Short summary: The stages of insanity continue as Simone goes throw her days...

Chapter 2

It had been two weeks since Simone had even dared look at the book, let alone read it. Though it had been a gift from her dearest, who insisted on showing off the book to her work mates day after day after day... she still couldn't even muster up thanks for the book. Ever since she read it, ever since she got the strange omen and came back to see Benny just casually reading the book, Simone had been feeling colder, perhaps it was just winter befalling.

The poor Simone was walking down the corridor to her work shop, her heals making the more than usual boring clicking noise, and wearing a puffy sweater and thick dress to keep warm till she got to her warm work shop, where she could finally finish her work. Unlocking the half-door that could be easily broken into, but still locked for the novelty, she walked in to see a package of new supplies on her counter, with a grease monkey of a man standing next to it, he had shabby hair, mostly covered in soot, and was known as Adam McTrillin, her royalties guard. Right next to him was Simone's fiancé, Benny, with his fiery red hair sticking up, he leaned against Adam, looking even shorter in comparison to the tall and strong Adam. The two were the best of friends, knowing each other even longer than Simone and the Queen, for 16 long years. Always playing pranks, hanging out, or just plain playing around, these two were hard to see apart when they weren't out on business. A smile grew on Simone's face as she walked in to her work shop, and she glided to the two, hooking her arms around their necks. Adam returned the hug happily, he was always such the huger as a child, but Ben was token back by the sudden hug, he soon loosened the grip of Adam and Simone's hug to make it talking circle.

"So, sugar-plum, how's it going on this fine and most beautiful of mornings?" Benny asked, giving a wink and double barrel hand gun jester to Simone.

She laughed similar to how a bat would sound, but it still was adorable anyway, "Fantastic, thank you for asking, princey," she said sweetly.

"We got y'ah some new supplies, ma'am!" Adam said, holding on to the helmet in his hands tighter.

A smile grew on Benny's face as he moved back and forth on his heels, "Yeah, we know how bad you've been feeling lately, thought it might cheer you up some."

Simone could barely contain her self, she flung her self back around the two men's necks, with her face burning bright red now. Adam, again, happily hugged the little woman tighter than a boa constrictor, smiling a big toothy grin. As he did this, Benny still rejecting the hug, patted the backs of the two stealing his breath literally away, an attempt at a smile on his pink, embarrassed face.

It was Adam who broke the hugging circle this time, "I believe I nee' to be on m'eh way, ma'dam, you be good, now!" He said, releasing the two smaller people he was bear-hugging, and but back on his helmet, even though he wasn't wearing the rest of his armor, it was hard to imagine Adam with out his trusted helmet. He picked Benny up by the collar of his shirt, and walked with him in hand. Benny waved good-bye to his fiancée, not objecting to the odd way he was being carried, and left the work shop by hand of the strong Adam. Simone waved good-bye to her dearly beloved husband-to-be, and back to the gift he and his friend left, 700 pounds worth of gold, 100 pounds of iron, some amount of silver that would be used for detail work, and an assortment of jewels ranging in size and colour. Simone's eyes grew to the size of saucers with excitement, and she picked up a particularly red, clear gem and was, for a second, swept back to the blackness, the light shining on her, she remembered the clicking of her heals on nothingness, and the omen, "Coldness will save you." She ran out of the room, holding her head in pain and running to Adam and Benny, now walking side by side. Simone began to scream as she got closer to Benny, still holding the retched red gem. Benny and Adam stopped dead in their tracks, and turned around to see Simone right behind them, screaming her head off, a red gem in her hand, and holding her head, she fell to her knees. She had finally stopped screaming, her breath raspy and heavy, Benny knelt to see his fiancée's face staring down at the ground, her hands fell to her knees as well.

He held his hand against her face to feel it icy cold, "Honey... You alright?" He asked, his voice shaking from shock. All Adam was doing was staring in disbelief and shock at the two.

"I-it's s-s-so... C-c-c-cold..." was all Simone could stutter out, she finally let go of the stupid red gem and leaned forward on Benny's shoulder, sobbing slightly.

"C'mon, dear, let's get you home... Mind helping us, Adam?" Benny said, hugging his fiancée and looking up at his dearest friend. Adam just shook his head and picked up Simone, supporting her head and legs with his gorilla-like arms. Benny took off his over coat and placed it on Simone like a blanket, the three walked away to the two love bird's home.

It was the day after that event had happen, Simone was in her bed, a hot warmer on her head and a bundle of blanks covering her body. Benny was at her side, holding her hand as he sat in a chair next to the bed, he had a look of fear on his face, but was reading a book out to Simone in attempt to help cheer her up. There was a knock at the door, and the two looked up to see a man with slick, oily black hair and a sharp, snooty face wearing a butler suit. He was the queen's royal adviser, Lawrence Sibiahith, and most likely here for an obvious reason.

Benny looked up from his book, a smile growing on his somewhat of a friendly face, "Hey, Lauire!" he said, closing his book and getting up to address the man.

"Nice to see you... Ben, was it?" Lawrence said in a dry voice, he looked away from the fiery man with his hand out, and to the sickly Simone, watching the two men with glass like eyes, quickly looking away to the window and blizzard out side once she realized she was being watched her self. Lawrence moved pass Benny's out-stretched hand and straight to Simone in a creepily bug-like manner.

Standing next to Ben's chair, he straightened up him self and took a letter out of his pocket, and read it out in a loud, dry and mocking sort of voice "Dear Simone, sorry to hear you're under the weather, be there soon, much to work here. Hope you feel better soon. Love, Alice." Lawrence folded the letter back up and placed it next to Simone's hand. He walked away from the chair, nodding to Benny on his was out, and left. A cold feeling entered the room after Lawrence had left, and Benny walked back to his chair cautiously, as if fearing Lawrence rigged his chair. Just as Ben sat down slowly, another knock on the door came, and Benny got back up to answer the door. As he opened the door, in came Adam, holding his helmet and wearing clunky armor. Simone sat up a bit, cleaning up her blankets a bit, and smiled up at her apish friend. Benny wrapped his hands around his friend's neck, and a large smile came up.

"Good evenin', ma'dam!" Adam said, bowing down and taking a seat next to Simone's bed, "Ben feeling alright, hopefully?"

"Yes, better, thank you for asking, dear..." Simone said, looking up at Ben, "Could you get us three something to drink, Benny?" Ben shook his head and was out the door to the kitchen in the castle, not to far away.

"Well, it's good to hear you been getting better after yesterday, Simmy... Oh! Right, got somethin' for y'ah, thought it might cheer y'ah up, no need for thanks," Adam said, taking a box out of his pocket and handing it too Simone. She opened the box, and saw a gold tiara. Images passed in her head, strange images... it had gotten much colder, and Simone tried her best to keep a leveled head this time, not wanting to freak out and worry her friends again.

She forced a smile on her face again and faked a cough, "He he, thanks, Adam. I'm not feeling good right now, I think I need to sleep, see you later, alright?" she said, wanting just to be alone now.

Adam was a little confused, but got up from his seat and said to Simone, "Yeah, I know you might not be feeling alright, see you then, get well..." he said sadly, and took one last look at the poor girl before leaving.