"[b]Here[/b]." 
Rulitus took a break from rubbing his temples to accept the glass of wine without a word. "[b]Bastard[/b]." He muttered.
Envy's eyebrows went up. "[b]I sincerely hope you don't mean me.[/b]"
The dark skinned boy shook his head. "[b]The assassin.[/b]" 

"[b]Did he see you?[/b]"
"[b]Can't see shadows at night.[/b]" Ruli replied darkly. His head was killing him, his eyes felt like someone had stuck needles in them. "[b]Don't ask me to read him again[/b]."
The elf nodded slowly, figuring out what he meant. "[b]What did you get from him?[/b]"
Rulitus sipped his wine. "[b]Not a lot. His mind's fucking messed up.[/b]" Envy waited patiently. "[b]She's safe[/b]." Ruli said at long last, taking another swig. When he'd bumped into the elf on the streets, as soon as he had skin contact, Ruli leapt into the elf's mind, in search for Aera. He'd caught a brief glimpse of her, but her image was clouded in this haze. For a moment she flickered and her whole body gained this monotone purple hue, but just for a minuscule moment. Another woman, perhaps, Ruli didn't know. But when he saw Aera, he felt conflicted, but nothing to suggest death. "[b]The elf loves her, but has yet to figure that out.[/b]" Ruli offered freely. 

Envy heaved a sigh. He had figured as much. And Aera knows, too, judging by her words earlier. But does she love him back? His stomach twinged in jealousy. He should have kicked the damn prince out from the tunnels when he first showed up. Then Aera would still be here. Never have met the assassin. Maybe, even, have accepted him.

"Where are you going?" Envy asked, watching Ruli get up, holding his head.
"Home." His friend growled back. "Send word again if you need help."
Envy frowned, but let him go.

----------------------------

The world was still cloaked in darkness, the horizon just beginning to lighten with the sunrise when Aera opened her eyes. It was chilly in her room, so she pulled the feather blanket over her bare arm, stretching her long legs. She yawned and rolled over to face the window, arching her back as she moved, her arms outward. Then she froze when she felt something scratchy touch her wrist. Curious, she sat up and looked on the pillow and gasped. It was a piece of wheat.

In a heartbeat Aera threw back her covers and leapt out of bed, grabbing her robe to cover herself. She opened her chamber door and peered out to the empty hall, and then ran to the false wall and checked that the lock was still fastened. Her pulse racing she leaned against the wall and stared at her bed. At the wheat. [i]Rulitus[/i]. He had been here, in her bedroom. [i]Why?[/i] 

Nearby, in the corner close the the false wall, was a chaise. She sat on it, covering herself with a throw blanket, and stared at the wheat until she fell back to sleep, her dreams plagued with nightmares. 

Paytin found her in the morning and woke her with a gentle hand on her knee. "My Lady?" Aera opened her tired eyes and greeted the maid with a groggy good morning. "My Lady, why are you sleeping here?" 
Slowly, Aera sat up and stretched, her muscles tense and sore from the odd sleep. She didn't answer, just stood and went to the window. Paytin went to make the bed and discovered the piece of wheat. With a confused look, she picked it up and went to toss it.
"No!" Aera shouted, scaring the maid. "I'm sorry, just... don't. Just... put it on the dresser, where I don't have to touch it."
Paytin's brows shot up. "What is it?" 
"A message." Aera turned back to the window. "From a friend."

Paytin put the odd thing on the dress beside Aera's jewelry box and helped Aera dress and brush out her hair, after which Aera toyed with it, pulling it up into a coil at the back of her head. The black of mourning didn't look good with her hair down, framed her face in black in a way that reminded her too much of the priestesses in the city church. Paytin handed her the teardrop earrings and Aera pocketed them after a moment. 

'[b]Here, my darling.[/b]' Aera glanced up and saw herself as a child in the mirror, her mother standing behind her, bending to put the earrings in Aera's little ears. '[b]Ivory on the right, ebony on the left. Wearing them like this will bring you balance[/b]'.
Behind her child self's smiling face, Aera frowned. [i]Nothing of my life has been balanced[/i]. 

In silence, she stood and headed downstairs, her porcelain mask on, though her eyes announced that she was tired. 
Today, her husband came home.