111 Cursed (2)

A second, louder thump shook the ground with its impact a few seconds later. It was the body, Talia realized, and consequently, the first sound must have been the head.

She didn't really need to close her eyes. Having grown up on a battlefield, she had seen far worse things countless times... but he had asked it of her.

"This man... attacked me as I was leaving the office of the Emperor," Prince Mikhail growled. "He, like the lady Grieta, was very likely to be in league with the Duke of Yevin-- he was a traitor... and yet the only person who thought to prevent him from entering my room while I slept, was the princess of a foreign nation who owes me no loyalty whatsoever... I am very-"

"My Prince, please... he said that he carried our Emperor's order, and he-he-" the physician stuttered.

"You DARE to speak against my word, when you accused the princess of witchcraft?" Mikhail hissed. "Seize him! He might have been working with the steward! A few months in the Imperial dungeons will teach him to open his mouth and spew such vile falsehoods!"

At the sound of the physican's horrified cry and the struggle that ensued, Talia almost opened her eyes, but thought better of it. She knew without asking that Prince Mikhail's quick and decisive actions were likely to prevent rumors from spreading.

How could one rise up from what was practically their death bed, and think with such clarity and foresight? He was truly fearsome in that respect. She would serve his purpose best by remaining where she was, keeping her eyes closed, and pretending that she was indeed his unquestionably loyal slave.

"Remove this foul corpse and have it burned at once... and send someone to clean up this mess!" He ordered.

Talia did not move as the soldiers led the physican, still crying and pleading, from the room. She could hear them dragging the body of the steward across the floor as well.

When the door shut, an uncomfortable silence prevailed, and then... the sword clattered loudly to the floor.

She jumped to her feet and grabbed him by the arm as he staggered back. Quickly, she wrapped his arm around her shoulders and supported his waist, allowing him to lean hard against her as she guided him back to the bed.

"You needn't have gone that far," she muttered. "You could have ordered them to leave without getting up."

Rather than answer, Prince Mikhail sighed heavily and shook his head. He let go of her and grabbed the bedpost--ignoring her proffered hand as he sat down on the bed.

With the other hand, he reached back and began to probe along his spine.

"Stop that!" Talia snapped, slapping at his hand. "Your wounds are still healing and-"

"What did you do?" He asked quietly.

"What do you mean? What did I DO?" Talia repeated, her voice rising slightly at his accusation. " You were brought here bleeding out so quickly that you were only moments from death! What was I supposed to-"

"The Emperor set a trap and you jumped directly into it," he mumbled, not meeting her eye.

Talia was silent for a moment. She frowned and crossed her arms over her chest.

"I don't understand what you mean by that," she admitted, taking time to speak slowly and clearly, keeping the annoyance and frustration she felt out of her voice.

"There was a reason he had me brought here... to you... and not to a physician or the Imperial healers. You used your... blood... didn't you? House Eosin has never used their blood outside of Vezda. Not in hundreds of years, and now-"

"He knew what I was capable of-- what my sister was capable of even, from the very start! What does it matter if he has proof or not, he knows already!" Talia scoffed.

Prince Mikhail raised his eyes to fix her with a cold glare.

"He did not know that you would defy the laws of House Eosin for me! He did not know that if handed the chance to be free of me, you would throw it away with both hands, and risk exposing yourself for me! He did not know that you... that you..." Prince Mikhail's voice faded uncertainly.

"That I what? That I love you? That I--"

A timid knock at one of the inner doors interrupted Talia's choked words.

"Enter!" Mikhail snapped.

Two young maids carrying buckets and scrub brushes entered, followed by an older woman with a permanent scowl etched into her features.

Talia recognized her at once. The older woman was the head of staff at Bludston. The woman took quick stock of the room and snapped orders to the two young maids, who dropped to their knees and began cleaning at once.

"Madame DeGhal," Prince Mikhail greeted her. "Did my personal effects arrive this morning with the staff?"

"Yes, my Prince," she replied, bowing her head to him.

"Good. I will need a bath, and have someone lay out my court clothing and my medicine chest- not the large one, the smaller one I brought back with me from Vezda," he ordered.

"Of course, my Prince. Will you require assistance while you--"

"That won't be necessary," he said dismissively.

Madame DeGhal bowed her head and disappeared through the inner door.

The only sound in the room was that of the scrub brushes scratching across the floor.

Prince Mikhail sat expressionless, his eyes cast downward, purposely avoiding Talia's stare.

She wasn't going to burden him any longer, she had promised him as much and yet almost as soon as he had opened his eyes...

Not that she meant such words as a confession! Of course not! She was only going to say that the fact that she had saved him certainly did NOT mean that she loved him! It could have been for any number of reasons, not having to do with love-- but what did it matter to the Emperor anyhow? How was it a trap? Did Mikhail assume that the Emperor would use him in some way to get to her? The Emperor had no need of such a motivator! She had agreed to marry the Prince already which would effectively prevent her from tesifying against Unaria. What more could he....

She heaved a frustrated sigh and turned away. They could discuss nothing in front of the staff, and even though the two girls seemed determined to accomplish their task quickly, the wait was nerve-wracking.

"I will send for Sir Ilya," she announced. "He will be relieved that you have awoken, and I am sure that he has many questions about your encounter with the steward."

