The Queens trumped into the third floor to find the KALE waiting outside in the corridor.
"Why aren't you children in?" Mei asked them.
"The doctor shooed us out, saying no one is allowed," Eric answered, his hand casually hanging around Adelaide's shoulders.
Elora looked at him pointedly and cleared her throat loudly after seeing the others glance at each other.
Eric finally noticed her and said, "Oh. Ummm. I proposed".
All hell broke loose - Elena was screaming at him for not making it romantic, the other Queens were squealing like young girls, swooning over the large ring on Adelaide's finger, and Lucian was dancing an impromptu tango with a flustered Queen Dhiya.
But Eric and Adelaide only had eyes for Elora.
Everyone noticed that too, and stopped their loud speaking, and stared from Adelaide to Elora.
"Your father would be disappointed in you," she said, and she saw Eric and Adelaide's downcast faces. "For not making it romantic, you idiot! I mean, what on earth were you thinking?!".
"Now that's the Elora we know. Practical jokes, cough cough," Elena said, and Elora shot her a covert glare.
"Eric Montgomery Schreave. You are a disappointment. And absolute disappointment," she said, handing the plate of food to Annika (who she knew wouldn't attempt to taste it), and began hitting her son in all places she could hit.
"Mother!" he said, trying to shield himself.
"Are. You. Your. Father's. Son?" Elora asked, smacking her son after each word.
Kate snorted. "Isn't that what we'd like to know".
"Katherine!" Lucian said, angrily, dragging her away.
Elora continued like she hadn't heard her and said, "No romantic bone in your body. You idiot. This is a moment most girls dream about! And you proposed to her after your sister got shot?".
"So you approve?" he asked.
"Of course I did, you idiot. I got the damn bill from the jeweller! I would've stopped you if I didn't approve!" she said. "And don't get me started in you not telling me before. Idiot. Stupid, horrendously dimwitted fool".
"You knew the proposal plan!" Eric protested.
"But not that... uggh you know what? You're useless," she said, focusing her attention on Adelaide, who met her gaze bravely.
"Wha-?" Eric began, but she stopped him.
"Adelaide Summers," Elora said.
Adelaide stared at her with wide eyes.
"Welcome to the family!" she said, surprising the girl with a hug.
Seriously, why were people so surprised whenever she hugged them?
"I trust you won't hurt Eric or Ella," she whispered into her dark brown hair.
"I won't," she promised.
"Then we'll get along famously," Elora said, pulling away from her, and smiling genuinely. "Show me the ring".
Adelaide stretched her hand out.
"Well, at least he has good taste in women and jewelry, if not right timings," Elora said wryly.
"Oh the press is going to have a field day - Princess Ella, savior of four Queens blessed her brother's engagement to her Lady-in-Waiting, famous actor, Adelaide Summers on her deathbed," Elena said, mimicking Grigori spectacularly.
"She's not on her deathbed," Mei reminded her.
Elena shrugged and smiled.
"We'll be having a ball in both of your honor, in which I will formally announce and acknowledge your engagement. The entire royal family will be in green to honor the newest daughter of our home," Elora announced.
"How come she gets a ball?" Kate asked, walking back to the corridor, Lucian not behind her.
"Because, Adelaide, unlike you, is going to become part of the Illean royal family. Which owns this palace," Elena said sharply. "You, are engaged to the Italian Prince. And if you were in Italy, there would have been a ball kept in your honor as well. Queen Elora has no obligation to hold you a ball, especially with your current attitude".
Kate opened her mouth to protest but Elena cut her off, and said, sounding exactly like Elora, "It will barely take a moment for me to make my son take that engagement ring off your finger. Learn your place, and act respectful in front of monarchs, Katherine Harris. We will not tolerate this sort of attitude".
Kate huffed, but kept her mouth shut.
"As I was saying, we'll have a ball," Elora said.
"A masquerade ball? Please?" Adelaide asked, before adding, "Eric and I have always wanted to be in a masquerade ball together, and see if we can identify each other".
Eric smiled sheepishly, and rubbed the back of his neck.
"A masquerade ball it is," Elora said, and a doctor came out of Ella's room, surprised at seeing so many Queens in the corridor.
"Your Majesties," he said.
"How is she?" Elora asked.
"She is perfectly alright, but I would rather have no one enter-" he began.
Elora took the plate of food from Annika and said, "I'm going to see my daughter now. And once I do, the others will come in".
The doctor spluttered, and tried to speak, but Elora had already entered the room.
She saw Ella, looking pale, her head resting on the fluffy pillows.
She walked up to the bed, placed the food on the nightstand and sat near her.
"How are you feeling?" she asked, and Ella opened her eyes.
"Like hell," Ella said, mustering a weak smile.
"As expected. You did take two bullets, you know," Elora said.
"We couldn't have three Queens die under our watch," Ella said.
"Is that all?" Elora asked softly, suddenly feeling very daring.
There was a short pause, and Elora couldn't help but meet her daughter's eyes, sure that she could see the hope gleaming in them.
"Also... I also. I also couldn't bear losing my mother when I just found her," she said quietly.
"You called me 'mum'," Elora stated.
"I won't if you don't want me to," Ella said anxiously, trying to lift herself up, and wincing as she tried.
"No!" Elora said quickly. "I mean no. I like it".
Ella nodded at her.
"I brought you some food," Elora said.
"Enchiladas?" Ella asked, her eyes lighting up.
"Yes," Elora said, laughing, and gently lifting her up, plopping the pillows vertically for her to rest on.
She slowly fed her, and Ella gobbled up the food eagerly.
This was another first - first time Elora fed her daughter.
"The doctor kept grumbling about someone else doing shoddy work or some stiches or something. What was he talking about?" Ella asked, in between bites.
"When you fell unconscious, we were all afraid that you were dead, and those damn doctors didn't come either. Like for over half an hour. Prince Nathaniel, Vienna's son practically performed a surgery on you with a bottle of tequila, a spare needle, a steak knife and a candy tweezers," Elora said.
"I need to thank him," she said. "Is he still here?".
"No. He had to leave. For college. He said he couldn't miss his classes. But he told us to convey his regards to you," Elora said.
Elora gently wiped the corner of her daughter's mouth.
"You're still wearing the same dress," Ella stated looking at her torn and bloodied golden dress.
"I couldn't function," Elora admitted. "I just went on, and talked with everyone and even laughed, but I felt like I couldn't even breathe until I saw you now, with your eyes open".
"I'm sorry for worrying you," she said, grasping her mother's hand with her uninjured arm.
"You shouldn't apologize. You've saved the lives of so many people," Elora said.
"You need to change," Ella said, abruptly changing the topic. "I kept some emergency clothes inside, incase I stayed the night here. We're about the same size. Go!".
Elora smiled, finding that she rather enjoyed being ordered around by her daughter.
"I look ridiculous," Elora said, as she stood in front of Ella in cute, penguin jammies.
"It's a nice change from the dark greys and blacks you wear for nightwear," Ella said.
"You're laughing at me!" she said.
"I'm not!" Ella said, definitely laughing.
Elora couldn't help but laugh too, hearing the small giggles her daughter was giving.
"There are a lot of people waiting outside. Would you like to see them?" Elora asked.
Ella nodded.