Chapter 8:
“But All of That Wouldn’t Happen for Ten More Years, on the Day of Tiara’s Sixteenth Birthday.”
STALE
HOW MANY HOURS had passed?
“Pride…”
To all appearances, the woman before me was only sleeping—yet she wouldn’t wake up. We’d carried Pride to her bed, where she remained unconscious, never moving so much as a finger. Her personal guard, her imperial knights, her personal maids, and a few doctors crowded her room. Outside, more guards and knights patrolled the hallway.
Everyone held their breath, waiting for Pride to open her eyes. Tiara sat in a chair at her bedside, her eyes red from crying as she clutched her sister’s hand. She never left Pride’s side, and neither did I.
Earlier this evening, Pride had suddenly collapsed at Tiara’s birthday party. Just before she fell, she’d clutched her head and screamed in a way we’d never heard before. Without warning, her slender body thrashed, writhed, and contorted in front of all the guests.
I’d called for a doctor right away, and as I held her still, she went limp and lost consciousness. Arthur had rushed through the disturbed crowd and touched Pride, but nothing changed. Not even the power to heal all diseases could save her!
I didn’t understand. How could Arthur’s special power have no effect?!
The doctors couldn’t tell us anything other than that she was unconscious. She had no visible injuries. We checked the last glass she drank from and every guest’s belongings, but to no avail. We sealed off the castle and sent the knights and guards around to patrol, but they didn’t find any intruders.
Everyone had seen the moments leading up to Pride’s collapse and could verify that no one had approached her until after the fact. The only possible culprits were a slow-acting poison we’d never heard of, the onset of an unknown illness, some kind of subterfuge by the Freesian royal family or Hanazuo—the final people to interact with her—or a Freesian guest using a special power.
I gave the latter option more consideration. All of the attendees from our kingdom were nobles, including those of middle or lower rank. Gilbert and I had been thoroughly auditing Freesian nobles as of late, so perhaps they had banded together in an effort to obstruct our investigation, or they were simply out for revenge. Maybe they hated the royal family or were enraged by their omission from Pride’s list of marriage candidates… Augh! Whatever it is, my blood is boiling!
Wham! I slammed my fist into the wall behind me without thinking. A couple people flinched and glanced my way, but I couldn’t take my eyes off Pride.
Pride’s collapse had sent the ballroom spiraling into chaos. Even after we began our search for the culprit and the cause, many of the guests were disturbed by her condition. The knights, as well as the guests from Anemone and Hanazuo, had taken it particularly hard. Even Gilbert’s face had been white as a sheet.
When she fell unconscious, the knights and guards had formed a protective ring around the royal family. I’d managed to catch her before she hit her head, but there was nothing else I could do for her in the moment.
We urged people to return home after our thorough search of the ballroom and its occupants, but guests from all of Freesia’s allied countries, near and far, wished to stay at the castle until they knew Pride was safe. Prince Leon was especially vehement in his request to stay, but having already invited so many people—Freesians and foreigners alike—we couldn’t take on any more. Tiara’s birthday party was just that big of an occasion.
The Freesian royal family couldn’t confine our royal and noble guests to their rooms indefinitely, however. Once the knights had confirmed no one was acting suspiciously or carrying anything they shouldn’t have, the guests from neighboring countries went home as scheduled. Those who planned to stay overnight were shown to a special palace.
Fortunately, just about everyone cooperated. They feared Pride had some sort of chronic ailment, and aside from those who’d requested to see her, we managed to send the rest away without incident.
Gilbert and I apologized to the representatives of Hanazuo for the delay in our joint announcement, but they were far more concerned with Pride’s health. King Lance and Prince Cedric quietly inquired about the man with the special power to cure diseases, but I couldn’t yet inform them we’d already tried that.
Tiara wept the entire time, even after we brought Pride to bed. Her bright future had abruptly vanished. She was much, much more upset than when she stayed by Pride’s side after the defensive war.
