The trip to the capital was awkwardly silent, but really, what more can you expect from people who are hauling you and your belongings up a mountain and through a jungle? Needless to say, I was looking forward to some break in the silence when we reached the capital, but night had already fallen when we were barely on the outskirts. By the time we made the ascent up the impressive steps at the base of the palace, it was deserted.

It was also disappointingly dark with only half a moon in the sky hidden behind storm clouds that rumbled drowsily on the horizon. I was hoping to have a closer look at the palace and the people that basked in the golden light from royalty. Last time I had been here, I was rushed in and around without much time to catch my breath, let alone take in the sights. At the time, I had figured I would be able to familiarize myself with it after I had been chosen. Afterwards, I was so humiliated I all but ran from the place without so much as a glance behind me.

Now the night blanketed the palace in darkness with only a single floodlight to illuminate it. I knew the colors were washed out in comparison to when the sun was shining, so I didn't dwell on the looming structure.

Stepping off the palanquin, I felt my body go into an involuntary stretch. I wanted to inquire about the Emperor immediately, but as the chasqui were showing signs of immense fatigue, I held my questions. There would be time for all of that later, and I was fairly certain most of my answers would come in a short time.

I found myself being led down a myriad of dim hallways until we reached a vibrantly painted magenta door. The door was opened for me by a dual-colored guard—could it be the same one from two years ago? They all look the same—and I shuffled in. I was followed by servants in blue and white who filed in carrying the possessions of mine unloaded from the llama cart.

I looked around the room. Tan adobe walls were cool and solid, giving no glimpse into the outside world. A desk sat in one corner with shelves for books—some were already situated there—while across from that, pushed against another wall was a decent sized bed. It wasn't grand...not what I was expecting from the Emperor, especially not this emperor, king of extravagance.

Q'orianka strode into the room with a towel slung around her neck, a bowl in one hand, and a cup in another. What had it been? Five whole minutes, maybe? And she already looked refreshed and ready for another run. 'Amazing.'

"I have some refreshments for you, miss." She promptly handed me a glass of water and what looked like a bowl of brown chunks.

"For me?" I asked, perplexed. I had assumed they were for her. She just ran farther than I probably had walked my entire life.

"Water and chocolate. While you await whatever you order for dinner. Unless you wish to bathe first."

Oh. "Is Kuz-...Am I not going to meet with the Emperor first?"

"No, you will meet him tomorrow. The hour is already very late."

Well that was disappointing.

"I guess I'll eat. Uh, I have no idea what to choose."

The bronze woman smiled genially to me. "We can make anything you like."

I know she meant to relieve some of the pressure, but it made me feel even more anxious. I could choose from anything? I felt overwhelmed as it was without having the entirety of food in the world available to me.

"How about I just have whatever the Emperor had."

Q'orianka left me after she nodded, but was back before I could blink. "Would you like to bathe in your room or in the royal bath house?"

The royal bathhouse? As in, the one I would use as empress...and would most likely share with Kuzco? Nope, not yet. I hadn't even seen his face yet since I've been here. There was no way I was going to have my first run in with him in the baths and see his….

"In here is fine," I said quickly, running my words together.

The chasqui left my room briefly again and returned, this time followed by a line of blue and white servants, two who carried a large bronze tub, one who had an ornate wooden changing screen over his shoulder, and the rest each bore a bucket of hot water.

The tub was filled and before I knew it, I was left alone in my room.

Silence again. Silence as I disrobed from my travel cloths. Silence as I placed my neatly folded, plushy towels on the footstool next to the tub. Silence as I slid into the hot water. Silence when I dunked my head to rinse my hair. A silence that was only broken when I blew a sigh passed my lips.

'I don't see him until tomorrow?'

Silence as I ate my dinner, some sort of salad. I couldn't even hear the storm the had surely rolled in outside.

I was too preoccupied with my thoughts. So much so that when my room was dark and it was time to sleep, all I could do was allow my mind to race.

I tossed and turned, despite the comfortable mattress and luxurious sheets. I finally laid on my back, closing my eyes and even going so far as to rest my bent arm over the tops of my eyelids, forcing myself to keep them closed.

'I'm just nervous,' I thought. 'I will fall asleep soon.' Then aloud: "Nothing to worry about."

"Unless," a voice from my mind answered, "he doesn't want to see you." The voice of worry would sometimes catch up to me, especially as I attempted asleep, but since when was it so high and squeaky? I must really be stressed.

"No," I grumbled, arguing quietly with the voice. "Of course he wants to see me. He chose me."

It replied quickly, "If he wanted to see you he would see you. After all, you did just travel hundreds of miles and moved your entire life here."

I bit my lip, "That's true, but he's an Emperor. I'm sure he's exhausted after a day of ruling." The voice scoffed.

"Something he was born and raised to do. Seems like he would have no problem balancing his responsibilities and his relationship with his new bride," it countered, then purred, "Makes you wonder, doesn't it?"

I felt my eyebrows draw together. "What?"

"How you will be treated as a wife if he can't even be bothered to see you when you arrive." I was silent, fretting over the thought.

"Or maybe," the voice continued, sounding louder and louder by the word until the sound reverberated in my skull. "He's changed his mind completely. He sent you back once already. This is probably just a game to him. This marriage is nothing to him. You are nothing to him."

As the voice went on, I felt myself squeezing my eyes ever tighter, pressing my hands over my ears, but I couldn't stop my breath from heaving. My lungs felt tight, my chest heavy. Like there was a weight on my chest.

Wait a minute.

I opened my eyes and listened. There was no more voice, but the heaviness still sat on the middle of my chest. I extended my hand to the bedside table where the oil lamp sat and turned the flame up.

Oh.

On my sternum sat a tiny grey kitten. Well, I wasn't sure if grey was really the right word; it almost looked purple.

I laughed at myself. "Trust me to allow my imagination to run wild," I muttered as I lifted my hand to stroke the kitten who was looking at me with large eyes and pink nose mere inches from my face.

"Hey there," I cooed. "Where did you come from?" Almost on cue with my question, it let out the most precious little meow.

"Aw. You're sweet," I declared as I pet the silky fur and listened to the rattling purring. "You can stay with me. I definitely need some company tonight."

Again I marveled at the time of the kitten's response as it jumped to the mattress from my chest and curled up alongside my legs.

'Great,' I thought to myself, smiling for the first time since my arrival. 'At least I'm not alone.'