“What is it?” demanded the king.
“You need to see a specialist, Your Majesty. There’s only so much I can do here without any equipment. We need to run a few tests on you.”
He huffed, “How long is that going to take?”
“A couple of days. Maybe less, considering your status.”
“What kind of tests?”
I licked my lips, shifting from foot to foot uncomfortably. “I would like to recommend an endoscopy, Your Majesty.”
Nathanial growled, “An endoscopy? Seriously? The king isn’t–”
“I’m concerned,” I said quickly. “Your little episode today will only get worse if we don’t act now. I can meet you at the hospital to supervise. It’s ultimately up to you, Your Majesty. But I strongly recommend that you don’t put this visit off any longer.”
The king regarded me with bitterness in his eyes. He remained silent for a moment, probably mulling things over. Eventually, he opened his blood-stained lips and said, “Very well.”
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
Giselle
They had me take a seat in the waiting room. I’d been to this hospital a couple of times before visiting with and reading to sick children. I was such a frequent guest that the hospital even named the maternity ward on the second floor after me. I twiddled my thumbs anxiously as I waited for any news, breathing in and out through my nose to try to calm my nervous heart. Hospital air was weird to smell because it literally didn’t smell like anything. Things were exceptionally clean, and the air was filtered through an impressive ventilation system that siphoned out dust and germs. The air was unusually still, a little heavy against my skin. But it was a nice distraction.
I didn’t want to think about the endoscopy. Leo had tried to explain it to me as simply as possible. Father had to swallow a tiny pill that had a camera in it that the doctors could control. Father would be asleep the entire examination, so at least he wouldn’t be uncomfortable or know that he was alone. I really wanted to be in the room with him, but Leo assured me that it was best for me to wait outside. I clenched and unclenched my hands, fiddling with the fabric of my sleeves. It was far too quiet on this floor of the hospital for my liking.
Nathanial had apparently called ahead and had the floor cleared so that Father would be given his privacy. I also knew it was a tactical move to keep the state of my Father’s health a secret. The last thing we wanted was for people to worry. A feeble king equated to a feeble monarchy in terms of political theater. And it didn’t help that I was nowhere near ready to take over. Illness for us royals wasn’t just an illness. We had the hopes and dreams of our people riding on our shoulders. If something were to happen to Father or myself, it would be devastating.
I didn’t like to think about death. Not since my mother passed away. I was only seven when she was taken from me. It had been an accident, or so I was told. In my head, it was murder. My mother was so popular and loved that everybody wanted a piece of her. The paparazzi never gave her a moment of solace. They stalked her every move, even going so far as to get into their cars and chase her and her drivers. They should have known better than to speed down the narrow Idolian streets. Father woke me up in the middle of the night to deliver the news that Mother’s car had crashed, right into the two paparazzi cars that had been tailing her.
I remembered how the people mourned. They placed beautiful flowers outside the palace gates, lit candles in memory of Queen Teresa. They stood outside the gates and cried, all while I was stuck inside hating every moment. I wanted to know why they were so upset. They weren’t the ones who lost a mother. If anything, it was their incessant need to know more about the Royal family that drove Mother—quite literally—to her death. I wanted to be angry and bitter. I wanted to hate everybody sobbing on my behalf. But Father warned me never to give in to those types of emotions. He explained the people were crying because that was how much Mother was beloved. Father said that one day, if I was as good of a ruler, they’d mourn for me too.
I looked up when I heard footsteps approaching. I breathed a little easier when I realized it was Leo. He wore a soft smile, one so full of affection it left my cheeks burning with giddy embarrassment. He looked as handsome as he had a year ago. Except now, he had a couple of visible scars on his face. There was a fading scar across his left temple, and another hidden along the curve of his jaw. I spent the evening after Father’s collapse looking up all the incredible feats Leo had battled while we’d been parted. He had received a promotion, and he’d saved numerous lives. I sighed warmly as I looked him over. I always knew he was a good man. And now he had a medal to prove it. The guards attempted to block his entrance, but I spoke up.