The knights were equally rattled. Pride’s four imperial knights opted to safeguard her overnight while the rest of the order protected the castle. Commander Roderick had wondered if they should put two of her knights on patrol, but they all asked to stay in Pride’s room until she awoke. They would call Vice Captain Harrison in the morning so they could keep four people on duty at a time and take turns resting. If she didn’t open her eyes, then…
Anxiety and dread pummeled me at that thought. My stomach tied itself in knots, leaving me nauseated. I tensed, but my fingertips, my hands, my arms—they trembled despite my best efforts. I had to focus on taking deep breaths just to get any air. No, that’s impossible! She couldn’t possibly leave us like that!
I clenched my fists to fight off the lump forming in my throat, but it was no use. I couldn’t let anyone see me dissolving into tears. I promised Arthur! If I let him see me now, it would be the same as saying Pride is never going to wake up. That’s the one thing I can’t allow!
Desperately battling my emotions, I sucked in a loud breath.
The doctors said they didn’t know if Pride would wake up. She was utterly motionless, to the point that she could have passed for dead. Even her breathing had slowed until it seemed it might stop at any moment. The doctors checked her pulse, her breaths, the color of her face. Yet no matter how many times they examined her, no matter who called out to her, she never responded.
There was nothing we could do but wait.
Knock, knock.
Jack, Pride’s personal guard, came in through the door. “Prince Stale, Seneschal Vest has summoned you.” He was usually very calm, but even he couldn’t keep his worry off his face.
I told him I was coming, then stood and joined Tiara at Pride’s bedside.
“Big Brother…” Tiara whimpered.
I stroked her head before she could start crying again, then took her tiny hand in mine. We clasped Pride’s hand together, our elder sister’s warmth washing over us. I couldn’t even hear her breathing. It was like she’d been turned into a doll.
“I’m going now, Pride. You can open your eyes at any time, you know.”
I could have scoffed at the despondency in my own voice. I was all but offering a prayer. With my free hand, I ran my fingers through Pride’s scarlet hair, spreading it out over the bedsheets. I asked the people in the room to report to me the second she opened her eyes. Then I released her and Tiara, already missing her warmth.
Before I left, I approached the imperial knights standing a step behind Tiara. They wore the carefully controlled expressions they’d maintained throughout the entire ordeal. Captain Alan and Captain Callum still had some life in their eyes, but just like me, they were berating themselves for failing to protect Pride. Vice Captain Eric was as pale as a ghost. He tried to compose himself, but I could see he was biting his cheek to manage it.
“Ar—Captain Arthur.”
Arthur flinched when I addressed him, then muttered an apology for not keeping his eyes ahead of him. He was in the worst shape of all. Though technically conscious, Arthur’s gaze was vacant. Hollow. He paled as he stared down at his own hands, guilt scrawled across his face that his special power couldn’t save Pride. “I’m so sorry…”
“I’m going to see Seneschal Vest now,” I told him.
My friend grunted in response. He didn’t seem entirely aware of what was happening around him.
“So,” I continued, and he went stiff, “I want you to sit with Tiara and Elder Sister until I return. You’re the only one who can do it.”
You’re the only one I can rely on.
Arthur blinked at me in bewilderment, clearly thinking he’d misheard. Vice Captain Eric gave him a gentle shove on the back. I guided him toward Tiara’s chair. He took slow, careful steps toward Pride’s bedside, where he bent down to crouch at the same level as Tiara.
Tiara glanced at him, then he set his hand on top of hers and Pride’s. He winced, probably from the sensation of the faint warmth lingering in Pride’s body. Arthur squeezed his eyes shut for a moment. Once he opened them, they were fixed solely on Pride while he stroked Tiara’s back with his free hand. I watched the three of them for a moment before finally exiting the room.
Someone shut the door silently behind me. As soon as I could no longer sense Pride’s presence, my chest clenched. I squeezed my fists and bit my cheek hard enough to draw blood. “Pride…”
It’s all right. It’s all right. She’ll surely wake up tomorrow. She’ll smile like always and apologize for scaring us. Maybe Uncle Vest summoned me because there was some sort of development. Will she wake up first, or will we find the cure before that? That’s all there is to discuss. Arthur will be here with her too. It’s all right.
I desperately tried to convince myself as I willed my legs to carry me away. It took fierce determination to muster up even a single step. I couldn’t have left that room at all if it weren’t for Arthur. I walked faster and faster, hurrying to speak with Uncle Vest.
All the while, I prayed that this nightmare would soon end.