"So how are things in Borswan?" Erik sat at the other end of the table, waiting and wanting the news from his home country. His demeanor calm, he seemed happy or excited, which one the person across from him could not decipher.
"Don't you want to know how your daughter is, sire?" It was Meg's strange quiet voice that reached his ears. She looked tired and ragged, unhealthy, so unlike the girl that he knew back in Borswan.
"My daughter," His content aura disappeared, replaced with one of sudden distress and question.
"She is sick, my lord." She swallowed, keeping tears at bay. "She is deathly sick, from a disease that plaguing the whole country. Almost everyone has caught it and most have died from it. My sister caught it and died." Her tone was on the edge of hysteria but she kept it to one of urgency.
"The kingdom is dying, Majesty! There is something going on in the House of Nobles and my mother can only hear bits and pieces, but the nobles are refusing to talk." She sighed. "Our country needs you to come back, we need you to come back and most importantly your daughter needs you."
"She had been sick before." He cleared his throat hoping the girl could not detect the slight frustration there. "Cecile has lived…"
"Excuse me your Majesty." Meg looked on him in pity. "The princess will die. Men and women stronger and healthier than she have died from this disease."
"She will live!" Slamming his fist on the table, he stood suddenly only to be reminded of his leg, in which made him lean heavily on the table. "By God she will live!"
"No, your Majesty." She shook her head, seeming undisturbed by his sudden outburst. "She will die, but she is holding on to see you and Her Majesty one more time."
Erik looked at the young woman in front of him and sat down. She had grown up in too short of time, something was not right. He remembered her from when he would see her dallying with the stable boys when he went for a ride or giggling when some lord paid her a compliment.
The woman now, standing there held no room for the former girl. The way she was looking at him reminded him of her mother. She stood in such a way that he knew that she would end up in her mother's footsteps; she was unafraid of him. He could tell that she no longer held the innocence of months ago. Something was very wrong in Borswan.
"I will return within the week, Mademoiselle Giry." He nodded to her. "You said that this disease has claimed many?"
"Most who have caught it." She confirmed.
"And the doctors have they done nothing?"
"It spreads too quickly and it is of an unknown cause."
"I assume that you are leaving very soon?"
"I will leave as soon as I am dismissed."
"Then when you return tell every doctor in the country to work on a cure for this disease." Erik said. "I want this cured by the end of the month; no more may die from this disease, is that understood?"
"Perfectly, Majesty," She nodded. "It will be good to have you back, Majesty."
"Be safe, little Giry." He gave her a sign of leave.
"Thank you." Giving a curtsy she turned to leave, but the door suddenly opened.
"Meg?" Christine smiled at the young woman's presence and gave her a hug. Then frowned when she felt the shaking her shoulders. "What is wrong?"
"We tried so hard, Majesty." She sobbed. "So hard."
"I know." The queen patted her back as if she was comforting a child, and looked up at Erik who looked distraught and understanding at the girl in Christine's arms, one could only stand so much and one knew when comfort arrived. "Tell me what is wrong?"
"Sorielli is dead, Majesty." Meg gulped another sob, and lifted her pitiful head to look at her queen. "And the princess does not have much longer."
"Much longer?"
"She is dying, Majesty." She buried her head into Christine's shoulder again, wanting very much to be stronger, but could not at the moment.
Christine seemed dazed but held the girl anyway. She looked to her husband, who only looked down. He seemed to already have the energy sucked out of him. All she wanted to do was hold him, knowing that he must be in more pain than she even though she felt like her insides were coming out and being stuff with spikes and glass.
"You may rest here if you wish." Christine said gently to Meg as her sobs quieted.
"No, I must leave." Meg shook her head. "I have to get back to Borswan."
"May God be with your, then." She nodded and kissed her friend on her cheek, watching her leave, closing the door behind her. Christine leaned against the doorframe and looked across to her husband. "I am so sorry, Erik."
"It is not your fault." His voice shook; she had never heard it waver like that before.
"I dragged you here." Her eyes began to dart to places in the room, willing the tears away.
"I had a choice."
"She is dying." She finally gave in to just looking at him. "You warned me, I should have listened."
"No," He shook his head. "There is nothing we can do."
"We could have given her comfort…" Her head started to spin this was too much.
"She is not in the right state of mind."
"I have to give her that fish." Faster and faster the room spun.
"We may burry it with her." A tear slipped from his eye, and she watched as it fell down his cheek.
"She does not deserve this." She knew her words were beginning to slur.
"They never do." Erik watched as his wife's eyes rolled back and she fell to the ground, near the door but not blocking it. "Christine!" He stood, ignoring the pain shooting up his leg and grabbed his cane, hurrying to her. "Christine?" Falling to his knees, he gathered her up, and stroked her hair and began to try and wake her up. "Christine, you must wake up! I order you to wake up!"
