Chapter 210

They followed him into the dining hall. A long table was laden with roast turkey, honey-glazed ham, mashed potatoes, green beans, cornbread, and a variety of salads and desserts. The older children sat at a smaller table at the end of the room, while the younger ones were in their rooms with their nannies. The Prophet King sat at the head of the table, with Rachel on his right and Sister Naomi on his left. Louis and the women were seated on the other side.

“Please, help yourselves,” the Prophet King said, carving the turkey. “Enjoy the meal.”

Gladice took a large portion of turkey and ham. “Very classic, Your Majesty. A bit like Thanksgiving.”

“It is a traditional meal, Miss Simington,” the Prophet King said, serving her. “A reminder of our blessings. And of our gratitude to the Lord.”

“I’m grateful for this ham,” Gladice said, taking a bite. “It’s good. A little dry, but good.”

Sister Abigail looked at her. “We do not use alcohol in our cooking, Miss Simington. That is why the ham is a bit dry.”

“Then you should use more alcohol, Sister Abigail,” Gladice said. “It makes everything better.”

Sister Abigail’s lips tightened. “We do not share your view, Miss Simington. We find joy in sobriety and clarity.”

“If you say so,” Gladice said, shrugging.

“What kind of food do you have in the Dominion, Mr. Collins?” Sister Naomi asked. “Is it very different?”

“It is,” Louis said. “We have food from all over the world. Mexican, Japanese, Italian, Chinese, French, you name it. We make fusion food too.”

“What’s fusion food?” Sister Naomi asked.

“It’s when you mix different styles of cooking together,” Angelique said. “Like Mexican-Japanese. Sushi burrito is an example.”

“That sounds interesting,” Sister Naomi said. “Is it good?”

“It’s delicious,” Angelique said. “And very popular.”

“I would like to try it someday,” Sister Naomi said. “If I could.”

“You can come to our embassy when we build it,” Louis said. “We will have the best chef in the Dominion. And we can have some cultural exchange events too.”

Sister Naomi’s face lit up. “Really, Your Majesty?”

“Of course,” the Prophet King said, smiling. “We are building bridges of friendship and understanding with our neighbors.”

Sister Naomi looked at Angelique. “I would like that very much, Princess Angelique.”

Angelique smiled. “So would I, Sister Naomi.”

Gladice looked at her. “We’re also going to open a bar in the embassy. So you can come and have a drink too. If you want to see what you’re missing.”

Sister Naomi blushed. “I don’t think I’m allowed to do that.”

“Why not?” Gladice asked. “What’s the worst thing that can happen? You get a little tipsy. And you have some fun.”

“Glads,” Angelique said, sighing.

“What?” Gladice asked. “I’m just trying to be friendly.”

“You are being disruptive, Miss Simington,” the Prophet King said. “Please, respect our customs and rules.”

“I respect the right of every adult to make their own choices.” Gladice shrugged.

“We have a different view, Miss Simington,” the Prophet King said. “My kingdom is different from yours. We will keep it that way.”

“I see,” Gladice said. “So be it.”

Sister Mary looked at Louis. “Mr. Collins, you are a powerful and rich man. You can have anything you want. What do you want, in the end? What is your purpose?”

Louis thought for a moment. “I want to have a happy life with my family. I want them to be safe.” He paused. “And that means we will destroy our enemies. All of them.”

Sister Mary’s face turned pale. “You speak of destroying people as if it were a casual thing.”

“Because I didn’t have a choice,” Louis said. “In the Holy States, it was either kill or be killed. We did what we had to do to survive.”

Sister Mary lowered her eyes. “I see.”

Rachel looked at Louis, her eyes full of admiration. “Brother Louis is a warrior of the Lord. He had to become a wolf to save the sheep.” She looked at the Prophet King. “His hands are stained with blood, but his soul is pure.”

The Prophet King smiled. “A very poetic interpretation, my dear Rachel.”

Gladice poured herself another glass of lemonade. “So, what do you plan to do after fraternizing with the Dominion, Your Majesty? Will you send missionaries to our beaches? To save our souls from eternal damnation?”

The Prophet King’s smile was patient. “We are always looking for opportunities to share the gospel, Miss Simington. But we are also respectful of your culture and your laws. We will not go where we are not welcome.”