“Please, allow Dr. Pratchett to enter.” Leo gave a curt nod to the guards as they parted ways and allowed him to pass through.
“Leo,” I muttered, my voices lost on my tongue.
“How are you holding up?” he asked me, keeping his tone soft. He appeared to have his guard up, which I certainly understood.
“I’m okay,” I mumbled. “How’d the endoscopy go?”
“They’re finishing up. A nurse should be out to speak with you shortly.”
I stood from the chair and took a step forward, eagerly wringing my fingers together. “It’s good to see you again,” I whispered.
Leo’s eyes scanned over me, locking onto the shape of my lips. “Likewise.” His voice was deep, low, sparking a memory deep within the recesses of my mind that made me melt.
“What are you doing here?”
“I wanted to check up on my most headstrong patient.”
I giggled. “Do you mean me or Father?”
“Yes.”
We burst out into a tiny fit of laughter. It was good to hear him laugh. The sound brought me back to the Obsidian Vow all those months ago.
“How’s your ankle?” he asked.
I lifted my leg to show it off. “Right as rain. I had a magnificent doctor who helped me out.”
He beamed. “Did you now?”
I nodded. “The very best.”
Leo took a step forward, closing the distance between us. I caught a whiff of his rich scent and shivered. The air suddenly felt hotter, and my arms and legs felt like deadweights while my stomach felt like it was lifting up against gravity. God, why did he have to look the way he did? His smile did something to me, made my insides feel dangerously hot and overwhelming.
“I’m glad you’re doing well,” he said. “I was worried.”
“You were?”
Leo nodded. “I must admit I’ve spent a lot of time thinking about you.”
I was overjoyed to hear this. A sudden lightness filled my chest as a smile broke out onto my face. “You have?”
Leo reached out and tucked a strand of my hair behind my hair. His fingertips brushed gently across my cheek, so soft and comforting I momentarily forgot all of my worries.
“I’m still in love with you, Giselle. I can’t stop thinking about you. I miss you.” He swallowed, his Adam’s apple bobbing at the center of his throat. “Do you miss me?”
I didn’t even think to stop myself from leaning in. The second his lips met mine, everything fell into place.
It was the first time I felt complete since we had parted. I lost myself in his taste, in the roughness of his hand upon my cheek. He circled one arm around my waist and pulled me in close. With the flat of my palm on his chest, I could feel his rapid heart beating between us. The tip of his tongue encouraged my mouth to open. I didn’t bother fighting against it, parting my lips obediently so our tongues could slide over one another. I moaned into his mouth, dizzy with euphoria. I combed my fingers through his hair and held on tight. I was scared that if I let go, I’d lose him all over again. I couldn’t bear the thought.
But just as abruptly as he kissed me, he had to pull away when we heard footsteps approaching from down the hall. I came away with swollen lips and a growing heat between my legs. Leo looked similarly affected, quickly adjusting t
he collar of his shirt and brushing his hair into place. We both looked up in time to see a nurse, hefty clipboard tucked in the crook of her arm.
“Princess Giselle?” she asked.
“Yes?” I answered.
“I have news about your father.”
“I-is everything okay?”
The nurses nodded. “The procedure went flawlessly. He’s about to wake up. Would you like to be in the room with him?”
I nodded immediately. “Yes, of course.” I turned to look at Leo. “Will you… Will you come with me?”
“Is that what you want, Princess?”
I smiled sheepishly. “Yes. Very much so.”
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
Leo
Did I really just kiss Giselle? I mean, I really wanted to. I wanted to kiss her the second I saw her in the throne room. But I knew this was dangerous. We’d been down this road before. I couldn’t think straight when she was near me. The sound of her voice, the shape of her body, the brilliance of her smile always somehow managed to render me useless. We were alone, and I knew I had to take my chance, had to kiss her one more time. I was fairly certain this was how drug addicts felt. Now that I had a taste, I wanted more. But there was no guarantee that I’d see Giselle again. As I entered the private hospital room with her, I couldn’t help but wonder if I had just made a terrible mistake. And to make matters worse, I admitted that I was still in love with her, but she hadn’t given me an answer.
