Love Untouched

Unwanted Company

           Abernathy puts his face in his hands and tries to keep the tears from falling. The late November breeze brings a chill to his spine as leans back against the palace walls and stares at the night sky. Clouded with smog and smoke, the stars are barely visible through the pollution and Aber finds himself missing the brilliant lights of Sahara that could brighten any night. He smiles at the thought of going back to his love’s home and ruling by her side, but it is short lived as reality comes crashing back. He may never rule Sahara if Bellezza doesn’t wake up. The prince shakes his head. He can’t dwell on the negatives- she’ll never get better if he does.

With sigh, Aber begins to walk through Liam. He let his feet guide him where ever they pleased, not minding if he ended up in the middle nowhere. After what seems like hours of walking, he stops in front of the quaint home ever so dear to his heart.

            Hope opens the door after the first knock and throws her arms around him. She drags him inside and showers his face with kisses. The familiar scent of home fills his nostrils and he finds himself grinning despite the situation he’s in. Hope gets to work fixing her son dinner when Henry walks into the room. After a pat on the back and friendly smile, the two men sit on the couch and Aber talks about life at the palace.

             It isn’t until he’s halfway done with his dinner does he reach the worst part of his tale- Bellezza’s strange illness. His eyes begin to water and he sits his plate on the table to wipe the tears away.

          “She hasn’t opened her eyes in three days,” he whispers. “I don’t know what to do, anymore. The king is running an investigation but so far…” he trails off shrugging his shoulders.

            Hope puts a gentle hand on his shoulder and offers him a sad smile. “I’m sure she’ll be fine,” his mother tells him.

           Henry nods in agreement. “From what you’ve told us, it seems like this Bellezza girl is a strong woman. She’ll pull through.”

          Abernathy nods and smiles through sadness while inside his heart clenches painfully almost as if it knows that she won’t make it, that she’ll never wake up from her bizarre sleep and he may never see those beautiful eyes again.

***

            Neamh gives the sleeping princess’ hand one last squeeze before leaving the sorrow filled room. Determination crosses her features as she makes her way to the servant quarters. Thinking back to the day Bellezza became sick, she remembers the tea they had drank and the immediate reaction Bellezza had to the warm brew. Is it just a coincidence that hours after she had had the drink, she becomes terribly sick?

             Shaking her head, Neamh charges into the hallway that separates the main part of the castle from the kitchens and the servants’ rooms. She waltzes into the kitchen with her hands on her hips, surveying the scene before her. Both of the cooks stop their work and fold their hands in front of them addressing their princess. The two maids that had been cleaning the floors, rise and bow to show their respect. Neamh’s eyes narrow at the blonde girl slurping her soup at the table. The girl doesn’t stand like her colleagues. Instead, she acknowledges the princess with a slight head nod.

           Angry, Neamh marches up to the disrespectful maid and slaps the silver spoon from her pale hands. The princess braces herself against the table and looks at the girl’s grey eyes as they glare at her in outrage.

          “When I enter a room, you will stand and address me as your princess,” Neamh spits through gritted teeth.

             Standing, the grey eyed girl stares at Neamh without a trace of fear in her eyes. “And if I refuse?”