Mabel's Secret {On Hold}

Chapter 2

“Mabel,” My governess whispered, brushing stray hairs out of my face to wake me up. “You’re mother has summoned you. You need to go quickly,”

I got up and dressed quickly, having my maids do my hair in a complicated French braid that sort of sat on top of my head in a bun-like fashion. I hurried down the hall to two humongous double doors that the footmen opened for me. How they opened those doors so quickly was a mystery; they weigh around a thousand pounds each.

“Mabel, thank goodness,” My mother said the second she saw me. I noticed my father was still in bed, which was strange for him. He was usually up before the maids were.

“Is there something wrong?” I asked, still looking at my father, whose face was turned from mine.

“You’re father is ill,” My mother said quietly, moving towards me and putting a small hand on my shoulder.

“What? Is it…bad?”

“We only know that it’s getting worse,” She said, her face looking drained of all life. She had huge bags under her eyes, probably from staying up all night with my father. “I’m afraid he might not last much longer.”

I turned to look at the body lying under the sheets in my parents’ bed. I felt like crying, but I didn’t let myself. I didn’t want my mom to see me cry. “H-How much longer…does he have?” I asked, trying to keep my voice steady.

“The doctor said two days at the most…if he’s lucky.” She said, a tear rolling down her pale cheek. I pulled her into a hug, her tiny body being racked with violent sobs. She pulled away and wiped her eyes finally, going over to my father’s side. She put a hand on his head, brushing her fingers through his curly dark brown hair. I got the color of my hair from him, but I have soft waves like my mother’s.

“But who will rule the land?” If my father dies, my mother cannot rule. Since the beginning of Crescentina, one of the major rules is that a queen cannot, will not, rule without a king.

“I…need to tell you something,” My mother said, motioning for me to sit in an over-stuffed chair in the corner of their large room. She sat next to me in an identical chair. “If your father dies, I will no longer be able to rule over Crescentina. And since you are our only child, the throne goes right to your husband.”

I looked at her, completely puzzled. “But, I do not have a husband,”

“Yes, I know. That’s why you need to marry right away.”

I momentarily blacked out, my mind racing through a million thoughts. Who would I marry? A prince from a near-by country? What about Chris? I can’t marry anyone else! What am I going to do?

“But I can’t get married!” I yelled suddenly, standing up so fast I got dizzy.

“But, Darling, you have to,” My mother said softly. “I’m afraid you have no choice.”

I looked at my father, then at my mother. They fell in love and chose to be married. I thought that surely someday I would marry Chris. But now because I have such a short time, there is no way I could fall in love with someone else. I would have to marry a stranger and deal with the death of my father.

“But…” I felt myself swell with tears, but I refused to let them out.

My father stirred in his bed, then turned very slowly to face me. He looked into my eyes, his eyes half-dead already. I went to his side, and grasped his limp hand in mine.

“Mabel,” He said, struggling to breathe. “Promise me…that you…will marry,”

I watched as his eyes closed and his chest no longer rose and fell. The blood drained from his face and his body went limp. He was gone.

I hardly noticed my mother by my side, holding my father’s hand and begging him to come back. I felt a stray tear roll down my cheek.

“I promise.”