The Royal Entanglement - Not A Fairytale

CH 8 : I HAD TO CHOOSE ME...

After what seemed like an eternity, a guard told that all the assassins were defeated and were being taken down for questioning. At that moment none of that mattered. The only thing that they wanted to know was Henry’s safety.
“Is Lord Henry alright???”, asked Mary as tears rolled down her cheeks.
“ I am sorry to inform you that Lord Henry has been seriously injured Lady Mary. We have called for the physician.” ,said the guard.
Mary found herself collapsing into Laura’s arms who was also crying. The whole night the Mary kept replaying her memories with Henry. She remembered knowing Henry since they were children, she would spot him in the castle once in a while at court gatherings. It was not until the Rosario-Oakwood-Orkwood treaty was signed ,that she actually spoke to him.
The sisters prayed all night for Henry. They would give anything in return for his well being.
The next morning the sisters met the physician.
“He did sustain some deep wounds from the sword, but he will live. You can visit him now”, told the physician.
The sisters made their way to Henry’s chambers. Mary wanted to visit him first. Mary was not sure if she was ready to see him in that state. She felt a knot in her stomach as she stopped right before opening the door. She told herself that if Henry were to ever need her help, this would be the time. She opened the door as she nervously walked into the chamber. She slowly lifted her head to spot Henry resting on his bed. He was pale and weak, yet his smile was pure. Mary’s heart wrenched as she spotted that Henry was covered in white linen covering his bleeding wounds.
“How are yo-you feeling? “, asked Mary nervously.
“This is not the best I have felt, but quite alright to live long enough to torment you”, said Henry as he chuckled.
Mary wondered how he could be so calm about the fact that he barely made it out alive from an assassination attempt.
“I am surprised to see that Lady Laura hasn’t come to see me”, said Henry.
“Oh no, she did, she is waiting outside. Do you want me to call her ?”, said Mary.
“I would not want to keep her waiting”, said Henry.
As much as his sarcasm tested Mary’s patience, the fact that he made it out alive was the only thing that mattered.
Laura entered the room. She went pale as she saw his bandages. Henry followed her gaze to the wound.
“As much as it looks painful, the physician has prescribed me with a herbal drug that makes it painless. You do not have to worry about that”, told Henry reassuringly.
Although the sisters wanted to ask him of the events, they did not want to disturb him ,given his condition.
“Do you need any assistance?”, asked Mary.
“I would never refuse such an offer from anyone”, said Henry.
Mary offered to stay back to help Henry.
“Guess dancing with you did not bring me much of a luck”, told Henry as Mary was pouring him a glass of juice. Mary rolled her eyes as she handed him the glass
“Aren’t you talking too much for a person who almost got himself killed”, said Mary.
“-While trying to save you and your sister”, added Henry.
Mary could not hold her words back anymore.
“WHY WOULD YOU DO THAT! WHY WOULD YOU PUT YOUR LIFE AT RISK! THEY WOULD HAVE KILLED YOU! WHY WOULD YOU DO SOMETHING SO STUPID”, said Mary as tears kept rolling down her cheek.
There was a hint of a concern on Henry’s face as his expression softened.
“If it had to be between Laura and you being killed or me being killed, I had to choose me”, said Henry.