Timur- Three Days

Timur searches Belia's face trying to gauge her emotional state as he's delivering potentially bad news. She seems a bit fragile to Timur at the moment.

"Because of this situation, my father's advisors have told me it would be best to move up the wedding date and for us to be wed as soon as possible," Timur says.

"What?" Timur watches as the coloring drains from Belia's face. Timur goes over to her.

"How soon do you feel comfortable with moving up the wedding to?" Timur asks her softly. Belia is quiet, and Timur gets the feeling she's a bit blindsided. To be honest, the advisors suggested the two be wed immediately, as in that very second, but Timur argued with them that for his soon-to-be wife's sake, they allow her to decide. After several threats of bodily harm, the advisors saw things Timur's way.

"Will three days be too long to wait?" Belia asks, sounding a bit timid.

"If you are comfortable with three days, then it will be three days," Timur tells her. "I will inform Miro of the news, and he will pass the information along. However, you will need to inform your parents." Belia's eyes widen. "Is that going to be a problem?"

"I haven't contacted my family since I arrived," Belia says, which surprises Timur. "I don't know if I can…"

"We can try, and if we have to send our fastest ship there to give them the message in person, then we will," Timur tells her. Belia sighs. Timur never gave it a thought that Belia might not be able to contact home. He assumed because he was able to, she would. He feels like an idiot. Belia leaves to contact her parents, and Timur sends a servant to find the palace's press secretary. Timur meets Miroslav outside his father's room.

"How is he?" Miro asks Timur.

"Officially, he's stable. Unofficially," Timur pauses, "the doctors aren't sure. He is badly injured." Timur pauses again.

"The servant said you had something urgent to tell me," Miro says, wanting to get to the point.

"Belia and I are getting married in three days. I need you to make the announcement."

"That quickly?" Miro says, a little surprised.

"My father's advisors wanted it within the hour, but I let Belia choose the date."

"How diplomatic of you," Miro says, choosing his words carefully. Miro pulls out a tab and begins taking notes. "Will it be open to the public?"

"No, but it will be broadcast to the public."

"A private wedding, makes sense," Miro comments. "Will a delegation from Krystaliv be there?" Timur gives Miro a look. "A delegation from Princess Belia's home planet will be in attendance, including the King and Queen of Krystaliv?" Miro questions.

"Just say a delegation. I don't want the King and Queen to become targets."

"A delegation from Princess Belia's home planet will be in attendance for the ceremony along with delegations from across the Voyan Empire."

"Speaking of, I'll need you to send out the invitations as well."

"Couldn't your father's assistant do that?" Miro says as it's not his job.

"He could, but I've asked you." Miro sighs. "Is there anything else you need for the statement?" Timur asks.

"No, Your Highness." Miro leaves, and Timur goes back to his father's bedside.

"I need you to wake up, Father," Timur whispers. "I'm not ready to be Emperor." A tear rolls down Timur's cheek. Suddenly, the monitors by his father's bed begin sounding their alarms. A doctor and several aides rush in. Timur wipes his cheek.

"What's going on?" Timur asks, trying not to sound panicked.

"Get his Highness out of here," the doctor orders, and one of the aides escorts him out of the room. Timur watches from the window as the medical team prep his father for what looks like surgery. They wheel his father's bed out of the room and rush down the hall. They pass through a set of doors, and Timur loses sight of them.

"Your Highness?" a quiet voice says timidly, breaking Timur out of his trance. He turns around to find a nurse standing behind him. She shrinks back as he makes eye contact. "Sorry to disturb you, but the Empress is awake," she tells him. Timur looks back at the doors before following the nurse to the room where his mother is. "I'll give you the room, your Highnesses." The nurse quickly leaves. Timur's mother looks at him and smiles.

"Timur," she says, her voice sounding dry.

"Mother." Timur rushes to her and gently hugs her. "Father…"

"I know. The nurses told me. How is the Princess?"

"Handling everything with grace," Timur says, knowing his mother isn't a fan of Belia, or frankly, any woman he's dated.

"I heard from your brother. He's planning on coming for the wedding," Timur's mother says, changing the subject.

"Which one?" Timur asks, hoping it's not one of his older brothers.

"Stepan." Timur breathes a slight sigh of relief that it's not one of his father's other children.

Although his father loves his mother, due to the Voyan Empire being so vast, it is expected for the Emperor to take several consorts. Some past emperors had as many as thirty. His father is on the lower end with just four; Elvira, Uliana, Roksana, and Anfisa. Elvira has one child, Grigory, who is four years older than Timur and absolutely despises him. Timur's father had to banish both his brother and his mother to one of the moons due to the stir they caused. Recently, Grigory has been allowed to take on official duties, but on the condition, he doesn't make a fuss about being the oldest. Uliana has Maksim, who is one year older than Timur, and resents not being named crown prince as well. She also has a daughter, Larisa, who is one year younger than Timur. Both she and her mother manage most of the other royal estates other than the Palace. Roksana is his father's favorite out of the consorts. She has two sons Stepan who is only five months younger than Timur, and Rolan, who is three years younger. He gets along with his younger brothers well enough, but neither brother likes the strictness of palace life, and they both live off-world. Lastly, there's Anfisa, his father's most recent consort. She only has one child, Valeriya, who is three years younger than Timur.

"Why is he coming?"

"Timur," his mother reprimands. "He is your brother; that should be reason enough."

"Half-brother," Timur clarifies.

"Be thankful he's coming; it's not like you get to see any of your siblings very often."

"Thankfully," Timur says under his breath, and the look his mother gives him could kill. "When is he coming?" Timur asks.

"Today, you're going to meet him when he lands, as only a good brother would."

"But, Mother-"

"No buts, with your father's condition…" The Empress lets her sentence hang.

"Does he know about what happened?"

"No one must know, for you and your bride's safety. I will handle your father's affairs as Emperor; for now, you just need to focus on your wedding." The way his mother said this makes Timur think she's warning him to keep in line. "Go be with your bride; I'm sure she is in need of your help."

"I'm glad you're okay," Timur says, and his mother hugs him again.

"Now go," his mother says, her voice cracking from trying to hold back tears. Timur leaves to go find Belia.