The Swendish do good on their promises. Two days later, the remedy is applied and it starts working almost immediately.
"Her highness is starting to wake up," Dr. Ashlar says.
"When will she be fully awake?" I ask, eager to have my family whole again.
"Within a matter of days for most, but Queen America is quite a fighter, so possibly even before the day is out."
I'm so happy I could cry! Finally, all our work comes to fruition! Our lives will be normal, and so will our family. A huge weight is off my shoulders now that I know she'll be alright.
"Thank you!" I exclaim. I have to tell everyone the good news, but I realize they probably already know, but I have to tell someone, so I decide to call Arthur.
"Hey, Celeste! What's going on?" he asks.
"She's going to be alright! The remedy works! We could have her back by the end of today!"
"Wait, who?"
"Didn't you know?"
"Uhh, no..."
"Didn't even hear it on the news?"
"Wait, do you mean the heart attack? I thought she woke up already."
"She did, when Kaden and I were in France, but then another one was triggered."
"Slow down... Why were you in France?!?"
"Long story."
"I have time."
"Basically, Ahren eloped with Camille--"
"He what?"
"Well, he did, and that triggered the first heart attack."
"Why?"
"Because it was shock."
"No, I mean why did he do it?"
"He had some crazy idea that Eady would abdicate and he'd have to take the throne and lose Camille, so he eloped."
"But what were you doing in FRANCE, of all places?"
"We couldn't just let him abandon our family and have a lovely honeymoon while the rest of us freak out and try to fix HIS mistakes. He also deserved to know what happened."
"Don't tell me you two just ran away!"
"We didn't."
"What did you do, then?"
"We asked Dad if we could go to France."
"Didn't Eadlyn want to come?"
"We also had Dad tell her that we were in New Asia on business."
"Smart. She can't accuse you of lying because YOU didn't lie about location, your dad did, and she couldn't have known he was aware about the plan, and you were actually on business, just not political business."
"Exactly."
"And the second?"
"Rebel attack when we were overseas."
"I thought that was nearly impossible to have two so soon!"
"Not when heart issues is a genetic problem."
"Yikes."
"Yeah, yikes."
"So how'd you get the cure?"
"Swendway."
"They just gave it to you?!"
"No, the price is basically mentoring the prince."
"Prince August?"
"Yup."
"He's too overly proper!"
"You've met him?"
"Yes, and he stayed for two weeks, scrutinizing my every move."
"You're sure that wasn't his 'oh, no I'm meeting someone new' mask?"
"Yup."
"Absolutely positive?"
"Probably hard for you to believe. Most of the time you think the best of people."
"We'll see."
"Hang on, someone's calling me. Bye!"
With that, he hangs up. I think about his words. Maybe Prince August is just shy. Who knows?
Author's Note
Yay for America!
-Nom Nom