She did not stir, and his heart started to beat extremely fast. The door to the meeting room opened, and in walked Jake. He looked down at the two on the floor and was immediately at his side.
"I will take the passageway; you will go the easier route." Jake explained while he got the king's walking stick and gave it to him. Erik nodded and helped himself up, not bothering to argue with him.
Jake picked up his queen and disappeared though a doorway, which Erik had never known was there. Erik opted for the door and hurried, as fast as her could to his and Christine's chambers. He was panting and sweat was running down his face by the time he arrived at the door. Opening the door he found Christine, lying on the bed, with Jake getting a water bowl and a cloth, setting it on the side table. He pulled up a chair and indicated for Erik to sit there.
Trying incredibly hard not to hobble and be completely dependent on the stick, Erik made it to the chair and sat down. He took the cloth and placed it in the cool water then took it to Christine's forehead, letting it stay there for a while before placing it in the cool water again.
"She has been under much stress." Jake finally spoke.
"Indeed." Erik nodded, paying only heed to his bride, who was extremely pale. "Lord Jake?"
"Yes, sire?"
"Make sure our items are packed." He said quietly, but with authority and power. "We will be leaving as soon as the queen is awake."
"Majesty," The man hesitated. "Are you sure…"
"Lord Jake." Erik did not bother to turn to the man. "You may be my wife's advisor and friend, but I am your king and her husband, do not question me when she is lying here. Get Doctor Mitchell in here to look her over."
"Yes, Majesty," He nodded, before quickly going out the door.
Erik repeated the process of cloth again and watched as Christine's eyes fluttered and she opened them. It took her a minute to adjust.
"What happened?" She looked around and noticed that she was not in the same place she was earlier. Her weak arms began to push herself up.
"You fainted." He pushed her back down. "I told Lord Jake go and get Doctor Mitchell so he can…"
"I do not need a doctor."
"He will just look you over."
"I do not need a doctor." She repeated.
"Christine." His brows furrowed. "You fainted; you are under a lot of stress…"
"So are you." Her eyes rolled. "I do not need a doctor for stress."
"Perhaps he could suggest something so you will not faint when you are in the middle of a room when you are speaking to a hundred people and not solely me." He argued.
"You are under a lot of stress." She said weakly.
"I was not the one who fainted."
"This is ridiculous."
"You have not been feeling good for the past few days."
"Perhaps the fighting and everything is finally implanted in my mind." She shrugged. "I assure you, there is nothing wrong with me."
"Please, Christine." He took her hand in his and held it tightly. "Do this for me."
Noticing the struggle in his eyes and the pain that was deep within, she finally nodded her head and watched as he held her hand to his lips and kissed it, then cradling it on his cheek. She felt a subtle wetness on her hand as he began to shed a few tears for the daughter that he was loosing and stableness in his life. The touching moment was cut short when a knock came at the door.
"Come in!" Erik cleared his throat and turned his head towards the door, watching as Dr. Mitchell walked in.
"Sire if you would not mind…" He held the door open and waited.
Erik looked to Christine and just nodded towards the door. He leaned down and kissed her forehead gently, then had to struggle a bit to get up. As he approached he leaned over and whispered in the doctor's ear, "Take care of her." Then he left.
"Majesty," Dr. Mitchell turned to Christine, after he closed the door and went towards her. "I am in your confidant; the king does not have to know anything…"
"Do you suspect something wrong?" She felt her heart race and she slowly sat up to prevent another fainting spell.
"I was just preparing for the worse or best." He shrugged. "But if you ask it of me I may chose not to tell the king when he asks me what is wrong or I may lie."
"Dr. Mitchell." Christine did her best to stop her shaky voice. "I have been scared very few times in my life and I must admit this is one of them…"
"First let me examine you before anything is definite." As he did his assessment of her, she began to worry. She knew if something was the matter that Erik may not be able to stay calm, or he might try and distance himself from her and she knew that he did not need to distance himself form somebody else in this point and time.
Cecile was dying. Her mind did not want to wrap itself around that concept. The closest thing she had to a daughter was dying and could be dead by the time she got there. She would never say her good-bye; she could never kiss her sweet cheek again, and Erik, oh Erik. A little of him was dying with that girl, and she knew that a little piece of her heart would be taken with the little princess too.
"Majesty," Dr. Mitchell's voice broke her of her thoughts. "I must ask you a few questions, and some possibly will sound a little intimate."
"I am sure that I have had worse." She tried to make a joke.
"How often do you and His Majesty make love?"
"Well that certainly would be something to get my mind off of things." Her cheeks burned a little. "Everyday…"
"Do you use any sort of protection?"
"Dr. Mitchell I am a queen," She knew her face was beet red, but tried to keep her pride. "I do not think queens are allowed to use protection."
"When was the first time for you and him?"
