Nero hadn't slept for more than three days, gingerly clutching the delicate, pale hand of the sleeping maiden. Her small form beneath the sheets made his heart tremble in fear every second it didn't move or show any signs of waking. He had begged any God he could think of after the forbidden magic of old still had not caused her to stir. The bags under his eyes were getting deeper by the minute as his thoughts raced in all different directions. What if he hadn't gone that route? What if he had killed all the demons that day? What was that darkness? Why did it chase them? Was it after her or after me? Is it my fault? Was I not strong enough to protect her? Why—
"Here, boy. Drink this at least. You look worse than the one you're concerned for," the doctor interrupted, shoving an elixir in his face.
"No thanks," he replied gruffly, not even glancing at her or her elixir.
"Don't make me shove it down your throat."
"As if you could," he mumbled.
"Drink. She won't want to wake up to a face like yours. You'd scare her into the grave." Nero whipped his head at the mention of the grave, opening his mouth to scream and being met with elixir pouring down his throat. He swallowed and gagged on the horrid stench, planning the old woman's demise as he finished it off.
"Stop glaring at me, you brute. I'm nice enough to allow you in here and touch my patient. I even gave you an expensive elixir despite being so unappreciated."
"Stop wasting your damn time on me and focus on her." The doctor tisked as she walked away, praying even more fervently the girl would soon wake and save her from this depressing intruder.
Amina was walking through darkness. She couldn't see anything but black for so long, she thought she might be dead. Finally she saw a bright light and entered, finding herself back at the palace gardens. She yelled, racing to find someone, anyone, when she nearly fell over a small boy.
"Oh, my goodness! What are you doing out here? Are you lost too, little one?"
Amina was met with silence, as if the boy hadn't heard her. He started to walk away, swinging his head to and fro as if looking for something.
"Hello! Little boy! Can you hear me? Where are you going?" She yelled, trailing after him. He continued to walk through the gardens alone and silent when she suddenly lost him. She groaned in exasperation, wondering what she would do when she heard a nearby bush rustle. Thinking it may be the boy, she ducked down and crawled in, getting scratches from the roses as she went further in. But it wasn't the boy she found, but a small girl with white hair and blue eyes staring back at her, holding her small finger up to signal for her to be quiet. Amina crawled until she sat next to her.
"Where—" Amina began but was quickly reminded by the child to stay silent, suddenly a chill came over her body. Her brain told her to run but her heart told her to listen to this little girl that looked like her.
"When are you going to kill him? I can't stand looking at his face anymore, much less pretending to love him. It makes me sick, Abigor. I want our son to rule alongside you, not that bastard I was forced to have with him. Gods he looks just like his disgusting, weak father."
Amina was shaking, holding one hand over her mouth and one over the girl's. Nausea rolled in her stomach, churning a burning sea inside her that threatened to leave her body if she heard another word from this woman's mouth. The small girl trembled, her eyes filling with tears. Amina reached her free hand to quietly squeeze the young girls small, sweaty hand.
"Why do you still speak of gods when one is before you? Must I remind you again to watch your language when in my presence? I am not only your rightful king but your God. You do not question me. You follow my demands, you foolish human. You worship me, you follow me, you beg me, you love me, not the other way around. Do not make me repeat myself thrice or I will drag you down to hell where you belong and rule this world with our son without your vile presence."
"F-forgive me, my Lord. I forgot my place for a moment. It will not happen again."
Amina so desperately wanted to escape this nightmare with the young children in tow. She felt as if she was drowning in fear and hopelessness as she listened to this being and the woman with him.
"You must prove yourself useful if you are to be my Queen. You may be one now but you will lose your future position after the war if you disrespect me again. Now get on your knees and prove me your love with your spiteful mouth."
Amina hurriedly covered the girls ears and signaled for her to shut her eyes. She wished to do the same as she peeked through the bushes to see the Queen of Vecchia on her knees. Amina pleaded with God for this to end when small footsteps could be heard bounding toward them.
Abruptly a black smoke filled the bush and the Queen and her companion vanished. Amina's head was spinning alongside her stomach.
"Mia! I found you!" the young boy called out, rustling through the bushes ahead to find her alone, the young girl gone.
"Mia?"
"Mia!" She felt muscles arms around her, embracing her a little too tight. Her eyes fluttered open to see Nero's curly black hair and his trembling body. Amina reached a shaky arm to reassure him. Feeling his warmth beneath her fingertips brought her peace. She hadn't realized she was crying until Nero released her to wipe her tears and hold the hand that caressed him.
"You're alright. You're okay. It's okay, Mia. I'm here and you're okay," Nero whispered, mostly soothing himself but also in an attempt to reassure her knowing she woke up in an unfamiliar place with unfamiliar people.
"Will you back off so I can examine her? Gods, she just woke up, give the poor lass some room to breathe. You'll suffocate her with those tree trunks you call arms if you squeeze her like that again," the doctor said, attempting and failing to shove Nero aside.
"I'm not going anywhere you hag,"
"Ro!" Amina exclaimed, surprised at Nero's rudeness toward the old woman who looked to be sweet and frail. Nero flinched at Amina's scolding and moved slightly so the doctor could examine her.
"Any headache, nausea, pain?"
"Not anymore, no, ma'am."
"Drop the ma'am, makes me feel old. Can you breathe normally? Go ahead and take a deep breathe for me." Amina followed instructions and went through the long, grueling examination that continued for far too long, in her opinion. She felt fine now.
"I want to check on your periodically for the next week. I also want you to stay away from that godforsaken forest."
"What? Why?" Amina questioned, unsure of what the forest had to do with her health.
"Something is there that shouldn't be. Something attacked you with the most dreadful, forbidden, ancient magic. Magic of which I can barely fathom after my decades of study in the known, unknown, and illegal. It's a miracle you didn't die, much more so that you're awake and… seemingly fine." Amina gaped at the woman, unable to comprehend or even believe what she was saying.
"I apologize, but that won't be possible. We must return." Everyone in the room turned their heads to find their crown prince, Oro, standing in the doorway with a grim countenance despite the good news of Amina's awakening.
Amina felt like her nightmare was bleeding into the real world to make her life a living hell.