The Royal Entanglement - Not A Fairytale

CH 22 : A DECISION THAT COMES AT A COST

A/N : Hello Hello my lovely readers! I apologize for the delay in updating the chapters. I will try my best to update the chapters as quickly as possible. Comments and votes would be of great help. Thank you .😊

Mary paced back and forth in her chambers sighing as she looked at the letter on the desk for the umpteenth time. Just then Martha announced the arrival of Richard Francis.

"You seem to be occupied ?", said Francis as he entered the room.

"Oh it's just....well I was thinking about this letter" told Mary as she handed it out to Richard. She explained the situation about Lord Ashworth.

"Oh that is great Mary! You should write back to him!", told Richard with an amusing smile on his face.

"Do you think so? Doesn't it seem strange that he wrote to me so suddenly?", told Mary.

"Oh Mary not everything is about politics. I see the court has filled your mind up with all these thought of murder, backstabbing or poison. " , told Richard.

Mary felt her heart pang listening to the familiar phase. Maybe he is right, I should consider writing back thought Mary as she stared out the window.

Somewhere in the border of Balanova......

A man sat down at his desk smiling to himself as he admired the view through his window. He took the feather pen, dipped it in the ink and just as he was about to write what was supposedly a beautiful poem about nature, his servant opened the door announcing...

" A letter for you My Lord"

"Ah how many times have I told you to not disturb me when I am working on my poetry" told the man as he dropped the feather pen back into its stand.

"Forgive me My Lord, this letter is from the castle", told the servant.

"OH! GOOD LORD! ", said the man as he grabbed the letter from the servant.

"You may leave now and do not disturb me", he remarked.

Just as the servant bowed and left, the man eagerly opened the letter to see

Lord Ashworth,

I hope this letter finds you in good health. I am very much happy to know that you have finally pursued your dream to travel. It would be my greatest pleasure to learn about your travels. I am looking forward to resuming our friendship.

From,

Mary Rosario.

Lord Ashworth looked at the letter failing to hide the smile that crept onto his face. He picked up the feather and started writing his next letter to Mary.

At the Orkwood Manor......

Philip rushed through the doors of his chambers panting as if he had seen a ghost. He locked himself in his chamber after calling his servants and attendants.

All the servants rushed to Lord Philip's chambers. Philip spoke from his chambers without opening the door.

"It has got to me. I have been infected! I will remain in my chambers and no one is allowed to enter. Time will take me to my end. Lock all the doors that lead to my chamber ",told Philip.

All the servants gasped in horror as they heard Philip's words.

"The plague is inevitable, the only way out is death. No one shall walk through these doors until the plague subsides", told Philip as he heard his own voice crack tears threatening to escape.

Philip was trembling which was supposed to be because of the infection his body but mostly because of the fear in his heart. Philip collapsed onto the floor hitting the floor out of frustration.

"I'm sorry Father and Mother. I failed..... I failed to be a responsible older brother. I failed to be a good Lord. I failed in every possible way. Now, I am dying in this room, like a coward who has done nothing but failed his entire life", said Philip his eyes devoid of tears after years of suffering in silence. He closed his eyes thinking about his dear sisters, his friends and Emma...

"Lord Philip? Lord Philip? Are you alright?" Philip opened his eyes struggling to see the image in front of him, his eyes blurry. He heard a soft faint voice, certainly the most beautiful voice he has ever heard.

"Am I in heaven?", he thought to himself until he felt a palm on his back tapping him.

"Can you hear me?" He heard the voice again. He opened his eyes as they wandered to the source of the sound.

"EMMA?", shouted Philip as he realised that he was certainly not dead.

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE? I HAVE BEEN INFECTED ! YOU WILL DIE IF YOU STAY WITH ME", barked Philip.

"Oh well you certainly are alright if you are strong enough to scold me", told Emma.

"DO YOU NOT UNDERSTAND? YOU WILL DIE IF YOU STAY HERE", shouted Philip.

"Dear Heavens! I am going to turn deaf if you keep shouting like that", told Emma

"Are you not scared of getting infected by the plague?", asked Philip

"I am, but I am not scared of being in this room beside you because you are not infected", told Emma.

Philip felt dizzy , his mind filled with confusion.

"Let me tell you what happened.", told Emma as she moved a bit closer to wrap a blanket around Philip who was shivering.

"You ate cinder berries" she told.

Emma gave a soft laugh looking at the confused expression on Philip's face.

She softly held Philip's trembling hands in hers as she stroked his palms to warm them up.

"These spots on your hands, they are not from the plague, they are from the cinder berries" she told.

"Does this mean-", said Philip his eyes widening in realisation.

"Yes, you are going to live. Although you might have a fever for few days", told Emma as she folded the washcloth she dipped in water before putting it on Philip's forehead.

"Rest My Lord, you look tired.", told Emma before she left.

Philip was too tired to wonder how Emma managed to get into his chamber and how she figured out that he was not infected but at this moment he knew he would be alright.