The Beast and The Swallow

Princess Zoraidar sat gracefully in the chair next to the bed. She smoothed her peacock-green dress with a delicate move, shook her head, and slowly exhaled. Reminiscent of the wind's whisper in the Zirati jungle, the rustling clang of the pearls and emeralds adorning her golden hair repeated her sigh. Her amber eyes fixated on the two boys huddled amongst the cushions.

"Leoris, come here."

"But, Mother!"

"Stop bothering your brother and come to me."

"He isn't bothering me," murmured Leonte, avoiding her eyes.

"You must rest, not play around, and needlessly exhaust yourself." Zoraidar lifted an eyebrow, chastising her eldest son. "You have worried everyone enough already. Think of your father. Do you wish for his health to deteriorate further?"

"No, Mother," replied Leonte in a small voice.

"Leoris," Zoraidar turned to her younger son, "you will go back to your room with Nanny Morna. And you will reflect on your actions."

"NO!" The little boy grabbed his brother's arm and put a pillow before his body as a shield. "I'm not going! I'll stay here and protect Leo! You can't make me go!"

"Can't make you go?" A dangerous note rang in Zoraidar's voice, but her smile became even more radiant.

"Ris, listen to Mother." Leonte flinched and tried to gently push the boy out of the bed. Unfortunately, Leoris hadn't developed the keen hearing of his older brother. Instead, he clutched the sheets as if clinging to dear life.

"But Leo!" Leoris tugged on his brother's sleeve and pouted. "I didn't bother you, right? You said I didn't! Tell Mom!"

Meeting his mother's hawk-like eyes, Leonte swallowed and shook his head.

"It's alright, Ris. Go to your room. I am a bit tired now." He coughed, his head sinking between his shoulders. "We'll play later. I promise."

"No! I want to stay with Leo! Why are you all making me go?! You're all bad! I don't want to go! I'll tell Grandfather! You'll see, I'll-"

"Leoris Arden Limeria," the calmness in Princess Zoraidar's voice was chilling, "I am your mother. I am also your elder. Your show of disrespect is unbecoming of an imperial heir and is a breach of protocol and filial piety. Neither your father nor the Emperor will be happy to hear of your actions. And they are not as understanding as I am. But go on, tell the Emperor, don't forget to tell your father too. Tell them how you snuck into your brother's room, hindered his healing, endangered his life due to selfish stubbornness, and behaved like a savage towards your mother. Let's see how the Emperor and your father will react. I guarantee that their punishment will be more severe than just sending you back to your room."

"Mother, please…" whispered Leonte, but Zoraidar held up her hand, silencing him.

"But why postpone things?" Zoraidar turned to the black-clad woman next to her. "Nanny Morna, tell Crown Prince Llewelyn that Prince Leoris wants to speak to him. He should come here immediately."

"NO!" Leoris jumped from the bed and grabbed his mother's skirt. "Don't call Father!"

Zoraidar leaned in and wrapped her arms around her son, pulling him closer. She then whispered in his ear so that no one else could hear.

"If you keep bothering your brother, he will get sicker, and he will definitely hate you. He might even die. When that happens, your father will be very, very angry, and he will punish you. And he will also punish me, because I couldn't make you listen and behave. Do you want to never see Leo again? Do you want your mother to be punished? Do you want your father to lock us up like they did to Grandma Sophia? Or send us far away to Norden to the white elves?"

"N-no! No! I don't! I don't!" Leoris cried out, jagged gasps shaking his frame. His face became ghastly pale with only two deep-red blotches burning on his cheeks.

"Then be a good boy and listen to me," said Zoraidar under her breath, stroking his golden hair. "Don't bother your brother again. Don't make your father angry. Go with Nanny. Listen to me, and everything will be fine. Do you understand?"

"Y-yes…" With a look of utter defeat, Leoris rubbed his eyes and sheepishly looked at his mother.

"Good boy." She said sweetly, her gaze still fixed on Leonte. At Zoraidar's beckoning, Nanny Morna stepped forth and protectively put her hands on the boy's shoulders, pulling Leoris away from the princess, all while giving Leonte a scowling glare.

While the family dispute was ensuing, the servant girl was inconspicuously doing her job, placing the tray she had brought on Loente's bedside table. She poured a goblet of juice from a silver carafe before taking out a tiny glass cup and dripping several drops of brown liquid from a small vial into it. Lastly, she lifted the lid of the silver platter she had brought, releasing the sweet fragrance of cookies in the air.

The pleasant scent attracted everyone's attention. Even Leoris, despite his tearful sniffles, looked at the mountain of sweatmeats like hypnotized.

"I baked them especially for you, Leo." Zoraidar's face softened. "You used to love saffron cookies when you were Leoris' age. After you drink your medicine, you can have as much as you want."

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"Yes, Mother." Leonte briefly glanced at the plate before his head hung down again.

"Good." Zoraidar returned her attention to her youngest son, who shifted uneasily in his nanny's iron grip. "Ris, say goodbye to your brother."

"L-Leo…" mumbled Leoris, but the words clogged his throat, refusing to get out. Eyes rounding, his gaze traveled between his mother and elder brother, and his little hands kneaded the hem of his tunic as he began to panic. Seeing Leoris so shaken and lost, Leonte smiled bitterly and took a cookie from the plate, handing it to the boy.

