Saving Prince James: A James and Sofia Love Story
Set in an alternate universe, James is now 20 and usurped his father as king and conquered every kingdom to create an empire, but he has lived his years as a lonely king with only power and wealth to keep him company. When Cedric summons a banished Sofia, 18, to the castle to secretly save the kingdoms and James, something stirs in James's heart the moment he sees a grown and blossomed Sofia. Can a banished princess save the kingdoms and can a ruthless prince find his way into the heart of a princess he once lost?
Chapter 26: Three Weeks
James
"Your Majesty," James heard someone say. A warm and firm hand was gently shaking his shoulder as a way to wake him. James groggily opened his eyes to see Baileywick standing above him with a silver tray in hand. "You seem to have fallen asleep in here again."
James heard the metal rings that held the dark pink curtains of Sofia's room up click against one another as a servant was pulling the curtains open and tied them all back with a golden rope, brightening her room with the early morning sunlight that was streaming in her windows. He had to squint against the bright light that was hurting his tired eyes. Her fireplace was already lit, warming her room and relieving them of the late night winter chills.
"You all seemed to have fallen asleep in here again," Baileywick said as James rose off of the floor and rubbed his face. The days old stubble on his cheeks and jaw scratched against the thick skin of his palms.
He didn't realize that he had fallen asleep while sitting on the floor with his back against the wooden base of Sofia's bed. There was an ache in the back of his neck from the way his head must have fallen back to rest on the edge of her mattress.
As Baileywick walked over to the table by the fireplace and set down a tray of cups and tea, James saw what he meant by "all."
Amber was asleep by the fireplace on both of Sofia's velvet cushioned chairs that were pushed together as a makeshift bed. She was curled up into a tight ball so her entire form could fit into the two chairs. He was a bit amazed that she could even fit on a tiny makeshift bed like that. James could tell by her expression that she wasn't comfortable, but he knew that she would do anything just to remain by Sofia's side.
Her bodyguard, Edward, was asleep on the floor next to her with only one pillow and blanket. He didn't look like he was uncomfortable, but with only one pillow to separate him from the cold hard floor, James was sure that he wasn't in the best comfort either.
Hugo was asleep on other side of her bed on a chair that one of the servants brought in from the hallway for him. His head leaned to one side of the hard wooden chair, resting on a small bundle of faded grey fabric that James took as his jacket. He looked just as comfortable as James had felt while on the floor.
His neck is going to kill him later, James thought as he stretched the drowsiness out of his muscles. He honestly thought that it was going to be just him staying the night beside Sofia this time, but he guessed not. They must have snuck in when I fell asleep.
"The doctor and nurses will be arriving soon to do their daily checkup of Princess Sofia," Baileywick said behind him. There was a quiet sound of the morning tea being poured into the cups. The soothing the sound of the tea being poured mixed with the quiet silence of the morning.
"What time?" he asked, stretching his back.
"The same as usual, eight o'clock."
James nodded back to him as he bent to pick up the book he was reading late last night. It must have fallen out of his hands some time after he fell asleep. Oddly enough, it was left open to the page he was reading.
"Your Majesty," he heard Baileywick say. There was a hesitant tone to his voice, "Dr. Wayne informed me that he thinks it would be best if you four wait outside while he and the nurses examine Sofia."
What?
Despite his tired state, he was still alert enough to quickly whip around and ready to refuse Dr. Wayne's and Baileywick's suggestion. But just when James turned around and opened his mouth, another groggy voice spoke for him.
"Why?" Amber asked sharply. James didn't even notice that she had woken and was sitting up in her makeshift bed with her blanket wrapped around her shoulders. Her voice may have been groggy but her eyes were not, her green eyes were sharp and was looking pointedly at Baileywick.
"He and his nurses can't work with you four hovering around," Baileywick said gently. "They need their space to examine Princess Sofia and make sure that she is in stable condition."
"Then we'll just stay in the corner," Amber said. Her tone was strong and unyielding, the kind of tone that could break any man – a giant even. She bent over the armrest of the chair and gently patted Edward's cheeks to wake him. Edwards began to stir with a low and tired groan.
"Please, Princess Amber." James could hear the desperate tone in Baileywick's voice as he tried to reason with her. "It's only for a few min –"
"It is not just 'a few minutes'," Amber mimicked him in an exaggerated high-pitched voice. "Her checkups last nearly an hour. There is no way we're going to leave her side for that long. She needs us."
"I agree with Amber," Hugo chimed in with a yawn, rising from his awkward sleeping position and stretching. "You can't honestly expect us to leave Sofia's side do you, Balieywick?"
