Trapping the Empress

Pulling herself back together, Aurora knew she would have to go back to the party if she had any hope to salvage the situation. On one hand she was slightly relieved that the secrets were out, but she was mortified by the twisted way the story was presented. She had to admit that Cafer's version seemed more believable than what had actually happened. Aurora hoped that her kindness to her people would keep them from thinking the worst of her.

Anna fanned the Empress gently, unsure what to say. Nurlan was equally at a loss for words. "Anyone who believes that words cannot hurt them has never had a cross thing said to them in their life," Aurora said bitterly to break the silence.

"I am sorry, Your Majesty. That was a cruel trick to play." Anna felt motherly compassion for her mistress.

"Cafer is a master manipulator," Nurlan added angrily. "Warfare on the mind is very effective." The soldier was not good with comfort, but somehow they were the words that Aurora needed to hear.

She wiped her wet eyes. "Yes, well, I shall not give him the satisfaction of showing that he disturbed me."

"If it helps, picture when Nanny finds out about this and rips the actors limb from limb." Anna raised her eyebrows. Although the Councilwoman had been at the party, she had excused herself very early. Nanny would possibly be even angrier than Devrim. The Empress pictured a mother bear attacking someone who tried to harm her cubs.

Aurora laughed, "That does help, Anna. Thank you." Anna called on Bella and Candela, and the three made the Empress look as good as new. The Empress along with most of her entourage returned to the ballroom with a confident air.

Immediately Alaron rushed to the Empress's side. "Come with me!"

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Zan gathered the actors and took them to the dungeon. They seemed unperturbed by his actions, which only made the guardian more suspicious.

"Who hired you?"

The men remained quiet. Their silence angered Zan more than anything else they could have done.

"Answer me!" He yelled. Something in him told him that time was running short.

"I heard you were down here," Gandr came into the cell.

"Are any of them gnomes," Zan asked quickly.

Gandr sniffed at them, "No…" His head cocked curiously to one side.

"What is it?" Zan could see that there was more.

"It may be nothing, but they have a distinct smell. They smell of seaweed and ocean brine." Gandr brought his finger to his chin.

"So they are from a coastal area…where the prince went without permission!" Zan followed his thinking.

"Prince who?" The man with the snake-like hair jeered. "I don't know any prince."

"Gag him," Zan said to a guard. A soldier wrapped a cloth around the obnoxious man's mouth.

Ignoring them, Gandr was pacing. "I smelled the same scent on Lord Picaroon."

"I am not familiar with the name." Zan knitted his brow.

"Nor was I. And Picaroon is another name for pirate. One pirate on his own is suspicious enough." Gandr pointed to the group of actors. "A whole gang of them is a problem."

"What if Picaroon is actually Xander?" Zan's face was etched with worry as he got a sinking feeling.

"The prince could have made contact with him. His Highness knew that Xander wanted revenge." Gandr, too, was feeling anxious. "Something is wrong. I can feel it." Even after all these years, he was still connected to the humans on which he had used magic. Something in him sent off a warning flare.

Zan knew that Gandr's hunches were often correct. "We need to warn Her Majesty. There is an extra player in this game and our plan will not work!" The two rushed out of the room, leaving the guards to secure the cell.

"You are too late," the snake-haired pirate said, but his voice was so muffled by the gag, no one could understand.

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The prince pulled Aurora toward the wooden stage with the thrones at a rapid pace. Nurlan, who was a few steps behind when Alaron grabbed Aurora, was caught up in the crowd as they moved forward. He cursed aloud and received a nasty look from a lady in a feathery dress that resembled a strangled swan.

"What is going on?" Aurora asked as she tripped on the edge of her skirt.

"It is time to set the record straight." Alaron sneered. The two royals were on the raised dais in front of the thrones. Aurora searched for Devrim, but he was nowhere in the crowd. It meant he was either safe or already in danger. His absence was troubling.

"Don't do this," Aurora pleaded. The look in the boy's eyes told her that he words had fallen on deaf ears.

"It is my sixteenth birthday!" Alaron announced loudly. "You opened the party with my sister, yet I have not had the chance to join Your Majesty on the strange for my moment of glory. Please grace us with the story of my birth for those gathered here."

Nurlan was now at the base of the platform, and Brinn was in the balcony with her bow drawn. They were only waiting for a cue to take the prince to the ground. Aurora tried to pull away from her son, but his grip was unusually strong. "Instead could I tell them of how much I love you, or how talented you are? Or I could regale them with the magnificent boar you shot out hunting just last month!" The Empress was stalling.

"No!" Alaron yelled. His voice echoed such that the ballroom seemed to shake. "The story of my coming into the world. Now."

"Well, I…" the dark-haired woman was still scanning faces. Alaron jerked her arm fiercely.

"Let me help you. Tell them who was born first." The prince taunted.

"I do not know." Aurora whispered.

"Louder for those in the back!"

"I don't know," The Empress looked the blond boy in the eye.

"That is very curious. Weren't you there? But let us move on to something more important. Who is my father?" Alaron prodded.

"You know I cannot answer that." Aurora refused to be cowed.

"Cannot or will not?" The Prince asked with a superior air. When the woman stayed silent, he sighed. "Fine, tell them the answer to this question and I will let you off the hook. Who is my mother?"

Aurora's hard facade softened, "Your mother is the same as mine. Her name was Zephyra."

The crowd murmured. "So they are siblings!"

"Does he have a claim to the throne?"

"The prince must be very angry to expose the Empress like this."

Alaron smiled. "Now that you know I have come to claim my throne, I hope you will all be cooperative. Not that you have a choice."

A man in a flamboyant outfit strode up next to the prince. "This is supposed to be a party, but it is so dark in here. Perhaps we need a little light!"

Anna recognized the man beside Alaron, "Your Majesty!" she called, trying to warn her.

Zan ran into the ballroom, sword in hand. "It is a trap!"

But it was too late. Xander pulled a shiny pearl from inside his shirt. The last thing anyone in the ballroom remembered was giving into the most pleasant light that ever graced the palace.