Nursing Augusta

"Where is her Majesty?"

"I've never heard of our empress ever being late for a meeting…"

Ion rested his chin on his hand, unconcerned by Seth's absence; she probably just overslept.

Ever since he had met the empress in the flesh in the marketplace, and saw her visage, his high opinion of her had sadly diminished.

His grandmother seemed to be one of the especially worried," She's never late. Hasn't been for centuries and that was when she fell deathly…" Mirka paused, turning pale. She glanced over at her grandson, "Ion, go upstairs and check on her Majesty. She may be ill,"

The earl scooted his heavy chair back and stood, "Of course," and fawned respect for their ruler.

At that, he left the Secret Council and wandered up the stairs to the third floor. The floor was finely furnished, decorated by velvet couches, most likely for close friends and important guests. He had become more familiar with the layout ever since extremists destroyed his mansion and he had to stay in the palace, along with his grandmother, while their property was being repaired.

He resisted the urge just to plop down on the soft cushions and fall asleep. Yet, he had to wake Seth up, that brat…

Ion knew she was the empress, but he would need a new reason to respect her; she would have to show him what was so great about her, and why she was held so high amongst his people. All he could say was that he wouldn't be easy to impress. Yet he was willing and even a little eager to return to his old opinion of 'Augusta'.

After climbing the next flight of stairs, he stood facing the fine, sturdy door that led to the empress' private dwelling. Despite his weakened opinion of her, Ion was still nervous; his heart raced with little explanation. Shakily, he walked up to it and raised a white fist. He knocked twice, the tapping loud in the eerie quiet.

"Seth, are you in there?" He called and received no answer, "Seth?" Still no answer…

Cautiously, he turned the cold knob and the door clicked open. Every inch Ion moved was slow and breathless; he couldn't help but feel like he was treading into forbidden territory.

"Your Majesty?" He called again, peering into the room illuminated by the tinted morning sun.

There was still no reply. Yet, a huddled form under the jade velvet and silk of the blanket on the veiled canopy told opposite.

Encouraged, the earl strolled right over to the sleeping girl. Once he was closer, he noticed Seth's strange breathing; it was shallow, hoarse, and troubled.

Ion became worried; maybe she really was ill. Gently, he shook her, "Seth…wake up. You're late for the meeting,"

The girl stirred and lifted her head weakly to gaze at him. He immediately noticed the lack of focus in those jade eyes, and the flush on her pretty face.

"Ion?" She murmured. She then sighed miserably, "I'm sorry. I can't…I've tried but I've become too ill to even get out of bed,"

A little skeptical, the earl reached to delicately feel the empress' forehead. His hand shot back instantly, feeling as though it had just touched a sizzling stove. Seth was extremely feverish; she was burning up. She shivered yet sweat rolled down her neck at the same time. His grandmother was right and the ruler was telling the truth:

The empress was very ill, deathly even. No, not quite…but if she was to stay out of that critical stage, she had to be taken care of immediately. But what could he do? The only good doctor he knew nearby was the one who needed one in the first place.

Seth must have seen his panic, "Go tell Mirka. She'll help," She suggested feebly.

Ion snapped out of his confusion, "Right…Of course…" He replied and ran back the way he had came.

Right after he left, the ruler dragged herself out of bed and fought her way to a nearby storage chest. She rested down on her knees before it and opened it to retrieve something out of it that she hadn't needed for centuries:

A cane…

She refused to stay in bed. She would continue about, despite her illness, like she had been determined to do nine hundred years ago. But she was still disheartened; another period of weakness had befallen her.

Last time, she had stared death right in the gruesome eyes. But, last time, she had her youth for strength, and nobles who knew her even better then her present ones, ones who did not mind her race and appetite and knew how to nurse her back to health.

Would she be able to pull through this time? Or had her great luck ran out?

"Her Majesty is ill?"

"What should we do?"

"She might die!"

"Would you calm down! All of you!" His grandmother's graceful voice scolded above the others.

Ion flinched at the volume of her demand but appreciated her help. The duchess was glaring down at the previously scrabbling nobles, who had wasted no time in falling silent.

"She's not going to die. Not if we act instead of wasting time panicking," Mirka stated firmly, "Besides, everyone falls ill every now and then, even our great Augusta. It's not the end of the world. She just got a little run down…"

The council calmed at the blond woman's wise words, knowing she had a reasonable point. She and her grandson relaxed in turn. Mirka sighed in relief before turning to Ion.