"I don't," he sighed, rubbing the brim of his nose, "but I do expect you to respect the doctors and nurses. They can't do their jobs and care for Princess Sofia if you four are in their way."
How can Baileywick even suggest this! We can't leave Sofia like this! I am not going to let her wake up all alone and possibly surrounded by people she hardly knows!
James wanted to end this entire conversation. He didn't want to hear any more of what the doctors and nurses wanted James to do. No way in hell would he ever leave Sofia's side, especially not at a time like this.
"We are not leaving Sofia's side," James said seriously. He looked Baileywick in the eyes, making sure he saw James's kingly authority burn in his eyes. "That's final."
For a moment, Baileywick didn't say anything. James could see the faint fear in his eyes as he looked back at him. Then Baileywick went back to rubbing the bridge of his nose and let out a sigh of frustration. "You four need understand what I am saying and think of Princess Sofia. Dr, Wayne and his nurses won't be able to do their jobs if you four are in their way. If they can't do their jobs, they can't care for Sofia. If they can't care for Sofia, then she won't be able to get better and wake up. Do you all understand me? Now, I am not saying that she doesn't need you. She does. She needs you four to be by her side when she wakes up, but in the meantime, she needs you four to let the doctor and nurses to do their jobs."
There was silence among them. The air was heavy with tension.
James knew Baileywick was right. They all did.
His throat was tight, leaving him feeling like he was being choked. James clenched his fist so tight that he could feel his short fingernails dig into his palm, no doubt leaving crescent imprints. He felt like he was drowning in a sea of helplessness, too weak to do anything but stand by and wait for his soulmate to awaken.
He was king dammit!
A king should never be powerless! A king should never be weak! A king should know just what to do to fix whatever problem comes his way.
He should be able to do something!
…Anything to save Sofia. She is too precious to him to lose….
"Fine," he heard Amber said in a strained tone. "We'll wait outside while they check on Sofia."
"Thank you," Baileywick said before turning to leave. But just when he was at the door, he looked back at them. "I know this is hard on all of you, it's hard on everyone else too. The entire staff and palace guards are worried sick about Sofia's well-being."
There was so much empathy in his voice as he spoke softly to them. James was almost taken aback by the sympathy in this voice and compassion in his eyes.
Baileywick's kind look was probably directed towards the others, but James was sure that for a moment – just a moment – he was looking right at him. But his look felt like it was more… challenging than sympathetic. As if he was testing him to see what his true character was like. Would he rise to the challenge and prove himself to be a better man than he was in the past?
James wanted to pass that test, to rise to Baileywick's challenge and prove himself that he was a better man now. To be the man that Sofia needed and deserved.
It has been so long since James has seen Baileywick look at him like that. Since he's taken the throne, James has only been given emotionless and neutral looks, nothing else.
"They all love her like she was their own," Baileywick continued. "And they want the same thing you all want right now, which is for her to wake up happy and healthy. We all just want our princess back and we're all trying the best with what we are given right now."
And with that, he left.
James hadn't moved from his spot beside Sofia's bed, his hand was still clutching onto his book while the other was still in a tight fist. His entire body felt too tight, like it was some coiled spring that was about to break under all of its pressure.
"He's right," Amber said, breaking the heavy silence. Edward just lifted his hand up and patted her hand with a quiet agreement. James saw him smile up at her as reassuringly as he could.
"I know," Hugo said. He was gazing down at his hands, looking lost in his thoughts. "So, what do we do?"
"Just as Baileywick asked us to," she shrugged as she got out of the chairs and smoothed down her light blue and brown dress. Not a hair was out of place and not a single wrinkle could be seen on the dress that she slept in it. "Whenever the Dr. Wayne and the nurses get here – which is in about twenty seven minutes – we just get out of their way and let them do what they need to do."
Hugo and Edward seem to have said something in response, but James couldn't hear what his twin sister and the others were saying any more. He just tuned them out and reached for Sofia's hand, hoping that she could feel the pulse of his heart in his hands and wake up.
Morning Sofia, James thought to her as if she could hear. Every morning, when he would wake up, he would say something mentally to her in hopes that she could hear his words. My neck hurts from sleeping on the floor...
But he could never get very far in talking to her because it would always return to him begging and wishing for her to wake. I need you to wake up. I am going crazy here without you.
It has been three weeks since the day of Sofia's attack.
And she hasn't woken once.
The echoing feelings of that day is still beating at him like a pounding headache.
The moment after Dr. Wayne told them that Sofia was in a coma, he nearly went on a rampage.
