A Dinner for Two

Cafer and Alaron returned to the glowstone, and the entrance to the Storehouse disappeared.

"Do you know the way back to your mother's room?" Cafer asked.

"Yes, I can find it. What will you do?" Alaron was surprised to find the gnome would not make the return trip with him.

"I have some things to take care of. I will contact you with the mirror soon. It has been wonderful to see you in person after so long." Cafer patted Alaron on the shoulder.

"Good to see you too, Uncle Cafer. I wish you well."

They parted ways. Cafer scurried quickly to check on the Royal couple. Having viewed the dinner preparations earlier in the evening, the gnome wanted to see if he could glean any new information by eavesdropping. Silently he approached the one-way window. From his vantage point, the couple seemed happy enough. The gnome fought the urge to open the wall and kill them both.

But after his last murder attempt on the balcony, a visit from the Fates warned him of the consequences. "If you physically harm a member of the royal family, your life will be forfeit, Cafer," the glowing being had told him. He valued his life too much to risk it on these lousy humans. Besides, emotional torment was far more satisfying, Cafer figured.

As he listened, their conversation turned to Alaron. The gnomes eyes grew wide with concern. This was not good. Involuntarily, he gasped. 'Time to go,' Cafer thought. He slipped through the passageways and out of the palace, not daring to check on the prince's progress.

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"You are too funny," Aurora giggled as she looked coyly at her husband across the table. They were the only two in the room aside from the servants who brought in and removed the dishes of food.

"And you are too beautiful, my love." Devrim gave his wife a dazzling smile. Oh how she loved to see him smile!

"Thank you. Mairwen and Alaron helped me get ready."

"I am glad you and Alaron are getting along again," Devrim cheered.

"He's a sweet boy, just a little headstrong." The Empress gave a weak smile. She could see a lot of herself in the boy. They were alike in more ways than she cared to admit. Her smile faded. "We should tell Alaron the truth. He needs to understand why I will not name an heir."

"Are you sure?" Devrim knew the conversation would have to come at some point. Perhaps it was time.

Aurora began to feel some anxiety, but her fears were quickly put to rest as a calming sensation washed over her body. "I'm sure. The twins are almost sixteen. If we don't give them our secrets and they find out another way, it could be disastrous. We must tell them about their birth parents and how long we have actually been married."

"You are right of course. And you seem at peace with the decision." Devrim looked at her with admiration.

Another tingle of fear entered her consciousness and was quickly stamped out as peaceful indifference took over her body. Her neck felt especially cool. She touched the ruby jewelry unconsciously. The Emperor Consort noticed the motion.

"I love your necklace. It highlights the beauty of its model. I rarely see you with anything except the Fate's chain around your neck."

Aurora smiled sweetly. "When my husband sends so sweet a gift, how could I not wear it?"

Devrim's face scrunched in confusion. "Do you have another husband?"

"No silly, I am talking about this gift from you." Aurora pointed to the rubies.

"I am flattered to have the credit, but I'm afraid I gave you no such gift." Devrim was embarrassed that he had not thought to send something. It was a great idea.

Aurora wanted to be suspicious, but something was forcing her to remain calm. It was difficult to fight the feeling. "But Alaron said that you sent it."

Devrim shrugged. "Perhaps Alaron was trying to do me a favor. I wish he had let me in on the surprise."

"But where would Alaron get such a gift if not from you? I have never seen anything like this in the Royal treasury," Aurora thought aloud. Fear-calm-anger-peace-anxiety-indifference…. A war of emotions raged within the Empress.

Devrim creased his brow and stood to move around the table. "Are you ok? You do not look well." He touched the woman's shoulder and a cooling sensation ran up his arm. His worry left momentarily. When the grey-eyed man released Aurora, his concern returned full-force. "Magic!" Devrim instinctively knew that something was amiss.

"I think it's the necklace," Aurora said. She looked sleepy. Devrim reached to take it off. "No," the Empress stopped him. "Don't touch it with your hands."

Taking a cloth from the dinner table, Devrim maneuvered the clasp so the necklace fell free. The jewelry dropped and skittered across the stone floor. Aurora gasped as all the repressed emotions came simultaneously. She screamed in anguish. A servant came running into the room.

"Get a doctor and the spymaster. Hurry!" Devrim ordered as he took his wife into his arms.

"I am fine," Aurora promised him as the feelings faded. Her heart was racing beyond what she thought possible, but she felt no other side effects. In barely a moment, both the doctor and Brinn came barreling into the room.

"Help her back into the chair," the doctor said to Devrim. The physician checked her over and gave a clean bill of health. "What happened?" he asked.

"Hello, beautiful!" Brinn spotted the necklace. She took a napkin from the table and lifted the object.

"That is what happened," Aurora said. She proceeded to explain the evenings events.

Brinn listened quietly until the Empress had finished. A memory came to mind that the elf thought she should share. "I read a story once that I now think is true. A human king had a very suspicious and jealous wife. She had good reason to be, but that is not the point. The king commissioned a special necklace to be made that would calm the queen whenever she felt a negative emotion. The stronger the bad feeling, the more peace the queen would feel.

"It was nice for a time, but whenever she took off the necklace, all the emotions would come at once. It was terribly painful. So the king told her to leave it on even when she slept. Well, after a time, the queen became so peaceful that she went to sleep and did not wake. They tried everything to wake her but she would not budge. Finally the king decided to remove the necklace. The queen awoke, but all the repressed emotions hit her at once. It was too much for the poor woman. Her heart burst and she died."

"That's horrible!" Aurora gasped.

"Not the best bedtime story, I agree." Brinn nodded. "The necklace has been lost ever since. You say that Alaron gave it to you?"

"Yes, but how could Alaron have gotten a hold of a magical necklace?" Devrim and Aurora locked eyes.

"Alaron doesn't even believe in magic. Someone tricked him into this." Aurora knew her husband was thinking the same.

"Who?" The doctor could not stand the suspense.

They knew of only one magical creature intent on hurting the Empress. The Royal couple spoke in unison, "Cafer…"