Chapter 29: A Mother's Will
"Dassu, what is the news on Urhi?" I ask Dassu as I pass by the parlor. Dassu was following my orders and keeping guard of Princess Alexandria and Shubas was watching over Sakuwai. Princess Alexandria looked a bit annoyed that she needed the guard to follow her all day, but I wouldn't budge on my decision. It's too risky to let her wander about the palace on her own.
"Big sister! Please let me help you! I can help!" Princess Alexandria begged. She was as spirited as ever. I leaned down and kissed her cheek playfully. I have begun to look at Princess Alexandria as a beloved younger sister. And I won't let any harm fall on her on my watch.
"Thank you for the thought princess, but I think we have everything under control." I lie. I didn't need the girl needed to know of the chaos going on in the palace. She doesn't need to know why I had specifically assigned Dassu to watch over her, and she didn't need to know about the man running around inside the palace murdering people.
"Princess Yuki, we have no leads, but we know that he is still in the palace." Dassu pulled me aside and whispered so that Princess Alexandria couldn't hear.
"Did more bodies show up?" I sigh and rub my temples. I know Urhi had been going around killing guards here and there. Anyone standing in his way. There was no safety even in the walls of the palace. In fact, he was basically trapped in the palace, which made it all the worse. Keeping him contained was the best way though, I can't let him escape into the world again. If he was in the palace, we would eventually find him.
"…Yes, Princess. An officer was just murdered. Stabbed." He said. "Please, princess, let the guard handle this. I don't want to worry you."
"I am the Gal Meshedi. Their blood is on my hands. I will not step back. Dassu, I don't want any guards alone. Groups of three at the least. And you, please don't walk around alone either." I warned. I truly was beginning to worry. As more guards ended up dead, the more I wanted Urhi caught. I had originally thought he would hide out and get Nakia out, but he is going around committing murder.
"…Princess…I worry more for you. It is you and Princess Yuri that Urhi and Queen Nakia are after. With Princess Yuri under constant guard, it leaves you wide open. Princess, allow me to accompany you. Please. At the very least, let me assign some other guards for you." He begged.
"No. I would prefer that you guard Princess Alexandria. She cannot defend herself. If there are any guards, I would not allow them to be wasted on me. I want the maids, the innocents guarded. Is that understood?" I waved off Dassu's suggestion. He stared at me for a long time before bowing.
"Understood, Princess."
Dassu's POV
I watched the Princess walk away. I really hated watching her walk about the palace unguarded. I'm sure that she is armed to the teeth under her cloak, but it did not put my mind at ease. Princess Yuki was so tiny, no matter how many weapons she held, it didn't make up for the fact that any man could easily overpower her.
She was so smart, she must have realized it. She must know the danger is in. Especially if she was pregnant. She knows of her danger, she either doesn't care or chooses to ignore it.
No, that's not it. It's because she puts everyone above herself. She would rather use spare guards to protect others. In all of my years working for the palace, I have never met a royal that cared for the individual lives of the palace help. They just saw us as part of the furniture. If one dies, then they are quickly replaced. They were faceless, not people.
Princess Yuki was different. She knows the names of everyone she commands. I have seen her get up early every morning to do runs and trainwith the troops. She would spend her days practicing with the soldiers. I've also seen the despair in her eyes whenever there was a death. I've seen her stare out over the battlefield for hours and sigh sadly. She truly valued every soldier's life.
I've also heard that she personally writes out messages of condolences to the families of the soldiers lost under her command.
I know she is the goddess of Death, but I cannot imagine her as such. Those who know her know she does not enjoy death. Yes, she does end up in the middle of the battle, in the middle of all the death. But I suspect that was merely to keep Princess Yuri out of the bloodiest part of the battle. I know she couldn't have enjoyed seeing everyone around her fall in battle. I know she couldn't have enjoyed killing even enemy soldiers.
She was a different kind of princess.
"Big sister is really amazing, isn't she?" Princess Alexandria said dreamily.
"Yes. I do wish she would take better care of herself though." I sigh.
"You know…I am going to be just like her and Princess Yuri when I grow up." She bubbled happily.
"Yes. The world needs more Princesses like that." I smile at the young princess. Even if these princesses drive the head of guard insane with worry.
Yuki's POV
I pushed my bedroom door open and stared at the disarray of my room. Someone was in here looking for something. I glanced at the little compartment behind the tapestry. The rice flour was still in place, the walls stones were not displaced, so my writings were safe. I looked about the room.
