King Theodric Astor was so tired. He was a dying king and he knew it, but it was more than that that weighed on his mind. His people, the people his power should be able to protect were dying and so far, he had done nothing to help them.

He stood from his bed, feeling old and useless, but he had saved some of his energy and he thought that he might be able to make it. He kissed his wife’s cheek. She mumbled something in her sleep about her daughter. Then he gathered the clothes that the maid had laid out for him and snuck into the antechamber to dress without waking Endolynn. She would argue with him and he just didn’t have the energy. When she woke, she would know where he had gone. She would find the letter and she would understand. He was sure of it.

Dressing was difficult. His old fingers fumbled at the buttons of his uniform, but he made them do his bidding, made them work. His feeble old arms complained at having to pull on stockings and boots, but he mastered it, panting by the time he was done.

He opened his door and snuck out into the hallway. The captain of the guards met him, Derrick, a good, solid man who had struggled with his men dying on the border. “Thank you for meeting me,” he whispered to him.

“Are you sure you want to go through with this?” Derrick said handing him his cane.

“Oh, pretty sure,” he said.

“There’s no going back. I don’t know how long you’re going to make it.”

He gave the man a flat stare. “When you die, would you rather go down swinging or rot in a bed for months on end.”

“Just making sure, your majesty.”

“Give me a moment with my daughter.”

Derrick bowed and took up a position next to the door. Day and night there were guards standing on either side of the door, but he had made sure that there would be none tonight. His daughter lay, beautiful as ever, sleeping like an angel. Pale moonlight streamed in through the windows, giving her a ghostly appearance. “Aurora, my sweet little daughter, I don’t know if I will make it back, but if I don’t, I want you to know that I love you and that I go now with you and the entire kingdom’s safety in mind. Your mother would ask me why not send someone else, but if my theory is correct, then I’m the only one to do this. Be a good ruler. Listen to your people and stand by your judgments, especially when it’s hard. They will be looking to you as ruler soon. I hope that in my passing you will wake, but if not…” he couldn’t continue, couldn’t imagine what would happen if she didn’t wake, if eighty years passed and the rest of the kingdom died or was forced to flee. He sighed. Best not to borrow tomorrow’s troubles. There were plenty today. “I love you. Be safe.” He wiped at his face, knowing that this would be the last time he saw his daughter. There was so much he wanted to tell her, so much time with her that had been stolen away. She would be a good queen and if necessary, Endolynn would reign. She had been running so many things due to his illness anyway.

Stepping out of his daughter’s room, he nodded to Derrick, not quite sure his voice would work. He swallowed back the sobs that threatened to choke him. Derrick placed a cloak around his shoulders and pulled the hood far over his face. “We can’t have everyone but the queen know what you’re up to.”

He smiled at that. Endolynn could be a little scary when she was angry enough.

The two men made their way to the stables, where a coach was waiting. Derrick climbed in and helped him up, and they set off. “It has has been an honor serving under you.” Derrick said.

“You were always the right man for the job. I hope that you will continue.”

“Of course, but it won’t be the same.”

“Nothing ever is.”

They rode in silence for a time, nothing but the sound of the horses’s hooves and the grinding of the wheels on the frozen street. He glanced out the window. The snow had fallen, only an inch of it remained, but he would be glad of the cloak if he made it very far.

The coach stopped and Derrick climbed out, helping him out. He shook Derrick’s hand. “Thank you, Derrick.” Then he strode straight into the shimmer, shoulders squared and chin held high.

Delilah pulled off her gown. It was the color of an eggplant, deep purple and almost black. She didn’t usually wear colors that were so dark. It made her pale face look almost ghostly. She pulled on her nightdress, trying not to think about the terrors that would be interrupting her sleep. She knew she needed sleep, she just didn’t want the dreams. A shudder ran down her spine as she remembered the last one.

A knock came at the door. “Just a moment,” she said, pulling on a robe.

She opened the door. Captain Hathaway stood there, looking frustrated. She tried not to sigh, but the battle had gone on for so long. His presence always meant bad news.

“Captain?”

He bowed. “You asked me to inform you of an intruder. There is yet another one. This one looks to be a high ranking officer.”

“Give me a moment. She closed the door and changed back into her gown. It would not do for the queen to show up in a ratty old robe, even if it was more comfortable. She pulled her boots on because the dungeon was filthy place.

“I will interrogate him. Lead the way.”

If a high ranking military officer was here, did that mean that they were finally making some headway? Maybe the opposition was getting desperate, or maybe they were just foolish. An officer would be able to tell what they were planning. “He was stumbling through the forest when you found him?”

“Yes. He must have some magic of his own. The fairies did not try to interfere with his progress through the forest.”

“Interesting.”

The smell was musty in the old dungeon. She hadn’t used it for years, hadn’t needed to. He was in a small cell, his arms stretched out wide. As she got closer, she realized he was an old man. He was wearing a blue uniform that was neatly tailored but clearly made for a larger man. It hung on him, making him look even more frail than he was.

Why had they sent an old man, probably their captain of the guards into enemy territory?

“Who are you?” She asked him.

“Please, my lady let my arms down.” He coughed and spat blood on the floor. So he was sick and going to die anyway. Did he think he could get close to her and destroy her?

The captain strode forward, slapping the old man across the face. “You are speaking to the queen of the Panaen Kingdom. You will address her as ‘your majesty’ or you will be missing teeth. Delilah held up a hand to stop any further torture.

“Captain, I can see to this, I’m sure you have work to do.”

He bowed and tromped angrily up the steps, but she wanted to unravel this mystery herself. “Captain,”

He paused on his way up the stairs. “Clearly, they are trying to infiltrate our lines and take out the leaders of this army. We attack at midnight. Prepare the troops and I will meet you then.”

He smiled, as if this was exactly the opportunity he was waiting for, bowed to her once more and left Delilah alone with the prisoner. “You will get no mercy from me. Your country has been attacking mine. You were the ones who started this war, if you don’t like its outcome then maybe you shouldn’t have started it, now tell me who you are.”

She did not believe in shouting. All her life, a cold glare or a dangerously low voice had served her well.

“I am… your brother.”

The words were gasped between coughs. Maybe she should let him down. This man was clearly not going to be able to survive very long this way. Blood from his coughing fit still covered his silvery beard.

He was trying to trick her. He was not her brother. Her brother was far away. He was young with parents who doted on him constantly. Yes, that seemed right, but she wouldn’t argue with him. She would leave him hanging there until he told her what she wanted to know. “Why are you here?”

“I came to beg for peace.” He coughed again, spitting more blood on the ground. She almost felt sorry for the old man, almost. He looked at her, with pity in his eyes. “BB. I’m so sorry.

Who was BB? A memory flashed through her mind. Her brother pushing her on the swing, whining that it was his turn. Her tight little fists held on to the ropes though, not letting go. He pulled on her, trying to unseat her, but she would not leg go. She started laughing and then he was laughing too. She didn’t even remember why. Was this man really her brother?