Chapter 41
Hydrangea rolled over and slowly peeled her eyes open only to find the sleeping face of the Sovereign.
She gasped and moved so she was farther away from him but felt the edge of the bed. She was still feeling sleepy and she could tell that the room was cold so she pulled the blankets up to cover her shoulders and closed her eyes.
She thought back to last evening when she'd remembered her dream of him drowning and her… her saving him. But she hadn't seen if he'd survived or not. Ratri-kar had said that it was her future.
She had so many questions as to why she would even try to save him. Would she be forced to against her will in the future? And how had he fallen into that pool?
She shook her head and thought back to the previous night where her eyes had found the statue of Samadur in his room and she had thought for a second that he might have dreams too but, she had quickly pushed the notion away. If he had, he would surely have changed.
Hopefully…
She had decided that that man in her dreams was truly the Primal Ratri-kar and not a figment of her imagination.
Feeling movement she opened her eyes and saw the Sovereign shifting. She sat up to see his eyes were still closed but his face was scrunched as if in pain.
She drew back and wondered if he was having a nightmare.
He shook his head and she could see that he was gasping for breath, 'Could he not breath?' She wondered as she crawled next to him.
"Sovereign." She whispered and shook his shoulder.
He grabbed her wrist and squeezed it painfully.
She yelled in pain, "Sovereign! Sovereign, wake up!"
His eyes snapped open and he sat up crashing his head against hers.
She reached for her head and fell onto the bed.
She could hear his panting breaths but had closed her eyes in pain. She felt as he stood from the bed and heard his footsteps retreat.
Once the ache had dissipated she removed her hand from her head, which now had a sizeable bump.
Still covering the bump she stood and looked at where the Sovereign was standing. He stood with his hands grasping the window sill, his bare back hunched. Pausing for a few seconds she couldn't help but stare at his naked upper half.
Biting her lip, feeling a little disgusted with herself, she turned and left.
He made no objection.
~~~~~~~
Bastian watched the tedious waves roll onto the shore and recede he listened as the flower's footsteps retreated and the door to her private room shut.
Rubbing his eyes he attempted to make sense of his dream. It made no sense. How could that possibly be Samadur?
He paused for a second as he remembered him saying that both his father and mother had a Primal protecting them.
'Did that mean that Hydrangea…?' He wondered.
Shaking his head he went to his private chamber and stepped into the warm bathing water. His lungs instantly contracted at the thought of stepping into the water.
He removed the thoughts from his mind and told himself that it was shallow and that he was being a fool.
Relaxing his body in the bath he closed his eyes and recollected her dead face smeared with blood. Shaking his head frustratedly at the thoughts in his head he finished his bath and dressed for the day while Hugh read him the schedule.
Emon entered and uncharacteristically asked if he could join him in his daily duties.
Bastian squinted his eyes at him; perplexed at first, but in the end he decided that he could see nothing wrong with it.
Emon followed him dutifully the entire day and never once disturbed him, once Bastian was finished with everything he returned to his chambers and sat at his desk ready to go over some tiring papers for the night.
Emon was still there.
"You may go." He said waving his hand to dismiss the man.
"I wondered if I could first speak with you, my Sovereign?" The man asked bowing.
Bastian stared at the man confused, "Very well." He allowed it. The old man had never been fond of him, even when he was a child. Why would he act this way now?
"Shall I first serve you a drink?"
Bastian wanted to laugh at the man's queer behaviour, "Alright then." He would enjoy a drink.
Emon walked to where the crystal decanter of wine sat and poured the Sovereign his drink. While his back was still turned the seneschal opened a small bottle and poured the clear, liquid, contents into the wine. He'd hoped to poison the Sovereign but had made his peace with the public execution.
Turning, he presented the goblet to the Sovereign and Bastian took it without a word of thanks.
Walking to the window he began to drink, "You wanted to speak with me about something?" Bastian said tiredly.
Emon nodded, "Yes, my Sovereign. It pertains to the Queen's First Act."
"What of it?" Bastian asked as he gulped the drink down and set the goblet on the sill of the window.
"We're afraid that it will have to be postponed, my Sovereign."
Bastian blinked as his eyelids were beginning to droop. He pinched the bridge of his nose and grabbed the sill.
"Inform her, I'm sure she'll be able to handle…"
Emon watched as the man before him struggled to fight the sedative but luckily, for Emon, he couldn't and he soon collapsed on the sandstone floor.
Emon opened his mouth to call the guards but was surprised by the doors being opened and Hadok rushing in.
"My Sovereign-" He said and immediately noticed the body on the ground. Looking across at Emon he moved towards him and Emon panicked being quite smaller than the large man.
"What have you done?" Hadok asked in a low voice.
"He is not dead!" Said Emon raising his hands as a sign that he was not a threat.
Hadok went to where the Sovereign's body lay and checked to see if he was indeed alive.
Emon saw this as his chance and walked slowly behind the crouched man in an attempt to push him out the window.
Hadok, not being deaf, heard the man's slow steps toward him and readied himself for an attack. When Emon was only a foot from him Hadok turned and the surprised Emon fell on the ground knocking himself unconscious.
After sighing unimpressedly and checking to see if the seneschal was still alive Hadok picked up the Sovereign's body and silently escaped from the chambers.