She turned around and fell into Michael’s arms.

Marcus didn’t like it… A scowl on his brow.

“I’m sorry, Julie. I’m not very good at this.” He said softly. Juliet was close to disappearing. “Come with me to En-gannim for the night. That’s all I can give you.”

I grabbed Marcus in my arms and kissed his cheek. Picking him up like a child. “Why didn’t you say that after, you idiot.”

Michael pulled her back to her closet, taking off her shirt and handing her clothes. She smirked at him while he was watching her.

I didn’t like the look on Marcus’s face… He was still too jealous. Michael wanted to pick up the hairdryer. Marcus walked past them. “There is no time for that.” He glanced at his watch. “I’m late for a meeting.” He took her hand, and they ran. Kubra was in the car waiting.

“You better tell her… Marcus. I’m not doing it!” He waved his hand in the air.

***

“Are you going to tell me?” Michael asked.

“Yeah! Why don’t we go sit down? Call everyone out. It’s going to be a long night waiting up for her.”

***

Marcus

Juliet was on her couch in my study. Lying down. Reading a book and playing with her hair. If there was a knock on the door, she just disappeared.

She was actually in my office... I didn’t know why Louis had asked me to go. I never thought of our first time like that. Rushed… just to get it over with. Her eyes come over the rim of the book. I was staring at her and not concentrating. It didn’t seem to bother her. She had a massive smile on her face. One I didn’t know what to do with.

I had so much work waiting. It wasn’t like I wanted to. Life was unfair to us all at that stage... There was a knock again. “Come in.” Ian came in with what felt like a bucket of little black rolls.

Currently, I’m trying to figure out what makes the time change from here to there. The history and the wars and what it was about.

I bumped my knee when Juliet touched me under the table. “What?” Ian asked. “Are you okay?” I shoed him out. The door closed. I pushed back my chair. She scooted closer on her knees. Her hands ran up my legs until she held onto my waist. Pulling me closer… desperation in her eyes… for something I wasn’t giving her.

My gaze flickered to the door. She was gone. It opened, and Ahasuerus came in. I stood up bowing.

He took two steps into the room and stopped. “Juliet? Come out right now.” She sat on the couch but slowly dropped to the floor. He grunted and scoffed at the same time.

“Get up and sit down.” She did what she was told. “Sit down Marcus. I won’t touch her again.”

He sat down across from her. Juliet’s hands nervously rubbed in her lap, her head bent down. He watched her for a moment. “Why are you here?”

Don’t tell him. Don’t say anything…

“Marcus and I consummated our relationship last night… I didn’t want to be away from him.”

He didn’t say anything or get up to slap her.

“Well. You killed my last child. The one that wiped out my entire family. I would never have been able to do it. Neither would Marcus. But a little girl sliced open his back and ripped out his spine… I really don’t know how to get over the fact that you are a woman. So young… You know… your mother only met your father after a hundred. You’re a child with four men fighting through the galaxy for you… What is it? That you possess?”

Juliet didn’t answer. What did he want her to say.

“What do you want to ask? I have never had a conversation with a woman. Seeing that you’re coming to take over my throne, we might as well. Feel free to speak your mind.”

“Why?”

“Women are good for one thing.” Her eyes shot to mine. I cringed. I should never have slept with her.

“What is a woman’s advantage with the brandings besides being able to conquer a throne.”

“You say that as if it’s not enough.” Her eyes met mine… again, and I cringed. How many times have we ordered her body around using the branding? It wasn’t like it gave her any control.

“I don’t see the worth in it… All I see is the want for more.” Her eyes were still on mine. Meaning that she will never be enough for me. There was always an excuse. She went on. “More children. More power. More wives. More power. More time. More power.”

“We all have to choose our path, Juliet. A woman was never made to understand the path of a man. That is why you belong in the kitchen.”

“That might be. But I would never be happy in a kitchen. And it doesn’t seem that you are happy with your power. Your children and your world.”

“I don’t care about being happy. You have been living with humans too long. Too much in your human state. There are reasons why we can manifest. We are not human, and we don’t fight for happiness. Or the lives of our children.”

“Then what?” Her tone rose.

“The future. Isn’t it worth it for the next generations to have the best possible opportunities available to them? Prepare them. Show them. Teach them.”

“Why did you leave him there? He is just as much influenced as I am.”

Ahasuerus’s head dropped in a defeated bob. He sighed. Both their eyes shot to mine. She was right. It had been a mistake. His biggest mistake.

“Why did you not use me? Why fight against me?”

“The thing is, Juliet. You and I… we are exactly the same. We want to decide what happens in our own lives. There isn’t space for me and you in Marcus’s life... And when I pin you down in the arena and hand you the knife, I will be free… And Marcus will go on as before... Just like today when he wanted to leave you after he slept with you the first time. You know deep down you mean nothing.”

She jumped up. Staring down at him. Forgetting all formalities. It had hurt her… I had hurt her… I could have said no… but I didn’t… Or, I could at least have stayed.

“He is like that because of you… Qadir was like that because of you. Had a woman raised your children, Danny would still be here...” I thought he would get up. “Why do you think I asked Agatha if I could kill her husband. Women make decisions differently… I don’t force myself on others… My opinions and ways…” She snorted and chuckled. “You forget that I don’t demand anyone to fight for me. They just do… Even if Marcus did want to leave right after.” Her voice broke… tears pooling. “And it hurt... I will wait… because Marcus matters… You have nothing left to fight for.”

Juliet wasn’t even angry. She turned around, headed for the door, and called Kubra.

He was right. I didn’t even care. I didn’t know if I even wanted to go. I jumped out of the bath with a spring in my step. Our first time was over. My gut churned with the possibility that it might have been the last time. Why the hell did I go. The anticipation was something we had to keep us together.

I was lost in my thoughts. Ahasuerus stood infront of me. “And you? What do you want… You got your chit. She is out of your system, or you wouldn’t be here. No…. You could have gone a long time ago. It’s been a year, and you made one decision for her. Took the compound. And then? And now?”

My arm swiped over the table infront of me. The two glasses smashed into the wall. “F-!” I was so sick of everything.

When I think about it… we were amazing together... But it was just sex. Our kissing meant more. My eyes closed when I just thought about us kissing.

“You don’t have to compete for her anymore. You had her. You branded her first. You proved yourself, but Juliet will still not choose you… Why…?”

I didn’t want to answer… “Why Marcus? Why did she sleep with Soren!” I didn’t want to say…

“Are you really going to let her kill herself… You will have to do it…” My eyes slowly raised to his. “If you think you are strong, I am stronger. I have been training for nine hundred years. Every day because I know what I’m fighting for. You seem a little lost at the moment... And I am not giving my planet to some twenty-year-old girl... And I am not letting you do it either.”

He turned around and left.