"These questions have a point, am I correct?"
"Bare with me Majesty."
"I think I bared enough."
"The first time, Majesty?"
"A couple of months ago."
"When did you start to get sick?"
"I think just a week ago or so."
"When was your last monthly flow?"
"Well…" Christine thought and thought very hard. Then she looked at the doctor, and stared at him open mouthed. Her mouth formed the words but nothing was coming out. She stopped, took in a breath and said. "Oh."
"Majesty," Dr. Mitchell smiled a little, "I think you may be pregnant."
-------------
"I have everything packed, Your Majesty." Jake came back. "I think we just need a few things from your room…"
"We will leave it here for when we come back." Erik said quietly, he sat at a chair across from his room, waiting while Dr. Mitchell spoke with Christine. His head turned to Jake and indicated for him to sit at the chair next to him.
"Thank you, Majesty." Jake nodded as he sat down. It was quiet for a while between the two before Jake asked, "Have you heard anything yet?"
"No."
"She will be fine." Jake said confidently.
"You are not God," Erik sighed. "You cannot say that."
"I may not be God." He looked at him. "But I do know my queen and I know that if something was gravely wrong with her one of us would be able to tell."
"I truly hope you are right, Lord Jake." Leaning his head against the wall the king finally blurted, "My daughter is dying."
"I am sorry." His voice sounded so sincere. "I know what it is like to lose a daughter."
"Really?" Erik glanced at him.
"Yes," He nodded. "My daughter was fifteen, beautiful with red hair and golden brown eyes. All the boys wanted her," He chuckled, "But she was too fickle and too independent for anyone boy to handle her. Besides I would have them running away in a minute. She was adventurous, but she enjoyed going to court, so I took her. Her mother and her nanny would dress her up, and all her younger sisters would sit there green with envy.
"She liked when the gentlemen would ask her to dance and she liked to flirt." Jake continued. "Perhaps a little too much, and caught the eye of Borgia. She flirted with him only because she thought him interesting, at least that is what she told me, but I knew better, fathers always know better. My daughter was like many women of beauty, she was interested in him because of his power. She knew he had influence.
"Borgia, back when he was younger was not a bad looking man, but by no means handsome. I watched as their relationship grew into something more than I thought it would ever be. When she was eighteen he asked for her hand, and she accepted. As I walked her down the aisle I gritted my teeth and tried not to glare at the man that I had to give her to.
"Their relationship, I knew was not built out of love. That much I knew, and as a year passed she became pregnant, she was so happy because Borgia was now spending more time at the palace than at home and now she could care for something. But suddenly she lost it, and this happened five more times, before I noticed something."
"What did you notice?" Erik questioned, noticing the man had stopped.
"I'll never forget the color or the shape." Jake took in a breath and let it go. "It was a bruise, but an oddly shaped color bruise. I asked her about it and she lied and said that she had run into something. Well I kept questioning her until she told me to stop, but I would subtly make comments and she would scold me.
"Then Borgia came to power. Everything became crazed. I saw my once beautiful daughter become a skeleton of her former self and came home less and less. She would jump at every sound and she would constantly shake. I tried so hard to make her see a doctor but she would not listen to me.
"But that night…" Jake stopped, and started again. "That night will live forever for me. Borgia and Redford were forced off the throne and thrown into exile. People went fanatical in the streets and burned many of the buildings that Borgia and Redford had built. They came to his house and burned it." He took a breath
"I ran inside to find her." His body shook but his speech stayed even. "But all I saw was her body lying on the floor with blood spilled around it. Borgia had killed her before he was sent away."
"Why?" Erik asked quietly.
"I never knew why." He sighed. "I thought that perhaps he wanted to kill all his secrets because I am sure she knew some things that would have been important, but that was all I could come up with. Or maybe he was completely insane."
"What was her name?"
"Amilia," A small smile appeared. "My youngest just had a daughter and named her Amilia."
"So she is not lost or forgotten." Erik said softly, seemingly to himself.
"They never are." Jake shrugged. "It is scary when you think that you cannot think of their face or the feel of her cheek, but then you remember. It is painful, but it is a pain that must be lived with because otherwise I would not have seen my grandchildren or my other children grow up. Or my wife's beautiful face every morning. Plus Amilia would have been disappointed in me if I would have given up so easily."
"Majesty," Dr. Mitchell came through the door. "I am done."
"Is anything wrong?" Erik carefully stood up.
"The queen is just under a lot of stress, she will be fine for your journey home." He nodded and walked away.
"Thank you Lord Jake." Erik turned to him and nodded to him.
"It was my pleasure, Your Majesty."
I hope there are people still reading this story. I am sorry that I have not been able to update as much as I should but last chapter I did not get as many reviews as I am used to, maybe I'm just a review hog. But really I just wanted to make sure that people are still reading! Please review, and thank you!
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