Another way (Young Royals)

The hospital

Wilhelm was in a state of dissolution when we reached the hospital. His brother was there and we did not know how bad it was. But he was alive and that was the only thing I could comfort him with. I prayed that Erik would survive. He had to. He was the next king. Wilhelm's deeply beloved brother. Someone who had become dear to me as well. The world could not be so cruel that it took him away from us. It just could not. He was too young. Too gentle.

"We will make it through this, okay?" I said. Wille looked at me and silently nodded. He was not sure of that. We went up to the reception, to ask for Erik.

"Hello, I am here to see my brother," Wille said. "Uhm, Crown prince Erik of Sweden." He tried to hold himself together and not cry. He hated crying in front of other people. The person on the other side of the glass looked into her screen. Searched for where they had put the prince. She of course recognized Wille. All of them did.

"The Crown prince is in the intensive care unit at the moment. You can follow my colleague and he will show you where he is," she said quietly. No one knew what had happened to Erik yet. I had not seen any noisy reports in newspapers yet. Intensive care unit. It was bad then. I took Wille's hand in mine. I saw on him that if he said another word, he would crumble in tears.

"Thank you," I replied to the person behind the glass and then I led my boyfriend to the door, where someone waited for us to take us to Wille's brother. We reached a room and the man who had followed us opened the door for us. I first saw Queen Kristina and Prince Ludwig sit by his bedside. They both looked tired and sad. Then I saw Erik. He was connected to several machines and covered in sterile white cotton.

"Wilhelm, dear," Kristina said and stood up when she saw her youngest son in the doorway. She walked up to him and embraced him. Wilhelm just stood there, showing no emotion or sign that he at all felt comforted by her. Kristina on the other hand cried. It was almost he who comforted her, when it should have been the other way around. She was his mother.

"Will he live?" Wille asked. Kristina separated from her son and looked at him. She nodded, thank god. I did not know what I had done if she said he would not. Wilhelm could not lose his brother. His brother was his everything. The person he had looked up to and loved his whole life.

"He will live, but we don't know what state he will be in, Wilhelm. We don't know if he will be fitted to take the throne," his mother said. I felt anger burn inside me. Her son was in the hospital and she was thinking about if he would be able to take the throne or not? I understood that was a concern she had as the Queen, but couldn't she have held that to herself at least? Who would take the throne was the last priority, as long as Erik was okay. As long as he would live.

"Did he have alcohol at the party, Wilhelm?" Ludwig asked. Wille looked over at his father. Shook his head.

"No he did not," I said. "He said that he would drive home himself after, so he did not drink." I was sure of it. Erik would not drink and drive. Wilhelm's father nodded a little. Alcohol was to blame for a lot of suffering, but not this.

"He is in a coma," Ludwig said. Wilhelm became a little boy in his parents' presence. He looked so small. "An induced coma. They will keep him in coma until they have been able to examine how bad the brain damage will be and if he has hurt his spine." We walked up to Erik's bedside. I just stood next to Wilhelm. He sat down on a chair and held his big brother's hand.

"You have to survive this, do you hear me Erik?" he whispered. He cried again. So scared and anxious for him. "If you only dare to disappear from me." I got another chair and sat down next to him. Let him flee into my arms. Sit in my lap. I comforted him as best as I could. Talked calmly to him. Stroked his hair. Patted his back.