Apep stood in front of his Grever council and looked at them all sitting around the circular mahogany wooden table. He wasn’t a very tall man, at only five foot ten, but the members were all completely silent whenever they were in a meeting with him. His blue eyes burned a fierce gaze that none of them had seen before – the sort of glare that said don’t mess with me; I’m dangerous. Apep nearly always wore the same black trousers and white shirt with a black and grey tie. He liked to be smart and believed in being elegant. It gave a good image. He had called this meeting of the council because he wanted to talk to them about something that made him feel very excited – the upcoming birth of his child. A child that would one day take his place as leader of the greatest race of people on the planet.
The council members looked back; some with fear in their hearts; others with awe shining through their eyes. These were the people who were in command underneath Apep – the ones who dealt with the everyday business of the Grever world. He trusted them but had found that some could be relied upon more than others, and some didn’t agree with him ruling the Grevers at all.
“Council, the time has come for the next leader of the Grevers to be brought into this world”, he addressed them formally. “My wife is at the end of her pregnancy and soon you and the whole Grever world will bow down to another member of my family. My heir will be born shortly and will eventually take my place as head of the Grever community.”
Some of the council members looked rather annoyed at this. Apep knew that some of them didn’t like him as a ruler. Some of them could remember a time when Apep wasn’t ruler. Apep had risen to power in his father’s footsteps and had replaced all the workings of his predecessor – a man who believed that everything should be to the public’s needs. Apep knew that what was best for him and didn’t care about the public. He didn’t say this to the public of course. They would never know. He needed their support to keep him in power. Not for long though.
At twenty five Apep was the youngest leader of the Grevers in history. He felt very honoured to be the latest in a very long line of Grever leaders. He wanted control of everything. All the non-Grevers should know of him and his powers. He had been forbidden by his Grever council to invade and conquer the ‘normal’ people. Grever tradition was that they kept to themselves. Apep had to respect the will of his ancestors, even if he didn’t agree with it. But he would change traditions and make his own legacy.
Every leader of the Grevers has always led with the best of his ability. They had been kind and considerate people. The low-life Grevers in turn would be kind and considerate as well. Under Apep this had all changed. Apep was going to make a better world where Grevers took control of all others and with him as their leader peace would finally be achieved. A greater world for greater beings – Grevers. This is what was best for them.
Apep’s past had held nothing but pain, terror and confusion, but his future held great prospect. He had a fantastic wife and would soon have an heir to the throne. To anybody else this would be the only thing they’d want. But Apep was different. He wanted more. He had wanted more ever since he was a small boy watching his father fight for the position of high Grever. His quest for power had brought him here, to the greatest seat of power on the planet.
He turned around and walked out of the Victorian room, his feet making echoing noises on the polished wooden floor. Once outside in front of the stairs he turned right and walked past all of the magnificent paintings of Grever history. Some of the most influential people on the planet were hanging on this wall. Previous leaders were also hung up on the wall. At the very end was Apep, his short hair spiked up at the front and small but rough beard making him look very intimidating.
He opened the door into the next room. There lay his wife, propped up with many pillows, with three people around her. One of them was the nurse. The other two were Luke and Katie Blake, two of his most devoted followers. They had done many a great deed for him. Katie was also pregnant and expecting a baby any day now. Apep had known Luke and Katie for the whole of his life. They had been through the same adventure that he had, and had always stuck by his side, through whatever was in their path. He was honoured to class them as his longest and best friends.
Apep walked up to his wife, Alicia, and gripped her hand with gentleness that didn’t exist in his personality. She looked up at him, her face red and panting, and smiled at him. He rubbed his other hand up against her cheek. He loved her so much. She had been with him since the beginning of it all. Childhood friends. And now husband and wife.
“It’s alright, Al”, he said to her calmly. “It will all be over soon.”
“All right my dear; I want you to give me one big push on three”, the midwife said. “1......2......3”. Alicia’s screaming filled the room. And then suddenly Alicia wasn’t the only one screaming. The air was full of a babies cry as well. It was the most fantastic feeling for Apep, hearing the screams of his new born baby.
The nurse cut the umbilical cord and handed the baby to Alicia, who took it with trembling arms. She leant in and kissed the baby’s head and rocked it in her arms. Apep thought they looked perfect together. He saw the baby’s hand flexing its fingers and smiled.
“It’s a boy Apep. You have a baby boy.”
