From Prisoner to Princess

Chapter 35

My body feels like every inch of it has hit a brick wall. It reminds me of the time when I was eighteen and had just finished looting some rich store owner and decided taking the rooftops was a great idea. That great idea soon became regret when I slipped jumping towards my next rooftop and missed by an inch. The ground thankfully was covered in garbage bags and I did not break any bones, but I was bruised and sore for a few weeks and decided to never take rooftops again.

“Alli?” Opening my eyes at the sound of his deep voice, I notice I am not in my room. What happened to me?

“Alli, I am right here.” Turning in the direction of Sky’s voice, I notice him staring at me with concern but also relief. My brain feels groggy like that time I had drank too much vodka.

“What happened?” Lifting my free hand, I wince when the movement tugs on the I.V. in my hand.

“Careful.” Sky moves, his hand supporting the one with the I.V. and helps me lower it onto my stomach.

“You were poisoned last night. The Doctors say you will be sore.” He continues with a sigh.

“Poisoned…Doctors?” Closing my eyes, the events of the Ball crash into me like a slideshow. I had finished talking to my cousin and his father-in-law. Had grab something to snack on. The pain. The dizziness. It all happened so fast.

“I am going to kill those bastards.” I have never felt such rage and hatred till now. How the hell did they manage to get poison into a secured event. Everything was taken care of from the Guards to the catering. Background checks were done with both the Royal Guards and the Blanchard Estate. The only people who weren’t scrutinized were…

“The Guests. What happened to the guests?” I ask, eyes opening as I stare at Sky. Someone on the guest list had to have been the one to do it.

“We only have a few left to interrogate and have already found five Traitors.” Taking my hand in his, Sky places a kiss on it before giving me a reassuring smile.

“Two managed to slip the same poison they got you with into their mouths, one died but the other is kept under watch while in a coma. The other three had everything removed from them but their undergarments. Even those were scrutinized before returned to them.” Sky sighs as he explains what has been done.

“What about the staff?” Wondering how they managed to place poison in the food, I want to know if the staff were involved. I hope that’s not the case. Some of the people working here have been here since my mother was a child.

“It seems so far the Blanchard Estate staff are all innocent. Arian and his men are making sure they are thoroughly investigated. He even has his Shadow Squad involved.” Relieved, a small smile forms on my lips. All of the staff here are friendly. They are like family here in the Estate. Sky then tells me I have been asleep for over fourteen hours, and that the poison was fast acting but everyone else was faster in getting the antidote into me and the Doctors here right away. It seems that their goal was to kill me, but they made the fatal mistake of attacking me at my maternal family’s Estate.

News of me waking spread like wildfire in the Estate when Clarice came to check on me with a few Maids I had yet to meet. One ran out as soon as I said hello and soon my Grandparents were rushing inside my room with my cousins, Aunts, and Uncles. They gushed over me, making sure I was comfortable and fed while explaining what the Blanchards were doing to help with the poison investigation. Many were pissed their trusted friends were Traitors, my cousin Eathan explained how his father-in-law was working hard creating a list of Nobles he weary about to send to Arian to investigate.

“How long will I need to rest?” I ask as I watch the last of my family leave my room so that I can rest. Arian informed me that when the poisoning happened, he had the communication system shut down as soon as he was informed so that no news leaked from the Estate. No one outside the guests, the Guards, and the workers knows what happened to me in order to keep the citizens calm. If people found out their Princess who just returned was poisoned at an event meant for her, there would be chaos.

“Doctors say three days, but we can bring your work here to work from the bed.” Changing over my I.V. bag, Clarice gives me an apologetic smile as Millia sets the food she brought in for Sky and me to eat, claiming it was already tested for poison in a sing-song voice and making me laugh. The sisters were the ones who came to my rescue with the antidote kit. They worked fast and without them, I probably would have died. My Grandmama told them they were to be my Maids for the next few days but I have a feeling that she will insist I take them with me to the Palace.

“Alli is supposed to rest, not work.” Sky protests at Clarice’s words, the Maid rolling her eyes and muttering something about overprotective men.

“I can do both, Sky. Last night is proof enough that I am still not safe and I need to put a stop to Juden and his men before their next attempts succeed.” Staring into his eyes, I can see Sky wanting to protest, to fight me on this. Thankfully he doesn’t and instead looks away, defeated and deflated. We both know that I am not safe at all, not until Juden and his men are caught and executed and I sit comfortably on the Throne with my crown atop of my head.

“Fine. But you work only for two hours a day for the next few days.” His terms are no shock to me and I know that it is my turn to back off. If he and I are going to be a couple, then we both need to compromise.

“Deal.” With the compromise made and my medicine changed, Sky and Clarice helped me to walk to the small table to eat, Clarice letting me know that she had sent Alice to get my work equipment for me an hour ago much to Sky’s protest. Apparently, she did this without informing him and it makes me like the Maid even more. Maybe I might ask them to be my full-time personal Maids before my Grandmama can suggest it.

After a light lunch of soup, sliced fruit, and bread, Alice returns with my laptop bag in hand and a lap desk in another. I thanked her while yawning, asking Millia to put it on the dresser, and told them all that after a nap I will do some work. Sky is right, I need to rest. With their help, I climb back into bed, the comforter being pulled up to my shoulders.

As soon as everyone clears the room, I find myself in Sky’s arms and he and I begin talking about what protocols we will need to add to the Palace to prevent another poisoning. We already have the Amethyst Lounge where I can safely cook my food if need be or have Ellisia cook for me if I am busy. Sky reassures me that the Palace is secured after the work he, Arian and I put into cleaning it up, that the Palace Workers would be suicidal to try anything and with his reassurance, I decide to put this topic aside for now. We will need to discus this with Arian, Ellisia and my Head Chef Theon when I return home.

I yawn again, Sky tucking my head under his chin and telling me to sleep and so I do. Work can wait until after my nap.