The Monarchs | A Stydia AU (completed)

chapter 6

"As of today, the castle in under lockdown and everyone needs to be isolated in their own rooms until the hazard of the Black Death is no longer existent. Symptoms of the Black Death are shortness of breath, chest pain, coughing, weakness, headaches, and symptoms of a fever as well. We highly advise that no contact is made because the type of plague we are dealing with is highly contagious. Everyone needs to go into their rooms and do not come out unless absoloutely necessary. Food will be supplied twice a day and please, stay in isolation until the castle is healthy." Queen Natalie announces in the throne room. Everyone in the the castle gathered in the throne room for the announcement, which was probably a bad idea to have everyone in the same room but the Queen made her announcement short and informative. The royal family watched as people quickly piled out and made their way to their rooms. Lydia searched the crowd for Allison and watched Allison walk down the hallway and up the stairs to her room.

When The King and Queen learned of the plague, everyone in the castle was woken up to be informed. People in the castle may have already been infected since Queen Isabella's man was in the castle for a good three days, which was more than enough time to get almost everyone in the castle infected since the type of of plague in the castle, pneumonic plague, is airborne and can be caught by anyone who simply inhales the infected air.

"We all need to be isolated in completely different rooms. Lydia, you go your room and do not leave. Stiles goes to his room. I am going to be in an extra room in the basement and the King is going to our room. No one leaves their room and that is an order from your king and your queen." Lydia's mother says, "We can't risk being together because we could all die which is something that cannot happen."

"What if we're already infected?" Lydia asks.

"Then you're already dead." Her father replies.

"Wait." Stiles says, "What about my dad? He's suppose to be traveleing here, he can't-"

"I already set him a telegram. He's turned around and should be back at the England castle anytime soon. He will inform everyone there of the Black Death reappearing. Now, we all need to go into isolation." The King replies and walks out of the room. Lydia's mother follows, but instead goes to the way of the basement.

Lydia and Stiles begin walking up the stairs but then stop as they hear soft but loud music throughout the castle. Stiles looks over at Lydia, confusion all over her face and she shakes her head. "That was awfully quick. The music means somebody has already fell ill of the plague and died. The guards will be clearing out people who have already died and will be bringing them in front of the castle to be burned."

"What about the guards? Won't they die?"

"No because most guards have their own surgical mask to wear during times like this. Guards are smarter about plagues then we are because they know that when someone dies they'll be the ones to carry out the bodies." Lydia replies, "We're at your room. Go in and please, don't ever come out. Not even to see Scott. I'm sure he isn't infected, he's spent the last couple weeks in the infirmary recovering. No one from the castle has been down there in the past three days to see him. And please, stay safe."

Stiles nods, "I will. And same goes for you." Lydia watches as he opens his room door and walks in, locking the door. She turns and beings walking up the stairs to her room.

She locked her door as soon as she got in and shut her open window. It was still hard for her to believe that the plague has made an appearance again, the plague hasn't been active for at least two hundred years. Days, weeks, or even months could pass by until the castle in healthy and well again.

Lydia tried to go to sleep, but she couldn't. The sad music would go off at least once an hour. Fifteen people must've died already, and it was just a matter of time until someone from the royal family got infected too. Even though Lydia despised Queen Isabella, Lydia had to admit that the Queen of France was certainly clever. It's not exactly easy pulling off an assassination, especially with how perfectly everything played out. Lydia wished that she could've only figured it out sooner. Maybe the plague wouldn't even have struck the castle if she figured out that something had to be wrong.