Of Blood & Power

S O M E T H I N G

HORA'S EYES WERE THICK WITH TEARS AS SHE RAN THROUGH THE HALLS.

She didn't stop till she had reached her chambers. Reyes was sprawled lazily on the bed, a pipe in his mouth. When he saw his wife, he frowned. "What's wrong?" he asked.

Hora collapsed into his chest. "Please...Reyes I'm begging you. You have to tell your brother she can't. Please," Hora stammered between sobs. Reyes threw her off his chest.

"What did you do? My god, Hora, what did you do now?"

Hora cupped his face and stared into his eyes. "N-nothing. I swear. I was in the bath with Tatie and Selene and Azriel just...she just showed up. And t-then...then she just started going on about me not knowing my place and threatened to cut my eyeballs out..." Hora broke off to look away in pretend distress.

"Are you saying you want me to go down on my knees in front of the king just because his wife threatened you?" Reyes' voice was dry and unsympathetic.

Hora almost recoiled at his lack of sympathy. "She did more than just threaten me, Reyes. She ordered that I should be given thirty lashes." Hora buried her face deep in his neck. "Please, Reyes. Please, my love. I'm your wife. If you care for me at all, you'll protect me." Reyes placed two hands on Hora's shoulders and removed her from on top of him.

"Do you know what my brother told me when I told him I'd married you?"

Hora sniffled shakily. "I don't see what this has to do with---"

"He told me if you so much as breathed the wrong way towards Azriel, he'd exile the both of us. And somewhere along that long, lonely road we'd encounter some highwaymen or some other vagabonds and--"

"---I understand," Hora cut in rudely.

Reyes closed his hand around her arm and looked deep into her eyes.

"If there is one thing, I'm sure of about you it is this: you're conniving. You almost beat a girl to death because you were angry, she'd won my brother's heart. And now you're trying to trick me into sticking out my head for you. Do you think I'm stupid? Erienne would've never threatened you without provocation. And even if she did, so what? She's the queen of the realm and you nearly killed her. You deserve every lash and lick of blood that comes your way."

Hora was quick to climb off of him. "You'd really let this happen to me?"

Reyes didn't answer. He only turned away to take a draw from his pipe. Hora ran to the rest room and locked the door. She sank to the floor. She had to think of another way to protect herself. Her husband clearly wouldn't.

***

"I'm sorry I was curt with you earlier," Azriel said to Janileese as she wiped her dry. "It was Markus. He said that you being my only friend was pathetic."

"You don't have to beg my pardon, Your Majesty," Janileese replied. "You're the queen. You don't owe anyone an apology."

"Still." Azriel touched her arm. "I'm no regular queen. I owe you everything Janileese. I owe you my life. If it weren't for you..."

Janileese squeezed her arm. "It was nothing. Truly, Your Majesty, it was nothing."

"No, it was everything. The whole palace knew what had taken place and no one had the courage to tell the king what happened. No one except you."

"I require no thanks or reminding, Your Majesty. Let us talk of something else. The palace is abuzz with news that you ordered Hora to be whipped."

Azriel slid into the white night gown Janileese provided. "She looked me in the eye. There was no deference...no curtsy." Azriel sighed. "I wish Markus had killed her."

"As do I. She thinks that just because you're common she can refer to you anyway she likes. You can't let her get away with it."

"I won't. If there is anything I will not abide, it's disrespect from that witch."

"You shouldn't tolerate disrespect from anyone. You're queen, Your Majesty. You don't have to earn the gratitude of others."

Azriel sighed. "It doesn't feel like it. I feel so out of place. I wish I was Empress Erienne."

"You have to stop doing that Your Majesty."

"Doing what?"

"Putting yourself down. Telling yourself that you're only a commoner who isn't fit for the place you find yourself in. That's not going to make things any better."

"But--"

"Don't you remember the cries of our village that day?"

Azriel could still the exclamations of "Don't forget us" ringing in her ears. "Of course."

"Those people are toiling each day at the hands of an establishment that has never cared for them. But do you know what's different now?"

Azriel swallowed. "I'm queen."

"You're not just queen. You're what the common people see as a savior. They've vested their hopes and dreams into you. Do you think feeling inadequate is a good enough excuse not to be a champion for your people?"

Azriel looked down, her face burning with shame. "No," she whispered.

"I'm sorry, I couldn't quite hear you."

Azriel lifted her eyes to meet Janileese's. "No."

***

Azriel tried her best not to look nervous. It was near midnight and Adrian hadn't come to her chambers. She knew they'd been at odds lately. Still, she didn't want him to be mad at her forever. They hadn't been married for that long. Besides, without the favor of the king, she wouldn't have any power of her own. By the time the hourglass' sands signaled the end of the hour, Azriel had made up her mind. If her husband wasn't going to take the initiative to end their dispute, then she would.

Azriel crept away from her bedroom and into the bathing room. She wrapped her hand around the knob she knew led to her husband's private quarters. After whispering a silent prayer to herself, she opened the door. The room was dark, save a few candles that lit dimly around a bed.

"Azriel," a voice thundered behind the bed's canopy. "What are you doing here?"

Azriel closed the bathroom door and sprinted for the bed before prostrating herself in front of it.

"You know you can't come to me without being summoned," Markus said. His voice was angry and sharp.

"I'm sorry, Your Majesty. I'm sorry for neglecting my duties as a wife and queen. I'm sorry that I let my own insecurities consume my ability to fulfill my role." Azriel took a meaningful pause. "It won't happen again."

"Why are you here Azriel?" His tone was softer now.

Azriel lifted herself up and leaned against the bed.

"To make amends with my husband. Will you accept the apologies of your queen?"

"There was one thing you forgot to apologize for."

"What was that?"

"Coming to my room uninvited."

Azriel leaned away from the bed. "Does Your Majesty wish me to leave?"

In one swift motion Markus' hands were on her waist. He pulled her through the canopy veil and into his arms.

"No, he does not. In fact, there is something he wishes to tell you."