Royals of Illéa

Chapter 13-Insurgents

-Josie-

"Ahren and Camille?" I ask, confused.

"Yes." Amarna nods.

I think it over for a second before asking, "Is anyone upstairs?"

"No, everyone's downstairs." She replies.

I quickly hop out bed, pulling the covers off with me and hurry to my room next door. There I put on pants and a shirt and let Amarna hurriedly brush my hair before going downstairs to see why the guests are over at this hour.

I've just stepped off the last stair when the front door opens and Ahren walks in, holding the hand of a very pale Camille.

"I think I'm going to throw up." Camille groans, nearly slipping through Ahren's grip.

"What's going on? Camille are you okay?" I exclaim, hurrying forward to help her.

"Bathroom." She groans and nod to Amarna who helps me lead the faint Camille towards the powder room where she leans over the toilet and hurls out her guts.

I leave Amarna with her and step outside to get some answers from Ahren who looks like he's seen a ghost. But before I can say anything he says, "Josie, can you please have her lie down? She needs to rest."

"Of course." I nod gulping down my questions as I hurry back into the powder room.

By now Amarna has helped Camille with the vomit and I tell Amarna that we're taking Camille upstairs to one of the guest rooms. Ahren and Kaden are still in the foyer so when Camille stumbles on the first stair, Ahren scoops her into his arms and carries her upstairs with me leading the way.

I hold the guest room's door open as Ahren sets her down on the bed. Camille is so exhausted that she falls asleep as she lies down.

"Ahren, what the hell is going?" Kaden demands to know. I've never seen my husband so bewildered in his life.

"The French people are rebelling against the monarchy." He simply tells us as he sits down near the bed's foot.

"What is that supposed to mean?" Kaden demands to know.

"Why don't you two go downstairs so that Camille doesn't get disturbed? She doesn't look too well." I say to the boys.

"Come on, Ahren." Kaden says to his brother as they leave the room. Ahren sneaks one last look at Camille's sleeping figure before he leaves.

I stay with Camille making sure that she's comfortable until Amarna arrives and I ask her to sit with Camille so that I can check on Kaden and Ahren who Amarna informs me are downstairs in the living room.

Ahren is slumped in his chair while Kaden's eyes are wide open in shock and he's sitting on the edge of his chair.

"Am I interrupting something?" I ask, standing in the doorway.

Kaden recovers quickly from whatever happened and says, "No, I was just about to send for you."

"Is everything okay?" I can't help but ask, worry evident in voice to both boys.

"Not it's not." Ahren sighs putting his head in his hands.

I look to Kaden for answers who thankfully starts talking.

"There had been reports of an insurgent group forming but none of the investigation teams formed by the French monarchy could pinpoint anything solid about their location or activities." Kaden is interrupted by Ahren, "Until tonight."

"Tonight?" I raise an eyebrow.

"When they stormed the palace." Ahren rubs his forehead.

"What?" I exclaim. "What is that supposed to mean?"

"The insurgent group has proven to be bigger than we anticipated. It's massive with roots running throughout the country. They want an end to the monarchy. They're calling for a democracy." Ahren explains.

"I don't follow." I shake my head, confused, trying to clear my thoughts.

"A group of insurgents who never even mentioned what they wanted suddenly send a note through a bribed guard to Camille's private study where I happened to be with her. And then a few minutes later while Camille was waiting for her advisors to arrive at the palace, they attacked. There have already been casualties on both sides from the reports we received on our way here."

"But why are they attacking so violently? What has the monarchy done so wrong?" I question in shock.

"We're still trying to figure that out. I'm sorry we pounced on you like this but we couldn't risk going to any aristocrat's house in the middle of such political instability. This is the only place that the insurgents can't make a connection to." Ahren sighs.

"You don't apologize to family." Kaden says, getting up from his seat and thumping Ahren on the shoulder, "Don't worry we'll get to the bottom of this. You can't do much without sleep anyways. Go upstairs to Camille."

"Thank you." The relief is evident in Ahren's voice as he heads upstairs.

Only once he has left the room that I let my fear overtake me.

"I'm so scared." I whisper to Kaden as a tear slips down my cheek.

"I will protect you at all costs, I promise." He wipes away the tear before pulling me into his arms.