Eva's Journal

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

When I finally managed to get back on my feet, Atlas came running to me with a woman behind him. She looked familiar but my mind was more on Anna.

"Help... Anna..." I struggled to stand. Atlas picked me up and opened the bedroom door to get to Anna. She was sat on the floor, kneeling next to the bed, holding the limp hand of her mother. Atlas put me down and I fell next to her.

I placed my hand on her shoulder and hugged her from behind. Her crying increased as she felt me there. I felt her hand on my arm as she didn't let go of her mother. We sat and cried there together, for what felt like hours. I seemed to feel all her grief soaking into my chest.

Atlas and who I now realized was my mother grabbed the both of us dragging us away from the floor and to a seat by the window when others entered the room. I turned Anna to face the wall as they took her mother from the room. I didn't want her to see any of it. Atlas helped me comfort her. He placed his hand on my shoulder and when I looked up at him, I could see the tears pricking the corner of his eyes. He couldn't even smile.

I watched as the Queen left the room. She looked so regal as they carried her out. Once she was out of sight, I tried to pick Anna up. She was stuck to the spot, looking at the wall. Agatha looked at me, smiling sympathetically. She was going to stay with Anna. I stood up and walked out of the room with Atlas following me.

"Eva?" he called out softly to me, causing me to wrap my arms around myself.

"I need to be alone." I choked out. I had just lost my queen and my best friend had lost her mother. It was no surprise that my legs dragged me to the underground basement. I found the nearest punching bag and started. Each time another memory of her sourced I found myself punching it harder. I knew the tears were falling and my vision blurred. Noises around me didn't create a reaction in my body. I carried on. I couldn't stop.

I felt the sparks as his arms wrapped themselves around my body, holding my arms to my body.

"I failed her. I failed her." I kept repeating over and over again as Atlas dragged me to the floor. He held me tight and didn't let me move, even as I tried to get away from him.

We fell asleep on that floor, holding each other. My face was stained with tears of grief. I seemed to feel all of Anna's emotions coursing through my chest.

The next morning, I stretched out, aching from the uncomfortable position my exhausted body had fallen asleep in. Atlas was beside me, sleeping soundly. No one else was around and I knew they had been instructed not to be around. The grief was heavy on my heart. It weighed me down and I couldn't bear to stand up.

"Atlas, are you awake?" I poked him, seeing if he would stir. He groaned and stretched out getting up off the floor.

"Eva, are you okay?" He looked so concerned and worried as his eyes scanned me.

"No, I'm not. I need you to take me to Anna." He obliged immediately, helping me off the floor and up the stairs to her room.

"She's in here." He knocked on the door, kissed my forehead and then wandered back down the staircase. It was early the next morning. The morning light shone through the window and the castle was quiet.

I opened the door and saw Anna sat on the balcony. She had dragged a chair from her room to the balcony and was sat looking at the river, holding something tight in her hands.

"Anna, it's me, Eva. I just thought I would come and ask if there is anything I can do." She turned to me and my heart broke into a million pieces. In front of me was no longer the woman I knew. Her face was pale, her eyes were bloodshot and her hair was in knots where she had most likely screamed into it.

I didn't know what to say to comfort her. I just went and wrapped my arms around her. She held onto me tightly, no more tears were falling. I helped her up and into her bed. I went to the bathroom and filled up a glass of water bringing it to her which she graciously accepted, dropping what she was holding. It was the family broach. The mountain range covered by Aurora Borealis with a faint outline of a castle. It was beautiful. I picked it up placing it on the side and turned to tuck Anna in.

"I have to plan the funeral. It's tomorrow, Eva. I can't do it." She croaked out; her was voice rough. I nodded and grabbed the glass from her.

"I will have it sorted. Rest now and when it's time I will come and get you. There's nothing I won't do for you, Anna." I left her room, hoping and praying she would sleep.

Atlas was stood outside in the corridor, staring out the window I often found myself staring out of, on simpler days.

"I need to sort out the Queen's funeral. Anna is not well enough yet." He nodded taking my hand and we walked to the meeting room where everything was already getting planned.

I couldn't believe the Queen was dead.