Empires Fall

Plane

Aquila woke and, through the groggy daze, immediately knew she was not in her home. She stood and her nightgown fell to the floor. Glancing down at the deep purple fabric, "A nightgown? Seriously? Twenty first century here, Oriyn." She walked to the door, pausing only to grab a dark blue silk robe and debated whether or not to put it on, know that, if she didn't, it would bother him, but she would also be uncomfortable. Finally, she decided to put it on and she left the room.

"-asked her?" The guard from the shop was talking.

Aquila walked into the room, "No, he wouldn't have asked me anything. That would have required taking my wishes into account."

Oriyn laughed, "You're up. Good. We'll be home soon.

"Take me back."

"We are going back."

"You know where I mean. Take me back."

"We are going home. You will return to you position." He pulled her ring from his pocket and handed it to her, "Put it on."

Aquila glared at the ring, " I will not. Nor will I be empress again. Now take me home. My home."

"My dear you are going to your home. And my home. They are all expecting you to return and reclaim your rightful place."

Aquila turned away from him and walked to a window, "How many children have come expecting you to give them the empty seat?"

Oriyn dismissed the guard and stood behind Aquila, "Too many. Before you ask; no, I have not given anyone the impression that your place is for anyone but you."

Aquila scoffed, "No. You did one better. You gave everyone that impression when you let that idiot human take over." Her eyes glazed, "You asked me many centuries ago to give up everything and become an empress to your people and I did. I accepted because I thought you would have done the same for me. Then, when it came to choosing between your pregnant wife and your empire, you chose the empire. You say you knew where I was, yet you never attempted to make anything right between us. There were so many times that I wished you were there to console me or that you would apologize. There were many years I dreamed you'd show up and take me back, regardless of what I had said." She watched the stars become blurred with the tears she had no intention of wiping away or showing.

"Why did you stop?"

"I waited. For three hundred years I waited and you never came. So I gave up. I accepted that you weren't coming for me and I moved on. Until you sent the teenage guards to try and bring me back." She turned to face him. "What did you think was going to happen? Did you think that I would magically forgive you for the last thousand years of abandonment?"

"No. Of course not, but I did hope that you would give me a chance to prove that I care. A chance-"

"-to betray me again? Not likely."

"I will not betray you again, I swear."

"You cannot promise me that. And even if you do, there is no chance that I will ever trust you again."

"At least I am trying to prove that I've changed. I have been worse these last thousand years than ever before. I need you- they need you- to keep me in line."

"Trying to convince me to return by telling me that you have less control of your anger is not one of your better ideas."

"I am telling you that your family needs you. You don't have to spend to spend any of your free time with me. I just need to know that you will be protected."

"I was protected where I was. Or am I supposed to believe that you left me to the mercy of the wilderness and unpredictable humans?"

"No. I always had you under the watchful eye of people I trust."

"I thought so. Besides, my family died many centuries ago. I have no reason to return."

"You still have family living. They all need you. Every single person in our empire is your family and each one of them needs you. You don't have to stay forever. Just until everything gets better."

"Just until you get under control, you mean. What is stopping you from just becoming worse if I return and then leave?"

"Nothing but my own will. And the hope that it will be enough to win back your trust."

"What about my love?"

Oriyn took a step closer, "It is not your lack of love for me that separates us and we both know it."

"Why did you never come for me during those thousand years?"

"Whenever I thought about it, what you said just kept running through my head. You told me not to come for you ever."

"You actually thought I meant that? I have already told you that I would have accepted any apology and I would have taken you back in an instant, why did you never come? I waited for you," This time, Aquila couldn't prevent him from seeing her tears.

Oriyn pulled her into his chest, "Aquila, calm down. I know you waited. So did I. Tell me how I can regain your trust. Please. How can I earn back the right to stand next to you? How can I make it so you will stand by me?"

Aquila rested her head on his chest, "I don't know. I don't now what you can do. Just don't let go."

"Never. I will never let you go again," He pulled her close. "You need some rest before we get home. Come. I'll put you to bed."

Aquila laughed, "Don't you think I've had enough sleep?"

Oriyn picked her up, hooking one arm under her knees and the other around her back, "You had before you came in here and wore yourself out yelling at me. Would you like me to stay with you?"

They returned to the room Aquila woke up in, "What did you just say to me?"

"I told you that I will never let you go again."

Oriyn laid her down on the bed, "I just don't want you to go. You may stay for the remainder of the flight. Maybe I'll have an idea of what you can do when we arrive."

Oriyn kissed her forehead before lying down beside her, "Anything for you, my dear. Absolutely anything."