James didn't want to accept that she was in a coma. He refused to accept it because he knew that if he did, he would go crazy.
He needed her. To be by his side. To be okay.
His hands itched to beat at something while an angry roar was clawing at his throat, begging to be set free. He threw the doctor against the wall and demanded that they save her, to wake her and make sure that she was okay. It took both Edward and Hugo to pry him off of the doctor and hold him back.
And things only got worse when the doctor refused to allow him to see Sofia. James yelled at him and stormed past the doctor, barging into Sofia's room.
But the moment he passed through the doorway to her bedroom, he was stopped cold by what he saw.
There was so much blood covering her pink bedsheets and there was a pale, unconscious Sofia lying on top of it all. Her shirt and corset was on the floor, completely cut and torn. The only thing that covered her was a blue surgical sheet. Her hair was matted with more blood and stuck to her forehead as if it was glued there, and there were dark circles under her eyes.
From where he stood, he was able to see her wound underneath all of the excess blood. Her wound was stitched and sewn shut, but it was so raised and swollen that it glowed a painful red color on her pale skin. The dark medical thread that pierced into her porcelain pale skin stood out like a single drop of color in a completely white canvas.
As the memories of the one of the worst nights of his life replayed in his head, James reached out and took Sofia's hand. Her hand wasn't as cold and pale as it was when he held her hand after he barged into her room after her surgery. Her soft peach color and warmth has returned tremendously after her attack.
And James would give up everything just to keep that warmth in her. He just wants to protect her and never let her get this close to death ever again.
"–up, James." Amber's voice called out to him, bringing him back from his haunting memories.
"What?" He found Amber, Hugo, and Edward looking back at him, waiting for his reply. They were all standing by the door, ready to leave.
"I said, go and get cleaned up, James," Amber sighed at him as if he was some dimwitted child. "We're all about to leave because the doctor and nurses are going to arrive soon."
Since their brotherly and sisterly moment together after Sofia's attack, Amber has been somewhat kinder towards him. Their relationship wasn't completely fixed or perfect, but it was improving as the days pass.
Amber wasn't as snippy or terse with him, but it was better than hearing her yell and scoff at him with disdain.
If Sofia was awake right now, he was sure that she would be proud of how far they've both progressed in their relationship.
"You haven't shaved in weeks," she continued. "You're practically growing a wizard's beard, James. Go shave and clean yourself up."
"But –" James tried to protest. He didn't want to leave Sofia's side, not for a minute or a second. He couldn't. He needed to be right by her side.
James looked down at Sofia and stroked his thumb back and forth on her hand, hoping that she could feel his touch wherever she was in her mind. James wanted be the first person she sees when she wakes up.
"James, you smell," Amber said tactlessly as she crossed her arms and raised a brow at him. "Go and take a bath. How long has it been since you bathed anyway?"
"Not that long," he said, offended by her crude comments. "Maybe three days or so."
"Well you smell," she said as she marched towards him and began to herd him towards the door. "If I was in Sofia's shoes and just woke up from a coma, I wouldn't even hug you if you smelled like this?"
"Wha –"
"Seriously, you smell. That stubble on you right now isn't even stubble any more. It's a full on beard now, James. Go shave," she said with a final shove, pushing him out of Sofia's room. Hugo and Edward were the last to leave the room and trailed closely after them. The guards that stood post at Sofia's doors locked it after everyone was out in the hallway.
James knew that she was only saying this to relieve the air of its tension. She was just trying to keep him busy so that he wouldn't go mad like last time.
Amber could have done it in a nicer tone, but he knew that this was her nicer tone towards him. It wasn't all too kind but it was encouraging and nice to hear.
"Fine," he reluctantly huffed. He didn't want to move even an inch away from Sofia's door, but he knew that Amber was right. He did smell and there was a thick beard growing on his face. So he just turned towards his room and left them without another word. He hoped that maybe a cleanly shaven face and a quick bath would lighten his mood.
Every day for the last three weeks or so, James had not left Sofia's room aside for the occasional bath or personal business. And neither has Amber or Hugo or Edward.
They had all of their meals and whatever paperwork they needed to get done in her room. There was even a pile of books left in a corner of her room because James had one of the servants bring him some so he could read while he sat beside Sofia's bed. All of their work and business was handled in her room because no one wanted to leave her side.
All the while, James knew that they were each hoping that Sofia would wake up at any moment and smile at them, telling them that she was okay.