"Can you go check on her? She might enjoy some company," She asked softly, "The poor dear hates being slowed down and cooped up like this. Maybe you can even help her around a bit…"

Ion nodded, a little more eager to help. Without a word, he returned upstairs to Seth. This time, he hurried up to her room. He may not have respected her as much as he used to but he still cared for her, and hoped for her good health.

Yet, this time, the ruler didn't seem to be in her room. The place appearing fairly lifeless, despite being furnished royally.

Everything was graceful and fine; there were even a few jewels here and there. The curtains of the windows, and the sheets and blankets of the bed were made of dainty green silk. One or two bookcases stood proudly about the room, filled to the brim with lifetimes of knowledge; there was a door-less entrance to a room of them and he strolled inside curiously.

The room wasn't as dusty as he expected; Seth must've stayed in here a lot, among her books. There were several rows of bookcases, all filled and all of their books of various age and origin. Near the center of the room was a single desk with a lone book resting meaningfully. The book was brown from its long life yet new from use. As Ion crept closer, he made out its title, written in ancient, fading pen:

'Mesi Fortuna'

A Fortuna, one of his kin, an ancestor perhaps? Why did Seth have such a thing? What was this book anyway? Was it a biography, or a record of some sort?

The boy carefully picked it up, as if it would crumble to dust, and opened it, its pages colored with similar age. He read the first entry outloud quietly:

"June 20, 2188...Our long journey has begun, and with a new leader, Seth Nightlord, I have high hopes for our future. I, among several others, have a good feeling about this child. She seems to have been destined to lead us..."

It wasn't a record, at least not the kind he had expected; it was a...

"What are you doing?"

Ion jumped, his heart nearly leaping from his chest in bewilderment. He whirled around, prepared for the worst and holding the ancient diary to his chest defensively.

Seth stood before him, eyebrow arched, appearing amused from his fright. To his surprise, she supported herself on an old cane, which was odd in itself, her looking still so young. But other then that, nothing was different, other then the fact that she was looking a little better although still very feverish.

The earl didn't know what to expect; he had just been caught going through the ruler's belongings without her consent and he didn't know how touchy she was about that sort of invasion of privacy.

"You…didn't seem to be in your room, and I was just looking around," He attempted to explain himself nervously before remembering his strange finding, "And I found this…What is this? How did you get it?"

The girl hobbled over to retrieve the book from him. He allowed her to take it but watched closely as she ran her eyes over it with surprising fondness.

"This belonged to Mesi, an ancestor of yours," She murmured. The ruler then looked over at him, eyes alight with memory, "She was much like Mirka, and she was just as wise, and she was just as dear to me. She was one of the Methuselah ancestors who accompanied me, from Rome to Byzantium, and settled here,"

Ion was in slight awe from her knowledge. Yet, another question begged to be asked.

"What are you doing with a cane? You're not that old, are you?" He wondered.

Seth giggled softly, "No, not that I know of anyway," but then her face and tone became grim, "I've been injured several times in my long reign, Ion, badly enough that I needed this just to walk. I could've just stayed in bed, like my men wanted, but as you may know, I'm a stubborn woman, and I refused to take it easy, especially during the difficult time Byzantium was facing,"

There was a silence. The blond was speechless; he had no idea Seth had gone through what she said, and he didn't doubt she had. The world, after Armageddon, must have been…actually, he couldn't imagine quite what it must have been like, but he knew it must've been constant hell.

Seth's miserable sigh broke his thoughts, "I haven't been this sick since the Empire's beginning…I hope this won't turn out as bad. Last time, I was flirting with death and it nearly took me,"

Ion remained quiet, eager to hear more of the past and suddenly feeling as though he was listening to one of his grandmother's stories. Yet, this wasn't; it was Seth's. This he was hearing, and perhaps had been holding, was the empress' story…

"But that's ancient history…Of course it won't be as severe; conditions have improved greatly since then," She assured as if she was mostly assuring herself, "Besides, you don't want to hear a 'little girl's' story, do you, Ion?"

The earl started at that. Did this mean she could tell about his…? Did she have some strange power? Knowing Seth, one never did know. Nonetheless, he was very intent on hearing more.

