...38...
AT DEATH'S DOOR
Several thoughts ran through her head as she went out of the bedroom, through the emperor's quarters and down the long corridors that led to the stairs.
There was something that she didn't know, something that the rest of them present had known.
But, what it was, she, Xiera could not make it out.
And, it bothered her, really bothered how.
Whatever that they all were keeping was huge.
That Lady, the one that she served, she was no ordinary person.
Yes, she had known this all along, but it had never been more clear than today.
Everyone was fretting over her, even the Little Prince.
She could have easily attributed it to the fact that she was the emperor's woman.
But she knew that it was far more than that, the reason they were all on edge.
She shrugged it off as she went down the stairs and to the living room area where Hera-Mera was still on her knees like the Little Prince had instructed.
The sight brought joy to her soul and a broad smile to her face.
How pleasing!
The wench had not had it yet.
It will begin when the Emperor returned from his journey.
She smiled again and went up to Octavia.
'Your master has asked that I give this to you and tell you to bring it to the emperor instantly,' she said to the Little Prince's aide.
'It's for the Emperor?' Octavia asked her casually as she collected the folded piece of paper that Xiera stretched out to her.
She stared at it for a moment.
'Yes it is.'
Octavia nodded.
'I shall leave at once,' she said before turning away and then heading for the exit.
But, she suddenly pivoted and gave Xiera a warning look.
'Make sure that she remains in this position,' she ordered her glancing briefly at Hera-Mera.
Her eyes were stern.
'I shall, with all gladness,' Xiera assured her with a smile.
The other nodded and finally left.
Then, she, Xiera turned to Hera-Mera with an evil grin.
'Oh look at you,' she sneered. 'You are at whose mercy now?' she went on to taunt her.
Hera-Mera said nothing to her.
She simply rolled her eyes and looked away from Xiera.
There was no point getting into a fight with her and possibly getting into more trouble at that.
'Anyways, it shall not be just you, alone. That other bitch, Zoë must also partake of this.'
Then, she laughed happily.
The smile reached the corners of her eyes and brightened her face.
Outside, Octavia readied her horse to leave the empire after getting a few necessities from the emperor's kitchen.
She saddled her beast of burden and began her journey.
She was headed for the nearest island where the emperor currently was with the letter in her pocket.
It was called Quarie Island.
The island was about three hours ride from the Linamine Empire.
The Kutrav river linked it to the Linamine coast.
The emperor was there on royal business and affairs.
She knew this because she had been there when he had discussed the purpose of his visit with her Master, the Little Prince.
He had gone there to propose a business deal.
He wanted to persuade the King of the island to allow for a bridge to be built across the Kutrav river.
It would span from the Linamine coast down to the Quarie island.
It should have been an easy feat for the proposal was quite advantageous to both side.
But, Quarie was a rather small isolated island in the midst of many strong kingdoms.
The city was not walled because the sparkling waters completely surrounding it performed that function.
The other kingdoms avoided starting a war with the island country because it wasn't easy to attack from the water.
A sea war cost a lot.
Therefore, to persuade such a country who relied solely on water for protection from war to build a bridge was almost futile.
It was just like pouring water into a basket, completely useless.
It was almost unachievable.
Yet the Emperor had chosen to try it still and see how it went.
The bridge would take away most of their defense and leave them vulnerable to their enemies in a war scenario.
Despite that, the emperor had still wanted to try.
To try and be rejected, it was far better than not even trying at all.
He had had to write and rewrite proposals after proposals until Quarie had settled on one and asked to discuss it.
The King of Quarie Island had wanted to come to Linamine for that as Linamine was a far greater country than it was.
But he had been against it.
He would go instead.
It was Quarie who was making a sacrifice for the greater good.
He was the one who wanted something from them.
Then he had to leave the comfort of his kingdom to go and get it.
So, he had travelled down to Quarie to do so.
No one knew if their meeting was going well as planned, in terms of the supposed negotiation.
