"Mom, is that you?" I say opening my eyes.
"Princess Aster, are you awake?" I see Hawthorne standing over me.
"Hawthorne" I say and my voice cracks and I pull myself up in the bed and Hawthorne goes and pours me a glass of water and hands it to me.
"Princess Aster, are you okay? Are you feeling better?" He says with concern in his voice.
"I don't know" I say after drinking some water.
"Did Prince Reed send you here?" I ask.
"Well not really, I was passing by and wanted to check in on you" He says avoiding my eyes.
"Oh I see" I say and I lay back down in bed as the world seems to be spinning a bit and I close my eyes.
"What happened? The maids were very concerned because you stopped eating and then you got so very sick, you shouldn't be acting this way after the King was so lenient with you" Hawthorne says seriously. I scoff at his words, wow he really has the audacity to tell me these things when he has no clue about what I have had to endure in my life already. I just turned away from him and I don't want to talk to him anymore.
"Princess, please just say something" He says and pulls my arm so I turn back over in bed, but that movement makes me sick to my stomach. I sit up quickly and grab the bowl on the side table and start throwing up even though all I have is water and medicine in my stomach. Hawthorne comes over and pats my back and takes the bowl from my hands after I stop.
"I'm sorry, I will call a maid in" He says and then leaves. I lie back down slowly and try to just go back to sleep as it seems better than being awake at this point.
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"Prince Reed I just came back from visiting Princess Aster, she is not doing well at all, '' Hawthorne says. I continue aiming my arrow at the target and I don't say anything and send the arrow off hitting the bullseye.
"She hasn't been eating and then she became very sick. I even watched her throw up in front of me and she didn't even have anything in her stomach. I even feel worried about her, I just don't know why she has become so upset in the last couple of days" He says scratching his head.
"Hawthorne, she obviously doesn't want our help, it's best to just stay out of this" I say and I pull another arrow out.
"Prince Reed, you have been practicing for so many hours every day, of course you care and you do want to help her" Hawthorne says frustrated.
"I can't do anything for her, she doesn't rely on me anyway. '' I say with sternness in my voice. Hawthorne then leaves me and I continue shooting arrows until it's becoming dark. I go inside and try to distract myself with different things, but Hawthorne's words keep ringing around in my head that I finally find myself close to Princess Aster's room.
I think I will just check on her just to ease my curiosity and if she is that bad maybe I will go inside. I see Aster's hurt maid go into Aster's room and I stand outside listening in on their conversation.
"Princess, I have sneaked out to come and see you. I am doing better, but why are you so sick??" Ivy says while crying.
"Oh Ivy are you okay?" Aster says with a weak voice.
"What happened? Was it something that Rowan said? Did he threaten the lives of your parent's or something? Did Prince Juniper do something?" Ivy asks full of questions.
"Oh Ivy, it's horrible" Aster says and then starts crying.
"What is it?" Ivy asks again with tears coming from the both of them.
"Rowan told me that my parents and brothers are dead" She says and starts crying harder and I peek into the room and see Ivy embrace Aster in a hug. I then go farther into the hallway and I slide down the wall and sit on the floor.
I realize I have no clue about what has happened to Aster, I don't know what she is dealing with at all and I didn't even really give her time to explain. I haven't even come to check on her even after I heard she stopped eating and I feel guilt resting on my shoulders.
I selfishly was upset with her about how she was lying to me, but maybe she had reasons she couldn't share with me. I will properly go and talk with her tomorrow I promise myself, and quietly leave the two of them.
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The next morning I start to feel a little bit better and the dizziness has subsided. I am even able to drink some broth and keep it down. I am lying in bed when I hear a knock on the door and Rowan comes into the room.
"I hear you are doing better today" He says and I don't say anything to him.
"Well I just came to say that I am leaving today and wanted to say goodbye" He says.
"Fine, good bye" I say, staring at him.
"Just so you know I will be back again, so please don't stir up any more trouble" He says and I just roll my eyes at him. He then seems uncomfortable as he clears his throat and walks out of the room. After a few minutes I hear a knock at the door.
"Just leave already" I yell out expecting Rowan to come back in the room. Instead the door opens and I hear someone clear their voice and I sit up in bed and see Reed standing there awkwardly.
"Can we talk first?" He says gently.
"I thought you were Rowan" I say flatly.
"Oh I did see him leaving" He says and comes closer to me and I pull the covers up around me.
"I thought you hated me now" I say, glancing at him.
"I admit I was very upset with you, but I realized that maybe I should have been more understanding and given you another chance before getting so upset" He says looking so uncomfortable.
"Honestly it's fine if you want to hate me, I just don't care anymore. My life has no meaning and it's pointless to care anymore" I say feeling upset to even have a conversation about anything right now.
"Come on Aster, I did feel really hurt about your lies" He says starting to defensive.
"Prince Reed, I don't feel very well and I just can't right now" I say and lie back down in bed.
"I'm sorry I didn't come for this, I just wanted to apologize, that is all I wanted to say right now. I overheard a bit of what you and Ivy were talking about last night and I just wanted to check on you" He says and then stands up.
"What? You were listening in on a private conversation" I say sitting back up.
"I didn't mean to, I was just concerned about you" He says quickly.
"You don't have the right to spy on me" I say and tears start burning hot out of my eyes.
"I'm sorry" He stutters.
"Just leave, get out" I yell and then throw a pillow on my bed at him and he then promptly leaves the room.
YOU ARE READING
Entranced Whispers
FantasyAster is a young woman who grew up with feeling like someone that didn't quite fit in no matter where she went. She lives in a magical place where anything could happen. She is plucked out of a relatively normal existence and taken by her Uncle Thor...