To my knowledge, nothing was missing. Honestly, there was nothing Urhi could have stolen to have saved Nakia. My clothes were everywhere though. They were strewn all about the room, but just my clothes. Not Ilbani's.
"Yuki! Oh, good you are ok. Princess Yuri's room was ransacked as well." Hadi and Yuri rushed into the room.
"Yuki, they took my clothes from Japan. Did they take yours too?" Yuri looked around at the mess.
"He couldn't have. I destroyed them when I made my decision to stay." I say, picking up some of the clothes and putting them back in the trunk.
"You…destroyed them?" Yuri asked incredulously.
"Yeah. Burned them. I kinda used it as a way to say goodbye." I wasn't really paying attention. Why steal Yuri's clothes? What use did they have?
"You seem awfully calm about this." Hadi touched my arm. she probably thought I had snapped and detached emotionally again.
"Yes, well our records are safe, none of these clothes even look damaged. It just looks like some child had a tantrum in here. No need to worry or make a big deal of it." I shrugged. In light of everything else, this really was nothing. So the room is messy. I could clean that up. But why?
Of course I was disturbed that he had easily gotten into both Yuri's and my room, but why go through and not take anything?
Before I could think further on it, Princess Alexandria burst into the room. I looked over to the young princess who had worry in her wide eyes.
"Please forgive me, but I am worried about Prince Juda. He was acting strangely since all of this started and he had suddenly gone missing!" Princess Alexandria sobbed. I snapped my attention to Alexandria. I had noticed Prince Juda was pretty depressed, but of course he would be. Just looking at this situation…it would take its toll on the young prince.
"The Queen's Palace…If it isn't here, he must be there!" Yuri cried, dashing out of the room. I followed close behind, a protesting Hadi behind me.
"Yuki! Don't run! Do you think you can ride a horse in your condition?" She shouted behind me.
"I'll be careful." I promise over my shoulder, jumping on Huwant and following Yuri.
"Let us through! I demanded of the guards at the gate. One looked like he might have protested, but backed down when he caught the look on my face. The doors were opened and I burst in.
"Where is Prince Juda?" Yuri demanded.
"Hi-his mother's chambers." The guard stuttered.
We ran into the queen's chamber to find it empty. Except for the hidden door. The door was camouflaged into the wall, but was left ajar. Before I could warn her, Yuri ran into the room. I glanced around to see shelves and shelves of bottles. Prince Juda was slumped on the ground, an empty bottle in his slack grip.
"Poison." I muttered. I had no idea what was in that bottle. Or if it even had a cure.
"Water! Get water to purge him!" Princess Alexandria rushed from the room. I shook my head… this was Queen Nakia's poison. There is no way that her poisons would be so easily purged. Wait…Nakia.
"Get the Queen." I say quietly.
"Princess, the Queen is under lockdown…I-" The guard began.
"I will take the blame! I will not let Prince Juda die! I command you, get the Queen Dowager. If they do not let her come, tell them that the goddess of death demands it and that they would do well to obey. Now." I hissed. The guard stuttered and left.
As he left, Princess Alexandria came back with jugs of water. I grabbed the bottle from Prince Juda's hand and looked at it. There was a bit left. Just a few drops. I grasped the bottle in my hand and focused again to Prince Juda.
"He won't drink!" Princess Alexandria wailed.
"Juda!" Queen Nakia bustled her way in.
"Queen Nakia. He took this one. The guards say he took it merely hours ago. Is there time to save him?" I hand her the bottle. She tasted a bit of it left in the bottle and began pulling bottles off the shelves, mixing, weighing. I grasped Prince Juda's hand and kept feeling for his pulse.
Thump. Thump..Thump…Thump….
It was slowing. It was steadily getting weaker and weaker with every passing moment.
"Juda. You must take this." His mother begged him. But he wouldn't swallow. His Majesty snagged the antidote and fed it to Juda by mouth.
"Will he be ok?" Yuri asked, fear in her voice.
"Yes. He needs rest and quiet." Queen Nakia replied.
"Take him back to my palace. Queen Nakia is to go back to the temple." His Majesty proclaimed.
"I will escort her myself, You Majesty." I bow, leaving with the guards. I didn't exactly trust Nakia to go back quietly.
