Out of Control

Mircea wakes up panting loudly, she looks around to check her whereabouts. Her dark silk curtains are flapping relentlessly, she didn't leave the window open. Her room has cooled down with the night breeze that is flowing in through the open window. 

Mircea pulls her quilt closer, she is dressed in a flimsy silk gown which is not much of a body warmer. She jumps out of the bed and drags the quilt with her to close the window. Before drawing in the window doors she glances at the twinkling stars that are spread peacefully in the dark space of the sky. 

She was having a recurring nightmare, where her mother killed her whole family in front of her eyes. However she never got to see her mother's face. 

Perhaps, her subconscious mind had forgotten how she looked. 

The chances of her going to sleep after this were slim to none, so she pondered on ways to pass her time till the morning. Mircea still hadn't started with the small doses of the poison Etna had brought her. Lest she can do is take a small step ahead by making her body stronger with the poison.

She pads her way to the drawers and fishes out the small bottle hidden behind her fur coats. She stares numbly at the bottle for a good minute before unbolting it. 

Mircea takes a drop of the liquid on her finger and sucks on it. Her brain goes stupefied the next moment. She closes it and places it in the drawer. 

After gulping a glass of water Mircea moves to her bed and perches on it. She throws away the coverlets and lays back clutching her head. No wonder her father was on the bed for a month before dying, she laughs sardonically. 

Oh how she wishes she was one of the villagers she had met three days ago with Urban. 

Urban.

She hadn't got the chance to meet him, partly because of her duties and partly because she didn't know what she wanted from him. 

It would be so easy with him if she wasn't born this way. Everything would be so easy if she would have been someone of less significance. Even so she couldn't quit on her people and her kingdom. 

Perhaps right now was the right time to end it with Urban before things got too complicated. If he was planning on obeying King Diomedes' orders and shifting his whole life here Mircea had to set some things straight. 

She wondered if she was too reckless of a queen, fooling around with a witcher just after she was crowned. They were still waiting for the king's reply on her suggestion to push ahead with the marriage. Her intoxicated thoughts were choking her. She realized this poison was more toxic than any blood wine. 

Mircea decided to use her intoxicated self to stop whatever it was with Urban. She wanted to stop running from her problems, she wanted to let it all out but she didn't know how to do it. Solving problems by pushing people away was the only way she knew. She was good at doing that. 

Pulling on the fur coat from the same drawer she stepped out her personal chamber. It did not appear as she was wearing just a short silk underneath, the coat covered her body perfectly. The guards were half asleep as she walked leisurely to the north side of the palace. The halls were dimly lit making it easier for Mirea to blend in the shadows where the guards were awake. 

The wind was howling outside the thick walls of the palace. It seemed as if the storm was here, the chillness of the night was seeping in through the small windows at the end of every hallway. Mircea thanked the saints she chose to wear the fur or she would have freezed to death with the poison in her body. 

Mircea was halfway through, when she saw a figure pacing in her direction. She couldn't make out the person because of her low human eye sight. She tried to squint her eyes to get a clearer picture but she couldn't tell anything except it looked like a man who was rushing towards her. 

She had no weapon on her, she really had been a reckless queen. She had stepped out to meet someone with no dagger or knife. 

Mircea tried to blend in the shadows, but failed when the person yelled, "It's me Mir!" It was Athos, she instantly recognized his voice. She sighed in relief.

"What are you doing roaming the hallways like this?" She demanded scanning his figure once he stepped in low light. Mircea's eyes catched the sword Athos was carrying in his right hand. Her alarmed eyes searched the answer back on his face for why he was carrying his sword this late.

Athos's face was pulled hard in a tight expression as he was checking out Mircea. "I should ask you that? What are you doing out here and where are your guards?" 

Mircea couldn't answer his question.

"Don't answer my question with another question Athos, what is wrong? Why are you carrying your sword?" She looked around to see if they had company but it was only Athos and her. 

"Let's go somewhere safe first." Athos pulls Mircea along with him

"I need to know what is wrong?" Mircea shrugs him off

"Can you listen to me for once?" He glowers at her. Athos starts walking in the opposite direction. 

"Bastard." Mircea strides after him, her body still felt heavy. The poison worked very well. She raised her hand to indicate they should walk a little slower when she felt her hand shake uncontrollably. She gaped at her hand. 

Mircea questioned herself, did she take more than she was supposed to?

Perhaps she should call for Etna after she finishes talking with Athos.

"Athos, can you pace down? I'm not in the best shape." She calls for him.

Athos turns around to glance at her, "Why?"

Mircea doesn't answer him, she plods ahead of him hugging herself. 

***

Mircea is perched on the settee whilst Athos is going through some papers. She looks for a shawl to hide the shaking of her legs. Her study room is cold unlike her personal chamber making it harder for her to sit idle in one place without making it obvious for Athos that something is wrong with her.

She can't let him know she will be taking small doses of the same poison that was used to kill her father. 

"Athos it's late I want to return to my bed, will you tell me what it is about already?" Mircea sighs, rubbing her face. 

"Where did you keep the letters that were exchanged between Cetus and Slyve?" 

"They are in the locked up chest, why?" She pulls the shawl she found under the desk closer to her body.

"Do you have the keys on you?" He stops searching and gazes at her intently

"No but why?" 

"Someone attacked us on the southern west borders, I'm afraid it's the kingdom of Cetus." Athos straightens up in his seat. Mircea gasps.

"What do you mean they attacked? How did they attack?" She finds her feet, leaving the shawl behind as she paces in front of her desk. 

"Five soldiers who were on border patrol were killed. They are trying to find out who it was." 

"When did it happen?"

"Dusk, probably." 

"How many people know about this?"

"No one except for Carden and some of his officers."

"Good, no one should get to know about this. Whatever happens you come to me first." Mircea commands him, he nods at her.

"Find Carden for me, and find out who attacked from here. I don't want you anywhere near the border. Carden can handle the border." 

"But…"

"Not now Athos, I need you here." Mircea stands in front of Athos "Get up, I will take out the letters." 

"But you don't have the keys." He rises on his feet.

"We can always break it." She picks up Athos's sword and hits on the key inserting column twice. The lock crushes down, she opens the drawer and soughts out the files kept in there. Athos helps her sort out the letters.

"Wait." Mircea looks up to him. 

"Faustina, she would know!" She exclaims 

"Maybe" He nods blankly.

"Summon her here in the morrow." Mircea orders him. Athos's eyes pop out at her command.

"What?" 

"You heard me." It was unlikely that Mircea would order her sister like this, even if she was in the chamber. Athos knew Mircea, he knew she respected Faustina even after what had happened. 

"Here are the letters." Mircea drops the letters on the desk. Athos starts scanning it without another word. 

Is it really the Kingdom of Cetus who attacked her kingdom?

If so, why?

What does the King of Cetus want from her kingdom?

Mircea must find the old connections that were buried! She must find the fossils of it if she wants to prevent a war. Cetus is one powerful kingdom and Mircea's bet is Gyyza won't fight with Slyve unless she marries the second prince. 

Slyve cannot afford a war with Cetus. 

Mircea needs to know what else Pyron and Faustina have been hiding. What secrets her father kept from her and the council. She must find out everything before things start to slip out of control.