(Here's the next chapter! Enjoy!)

Idunn grabbed the left side of her chest, her face scrunched up in pain. Her head spun like a whirlpool, faster and faster.

Arianna ran to the side of the fishing boat. "IDUNN! ARE YOU ALRIGHT!?"

Arianna's voice faded into the sound of the waves lapping against the fishing boat.

Idunn turned to her sister, attempting to take in the shock of the blood. She slipped her hand under her dress, feeling around for anything peculiar.

The bandage felt…damp. Idunn slipped her hand underneath the bandages, still confused. She felt three strange loose stiches and gasped.

She pulled her hand out of her dress and gasped as her hand soaked in blood stared her back in the face.

Her world went blurry and her hearing grew fainter and fainter. Her eyes rolled back into her head. Her stick left her now limp hand as she slipped underwater, rapidly losing consciousness.

"IDUNN!" Arianna screamed, tears rapidly escaping her own eyes. "IDUNN!"

From amongst the growing crowd, there suddenly emerged a slender pale-skinned young woman. Her hazel eyes often gave her a sense of toughness, but now they spoke of one of concern.

Her short black hair blended in with her grey shirt, boots and her black leather gloves. Around her waist she wore a brown belt with a sword, with a blue purse and dagger on it.

"Alright people, moving day!" Cassandra demanded, pushing people gently out the way with a fighting stick. "Move it, short stuff!"

She ran forward, her feet pounding across the ground. A loud splash echoed throughout the crowd as they murmured amongst themselves.

Cass disappeared below the water's surface, the water rippling as she kicked her feet to propel her forward.

She looked around, expecting an ear-piercing scream for help, but there was a horrifying silence that surrounded the unconscious queen.

You just never get a break in Corona, huh? Cassandra thought.

She gently threw the queen over her shoulder and swam as fast as she could towards the shore. Clumps of solid red blood from Idunn followed the pair. The blood from the limp queen's chest dripped down onto Cass's grey shirt and soaked deeply into the tough fabric.

Despite the round of applause, Cass knew she wasn't a hero. But it what a Captain of the Guards would have done. And if she was to ever be a Royal Guard, this is what she had to do.

When Captain Wilhelm broke out of his shock, he rapidly grabbed the boat steering wheel, spinning it speedily as Arianna's hysterical and unqueenly screams echoed in his ears. He inhaled deeply, attempting to hold back the tears burning his eyes.

Karl may have been the one who rescued Idunn, but the whole boat crew had felt his traumatic pain and the brunt of the blow.

Cass lay Idunn down gently on the pier, supporting her back and head as Arianna and Karl ran down the boat ramp.

Arianna froze, her legs turning to jelly. She hyperventilated rapidly. She usually was never good at exercise, but adrenalin propelled her forward.

The stillness of Idunn's chest was enough to make Arianna's sit still. The rise of the break of the dawn may had given Arianna the new day, but it was the rising and fall of her sister's chest that was more important than any sunrise.

Arianna's eyes burned like the sun as she struggled to keep her tears at bay. Her hands shook madly as she tried to process what had just happened.

Idunn's grey, colourless face was enough to send Arianna into a panic. Her face dripped with sweat as she lay her head on Idunn's chest, listening, hoping, wishing for even just one heartbeat.

Silence.

Arianna threw her head back, holding her limp sister's head to her own pounding heart. Her mournful, ear-piercing scream echoed around the docks.

"IDUNN?!"

Oh my Odin. Oh my Odin. Odin help us all.

*Flashback, Three Weeks Earlier*

Arianna stared out the castle window, hearing the muffled commotion below. Her worried reflection stared back at her. She leaned forward, her eyes widening at the scene.

A limp woman was laying on the stretcher, her eyes closed in pain.

Arianna looked closer, squinting her eyes to get a better look at the woman. Several guards and nurses from the infirmary were transferring the poor woman to a gurney for easier transportation. They began to bandage her bleeding limbs with white bandages. They removed her stockings and her shoes before pulling a long, white blanket up to her shoulders.