As everyone left, I found myself following along the Queen's carriage. I had guards on all sides. Ilbani and Dassu had made sure of that.
"…They say you were the one that sent for me." The Queen's voice came from behind the curtain. She sounded as cold as ever.
"That is true." I didn't even turn to look at her carriage. I stared straight ahead.
"Why? Why let me out of lockdown? I could escape right now, you know." Her words indicated a threat, but her tone sounded like true confusion and hopelessness.
"I will not let Prince Juda die because of my own pride. No one knows more on those poisons then you. If I must ask for your help to save his life, then so be it."
"I could have escaped when they were bringing me there. Why were you so sure I would come?" She sounded tired. After years and years of fighting, I think she realizes how close to the end she was.
"You are the Queen Dowager. I think you are heartless and cruel. But I also think you are a mother that loves her son dearly. You wouldn't let him die. You will not attempt escape because that would mean leaving him behind." I say. This is probably the longest conversation I've ever had with the Queen. I didn't want it to last much longer. There is no need for me to feel any pity for this woman. I didn't want to feel any pity for this woman. Not now. I can't afford to pity her. But part of me still did.
I want to hate her. I want to hate her with all of my being. For the most part, I did. But in moments like this, I couldn't help the tiny, rebellious part of me that poor woman.
In a way, she was like Yuri and I. She was stolen from her land and thrust into a foreign kingdom. Forced to adjust to a new way of life. The difference between us…was that Yuri and I were given the love of the people around us. She was denied that. And for that, I pity her, because now, the one inkling of love she had was gone. Prince Juda has dealt a blow to her that would scar her more than any exile could.
The rest of our journey was silent.
"Your Grace, we need to see proof that Prince Juda is the son of King Suppiliuma II." The senate questioned Queen Nakia further.
"Show me proof that he isn't." The Queen retorted.
"This is getting nowhere." I grumbled. This is just a game of he said she said. There is no way to prove either side. Honestly, I would prefer we move on from this topic, but the senate was adamant in following this worthless trail of questioning. We could sit here for days and just listen to them point fingers at each other instead of addressing the real issue of treason.
"Be patient, Yuki. All will fix itself soon." Ilbani said a bit too happily.
"What are you hiding from me?" I nudged him.
"You will see, my darling. Just know that I am fixing the problem I had caused earlier." He said in a nearly singsong voice. I shook my head in exasperation, but took his word and raised no objection to the silly questions the senate was posing.
There was some noise outside the door, and I stood up and was about to tend to it before Ilbani pulled on my cloak and forced me to sit down.
I gasped as Urhi burst through the door, holding a knife to a young guard.
"Urhi! What is the meaning of this? Release that guard and surrender!" Rusafa demanded.
"Oh do shut up, Rusafa. I came with some information for the council. It seems that they are intent on proving Prince Juda is not of royal linage. And they are in love with the idea that I am his father." The man seemed a bit to calm. He also seemed sure of himself. Is this what Ilbani was waiting for? Letting the rumors of Prince Juda's attempted suicide to draw in Urhi.
"You sly dog." I chuckle lightly so only he could hear.
"I told you I would fix it." He smiled back at me.
"What proof do you have, Urhi?" His Majesty asked. Urhi shoved the guard away, who scrambled to his feet and away from the dangerous man.
"…My apologies in advance, Your Majesty." Before I could wonder what he meant, Urhi threw his robe off. I yelped in surprise and immediately looked down at my lap. I'm sure I was blushing from my hairline to my toes.
Very mature. I chided myself, but could not force my eyes up.
"As you can see, I am a eunuch." Urhi declared. A eunuch! If that was true, there would be no chance he had fathered Prince Juda.
"You're going to have to look up to see the evidence." Ilbani said. I heard the chuckle in his voice and the mocking in his tone.
"I'll…I'll take his word on it." I still didn't look up. "Wait, you knew?!"
"I might have come across something while you were resting, yes." He chuckled. " I couldn't keep letting you do all the work."
"Well, that strikes one problem off the list…can…can we get him clothed again? I believe we have sufficient evidence now." I squeak.
"How on earth did you stay so innocent in this world?" Ilbani sighed. I looked up to see Urhi was once again fully dressed.
"Members of the senate. Now that we have addressed the legitimacy of Prince Juda, I would like to move on to more pressing matters. Starting with the crimes of our Queen Nakia as well as Urhi Shalma." I stand and try to regain my composure. Urhi really did catch me off guard.