In the beginning, Baileywick wouldn't try to make them leave, but as the weeks drew on and when no one began to show up for their meals, he had tried to force them all to leave to bathe and eat something just to have some subsistence in their stomachs. But he eventually gave up on that too when they all began to camp out in Sofia's room during the nights.
James and Amber were originally the only ones meant to remain by Sofia's side during the night, but Edward refused to leave Amber's side. James didn't know why he was so determined to be beside Amber, but he didn't try to fight it because Amber gave him the deadliest look when he first tried to deny him entry to Sofia's room. She even violently pushed him out of the way just to let Edward in.
Then along came Hugo.
He didn't bother to ask James for permission to stay, he just walked passed him and asked Amber instead. James tried to be the bigger man and not complain when Hugo plopped himself down on the chair a servant brought in from the hallway and refused to leave Sofia's room. Anyways, he was just too preoccupied with Sofia to put up much of a fight with Hugo. And he couldn't really fight Hugo in front of an comatose Sofia.
By tomorrow, it's going to be officially four weeks since her attack, James thought as he walked into his dark room and marched toward his bathroom, quickly turning the water faucets of his bathtub on and letting the hot steam fill the air. And so far, Lucinda and I have found nothing.
The very next day after her attack, Baileywick had managed to convince him to go to his room and try to clean the dried dragon's blood off of himself. And when he was alone in his bathroom, he received a magical letter from Lucinda. It read:
I know what happened. It was The Evil that sent that thing after her. It wants to kill her for her amulet. Whatever you do, DO NOT LEAVE HER SIDE. He's going to try to get into her room and kill her for that amulet. She can't protect herself in her condition. I know from one of my sources that her amulet is acting weird, I'll try to research as to why, but right now, it doesn't seem like it's going to protect her. You need to watch her like a hawk and don't let anyone suspicious near her. Do you understand, Pretty Boy?
In the meantime, I'll do whatever I can to investigate what happened and figure out where that other source is. My magic is still weak right now, but I have enough to manage.
So just stay by her side. I'll work on the rest. I'll try to keep you as updated as I possibly can. – Lucinda.
Every now and then, James would receive a message from her with simple updates as to what she has found out. Just last week, a floating letter had appeared to him while he was reading in Sofia's room. It simply informed him that Lucinda had found out that the dragon that attacked Sofia was a Black Dragon. James had no idea what that meant, but he knew that it couldn't be something good.
His most recent message from her was about two days ago with pretty much useless information. It just told him that she was contacting The Fairies for some help on how to locate the other source.
Other than that, all he knows so far is that Lucinda is still unable to step another foot closer to the castle or else she would fall victim to whatever pain The Evil wants to inflict on her. He knows that she has been trying but The Evil is still too powerful for her in her weak state.
I still don't know where that first source is, James thought as he sank into the hot water, welcoming the burning sensation. He let his head fall backwards and rest against the edge of the porcelain tub. I want to search for it for Sofia's sake, but I can't leave her side. Who knows what might happen if I do.
James had wanted to go and search for it so that when Sofia wakes, she wouldn't have to worry about it anymore, but he couldn't. Not with Lucinda's warning echoing in his head.
We're stuck….His heart felt heavy, like it was a boulder siting in his chest.
He has never felt so trapped before, unable to help Sofia and make things better for her.
The sick feeling in the pit of his stomach returned as James sank deeper and deeper into the hot water until he was completely submerged. He closed his eyes, trying to will away the dark clouds that threatened to close around his heart. All he could hear was the loud, painful thumps of his heart in ears. He welcomed the stinging pain of the hot water, wanting it to enclose around his heart and keep the icy fingers of his dark thoughts from taking hold of his heart.
He hated how angry and helpless he felt. The guilt that beat at the back of his mind only made the anger and pitiful helplessness worse for him.
Soon, James just gave up on the bath, realizing that it wasn't helping him feel any better about his situation in the least bit. He washed up as quickly as he could and climbed out, grabbing a nearby towel and wrapping it around his waist. Standing in front of his mirror, he just gazed back at his reflection and watched as the water dripped off of his hair and fall down to the dark countertops of his bathroom.
The three weeks have been long and hard on him, and it showed on his face. The green color of his eyes looked dull and tired, and the two dark and heavy circles underneath made them look practically lifeless. His cheeks were slightly sunken and hallow.
He hadn't eaten much since Sofia's attack, only a few snacks here and there throughout the day. Tea and water has been the only thing he's drank to fill his stomach. James saw how it worried Baileywick and some of the staff to see the decrease in his appetite, but he couldn't bring himself to eat.