“That’s a wise policy,” Angelique said. “We appreciate that.”

“I am a wise man, Princess,” the Prophet King said. “And I am a peaceful one. I believe in diplomacy and dialogue. Not in confrontation.”

“What about the Holy States?” Willa asked, her tone casual. “Do you believe in diplomacy with them? Or do you have a different approach?”

The Prophet King’s face hardened. “They are a blight on this continent. A cancer. They spread violence and hatred. They are an abomination. I would not hesitate to use force against them if I had to.”

Gladice laughed. “Then maybe the Collective is the right ally for you, Your Majesty. We are having a war with them.”

“I am aware of that, Miss Simington,” the Prophet King said. “I admire the courage of your people. They are doing the Lord’s work. Even if they don’t know it.”

“Harvey will not care about the Lord’s work, Your Majesty,” Louis said. “But he will be happy to trade with you, as long as you hate the Dixies.”

“I’m sure he will,” the Prophet King said. “And I would be happy to trade with him. We have a common enemy and goal. So we should work together to defeat them.”

“I will pass the message, Your Majesty,” Louis said.

The Prophet King smiled. “I appreciate that, Mr. Collins.”

Sister Naomi looked at Louis. “Have you ever killed anyone, Mr. Collins? With your own hands?”

Louis looked at her. “I have.”

Sister Naomi gasped. “What did it feel like?”

“I was afraid, at first,” Louis said. “And then I was angry. Now I don’t feel anything at all.”

Sister Naomi stared at him. “Nothing at all?”

“Nothing at all,” Louis said. “My enemies do not deserve my feelings. They only deserve my actions.”

Sister Naomi looked at the Prophet King, her expression troubled. He placed a calming hand on her shoulder. “The world can be a harsh place, my dear. Some men are forced to become harsh, to survive in it. And to protect the ones they love.”

“I understand, Your Majesty,” Sister Naomi said, lowering her eyes.

Sister Leah looked at Donya. “What about you, Miss Al Madani? What is your story? You are a Muslim, are you not?”

“I am,” Donya said. “I am a surgeon’s daughter from Chicago. I was a student at Northwestern University before the abduction.”

Sister Leah’s eyes were soft. “A woman of education and faith. It must be hard for you, to be in this company.”

Donya smiled. “I love my family, Sister Leah. I love my faith too. I don’t see a contradiction between the two. For Allah is merciful. He loves all his children, no matter who they love.”

Sister Leah’s smile was gentle. “A beautiful sentiment, Miss Al Madani. But I am afraid our views on this matter are different.”

“I know,” Donya said. “But I respect your right to have your own beliefs. And I hope you will respect mine.”

“I do,” Sister Leah said. “I am glad we had this conversation.”

Sister Mary looked at Savannah. “What about you, Miss Ellington? What is your story? You are from Dixie, are you not?”

“I am,” Savannah said, her voice even. “I am from Atlanta. My father runs half of the gangs in the city.”

Sister Mary’s eyes widened. “Gangs?”

“My family made sure we could survive, Sister Mary,” Savannah said. “From the white people who wanted us dead or in chains.”

Sister Mary’s face turned pale. “I am so sorry, Miss Ellington. I had no idea.”

Savannah shrugged. “You’re not the only one.”

Sister Mary looked at the Prophet King. “Your Majesty, these people have been through so much. They have so much anger. So much pain.”

“They have,” the Prophet King said. “And they have a right to their anger or pain. We should listen to them. Learn from them. We should pray for them and for ourselves.”

“I will do that, Your Majesty,” Sister Mary said.

“I’m glad to hear that,” the Prophet King said. He looked at Louis. “This has been an interesting conversation, Mr. Collins. An illuminating one. I have learned a lot about you and your family. I appreciate your honesty and openness.”

“I appreciate yours too, Your Majesty,” Louis said. “You should give a call to my father sometime. I’m sure he’ll appreciate it too. He’s always looking for new friends.”

The Prophet King smiled. “I will do that, Mr. Collins. I look forward to our future collaboration. Let’s toast to a long and prosperous friendship between our states.”

Louis raised his glass of lemonade. “To new friends.”

The Prophet King raised his glass. “To new friends.”

