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

Chapter Fourteen {Revised}

Juliana

     I observe, horrified and fearful as Aspen is hauled into the palace's medical wing. There are nurses on either side of Aspen's body, both hands on his wound, trying to prevent any more blood from gushing out of him. The sword is still plunged into Aspen's side and I want to look away, I need to look away, but I can't. I have to make sure he is okay.

     I race into the room that they take Aspen in and I can't stop the sudden swarm of questions that pour out of my mouth.

     "Nurse, is he going to be okay? Please tell me that he is going to be okay. Why haven't you taken the sword out yet? How much blood has he lost? He isn't going to die, is he?" My voice is high and low, and I am trying to remember to breathe in between sentences—in between phrases—but I don't have time to breathe because the questions, the concerns, the worries, the fears—they're faster than my ability to take in oxygen.

     "Your Highness, we will do everything that we can for the prince," she says to me, but it's clear that I'm not her focus. "Find me a doctor now," she says to one of the other nurses in the room. "Once we get this wound clean, we need to get this sword out of him immediately." Her voice is frantic and I'm afraid of the fear in her voice. Why is she fearful? I wonder. And it only enhances my anxiety, my need for answers.

     I look at Aspen and he's pale—too pale. For skin that is usually so perfect and tanned, he looks far too gray. His eyes are only open a fraction. He can barely move his limbs, but he makes a conscious effort to reach out to me.

     "J-Jules—I—" he begins, but not before coughing up an obscene amount of blood.

     My entire body shakes. The amount of blood he's coughing up scares me, but I don't have room to be afraid. I need to be strong for him. He doesn't need me falling apart right now. I move towards him.

     "Your Highness, I know this is difficult," the nurse says to him. "But I need you to savor your strength and keep your eyes open for me, okay? Do not pass out."

     I am at his side now. I grasp his hand.

     "It's okay. You're going to be okay. They're going to fix you," I tell him. And I believe those words. Because I have to. Aspen dying is not an option.

     "A-at least," he starts, but the nurses shush him. He keeps on anyway. "At least I d-don't have t-to get my f-feet amputated," he says. And it takes all I have in me not to lose myself right here. Because here Aspen is, with a sword lodged in his abdomen, and he can still manage to be infinitely stronger than me. How am I supposed to get through this if he dies? How am I supposed to do this alone? That isn't what I signed up for. And I'm sure dying isn't what Aspen signed up for.

     "Princess, we need to get him to surgery. Dr. O'Connell is on her way. We're working with a small window of opportunity and we need to act fast."

     I'm nodding, but I'm making no effort to let go of Aspen's hand.

     "I-t's okay," he manages to breathe out, but his breaths are becoming shorter now.

     "Just—don't die okay?" I tell him, and a small tear does manage to swim down my cheek, but I ignore it.

     "We're going to take good care of him," the nurse assures me, and she and two other nurses haul him on a gurney and begin to steer him away from me. "Nurse Blair," one of the nurses addresses the one steering Aspen's gurney. "Queen Irina is in the infirmary down the hall with minor injuries. She's been asking about her son. If we don't send her an update within the hour, she'll plunge a sword in our abdomens."