James knew that if Sofia was awake, she wouldn't approve of his lack of self-care, but what can he do? His worry and fear for her made his appetite just disappear.
And the same could be said for Amber and the others. James knew that they didn't want to eat either. Hell, he has only seen them nibble on some small sandwiches and sip at some tea this entire week. They didn't even drink the tea that Baileywick had set out for them this morning.
Why did he even bring the tea to us if he knew we weren't even going to drink it? James thought as he began to lather and shave away the days old beard. That was just pointless.
To his credit, James saw that Baileywick had been trying to keep them all together in this situation. He was the only one that really pushed them to eat at least something three times a day. Even if it might just be one small biscuit or snack, so long as they were eating every day, James could tell that he was moderately happy with them and didn't try to nag at them too much.
It was Baileywick that really kept the castle under control after news broke of Sofia's attack. He kept things running as smoothly as they could when James was preoccupied with Sofia. Baileywick took care of all daily tasks and pushed back all of the delegations until James found himself able to handle it. He wouldn't try to bother James too much with all of his paperwork. James was about three days behind with it but Baileywick hasn't tried to badger at him for pushing it off like he normally would.
And James was grateful for it, for everything that Baileywick has done.
Baileywick… that idiot…. James halfheartedly chuckled to himself as shaved the last of his beard and washed off the last of the shaving cream, letting the warm water soak into him.
In the morning light that glimmered through his bathroom's window, his eyes drifted down to where her kiss mark had once been. Her mark on him had completely faded away now.
Right over the heart…. James reached up and gently touched where she had marked him. A sharp and painful pang of guilt beat at his heart the instant his fingers touched her faded kiss mark. He could still feel the lingering, ghostly touch of her lips on his skin.
Oh what he would give just to see her awake. To see her open her eyes and look at him with her big, perfect blue eyes. To see her full red lips break into a smile just for him and hear her heavenly laugh again.
Sofia…. He could literally feel his heart break just at the thought of her name. James clutched at it, as if he was able to hold it together and keep it in one piece.
James didn't want to wallow in this sick, guilty and angry feeling because he knew that he had to keep it together for Sofia. He didn't want his heart to break and fall apart because Sofia owned his heart….
She owned his heart….
She owned his heart….
She owned his heart….
The first night of her attack was the worst night of them all. There was blood everywhere and sobs and cries echoed from everywhere in the castle. A sense of dread and fear hung thick in the air like some ominous fog.
After the doctor had left, James managed to put up a strong facade for everyone, but the moment he was alone with Sofia in her room, he broke down. He didn't know where Amber and the others went, nor did he care because all that mattered in that moment was Sofia.
He could still remember what he said to her incoherently through his sobs and tears.
"Normally, when a prince defeat the dragon, he usually gets a kiss from his princess, you know?" he laughed pitifully through his tears as he gazed down at her. Some of his tears fell down onto the pale hand he was holding. "So, how can I get that kiss if you're asleep, Sofia? You need to wake up so I can get that kiss."
But the longer he didn't get a reply from her, the more frantic his voice became. He couldn't tear his eyes away from Sofia's bloodied unconscious face. She looked so pale and tiny and weak. All he wanted to do was hold her and cry heart-wrenching sobs of guilt and fear.
"You better wake up. Do you hear me? You need to open your eyes and wake up. I-I-I can't lose you... I need you... Yo-You can't leave me like this, okay? I am going to go crazy without you."
James remembered how he fell to his knees and crouched low beside her bed, holding her hands as he cried on and on, spewing promises left and right.
"I promise that if you wake up right now, I will stop fooling around and help you defeat the man that did this to you. I'll be focused and serious and everything you want me to be. We'll find the sources and save the kingdoms and get everything back to the way they used to be. And after we beat the bad guy, Sofia, I promise that I'll propose to you. We'll get married and we'll live happily ever after, just like you deserve. But I can't do that if you don't wake up. You need to come back to me..."
He didn't know how long he stayed like that, crying into her bed and griping her hands like they were the only thing keeping him from falling over the edge. James cried until he was drained of his tears and he burned out his throat from sobbing.
Sofia… he thought one last time as he dried up and changed as quickly as he could, throwing on the first clean pair of trousers and shirt he saw the moment he walked into his closet. James didn't bother with even tying on a cravat or putting on a vest. He just wanted to get back to Sofia as soon as possible.
When he walked out of his room, he found Amber and the others already there, waiting patiently outside her door. "Is Dr. Wayne and the nurses already in there?" James asked as he made his way to them.
