When I woke up from the slight doze I had been in, I knew I was worse. My body was deathly pale and drained of energy. Robbie helped me from the tree. When I hit the ground I almost fainted. Robbie caught me and began jogging. Around midday, I was shaking uncontrollably.
“Stay with me, Cassandra. You have to see Andrew. We're going to find him.”
When we finally reached the camp with the royal enigma, I was coughing up blood. My life was leaving me swiftly. Robbie stumbled blindly into the camp, exhausted. He started calling for Andrew, raising a commotion. Some soldiers came and surrounded us. They pushed Robbie over, kicking him. They left me alone, thinking I was already dead. The soldiers laughed loudly, continuing their brutal assault.
“Stand aside for the royal prince of Castora!” a loud voice boomed. The soldiers parted quickly. Several men came forward. I saw one bending over Robbie, whispering to him. Some men took him away. I tried to get up, but I was too weak, falling back to the ground. Suddenly, the man was kneeling next to me. I looked up with bleary vision and saw that it was Andrew.
“Cassandra!” he wept. He took my hand and held it tightly. Then he yelled, “Saddle my horse now!”
Then he picked me up and began running. He handed me to a disgusted man briefly while he mounted his horse, then he reached out for me. I sat slumped in front of him as he raced off to who-knows-where. His strong arms were around me, holding me and the reins.
“Don't die on me Cassandra!” he said, urging the horse to go faster. A short while later, the horse came to a stop. I was dimly aware of Andrew carrying me into a giant place. People ran everywhere.
A woman's shrill voice went, “You can't just bring in enemy soldiers in the palace!”
“Get a doctor!” Andrew yelled anyway, ignoring the woman. “She's dying!”
“She?” the woman asked.
That's when I passed out.
∞ ∞ ∞
A few memories came through my mind as I lay on a table. A man, the doctor, I presumed, was working over me. I felt great pain at my side. I screamed as an unbearable pain seared through my side.
“What are you doing to her?” Andrew's terrified voice came.
“Saving her life. Calm down, Your Highness.”
I saw purple bubbles floating around me and heard wailing before I passed out again.
∞ ∞ ∞
“You can't leave me,” a voice wept next to me. “Don't die on me.”
∞ ∞ ∞
“I'm sorry, Your Highness. She is worse than I expected. You better say your good-byes now.”
“Are you sure? There's nothing else you can do?” Andrew's voice came.
“No. It's all up to God now,” then I heard footsteps moving away.
“Cassandra? Can you hear me?” Andrew's choked-up voice came.
“A...Andrew?” I somehow got out.
“What were you thinking coming after me?” Andrew asked gently, brushing my hair away from my shut eyes. I opened them to see Andrew one last time.
“B-because....I...I l-love...you,” I slurred. My vision was fading.
“I love you too, Cassandra. So, so much. Since the first moment I saw you.”
I smiled, closing my eyes.
Andrew started crying convulsively. “Please, please stay with me.”
“I'll always be with you,” I mumbled. Andrew came down, his lips hitting mine, just as I died.
CITEȘTI
Amore
DragosteA girl was kidnapped when she was a baby and has been living with her evil captors all her life. Everything changes when she turns 16 and they decide to marry her off to their nephew. They send her across the ocean with her guardian, Andrew, who is...
