Chapter 41. Sleeping Beauty

Charles' Pov

The shining bright sky was a great indication of a morning. The chirping birds and the summer breeze, a recipe for a great morning.

If only she were awake to enjoy this, I looked to mother's unconscious face, her closed eyes reminder of her once dying breath.

I shake my head, hoping to shake off the memories of her bloodied face and ashen hair. I grip my hand harder, angered by the monster that dares to do such things to those I love.

I sat in rumination as a sudden shock of electricity goes through me. I look at the perpetrator, his delighted smile as he clicked the device once more.

Earning from me a jolt, he waves his finger as he spoke with a devilish smile. "Uh uh, you shouldn't show reactions. Even your irritation can be seen from your expression."

He walks around me, tutting as he spoke. "To basics of politics is that you must see every card and show none of yours."

He goes near me and smiles wide, but before he can speak, a knock interrupted him. He disappeared in an instant as the visitor enters.

It was Queen Jane and Julius entering the door. Julius smiles as he spoke, a voice filled with worry. He grabs me off my chairs in a bone-breaking hug.

"Charles! Are you okay?" I smile softly from his worry, and I hug him back. He winces, and I spoke, "As you can feel, I'm quite alright."

He nurses his back as he laughs, "Ha! yeah, I'm glad you're ok." Before I could reply, we both heard sniffling, and we look at Queen Jane as she held mother's hand and looked back at us.

She hugged us both, "Oh, Annabelle," She sniffles once more ", if only you were awake to see something this sweet."

She twirls us around with surprising ease as she let us both down. She ruffles my hair as she smiled at me, "Don't forget to talk to me if you need anything."

They both stayed for half an hour, chatting and worrying over my being.

They leave for the door as Queen Jane hugs me for the last time, as she whispers in a dark tone as her red eyes shine in the promise of blood, "We'll kill the bastard that did this." She brightly smiles. "Ok?" I nod hurriedly, a bit terrified.

She ruffles my head in a giggle as Julius excitedly shouted, "I'll be going out to spar so," He flexes his arm ", Let's fight! when you're ready." They waved goodbye as they left.

I sat back in the chair, delighted from their presence, the company of someone I appreciate. Though the last bit terrified me, it was all in good intentions, well, at least for me, that is.

I look at my mother once more as a raging fire fills me. The tears follow, the helplessness as she laid there, dying, fills me with rage.

The remainder of my weakness and my mother only being saved due to pure luck. The thought of Adelaide being absent in that moment incurs a sinking feeling.

The depressing mood, though, was interrupted by loud knocking. Queen Ariel entered with grace as Arin entered behind him.

Queen Ariel played with her beautiful blonde hair as she looked at me, electrifying blue eyes. "Hello, Prince Charles." She looks around, "I apologize if we walked in on you,"

She waves her hand, "We merely walked by and decided to check on you." Aron raises his eyebrow to her mother, earning from her a stiff smile.

"Walked by?" Aron shakes his head as he smiled at me and sat at another chair, "Yes, perhaps asking me to join you in checking in on your friend and her son is,"

She gestures to her mother, "As you say," He gestured quotation marks ", Walked by." I look towards her, holding in my laugh. She reddens as she mutters, "Betrayed by my own blood."

She coughed and chose not to answer as she stood up and walked beside my mother. She fixes mother's hair as she asked, "Why has she remained unconscious? I thought Princess Adelaide has fully healed her?"

She looks at me questioningly. I shook my head and spoke. "I don't know, and we are unable to find anything wrong with her,

I clench my hands, "but we cant examine her further from the danger of further injury." Queen Ariel sighs.

"It matters not, and she'll get better." She holds my shoulder, "Trust in your mother." I look at her encouraging eyes, making me nod back.

She smiles softly as she sat back down. "Now, how about we talk about you?" Ariel intertwines her fingers.

Aron nods, "Have you been here all morning?" I recoil back, the embarrassment making sheepishly rub my head.

Aron sighs exasperated, he admonishingly spoke. "I am aware that you do not wish to leave your mother."

He raises his finger before I could respond. "But that does not mean you can waste your time dawdling."

Ariel nods as she ruffles Aron's hair, "Yes, you should expand your knowledge, so when the time comes to respond back to our enemies, we can be ready."

Aron irritatedly takes her mother's hand off his hair as he waved dismissively, "You can even take my place in one of those horrid sparring Julius is addicted to."

Ariel pushes up to her lips and smiles menacingly. "You mean the ones I've been making you do." She crosses her arms. "Perhaps, I should ask Julius to help you keep your body in top shape."

Aron freezes as he changes the subject, "Nevermind that now mother, Arent we here to check up on Charles?"

We spoke for an entire hour, and they kept me great company. But before I knew it. They were leaving.

Queen Ariel hugs me softly as a comforting hand lands behind my back. She smiles as she left the door. "We'll be leaving now since Aron still has exercises to do."

Aron squeaks in shock, making me chuckle in his amusing reaction. "Mother!" He follows up to her, but before that, he looks at me and speaks. "And once again, if you're gonna stay here, at least get a book," He waves goodbye.

His reminder making me remember my grandfather's unpublished book. I scramble to find it, and once I did, I took it and sat by the table.

I used notes and schematic, determining the necessary material. To put in effect the revolutionary theories contained within the book.

Another knock comes in as Father walked in. He looked at me with a smile and closed the door. After he does, he engulfs me in a hug.

He apologized profusely as he hugs me with all his might. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry." He sobbed on my shoulders, "I failed you and your mother."

He wipes his eyes with a napkin and looks at me as he sat me on his knees. "I am sorry," He looks at me with sympathy, "I know what it means to lose your parents." King

He gains a faraway look, "I promised to be someone not to lose loved ones," He looks at me, eyes filled with anguish. "It seems I've failed."

He shakes his head, "It doesn't matter. I came here for you." He points at me as he took out the papers from his coat. "This is all the details regarding the attempted assassination."

He looks at me, smiling. "I know how it feels, and you wish to know something or at least not feel like you did nothing."

I look at him in shock, "That's why I'm giving this to you." He gestures to the papers. "You need to know what happened," He shakes his head, "NO, you deserve to know what happened."

I nod mutely as my tears start flowing. He holds me in his arms as I sob. He pats my back. "There, there." After a few moments, I stop as he hands me a napkin.

I wipe my face off as he laughs. "Are you ok now?" He looks me eye to eye, "Just ask me anything to help you."

I nod, "There is a plan I have in mind." I unconsciously smile maliciously and my father smiles back just maliciously. "Let me hear it."

I love my family.