The hospital room was incredibly spacious, as was expected for a VIP patient. King Maximillian was lying in a light blue hospital gown upon a wide bed, hooked up to various monitoring machines that displayed his heart rate, blood pressure, and so on. His eyes were open, but a little clouded over. I figured he was still waking up from his induced sleep. It would only be a matter of minutes before he came to, conscious enough to recognize that I was here, Giselle standing a little too close beside me.
A doctor stood at his bedside. Doctor James Rhodes was actually an old classmate of mine. Together, we survived our medical residency together. He was a lot older than I remembered, and he now sported a full beard. He grinned when he spotted me.
“You’re a sight for sore eyes.” He chuckled.
“As are you.”
Giselle held onto her father’s hand and looked at James, a desperation in her amber eyes. “How is he?”
James flipped through his medical chart. “Well, Princess Giselle, I’ve got good news and bad news. Which would you like first?”
“The bad news,” she said firmly. “Let’s get it out of the way.” There was a slight tremble in her words that made me want to put my arm around her comfortingly, but I thought against it. There were guards all about the room, and I didn’t want any trouble. Even if I was, at least I was in a hospital where I could be patched up.
James continued, “During the examination, we noticed some small carcinoid tumors in his stomach.”
Giselle’s eyes widened in horror. “Cancer?”
James nodded grimly. “It looks like they’ve been growing for some time.”
I nodded, silently agreeing. If only the king had listened to my advice before, perhaps they could have spotted the tumors earlier.
“What’s the good news, then?” insisted Giselle.
“The good news is that we managed to remove the tumors, and we’re pretty sure we got them all. We will have to run a few more tests, but in the meantime I’d like for King Maximillian to follow up with an oncologist.”
Giselle breathed a sigh of relief. “Oh, thank goodness. Thank you so much.”
“Now, I do have to warn you that it’s always possible for tumors to return. It’s imperative that you make sure the king monitors his health. If they do end up coming back, his oncologist may need to consider more aggressive forms of treatment.”
“Like what?”
“Well, there’s always radiation, hormone therapy, immunotherapy. Maybe even a combination of treatments to ensure we’ve halted the progress of the disease.”
Giselle worried her bottom lip. “That sounds awful.”
“I assure you that we’re quite optimistic. Modern medicine has made great strides in the last couple of decades. Your father will be in good hands, so long as he accepts our help.”
Giselle nodded. “Okay, thank you very much. I’ll be sure to speak with him.”
James nodded. “Should you have any questions, please feel free to let me know. You can even ask Doctor Pratchett, if you need to.”
Giselle smiled at me. “I just might.”
After James left, Giselle sat in the vacant chair next to King Maximillian’s hospital bed. The man was blinking his eyes rapidly, doing his best to wake up from his sedation. He eventually came to, lulling his head to the side to look up at me.
“Thank you,” he slurred, his tongue a bit heavy.
I shook my head. “There’s no need to thank me, Your Majesty. Doctor Rhodes did all of the hard work. I’m just glad you’re going to be okay.”
“No,” he mumbled, waving his hand–or at least, attempted to–dismissively. “If it weren’t for you, I would have continued to overlook my problems. You might very well have saved my life, young man.”
The look of gratitude on Giselle’s face nearly melted my heart. I was happy the king was going to be okay, but I was even happier with the fact that it made Giselle happy. I cleared my throat and bowed my head respectfully. “I should get going. Rest well, Your Majesty.”
Disappointment flashed across Giselle’s eyes. She didn’t look like she wanted me to leave. And frankly, I didn’t want to leave either. There was no telling when we’d meet again. I couldn’t bear the thought of having found Giselle only to let her slip through my fingers once more. But now wasn’t the time nor the place. Especially considering her father was right here, lying in a hospital bed in need of rest and care. I could provide neither, therefore I had no place.