The journey took a while and almost a lot out of Octavia.
Yet she kept on, finally reaching her destination after.
When she arrived Kutrav river, she was stopped by the guards who were at the harbor.
She dismounted and identified herself quickly.
She also stated the reason she was standing there with them.
The moment she mentioned that she was from Linamine, and she was there to see the Emperor for something urgent, their attitudes towards her changed instantly.
They began to give her stupidly sweet smiles.
They also generously directed her on how to travel across the waters to the main island.
Infact, one of the leaders assigned a guard to lead her to the palace.
She had to leave her horse at the harbor with them.
And they promised to take care of the animal on her behalf.
She only took her sling bag and followed the assigned guard whose name was Caspian to a boat which they boarded.
The guard made small talk with her on the way but she had never been one for conversations.
When he noticed that, he didn't engage her much and kept it all limited to him talking.
She only had to listen and grunt or not wherever the need came.
They arrived the main island after about forty minutes.
The guard introduced her to his colleagues who were guarding the other side of the harbor.
They were much more mature than the others on receiving her, though still stupidly sweet.
Caspian procured horses for them that they rode to the palace.
After a tiring bureaucracy of identification from one palace gate stop to another, she was finally brought before the King.
It was then that he informed the emperor of her presence.
She was then taken to his quarters by a young maid after she wholly thanked Caspian for his help.
He asked if he should await her and she allowed him to do so.
That was because she was returning instantly, after delivering the Little Prince's message to him.
She saw Peter first when she arrived the emperor's luxurious allocated quarters.
She almost suspected that the King of the island had given up his quarters for the Emperor.
That was how it seemed to her no matter how she looked at it.
The quarters the emperor was staying as a guest spoke deeply of power and splendor.
Quarie had outdid themselves with his living arrangements.
'Octavia!' Peter said coming to her the moment he saw her.
He had a surprised look on his face, and a small smile.
'I really didn't think it was you when the message was brought of your presence some minutes ago.'
Octavia blinked at him.
'It is I, Peter, and I have come to see the Emperor,' she said in a matter of fact way.
Peter's smile at her deepened, not minding her direct attitude.
It was typical of Octavia to always go straight to the point.
She hated to waste any time just like her master, the little prince.
'Yes I am aware. I have informed My Lord of your presence. He is having a bath. He will soon be done any moment from now.'
She nodded.
'I see,' she said with a sigh. Peter nodded at her.
'Well, come in and have some tea. Quarie has some very good hibiscus tea, the kind that makes your lips red and your eyes soft,' he advertised for them.
Octavia quirked a brow at him with a skeptical look.
Peter cackled lightly.
"The tea is really good Octavia. You will like it I promise."
That was enough to make her nod her acceptance.
She began to walk towards him.
And Peter turned and led the way into the quarters.
"Here, sit,' he cajoled her.
She did so.
'Stay put. I will just go and get the hibiscus tea for you.'
She scanned him for a moment and then she grunted.
"Is that a yes or no?" Peter asked her in a teasing voice.
She rolled her eyes.
'Yes. Thank you.'
She watched as Peter left, noticing instantly that there were no maids in sight, in the quarters.
She wasn't surprised.
It ran in the Linamine Royal blood.
They never allowed the maids of the place to serve them whenever they were in another kingdom.
It may seem as if they were untrusting of their hosts, but it was for a good reason.
Their father had died from poisoning after returning from a business trip.
They had developed the habit since then, her master and especially the emperor.
Minutes passed by and Octavia just busied herself playing with the hilt of her sword.
She was already getting tired of sitting and staying out.
But when she turned to stand, the sound of footsteps came.
She planted her butt firmly on the chair and stared in the direction of the oncoming sound.
It was Peter, and he returned then with a fancy cup that had steam at the top in his hand.
'Here you go,' he said handing it over to her. 'Savour it.'
She smiled up at him uneasily as she received the cup.
It was surprisingly not hot.
