My Princess

Chapter 15

We had two days before the potion would be ready. Two days to keep myself alive. And that was proving to be a bit more difficult that we had accounted for.

The next morning I knew something was very very wrong. Something just felt.. off.

I quickly looked to my right to see Narcissa's back, the other girl still sleeping peacefully as the morning light crept in through the small, dirty window. I couldn't quite place my finger on why I was feeling so apprehensive but something was just very wrong this morning.

Sitting up I felt it. The infection in my leg had now made its way into my chest cavity and had begun to attack my heart. I could feel the muscle straining to pump blood and oxygen around my body to keep me alive as well as fight off the intruder.

It didn't hurt, necessarily, but I could tell my time was near. My lungs were straining to keep up with my need for breath, my limbs becoming heavier and my mind fuzzier. I was even beginning to accept my fate, the brain starting to shutdown and release chemicals that would keep me comfortable throughout the transition of death.

I worried my bottom lip in between my teeth as I tried to think clearly, my only coherent thoughts that of peace and tiredness. I had to rest until the potion was complete to try and keep the poison from completely shutting down my internal organs and eventually stopping my heart altogether.

"Hey, you're up early." The sleepy voice of Narcissa pulled me from my thoughts and I put on a fake smile for the other girl's sake.

"Yeah. I guess I am. I uh, I don't think I'm going to be able to go out today. Like the potion's master said I think I should just rest until he does what he needs to do." I tried to sound as nonchalant as possible, as if I was actually just abiding by the man's suggestion.

"Did you really think I would have let you leave this bed anyways?" Narcissa retorted with a very un-princess like snort. "I am going to go downstairs and get us breakfast in bed. This afternoon I'll go and scout out some more potential money making opportunities alright?"

I nodded quickly and sat back against the headboard of the bed, sighing as my body relaxed into the exhaustion. I rested my eyes as Narcissa shuffled off down the creaky stairs, the sound of music filling the room for a brief moment as she opened the door. These people were certainly a lively bunch at sunrise.

I must have drifted off again as the next moment I was startled awake by a plate being sat on my lap, the heat emanating from the freshly fried eggs and bacon seeping through the thin blanket covering my legs.

The other girl joined me in bed and we ate in comfortable silence, listening to the quiet sounds from downstairs as the town got ready for another day in paradise. It had even become difficult to lift my fork and chew, everything congealing in my mouth and tasting more like lard than the delicious breakfast foods I had savored yesterday.

"Hey are you alright love?" My companion asked quietly, worriedly. "We'll have the potion soon. Try not to stress over it so much." She laid a comforting hand on my thigh, rubbing it as I met her chocolate brown gaze.

"Yeah. Yeah I know we will. I'm just thinking is all." I knew I sounded distant and it was with good reason. I was dying and my survival depended solely on a man we had met less than 24 hours ago.

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The morning went by quietly, nothing too interesting happening as my companion and I bided our time. I was drifting in an out of sleep and I knew Narcissa was worrying more than she let on, occasionally catching a glance of her watching me when she thought I wasn't paying attention.