Everyone else raised their glasses. The Prophet King looked at Rachel. “And to my new wife. To Rachel. The Lord has blessed me with her. I will cherish her. Always.”

“To Rachel,” Louis said, forcing a smile.

“To Rachel,” everyone else said, their voices a little forced.

Rachel looked at Louis and smiled. “Thank you, Brother Louis. For everything.”

Louis nodded and drank his lemonade. Cherish looked at Rachel. “Will you be happy here, Rachel?”

Rachel’s face glowed. “I will be, sister. I am with the Prophet King and the Lord. What more could a woman ask for?”

“I am glad for you,” Cherish said. “I will pray for you.”

“Thank you, sister,” Rachel said.

Louis looked at Angelique. She gave him a slight nod. He decided not to mention the auction or million euros again. The Prophet King had already decided to cut ties with Common Roots and Lumen Path, and a deal was in the works. Pushing for more now could jeopardize the entire agreement.

Louis finished his lemonade and took a bite of turkey. He looked at the Prophet King. “Your Majesty, I’d like to send Rachel a gift for her wedding tomorrow.”

The Prophet King’s smile was genuine. “That is very thoughtful of you, Mr. Collins. What did you have in mind?”

“A phone, Your Majesty,” Louis said. “An Athena X-30 Sovereign, the same type we are using now. She will be able to call us anytime, as a personal friend of my family.”

The Prophet King looked at Rachel. “What do you think, my dear? A gift from Mr. Collins.”

Rachel’s face lit up. “Oh, yes. I would love that, Your Majesty. Brother Louis, you are too kind.”

Louis smiled. “It’s the least I can do, Rachel.”

The Prophet King nodded. “It is a generous gift, Mr. Collins.”

Sister Naomi’s eyes were wide. “Can I have one too?”

The Prophet King laughed. “No, my dear. You cannot. But you can use Rachel’s phone to call your friends. If you have any.”

Sister Naomi’s face fell. “I don’t.”

Louis looked at her. “I can have an extra one for you, Sister Naomi. The Dominion has the best electronics in the world. We are happy to share them with our new friends.”

Sister Naomi’s face lit up again. “Really, Mr. Collins?”

Louis looked at the Prophet King. “It would be a small token of goodwill, Your Majesty.”

The Prophet King’s smile was strained. “A very generous one, Mr. Collins. Of course, she can have one.”

“Thank you, Your Majesty. Thank you, Mr. Collins,” Sister Naomi said, her eyes shining.

“I will notify my logistic team to deliver the phones to your palace tomorrow,” Louis said. “What color would you like, Rachel? And Sister Naomi?”

Rachel looked at the Prophet King. “What do you think, Your Majesty? What color would suit me?”

“White is the color of purity, my dear,” the Prophet King said. “I think you should have a white one.”

Rachel nodded. “White it is, then. Brother Louis, I would like a white one.”

Sister Naomi looked at the Prophet King too. “And me, Your Majesty? What color would you like me to have?”

The Prophet King looked at her, his eyes fond. “You are a lively one, my dear. I think you should have a pink one.”

Sister Naomi’s face lit up. “Pink! I would love a pink one.”

Louis nodded. “I’m glad you are both happy with your choices.” He turned to the Prophet King. “Your Majesty, I have a question for you, a personal one. If you don’t mind.”

The Prophet King’s smile was warm. “Please, Mr. Collins. Ask away.”

“Your kingdom is a theocratic one, with strict laws. To what extent are you willing to compromise on your laws, for the sake of our trade and diplomatic relations?” Louis asked.

The Prophet King was silent for a moment. “We are willing to be flexible within reason, Mr. Collins, as long as our core values are not compromised. We will not change our doctrine or moral standards for anyone, even friends.”

“I see,” Louis said. “Then we will have to find a way to work around that.”

“I am sure we will,” the Prophet King said. “Where there is a will, there is a way. And we have a will to succeed. Together.”

“I am glad to hear that,” Louis said.

“Now, let us finish our meal,” the Prophet King said. “Then we will go to the Temple for the wedding rehearsal. It is a very important ceremony. We would be honored if you would all be there.”

“We will be there, Your Majesty,” Louis said. “I hope you have good dessert for us.”

The Prophet King laughed. “We do, Mr. Collins. We do.”