Chapter 90 Orgah brings dreadful news.
Daevir's POV
The door groaned shut as Zephyr escorted Orgah into the room. When I turned around to her, I was shaken by what I saw.
Orgah, who once walked with the grace of an eagle and the poise of a queen, now walked with a limp; her eyes were swollen with purple circles beneath them, and her face was covered in scars and red, bleeding.
I trembled.
"Where is Amarien?" I blotted before I could catch myself.
Orgah couldn't match my eyes; she only bowed slowly. Zephyr, seeing the tension, quickly stepped in as always.
"Perhaps Nun Orgah's journey has been a hazardous one. I'm sure she brought loads of stories and reports about the nunnery. Perhaps she might need moments of rest before this meeting."
"Thank you, Zephyr, that won't be necessary", she smiled at Zephyr. And for the first time in my life, I saw Zephyr blush.
I looked at both of them, wondering what was transpiring between the two.
It was Zephyr's idea to send Amarien to the nunnery. "Her return here will be more of a curse to her than anyone else." He advised, "Please follow the will of your people and send her packing. You can't be more competent than the will of your people."
"How will she survive that awful place?" I had responded. Despite the hurt in my heart, I made a promise to Amarien to protect her and I intend to keep my words no matter the circumstances.
Zephyr has promised me he will make arrangements with Nun Orgah, a certain nun there, to keep Amarien safe and out of trouble.
Orgah navigated the nunnery, watching Amarien closely, bringing in reports of Amarien's safety to me daily. Sometimes, I wish she would tell me more, but restraint held me back.
"She would have been dead the first week if not for Orgah," Zephyr had reported. "Orgah had uncovered poisons, traps, conspiracies that could lead to her death in a snap."
On the night of my wedding with Catherine, after she made that veil threat against Amarien, I knew Orgah might need to do more. So I promoted her with the Emperor's seal to rule right beside Argo: the nun I have come to understand has deep loyalty to Catherine, and the establishment that despises Amarien.
Orgah now has the power to properly defend Amarien and save her from these onslaughts while I figure out a way to get her out of there.
"Be careful, lest you anger your people, Your majesty." Zephyr had warned.
Ever since I got this crown on my head, it has always been about the will of the people. Sometimes I wish they could wear the crown instead of me.
"I'm only keeping my promise to Amarien. I don't intend to receive her as Queen," I had told Zephry when he queried, but I knew he didn't believe me. He could see through me like a clear river that man.
And I could see through that look in his eyes as he gazed on Orgah that the old fool is smitten.
From the way these two look at each other, if Zephyr hadn't gotten the chop and Orgah, the goddess's call to abstainance, I would have sworn they were married or in love.
But my concerns were pressed on other things. How did Orgah get this way? What happens at the nunnery? What happened to Amarien?!
As if she could read the question in my eyes, Orgah bowed again. Seeing her eyes heavy with words to say, Zephyr took a few steps back, his eyes just as heavy as hers.
It must hurt to see the one you love wounded.
"Your Majesty…" her spit lips trembled.
Something aches in my heart, but I kept still, hoping whatever news Orgah brings didn't involve Amarien getting hurt.
I swore I would hate her for eternity. Why can't I stand her death or suffering?!
"Tell me what happened," I said, not meaning it as an order, but it came as such.
Orgah quickly straightened. She looked like she could burst into tears any moment. "It is my will to serve you, your highness. But I have failed you. Please command your guards to have my head!" She burst out crying.
Zephyr trembled. His gaze swept from Orgah to me, as if pleading.
If not for the aching in my heart, I could have laughed at Zephyr. The old man who found it very easy to dismiss love 'for the sake of the people' is now smitten by it.
"No one will have your head, Orgah. Rather, you will be rewarded for your service to the imperial courts."
Orgah shook her head. "I don't deserve any form of reward, your majesty. I don't deserve it!"
Impatience tore at my heart. What was Orgah getting at? What happened at the nunnery? How did she get so battered and bruised? How could they have done this to her? Where is Amarien?
"Relax, Orgah. I can assure you, you can tell him anything." Zephyr comforted. "Speak the truth, for we will always find a solution to your troubles."
I wish I could be as reassuring as Zephyr, but anger and impatience stirred within me.
Orgah had one job!
She can't possibly fail!
I settled on the throne to still myself, squeezing the golden dragon armrest. My foot tapped the floor impatiently.
Orgah bowed again. "It's not my wish to be a failure in my duty, your majesty. But you need to know everything that happened."
"Tell me." I said curtly.
Orgah lowered her gaze again, her mouth quivered like she had words so heavy to say she couldn't possibly know where to start. But she started anyway.
"When I took up the duty to serve Amarien. I promised myself never to fail. Amarien was targeted by everyone in that place because there was a bounty on her head to have her killed before the first year."
"Bounty by whom?" Anger blazed in my voice. Who would dare do such a thing to her?
Orgah lowered her head further, "I cannot say." Orgah shut her eyes, and I knew she was protecting that fellow.
"Amarien was even ready to fight for life, but she was more concerned for those around her. This got her in trouble." Orgah's lips quivered. "She revealed her hiding spot to a certain concubine, and that concubine revealed Amarien and her secret to the nunnery."
"What secret?!" My gaze morphed to confusion.
Orgah looked up to the sky as if praying to the gods to save her at that moment.
"What secret, Orgah?!" I lashed out, shaking the whole room; even Zephyr trembled.
"I had no idea, your highness," Orgah sobbed ", I wish I knew earlier! But I didn't!"
"Tell me," I said, a quiver in my voice.
"Amarien was pregnant."