The Royal Romance

Illness - Part I

As we moved from the room hand in hand, guards and maids looked shocked but later on smiled. Now it was time for Maxon to meet his children, living three years of their lives when he wasn't with us.
"Let's go to the children's room. They will be very happy to see you."
"Sure."
I lead him to the children's room when I heard a scream.
"Mumma! Mumma! Papa!"
Eady?
Maxon and I looked at each other and rushed inside.
"What happ..."
That's when I saw Ahren lying on the floor unconscious.
"Ahren!!!"
Tears started spilling my eyes.
"Don't worry, America. He will be alright."
Maxon picked him and ran for the hospital wing. I went after him before telling a maid to take care of Eady though she definitely wanted to come along with us.
"Your Majesties, we are running some tests but till then please wait outside."
"You're telling me to wait outside! How can I when my child is like this!?"
"America, let the doctors do what they are doing. I am sure, they are doing their best. Nothing can happen to Ahren."
I sobbed and sobbed. I clenched on his shirt and hugged him tightly.
He wiped away my tears.
"Why are you crying, America? He will be alright. Believe me."
"I don't know what will I do if something happens to him."
"Shh! Nothing will happen to him."
"Promise?"
"Promise."
He knows exactly what to say to calm me down.
That's when Dr Ashlar came out of the wing.
"Nothing serious, Your Majesties. He had a high fever and fainted due to that."
"Fever?"
"Yes, Your Majesty now if you will please excuse me."
"Sure."
I turned my face to Maxon.
"I am a terrible mother, Maxon. I didn't even notice that he had a fever."
"It's not your fault, my dear and you are an incredibly good mother. When I wasn't there you took care of them. I don't know what all happened in my children's lives. I don't know when they were sick because you were with them. I am sorry that I wasn't there with you all these years but now I am. Nothing will ever happen to Ahren or Eady when we are here."
His words were so comforting.
"Okay."
"Your Majesties." A butler curtsied.
"Yes?"
"Your Majesty, the advisors would like to meet you two."
"I am coming but America will stay here with Ahren. Will that be fine?"
"Umm... Yes, Your Majesty."
"I 'll back soon my dear."
I nodded and went to sit beside the cot on which Ahren was lying, still unconscious.
"Ahren, honey, wake up. See, your father is with us. Don't you wanna play with him? Then wake up fast."
But he didn't do a single movement. Tears threatened my eyes.
A maid came to me an hour later, "Your Majesty, dinner is ready."
"Where's Maxon?"
"Still busy in the meetings, Your Majesty."
"Ok. I don't want to have dinner. If he comes and asks about me, tell him I am already done with my dinner."
"But... Your Majesty."
"That wasn't a request. It was an order."
"Bu... Yes, Your Majesty."
"Good."
The maid went away.
"M..u..m..m..a!"
"Ahren? Do you need anything?"
"Hungary."
"Aww. Wait. I' ll tell the maid to bring you soup."
"Papa!" I saw Maxon smiling at us from near the door.
"How's my child?" He came beside me and wrapped his arm around my waist.
"Hungary."
"Don't worry as your mom said, I have told the maid to bring you soup."
Ahren smiled.
"You will be with us, Papa? Won't you?"
"Yes, my son. Yes. I will never leave you or your mom alone."
"What about Eady?" We chuckled.
"Her too."
"Yay!"
"Now, America, go have your dinner."
"I am done with my dinner." I lied. I wanted to stay by my son's side in case he needs anything until he gets well.
"You sure?"
"Yes, you can ask the maid there." I pointed to the maid who brought the soup from the kitchen.
"No. I believe you." I smiled at him but same time was feeling guilty for lying to him.
"You should sleep now."
"No! I' ll feed him the soup and sleep with him here. Can you take care of Eady till then?"
"Of course. I will."
He hugged me and went to the dining room.
.....
Ahren was getting discharged from the hospital wing today.
"It's time for breakfast, Your Majesty."
"Not now."
"You haven't eaten anything for almost 2 days. You will end up getting ill."
"Nothing will happen. Now could you go call Maxon?"
"As you say, Your Majesty."
I suddenly felt that the world around me had started spinning. I held on my cupboard for support but it was next to negligible.
"America?"
I saw Maxon preventing me from falling as his arms wrapped around me.
"What happened to her?" He asked the maid.
"Umm."
"What happened to her? Tell me or otherwise, you are fired."
"She hasn't eaten anything for almost 2 days."
"What!! And you are telling me now?"
"She swore me to secrecy. I am sorry, Your Majesty."
"Why America?" He asked me.
"A.h.r.e.n." is the only word that I could speak before falling unconscious.