"Berry!" Aurora cried out as she ran over to her horse. The beautiful black mare lay on the ground shaking violently. "What is wrong with her?" She asked Devrim frantically.

Devrim came alongside the horse as well and removed the loosened saddle. "I do not know. Her breathing is very labored."

"We need help!" The Empress told Devrim, though it was obvious. Neither of them knew anything about horses other than how to ride. Nurlan and Junayd, having heard Aurora's scream, came running into view. "Berry is in trouble! We need a physician," she told them quickly.

The two soldiers did not hesitate. Nurlan jumped onto his own horse, grabbed Junayd's horse by the reigns, and took off for the closest town. Junayd scanned the ground, running over to nearby bushes. He pulled a leafy green plant out of the ground and brought it to Aurora. "Get her to chew on this. It will calm her." The girl accepted the plant and coaxed Berry into a chewing it. After many minutes, Berry's breathing slowed slightly and her shaking subsided. She was still in bad shape, but at least she seemed more comfortable.

"How did you know that would help?" Devrim asked as everyone tried to calm down.

Junayd shrugged, "I didn't, but it works on people who are injured in battle, so it was worth a try."

"When were you in battle?" Aurora asked, trying to keep her mind busy. She stroked Berry on her muzzle.

"I have been in many small battles and skirmishes, Your Majesty. Just because the world is at peace does not mean there is not the odd rebellion here and there. No offense to palace life, but I like the action. It keeps my skills sharp."

They talked idly for a long time until hoofbeats could be heard in the distance. As Nurlan had suspected, the doctor had no horse of his own, and he now sat astride Junayd's steed. The doctor hurriedly dismounted, making a hasty greeting. "I do not work much with animals, but I will do my best," He promised. The doctor gaged the horse's heart rate and checked her eyes and mouth. "Hm," he said, deep in thought.

"Do you know what is wrong?" Aurora asked impatiently.

The doctor looked at them. "Did someone give her herbs?"

"I did," Junayd admitted.

"Good man. That slowed the poison. Otherwise she would be dead by now."

"Poison?!?" All four said in unison.

Ignoring their outburst, the doctor pulled out a pestle and mortar and ground a few things from his bag into a fine powder. With Aurora's help, he helped Berry ingest the antidote. "If I am right, this should work," the doctor said. "Now we just have to wait."

This novel's true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there.

Aurora was confused, "Did she eat something poisonous?" The Empress sat on the ground, scratching her left leg as well as petting Berry absentmindedly.

"I don't think it is something she ate unless someone fed it to her in a more potent form. In the wild, woolly-weed would at most give her a stomachache. It grows around here, but most animals know to avoid it." The doctor's face was grim.

"Did you say woolly-weed?" Nurlan asked, his face also turning sour.

"That is what I believe. You know it too, I see. Will you help me look?" The doctor invited Nurlan to help.

"Look for what?" Devrim asked. The two men did not immediately answer as they checked every part of Berry, wiping at the mud on her flanks and stomach.

"Help me roll her over. Quickly!" The doctor ordered. All five people pushed the horse gently on her other side as the search continued. "Here!" He said at last. Everyone leaned in to see a small puncture along the horse's flank and a couple drops of blood. The doctor quickly took a strong smelling liquid and cleaned out the wound. At last, Berry seemed to relax on the ground. Her breathing grew less labored every moment.

"Someone did this to her on purpose. The needle would have been so thin, she likely did not even feel it. Has anyone new or strange come in contact with her?"

"No, we even slept together in the barn last night." Aurora was puzzled. Who would want to hurt a horse?

The doctor shook his head. "Based on her reaction, it would have only happened an hour or two ago."

That was strange. They had been riding all morning. "That man that ran into us! He touched Berry right there!" Aurora gasped as she itched at her left leg.

"You were riding her when she was poisoned?" The doctor was again on alert, but the Empress could not see why. He explained, "The wound is approximately where your leg hangs down. How long has your leg been itching?"

Aurora was caught off guard, "My leg?"

The physician held out his hand gently. "May I?" Aurora stretched out her leg as all the men except the doctor averted their gaze. The doctor spread her wide trouser leg out to reveal a small hole in the fabric on either side around the area of her calf. He then lifted the pant leg. Aurora winced. Her leg was red and irritated. She resisted the urge to scratch. "It's as I thought," the doctor said while beginning to treat her skin. "The needle touched your skin, but did not penetrate. Woolly-weed is a skin irritant also, which is why you are so itchy. This explains why such a small amount of the poison was used. It would have killed you very quickly." The physician said matter-of-factly.

Aurora was stunned, "You mean…"

"You were the target, young miss. Your wide trousers likely saved your life."

Devrim was very upset, "We must go after him! That man cannot get away with this!"

"Easy now," Junayd said, though he was clearly as angry as the Emperor. "If he is halfway smart, he is long gone."

"I could not even tell you what he looked like," Aurora said apologetically. "Now, you boys can look this way again." Her leg had been wrapped in a cloth and she had pulled down her trousers.

The doctor packed up his bag after checking on Berry once more. The physician seemed anxious and yet reluctant to go all at once. "I do not know what kind of trouble you folks are in, but you should be careful. The horse and the young miss should be fine. You may want to wait a day or two before the horse carries a rider. She will need time to recover. Here." He passed over powder wrapped in waxed paper that was twisted at the top. "Here is some extra antidote should you find yourself in this predicament again. Just a pinch will have the desired effect."

"Thank you, doctor. Nurlan will see you back home," Aurora said as she held out payment. Nurlan nodded and readied the horses.

The doctor eyed Aurora curiously. She was obviously the youngest, yet clearly she was in charge. Of course it was none of his business, and he let the matter pass without comment. "Thank you, miss. Good day to all of you."

When the doctor and Nurlan were out of earshot, Aurora broke the silence, "I know we have a very serious conversation coming when Nurlan returns, but I have been thinking…"

Devrim looked at her sidelong, "Good for you?"

Aurora waved her hand at him impatiently, "The man, the one who poisoned Berry, he already knew who I was…"

"I believe that is true," Junayd agreed.

"Which means he already knew I was a girl…"

"I suppose that is right."

"Which means you have no proof that my manly voice is terrible! Ha!" Aurora pointed her finger triumphantly.

'My ears provided more than enough proof,' Devrim thought as he rolled his eyes inwardly. Aloud he said, "Very well, Your Majesty, why don't we ask Nurlan when he returns?"

'Why does His Majesty hate Nurlan?!?' Junayd wondered.