"You will do no such thing!" Prince Mikhail snapped. "We will finish our conversation and then I shall send for him myself. Be seated, Princess."

Talia glanced pointedly toward the two maids who were still scrubbing furiously. One of them stood and grabbed the bucket, almost running toward the door in her haste to change the water.

"You must be hungry," Prince Mikhail said, his tone much gentler. "Shall I have them bring food or-"

"I am not hungry," Talia lied, realizing almost the moment that he mentioned food, that she was, indeed, famished.

"My lady?" The maid adressed her quietly from the floor.

Talia glanced over to where the girl still kneeled on the floor beside the chair on the opposite wall. The girl held up three thin metal bracelets which glinted dully in the late afternoon light streaming through the window.

"My lady, your bracelets were on the floor here... just beside the chair. Shall I place them with your things or do you-"

"Bring them to me please," Talia insisted holding her hand out.

The girl quickly stood and brought her the bangles just as the other maid entered with fresh water. The two returned to their duty as Talia turned the bands over in her hands examining them.

The three bracelets were thin and curved, in what used to be the Vezdan style-- a style rarely seen in Vezda since the start of the war-- but instead of being made of gold, the bracelets were made of a cheaper metal painted to look like gold.

She had, of course, never owned such cheaply made bracelets. In fact, it was unfathomable that they would belong to a lady of the Unarian court.

There was only one sort of girl that Talia could imagine wearing such a trinket. In fact she had seen several similiar decorative bangles on the arm of one of Grieta's girls only that morning.

Talia was careful not to let her thoughts show on her face. She slipped the bracelets into the pocket of her dress and clasped her hands in her lap. She was careful to wait several minutes before stealing a glance at the Prince.

Mikhail sat on the edge of the bed. His face wore no expression, though she knew it must be costing him great effort to sit upright and appear at ease. It appeared that he had not even noticed her interaction with the maid.

But, of course, Prince Mikhail was very good at hiding his thoughts and feelings from others. He had only been in residence at the Imperial Palace for two days. How and when had he found the time to entertain a brothel worker?

Would he lie to her if she asked? Did he lie to her when he had promised his fidelity? Perhaps his lies extended even farther. Perhaps he could, in fact, speak on a great many matters that he'd claimed were beyond his abilities. Perhaps he turned against Grieta because he was frightened that she would reveal too much... perhaps everything they had experienced together was all... all...

Talia swallowed thickly and blinked a few times-- her eyes were becoming watery. It would not do to become emotional.

The realization that it was not anger she felt but fear and grief came next. Above all things, she wanted him to comfort her-- to explain that she was mistaken. That the bracelets must have been there for years... that he would never want any other woman beside him but her. She wanted him to wrap his arms around her, and draw her close to his chest where it was so warm and comforting. The only place she had felt safe in all of Unaria.

When had she grown so weak? When had she become so stupid? Perhaps he'd known from the very beginning how alone she had always felt. The fact that he had always shown up at the exact moment she needed him, might have been a calculated maneuver. He'd slowly and methodically broken down her walls, and she had played right into his hands. It was true that she had fallen into a trap-- but one which had been concealed far better than the Emperor's.

She had fallen in love with a monster!

Talia shook her head slightly. That wasn't fair of her. Prince Mikhail might be manipulative and unfeeling, but he was no monster. Had he not said plenty of times that he did not love her, and that he did not desire her love? He had been outrageously blunt to the point of admitting that he wanted only her body and not her heart. It was she who had refused to believe him.

There was nothing for her to even accuse him of. He had only brought up fidelity as a marriage clause early that very morning. They were not married, and again, he had been forthright with her about his previous experiences.

Even still...

Talia blinked a few more times. Ridiculous! It was ridiculous that she was fighting tears over his supposed lack of faithfulness while he had almost been assinated only hours before, and while the entire court must be in chaos over Lady Grieta's betrayal and planned coup.

The Prince had just slain the Emperor's steward and imprisoned an imperial physician. He would surely face the Emperor's displeasure, and might be accused of treason himself. How dare she consider nagging him like a fishwife in the public market?

The House of Eosin did not nag or beg for love! The House of Eosin was proud and certain and commanded the respect of...

The two maids stood and bobbed short curtsies, leaving the room as quickly as they came.

When the door closed behind them, Talia clamped her lips firmly shut and waited.

"House Eosin has never used the blood willingly outside of Vezda," Prince Mikhail began in a calm and low voice. "Now the Emperor knows that in the future, you can be motivated to do his bidding. You value my life far too much, and you've clearly expressed this to him."

Talia nodded slowly, not bothering to look up or meet his eye.

"I suppose I should have let you die," she said without emotion.

"I have survived similar injuries before," he answered. "Though this is my fault as well. I thought that if I confessed to the Emperor that you felt... a deep attachment to me... he would be less likely to try and take you for himself."

Talia winced at the words 'deep attachment'. He never used words that gave him discomfort. Words like 'love' or even her true name.

He did not miss her slight reaction.

"What is it, Princess? Are you in pain? Shall I call for a physician? He struck you quite hard, didn't he?" He asked gently.

Says the man who was just stabbed repeatedly in the back and can barely sit upright, she thought.

Before she could answer, they were interrupted again by a knock at the inner door.

Madame DeGhal entered at Prince Mikhail's command, and bowed.

"My Prince, your bath is ready and your things have been arranged," she announced.