The Queen was not a particular fan of her sister because of her tantrums and honestly hoped that she would not even attend the trial. She sternly rebuked her sister. “Young Viridiania, I will allow you to speak, but I will not permit you to ramble on in unnecessary outbursts. You are only to stay on the topic at hand!”
Viridiania smirked devilishly as she approached the center of the room. Before she spoke, the Queen quickly ran up to her and place her hand over her younger sister’s forehead. The virtual reel of Viridiana’s relationship with Vadiim was revealed, but the Queen altered the sequences so that everyone appeared in human form to remain consistent with Keinah.
Viridiania and Vadiim’s first formal introduction was at the coronation of Queen Ordessa. Viridiania was shy and almost afraid to meet the General because of his highly revered reputation. Vadiim himself appeared ill at ease. He never enjoyed going to royal banquets, even though he often had to attend as an honored guest. Viridiania sheepishly walked up to him and offered him a small vial of wine for relaxation. The pair walked out to the palace calla lily garden and talked for a long time. They flirtatiously laughed, and when the royal orchestra played her favorite song, she enticed him to dance with her.
Viridiania was not ashamed of her reel of interaction with Vadiim. However, she was gravely wounded in pride; he was not provoked into displaying a passionately rash act of concern on her behalf. More than anything, she was attracted to his machismo. His indifference caused her to fume with a smoldering rage. As she looked in his direction, all of his attention was on Keinah. He desperately sought to make eye contact as he surveyed her reaction. Keinah intently contemplated the material as it played. Though she knew that most eyes in the room were on her, she could feel Vadiim’s intense gaze. She smiled sincerely to ensure that she was not uncomfortable with the revelation of his past relationship with his ex-lover.
The Reaper slammed his scythe on his podium in protest. “Come on, let’s hurry this along! I haven’t got all day,” he roared.
Queen Ordessa rolled her eyes and fast-forwarded the reel to what seemed to be a heated argument between the lovers.
Viridiania was seen having a tantrum in her manor on the Emerald palace grounds. She screamed, wept, and threw potted flowers all over their bedroom in a fit of rage. “I just don’t understand why you can’t stay,” she raged at Vadiim as he patiently packed his gear.
“My Princess, we have gone ’round in countless circles about this very matter. I am the General of the Emerald clan Legionnaires. I cannot simply skip out on a mission just because of your beckoning call,” Vadiim replied in a calm, but an irritated voice.
“You can’t or you won’t? Which is it?” she screamed in his ear and attempted to remove some articles out of his duffle bag.
Vadiim remained silent and continued to repack his belongings.
Viridiania ran across the room and threw more items at him. “How is it you always find yourself in charge of stupid and ceaseless expeditions during all the Queen’s festivals?” she demanded.
He blocked all of her attempts to hit him with objects and said, “Princess, surely by now you understand that when our emissaries trace reports of threatening activity, it is my job to snuff out the evidence.”
“That would not be the case if only you had accepted at least 1 of my 728 proposals by now and became a nobleman,” she hissed with venom in her voice.
Vadiim embraced her and said, “For me, that would never suffice. It would be like having me ask you to renounce your position to the throne. We are who we are. I would never ask you to change. Why can you not understand this?”
She broke away from his embrace and grabbed an emerald dagger to attack him. He snatched her by the throat and held her up to the ceiling. She let out a yelp and dropped the weapon. He gently but angrily released her, and she sank to the floor. With that, Vadiim collected his duffle bag and charged out of the room. That was the end of their relationship.
The Queen addressed the courtroom. “Now we have seen for ourselves the nature of their dealings. My young sister, Princess Viridiania, the floor is yours.”
Viridiania was not only angry with Vadiim and Keinah but the Queen for putting her in an unpleasant viewpoint to the audience. Both the Queen and Vadiim knew that to most in the room, this was old news. Nevertheless, Viridiania stood before the court to testify against Keinah.
She indignantly began, “Humans are a wasteful bore. They either fall ill from disease or long-term sicknesses or shrivel up like leaves from old age and perish. Of course, that is only if they are not plagued by calamity or murdered by their own kinsmen. They are continuously affected by outside circumstances, seasons, economic standing, and their temperament. This notion of love is far too vain to even consider. Through the ages, we have been spectators of the same pitiful scenarios as they endlessly repeat.”
Keinah became infused with wrath. She pounded a fist on her podium and countered with, “How are the celestials any better? You boast of your immortality, but to what end? Similarly, like humans, you feel rage, pain, and pleasure. These emotions drive you through your existence. Those situations are indeed recycled within the span of human life, but for celestials, there is no pause. In fact, if you are rejected, you carry that burden of unhappiness for eternity. I pity you. That must be a weighty reality.”
Viridiania caved under the piercing gaze of the courtroom. She knew that since she did not have good standing with her kinsmen, nothing would make Keinah look bad to them. The human girl had single-handedly won over the entire Emerald clan. A fiery ball of rage hit the pit of her stomach, which prompted an attempt to assault Keinah. “How dare you insult our kind, you lowly human!” The Triad guards quickly stepped in and held her back as she continued to pursue Keinah. “Your tiny, feeble brain could never comprehend our way of life. That is why there are laws to protect us from the likes of your kind,” she shouted.
Queen Ordessa chastised her sister. “You must be removed at once! I will not have you lay fault or blame solely upon this girl! There are others to accept responsibility as well.” The guards dragged Viridiania by her arms as the courtroom jeered.
The Far Side of Hereafter, Ch. 10
Living Works of D.K. Fair 