Rest for the Weary

"Why would the same people who attacked the Palace want to attack the University?" This was the question playing on repeat in Devrim's mind. He set down the doctor's instrument.

Oh how he wished he could reach Aurora or Mairwen to warn them and get any updates!

He could send a message ball to them, but it would take some time to reach them. Without Aurora, he had no way to access the Storehouse, and he had received word from the University that Fate Metis had disappeared with Fate Justum to the Maker-knows-where…

"Could they have been after Mairwen and the Chancellor got in their way?" Gandr, who had no idea the man was merely thinking aloud, suggested.

The man was surprised that his thoughts had been heard, but he quickly shook his head. "They would never have come at night for her. The monsters did not even know she was there. And according to Justum, they were after some sort of key."

"Key?" Gandr could not help but parrot the man. He was trying to keep up with the other's processing.

"Yes," Devrim coughed. He could not take the smell in the small surgery room any longer.

He made one last look over the Chancellor, and when he could not find anything else of note, he flung the sheet back over the table.

Lina stepped forward at last. "If you are finished Your Majesty…"

"Yes, please get him out of here. Make sure no one touches the body. We will make sure Fannur gets a proper funeral." Devrim looked at the white sheet and a pain filled his heart.

He wasn't even sure if the scholar had a family or someone he cared about. If so, the Emperor had deprived them of their loved one for too long. They would want to say goodbye.

When the servants came in, Devrim gave them instructions on what to do both then and in the morning. With masks across their faces, with servants complied. At last, only the living remained in the infirmary.

Motioning to Gandr, the pair went out into the hall. "I know the land of magic is full of wonders and all," the halfling said as they headed up the stairs, "but I maintain the strangest things always happen when I am with you humans."

"I am glad we are so entertaining," Devrim's voice was full of sarcasm. His mind was still trying to puzzle out what he had just discovered. He was missing the piece that connected the University to the Palace. Knowledge at one while the seat of power was contained in the other.

Someone wanted to gain control of the Empire; that much was certain. But who?

"Velia..." Devrim whispered. His eyes darted toward the part of the castle where the nursery was. He changed course.

Gandr was getting a little tired of not understanding what what happening, but it was all too important and interesting to give up. "That name sounds familiar."

"Velia is Colvyr's nursemaid who was there when he was attacked. Unlike Nanny, she was not scratched. Her leg was crushed, but even that is suspicious. Others have seen her walking almost normally when she thinks no one is looking."

"Have you questioned her?" Gandr fell in step with the Emperor's quickened pace.

"Many times. But the woman is so fragile, she falls into a hysterical blubbering mess. Junayd would get pieces, but mostly she would swear that she had nothing to do with the monsters. We have been keeping her isolated in the nursery."

The halfling grinned. "I guess the young prince was sleeping elsewhere."

"He was smuggled away with Anna and Ezer in their rooms. I don't even think the other Councilmen knew except Zan. It was a risk, but we did not have many options. I am so glad Colvyr and Aurora are safe now." Devrim's brow furrowed. "And to think that Velia may have been connected to whomever..." the man's fist clenched as anger welled up inside him.

"What do you plan to do this hour of the night? Torture her?" Gandr could not picture the grey-eyed man resorting to such violence.

Devrim shook his head. "No, now that you are here, I can give her exactly what she wants. A friend."

------------------------

Velia hated to be alone in the nurse's room of the nursery. It had been her constant home for the past week.

She knew the royals suspected her of treason. How could they not? Although she was allowed to enter the prince's empty nursery, everyone else had been moved to a new location. Other than a brief visit with the doctor and the advisor's interrogations, she had not been allowed to see anyone.

Junayd had come to ask her a million questions over the past week. He always seemed friendly, but there was only so much she could tell him.

The charming advisor had asked her about her family. She had told him about her mother only. How could she mention anything else? It was too shameful. Junayd had wanted her to talk about home, how she got the position at the palace, anything and everything about her. Why would he be so interested if he did not want to use it all against her? All the questions always made her cry.

However the advisor had not visited her that day, and that was somehow more unnerving. Had they finally given up on her?

