Bliss, utter bliss. Monty Thorne shuddered as he eased himself into a steaming, marble bath. Purple bubbles of aromatic scents surged through the air; their peace being rudely disturbed by Monty’s entry into the placid water. Popping not a moment later, they filled the luxurious bathroom with the light scent of lavender. Monty soon settled himself, his head raised just enough to see the bottomless, cerulean sky outside.

“The bath is wonderful, thank you Mira,” Monty said, his voice smooth and charismatic.

A middle-aged but clear voice responded to him; he could easily hear it despite the thick door separating them.

“It’s my pleasure, young lord. I left your clothes for the day on your bed,” Mira replied, her gloved hands resting on each other as she spoke earnestly.

Monty smiled hearing her respectful tone. Thinking for a moment, he added, “You may go, but be careful to watch your step. The floor has just been washed and I would hate for you to slip up after all this time.”

A treacherous gleam unveiled itself in Mira’s apathetic eyes, her subservient smile spreading into a discreet grin. Monty sensed her reaction through the wall, amused.

“Thank you for your reminder, young lord. I will remember your warning,” Mira said before bowing towards the door. There were no visible flaws with her conduct nor posture and yet Monty knew the sharp eyes of other servants were scrutinizing her, looking for any sort of impropriety to report and get rewarded. Or even better, get Mira fired. She coughed, twice, before straightening herself and leaving to attend to her other duties.

Monty sighed to himself. The morning had just begun, and he already had a headache dealing with “his” servants. Not wanting to waste any more time, he regretfully left the bath and rinsed himself off. It was a shame he wouldn’t have the opportunity to relax for so long anymore. His day was just beginning.

After grabbing a snow-white towel, Monty dried himself and wrapped it around his waist. He opened the door to his room and a scintillating scene greeted him; marble white furniture coupled with golden drapes and various verdant plants potted in ceramic vases arranged symmetrically by the palatial windows and door. Matching the theme of the house, it was a room fit for a king, or in his case, nobility.

Monty felt his short, black hair flutter as a pleasant draft was created when the steamy bathroom air rushed into his room. However, the thin fog was quickly cleared due to him opening the windows.

The sky caused Monty to sigh yet again. An exceptionally clear blue that seemed to calm him no matter how much he had ahead of him. Monty then looked down, down through a partition in the plethora of clouds, down at the grey wasteland of nothing but fog and stone, down at the wisp-like figures running around like ants. Pitiable, but he would end up as one of them. Monty's lips parted into a small chuckle. Acting like a nostalgic old man when he wasn’t even twenty. He still had a long road ahead of him.

The draft had slowed by then, so Monty shut the windows and turned to his bed. Atop his milky sheets lay a folded white dress shirt and black slacks, attire that was presentable yet had a casual and loose feel to it. It was his usual outfit, good for any occasion.

Monty grabbed a pair of briefs from his wardrobe. Putting them on, he walked to a tall but thin mirror hanging by his bed. A lithe teenager greeted him, short black hair and eyes like dots of black paint contrasted by his pale skin. Monty wouldn’t say he was stunning, but he certainly stood out in a crowd. He placed his hand on the mirror, causing a faint glow to emanate from it. It was always good to be cautious.

Nearly ten minutes later, Monty walked side by side with Mira as they strolled down one of the many imperial hallways within the House of Thorne. The pair eventually arrived at the door to the drawing-room. Monty’s slender hand grasped the brass doorknob while mentally preparing himself. Today was the start of it all. The knob squeaked softly as Monty pulled the door open.

“Good morning, Miss Iris, Mister Astrophel. Please excuse my tardiness, I couldn't help it as my morning was quite hectic,” Monty said in a humble manner with his head slightly lowered.

Iris Morwen, a confident young lady with a head full of long, blond hair, smiled in response.

“There’s no need to worry, Sir Thorne. We all have our days,” she replied kindly. There was no trace of impatience nor displeasure in her angelic attitude.

At this, Monty smiled brightly. Clasping his hands together, he couldn’t help but praise Iris’s benevolence.

“Miss Iris truly is worthy of being a successor to the saintess, such kindness is impossible to find in this day and age.” Perhaps his flattery overdid it as Astrophel, a middle-aged man with gray hair and a sage-like demeanor spoke up.

“I hope Sir Thorne can move on to our business; the day is limited for both of us,” he deadpanned, not a trace of emotion could be noticed in his unwavering voice.

“Of course, of course! We didn’t come here to waste time with pleasantries. Let’s begin right away.” Monty’s smile widened to an even greater extent. Realizing this was her cue, Mira, who had been standing off to the side, brought out a written contract as Monty reclined on the sofa opposing the one Iris and Astrophel were currently seated on.

She placed the contract on the cream table splitting the two parties, the worn paper's elegant black script written in heavy loops. Astrophel picked it up while adjusting his half-moon spectacles and began reading. Iris didn’t get a chance to see it, but Monty could tell from the sound of her foot tapping that she was curious.

Interrupting Astrophel before he could finish reading the contract, Monty innocently suggested, “Why don’t we let her have a look at it today, Mister Astrophel. It upsets my heart to see such a beautiful lady left out of our meetings. How about we give her a chance to expand her horizons?” Iris obviously agreed with his suggestion as she nodded her head slightly, her starry eyes sparkling with anticipation and a hint of endearment.

Monty noticed her expression but didn’t comment. He had done his part, now Astrophel had to do his. To show Iris what all the tension and discussion and whispers were about. Monty knew she was naïve like that; Iris couldn't help but be curious about the unknown. Astrophel’s agreement would be the beginning of her ruin.