"Urhi. Do you confess to murdering the emperor? Who ordered you? If you give us a name, we will change the sentence from murder to exile." Senator Agil bargained. I sat back down. Urhi will not give Nakia up. I know that for a fact. Suddenly I noticed the sword lying forgotten on the ground. Urhi had his eyes trained on it.
"No!" I jump for it, but Ilbani caught me mid leap, holding me back. I wouldn't have made it anyhow.
Everything happened in a moment. Suddenly, Urhi grabbed the sword and Queen Nakia. I watched as he whispered something in her ear, and before anyone could react, he thrust the sword into his own heart. I knew before he fell, that he was lost.
I don't really know what happened next. The shock of it all made it seem as if I was watching a movie. I must have been shaking because Ilbani put his arm around me. Why was I shaking? Did I pity them? How could I? With all those he killed, I shouldn't pity him. But I did.
The sentence was handed. Urhi's body was to be hung outside the walls as punishment for his crime. Queen Nakia was exiled to Katapa for the rest of her life. It was all over. We could finally rest.
I must have blacked out, because I don't remember anything else.
"Queen Nakia has escaped?!" I screeched. I wake up to hear this news.
"Yes. Please be careful, Yuki. She might be after our lives again." Yuri warned me.
"Rest assured, she will not get to either of you." His Majesty swore. I got up and began mumbling to myself. Ilbani tried in vain to get me to lay back down.
"Yuri, please increase the guards to your room. Last time Urhi got in too easily…" I say.
"Urhi was in your room? When was this?" The King demanded.
"Before the trial. I wasn't there, and he just took my clothes from Japan so I didn't want to bring it up." Yuri said. Why was the King so worked up?
"Yuri, with your clothes, she could make you disappear! We needed the exact shrine to send you back to your exact time, but with just your clothes and any shrine, she could send you anywhere!" The King cried in a panic.
"No…" I whispered. Yuri could be sent away…to who knows where!
"Yuki, where are your clothes?" Ilbani demanded.
"Gone. I destroyed them a long time ago." I say. I wasn't the one in trouble right now. If Queen Nakia has Yuri's clothes, she would be sent away alone. I wouldn't be able to follow her.
"Please excuse me, but Prince Juda has woken up and he is very agitated with his mother's escape." Princess Alexandria burst in.
"We take care of one problem at a time. I want the guards tripled, search for her. There is no use protecting ourselves from the magic water, so take all the guards and search. We will go see Prince Juda now." I say, pulling myself out of bed and walking toward Prince Juda's room.
As I walked in, it was obvious he was enraged.
"It would have been better if I just died! She is doing this all because of me!" He shouted at the hands holding him back.
A loud smack was heard and we all found ourselves staring at Princess Alexandria.
"Don't talk of life and death so easily! If your will is strong, your mother's wishes mean nothing! Choosing to die like this…it's the same as being a coward!" She shouted at him.
I leaned on the doorframe. Princess Alexandria has grown up a lot since her arrival here. She wasn't that young princess she was in Arzawa. She was all grown up. In only a short time, she has learned so much. I think she can keep Prince Juda on the right track.
"And envoy has arrived from Egypt to congratulate Ishtar's wedding!" A messenger cried out. An envoy? Now of all times? I grumbled as I made my way to greet them.
"Nefert!?" I gasped when I saw who the envoy was.
"Ereshkigal, it's been a while!" She sang. Yuri had already run over to embrace her. I laughed and joined. Nefert's carefree attitude was a welcome escape from all of this. She pulled out of our embrace as soon as Rusafa came into the room, and much to our surprise, she greeted him with a kiss.
I laughed, Rusafa seemed to have been caught off guard as well. Nefert was as forward as always. She even asked for his hand in marriage. He quickly excused himself. Along with everyone else. I must make note to address their wedding after all of this was over. Actually, there would be a lot of weddings. Prince Juda and Princess Alexandria were also arranged to be wed very soon. Sakuwai and Shubas were so close, I suspect one is just around the corner. And then there is Ilbani and I…
"Nefert, you must forgive our discourtesy. There is a bit of a disaster going on." I sigh. I don't have time to think about myself right now. I have to make sure I am still here to get married first.
