A New Dawn

Guests arrived promptly at 8; I could hear the doorbell going off from upstairs one right after the other, Myra walking back and forth to the door. I was never allowed to open the door, neither was Sam. Sam was already down stairs, suit and bow tie, entertaining guests. I was always supposed to start the dinner by entering the party from down the stairs, fashionably late in a dramatic fashion. Sam’s idea, not mine. He says a queen is never on time and she never stays the whole time, just enough to be remembered. He also says that a queen must be a fashion icon whenever she is in the presence of the public.
“They’re ready for you.” Said Jean waiting by the bedroom door. I started down the stairs in a skin tight, long candy apple red, velvet dress that trailed behind me. No cleavage showing but the back drooped in a sagging fashion revealing my whole back creeping dangerously low to the line of my bottom. My hair was pulled up in a ponytail revealing my diamond studded earrings Sam had brought four our anniversary last year. The guest gasped in amazement from down stairs, silent and eyes wide. Sam was at the bottom of the stairs grinning wide; he met me and mouthed perfect and I couldn’t help but smile.
“Good evening,” I said placing my arm inside Sam’s. “Shall we eat?” I asked gesturing them to dining room, in which Myra led us all too.
“I could eat you right now.” Sam whispered in to my ear, kissing me on the cheek. Sam sat me at one end of the table pulling out my chair, a grin on his face the whole time. He then sat all the way on the other side of our 12 foot table. This I most definitely hated, so much so that I had all center pieces removed from the table to keep anything from blocking my view of him. Sam says kings and queens must sit at the heads of the table. The servants poured us and the guests wine and served the first course; a Caesar salad. Guests consisted of mostly government officials and their wives. There was Judge Anthony and his wife Melody, Jason Cash; head of international affairs and his wife Paris, Elijah Hawk, second Commander in Chief, no wife, Patrick Bullock, Chief of Police and his wife Constance, Ferdinand Mayor, Secretary and Treasurer of State and her wife Paulina, and lastly Justin Ford, Editor in chief of TGCT and seemingly his boyfriend Bernard. We do these dinners every now and again because it’s important to Sam to remain close, like a family. He feels that if we remain close then there is no reason to be disloyal or unfaithful to one another. So far he seems correct, these are the most loyal batch of people I’ve ever met and I trust every single one of them, well maybe not their wives but they’re not the ones I need to worry about. I wondered who the extra chair was for and why were they arriving so late.
After the main course my question was soon answered.
“Victor,” Sam turned to Victor Chung one of my daily guards, “Sit down.” He said with a slight smirk; this was out of character for Sam to invite one of the guards to eat with us, especially when we had guests.
“No, Thank you sir” Victor responded correctly.
“I insist… Sit.” Sam said a little more sternly this time. I looked at Sam waiting for an explanation but he continued to watch Victor, as he awkwardly sat at the only empty seat, the one next to me. “Myra,” he said giving her a smile in which Myra then went to the kitchen, brought out a yellow envelope, and placed it in front of Victor. Victor looked at Sam, then at me, then back at Sam again. “Well, go on open it.” Sam said with a weird excited smile I wasn’t used to seeing. Victor took out what looked like pictures out of the envelope in which he began to scan through. “For those of us who don’t know what lies in that envelop, I’ll tell you.” Sam said scanning the table, “They’re pictures, pictures of Victor here, who guards my wife daily, fraternizing with the US revolutionaries. Now you all are probably asking yourselves, why on earth would Victor be meeting with the USR?” Victor swallowed hard and everything was becoming very clear to me. “Care to offer an explanation Victor?” Sam was being smug.
“It was never to hurt you, your were never the target, I promise—“
“How dare you make promises to my wife?!” Victor was interrupted by Sam’s now screaming voice and fists slamming into the table. Most of the women, including me jumped in reaction. I stared at him, eyes wide and in shock, in which Sam noticed immediately. “I apologize for my lack of control.” He said holding up his hands and sitting back down. “Victor you know what this means right?”
“Yes sir, I do.” Victor said putting his head down and keeping his eyes on the table.
“Judge Anthony, since your hear tonight, I figured we could do the proceedings right here.” Sam said directing his attention to Anthony who nodded in agreement.
“Well I for one think Victor deserves his day in court, huh honey?” I finally was able to speak; completely embarrassed that Sam had me to put on my best red dress just so he could murder someone at my dinner table.
“Victor deserves his day in hell… honey.” He said adding a smile at the end. “You may continue your honor.” Sam said to Anthony.
“Victor Chung you are charged with conspiracy to commit a crime against King Samuel, his queen, and his governing house, how is that you plead?”
“Guilty.” Victor said in a hushed voice, sounding as if he was close to tears.
“This court hereby find you Guilty of the crimes charged against you. You will be sentenced to death immediately following these proceedings—“
“Where he will not say goodbye to his family, and I will choose the method of death.” Sam interrupted Anthony finishing the last of the sentence with a twist.
“If you ‘ll all excuse me.” I said rising from the table and putting my napkin on the table.
“No we will not, Sit down.” I stood still, staring strongly in to Sam’s eyes, who also wasn’t backing down either. I knew this look and he was serious; I would not be leaving the table. I sat back down and took a sip of wine to brace myself for the next few moments. “Myra,” He smiled at her again and Myra went back in to the kitchen brining out a cloth that was wrapped around something heavy and loud. She sat it on the table in front of Sam, in which it made a big clinking noise. Same unwrapped the cloth, and laid flat were several different knives. I had seen the knives before; they were Sam’s personal collection. He fingered over the knives, stopping at each one to rub the blade and poke at the tip with his finger. He finally settled on one with a thin blade and thick handle. He then pulls the knife out its socket and slowly walks over to Victor Chung. “I’m sorry this has to happened to you like this” Sam said and suddenly he grabbed Victor’s hair to reveal his neck, and sliced with one simple hand motion and Victor’s blood came squeezing out like never before seen. Most of the wives shifted in their seats uncomfortably and Justin even snapped a picture.
I rose out of my seat again, this time not saying anything, and I let my napkin fall to the floor. Myra followed quickly behind me following me to the stairs.
“That’ll be all Myra.” I said dismissing Myra who usually was the one who aided me in nightly routine, “Jean.” I said looking over to Jean who was standing by the stairs horrified by the scene, she nodded and followed me up the stairs. Jean helped me unzip dress and I could hear Sam dismissing the guests from the dinner table and saying his good byes. He asked the help to clean up the mess and I could hear him slowly walking up the stair, probably in fear of my reaction. Jean took my dress which I could see had blood spotted here and there and folded it nicely.
“I will clean myself.” She said keeping the dress in her hands. I nodded and gave her smile of gratitude.
“I’ll take it from here Jean.” Said Sam walking through our bedroom door; Jean nodded and left the room. Sam closed the door behind her and began to undress out of his nice suit, his hair a little messy from tonight’s events. I stood there half naked and prepared for a bath; I could see him watching my every move from the corner of his eye. After a while he stopped trying to be secretive about it and sat on the edge of the bed and blatantly stared at me; he now sitting in his undergarments. I never look at him, I never said a word, I just kept shuffling around the room grabbing things I probably didn’t need. “So nothing...” he said after a while, “no fit, no yelling, just silence?” He asked awaiting my response.
“I suspect you’ll be sleeping in the guest room tonight.” I said and with a one small kiss on his lips, I retreated to the bathroom, and locked the door. I could hear him jiggle the handle and walk away. He could’ve easily gotten the key and came in but by him not doing so, even he knew his actions would be unforgettable.
I cried for the rest of the night.