The cup must be an insulated one, and she was sure of it.
'I will, thank you.'
She lowered he head and took a sip of the fragrant tea.
It indeed smelt nice.
It was time to taste and she took a small sip out of the cup.
The liquid burned down her throat and did other things.
There was a burst of heat and so many flavours in her lips.
The tea was wonderful.
She looked up at Peter with a satisfied smirk.
'It is as hot as I like,' she told him after the sip. 'It taste as good as you have made it to be.'
Pete nodded, his grin wide enough to make the intended bridge.
"I am glad you like it. Now can you tell me, is something wrong at the empire?' he demanded.
She nodded.
Peter stared down at her from his standing position, more alert.
"What? What is it?' he queried her. "What happened?"
Octavia drank more of her tea before she spoke again.
'It's something that will anger the Emperor. But, it has nothing but everything to do with the empire,' she continued after swallowing a dram of the hot hibiscus tea.
"I do not understand your round about talk," Peter said.
He had a look that told her he would strangle her if she did not speak in plain language.
She slowly fed herself more of the hot tea to refresh her body and invigorate her tired mind.
'You shall soon enough.'
He glared at her.
'Hmmh?' he asked her, lifting a brow at her in puzzlement.
The sound of footsteps reached her despite their discussion.
It was non existent, yet powerful and filled with authority.
There was only on person who that footstep could belong to.
The emperor.
He was approaching them.
'The emperor is coming,' was all she said to him in a whisper, leaving him hanging.
She finished her tea in two huge swallows -So much for I will savour it- and handed the cup to a speechless Peter.
"Thank you so much for the tea," she grinned guiltily at him.
Peter shook his head before he made a disappointed tsk sound.
'You are welcome.'
Then, she stood up and bowed just as the Emperor came into view.
What an insane timing!
But, Peter wasn't surprised.
That was because he knew why they were all like that.
He knew why they knew things that a normal human shouldn't.
They weren't humans.
Simple.
'My Lord,' she said as she straightened up.
The empress nodded at her, a bit surprised to see her.
Why was she here?
He came to a stop at the centre of the grand receiving hall.
Cora stood by his side, standing slightly behind him.
"I was told that you are here to see me Octavia," he said to her.
'Yes I do My Lord.'
He scanned her from head to heel, inspecting her thoroughly.
She didn't look like someone who had been through tribulations.
"Then, is all well?"
'Yes My Lord, all is well in your absence,' she told him.
'Well, I greatly doubt that Little would part with you over nothing,' he simply told her.
Octavia was his brother's most trusted aide-they were joined at the hip, two peas in a pod.
He wouldn't have sent her here if there wasn't fire on the mountain.
He hoped it was the kind of fire that he could put out though.
"Is Little himself alright?' he proceeded to ask.
Octavia nodded with a smile.
'Do not fret over him My Lord for my master is well,' she assured him. 'He is the one who sent me to you.'
'That I know Octavia,' he said to her impatiently.
He shifted on one foot, curiousity dancing inside his head.
He needed to know why she was here quickly, now.
'Whatever brought you here has to be very important then. Quickly tell it to me,' he ordered her.
She sighed softly before she went to him, taking the letter she had been given out of her pocket.
She went on one knee afore him, presenting the letter to him with both of her hands.
"I, Octavia of the Aqua territory kneel afore the Great Emperor of the Linamine Empire, sent by the Little Prince, bearing a letter that is marked urgent!' she announced.
Though the Emperor wanted to snatch the letter away, he had to wait for her to finish.
That was because it was protocol and he had to respect it.
Curiosity coursed through him, eating away at his mind.
'Thank you,' he said.
The emperor gently took the letter from her despite the turmoil that was going on inside of him.
"Rise to your feet brave one,' he ordered her, though he was just waiting to tear that letter open.
She did so after a bow.
'Thank you My Lord.'
Then, finally, he gracefully and slowly opened it, the letter.