Arianna pressed her face up against the glass, squishing her nose against it. Below, the nurses pulled the woman's neat brown hair out and placed an oxygen mask on her face. Another nurse firmly pressed her fingers to the unconscious woman's wrist, a faint thumping answering her question of if this woman would still have a chance at life.

Soon the pieces of the puzzle came together. Arianna gasped. She knew that brown hair she was staring at couldn't be anyone else. Panic arose in her chest as she bolted out of her room, nearly colliding with two maids carrying hot soup to the kitchen.

Arianna would usually care, but now, she couldn't give less of a flying cow. She picked up the edge of her skirt and ran as fast as her legs could carry her.

"HAROLD! HAROLD! GET OUT HERE NOW! HAROLD! THAT'S AN ORDER OR YOU'RE FIRED!" Arianna yelled, surprising the maids who were used to her much more pleasant and gentle demeanour.

"Yes, Your Majesty?" Harold said from behind her, casually strolling out of his office.

"AAAAAHH!" Arianna screeched, jumping almost a metre in the air. "YOU GAVE ME A HEART ATTACK!"

Harold looked her up and down. "Medically you're still breathing."

"T-that's not what I meant!" Arianna stammered, attempting to hold back tears. "MY SISTER COULD BE DYING AND YOU'RE DRINKING A STRAWBERRY MILKSHAKE IN YOUR OFFICE!"

"Relax, Violetta's handling it."

She needs all the help she can get! Arianna thought angrily.

Arianna breathed heavily out of her nose, her voice suddenly becoming lower and more serious. "You get yourself to the infirmary now."

Harold gulped. "Yes Ma'am." '

Arianna lifted up the bottom of her dress and followed him, running. They paused, hearing the rapid wheels of the gurney race down the spotless floor, along with the bag that held Idunn's stocking and shoes. It clinked gently against the metal oxygen tank.

Arianna froze, her legs turning to jelly. Harold gently steadied her. Arianna inhaled and exhaled rapidly and heavily. She usually was never good at exercise, but adrenalin once again propelled her forward.

She picked her dress up once more, running even faster towards the gurney. By the time she had reached the infirmary, she was so out of breath that she almost thought she needed a doctor herself.

The infirmary was long, white and had an obvious clinical feel to it. It consisted of twelve beds, eleven of them empty, besides one, bed number six. It had the curtains completely closed and carts of medical equipment sticking out the sides.

Smoothing her dress and hair out in an attempt to look queenlier again and less like a wild tiger hunting its prey, she squared her shoulders and made her way towards the drawn curtain.

Arianna paused, listening closely. She could hear her sister moaning in pain, various beeping and people rapidly moving around. Harold had already arrived before her, so she could hear him too. She could hear him attempting to calm her sister down, but it seemed to be only making things worse.

Arianna inhaled deeply. She hoped worst-case scenario Idunn only had broken bones, and nothing too major. Arianna didn't faint at the sight of blood, but it wasn't really her cup of tea. She slowly pulled open the curtain, enough to let herself though, but still enough to give her sister the utmost privacy.

She looked up, the image of her sister with the wood stuck deeply into her chest slapping her in the face. Her legs once more turned to jelly and she nearly fainted.

Oh my Odin. Oh my Odin. Odin help us all.

Arianna attempted to splutter out any sort of comforting words, but she was completely lost in that sense. Everything seemed to happen in slow motion as she helplessly watched the medical staff race around her sister.

"IDUNN?!"

*End of Flashback*

"Your Majesty, can you hear me?"

Karl firmly pressed his solid fisherman fingers to Idunn's delicate wrist, praying and hoping for even just a weak pulse.

Nothing.

Karl set his palms together and set them on Idunn's chest.

Arianna didn't react. She felt numb all over. All she could do was watch in terror as her sister's body bounced slightly up and down as Karl did compressions.

Arianna cradled her sister's limp head in her delicate hands as she finally let the tears flow.

"You're okay Idy…..I got you."

(Also, please note that I do NOT kill off main protagonists. Wait and see what happens! Thanks for reading this chapter!)