Unbeknownst to Iris but not Monty, Astrophel was in quite the predicament due to her undisguised enthusiasm and Monty’s suggestion. Showing her the contract was not a simple matter, it would certainly affect her, and possibly even change her view of the whole world. Astrophel looked over at Monty’s smiling face and dark eyes.

“That boy is certainly up to something, he wouldn’t suggest anything that wouldn’t benefit him in some way. Then again, Iris would have been exposed eventually, having it a few years or months earlier won’t make much of a difference. She should be able to handle it, hopefully even grow,” he thought to himself.

Releasing a sigh, Astrophel made up his mind. Iris wasn’t a little girl anymore and it was about time she saw the ugly side of humanity. She couldn’t be sheltered forever.

“Your suggestion is quite good, Sir Thorne. Perhaps it’s time Iris learns a bit about our business,” Astrophel said while watching Monty’s expression. Monty didn’t show any change, making Astrophel feel his choice was the correct one.

“Regardless of what’s on the contract, I want you to remember,” He turned to Iris and spoke in a heavy tone, “Remember the goal of the Civilian Rights and Protection Union will never change regardless of the price paid. It will all be worth it for the common man’s happiness.”

Monty wasn't surprised to see that Iris was shocked after hearing Astrophel’s words. As the daughter of one of the most powerful women in the Union, her common sense certainly wasn’t weak. He knew she understood the contract’s dubious nature from the way Astrophel spoke. It didn't take long for Iris to calm herself.

She then replied in the same, grave tone, “I understand, no matter the price paid, it is worth it as long as the means meet the ends. I want to see the contract.”

Seeing her somewhat prepared, Astrophel returned her nod before taking a final glance at Monty. He then tentatively handed the contract to Iris before releasing a pent-up sigh. The creases that captured his eyes deepened, if only slightly.

Now that Iris had taken the contract, Monty couldn’t help but grin internally. His plans were finally beginning! With his suggestions over their few years of interaction and this new contract, Iris would definitely come to hate him and doubt the Union she thought she knew. She would become nothing but an emotionally-driven piece on the grand chessboard of his future.

Bringing his attention back to Iris, he saw her begin reading with the enthusiasm of a little girl. He saw her shift her eyes over the black text. He saw her visibly pale and her hands tremble. He saw her persevere and continue reading despite her obvious revulsion towards the paper. He saw her reach the bottom of it, reading the final lines in unadulterated horror. He saw her look at Astrophel and himself with blank eyes before robotically excusing herself from the room.

“Impressive, to think she would read all the way to the end. Not that it matters,” Monty thought as the door closed. He then turned to Astrophel, who had a heavy frown and contemplative look on his face. Thoughtfully realizing something, Astrophel reached for the contract and began reading it. This time Monty didn’t interrupt him even as he neared the end, only continuing to wear an indifferent smile.

“You bastard! This one is completely different than usual!” Astrophel roared in rage after finishing his reading of the contract. “Minor changes are one thing but rewriting the clause regarding the trafficking of criminals into children is too much!”

Monty ignored his ranting, too focused to care. Astrophel realized he couldn’t take his anger out on Monty and should clarify the situation to Iris instead. Yelling wouldn't help anyone. Knowing this, Astrophel quickly calmed down and stood up. Sparing one final glare at Monty, he left the room, routed. The door slammed shut, resulting in a deafening bang.

Silence permeated the room with Astrophel’s absence, a deathly stillness occupied by only Monty and the contract as Mira had left after Iris, following her for a reason only she knew. The golden chandelier shone brightly, illuminating the bone-white tiles and walls. A small chuckle ended the silence, a chuckle that in its ecstasy grew into a dreadful fit.

For minutes on end, Monty laughed in jubilation. Years of planning, studying, and work were finally starting to come to fruition. It was just one step of many, yet completing it gave him a satisfaction that was impossible to replicate. He stopped laughing. Wiping the tears from his eyes, Monty grabbed the contract from its place on the table before storing it in a wooden box. He would need it later.

* * *

The blinding light of the sun disorientated Iris as she wildly dashed through the various halls of the House of Thorne. Fear, disgust, regret, sadness, and a plethora of other negative emotions assaulted Iris to the point where she felt sick. Paintings, windows, and servants all flashed by in their meaningless while Iris looked for anything, anyone to help her stabilize her heart.

A flood of questions entered and just as quickly exited her mind. “Does my mother know about this?” “Why did Monty want me to see the contract?” “Why had I been so excited to see the contract despite knowing it could be so horrible?”

All culminating to the final question of “How could Monty and Astrophel act so kindly yet be so inhumane?”

Deep in thought, Iris turned a corner and collided into a soft but immovable wall, shocking her out of her stupor. She slowly looked up to find Mira, towering over her. Iris instinctively backed away, but Mira reached out and grabbed her shoulders, bringing her into a comforting embrace. The stewardess's characteristic aloofness was replaced with a solemn but comforting smile.

Iris sensed her shoulders trembling. She really didn’t want to cry in the arms of Monty’s stewardess, but alas, her body begged to differ. A sniffle evolved to a wail before becoming a cacophony of sobbing and tears that lasted for minutes.

“Are you feeling better now?” Mira asked, seeing as Iris had calmed down. Still red-eyed, Iris nodded her head. After crying to the point of exhaustion, she felt her head was much clearer. Mira nodded gravely in return, her bearing abruptly changing.

“Now that you have recovered, please listen to me,” Mira painfully stressed, her voice taking on an almost commanding tone. The sudden change startled Iris. Mira always had been the quiet and reliable stewardess, for her to be this distressed was quite strange.

Mira continued, her attractive face getting darker by the second.

“I need your help . . . to kill Monty.”