"See you later, crybaby. And cheer up. I'll be better in no time."

"You promise?" Leoris motioned with a trembling hand toward the sweet.

Pat!

Zoraidar's slap landed on his palm, sending the cookie crumbling to the ground.

"This is for your brother," she stated coolly, her tone rising to overpower Leoris' cries. "You broke the rules, Ris. You don't deserve cookies before you have reflected on your mistake. Nanny Morna, take the Prince back to his quarters."

"Yes, my lady."

Without batting an eye, Nanny Morna pulled the whimpering Leoris by the hand and dragged him out of the room. The door slammed behind them, the child's cries slowly dying out. Awkward silence briefly hung in the room before Zoraidar's voice cut through it.

"You," she waved at the maid, "clean this mess and leave us."

Without uttering a word, the servant swept the cookie crumbs and curtsied before retreating. Left alone with her son, Zoraidar massaged her temples.

"Both of you are such a handful these days."

"Why?" said Leonte gravely, his fingers clawing at the bedsheets. "Why did you treat Ris like that? He meant no harm."

"Even if he didn't mean to, he could have endangered your life," replied Zoraidar, her hands crowning the armrests of the chair. "The imperial physician said that your constitution had weakened, and you need a lot of rest and sleep. Any strong emotions, any overexertion, could further worsen your condition."

"As if you care," mumbled Leonte, but immediately shrank back, realizing he had said it out loud.

His mother squinted.

"Say that again."

"No, Mother, I-"

"Say it again!"

"Alright!" Shouted Leonte, his gaze turning glassy. "I know you hate me! Because I'm like Father. Because I'm weak. Sick. A disappointment! You don't need to pretend in front of me! No need to punish Ris to feign concern for me. You-"

"Enough!"

Zoraidar stood up from her chair only to sit on the edge of the bed. Her fingers found Leonte's hand and grabbed it, but the boy didn't react. He just lay rigid between the pillows and avoided his mother's eyes, but made no attempt to struggle free from her grip.

"How can you think that I don't care about you?!" Zoraidar's previously calm voice wavered. "I lost two children before finally having you. I spent days and nights begging the Great Sea Serpent, the Two Fathers, and every possible saint to grant me a child. You were the answer to those prayers. Seeing you hurt and afraid, seeing you suffer and being unable to help you… You can't imagine how hard it is for me. Leo, please, look at me!"

"Then why?" Leonte abruptly turned his head, crossing gazes with his mother. "Why did you do that before Grandfather? You said that I don't need to participate in the assessment, but then…"

He bit his lips, his young face twisting in pain. With a sigh, Zoraidar brushed the golden locks from his brow.

"My little Leo, you understood me all wrong. Yes, I did say that you don't need to participate in the assessment. But I never expected you to never show up. You know how strict your grandfather is. I was preparing to beg him to give you a pass this time because of your health. But you had to be there; to show that you respect the Emperor and support your little brother, despite not being well enough to perform yourself. Had you done that, your grandfather would have been lenient. Yet you ran away, making him think you were a coward."

Zoraidar caressed her son's freckly cheek.

"I was so scared, Leo. Nanny Morna and the ladies couldn't find you. I thought that you had an attack somewhere. And then you showed up and stirred all that chaos… My heart almost burst when your grandfather released his anger. And when you faced that guard…"

Lowering her head, Zoraidar dabbed the corner of her eyes. Suddenly, a small hand hesitantly touched her fingers.

"I… I'm sorry, Mother," mumbled Leonte shakily. "Sorry for making you worry. And sorry for causing so much trouble… again. I… I love you."

"You are a good boy, Leo." Zoraidar leaned in and kissed him. She then took the small medicine glass and handed it to him. "I know it has been a hard day for you. If you really love me, you'll drink your tonic and have a good rest. I want to see you healthy and happy as soon as possible. And so does Ris."

Nodding briefly, Leonte took the glass and downed it in one gulp. His face twisted from the bitter taste, but Zoraidar hurried and gave him a saffron cookie. The child devoured it like it was made of air and was rewarded with a second one.

"Slow down before you choke," smiled Zoraidar and offered him a third biscuit. "You can have two more before you go to sleep. The rest will wait for you when you wake up."

"Can I have three?"

"Only this time." Zoraidar chuckled and gave him the next treat before standing up. "Now, you promise to rest well."

"Can't… can't you stay a bit longer?"

"I need to check on your father." A note of sadness sneaked into Zoraidar's voice. "He… should be better already. You won't be angry with me, right?"

"No. I… I understand." The boy rolled the cookie between his fingers. "Good night, Mother."

"Sweet dreams, my Leo."

Giving the child a final kiss, Zoraidar left the room.

The orange light of the sunset had almost disappeared, giving way to indigo shadows and purple twilight. The hallway before Leonte's room was empty and eerie in the advancing night, its lanterns still dead and forgotten by some careless servant.

Zoraidar marched through the murk, her steps echoing under the cave-like vaults. Her skirts rustled, and something white appeared in her hand. Without slowing down, she began to carefully rubb her palms clean with the fine handkerchief. A minute passed. Numbed from the persistent friction, her fingers loosened their grip and the small white square fell into a corner, destined to be ignored and forgotten until the draft blew it away, forever hiding it behind the fundament of an ancient statue.