Ch. 39

Alice made her way to the hospital lobby, her thoughts in a whirlwind. Guilt threatened to consume her.

Mother, she thought, what have I done?

She could imagine her father, Alexander Lee Malvin's reprimand. What have you done? You have brought shame to your house! You, Alice, are a member of the highest royal order! You dared to fraternize with a common soldier, and worse, a subordinate?! I forbid it! You are never to see him again! You are no longer my daughter!

Of course, he was absolutely right. Even though it wasn't strictly enforced, fraternizing with a subordinate was against Army regulations. In fact, if it proved to be too much of a distraction, she could be dishonorably discharged for it.

As horrific as that would be to Alice, if word got out in high society, the results would be devastating. She would be shunned, lose her royal station, and possibly even disinherited, forced to live as a pariah. Even more terrible, a dismal pall would be cast upon her father and stepmother, ruining their reputation as well.

Alice didn't mind the idea of sleeping in the barracks, but disappointing her family was something she couldn't abide by.

And yet…and yet the sensations of Randel's tender kiss flooded her mind. Alice couldn't help blushing. A tiny part of her heart screamed at the unfairness of it. After all, her older sister Solice married a soldier. Her only saving grace was that he was a high-ranking, decorated war hero, having saved hundreds of lives, nobility and commoner alike. After returning from Rodelia, Alice was overjoyed to learn that Solice was expecting. She and her sisters began to plan a wonderful baby shower in the near future.

Alice blushed again at the thought of Solice finally consummating her marriage…and how Randel's huge hands felt wandering over her body. She couldn't help but wonder what it would have been like if she didn't have her coat on…or much else.

She shook herself. What am I doing? I must forget what happened! Yes, it's unfair, but there's nothing else to be done!

Still, the rush of memories wouldn't stop. It wasn't the big adventures she thought about. It was the little things, like his crooked grin, his awkwardness as he tried to fit through doors, his deep, serious voice that even now made her toes curl inside her boots. The way he towered over her, yet looked up to her, his gentle laughter and the way he blushed at the merest sign of affection or embarrassment.

I-I love him, she realized, and was heartbroken. And he must care for me, too, but…but we can never do that again. We mustn't! I shouldn't have encouraged him!

She took a deep breath and willed her tears back. Randel, I'm so sorry! I must accept the consequences. It happened, and it was beautiful, but it's over!

She turned a corner and was nearly mowed down by a group of rushing EMTs that had just entered the ER entrance. She had been so lost in thought that she hadn't heard the sirens.

"CODE BLUE!" she heard one yell. "Get him to the OR, a.s.a.p.!"

Alice's neck tingled.

"What happened?" she asked one of the police officers who had entered with them.

"A med-flight came in from Rodelia," the officer replied. "2 weeks ago someone found an Imperial noble shot in the head near the train station. Originally, he was a John Doe, but was just recently identified. It was touch and go for a while, but now he's having seizures. It's gotten so bad they thought he'd have a better chance of recovering here."

Alice started shaking. "What's the name of this nobleman?"

The officer looked at his notebook. "Sir Lionel Taylor. Apparently he's the golden boy of the financial district, which is why the Rodelian royalty had him brought here. There were signs of a struggle, and they're thinking it was a botched robbery or a jealous dispute." The officer eyed her. "Wait," he said, "I know you. Aren't you his fiancée?"

Alice gasped and her hands shot to her mouth to keep from screaming. She had thought Lionel was dead. They had all thought he was dead. After the Mad Minstrel disappeared, no one had seen or heard any sign of her or her spy network since. It was disconcerting, to say the least.

The hallway tilted and Alice nearly fainted from shock. The officer caught her, at first mistaking her horror for relief.

"Why didn't you file a missing person's report, Lieutenant?" he asked, growing suspicious.

"We," Alice gasped, taking panicked breaths, "w-w-we did…in Rodelia. How…how did we miss him? He…was h-he there in the hospital this whole time?"

She never heard the officer answer as she passed out from hyperventilating.

An hour later, after Alice came to and had the doctor's O.K., she found Lionel's room and entered.

Lionel looked small and skinny in the narrow hospital bed, but then after seeing Randel she supposed anyone would. Or, at least, that was her first thought, but then she realized that Lionel had lost a considerable amount of weight. His face no longer had its pristine aura, nor did it hold any hint of his old inflated ego. Instead both eyes were blackened and swollen shut, and his prized golden mane had been shaved due to the many surgeries he'd had. There was also a pink scar wrapped around his neck.

Alice didn't want to reserve any pity for him, but she did. Whoever had done this, be it Lady Kavi or someone else, Lionel had paid a heavy price. She flipped through his medical chart and noted with irony that Lionel displayed signs of total amnesia. At first, she thought it was some sort of trick, but as she read through the notes, she realized the awful truth. He was like an infant, having to relearn everything, even feeding and dressing himself. He was helpless, and with no living relatives to care for him, the hospital was unsure how to proceed.

The weight of her noble title bore down on Alice once more. If she abandoned him now, everyone would see it as fleeing from responsibility. It would be a shallow, selfish act of cowardice, and Alice knew her father would not stand for it. Neither could she, really. She prided herself on doing what was right, and for this, there could only be one path. She had to marry Lionel, even in this state, and likely provide his care for the rest of his days. Any good wife would do the same.

She would have to inform Captain Hunks of her decision to resign in the morning.

As she left Lionel's room, Randel's kiss flashed in her mind's eye once more, but with a heavy, dutiful heart, she resolved to put the incident out of her mind for good. Any prolonging would only lead to more pain, and it would be better if she put a stop to it now.

How to tell him? How to tell the others? She half-turned toward where she knew Randel's room was. She couldn't, at least not tonight.

Let him get a good night's rest, for the morning would prove to be a rough one.

END PART II! PART III COMING SOON!

I'm so mean...but not to worry. This isn't the end!