The room fell deadly quiet as the male servant backed away slowly, refusing to make eye contact. "Parvan, what is the meaning of this?" Fedelmid asked. He motioned for the guards along the wall to apprehend the shifty servant. The Duke had noticed the strange plate switch and was going to mention it when Devrim spoke first. The Duchess's face was a mix of concern and confusion.

"Why did the prince need that particular dish for his dinner?" The Emperor asked in a commanding voice.

The servant stuttered, "I-I do not understand, Your M-Majesty." His knees were quaking.

"Do not lie to The Emperor, Parvan!" Ashleigh screeched. She knew her servants well enough to tell when they were hiding something, and the thought of them doing anything to the royal family made her blood boil.

On the other hand, Devrim was completely calm. He even allowed himself a slight smile. "It is alright, Your Grace. There is an easy way to clear up this matter."

Parvan relaxed slightly. Perhaps it has really been a misunderstanding after all. The grey-eyed man's next words dashed all his hopes.

"Take a bite of His Highness's food, Parvan," Devrim said, having picked up his name from the others.

Parvan gulped. "I would not want to take any of Prince Alaron's food."

"Why not?" Ashleigh prodded. Her eyes were cold and unfeeling toward her servant. She tapped her index fingers together impatiently.

"He will not taste it because the food is poisoned," the Emperor announced with conviction.

Alaron's eyes went wide. He knew something was wrong from everyone's expressions, but he had not suspected anything so nefarious.

Parvan blanched. "I- No! I simply am unworthy to take anything from the prince's plate."

Fedelmid would not let the matter go. "I insist you take a bite of each item. It will clear you of the guilt and we can order a new plate for the prince. So you will have taken nothing from him."

The servant nodded as beads of sweat formed on his head. After being released by the soldiers, Parvan picked up the plate. He carefully took a tiny bite of the vegetables and swallowed. "See?" The servant tried to place the dish back on the table, but Gandr blocked his attempt.

"Eat the meat," Duchess Ashleigh commanded.

Parvan nodded resignedly and lifted the bite to his mouth when a scream came from the doorway. The woman who had whispered to him before came charging in and dropped to the ground beside the table. "Please, Your Majesty, do not make him eat it. I poisoned the meat. Punish me!" She pressed her face to the floor.

Standing, Junayd pulled his sword and aimed it at the woman.

"Poison! In my house?! This will not stand." Ashleigh stood as well, ready to strike the servant with her own hand.

"She lies, Your Grace. I am the culprit. She is trying to save me from punishment." Parvan also fell at the feet of the duchess.

The two servants began to argue, until Ashleigh cut them off. "Silence! Take them both away. That is, with your leave, Your Majesty," the duchess deferred to the Emperor.

Devrim nodded, "We can deal with this after dinner."

"I do not understand. Why?" Alaron asked as the pair of servants were escorted from the room.

The woman's eyes filled with hate as she spat on the boy's face. "Traitor!" she hissed with all the vitrol that she could muster. "Glory to the Empress!"

"Get her out of here," the Emperor yelled. More soldiers came and carried her bodily from the room. Devrim breathed deeply and passed his plate across the table to the prince. "Take mine," he said gently.

"I am so sorry, Your Majesty and Your Highness. This is certainly not the impression I had hoped to give you." The duchess quickly ordered Devrim a new plate of food.

Fedelmid looked Alaron in the eye. "While I may not agree with His Highness's choices, what the servants tried to do was not justice. Everyone deserves due process by the law. I, too, am sorry."

Another plate was brought for the Emperor and the meal resumed. The conversation was sparse and the eating less than enthusiastic. Dinner finished quickly.

Gandr escorted the prince to their sleeping quarters while Devrim, Ashleigh, and Fedelmid gathered to discuss what to do about the servants. "If it had been anyone but Alaron they attacked, I would leave them to your mercies, Your Grace. But I cannot leave things as they are." There was a mix of anger and pity in Devrim's words.

"I understand," Ashleigh responded. "I will have them transferred to the nearest garrison so they can be transported to the Empress and her Council for sentencing, however brief that may be. Do you need a written testimony?"

"Do you not wish to come and give it yourself?" Devrim wondered. He had expected the Duchess would want it speak on her own behalf.

"Valiant holds no charm for me. I would rather stay here in the small corner of the world that has been entrusted to me." The Duchess's eyes held a pain that Devrim could not identify.

The grey-eyed man had been suspicious of the duke and Duchess at the time of the poisoning. But their genuine outrage and comments like the one Ashleigh had just made put his mind at rest. Neither of them was ambitious, and so killing the prince would not gain them anything. Devrim believed the servants had acted alone.

"I can come to Valiant if you need me," Fedelmid offered. "But if you do not require me, I would appreciate being allowed to go to my new home."

"Your written testimony will be enough," the Emperor declared. "Ravenna did not leave you an easy task. I do not envy you."

"Nor do I envy you your task, Your Majesty;" the Duke replied honestly.

Devrim allowed a small smile. "Then I hope we are both well equipped."

—————-

Early the next morning, the carriage was prepared and ready to leave. The prince looked even

more tired than usual.

"Did you not sleep well?" Devrim asked. He, Gandr and Junayd had taken turns watching over the prince. Each noticed a certain restlessness in the boy.

"I had a lot to think about," Alaron answered as he rubbed his eyes.

Being young had the side effect of feeling invincible, and the day before had shown him how close he could come to death without warning. The attack of the marauders had been troublesome, and the mole creature had been unsettling. But the poison is what really struck him with fear.

In the first two incidents, the enemy was clear and could be engaged. But the last enemy was unexpected and invisible. If not for the Emperor's keen eye, Alaron would be going home in a different kind of wooden box than the luxurious carriage. Not even his magic would have saved him.

"Thank you for your kindness," Devrim told Duchess Ashleigh. "We will return your carriage soon."

The Duchess curtsied deeply. Her silvery braided hair fell over her shoulder as she dipped her head. "There is no rush, Your Majesty. As I said, I never use it. With your permission, my soldiers will escort you out of the city."

Devrim nodded his approval.

"May I also escort you part of the way? The first part of our journey overlaps." Fedelmid inquired as he appeared with a small caravan in tow.

Devrim looked at the large group who would be traveling to the Duke's new home. While he liked the safety of numbers, he did not want to travel slowly.

"Thank you, but we must make good time to the capital," the Emperor declined. "Remember to send word if many short men show up in the area. I think it is a possibility in the next week or two."

"I understand." Ashleigh nodded.

Fedelmid stepped away from the carriage. "We will obey your word. Safe journey. Glory to the Empress!" Both the Duke and duchess bowed again as Devrim ducked into the main cab and closed the door. The interior of the coach was comfortable enough for all four travelers.

"Drive!" The Emperor told the driver. The wheels lurched forward and they began the journey to Valiant.

"Two days, Your Majesty. What are you looking forward to the most?" Junayd teased. He could already tell where the man's mind had drifted.

Devrim arched his brow at the general. "I will give you a hint: she's beautiful, smart and I'm going to take her into my arms the moment I arrive home."

Junayd nodded knowingly. "Of course, of course…a good woman is so hard to find, but won't Her Majesty desire to see you first?"

Devrim reached over and thwacked the giggling general upside the head. "I was talking about Aurora, you numbskull. And I am going to tell Her Majesty you said that."

Junayd's face blanched. Suddenly he didn't find himself so funny.