"I got you!" Alaron called. The five-year-old aimed the wooden sword at Cafer's stomach.

"Well done, my boy! We will make an emperor of you yet." Cafer laughed as he tousled the boy's sandy brown hair.

"Thanks, Uncle Cafer! I have been practicing." Alaron said proudly.

"I can tell," Cafer agreed. The pair had been playfully sparring in the large nursery that the twins still shared. Cafer visited often, happy to ingratiate himself to the young prince. He doted on the boy heavily, but no one could criticize him for treating the young prince well.

"Mairwen, did you see that?" Alaron asked his sister. Mairwen peeked up from behind her easel. She was positioned by the large window, painting broad strokes with her new oils.

"I saw it, brother," she answered kindly. "You did well."

"But..?" Alaron could sense his sister's hesitance. Although her blue eyes had seemed far off, the boy knew she had been paying close attention.

Mairwen sighed, "If you loosen your grip on your sword, you will be able to handle it better."

"Always the observant one," Alaron sighed. "Will you ever be pleased with me?"

"You are mistaken. I am always pleased with you, brother," Mairwen said honestly. She turned around her canvas. The girl had painted Alaron and Cafer in the heat of battle. Alaron's frustration evaporated. He took the picture and examined it.

"This is going above my bed!" He declared happily.

"I am glad you like it," Mairwen ran her fingers through her long black hair. Aside from their blue eyes, the children looked nothing alike. Mairwen looked remarkably like Aurora, with a thin frame and delicate features. Alaron was slightly shorter than his sister, but broad shouldered and strong for his age. One would never have guessed they were twins.

Nanny watched from the corner as she knitted. The twins were easy to care for since they seldom bickered amongst themselves. Each was headstrong, but they had different strengths that complimented the other perfectly.

"What are my munchkins up to?" A voice came from the doorway.

"Mother!" The twins ran and hugged Aurora. Aurora was nearly sixteen now. She no longer needed heightened shoes because her frame had stretched, and her fitted dress showed off her natural curves.

"I missed you, sweet ones! But you seem well cared for. Good morning Cafer," Aurora greeted the councilman.

"Glory to the Empress. I was just giving young Alaron a lesson in swordplay."

"You are very thoughtful," Aurora told him as she squeezed her children. As much as the Empress was able, she spent time nurturing the prince and princess. They were two of her greatest joys.

"Where is father?" Mairwen asked.

Aurora beamed on the little girl. "He is meeting with Chief Zan, which is why I have come in search of Cafer. We are needed for a meeting."

"Yes, Your Majesty. Just a moment." Cafer bowed. He motioned for Alaron to come near. "I'll see you soon, my boy. The Empress can't keep me away from you forever. Next time I'll teach you a different stroke," he winked.

"You are the best, Cafer!"

"Always remember that," Cafer smirked.

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In the Council's room, everyone including Devrim sat around the long table. Aurora had already noticed her friend's somber mood. The seventeen-year-old had grown into his voice, and due to his strenuous physical training, he was one of the foremost warriors in Valiant. He had also continued his studies beyond the normal age of fourteen and was esteemed by the members of the council as a learned scholar. Aurora still saw her friend as the young boy she met years before, and treated him no different for his accomplishments.

"Why does everyone look so concerned?" Aurora was suspicious. Last time they had been so reticent, it was to tell her that her favorite chef had retired. The Empress loved a well-prepared meal.

Zan cleared his throat, "Your birthday is next week."

"Yes…" Aurora knew this. The preparations had been going on for weeks.

"And you will be sixteen…"

"Chief Zan, please stop telling me things I already know." The Empress was growing impatient.

"It is the Council's advice that you begin to look for a spouse…a real spouse." Zan braced himself.

"What?!?" She turned to Devrim, "Did you know about this?!"

Devrim shrugged apologetically, "It has to happen sometime. We can't keep up this forever, can we?"

"What about the twins? We can't just uproot you from their lives."

Zan broke in, "One step at a time. We will figure something out. Perhaps Devrim would consider a place on the Council if it pleases Your Majesty. Someone is bound to retire soon." He looked around the room meaningfully. "But first we would have to find someone for you to wed."

"And how will you do that?" Aurora asked incredulously.

"We have a plan…" Zan began.

"Here we go again! The Council's plan got me into this mess." The Empress lifted her eyes skyward.

"Hear us out, please," Ezer pleaded. He continued Zan's thought, "We would like to use your birthday party as an opportunity for you to meet eligible young men. Anna will pose as you and sit with Devrim in the upper balcony of the ballroom with the curtains drawn, and you can pose as a nobleman's daughter at her first dance."

"More subterfuge…" the Empress groaned.

"It would give you a chance to feel normal," Birger offered. "You'd be just like any other girl on the dance floor, looking for a partner."

The councilman had picked just the right tactic. "Me? Normal for a night?" Aurora contemplated. It sounded like a dream too good to be true. She pictured how she would look and what she would wear. 'Normal' was an unattainable goal and yet, for a night, she might be able to achieve just that. "Alright," she agreed. "I am willing to give your plan a try."

"Excellent," Zan said with a sigh of relief. In fact the whole Council seemed to have a weight lifted off their shoulders. No one saw the look of sadness in Devrim's eyes. His heart was breaking.