"Oh I understand. It can't be much worse than the calamity that is going on in Egypt's palace." She laughed. Yes. I had really missed Nefert.
Seven days. Seven days until the marriage between Yuri and His majesty. Two days before the ritual baths begin. Queen Nakia is still missing.
I paced back and forth. I hated sitting still. I want to be out looking with my troops, but Ilbani, Dassu, the sisters, Sakuwai, and Yuri out voted me. Leaving me here feeling useless.
All the guests have arrived for the ceremony; there is no way we can cancel now. But I doubt we will find Queen Nakia in time.
The day Ishtar's star rises. That is the day the springs will fill. That is the day Queen Nakia will act. That is also the day of Yuri and His Majesty's fifth and final bath.
I continued to pace up and down the hallways.
"Yuki. I told you to stay in your room." Ilbani sighed. I glared at him. I was ill tempered and just plain grumpy right now.
"And I told you I wanted to look for Nakia with Dassu. You cannot keep me cooped up in there! I'll go absolutely insane!" I snapped at him.
"You are still in danger. And with the baby on the way, I would prefer you not move too much." He said in his oh so patient voice.
"I am three months along at most. I don't even have a baby bump, so I am fine to move around at least until the wedding!" I growled back.
"I know better than to call a woman fat." Was his only retort. I hissed in anger and continued to pace.
"His Majesty has taken great pains to ensure Princess Yuri's safety. Please, calm down." He tried to stand in front of me.
"Then I am attending the bathing ceremonies. I will not sit here like a bump on a log." I declare. Walking past him. He captured me in an embrace before I could get very far.
"You know I worry about you only because I love you so dearly, don't you?" He asked.
"Of course I know that. Of course…" I whisper. I suddenly felt awful for snapping at him. He was too good for me.
"I will do everything in my power to keep Princess Yuri safe until the star of Ishtar rises." He promised me. I turned on my toes and gave him a chaste kiss.
And so will I. I added silently. I will not sit idly by.
The first four baths pass without any problems. The first bath had a bit of a conundrum when the bowl of holy water broke, but it was nothing majorly dangerous.
On the fifth day, my tensions were taut. If the Queen was to act, it would be today. Of course we never did find her in time. Even at this moment, Mittanamwa and Shubas were searching every shrine.
"Yuki! You rounded up fast! Well, then again I can never tell how you look under all those baggy boys' clothes." Nefert sang, staring at my belly. I smiled at her and took my place as close to Yuri as possible. Technically, I don't think I was supposed to be standing there, but I doubt anyone wanted to argue with a pregnant Goddess of death.
I felt my heart beat faster as I saw the tiny whirlpool forming in the bath.
"Yuri!" I scream.
"Watch the guests! Don't let any of them move!" Kash came bursting in. Was the Queen manipulating the guests?
"No…wrong….wrong, wrong, wrong! None of these people are manipulated!" Princess Nepis cried.
I began to look around I had already drawn my sword. If no one was being manipulated…then…
My fears were confirmed as the Queen herself burst from the crowd, a knife in her hand. She was running at his Majesty who could not defend himself while holding on to Yuri who was being sucked into the water.
Ilbani's POV
Everything was happening so quickly. I saw the Queen burst from the crowd. I was too far away to make it there in time, but I saw movement. Prince Juda, Rusafa…and Yuki. They all rushed in front of the Queen.
"Yuki!" I shout, running through the guards. Yuki! The baby!
I saw a pile up of people, then I saw His Majesty forcefully pull Princess Yuri out of the water as the whirlpool closed. Princess Yuri was here to stay.
The guards had a hold on Queen Nakia who was screaming bloody murder. Her hair was a mess, her eyes were wild. She was no longer the Queen. Now she resembled more of an enraged animal…where was the knife?
"Where is Nakia's knife?!" I demanded. I saw the guards look about the ground but it wasn't there.
"Miss Yuki!" I heard Sakuwai cry in terror. Yuki? Oh gods, please no…
"Princess Yuki!" Dassu shouted a moment later. I almost didn't want to look. I had to though.
I slowly turned to see Yuki, kneeled over with the knife's hilt coming out of her stomach.
THIS HAS A GOOD END! I SWEAR!
So don't give up on me! I have the next chapter basically written out, and I'll post it really soon!
So don't be mad! There is a happy ending! I pinkie swear ..
Well thank you for reading! We are almost at the end!
~EternallySnowy