As evening came, Velia laid down on her small cot, trying to think happy thoughts. At least she wasn't in the dungeon. That would be worse. Although her eyes drooped, her sleep was tentative; every sound woke her from her restless sleep.

Toward the early morning hours, a light tapping on the door startled the woman. Sitting up, Velia wondered if one of the guards outside were having a shift change, but then the door scraped open and a tender-faced young woman entered with a candle. She seemed too tall somehow, but Velia was too tired and relieved to notice.

"Kym! How did you...?"

"I told the guards that I need something feminine from in here that I had left behind. They said I could have just a minute. I am not sure they believed me, but I have been begging nonstop to see you." Kym whispered. Her voice was somewhat raspy even in its softness.

"Oh Kym! Is everyone alright?" Velia's eyes were teary.

"We are fine. Things are much the same." The woman with the thin face pulled her shawl tightly around her head.

Velia spoke quickly, "Is the prince...?"

"He is safe." Kym sat down on the bed next to her friend.

"Did he leave already?" Velia's eyes darted to her small window. She was looking northward.

"Leave?" Kym's brow furrowed. "What do you mean?"

"Before they locked me up in here, Little Gabe saw me in the kitchen and asked me where Oblivion is. He said that his master had sent a bird there because important people were going to visit. It isn't hard to put two and two together." Velia gave a shy smile. Little Gabe may not have known what he was saying, but the nursemaid could connect the dots.

Kym's eyes widened slightly as she shifted on the cot. "I see. That is certainly news. Velia, you are in a lot of trouble. You know that, right? Is...is there any message you want me to send to someone?"

"I was hoping you would have a note for me. You are always so good about delivering my mail still sealed." Velia looked eagerly at her friend, but she could tell by the other's slumping shoulders that she had no news.

"Your boyfriend has no sent word," Kym whispered tentatively.

"My boyfriend?" Velia chuckled softly. "Thank you for making me laugh. I needed it." Then her face hardened. "No news must mean that nothing has changed," she mumbled.

"What do you mean?" Kym placed her arm on the other's shoulder.

"I mean that you should stay as far away from the nursery as possible tomorrow night," Velia's eyes filled with fear.

Kym nodded. "But why?"

"Don't ask questions that will get you in trouble. You are too good of a friend. Now get out before someone catches you!" Velia ushered her toward the door.

Kym complied and scurried from the room. She nodded briefly to the guards, dangling a small satchel that she had supposedly retrieved. Rounding a corner, Kym's visage disappeared as Gandr removed the womanly shawl from his head. The gnome headed straight for the Emperor's office.

Devrim was waiting for him. "Well?"

"My feminine voice is getting much better," Gandr said airily, "but I would prefer never to have to pretend to be a woman again."

"So, it worked?" The Emperor chewed at his cheek impatiently.

"The attack is most likely tomorrow night. Velia didn't say it exactly, but she warned her friend to keep a low profile. Apparently this Kym person has been proffering her notes as an unwitting go-between." Gandr relayed the entire conversation he had with the nursemaid.

"I will put a guard outside Kym's room and we can search it for any notes in the morning. We have already searched Velia's things. She must rid herself of the communications as soon as she gets them." Devrim stretched his arms over his head. "And we will covertly move Velia to the dungeon. The evidence of her guilt is too great to be ignored." The man rubbed at his eyes.

The halfling nodded. The Emperor was beginning to fade. Gandr did not need as much sleep as humans and even he was feeling sleep call him.

"I will make sure the nursemaid is moved this very hour, though I may have to plug my nose to keep that infernal stench of her perfume out..." the halfling stopped grumbling as he saw the Emperor arch his brow. "But that is certainly not your problem. I will see you first thing in the morning, Your Majesty." The shapeshifter stood and took on Junayd's visage once more. He bowed.

"Better make it second thing," Devrim yawned, "You have to escort Anna out of the Empress's temporary chambers."

"Thanks for the reminder." Gandr turned to leave. "Oh, Your Majesty?"

The halfling fell silent as he turned around. The man was already sound asleep with his head on his desk. He shut the door and let the man have his first real rest in a week.