"James!" Amber seemed to have changed into a loose, dark green and gold dress. "Yeah, they arrived about five minutes ago. But listen. Before they went in, Dr. Wayne told me that this checkup won't last long this time."
"Really?" he said, surprised.
"Yeah," she nodded. He could see the corners of her mouth curl into a hopeful smile. "Apparently, Sofia's condition has been normal and consistent this week. Her vitals and charts has been showing that she's in perfect health. All of her blood levels are back to normal and her fractures are about a week away from finishing healing. Even her big wound on her stomach has been showing signs of healing."
"Th-that's amazing," he said, hope springing in his chest.
That's better than her first week.
During the first week into her coma, Sofia was wrapped in so many bandages and casts, and nearly every inch of her body was covered in cuts and bruises. She looked like she was in so much pain even though her breathing and heartbeat was normal.
The worst of it all was the terrifying seizure she had six or seven days into her coma.
It was late in the afternoon when James heard her took a sharp, gasping breath before her body began to convulse and shake like she was being shocked. Her arms and legs were stiff like a board but jerk like it was a pasta noodle. Her body had shook so bad that her stitches were ripped open and tore her wound even further.
Lucky for them, the doctor and nurses were there to respond to the emergency. James and the others were removed from the room by the guards. He couldn't see much but he was sure that he saw tears at the corners of Sofia's closed eyes as he was pushed out of the doors.
For the next few hours, James and the others returned to sitting against the wall across her door, waiting for any kinds of new about what just happened to Sofia. It was like the night of her attack. No one spoke to each other. The only sound that echoed down the hall was the sound of Amber crying into Edward's shoulder.
It wasn't until well late that night did the doctor finally emerge from her door to tell them that her condition was back to normal. Dr. Wayne explained that he couldn't find out the reason as to why she had that kind of reaction. He knew that it couldn't have been the magical antiseptic or whatever she was fed today, which was just pureed fruits and some cups of tea.
Since he couldn't find an explanation, the doctor decided to check her up three times a day instead of just once a day and to keep a nurse on standby at all times just in case another emergency might arise again.
Sofia hasn't had another emergency like that, but James grew too paranoid for her. Every breath she took, he was afraid it might turn into a gasp and that gasp turn into another shaking episode.
The sound of her struggling for breath still haunts him just like how her eyes looked to him right before she crashed into the snow.
"I know," Amber said. "He didn't tell us just how long this checkup might last, but –"
Amber stopped at the sound of Sofia's doors opening.
"Your Majesty, Your Highness," said a nurse, "Princess Sofia's checkup is just about finished. The doctor would like it if you two would come in."
"Just them?" Hugo said, stepping forward.
"Yes. I am sorry, Prince Hugo, but the doctor thinks it is best if only His Majesty and Princess Amber be allowed in right now."
"Is everything okay?" Amber asked frantically.
James didn't like the nurse's tone. What could be happening in there that made the doctor ask for only him and Amber?
"Please, just come in," the nurse said.
Sofia! James and Amber didn't need to be told again as they just ran into Sofia's room.
"Your Majesty, Princess Amber," the doctor said. He was standing beside Sofia's bed with a clipboard in his hands.
James tried to read his expression but he couldn't decipher if he was upset or worried in any way. But the furrow of his brow did give James a hint at what kind of news he might receive.
"Is everything okay? Is Sofia okay?" Amber asked, rushing to the doctor and looking down at Sofia.
"Princess Sofia is fine," Dr. Wayne said.
"Then why did you ask to just see only the two of us?" James said as he hurried to the other side of Sofia's bed. He looked down at her to see if he could find any clues as to what might be wrong.
Is she in pain? Did she have another episode?
"There is nothing wrong with Princess Sofia," he explained, adjusting his reading glasses as he looked over the clipboard that held all of Sofia's health information. "The reason why I called only you two in is because something of a miracle happened."
"What do you mean?" Amber asked.
Dr. Wayne looked at them with a confused and perplexed expression. James didn't know what to make of his frown and furrowed brows. "Princess Sofia is healed."
It sounded like something good but his tone made it sound like something bad.
"That's a good thing," Amber said, confused by his tone.
"No, of course it is," the doctor said. "It is just that, she is completely healed. All of her cuts and bruises, even the large wound on her stomach is healed. Something like that shouldn't happen this quickly. Normally, with the medicine dosage administered to her daily, it should take about a few more weeks before her wounds should fully heal. Not three weeks after her attack. What's even more unusual is that even her fractures are also completely healed."
"How is this possible?" Amber asked.
How is that – her amulet! The thought immediately popped into his head. That could only be the explanation!
