Royale (Book #1 Royale Series) {Under Revision}

Chapter Three {Revised}

Juliana

My breath locks in my throat as a short knock sounds on my door. I don't even have to open it to know that it is one of my maids waiting to escort me to dinner. Lilac said her farewells to me before exiting and heading back to her temporary room in the palace. The knocking persists, but for some reason, I'm finding it to be an extreme effort to bring my feet to the door. After a while, the door opens revealing one of my maids, Chloe, who timidly peaks her head in. Though my head begins to spin, through the blur I recognize my favorite maid's wild, black hair.

"Your Highness," she says. "I'm sorry to have just walked in, but I must escort you to dinner now per her Majesty's orders."

I try to focus on her words, but the spinning in my head and the pounding of my heart make it almost impossible. But this meeting with Queen Irina is imperative, so whatever has come over me, I must make it stop.

"Are you all right, Princess?" Chloe begins to walk further into the room, extending her hands out to me.

The whirling in my mind continues as I feel the beads of sweat trickle down my face. "I-I--" I try to speak, but I lose the words. I reach for my desk to steady myself, but the spinning is too much and my heart is too loud.

"Oh my God! Your Highness!" Chloe screams, but her voice is like a distant echo and she sounds too far away. Too far away from someone who I can see as being directly in front of me. I feel myself slipping, but hold on to the desk like it's my lifeline. If I can just bring myself to stand, I will be fine, and all will be well. Before I can help it, my legs give out and I can feel my head bash against the floor as I finally collapse. "Somebody help me, please!" I hear Chloe's now muffled yet desperate calls for help. "Princess Juliana has collapsed! Guards, come quickly!"

I make desperate attempts to keep my eyes open. I set that as my new goal. If I can keep my eyes open, all will be fine. But the blinding light in my room cascades down on my eyes, and I know my attempts are futile. A mass of concerned bodies surrounding me is the last thing I see before my eyes fail me and I succumb to the darkness.

~*~

Distorted whispers are the only thing I can hear. I cannot move, I cannot open my eyes. I am immobile, a slave to my own body.

"Is she going to be all right, Sara?" I hear an unfamiliar woman's voice speak. I try to make a guess at who it could be, but I know of no woman who can address my mother by her proper name.

"The doctors say that she will be fine," The queen's voice states, but even as she says the words, I can hear something almost resembling fear cloud her words. Be that as it may, I can sense the relief coming from the other mysterious woman as she lets out a long sigh.

"Thank goodness," The mystery woman replies.

There is a moment of silence, and though I am immobile, even I can feel the tension.

"I appreciate you coming. It means so much to me, and I'm sure it will mean a lot to Juliana as well, when she awakens."

"It's no problem at all," she says, and some part of me knows that she's being genuine. "She's practically family. Xander and I would do anything for our family. Besides, I would hope you would do the same if Aspen were in this situation."

Suddenly, my heart drops to my knees as I piece together the mysterious woman's identity.

Queen Irina.

The fear of meeting Aspen's mother for the first time, and the weight of everything that is at stake if I do not make a good impression crashes down on me, the same as it did the night of the dinner. I cannot even decipher how long I have been unconscious. For all I know, it may be time to meet Aspen. If I had such a strong reaction to meeting his mother, I surely am not ready to meet the mystery prince himself. I struggle to keep my eyes closed, but my body rejects this. I can feel the feeling returning to my body and instantly began to ache. I must open my eyes.