Young Royals Season 3 (Version 3)

Chapter 105

The nurse led Sara and Malin down the corridor to the room where Louise sat waiting with her son.

As soon as she saw Sara silhouette in the doorway of the dim room, she rose from the chair. Louise saw her freeze.

"Can...can I...?" She asked for permission to come in. Louise nodded.

Sara approached the bed and Louise watched her closely. Sara stood at the edge of the bed in the dim room and looked down at him. Her eyes got wide as she took in the image of him lying there, helpless. She heard the beeping machines and the flow of air through the ventilator.

She turned to Louise and asked, "Is he not...able to breathe?" Her voice broke.

"It's just in case." Louise whispered. Sara nodded then turned back to look down at August, wondering if he might actually stop breathing.

He looked fragile and peaceful at the same time. His chest rose and fell with the rhythm of the ventilator and Sara was scared to get too close, though she wished she could reach out and take his hand.

She turned back to Louise and whispered, "What do they say?"

She spoke quietly, "That he can probably hear us and sense things around him."

"Do you mind if...?" She gestured toward his hand but was afraid Louise would refuse or be angry with her.

She hesitated then shook her head. "It's ok."

Sara sat on the edge of the chair beside the bed and leaned forward toward August. She lay her hand carefully over the top of his and wondered if he would know she was there.

Sara took a deep breath and whispered, "I wanted to tell you that...you were brave...and you did the right thing. I'm sorry I acted like I didn't care...I do, and I'm...here if you need someone to talk to."

She was tearful as she considered that she may never hear his voice again. "I'd really like to talk to you..." She felt her throat tighten and her voice came out weakly, "...if you could just wake up."

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Days later...

It was decided that the Queen should take advantage of Wilhelm's seventeenth birthday to officially announce his ascension to the throne the next year.

The hope was that it would give a more positive spin to the Queen's abdication and that it would turn attention from all of the unfortunate events of the past several months: the fight, the sex tape, Wilhelm's speech, August's trial and verdict, and now the revelation that the Queen and Royal Court had protected him.

Preparations for Wilhelm's birthday had been ongoing at the palace for weeks leading up to the event although Wilhelm himself had completely forgotten about it until Jan Olof had reminded him at Hillerska the night of the verdict.

He knew the day would be full of press and photo sessions that felt nothing like an actual birthday, and that he would probably hate it. It wasn't about him anyway. It was about keeping up appearances and reassuring the public that the Crown Prince represented a new beginning for the Royal Family.

He already knew it was too much pressure. He didn't want to share his entire life with strangers either, even if he would be their King.

And the worst part was that Simon wouldn't be there. He'd promised to see Wilhelm at Hillerska that night and Wilhelm couldn't blame him for wanting to stay away from the circus that was taking place at the palace, so he gritted his teeth alone, waiting for it to end so that he could go home to Simon once it was done.

He watched the different employees rushing around between the kitchen, the large dining room and the ballroom as he wandered the corridors.

He avoided advisors and especially Jan Olof by moving about and keeping a low profile. He intentionally avoided the press room where his mother was giving her scripted statement.