Just as I was about to turn and leave, King Maximilian coughed, “Wait.”
I halted immediately, worried that he was experiencing some discomfort. “Yes, Your Majesty?”
With a groan, the king said, “Give your number to Nathanial. Just in case I should require some on-call medical expertise.”
I nodded, containing my excitement as best I could. If I gave Nathanial my phone number, it would mean that Giselle could contact me at any time. This wasn’t going to be like our shared moments together on the Obsidian Vow. This time around, we’d be able to stay in touch. I was fairly certain Giselle was excited too, judging by the blinding glimmer in her eyes.
“Of course, Your Majesty,” I said, keeping my voice as level as possible. “If that’s all, I’ll be going.”
“Take care,” Giselle called after me, the sweetest smile upon her lips.
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
Giselle
I drafted and then re-drafted the text I wanted to send Leo. I had to practically beg Nathanial to give me his number. Time and time again, he insisted that it was for emergencies only. I had to play it cool. I was half-tempted to tell Father’s personal secretary that there was indeed an emergency. I could have lied and said that Father was having some sort of coughing attack and needed emergency care straightaway, but that would only have raised Nathanial’s concerns, and he’d no doubt check on the king. It took me nearly a week before Nathanial finally caved, unable to deal with my consistent whining any longer. I knew it wasn’t exactly becoming of a young woman, but it had to be done.
I missed Leo terribly, and even if we could only communicate via text for the foreseeable future, having that connection with him mattered. We’d been chatting off and on for a couple of weeks now, but my heart longed for what I was not allowed. A genuine relationship with Leo.
[Giselle] Greetings, Leo! I hope you’re well.
I deleted the message. It felt too distant. There wasn’t exactly a precedent for any of this. I didn’t know if I would see him again or if we’d simply remain friends. Our conversations were
always casual, and part of me had wondered if we’d grow too far apart since we’d parted ways on the Obsidian Vow. I wasn’t even sure if communicating with Leo was appropriate, completely against my father’s wishes I was sure. But there was a connection there I couldn’t break.
I tried again.
[Giselle] How are you today?
I hit send. It was good enough. Considering how much pressure I was under, and how stressful it had been looking out for Father, chatting with Leo gave me a semblance of simplicity. He eased my troubled mind, although I rarely shared the stresses I carried under the crown. Just having a shoulder to lean on meant something, and right now I just really wanted to talk to Leo, so any message at that point would do.
It had been weeks since Father had been released from the hospital, and he was under the care of a highly-recommended oncologist who had devised an aggressive treatment plan to cure his cancer. Meanwhile, I had been stowed away in his office, managing his day to day tasks so he could rest and recover.
It was true that Father didn’t like to take his medicine. He was a stubborn old man that way. But I loved him, nevertheless, which was exactly why I visited his chambers every day to deliver his doses in person. He could refuse the servants. He could tell Nathanial to go away. But there was no way he could deny his own daughter who only had his best interests at heart. I was going to take full advantage of that fact and make sure he swallowed his medicine, as bitter and terrible as he claimed it was.
His recovery was slow going. When the doctor called to inform me that follow-up tests indicated cancer cells had been located in his lungs, I was beyond distraught. But they explained in great detail the course of action, though Leo had been the one to ebb my worries and concerns in shorts discussions to help me better understand the side effects of his treatment to the outlook of his prognosis. From the sounds of things, Father would make it out okay. But in the meantime, he was incredibly tired and slept for most of the day.
As a result, I found many of his normal responsibilities shifting onto my shoulders. Important meetings had to be rescheduled, as I could only consult on matters of the state and not necessarily make firm decisions in Father’s place. I had to take care of some of the paperwork, reviewing proposed budgets sent to the palace by Prime Minister Bolton and his majority parliament. I found that I rather liked working with the economic aspects of politics. As it turned out, I had a knack for keeping track of expenditures and finding room in the royal treasury to expand on public social projects like new hospitals, schools, public parks, libraries and so on.
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