A Stranger’s Eyes

"Anything I want?" Concubine Number 5 repeated. "Isn't it a big risk for the emperor to make such a bold claim?"

"I meant what I said," Alessandro said, getting impatient. "Now tell me what you want."

5 pursed her lips, appearing to give the matter a lot of thought. It wasn't every day that she had a chance like this to make a demand to the emperor. Actually, it didn't happen before in all the years she had lived in the imperial palace, and she highly doubted she'd get another opportunity anytime in the foreseeable future – or in this lifetime. So she had to think it over very carefully and seize this rare chance, because she likely won't get another one.

"Either you tell me or you don't," Alessandro snapped, his thin hold on his patience gone. "Just save 20."

"Can I save my wish for later?" 5 wheedled for a negotiation. "I want to make sure I can help her first." And then she'd make her demand. She was almost sure she knew what she wanted already, but she had no way of knowing for certain the emperor would be so inclined to grant it. After all, it was audacious and daring – in other words, exactly her style. But the emperor didn't know that.

If she did manage to save the poor girl, however, then he wouldn't even hesitate to agree. Or at least, he would be compelled to do so. And she'd just rather stack up the odds in her favor. She played to win, after all. No point in just having fun.

Alessandro halted, his heart stopping at her words. "You mean you may not be able to save her?" If Concubine Number 5 couldn't treat 20, she may not make it. She may not even be able to survive past this evening. He was no doctor by any means, but she definitely looked worse with every minute that passed. And there was just not enough time to scour through the empire or its surrounding territories for an alternative cure to the poison. 

To put it simply, this girl was his last resort, and he had to bet everything on her somehow holding the potion – or whatever the hell it was that she liked to tinker with – that would reverse the poison's effect on 20. He had to, because 20 couldn't die. He would do anything to prevent that from happening, even make a deal with a sorceress.

"I don't know," 5 rolled her eyes. She knew she was smart – probably even a genius if she objectively assessed her abilities without a trace of modesty – but she was not omniscient. How could she possibly claim to have the means to help someone whose condition was still unknown to her? Only a fool would do that. And the fact that the emperor asked her that question meant he had gotten used to dealing with fools on a regular basis. Poor guy. "I need to see her before I can answer your question."

Without waiting for his permission, she strode past Alessandro and opened the door to his bedroom, forcing him to follow her. The girl was deathly pale when she got to the bedside, and it was clear that whatever the doctor was doing was of little or no help at all.

"Move," she said, pushing the doctor out of the chair so she could take a seat instead. She took the girl's hand and felt her wrist, closing her eyes so she could focus on discerning the girl's vital signs. After a while she opened her eyes and turned to Alessandro, "Now I'll answer your question." She stood up. "Yes, I can save her."

Alessandro expelled a breath he wasn't even aware he was holding. "You can?"

"Yes," she confirmed, nodding. "Give me half an hour." She turned to the doctor before leaving. "Just keep administering to her," she instructed him. 'Even though it's not really helping,' she wanted to add. But keeping the doctor busy would at least give a false assurance to Alessandro that something was happening. It might help him from completely going crazy and rushing over to her instead of just waiting for her to get back to his quarters. 

*****

If there was one thing Alessandro learned as he sat by 20's bedside holding her hand, it was that time was relative. And how long or short it seemed depended entirely on how he perceived it to be. During his regular talks with 20, and even more so when she was in his company, it was as though time was breezing through without him noticing. There were just so many things he wanted to say to her, so many things he wanted to do.

But at moments like this, when he didn't know if she would live or die, when he couldn't guarantee her safety, then it became a force that was etching away at his sanity. He kept taking deep breaths to calm himself down. And even if it wasn't helping, at least it was keeping him from crushing 20's hand with too much strength.

He turned her hand over and kissed her palm. "Just hold on a little longer," he whispered. "Just a little bit more." It was a mantra he had been telling himself since the damn woman had left the room almost half an hour ago. True that she hadn't yet exceeded the time she gave, but couldn't she try to at least arrive sooner?

Right on the dot Concubine Number 5 strode back into the room. "What took you so long?" Alessandro growled.

'And hello to you too,' she mentally replied. "You can go now," she told the doctor, who quickly packed up his things and left. There was really nothing he could do for the girl now. He could only hope that someone else could help her. 

5 wanted to administer the potion privately, but she knew even before she asked that there was no way the emperor would leave the girl's side. So she opted for the next best thing – getting the doctor out of the room. The fewer audience, the better. It would be the first time for her to attempt to save a person's life, after all. Usually she liked to do the opposite. So she wasn't sure exactly how it would pan out. Hopefully not too bad.

"Did you bring the antidote to the potion?" Alessandro asked eagerly, motioning to the small flask in her hands.

"It's not an antidote," 5 clarified.

"Then what the hell is that?" Alessandro wanted to know, his voice rising. 20's hand was getting colder to his touch even though he had made sure that the room was warm – very warm, actually. He swaddled her in thick blankets, closed all the windows, and he had even asked Rocco to light the fireplace. 

"It's a time reversing potion," 5 explained. "It will bring back her body to a time before she was poisoned."

"Will it work?" Alessandro hesitated. A time reversing potion. He had never heard of something so absurd before. But then again, he had never asked a sorceress to help him before as well. 

"More or less," 5 shrugged.

"You're not certain of its effectiveness?" Alessandro demanded.

"I'm not," 5 admitted. How could she be sure of something that she had only put together just a while ago? Something she didn't even have the time to test out? "But here's what I know. If you don't give her the potion, she'll most definitely die tonight." She handed him the flask. "The choice is yours." And with that she left the room again. She didn't have to stay and watch him wrestle with his conscience. She was bound to find out later if it worked, anyway.

Alessandro's breath came in short gasps. This was the most difficult decision he's ever had to make. 20's life literally hung on a thread, and whatever he chose to do – or not to do – would spell out life or death for her. After a few minutes of battling with himself, he made his choice.

Lifting 20 to a sitting position, he leaned her on his chest and tilted her head slightly. He used one hand to open her mouth and the other hand to pour the liquid down her throat. When she had swallowed about half of the bottle's content, she began coughing. It was the first sign of life he had seen her do in so many hours, and he sagged with relief. "20, can you hear me?" He held her close and kept her face tilted so he could watch every nuance of her expression as she slowly regained consciousness. "Are you feeling a little better now?" 

When she finally opened her eyes, she looked at him blankly. Then she stared at him with fear and confusion as she tried to weakly get away from him.

Alessandro returned her stare, totally aghast. It was then that he realized – he was looking at a stranger's eyes. The girl before him was not 20.