Apep’s heart skipped a beat. A baby boy. His heir. He was so small but he would grow up like his father to be big and strong. Then he would be a truly great ruler of the Grevers.
“What shall we call him?” Apep asked Alicia.
“I like Ben” Alicia replied warmly.
“Then Ben it is” said Apep, and looking at his son he told him, “you’re going to grow up and be leader of everything like your daddy. I can see it now. People crying out your name. All that lies in store for you. I will protect you until that day comes, don’t you worry about that.”
He handed Ben back to Alicia and smiled at them both. His wife and his heir - the perfect family. Apep knew he had it all. But why stop now. He was Apep, leader of the Grevers. He could have so much more with the powers he had. No one rivalled his power. How could they. Even on his happiest day he craved more. He must be insane.
He walked out of the room, followed by Luke and Katie, and resumed his place in the council room. As he had pushed the doors open the chat in the room had stopped and a deadly silence had appeared in its place.
“Council, Ben Matthews has been born”, Apep said triumphantly and proudly to the chamber.
The council erupted into applause. But it was not a happy applause. It was a measured applause – not too quiet but not too loud. The Council members had forced smiles on their faces. Some of the members stood up and shook Apep’s hand. Others remained at their seats, with the fake smiles still on their faces. Apep just ignored them. This was his special day. His and Alicia’s. These stupid council members weren’t going to ruin his day.
One of the people who had stayed sat down was a man named Edward Sullivan. He had discarded his smile for a look of pure loathing at Apep. He was the oldest member of the Grever council and could remember the times when Apep wasn’t ruler of the Grevers. When there wasn’t civil war in the Grever communities – for Apep’s father was the first in the family to want something more than what he had. Apep had just followed in his footsteps and finally defeated his enemies and taking his rightful place as the High Grever.
Apep noticed Edward’s expression and wasn’t very happy about it. He looked at the old man and glared at him. He decided to challenge him. He didn’t want to do this on a happy day but this pathetic excuse for a man was asking for it. He had this coming to him for a very long time indeed.
“What’s the matter Edward?” Apep said forcefully. “Disappointed are we?”
“This is ridiculous” Edward burst out. “You shouldn’t be ruler of the Grevers. Ever since you and your family have started war on our peaceful people we have had poverty in the ranks of our communities. You are a diabolical leader and should have the decency to stand down. If you really care so much as you say you do about the common Grever then resign your post as High Grever. I beg of you. Let things go back to the way they were. When Grevers were fruitful and respectful of the normal people. Now Grevers are taking to rob normal people. This is not what the ancestors wanted for us. YOU’VE RUINED US!”
The rest of the Council members were looking at Edward and pleading silently with him to stop in their eyes. They knew that he would be in massive trouble if he spoke out against Apep. They were right. Clearly they agreed with him but had decided to not say anything and hope that the situation resolved itself. But it wasn’t going to. Apep was here to stay.
Apep just stood there. It was clear that Edward had wanted to say what he had just said for a long time. Apep knew just what to do with him.
“Ok Edward, if you don’t like the way I run the Grevers, then don’t be part of it” he said to Edward calmly.
“Alright, I won’t” Edward said shortly, and got up and walked to the door. When his back was turned Apep had whipped his Greve out of his pocket. It transformed in a second from a short, thin piece of ghastly wood to a beautiful and stylish mahogany staff-like weapon. A wisp of red smoke erupted from the bottom when it had fully transformed, making Apep look as if he were standing on a cloud. He slashed down at the air in the direction of Edward.
It was as if an invisible sword had slashed Edward. He fell to the floor, blood spurting from the deep gash in his back. Around him on the floor was a growing flow of blood. Apep ambled over to him. He bent over the man and saw Edward looking at him in horror. He smiled and said “goodbye Edward.” And with that he slashed down and the invisible sword severed Edward’s neck from his torso. The eyes on the head still had a look of terror in them. Not the first to look at Apep in terror, and probably not the last.
Apep turned to the other council members. They looked at Edward’s head and then at Apep – terror clearly visible in their eyes. They were dumbstruck. They were a member short and had lost their most senior person on the council, the one they turned to whenever they had a problem or dilemma.
“Does anyone else have a problem with me ruling the Grevers?” he asked fiercely.
The council members all shook their heads, as Apep had expected.
“Good. This council meeting is over.”
He marched out of the council chamber, leaving very scared people in the room behind him.
Keep writing.