Bella and Candela prepared the sitting room for Aurora's arrival early the next morning. They had gone to sleep early also, and expected that the Empress would be wide awake at the crack of dawn and hungry. When she did not show up or even call for them, they became concerned.

"General Nurlan, have you seen Her Majesty recently?" Bella asked politely.

Nurlan, who had rested in a chair next to the bedchamber door for most of the night, shook his head. "I have not seen her since the middle of the night."

"We should wake her, or at least check on her," Candela suggested. "She will be needed at court in an hour."

"I do no think that her Majesty will be attending court today," Nurlan disagreed. "She has other matters to attend to," he added with a mysterious grin.

"What nonsense are you spouting, General? Her Majesty never shirks her duties unless she is ill. Wait, is she sick?" Candela was suddenly worried.

"No, my lady, she is not sick," Nurlan chuckled.

"Then she must be woken." Candela was growing firmer in her conviction.

"Maybe we should just wait and send word that the Empress will be late." Bella was more reserved. She saw no reason to interrupt Aurora's sleep.

"Listen to Lady Bella," Nurlan advised. "You do not want to disturb Her Majesty."

The younger sister pushed her point. "If we do not wake her like we normally do, then we are not doing our job. Please stand aside, General," Candela ordered.

The General had stood to block the door. When he did not move, she ducked below his arm and tried the door. "She has company," Nurlan spoke quickly to dissuade her. He did not want to put his hands on the woman, which was her great advantage.

Candela brushed off his comment. "Now you are just teasing me. What company could she have at this hour?" Despite Nurlan's best efforts, Candela managed to open the door and barge into the room.

Aurora lay on her back resting peacefully with the blankets pulled up around her torso. Her thin nightgown barely peeked out from beneath the covers. But that is not what caught Candela's attention.

A male arm was stretched across the Empress's stomach, holding her tightly.

"Your Majesty!" Candela exclaimed as she fell to the floor and pressed her face to the ground.

The Empress stirred and rubbed the sleep from her eyes. "Candela? Is that you? What is going on?" Aurora sat up to watch her lady-in-waiting's strange behavior.

Candela was too embarrassed to look up. "I am sorry, Your Majesty. I had no idea. But how could you do this to the Emperor?! He loves you so much, and I am sure he will be back any day now."

"Candela, what are you talking about?" Aurora wondered if she might be having some weird hallucination. The lady was making no sense.

Candela was undeterred by her mistress's confusion. "I know you may be lonely. But just think about your actions. What will His Majesty think when he finds out about this?"

With a faint smile, Aurora shrugged and looked at the figure laying next to her on the bed. "What do you think of my actions, Your Majesty?"

Devrim sat up and wrapped his arms lovingly around his wife. "I am actually pretty pleased if I am being honest."

Candela lifted her head. "Emperor Devrim!" she cried. "I had no idea you had returned."

"Obviously." The Empress covered her grin with her hand.

"I am so sorry." Candela stood, curtsied, and ran mortified from the room.

"Shall I bring your breakfast in here, Your Majesties?" Bella asked from the doorway with a grin.

"That would be lovely, thank you," Aurora responded.

"I will return shortly." Bella disappeared from view and Nurlan pulled shut the door.

"Well, I am glad to know you aren't cheating," Devrim chuckled as he kissed his wife on the neck.

"I would never," Aurora said sweetly as she leaned her forehead against his. "It is far too much work, and I have so little time as it is." She kissed the handsome man, and moved to make space for the incoming breakfast.

"You have no idea how oddly comforting that is," the Emperor mused. He leaned back on a pillow and relaxed.

"Are you saying you are comforted by me running myself ragged?" Aurora arched her brow as Devrim froze.

"Of course not! You know I would never..." Devrim was cut off as a pillow was tossed on his face. He picked up and lobbed it back at his assailant.

Aurora caught the missile and set it in her lap. "I missed you, my love." Her eyes were wet with incoming tears. She loved their playful banter.

Devrim closed the gap between them and cradled her head in his hands. "I missed you too. Life is always better with you in it."

———————-

The Empress walked into the Council meeting on the arm of her beloved. Those present could not help but noticed the marked difference from the days prior. Devrim truly made her better in more ways than one.

"Welcome, Emperor Devrim," Zan bowed before shaking the man's forearm. The other Council members also bowed in respect. "We are glad you are home."

Devrim looked at his wife. "Me too," he answered easily, making Aurora blush. The group took their seats.

"I was advised by my husband that we should convene before I go and see Prince Alaron," The Empress began the meeting. She had wanted to go to her adopted son first thing, but at Devrim's persuasion, she held back.

"Yes, Your Majesty. There are some things we need to discuss, and it would be better coming from all of us." the Chief began.

Aurora steeled herself for what they would say. "Go on," she said, almost hoping that they would not.

Zan inhaled deeply. "First, the prince's appearance has changed. His use of magic has been so frequent that it is quickly draining his very being. Brinn is examining him now to find the extent of the damage. But the effect is visible." The Chief paused and allowed the words to sink in.

Aurora was conflicted. She wanted to know exactly what he meant, but figured she would see for herself very soon. "What else?"

"Good news. We have found a way to keep the prince from using magic." Zan sounded hopeful. "We were not sure how to contain him otherwise."

"That is good news. What is this magical intervention?" Aurora cocked her head to one side.

"It was actually something from our treasury," Devrim chimed in. "Our spymaster remembered some cuffs that she acquired. They block the user from magic flowing through them. Alaron can chant all he wants, nothing will happen. And only someone else can remove the cuffs from him."

"That is very handy. Then he cannot hurt himself any further." The Empress liked that turn of events. Her face showed her pleasure, until she caught sight of the Chief's deep frown. "There is more, isn't there?"

Shifting his weight in his chair uncomfortably, Zan looked at the others in the room. He forced himself to look the Empress in the eye as he cleared his throat. "Well, you were asleep when the prince arrived, and we had to decide where to put him. Admittedly these were things we should have discussed, but we were unsure when or even if His Highness would be able to return."

"Where is my son, Chief Zan?" The woman's lips pulled tight in anger. Devrim could sense she was about to explode.

"Blame me. I did not want there to be any chance that he could hurt you again," the Emperor reasoned. He placed one hand on hers, trying to soften her cold gaze.

"What have you done?" The woman clenched her jaw.

"The boy is safe and so are you," Nanny piped in. "Do not lose sight of that."

"None of you are answering my questions." Aurora said barely above a whisper. "I want the truth."

"Prince Alaron is in the Dungeon, Your Majesty." Zan lifted his chin as if preparing for a blow. Thankfully none came.

Instead the Empress became eerily calm and quiet. She stared blankly as anger, pity, love, and reason all waged war within her. At last her vision focused and her shoulders tensed.

"He is going to think I put him there. I am going to see him," Aurora said, standing abruptly from her throne.

"Your Majesty?" Zan was not through with the meeting. He rifled through his papers to find a reason to keep her. "We still need to discuss…"

"Alaron does not want to see you," Nanny stated bluntly.

Aurora let out a bitter laugh. She waved her hands in the air in frustration. "You do not think I know that?! All this pomp and formality was merely a distraction to soften the blow. I have humored you long enough. I do not care if the prince wants to see me. I am going to the dungeon."

The Emperor came alongside his wife and gave a slight bow. His expression was pained but his gaze was gentle. "As you wish, Your Majesty. I shall escort you."

As he led his wife from the silent Council room, Devrim wondered if Aurora was making the right choice. He sincerely hoped so.