Unexpected Visitor
The clock struck ten, abruptly interrupting our slumber with a loud knock at the door. Instantly, we knew it could only be the security service, the apartment of the Supreme Luminary. The girls remained composed, unfazed by the disturbance, and insisted that I refrain from covering them.
"Your Holiness!" I greeted Clio's father with deliberate loudness, though I couldn't hide my relief at not being greeted by armed guards. But... ugh...
"Where is Claudia?" His Holiness's face was etched with fear. Without allowing me to recover from the shock, he hurriedly entered the bedroom.
"Your Holiness, Your Holiness!" I shouted, futilely attempting to halt Clio's Father's progress.
"My life, my angel! Thank the saints you're here! Thank you, thank you!" His Holiness embraced her tightly, showering her face with kisses and weeping uncontrollably. (Fortunately, the girls managed to cover themselves discreetly.)
Amidst his sobbing, His Holiness mumbled incoherent sounds, blending with his tears. There seemed to be no coherent meaning in the combination of those sounds. Gradually, the jumble of sounds became slightly more discernible, and I caught a word that sounded like "Fia." At that moment, His Holiness gathered Fia into his arms as well, crying even harder. Then, he turned his gaze towards me, his eyes beckoning me to join him. And so, I too became a participant in His Holiness's embrace.
I understand the incredulity of the situation. A man as towering as a mountain, possessing an athletic build (despite a relatively modest belly for his position), the "Servant and Master" of over a billion believers, weeping with hot tears and embracing two rascals he found in bed with his daughter.
"Father, you and Ace must leave. We'll get dressed, make ourselves presentable, and then we can talk about everything," Clio said to her father, her voice now steady.
"We don't have time for that!" snapped the head of the academy sternly. "An extended council meeting is scheduled for the evening. Those fat pigs believe the senator and I will acquiesce to their demand to eliminate our own children. Bastards!"
"What can we do, daddy?"
"Sweetheart, I can't explain everything to you right now. The time for that will come! For now, you must follow my instructions, or the instructions of the Senator, without question and without uttering a word. Scrupulously obedient! I implore all three of you, is that clear?" Silence hung in the air. "If you've lost your tongues, then simply nod in agreement," Clio's Father stated sternly, and all three of us mechanically nodded our heads.
We couldn't comprehend how we, a proud group of free individuals and founders of a revolutionary movement, willingly subjected ourselves to the complete control of someone who embodied everything we sought to change, overthrow, and destroy.
The instructions were straightforward. As it turned out, there was a secret tunnel beneath my house. Through this passage, we were to emerge onto a clearing at the forest's edge, where a loyal servant of my father awaited us in a truck. Our destination? The back of a truck filled with organic fertilizers (a detail that His Holiness seemed to relish). Upon arrival, we were to receive further instructions from the senator.
"Or better yet, freshen up first, and then listen to the senator's instructions," His Holiness added with satisfaction.
He embraced Clio once more, his grip tighter, his demeanor calmer yet tinged with excitement.
"My little princess, if only you knew how much I have to say, how much to tell, how much to prove. But now is not the time. I must hasten."
His Holiness rose from the embrace, motioning for me to follow. Naturally, I complied without uttering a word.
"My daughter is not enough for you, yes!? You little..." He smiled warmly and affectionately stroked my cheek with his enormous hand.
I wanted to speak up, to declare my infatuation for Clio, to profess my love for her to the point of madness, to vow that I would do anything for her happiness, and to explain Fia is our friend and today we had simply indulged in merriment. But as if he already knew all of this, His Holiness pulled me into a tight embrace and whispered softly:
"I know everything. Just take care of my Clio, and remember..." Clio's father swallowed a noisy gulp of saliva, then resumed his words, "Okay, I must hurry. Be extremely cautious!"
