Chapter 3:

It was already morning but the suns seems doesn't want to come out. It was still dark and stormy in Scotland. The storm and the wind become much stronger than before. It was like the weather was also joining the sorrow of the Dunbroch family.

King Fergus was in a deep slumber on their furry sofa. He was about to change his sleeping position when he fell out on the sofa.

"Aww! That hurts."

He was scratching his head when he suddenly heard a soft voice from his loving wife.

"Fer-guss"

"Elinor?"

He quickly withdraws his self from the ground and hurriedly rushed towards his wife and held her hand.

"Elinor! Lass! Can ye hear me? Speak tae me?!" He laughed happily and tears rolled down from her face. His queen was finally awake and heard her soothing voice. He planted a kiss on his wife's lips and smiled at her.

"Can ye move darling."

"N-o"

"Hang in there okay. I'll gae tae the kitchen and tell Maudie tae find Fiona as quickly as possible."

The queen gave his husband a weak smile and Fergus quickly went downstairs to go to the kitchen seek Maudie.

"Maudie!"

"M—Lord! Wot can I—"

"Find Fiona and tell her tae get here as quickly as she can! The queen needs her now!"

"Ye-sss M'Lord"

Maudie hurriedly went out to find Fiona while the other servants just stared at each other and blinked in confusion and curiosity. The king hurriedly went back to his wife. He opened the door and saw the triplets. Harris and Hubert were at their mother's side holding the queens hand.

"Mum! Don't ye ever leave us again! Stay awake! We missed ye so much mum!"

Fergus was standing beside the queen and give a smile to the two devils. Then he noticed that Hamish was keeps on pacing at the corner.

"Lass!"

"Da—ad!"

"Is there any problem?"

"I'm just worried."

"To yer mum?"

"Aye. I mean I'm really happy that she's awake but look at her dad. Her Eyes were half opened and she can't even moved nor speak to us. I just can't bear seeing her like that."

Among the triplets, Hamish was intelligent, serious, and sensitive what's going around him and his observation skills were great. Hamish started to cry and as a father, the king pulled his son towards him and rubs his back.

"I know lass I really hurts tae see that yer loved one is in pain. But we need tae be strong. If yer mother see us so weak, then she'll also becomes weak and unable to fight for her life. Ye know yer mother right? She hates seeing her precious stars be in pain. Just stay strong. I know that one day yer mother will going tae be fine at all. She will be with us again."

"Aye, just like big sis told me."

The king's eyes grew wider and pulled his son gently and asked about Merida.

"Speaking of Merida, where is yer sister? I haven't seen her this morning."

"I dunno dad. But last night she told me that she's going tae find a cure for mother. I tried tae stop her but she's really desperate. I really have a bad feeling about this."

"Why ye didn't tell me?"

"I'm sorry dad but I was just- I was too confused at that moment."

"Alright I understand but didn't she mention where she's going?"

"I dunno dad. I dunno. I tried tae ask her the place but she never mentioned it but I think she went into the forest."

"Och! Why is yer sister so stubborn!"

Hamish just sighed and then a knock was heard on their door.

"Come In."

"M'Lord, why have ye summoned me?"

"Oh thank God yer here! Fiona yer queen is already awake but she can't moved nor speak. And her eyes are just half opened."

The healer went inside to check the queen's condition and after a couple of minutes, she look at Fergus with sad expression on her face. Fergus swallowed nervously thinking that her queen might still in a bad condition. Fiona approached the bear king and asked to have a wee bit conversation outside. They closed the door gently and the king swallowed nervously and asked the condition of his beloved wife.

"So Fiona how as it?" Fergus stared at the healer nervously while rubbing his beard.

"M'lord, its good tae hear that somehow the queen is now conscious but I'm afraid tae tell ye that she's still not good. Her breathing problem becomes worse, bedsores are already present at her neck, back and elbow because of staying in bed for a long time and lastly M'Lord, I think the infection already reached her lungs and the next one might be the heart."

Silence occupied in the corridor. Fiona looked down and unable to have an eye to eye contact to the King. Fergus took a deep sad sighed and doesn't know what and how will he respond to Fiona. Those hurtful words are just hard to accept right now. Fiona can't bear the silence so she lifted her head and single tears rolled form her eyes.

"M'Lord I'm sorry if I fa—"

The king smiled weakly and patted Fiona's shouldet.

"No ye've never failed us Fiona in fact ye've been a great helped tae all of us. I'm sure if the queen could just speak right now, she will definitely say thank ye for helping me. Ye never disappointed us. I'm glad that ye've done yer job pretty well. So don't be sorry Fiona. "

Fiona couldn't say something to the king. She served the royal family for almost half of her life. She just feels bad that this was happening to the royal family.

"Thank ye m'lord and I'm glad that ye trust me with all yer heart. M'Lord the only thing we can dae for now is tae prevent the forming of bedsores to the queen. All we need tae dae is changed her position every hour but only 20 minutes on his affected side."

"I can handle it. Thank ye for everything Fiona. Ye may now go."

"Yes m'Lord."

Fiona left the corridor sadly. As the healer vanished from his sight, King Fergus fell on his knees and cried. He doesn't know how he will be able to manage the situation. He doesn't know how he will stay strong knowing that his beloved wife is already dying and his daughter went to the forest alone. He didn't even notice that his precious girl was not in their kingdom. All he feels right now is that he was useless husband and father. Then the king saw his triplets standing infront of him and gazed at him gloomy.

'Dad?"

Their father just stared at them with tears rolling down from his cheeks. The triplets decided to embrace their father to ease the pain he feels.

"I'm sorry boys ye shouldn't be in pain right now."

"Dad! C'mon Don't worry about us." The triplets chores and smiled at their father.

"Thank ye boys."

The triplet smiled to their father and kisses his forehead. Then the King stood up and decided to have a search party for her daughter.

"Stay with yer mum boys, and I'll find yer sister. "

'but dad, its still stormy outside, its too dangerous to go out right now."

"I still need tae try tae find yer sister. Don't worry about me I'm the bear king anyway don't ye remember?" The king offered a smiled to Harris and the boy just sighed.

"Now gae inside and stay with yer mother."

"Aye dad." Harris and Hubert went back inside while Hamish left outside standing and staring at his father blankly.

"Dad can I come with ye?"

"Nae Hamish. Just stay with yer mother and brothers."

"Okay But dad wot if mother will be able tae speak and ask sister? Wot shall we say tae her?"

"Just lie tae her for now. If she finds out that Merida is missing, her illness might get worse."

"Aye. Dad."

"Uh dad?"

'wot is it lass?"

"Be strong dad. In every darkness there's always a rainbow that will shine soon." Hamish smiled and gazed at his father worriedly and king Fergus just simply gave his son a simple nod.