Disturbing and Amazing

In the darkness, Aurora saw two leering eyes. She recoiled, trying to escape the sharp white teeth below them. Suddenly a host of eyes joined the first, surrounding her.

The scared woman curled into a tight ball as claws from every direction ripped at her clothes. She screamed as she felt her skin torn and dashed beyond recognition. The pain was excruciating.

"Help! Please! Someone!" she wailed.

But only monsters answered her from the darkness. Their wordless growls silenced the woman's frantic pleas as they renewed their assault. Aurora thrashed against their attacks, punching and kicking until one of them pinned her to the ground. She stared dumbstruck into the void, hopelessness overtaking her.

"Aurora," a voice called to her. It was like an anchor in a storm.

"Where are you?" The Empress could feel herself slipping away. Already she had reached out and found her hands had faded into the eternal night.

"Aurora!" The deep voice called again. "I'm here. Wake up!"

The tide of consciousness washed over Aurora as she forced her eyes open. She gasped, feeling the tears that had streamed down her face.

"It was a bad dream," Devrim cooed. "Nothing more."

He ran his fingers gently along her uninjured cheek, brushing away the water.

Inhaling and exhaling slowing, Aurora waited as the world came into focus. She was in the Emperor's bedroom, and Devrim was there just as he had promised. The windows were dark, but she felt like it was still early in the evening.

Aurora's throat was raw from screaming like a child.

"Sorry," she said in a hoarse voice, looking toward her husband. The Empress gasped, seeing a small cut on his lip. "Oh!"

"I'm fine," Devrim assured her.

"Did I hurt you?" Aurora asked sheepishly, her heart filled with guilt.

Sitting up slightly with Aurora still leaning on him, Devrim touched his lips and looked at his finger. "No more than usual," he smirked.

"So rude!" The woman pushed against his chest where her head had been laying.

"See? I may as well join the Battered Husbands Club." He pretended to pout, but then saw the look of genuine pain on his wife's face. "I was only kidding, my love."

"No, not you. It's my arm," Aurora rasped as she gripped below her shoulder.

"The doctor should be here soon. Nurlan has already gone to get him." Devrim glanced at the door desperately. He wished there was more that he could do.

A short while later, there was a soft knock before the doctor entered with a healer and the burly general.

"I was told you might need your bandages changed, Your Majesty." The doctor bowed as he addressed the royals.

Devrim stood and made room for the doctor to work. The Emperor smoothed the wrinkles of his tunic before sitting on the edge of the bed to grasp his wife's right hand.

The doctor rolled up the sleeve of the woman's nightdress. He delicately removed the bandage as Aurora sucked in her breath. The long gash ran diagonally along the length of her upper arm. It looked angry at having been disturbed again, but that was not what concerned the doctor. More purple ooze tinged the edges of the wound.

"Hmmm," the doctor hummed softly. The healer handed him a metal instrument with fresh gauze attached to it. It smelled strongly of medicine. He used the gauze to clean out the wound and more gauze for the other two, which both had a similar purple discharge. The gashes were also feverishly warm.

"That's bad, isn't it?" The Empress saw the physician's pinched lips.

"I had hoped the strange violet puss would not return. I believe it came from your attacker and not from a secondary source."

"What makes you say that?" Devrim furrowed his brow.

"Nanny has the same purple seepage coming from her stomach." The doctor said as he finished and wiped his hands. He handed the woman another glass of healing water mixed with pain reliever, and she drank it quickly.

"That feels much better. Thank you. Tell me, how is Nanny?" The color had returned to Aurora's face as she propped herself up on the bed. Devrim moved some pillows behind her back to support her.

"Nanny is alive, but still unconscious. Her body is as stubborn as her mind." The doctor had experienced more than one run-in with the indomitable woman.

"That's my Nanny!" The fiery haired woman announced proudly.

Thinking about the Councilwoman gave Aurora courage. She was already feeling better, and the bad dream was becoming just a memory.

"Thank you doctor." Dipping her head, Aurora dismissed the physician.

The doctor bowed deeply, his finger length grey hair falling forward across his forehead. "Glory to the Empress!"