But why now? James wanted answers that he knew the doctor couldn't give him. After three long weeks, why is it working now?
"That we don't know," Dr. Wayne said. "Like I explained before, the magical medicine should only slightly accelerate her body's natural healing abilities so that she wouldn't contract any infections and heal faster than normal. Something like this shouldn't happen. It shouldn't even be possible. My nurses and I have been trying to understand how this is can happen. I have already sent one back to my lab to look into the magical medicine we prescribed her. That is our only lead to an explanation we have."
"But aside from this weird miracle, she's perfectly healed now?" Amber said.
The doctor nodded to her and smiled, "yes. We've even taken off her bandages and casts."
It's healing her but it hasn't woken her….
"But she still hasn't woken," James said, bringing them all back to reality.
"…No, Your Majesty, she hasn't." James saw that he was trying give him a supportive smile, but it only made him look like he was grimacing. "But her perfectly healed wounds are signs of improvement. It's unusual but still a good sign. All we can do is continue on waiting, Your Majesty."
The doctor then continued on to review with them the same information they normally hear whenever he finished his checkup of Sofia. The simple and regular details of Sofia's health and how normal they all appeared to be.
Soon after that, he was already beginning to pack up. His checkup was cut shorter than James had ever expected this short checkup to be.
"I'll update you two on how she healed this fast as soon as I possibly can," he said as he finished packing up his stethoscope. "Other than that, I'll return later after lunch to check up on her again."
"Thank you," Amber said and saw him to the door.
Almost immediately after she opened the door, Hugo and Edwards barged in.
"What happened?" Hugo said, running to Sofia's side and nearly running Dr. Wayne to the ground. The doctor managed to weave around Hugo and avoid being trampled down to the floor.
"I'll let you two explain it to them," Dr. Wayne said as he bowed and left. His two nurses followed shortly behind with their bags.
"Explain what?" Edward asked as he made his way to Amber with a worried expression.
"All of Sofia's wounds and injuries are healed," Amber said, smiling at Edward.
"What?" they both gasped.
"How is that possible?" Hugo sounded like he said it more to himself than to them.
"We don't know," Amber replied anyway.
"Does the doctor –" Edward tried to ask but stopped when Amber shook her head at him.
"He and the nurses doesn't know either. They think it might have something to do with her medicine, but they're not completely sure. Dr. Wayne already has one of his nurses researching the medicine to find an answer."
"Then if she's completely healed, shouldn't she be waking up pretty soon?" Hugo asked them. He walked over to the foot of Sofia's bed and looking worryingly at her. "I mean, isn't that what we all said would happen?"
That's true. That's what we all said….
It was actually Edward who said those words the first morning after her attack. He was trying to console and soothe Amber as she sat crying beside Sofia. Edward had whispered it to her but in the deafening silence of Sofia's room that morning, everyone else heard it too.
And he knew that they all couldn't help but cling into it like they were drowning and those words were their only life raft.
James needed those words as much as he needed air. It gave him a sense of hope. Hope that when her injuries healed, she would wake up and smile at him. She would open her eyes and say his name. Then he would get to hold and never let her go ever again.
But for now, all he can do is continue on clinging onto those words.
"Dr. Wayne said that all we can do is just go back to waiting until she wakes up on her own," James said. He walked over to his pile of books in the corner of her room and picked up the first one that reached his hands. He didn't really care what book he had, so long as it kept his mind busy and not drown in whatever dark thoughts that wanted to consume him, he would read anything he could get his hands on.
James knew that all of his paperwork that needed to be done would come later in the day, but he was in no hurry to go do them. If he finished all of his books and he was down to his last resort, he would go do it just to keep busy.
"We just wait again?" Hugo asked.
"Yup," James said as he resumed his regular spot on the floor beside Sofia's bed and opened to the first page of the book.
And so they did.
The others returned to their regular spots they've all taken up as their own since her attack and did what they all could to waste time while they waited for Sofia to wake. Amber took Sofia's velvet chairs again while Edward sat on the floor beside her legs with playing cards in his hands. Hugo was the only one that moved around, restless and unable to stay in one spot for too long. Every few hours or so, he would move from the chair that was brought in for him to Sofia's window seat. Then he would go to the floor and play cards with Edward for a while.
The day drew on and they all remained her room.
Dr. Wayne returned after lunch and dinner with no new reports about what he had found while examining the medicine, but James knew he wouldn't. It was her amulet that healed her, he was sure of it.
Sofia's condition hadn't changed much either since his last visit. She was just given a sponge bath and a new clean nightgown.
