Tales of Love and Power

Chapter 20: Yuruza

"Mahaila, the tutors are waiting." Yuruza knocked on Mahaila's door before going in. It was empty. It was strange. Mahaila always waited for Yuruza to come and the two would walk together.

Morning classes would soon begin, and most of the concubines had gathered in the sitting room for the supervisors to escort them to their classes. Jasmin, who often ran late, called out to Yuruza from down the hall. "Yuruza, come we'll be late." She slid into her shoes in a hurry and quickly adjusted her dress.

"Mahaila didn't sleep in her bed last night. Do you know if she is still with his Majesty?" Yuruza questioned.

Jasmin shook her head. "Come, the supervisors are waiting."

They joined the concubines in the sitting room and after some words of persuasion, Yuruza convinced Supervisor Kalza to let her go find Mahaila. She made her way to the king's chambers, hoping that Mahaila had spent the night there and would be on her way back to the harem. As she reached the golden path she saw Hazeda and Guzha standing over a woman's body. She recognized the dress that the woman wore and immediately knew who it was. Panicked, she ran back to the harem until she found Supervisor Astrea and Lady Dazya conversing. They had just received the news of Hazeda's miscarriage and were on their way to tell the Dowager.

"Help me. Quickly please help me." Though her voice was shaking, she communicated the urgency of the situation. Without another word, the two followed her in a hurry, each with their questions as to where she was leading them.

As they approached the golden path, they saw Concubine Hazeda and Guzha walking away. She spoke incoherent words as Guzha guided her away. "Azlah, help us." Lady Dazya said, approaching Mahaila's body. She knelt down to her body and searched for a sign of life.

"Is..is she dead?" Yuruza asked anxiously. "Is she?" She raised her voice after not getting a response.

Lady Dazya placed her fingers on Mahaila's neck and continued to search for a pulse.

"She's alive." She said with a sigh.

"We need the healers, and we need to call Zukul. We must tell his majesty." Yuruza said at a quick speed.

"No. No one will hear of this. Help me take her to her chamber. We cannot allow for her to be seen like this." she demanded.

Her veil fell through her fingertips as they picked her up. They brought her to her room and laid her on her bed. "Yuruza, call the chief healer. Inform her it is a private matter. His Majesty cannot know that Concubine Hazeda did this. Understand?" She nodded her head and left to bring in the healer. Yuruza rushed through the halls not stopping to see who was in her path. When she reached the healing room Madam Rozar was already up and working, helping a eunuch who had fallen ill overnight.

"Yuruza," Madam Rozar spoke standing from the eunuch's bedside. She handed the medicine to Izra and asked her to take over the eunuch's treatment. "Are you feeling ill child?" She asked concerningly placing a hand on Yuruza's temple.

Yuruza was out of breath and shook her head swallowing the lump in her throat. "No, I'm fine. But please come with me." Her lips quivered as tears threatened to escape her eyes.

Madam Rozar read her worried expression and grew more concerned with every passing second. "What is it, child? What happened?" She questioned her with worry.

As she attempted to process her words she swallowed hard attempting to hold back the tears that stung her eyes. Yuruza had spent a year in the palace and in that time she came to care for no one except for Mahaila. She was more than a friend to her. She was a sister.

After having lost all of her family Yuruza kept her heart closed and hardened to keep from the pain of losing another person she loved. But Mahaila had somehow become entangled in the strings of her heart. Yuruza loved her without knowing it and now that she might lose her, Yuruza could feel her heart becoming weaker at the thought of her suffering.

"It's Mahaila." Her voice cracked as she spoke her name. "Please come help her." She pleaded through quivering lips.

Madam Rozar stood straight as she turned and grabbed her medicine bag. She raced behind Yuruza who led her to Mahaila's chambers.

They pushed the doors of Mahaila's chambers open and entered quickly, going to Mahaila's bedside. "See, you worry for no reason." Lady Dazya told Astrea, who finally stopped pacing. As Madam Rozar began tending to Mahaila, Lady Dazya turned and faced Yuruza.

"Return to your classes. Should anyone ask you what happened to Lady Mahaila, you will tell them she is sick so she won't be in classes for the next few days." Lady Dazya stepped close to Yuruza, her cane tapping against the floor. "Should you tell anyone what happened here, I will see that you are punished." Yuruza bowed her head in fear.

"Yes, Lady Dazya." She breathed fearfully. Yuruza gave her a small curtsy before leaving her friend in the healing hands of Madam Rozar. She looked back at Mahaila watching her breathing so shallow that her chest moving was almost unnoticeable. Yuruza had not taken the flame since she was taken to Khrazeti but in that moment she spoke a prayer that Mahaila would recover. She walked the halls of the harem in a trance. As if she was there and not there at the same time. Her mind was lost in an abyss of fog. She wandered the halls unable to see past her next few steps. She never made it to her classes. Yuruza spent the morning walking aimlessly around the halls of the harem. She spoke to no one though many attempted to question why she wasn't in class. She stopped in her tracks however when she heard the sound of a familiar voice. "Go fetch the healers quickly and quietly, no one needs to know why," Guzha spoke to one of Hazeda's servant girls. The girl quickly turned and walked away to do as she was told. Guzha looked up down the hall and caught sight of Yuruza looking at her.

Yuruza heaved in anger her fist squeezing so tightly she left nail prints in her own palm. Guzha stood across from her with a fearful look on her face. She stumbled back as Yuruza slowly approached her with menace in her eyes. But as she moved back Yuruza sped up her pace until she had caught up to her. She backed her against the wall and grabbed her by her face. "Did you help her do it?" She spat. "Did you help your mistress beat her because she was too weak to face her by herself?" Yuruza spoke with rage.

"I didn't do anything," Guzha spoke defensively attempting to move away from Yuruza's grip on her.

"No, you just stood by while Hazeda did this to her. How can you let her do this to another woman? What did she do to deserve this?"

Guzha proceeded to ignore her questions and shake herself free from her grip. "His Majesty won't let your mistress go after he finds out what she did," Yuruza spoke with a small smile of satisfaction. "Both you and her will be sent so far away from here that you will never see him again."

Guzha had no fear in her eyes as she stepped closer to Yuruza forcing her to take a step back. "And who will tell him? You?" Guzha chuckled. "Even if you were stupid enough to go against Concubine Hazeda His Majesty wouldn't even believe you. He doesn't even know what you look like." She insulted.

Yuruza swallowed the lump that was forming in her throat replacing her fear with boldness. "His majesty might not believe me, but he will believe Mahaila." With those words, Guzha was stunned into silence knowing that she spoke the truth. Seeing Guzha stunned into defeat Yuruza's lips twisted into a satisfied smile. She turned and walked away leaving Guzha afraid for the first time in a very long time.