Mystery? In a Royal Court?
What price do you pay to protect someone? What cost to yourself do you pay to make sure tender dreams are not crushed?
There are no dragons (not on this planet, everyone is glad about that). Dungeons are generally fo...
Emme and the queen take Princess Yva to the queen's royal office for a sleep party. Floor cushions and pillows are setup by the fireplace.
They all wear the same style pajamas, except that Emme wears pajamas with yellow ribbon and the other have royal purple ribbon.
This seems odd and suspicious to the Yva, but the evening settles to sleepy banter and finally rest.
When Yva stops breathing, both Emme and queen act quickly. They grab a small ear horn for medical listening.
When Yva stirs and gasps, the queen hands the horn to Emme. The queen has heard something.
Emme listens.
Emme gets up and walks in an increasingly halting manner. She walks to the window and leans with one hand against the lower sill frame.
Everything about her reflects shock and sorrow. Head leaning far down. Breathing like silent sobs.
The queen goes over but cannot draw near to someone visibly shaken.
Emme speaks in a shaky whisper:
" It .. is.. easy..
Just.. too.. easy.. to forget..
Good Days, happy times, days in the sun.
Professional joys.
Too.. easy.. to forget..
That you have a heart problem. Bad beats. A short life...
You Forget.. So on a day when you can save a life. You did not think...
Pouring your life into someone.... Also pours your defect.
The giant spider got its revenge...
I have shortened her life..."
The queen stands back. Calm. There is something she should say. Something that would make it much less hard for Emme. If Emme knew..
Princess Yva shuffles and calls for her mother. Any previous thoughts in the queen were gone. She goes back and finds her daughter. Keeping everything secret from her. As mothers can do when needed.
Emme eventually returns. Yva senses distress, but the queen blames it on dreams.
Yva does notice that Emme (really for the first time) will not gaze into her eyes. Emme places hand to Yva as Yva touches it, but does not tighten. Yva has not seen anyone suffer from dreams this much.
Not even in the curse center.
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