Shaugn awoke to an empty room. It wasn't unusual. Xoan usually rose before he did and went to train before coming back to change and go to court. Akechi was setting out his breakfast while Kazim set out his clothes and accessories for the day.

"Good morning, your majesty."

"Morning, majesty."

"Good morning." Shaugn stretched and got out of bed. Though he could walk without help, his muscles were still weak and he had to walk slow. He'd been shocked to find out OG Shaugn had been bedridden for almost a month when he arrived. Muscle atrophy was to be expected. After breakfast, he worked with Radagar to strengthen his legs and upper body strength.

All of this was against the physician's orders and under the emperor's nose. A man of a more advanced medical age, Shaugn knew what his body needed. He'd broken his leg once in high school and knew that moving and training the muscles was essential to getting back to normal.

After handling his morning routine, he got dressed and sat down to have breakfast. He rolled his eyes at the rice porridge and fruit in front of him. Now that he was going to be the empress for real, he was going to get some oats and wheat brought in. This rice porridge every other day was for the birds. What he wouldn't give for some oatmeal with honey and cinnamon or a bowl of Frosted Flakes. 

He sighed. "Where can I find the nearest temple?"

Akechi looked up from making the bed. "You're going to pray, majesty?"

He snorted to himself. Not that he wasn't into religion, he just didn't feel the need to pray all the time for every little thing. He gave an innocent smile and shoveled the runny mix into his mouth. "I should give thanks I woke up finally."

Kazim smiled. "There's no need to go to the temple. The priest will be happy to come visit."

Akechi nodded. "He prayed for you while you were bedridden."

"He even left a talisman for you there," Kazim picked up a small carnelian stone on Xoan's bedside table and handed it to him. Shaugn's eyes bugged out of his head and he began choking on his breakfast.

Son of a bitch!

Carved into the stone was a cougar's face. Shaugn turned the stone over a few times and noticed the color of the stone was similar to the cougar's pelt that attacked him. What kind of freaky coincidence was this? Were the heavens mocking him for being a faithless heathen?

"Are you okay, majesty?" Akechi handed him a glass of water.

"I'm fine. Thank you." He rubbed the surface of the stone talisman with his thumb and stared off into space. Why was he seeing this thing at every turn? Was the cougar important? Was it just a coincidence? Who was this priest and why give him a stone with a cougar on it?

Kazim waved his hand in front of Shaugn's face. "Your majesty?"

Shaugn retracted his gaze and looked over at the older man. "You say the priest came here?"

He nodded. "A few times."

Putting the stone on the table, Shaugn picked up a bun and bit into it. "Send for him. I should...thank him for his prayers and his special gift."

Kazim opened the bedroom door and took a slender, silver tube out of his pocket. Putting it to his lips, he took a deep breath and blew into it. 

Shaugn raised a brow in curiosity. What on earth was that for? A few moments later his question was answered. Shaugn screeched and flipped the table in a mad scramble to climb seven-foot Radagar like a tree.

"Holy fuckin' shit!" he cursed.

Akechi and Kazim looked at Shaugn with wide eyes. Radagar was trying to keep Shaugn from falling and choking him all at once. The cougar that was summoned by the whistle sat on its haunches with its head tilted in confusion.

"Your majesty?" Akechi stood in front of Radagar with her hands out to the sides as if to catch Shaugn if he fell.

The puma purred as Kazim stroked its head. "It's only Daga, your majesty."

Shaugn peered over Radagar's shoulder. "Daga?" The thing had a name?

Kazim frowned and gave a small nod. "Dagaslan. You don't remember your pet?"

Radagar squawked as Shaugn's grip on his neck tightened. "That thing is my pet?"

Daga's head hung down and he let out a small whimper.

A faint whisper filled the silence. "Your majesty." Radagar began to turn blue.

Shaugn let go but didn't climb down off his back. Rationally he knew if the creature wanted to attack, there was nothing any of them could do. But still.

Kazim bent down and stroked the dejected Daga's head. His voice was soft as he spoke to him like a child. "Don't be sad. His majesty hit his head and lost his memories. He'll remember you soon enough."

Daga bumped his chin with his head in understanding.

"For now, I need you to go bring Abbot Faizan a message the empress wants to see him." Kazim reached into his pocket and gave the puma a small piece of jerky. After gobbling it down, Daga trotted off.

They treated that thing like a dog. He was floored. Shaugn finally climbed off Radagar's back. He pointed a trembling finger in the direction Daga went. "That thing is tame?"

"You've raised him from a cub, majesty," Akechi replied. She began fretting over his clothes making sure he hadn't hurt himself or gotten dirty.

Kazim summoned another maid to help them tidy up. "The emperor brought him to you on your first anniversary after finding it in the woods on a hunting trip."

A brief memory flashed through his mind. Shaugn rubbed his head and tried to laugh it off. "I really forgot. I was even afraid."

Akechi tutted him then checked Radagar's neck. "The physician said this would happen. Don't push yourself, majesty."

Putting a hand over his thundering heart, Shaugn took a deep breath. He looked at the mess created when he flipped the table and sighed. How could he make such a fool of himself? He bent down to pick up the table.

Radagar brushed him aside. "Let us, your majesty."

A modern man, Shaugn had lived on his own and was used to cleaning. Besides, he was the one who made the mess acting like a lunatic. "But-"

Akechi picked up the broken teapot. "These dirty things should be done by us. Especially with your condition."

"Condition? What?"

Kazim nodded and picked up the chair. "If anything happens this time, I fear for our lives."

Akechi's fingers trembled as she touched her neck.

Shaugn was getting ready to retort when another memory flashed in his mind. After OG fell and miscarried, it was discovered he'd slipped on a toy left by one of the children during a visit with their mother. The emperor took his guards and ransacked the palace. Every toy was confiscated and burned in front of everyone. The three oldest children had to write lines on responsibility and the importance of tidiness. The mothers were sent to the military hospital to assist physicians. Since they were not skilled enough to provide care when OG Shaugn fell, they were sent to be trained in basic aid. The people responsible for cleaning and the steward were docked a month's pay, beaten, or dismissed.

He sighed. Xoan's temper was not to be trifled with. In his time, the man would be considered psychotic and tossed in jail. Here, his actions were justified and accepted. "My apologies. I'll go freshen up while you handle the mess."

Shaugn walked into the bathroom and shut the door. The smell of flowers and spice wrapped around him and soothed his frazzled nerves. He actually owned a cougar. A cougar the same color as the one on the mountain that day.

What the fuck? Was this a joke? What were the odds a puma the same size and color as the one that attacked him would show up in this time and space? It was cosmically impossible.

Shaugn splashed water on his face and looked at himself in the mirror. Perhaps he was looking at this all wrong. Too much logic. If logic couldn't explain then one must turn to the illogic. Logically what happened to him and OG Shaugn shouldn't have occurred. Yet, here he was. So what if...?

There was a knock on the door. "Your majesty, I have clean clothes for you."

Shaugn took off his outer clothes and tossed them in the basket by the sink. Then he walked over to open the door. As he redressed himself, he picked up his train of thought.

Since he soul swapped with OG Shaugn, that meant there had to be versions of everyone here in his own time and space? Or was it specific to him? How to explain the exact puma being in both universes? Cosmic flop?

He rubbed his forehead as a tension headache began to build. Multiverse, relativity, and time-space were not his strong point. Though he'd debated with his father over the possibilities, he always got confused and gave up in the end. He'd save all these questions for the priest. Hopefully, he'd get some good answers that didn't leave him with more questions.