She Lays Down ★ JENLISA

19 l CONDIGN

Jennie looked around, relieved that Lisa was conscious and communicating well despite her condition. Someone had already called the ambulance and she knew they'd be here soon.

"The guards are standing down," Jennie reported to Lisa. "Just hang in there, you'll be alright. There's not that much blood-"

"I love you," Lisa whispered. "I'd love you over and over again."

"You're not dying on me, are you?" Jennie panicked. The blood was pooling quickly.

"No, no," Lisa weakly chuckled. "I'm just so relieved. It's all over." She felt dizzy, the world around her was fuzzy, and it felt as if she had no control over what she was saying. She just said what she felt. She could vaguely hear the fuzzy voices of her uncle and the police.

"You're under arrest for charges of murder, fraud, and sabotage of the throne," they recited to him as he gained conciousness. "You have the right to remain silent. Everything you say and do will be held against you in the court of law."

"What? No! I am your king!" He sounded like a clichè screeching villain from a disney movie. His commands fell on deaf ears as they escorted him out. He was facing either life in prison or a death sentence. He had killed his wife, the royal couple, and many more innocent lives in his quest to have his hands on the oil. Selfish greed was just as deadly as revenge.

"Bye, Dad." Bambam said. His voice held no hint of anger, of hatred. In fact, he almost sounded sad. Dante didn't hear his son's goodbye over his own screaming as they pushed him through the door.

That was the last thing Lisa saw before her eyes closed and she faded into darkness.

______

There was a hum. Beeping and fuzzy sounds that murmured around her. Her head ached, her mouth parched. She worked to open an eyelid and tried to sit up.

Lisa's vision blurred before coming back into focus. Her leg hurt like hell, and her head even more so. She was in a hospital room, alone, and the tv was turned on. The person watching over her must have left to do something and had left it turned on. Lisa struggled to pull herself up to lean against the bed upright, trying to breath normally at the sight of tubes stuck to her body. She remembered losing blood. Lots of it.

She sighed with the effort of sitting up, and tiredly stared at the tv in front of her. The news.

She reached to the side for the remote and was just about to change the channel when something the reporter said caught her attention and made her widen her eyes.

"Dante Manoban, who was earlier arrested today for murder and treason against the royal family, is reportedly missing," Lisa quickly turned the volume up, the beeping intensifying at the beat of her heart."Sources say that the driver of the van he was placed in was in fact his accomplice, therefore aiding in his escape. Police are unable to identify the driver, nor the suspect's whereabouts." The door clicked open, and Lisa whipped her head, tensed in fear. What if her uncle had escaped to finish what he started? To kill her?

"Oh hey, you're up," Nayeon grinned, holding a cup of water. Lisa sighed in relief and mild surprise, her uncle's escape temporarily forgotten at the sight of Nayeon here.

"Hey," her voice croaked as she gratefully accepted the cup. "What are you doing here?"

"Well, after you called me, the twins, and Mr. Collins about your plan, naturally we wanted in on the action," Nayeon giggled. "We did exactly as you said and then some. We took the next plane here to see you at your coronation."

Lisa raised a brow. "You were that confident it was going to work?"

Nayeon chortled, "Duh. We persuaded huge newscasting lines to connect with the live broadcast in Europe for the reveal of the undead princess. Who wouldn't watch that?" She sat down next to the bed. "We just didn't expect to arrive to news that you were in the hospital. I thought I'd see you in a different gown." She eyed Lisa's current attire.