Time for the Truth: a story of a sleeping beauty

Part 16:

Taranas screaming became moaning and Basil sighed, nodding his head. 

"Do you want to talk to her first?" My mother asked. 

"That's not an option." my father broke in. "it is too dangerous. She may try something." 

"She cannot do something like this to affect my men." Rior said quietly. My father nodded. 

"Will you go get your most trusted?" My father stood before Rior, who bowed his head and went out the door, closing it quietly behind him. 

"It appears we will be indebted to your Rior once again." My mother says.

"Our debt is paid with my sister's hand in marriage and a powerful alliance with a well-known country." Basil argued. 

"The atrocities that Maleficent committed against their people... Basil you don't even know." I say to him, and he turns to face me. 

"So we are expected to make amends for something that happened over four hundred years before we were alive?" he shakes his head, his voice rising. 

"It is either make amends or keep hatred alive!" I retort, my voice getting gravelly the way it did when I was angry. 

"Hush!" My mother smacked the back of both of our heads. I grimaced. Things hadn't changed so much then. 

"Why is everyone arguing?" Tarana groaned. My mother walked rapidly over to her side. She brushed her hair back and lifted water to her lips. 

Tarana smiled gratefully. We all moved closer to her bedside. Parisa had woken up with our yelling and now snuggled closer to Tarana.

"Tarana, has Morrigan given you any medicine to help you feel better?" I ask, trying to make the question sound less suspicious. I smile encouragingly at her. 

"I don't know... everyone gives me things to help me feel better... and I.. am I talking right now?" I clutch her hand, remembering the confusion of what was and wasn't real. 

"See how I am squeezing your hand. Look." She did. "If you see it and you can't feel it, you're dreaming. If you feel it- you're not. I know how hard it is to remember." I murmur. She scrunches up her face as tears gather in her eyes. 

"She gave me rose ointment to put on my neck when I feel cold- it warms me up." she said. 

"Is there anything extra nice about it?" My mother leans forward. 

"Tarana said she doesn't want to waste any, so she uses my hands to put it on my neck, and sometimes my forehead. It is a strange red color." she sighs. 

"Why, would you like some?" She sighs, snuggling into her covers further. 

Basil looked stricken. 

"I suppose the only way to test it is for me to try it." He grits his teeth, caught between wanting to help Tarana and wanting to support his wife. 

"No." My father spoke calmly. Rior was taking some time getting his men- considering they were only on the floor just above my rooms. Just then we heard shouting in the hall. The castle had been so empty we weren't used to the noise anymore. 

It wasn't just shouts, but also a shrieking. 

"Unhand me! Offengirn!" As soon as I heard Morrigan's voice say that, I knew beyond a doubt. But why would she do such a thing?

The door crashed open as she kicked it and they held her off the ground. I could see the veins popping out on their necks. The one to the right who was a little shorter spoke with some difficulty.