What Now?

"I don't have enough information, Your Majesty," Nurlan responded without looking the Empress in the eye.

"It was a simple question. Do I do a good impression of a man's voice?" Aurora prodded.

"Perhaps with more practice…"

"Ha!" Devrim felt vindicated.

Aurora turned her nose up at the three men in front of her. "You three have no culture," she said indignantly, though not even she was sure what she meant.

"So this man, the one who tried to kill you…he knew who you were and where you would be. How?" Junayd tried to change the subject. The other two men jumped on this new line of thought quickly.

"If someone knew we were headed north, this road is a logical place we would cross." Devrim mused.

"And four adults on horseback that aren't merchants or soldiers would be relatively easy to spot." Nurlan added.

"But how would he have known that we were heading north? Or that the Empress was with us. Most people think she is headed on her world tour going west."

"It is obvious that we have a traitor in our midst." Aurora confirmed.

"Do you suspect one of the three of us?" Junayd voiced the question each man was thinking.

Aurora was quiet as she thought. "Junayd, why did you and Nurlan leave right as Berry became sick?"

Junayd looked helplessly at Devrim. The grey-eyed man came to his defense. "He thought I might like to have a private moment with my wife."

Nurlan added, "We did our business, made a sweep of the perimeter and hurried back as soon as we heard you cry out, Your Majesty."

Aurora nodded. If they had truly wished her dead, surely they would have gone further away so that they wouldn't have heard her scream. "My judgment tells me that none of you is the traitor. Devrim has been nothing but loyal since the day we met. He has nothing to gain and everything to lose by me being gone. Nurlan was fast to fetch the doctor and even helped to look for the point on Berry where the poison was given. If he were helping the murderer, surely he would have diverted our attention, delayed the doctor, and hidden the crime. And Junayd? Devrim just vouched for you. I trust Devrim."

"Thank you, Your Majesty," Junayd and Devrim said in unison.

Nurlan asked the next obvious question, "If not us, then who?"

"Only the Council, my ladies-in-waiting, Nanny and the children know our intended destination. Beyond that a few servants know we have left but do not know where." Aurora had her suspicions, but hesitated to voice them in case she was wrong.

"Who knows how many more people this traitor will send when they realize they have failed…We should turn back. With a larger company, we will be better able to protect you. This mission is not worth your life." Devrim's voice was full of anxiety.

Aurora was touched but not convinced. "More people means more potential traitors at this point. Someone wants very badly to stop us. You know what hangs in the balance, Devrim. We must press onward." Aurora looked at him meaningfully. The entire future of the world was at stake.

Devrim sighed. "Ok, but I'm still in charge, right?" When the Empress nodded, he continued. "Then we have to change some things. They know we are on horseback and what we are wearing. So, we will go to the nearest city, which I believe is Obsequence, and sell the horses and get new clothes. With any luck, your attacker doesn't know you are alive and that will buy us a couple days' head start. We will continue on foot and not take any major roads. With enough care, we may be able to ghost across the countryside to the frozen barrier."

"You want me to sell Berry?!" Aurora was shocked.

Devrim countered her question, "Would you rather turn back? If today is any indication, Berry is safer without us."

Aurora reluctantly agreed. Nurlan pointed out the one obvious flaw. "How will we get to the city quickly if her Majesty cannot ride her horse?"

Devrim folded his hands and tapped them on his chin. "We will put Berry on a lead attached to my horse. I will walk while Her Majesty rides."

The other three started to object, each talking over the other. Aurora quickly silenced them. "This is nonsense, dear husband. We can ride double on Jasper unless you think he is not strong enough to carry us both. Or is it too embarrassing to ride along with your wife?" Aurora was toying with him, but he didn't care. It was scandalous for an unmarried couple to be seen riding one in front of the other, but quite economical for those married or traveling with family.

Devrim's smile was far too big when agreed. "Whatever pleases you, I will happily comply." He bowed deeply.

"Especially if it pleases you just as much or more," Junayd said so only Devrim could hear. The latter bowed far longer and more deeply than he had planned to hide the crimson hue of his face.

"One more thing," the Empress said as they prepared to go. "We should send a courier message to Chief Zan to let him know what has happened. Perhaps he can find our traitor and lay the matter to rest."

"Good idea. I'll handle that when we reach the next relay station," Nurlan offered. That settled the matter.

"Shall we be off?" Devrim mounted Jasper and reached for Aurora's hand. Berry, who was up and able to travel, nickered softly as she pulled on the lead. The girl looked into her companion's grey eyes, and her words caught in her throat. The afternoon sun shone brightly behind him, outlining Devrim with its heavenly light. He was muscular, something that Aurora could more fully appreciate from this angle. In sum, he looked like a statue she had once seen in one of Valiant's many squares: perfect and otherworldly. Devrim furrowed his brow. "Is something wrong? You look strange."

Aurora realized she had been staring. She had allowed her mind to wander into some embarrassing thoughts. She blushed. "No no, I'm fine." She realized now what exactly she had agreed to. Aurora would be sitting directly in front of this handsome young man on an animal high above the ground. 'What have you gotten yourself into?!' she silently berated herself.

But it was too late. Aurora shyly took Devrim's hand and felt him sweep her onto the horse in front of him. His arms were strong around either side of her as he griped the reigns, and the saddle was comfortable enough for both of them. The whole thing felt natural, too natural. Her cheeks felt hot for the second time in so many minutes. The Empress missed that Devrim's face matched her own as he clicked his heels into Jasper.

Junayd watched the whole scene with both amusement and frustration. 'Those two love birds might never admit their feelings. This is going to be harder than I thought…' He rode along silently behind them, contemplating how to nudge the royal couple in the right direction: towards each other.