silence

Disclaimer: I do not own Power Rangers.

Chapter Nineteen

Later in the day, Kimberly decides to go back to the infirmary to check on Jason. She convinces Kat to let her go alone. Once she gets back to the infirmary, she finds that Jason is still unconscious. Dr. Campbell is standing nearby, writing something on a clipboard.

"How is he doing?" She touches Jason's face, the color having returned to his skin since this morning.

"I have done a healing spell. Unfortunately without knowing what exactly was done to him, I could not heal him completely. The rest is up to him." Dr. Campbell touches her shoulder. "He will live, however."

"May I stay for a while?"

"Of course." Dr. Campbell casts a spell, a chair appearing next to her.

"I will never get used to that." Dr. Campbell cracks a rare smile, Kimberly takes a seat in the chair. Dr. Campbell turns around to go into her office. Once the door to the office has closed again, Kimberly directs her attention back to Jason. "I don't know if you can hear me, but… I love you. The only person I want to be with is you. My mother wants me to marry a prince, for the kingdom."

She scoffs, "maybe it's selfish but I don't want to marry a prince. We are already married, and I want to stay that way. I just need you to be okay, please."

The gem around his neck glows bright. She narrows her eyes. She didn't think it had glowed before. She leans forward, looking at the gem. The gem glows again, much brighter. "Dr. Campbell?"

Dr. Campbell comes out of her office, "what is it?"

"Should this be glowing like this?"

"I don't know." Dr. Campbell walks over, holding the gem in between her fingers. She looks at it closely for several minutes, before letting the gem go. She stands up straight again. She shakes her head. "I still don't know. I'll call Trini, hopefully she'll know."

Dr. Campbell walks towards her office, just as the door opens, and Kat enters the infirmary. "Sorry to interrupt but it's almost time for dinner."

She can't resist the urge to roll her eyes, but she gets up and follows Kat out anyway. Once they get to the dining room, they find that the queen isn't there. While she's relieved to not have to deal with her mother yet again today, Kimberly can't help but think about the last time her mother skipped out on a meal. She tries not to worry, but knowing her mother there was little chance that she wasn't planning something.

"Thank you for coming on such short notice. I promise I'll make it up to you."

"There's no need." Trini puts a hand up. "Now… show me what you were telling me about on the phone."

Aisha leads her to Jason. Trini leans over him, grabbing the still glowing necklace. "This only means one thing."

Trini stands up straight again. "The prophecy has been fulfilled."

"You mean… his sister's in there?" Aisha points to the gem. "What does this mean going forward?"

"I do not know. The prophecy ends with the sister getting trapped in the gem. There's nothing on what happens in the aftermath. I can tell you this, keep an eye on that gem. If that kind of power falls into the wrong hands-"

"Don't worry. I will protect it with my life."

After dinner, Kat and Kimberly go back to the latter's room. When they do, they find the door has been left open, and the light has been turned off. "Did you do that?"

"No." Kat approaches the door first, flicking the light on from the hallway. "Stay here."

Kat enters the room, several minutes later, shouting, "I think it's safe!"

Kimberly enters the room, closing the door behind her. Kat holds up an envelope, "I did find this sitting on your bed. It says it's for you."

She hands it to her. She looks at it, hoping to see who it's from. The handwriting looks similar to that of her mother's, but it doesn't say it's from her. "I think it's from my mother."

"Are you going to read it?"

She sighs, but opens the envelope anyway. "It's a letter."

"What does it say?"

Dear Kimberly,

I know how you think of me, and that hurts. Your words to me today have made me think. Think about whether or not what I am doing is right. I was always taught that marriage was not something to be done for love, but for business. To bring two kingdoms together. And I accepted that way of thinking.

When I learned I would be having a daughter, I was so happy. As a little girl, you were always so happy to learn about how to be a princess. But as you got older and started to rebel, you rejected the idea of being a princess. Of being royalty. I did my best to keep you on track, and to find a good suitor for you. But you rebelled against that as well as anything else I tried. (It took three months to get back into King Jordan's good graces after you rejected his son.) For the longest time, I thought it was just you. That one day you would open up to my ways. But that day never came, as you only got worse.

Then, there was Jason. You were never supposed to fall in love with each other. But you did. I cannot fathom why you would want to be with someone of his status. The marriage was only for your protection in the first place. But… I can see how you feel about him. And now you are pregnant. And I cannot stand by and watch. I want you to be happy. That is all I have ever wanted. And as you have pointed out, I am standing in the way of your happiness. I don't want to do that anymore. And it is for that reason that I have decided to leave and abdicate the throne.

The kingdom is your responsibility now. Perhaps, your union will fail one day, and I could come back. But if not, I hope that you will run the kingdom well.

Goodbye.