Once he exited with the healer, Aurora's ladies-in-waiting were admitted. Anna, Bella and Candela came in with a tray of food for the Royals and more clothing.

They all curtsied. The Empress nodded for them to speak.

"We have brought you food." Anna held up the tray.

"And some clothes." Bella motioned to to fresh nightgown and a blue dress.

"Of course we did not forget something to drink," Candela added with a pitcher in her hand.

The Empress smiled at them. She knew the women were likely as shaken up as she was, but they still eagerly took care of her. "Thank you, ladies."

The women set up the meal to be eaten in bed.

"Your Majesty?" Anna's voice asked timidly.

"Yes?" Aurora could sense that Anna had something serious on her mind.

"Ezer told me of your plan..." the lovely lady swallowed, realizing that her husband might be in trouble for sharing the information with her without permission.

"Do you object?" The Empress asked quickly. She would never force Anna to do such a risky task.

Relieved by her mistress's concern, Anna quickly shook her head and smiled slightly. "Oh no! I will happily take your place, Your Majesty. But I think we should not wait and start tonight. Would the Hyacinth Suite be an acceptable spot for your pretend bedroom?"

The suite had a servants' door that led to an adjoining room. The exit for the attendants was around the corner from the main suite, so Anna could easily leave with no one being the wiser.

"It sounds perfect. Thank you, Lady Anna." Aurora was grateful to have such a wise helper.

After the couple finished eating, Anna helped change the Empress into another nightgown, and then put on the one which Aurora had discarded. She pulled out the fiery wig which she had been hiding and carefully settled it onto her head.

"I had one other thought," Anna held out a sheer piece of white fabric.

"A veil?" Devrim was not sure what to make of her suggestion.

"Yes, it will keep most everyone from recognizing me. Since the Empress's cheek is injured, we can say that the doctor does not want it exposed to light."

She handed the veil to Aurora and put her own in place across her face with the help of a few well placed hairpins. While it was easy enough to see out from the delicate cloth, neither royal could fully penetrate the gossamer fabric to closely study the face underneath.

"I will wheel you to the room, Anna." Devrim offered to break the silence.

Bella and Candela helped Anna get situated before the four of them headed to the door. "I will be right back." Devrim winked at his wife.

Aurora watched the room empty and felt utterly alone. She knew Nurlan would have to follow the fake Empress to make it believable and only a couple of guards would be left outside the door. For the first time since returning to the palace, the Empress felt completely exposed.

"Hurry back," she whispered.

The Hyacinth suite, so named for the decorative flowers that adorned the room, was down one level and across the hall. The inside rooms had no natural light, but were protected from window visitors.

The soldiers waiting for them outside the suite parted to let them enter, while General Nurlan gave them their orders. Returning with an empty wheeled chair, Devrim gave them parting words.

"Protect the Empress. No one enters except her ladies-in-waiting until morning. I will see that a new chair is sent or that this one is repaired before she awakens."

The Emperor walked casually down the hall pushing the empty chair.

"Why didn't the Emperor just hand the chair off to a servant?" One of the guards whispered to the soldier next to him.

The other shrugged, "No idea. Royals can be quite eccentric. It is best not to question them or else you will get saddled with the job…or worse. Just asked advisor Junayd. When he asked an innocent question, he was forced to muck out the royal stables for a month."

"Really? I heard a rumor that punishment was for naming his horse after the Emperor."

"Either way, hush up and keep your nose clean or you will be the next one covered in animal droppings!"

——————

Returning to his suite with the chair, Devrim found his wife sitting on the edge of the bed. "I am glad you are back," she said simply.

"Sorry I took so long," he answered as he saw the lines of worry on her face. "Are you ready?"

Aurora nodded, and she took a couple of steps to sit into the chair. With a motion that was automatic, the Emperor slipped his hand into a recess behind the fireplace's hearth. There was a click.

"I am still amazed you found that spot on your first night here." Aurora remembered how the grey-eyed boy had tumbled into her room.

"I am very lucky that way. I often find the amazing, and occasionally the amazing finds me." His winsome smile made Aurora blush. "Come on." Devrim grabbed a hold of the back of the chair and began to push. "The Storehouse awaits."