If There Was Love For Me

10 - Something Changes

It looked warm outside, but the air was cold. Still neither Francesca nor Maria wanted to call somebody to light a fire.

"Shouldn't somebody have informed us about Gwen a while ago?" asked Francesca and stopped knitting.

"We have been waiting quiet a while," agreed Maria. Then, for there was nothing they could do, they continued with their occupations.

"It must soon be time for lunch," said Maria as the sun stood higher.

"I hope they serve duck again."

Time had stopped moving a long while ago as sounds from the door startled the girls in their purgatory.

"It must be lunch," said Maria, but she threw away her book to run to the door.

"Probably," agreed Francesca and hurried after her to open the door, but the door had already been opened. Lillian, completely out of breath, hurried into the room.

"The doctor... says... you..." she was breathing to hard to finish her sentence. 

"What is it, Lillian?" asked Maria.

"Has something happened to Gwen?"

"You must tell us, please!"

"Is she sicker? Has she died?"

"She is better. The doctor says you can see her," Lillian finally explained. "He says you may-"

Neither Francesca nor Maria were still listening to Lillian. They were running, with their hair not done and their coats, gloves and scarves left forgotten in their sitting room they were hurrying through the halls of the palace, startling maids and servants alike and not caring about the shocked expressions that followed them. Maria barely had the sense to smile at the guards opening the doors to the princesses chambers.

Nothing had changed i the sitting room. The dressing room was bright and clean as ever. Only as they entered the princesses bedroom the change was felt. The air was thick and hot, with a strong smell of sweat and medicine. A tray of half eaten food stood on the bedside table, and even though the room was hotter than Maria could remember it being a fire was burning in the fireplace. Propped up in her bed, on a bunch of pillows, lay Gwenewith, looking like a ghost.

"Gwen," said Maria and fell to her knees on the side of the bed.

"We are so glad to see you."

"How do you feel?"

"Do you need anything?"

"We missed you so much."

It was a while until there was enough quiet for Gwenewith to try and say something. Her voice was quiet and raspy, and she needed to take breaks between the words.

"It's... good... to... see... you. Is... Charlotte..."

"She is with her fiance," explained Francesca. "But if we write her she will be here in a minute, I am sure of that. Do you want us to write her?"

"No... just..." Gwen sank back into her pillows and closed her eyes. Marias first instinct was to scream. Gwen, Gwen are you okay? Don't leave me! But the princess was just tired and there was no use in straining her energy. So Maria just let out a slow breath.

"Okay," she said quietly and looked to Francesca. "We have her back."

"Yes, yes we do. But what now?"

"Is she sleeping?" The question came from Lillian, who had followed them back at a slower pace.

"I think, yes," said Francesca.

"Good. The doctor says she needs sleep. Let's go into the dressing room so I can tell you everything with out waking her."

It was painful to leave Gwen alone again, but they knew it was not their time to be selfish.

"She isn't actually sick any more, as war as we know," explained Lillian in the dressing room, playing with a ribbon she had found. "But the sickness has weakened her greatly. It might be until Christmas that she can even leave her room for a walk in the gardens, much longer until she can leave the palace. Her heart has been weakened and will most likely never return to full health. She mustn't stress her self or she might get worse again. The doctor says we need to be careful with her."

"But she is all right, is she? She is in no danger of dying any more. She won't just... fade away in her sleep?" 

"Not from what the doctor has told me, but Maria, I am not a trained nurse, I might get some things wrong. This is why he wanted you to wait until tomorrow, so he could explain everything."

"It doesn't matter what he tells us, if we are allowed to be with Gwen I am not going to leave her alone. Never again."