Elora and Elena sat outside the ER, where the doctors had been operating on Edward for over seven hours. Apparently they had to do three different surgeries at the same time - repair Edward's stomach, open his brain up to see whether the spinal injuries had affected any of his essential functions, as well as repair the other organs near his stomach that had been injured too.
Aurora had disappeared off to god knows where, while the boys were with Elanor and Elodie, watching a movie.
Which left just Elora and Elena alone.
"I can't believe that I was drafting trade agreements just this morning," Elena said, taking a bite of food from the tray the kitchens had sent on their request.
"It feels so..." Elora began, unable to describe what she felt.
"I know," Elena said, not needing words to understand her.
"I'm really worried, Elena," she said. "From what the doctors are saying, it's like, the best case scenario he's fully paralyzed".
"I know," Elena said. "I understand. But you know Edward. He's strong. He's a fighter. He'll be fine".
"It's not only him I'm worried about - it's the entire family. He's the glue that sticks us together. He knows how to diffuse tension, he knows how to make people laugh. With him gone...".
"He's not gone," Elena said sharply. "He's injured, and it's not like he's dying. Don't lose hope, Elora. You can't".
Elora sighed.
"I was just starting to feel happy, you know? Everything was finally coming together. Lucian's engagement, Ella coming back, everything," she said. "I just can't help but wonder if I'm just not destined for happiness".
"Don't speak like that. You deserve all the happiness in the world. And you'll get it," Elena said fiercely. "And you needn't worry. Ella is there. She's holding everyone together. She's the best of you and Edward combined".
"True," Elora said, smiling at the mention of her daughter. "She knows exactly what to say to make me function".
"To be honest, I thought I was hearing Mom speak as I heard her shout at you in the morning," Elena said, grinning.
"Good Lord, yes! If only she were here, or if we'd found Ella a few years earlier, she would've been so happy," Elora said, smiling a bit sadly now, as she thought of her mother.
"And you can't forget that for the first time, Ella acknowledged you as her mother out aloud," Elena said.
"Yeah, but she still hasn't addressed me as such," she said.
"Baby steps, Lo. Baby steps," Elena said.
"Anyways," Elora said, shaking her head and changing the topic. "How are things going with Katherine?".
"I honestly don't know," Elora admitted.
"Is anything wrong?".
"I don't know. I always thought Lucian's bride would be the daughter I never had, but... To be honest, I think I expected someone more like Aurora," Elena said.
"You need to accept her for who she is, Elena," she said quietly.
"I know! I know that. Kate seemed so much more different when I first met her - I was quite fond of her, but she seems to have changed a lot suddenly," Elena said despairingly. "Especially after we found Ella".
"Do you think she's jealous of her?" Elora asked sharply, suddenly hating Katherine with all her heart.
"I can't make out much of it. You remember that day months ago when Aurora dressed in the pink dress? For breakfast?" Elena asked, and her sister nodded. "I saw her face when we all praised her. It scared me, Lo. And I've been talking to Adelaide - she says the same thing too. Ever since Aurora began becoming more popular in the palace, Katherine has been acting different".
"Do you think she'll harm Ella?" Elora asked anxiously.
"I don't know. I think she liked the idea of having Aurora as someone below her, in terms of stature. When Aurora becomes Queen, she will be the most powerful monarch, more powerful than even Mei - because she's the daughter of the King of Illea and the Queen of Mexico. People don't often remember that the two of us were royalty before we married Princes. They don't see that we are equal in stature to our husbands," Elena said.
"So you're saying that Kate knows that Aurora will be a true Queen, while she, even though called a Queen, will only be the Queen Consort?" Elora asked.
Elena nodded.
"This is not good," Elora said. "Ella will be upset once she realizes".
"She's a bit too busy with her extra lessons to notice, I think," Elena said, before adding, "And I mean no offence to you, Lo, but she's kind of absent minded and not too observant at times - I mean she didn't realize you were the same person, both as the Queen, and as the maid".
Elora shrugged.
"So what are you going to do about Kate?" she asked.
"I don't know. I don't want to tell Lucian and ruin their relationship, but I'm not sure how to make her accept reality without hurting Ella. And for me, Ella will always be more important than her," Elena said.
"Maybe don't tell her that," Elora suggested.
The two of them laughed.
"Do you think Ella will make a good ruler?" she asked Elena.
"She still is very young, Lo. She has years of education before she can ascend the throne," Elena said slowly. "But she seems to be a good leader already. She has her 'tells', but she can control her anger and conceal her nervousness well. She has an instinct of how and when to do things. She's gone through a lot of hardship, so feels things more deeply".
Elora nodded, thankful for her sister's honesty.
"I was thinking of sending her to the kingdoms of our allies for her to learn more about their culture and improve her diplomatic skills. Maybe every summer I could send her to China, France or Hindustan, have her learn from those Queens as well," she said.
"Yes, that could be useful. Mei, Vivienne and Dhiya could teach her a lot. They're all strong women. It'll be good for Ella," Elena agreed.
"Maybe after all of this," she said.
Elena nodded at her.
"I'm scared," Elora said, knowing her sister would understand.
Scared for Edward. Scared for her family. Scared at the Illuminati.
"We'll get through this, Lo. We will," Elena said, dropping her plate of food, and holding her sister's hand.
Eric stuck his head out of Elodie's room, and said, "Aurora just sent a message to the KALE, asking us to meet her along with you two in Mother's chambers".
"KALE?" Elora asked.
"That's the group name of the kids," Elena said helpfully.
"She was insistent that the twins come too," he said, and Lucian came behind him, carrying Elodie, while Elanor trailed behind them.
"How are you feeling, darling?" Elora asked Elodie, taking her in her arms.
"Sleepy," she said, her straight hair falling on her face.
Elora chuckled, and all of them made their way to her chambers on the third floor.
***
"Aurora?" Lucian called out, looking at the dark outer chambers of Elora's quarters.
"You sure she said to meet us here?" Elora asked, letting Elodie down so that she could go to her inner chambers along with Elanor and sleep.
"Yeah. That's what her message said," Adelaide piped.
They suddenly heard Elanor shriek.
Elora ran into the room, worried something might have happened to Elodie.
She saw tons of holographic screens all around the room, clustered around something.
Not something, she realized.
Someone.
Aurora.