He read the words that had been written beautifully on the paper.
He recognized the writing to be that of the Little Prince.
The letter simply read:
My Lord,
I do not have sufficient time to write more on this.
Quickly return to the Empire.
Do so for your heart is at death's door.
Your brother,
Maximilian.
His fingers tightened around the paper as his heart raced.
What was this?
He glanced at Octavia who was staring at him, waiting.
He knew that she could tell that he would have questions for her.
And he did.
"What does he mean by this?" he demanded, though he had an inkling of what it meant.
It was one that he refused to acknowledge talk more of believing at the moment.
'Something has happened, hasn't it? What is it?" He pressed.
"My lord-" Octavia began to say but she was not fast enough.
His patience was wearing thin the more his heart rate skyrocketed.
"Tell me Octavia!' he demanded from her with a low growl.
Octavia sighed softly.
'On this matter My Lord, I am afraid that I know only a little,' she told him.
He gave her a skeptical look.
'Tell me the little that you know,' he snapped impatiently at her.
She hesitated for a moment.
'I know not much, except that the emperor's affianced, Princess Hera-Mera had the Lady that you keep whipped," she began.
The emperor stilled at the words that came out from her mouth.
One or more cold shivers travelled down the length of his back.
It was soon replaced by something hot and feral-rage.
"And then, she locked her and her aides in the dungeons."
'She did what?!' he blurted out with his eye wide in shock, bulging with anger.
"I did not see her wounds for myself, but from the way everyone was going helter skelter, it must be really serious,' she highlighted for him.
The emperor growled under his breath at the statement.
The veins on his arms and neck thickened from the rush of fury running through his body.
His hands shook as he stood there trying to to understand it all.
Octavia was just happy that the rage wasn't directed at her.
But still, the intensity of it always managed to make her uneasy.
"Hera-Mera did what?" The emperor murmured softly.
It was as if he was in denial.
Octavia did the honours of repeating exactly what she had recounted to him just now.
'She had her whipped and imprisoned in the dungeons My Lord,' she recapped.
'How dare she?!' he bellowed.
Octavia swallowed, nearly flinching at his voice.
'She said she did it on accord of your acknowledgement. She keeps repeating that she is affianced to you and you have acknowledged that she is the soon to be empress. She is acting with this filled in her head,' she further expatiated.
"I did what?!" he pressed, his body trembling vehemently.
He tried to control it.
'She said that you acknowledged the betrothal My Lord.'
The emperor let out a low groan of frustration at that.
'I shall behead her myself for daring to act like this!' he roared with all of the rage that was coursing through him.
Octavia saw an opportunity to make it worse for Hera-Mera.
Proud bitches needed to suffer, and Hera-Mera was one.
Octavia hated her guts, especially the one she had dared to display in front of her master.
The little prince.
Hera-Mera would need to pay for that disrespect to him.
'My Lord, she went against you. She went against your seal as I heard therefore she defied you.'
The emperor clenched his fist until his nails dug into his palms.
His jaw tightened significantly with each gesture of anger.
He nodded a few times before he spoke to her again.
"She would answer to me," was all that he said to Octavia.
He turned to Cora then.
'We shall leave for Linamine in thirty minutes. Gather only the necessities, I shall be back to finalize with the King. Peter, you shall stay behind.'
'Yes My Lord,' Peter and Cora said simultaneously. Cora turned and left immediately.
He gave Peter more instructions, his voice steady despite his fury.
'Inform the King of My urgent departure. Tell him that my house is on fire and I need to leave.'
'I will do just that My Lord,' Peter assured him.
'Carmen and Babibat shall remain here with you,' he said referring to the two other guards that he had brought along.
'Yes My Lord.'
Cora returned to the grand hall about ten minutes later.
'My Lord, I am ready. Our horses are also ready,' she informed him.
He turned to Octavia.
'Let's go!' he said to Octavia. 'You are coming with us.'
...OmaPhinaPhire