The Hague
"How do you think you'll be remembered, Ziccarra?" It was tricky to answer; most of his questions were getting harder to answer. Instead of outright answering, she shrugged before shooting her eyes toward the clock. 'Damn only 10 minutes in.' She thought, realizing she had 50 more minutes to go.
When her family disappeared, the Mazoi deemed Ziccarra too much of a threat to allow her to stay on Gato Island, so they exiled her, and given that she'd made more enemies than friends, she only had one option. To turn herself over to the Spanish Government to face trial for treason. The Death Penalty was inevitable, but the sheer mass of countries wanting to convict the former face of the Liafador Empire was the only saving grace until then she'd live until the nations ended their senseless filibuster. She thought about going on the run again, but things were different now. She was pregnant with a deteriorating body and ultimately decided that she'd get caught anyways. Now, in confinement, she was subject to intense interrogation and therapy sessions; people wanted to know the depth of the madness that lay just under her charismatic smile. "I do not know how I will be remembered, doctor, and I believe that is for your historians to figure out." She retorts, exhaling deep while holding her stomach in apparent discomfort.
"I mean, if we're being honest, I think most people will liken you to a terrorist more than a hero. I mean, you spearheaded the Super Human Registration Act, Led a cult full of religious fanatics, Assassinated Hugo Chavez, and invaded Venezuela, Destroyed Union City, New Jersey, tried to become a dictator in Spain, and most recently desecrated a religious holy site." He continued reading from a shortlist of things (Charges) that the world held against her. Z scoffed sardonically, thinking to herself that the list was relatively short; this was generally how these sessions went. She knew if she said anything to try and humanize herself, these sessions would eventually turn into a #1 New York Times Best Seller. She didn't want him to get rich in her life, but she realized this was a perfect time as any.
"Have you ever been a programmed doctor? I mean, REALLY programmed. I mean, like one minute you are enjoying a bowl of cereal, and the next minute your cutting off the head of a Saudi Prince because negotiations with your family fell through. That kind of programming?" She asked with a deep inhale; he shook his head no but didn't say anything; instead allowed the Conquered Queen to recall specific events from her childhood. "I was never meant to be a functioning member of society. Dr. I was always fated for this day. I was selectively bred to be a killer, to manipulate, a baby factory for future generations that would do the same. That's the legacy my parents mapped out for me. And then I fell in love. For most of my adult life, I have been trying to escape the programming, escape what my parents wanted me to be, in favor of being a mother." Once again, Ziccarra took a far-off stare clutching her stomach as minor pain surged through her.
"Motherhood is beautiful, and even though I did not have the best example, I know I did my best. Motherhood is what delayed our meeting for this long doctor. Motherhood was my life."
She paused for a moment, using her cuffed hands to wipe the tears berating her face. "And now they're gone. Catalina, Maya, Tassi, Selene, Leo. They. Are. All. Gone. She continued exhaling once more. "Who am I now?" There was a fading look of empathy from the doctor as he began to scribble in his notepad; however, Ziccarra's quick movement saw him lunge backward as the Modern Day Athena rose from her seat unchained.
The entire time they were talking, Ziccarra had been executing a series of breathing techniques under the guise of her pregnancy. The final exhale unlocked her raging dragon technique, a breathing skill that temporarily boosted her body's abilities. Taking the sharpened end of the cuff, she jammed it into the side of his neck, causing him to hit the floor with blood spewing from his veins. "I guess I'm just a murderer."
"Goddess, I hope I'm right about this." She thought as she spread her arms wide, head facing the ceiling. She could hear the guards running down the hall. "GODDESS. GIVE. ME. STRENGTH!" Above the prison, the sound of rolling storms silences the jail as a loud crash of lightning hit the prison, reuniting the Malagan Beauty with Shira.
Finding her children was impossible as a Mother, which meant she had to do so as a Goddess. And God help anyone standing in her way.
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