James hadn't received any new messages from Lucinda either. He wasn't worried though because his last message from her was about two days ago that simply told him that she was contacting The Fairies for some help. She didn't really had a consecutive pattern on messaging him, but he didn't really care. She did her own thing while he did his.
Soon it became dark, the late winter stars and moon came out and the servants began to light the candles around in Sofia's room.
"She didn't wake," Hugo said, breaking the endless silence that endured all day.
"We just have to wait," James replied. His voice sounded stronger than he felt, but he needed to hear it again for himself. It wasn't for Hugo, it was for himself.
It got quiet again with the exception of some crickets and nighttime sounds from the nocturnal animals. The owls hooted and there were some scurrying feet outside her window.
James continued on to read until it was well into the night and he began to feel his eyes grow heavy. He had read about halfway through his book but no words reached his mind. He was reading but not taking in the words and his eyelids were like lead from looking at the words that mushed together as his vision hazed from his drowsiness. James gave up and let the book fall to the side and leaned his head back and close his eyes as he settled down into his spot, ready for another uncomfortable night of sleeping sitting up beside Sofia's bed.
In the long three weeks, James hadn't had a single good long sleep. All of his nights had just been filled with empty, dreamless nights. In reality, they have been more like long naps than anything else.
He didn't know how long he's been asleep until he felt a hand pat at his cheeks to wake him. When he refused to wake, the hand began to pat harder at him.
Damn, it must be morning already. James opened his eyes and squinted, it took his vision a second to clear.
And when it did, what he saw made his heart skip a hundred beats. Adrenaline surged through his veins, carrying her name through every fiber of his being.
His voice caught in his throat and his lungs felt like they weren't working any more. He couldn't force a single word or sound out of his mouth and it was hard for him to even breathe. His eyes were probably the size of two moons right now and he could feel his mouth hanging open like a Venus flytrap. His hands shook as he gazed at the wondrous creature before him.
Thi-this has to be a dream.
She was crouched right beside him in her nightgown, smiling like the gorgeous thing that she is. Her eyes were bright despite the dim light of the room, shining with an amused gleam. Her hair was down and fell off her shoulders like lush waterfalls of brown silk.
And she's never looked more beautiful than she does right now.
All he wanted to do at that moment was take her into his arms and kiss the living daylights out of her. To let her feel every ounce of his happiness at this moment and tell her how much he has miss her. To never let her go from his arms ever again and to make sure that she knows just how much he loves her.
His hands moved on their own, ready to take her into his arms, but when he was just a centimeter away from reaching her, he stopped. James was hesitant, unsure if he should touch her or not.
What if this is some dream? What if the moment I touched her, she disappears and I wake up? I don't want to wake up and find her still in a coma.
As if reading his mind, he heard a small laugh from her as she smiled at him and took his right hand. Sparks and electricity shot through his arms the moment she touched him. James didn't even try to fight the shudder that ran through his body. He didn't care that he was weak against her touch, the shudder and electricity was just proof of her effect on him. Proof that he was hers.
She's real. She's awake.
She slowly brought his hand up and placed it against her cheek. He could feel her familiar warmth seep into his palm. She smiled so lovingly at him that his heart couldn't help but explode with every emotion he was feeling at the moment.
James wanted to cry every tear he has been holding back for the last three weeks now, every tear that was making his eyes burn. He wanted to cheer and laugh loudly, to scream her name with pure joy at the tallest tower of this castle.
But all that came out of his mouth was a small weak and happy laugh.
She just laughed in return as she turned her head and kissed his palm. Then she smiled back at him and said, "hi there."
And after three long weeks of not hearing her voice, of not feeling her lips on him, of not seeing the amazing blue color of her eyes, James had no control of what happened next.
Her words sent another rush of adrenaline through him. The sound of her voice made his body move on its own. The look of her eyes sent his heart into overdrive. And her kiss made him lunge forward just to capture her lips.
He kissed her urgently, hungrily, and with no intention of stopping. He kissed her like the world was ending and his life depended on it.
Sofia... was all that ran through his mind as he held onto her and kissed her under the moonlight that was shining through her window.
Chapter twenty-six! Woo!
Sorry you guys, but you did not beat my challenge. I said I wanted BOTH: what you think will happen and what you want to happen. A lot of you guys only put one or the other or just didn't specify which was which. But don't worry, I'll bring this extra back up in a later challenge for you guys.
There's not much for me to say here except that I hope you all like it. My spring break is over and I'm back in school. New schedule and new classes. UGH.
No challenge this week.
Read, review, etc.
Thanks :)