"I…" He couldn't manage to voice his thoughts or deny her discovery for the sake of keeping his new views of her secret, at least from the other nobles.

Seth laughed again, just as softly, if not a bit sadly, "Don't try to deny it. I can sense your respect for me. I can feel it; its shrunk," She murmured somberly, "What happened? Is it because you've seen what I really look like, because I appear to be nothing more then a child? And you wonder why I hide my face from the very country I spent my life for…"

A blush of shame burned his cheeks. He didn't know what to say or how to explain his new feelings towards her. But even now, those new feelings were changing still. Already, his opinion of her was reverting back. First, he had seen her true face, and it had only hurt its view of her, but now he was seeing the true empress.

Finally, he calmed himself and sighed before bowing his head in ashamed surrender, "I'm…I'm sorry. I guess it is your appearance…I just…"

Seth's gaze hardened slightly and he saw a frustrated rage gather behind these jade eyes, " 'I'm sorry' are just words, no matter how much they are meant. Yet I'm sorry I am not what you envisioned me to be," She shot back, "But at least I was right to hide myself. Youngsters only look into one's appearance while the wise gaze deeper. But I thought you would have at least learned better from Mirka,"

Ion flinched, his shame only growing under the empress' scolding. He knew all too quickly that she was right, and that, being practically a mere child, he had been naïve.

"Is everything alright?"

Both turned to see the Duchess of Moldova peering into the room, her vibrant ruby eyes taking in the ruler and her grandson critically.

To Ion's relief, Seth said nothing about what they had been talking about. She just shot him one last look before slowly hobbling out of the room. Unfortunately, the passionate scolding seemed to have only stressed the ruler, and she looked even worse then when he had woke her up that morning. And it was only confirmed when she just about collapsed just a few feet past Mirka.

"Empress!" His grandmother cried, rushing to the older woman's side, "Are you alright? You should be in bed,"

The earl hurried over too, feeling guilty. To his relief, Seth's legs had just buckled, nothing serious, and she was just kneeling on the ground, unharmed; yet she did look weak and pale, and was clutching the cane feebly.

"Here…"Mirka coaxed, helping the empress to her feet, "How about you rest for a little? I'll take care of the meeting,"

Seth nodded and allowed the duchess guide her to her bed. The Methuselah woman then left the room shortly before Seth finally settled under the blankets. Ion quickly moved to her bedside, determined to make peace, shame still heating his cheeks, although, not as hotly as before.

His foot pawed at the ground meekly, his eyes fixed on it like a nervous child, "Look…it's not that I don't respect you…"Ion started carefully and the girl looked away somewhat stubbornly, "Just not as much. I mean, hell, already you've knocked a lot of sense back into me. Now…I just want to know more about you,"

Seth turned her head to gaze at him with slight surprise, "You do?" She asked, seeking confirmation and received it when he nodded truthfully. Her eyes then darkened suddenly and slid away from his, " I'm sorry…I guess I was just stressed from their betrayal. With your respect for fading like theirs had…I just was afraid that…"

"I would end up like them and turn against you?" He finished her words with sympathy and understanding, "Seth…I would never do such a thing. I would never have the heart to even try to end your life,"

The empress seemed relieved and smiled up at him warmly, "Thank you, earl. It's comforting to know that I still have people I can trust in my empire," She murmured, eyes shimmering ever so slightly, "Ever since Suilyman…"

Ion grabbed her delicate hand firmly, "No. Please don't dwell on those events, your Majesty. What matters is the future, not the betrayals of the past," He gazed into her jade eyes intently, almost tenderly, "I promise I will let no one harm you the way they did, and any other way. As I long as I still breathe, I vow to protect you, not just as a noble, but as your friend,"

Several pristine tears slipped down her pale cheeks, "You have no idea how dear you 'children' are to me, and with those like you and your grandmother, the Empire's future looks brighter,"

The earl smiled gently and kissed her hand. Before long, the ill ruler fell asleep. He watched her fondly for a moment before wandering away, seeking something. Discarded on the floor by Seth's fall, Mesi's diary lay alone and sprawled; he recovered it carefully and hoped Seth wouldn't mind if he borrowed it.

He was determined to find out more about 'Augusta'. Not just because she was the empress, but because she secretly was one of the few people he held dear…