Never Again
"The princess will likely never walk again."
The somber words of the royal physician replayed themselves over and over in Roland's mind as he sat in the chair beside the bed in the castle's medical wing. He was alone with his new stepdaughter after insisting that Miranda return to bed. The queen, who had stayed up all night, was reluctant to leave Sofia's side, but Roland had promised to come get her if there were any changes.
Now, alone in the dimly lit room, Roland could feel tears pricking the back of his eyes as he gazed down at the small girl lying unconscious on the modest bed. Sofia looked so tiny and frail, especially now that she had a bulky brace around her neck to prevent moving and farther injury.
The king sighed and closed his eyes, trying to recall the previous night's events, but he could only remember a few small details. He remembered following Sofia to the troll caves. He remembered catching up with her on a bridge–a bridge that had almost instantly given way under their weight. He remembered Sofia's terrified scream as they plummeted to the ground far below. He must have struck his head on a rock because the next thing he knew, he was lying on a bed in the medical wing with no recollection as to how he'd gotten there. Miranda had been sitting beside the bed, crying. She had been relieved when he woke up, but she couldn't stop the tears from flowing. Then the doctor had arrived. Seeing the king awake, he delivered some very grim news. He'd just finished doing what he could for the little princess. He told them that Sofia's neck had been broken, resulting in severe damage to her spine. He said that she would be paralyzed for the rest of her life. It wasn't clear how much of her body would be paralyzed, but one thing was certain; Sofia would likely never walk again.
Sofia hadn't awakened once since the fall, and perhaps she never would... He opened his eyes and gazed down at the still form of his new stepdaughter once more. It was very hard to believe that this bright little girl, who skipped through the castle halls with a happy smile on her face, was lying there unaware of just how much her life would change. If she did wake, she would be in a wheelchair for the rest of her life. She would never dance at another ball. She could never be able to ride her horse in the flying derby. She would probably even have to leave Royal Prep… These thoughts made Roland's chest tighten in pain, especially when he remembered how happy Sofia had been to make the flying derby team after a challenging tryout race.
It's not fair, he thought, barely able to suppress a sob. A few tears escaped his eyes and slid down his cheeks, but he made no move to wipe them away. Why had he only suffered a few minor scratches and a bump on his head? Why did a sweet young girl like Sofia have to get hurt far worse than him? He shouldn't have followed her to the troll caves. It was his added weight that made the bridge collapse. If he had just gone to bed as he intended, none of this would have happened.
He didn't realize he was clenching his fists until he became aware of something digging into the skin of one palm. Looking down, he unfurled his fingers to find Sofia's amulet in his hand where he had been holding it all night, ever since the doctor had handed it to him after having to remove it from the princess's neck. The king felt an intense anger welling up inside as he stared down at the purple jewel. He'd given it to Sofia as a welcome gift because he had heard that it guarded the princess who wore it, and he'd hoped it would keep her safe. So why hadn't it protected her during their fall?
"You wretched piece of junk," he growled, closing his fingers over the necklace and shaking it angrily. Standing, he made his way to the room's single window and yanked it open. Without hesitation, he threw the amulet as hard as he could before slamming the window shut, not caring where the thing landed.
Returning to his chair, he sat down and reached out to gently smooth back a few curls from the girl's face. "I… I'm so sorry, Sofia," he whispered, his voice cracking with anguish. Unable to contain his emotions any longer, he lowered his head onto the mattress and cried himself to sleep.
A/N: Yes, I know... This isn't my usual kind of story. Someone requested a realistic AU of "Let the Good Times Troll" where Sofia actually got hurt when she and Roland fell off the bridge. I admit my mind took a dark turn with this request. Hehehe… I hope I did an okay job at least.
