Chapter 28

Chapter 28
Before I came to the Crimson Palace, I used have these dreams, wild and vivid, but since moving to the palace, they had decreased in frequency, and somehow, that decrease made them even more vivid, more lived-in, like a slice of my life from the last. I struggled to know what they meant. When I woke up the next day, I sat on the edge of the bed, mulling the vision over. I could still see the soldier taking off her helmet to reveal a face that was exactly like mine, I could still hear the cries of battle, and my head pounded.

It was still early — the weak light of dawn cut into my room, filling it with a tender aura. I hoped I wouldn't get interrupted, but just then, my door opened and Lucien walked in.

"Master," I said, getting to my feet, quite taken aback.

He was dressed in full royal regalia, and he looked brilliant in it. If I were just seeing him for the first time, I would feel an immediate attraction. His face was stern, however, austere, and it made me quite uneasy. I smoothed down my nightwear and stood with one leg in front of the other.

"What's that look on your face?" He asked, not coming any closer, but remaining near the doorway.

"Ohh, it's nothing," I answered. "I'm just surprised you're here. It's quite early, you know."

"Of course," he said. "It has to be early for what we have to do today. Go in, have a quick shower and wear something quickly. We have to go now."

I was even more confused.

"Go where?" I asked. "Is there any problem?"

"Amara, please," he said, closing his eyes and raising his hand as if to block any remonstrance. "Do as I say. Have a quick shower, dress up and let's fucking leave. Okay?"

He spoke in a cold, harsh voice that brooked no protest, and I quietly slipped into the bathroom and had a quick bath, as he had instructed. A few minutes later, when I got out, he was still there near the doorway, like he hadn't moved a muscle. He looked at me without the hint of emotion in his eyes.

"I'll just get dressed," I said timidly. I took off the towel and, naked, began to wear another dress, something simple and suitable. I shouldn't have been ashamed, but outside of sex, standing naked near him, with his eyes trained on my body, made me very self-conscious and shy. When I was done, I turned to face him.

"Okay," I said. "I'm set."

He gave me a nod of approval and signalled for me to come closer. I walked up to him and he took me by the hand, holding me firmly. We walked through the corridor in quick, clipped steps and before long, we were outside, in the palace courts. But we kept on walking until we reached the gate. The guards on duty let us pass without a question when they saw who it was. There was a chariot waiting, and a driver in it. So it had all been planned.

"May I ask where we're going, Master?" I asked as we stepped into the chariot.

"You'll find out soon enough, Amara," he said to me, and the driver whipped the horses into motion.

Even though we sat facing each other, we said nothing, and often I turned my head to the side and looked at the country-side — the meadows on the side of the road, the people working on farms, tending to animals. It was such a peaceful scenery, and it prevented me from being too nervous. But we journeyed even further, until we moved way past the country-side into the woods. The driver slowed down here because the path was narrower and more jagged.

"We'll be there soon," Lucien announced and I responded with a nod.

When we reached a portion of the woods that was covered with vegetation and verdure, we stopped. It was nearly noon, and the sun blazed from the skies with unrelenting heat. We got down from the chariot, and Lucien took hold of my hand and led me even deeper into the woods. We walked into a part of it that was filled with tall trees, so tall that they formed a canopy and blocked out most of the sunlight. It felt like we had wondered into some otherworldly nocturnal dimension, and I began to get scared. Perhaps, Lucien would kill me.

We stopped in front of a small shack, and Lucien knocked on it.

"He who knocks on my door knows what is inside here and might as well come on in," a gravelly voice called from inside. Lucien pushed the door open and dragged me inside. The shack was so much bigger on the inside, but it was mostly empty. There was a bed at the far end, a stove and a fireplace, and bags of all sizes hanging from the walls. It felt like a sorcerer's den. In the middle of the room there was a table with a lantern on it. The lantern burned with a dim light and a man — old, with untidy grey beards — sat behind, the weak light framing his face.

"Quincy," Lucien said. "It's me."

"I know it's you," the man responded. "To what do I owe the ruler of the Crimson Palace this visit?"

"I've come for answers," Lucien said. "Something has bothering me."

"Wait. Who are you with?" Quincy said, getting up, a look of alarm on his face.

"A young woman, a human," Lucien said and, looking at me, he added, "actually, she's the reason I'm here."

"A young woman, eh?" Quincy said, making his way forward. "We'll see about that."

He was walking so painfully slow that I wished I could grab him by his spindly hands and pull him forward. When he got to me, his eyes widened, as if in shock. He opened his mouth to speak, but only a babble of words tumbled out. He stumbled backwards and fell on his face.

"Queen Seraphina!" He said, his head on the floor. "You're back!"