Estelle POV

I opened my eyes, not recognizing my whereabouts. My nostrils flared when I picked up on the aroma of antiseptic and bleach.

I sat up, instantly feeling the heaviness of my body. Scanning the room, I spotted Alexandre, his head in his hands, snoring softly.

I started to open my mouth to speak, but all that came out was a strangled and garbled tone, followed by excruciating pain shooting up my throat.

Tears began streaming down my face, my hands instinctually reaching for my neck where I felt the gauze wrapped around it.

"Estelle!?" Alexandre jolted awake when I began making more garbled noises.

He rushed to my bedside in a panic, seeing the tears in my eyes.

"Here. . . Let me help with the pain." With no hesitation, he pulled the bandages gently over and lowered his head to my neck, his mouth only inches away from my skin as the warmth of his breath caused a blush to inch up my neck and to my cheeks.

I closed my eyes, feeling the effects of his healing smoke working its magic on my wound and easing some of my discomfort.

"Better?" He pulled away a little bit and looked into my eyes, his hazel eyes drawing me in and making me want to pull him close to me.

I resisted and simply nodded, not wanting to risk more pain by speaking.

That's when I noticed the TV hung on the wall across from the hospital bed I was in, a news anchor covering the events of the battle.

More tears streamed down my face as they showed a clip of myself getting wounded by The Corrupted and then my brother being stabbed in the heart.

I wasn't sure how they got footage of the battle, but seeing it on screen made the reality of what happened come crashing down on me.

"J. . . J-Ja. . . Jam. . . James?"

Alexandre grabbed the remote from the table next to the hospital bed, shutting the television off and sighing.

"He. . . Didn't make it, Stell. . ." He had a forlorn expression on his face that made me want to sink into the bed, pull the blanket over my head, and never get up again.

I felt like I would never stop crying after Lex had given me that information, my body so weak still from the battle and now the emotional distress I was going through.

"I'm so sorry, Stell. . . I couldn't save you both. . . And he. . . He had me save you. . . By the time I was done healing you. . . I. . . Was out of energy. . . And James. . . He was gone. . ." Lex was in pain too, though his appeared to be more inside than out.

I did the only thing I could think of in that moment and reached my arms out, him instantly welcoming my embrace.

We sat like that, in our sorrow and embrace for several long moments before I heard footsteps approaching us.

"Estelle, my dear child!" My mother's voice came out as a high pitched tone when she rushed over to my bedside. "It is so good to see you awake."

I pulled away from Lex gently and took a look at my mother.

She had bags under her eyes, her blonde tresses were falling out of the bun she had them pulled up into, she wore sweats, which was something I hadn't seen her wear in ages, and when I looked closely into her eyes, I could see the sadness in them.

Lex stood up from his sitting position on the hospital bed and walked over to the chair he'd been asleep in.

My mother took his place and sat on the right side of the bed, grabbing my right hand into hers.

"I was so worried about you, Stell. After your brother. . ." She swallowed hard before continuing. "After what happened with James and seeing you there wounded, I was so worried I had lost both my children. . ."

My chest tightened as she spoke, my heart beating rapidly. Hearing her speak, I couldn't help but think back to what Lex told me about healing me first. If he had healed my brother instead of me, he would be here in this hospital bed. I would probably be. . .

I felt myself beginning to tear up as I thought the words, but stopped myself and sighed.

"I'm. . . S. . . So. . . Sorry, Mom. . ." I spoke slowly, the gauze on my throat moving against my skin with every word and reminding me how severely I'd been wounded.

"Sorry for what, darling?" She tucked a strand of my hair behind my ear and gazed at me with concern on her face.

"It's. . . M. . . My. . . F. . . Fault. . ."

"Oh Lord no, my dear dear Estelle. James' death is far from being your fault. No. I blame The Corrupted that stormed through our barriers and attacked the castle. They're the ones who caused your brother's death. And if James was here, he would be telling you the same thing. . ." I'm not sure if I was tired from my own guilt or if my body was just too weak to hold on for a moment longer, but I couldn't help but let out a strangled yawn, my throat only slightly hurting.

"Sounds like you need to get some more rest. . ." Mom turned to Lex. "You look like you need some rest yourself, Alexandre. Why don't you go back to the guest suite for awhile and I'll stay here and watch over my daughter?"

The male knew better than to argue with my mother so he just nodded and began to take his leave.

"If you need me, I'm only a text away." Lex stopped at the doorway and held his smartphone up. "I'll come rushing over no matter what."

"O. . . Okay. . ." I muttered out as best a could and nodded.

"Thank you, Alexandre. . . Now go rest." Mom spoke firmly and with no hesitation he took his leave.

* * *

It was almost a week later that I was back to feeling somewhat normal and was able to leave the Infirmary.

It had been a long week in that hospital bed, stuck in my own misery and guilt, left thinking about how I could have done things differently and possibly saved my brother.

Maybe if I had just been more alert? Maybe if I hadn't used my invigoration so soon and been better prepared James would still be alive. . . Maybe. . . Just maybe, if I had spoke up about sensing something dreadful coming our way, I could have stopped the battle from happening?

I shook my head, beginning to change into the black dress my mother had lain across the chair next to the bed.

Since I was being released from the hospital, my parents had decided it was time to hold the funeral for James.

They had waited so that our family could attend as a united front and address the many paparazzi that were dying to hear what the remaining royals had to say about the battle and the almost newly crowned King's death.

I sighed, running my hands down the silky fabric of the black dress.

"Ready?" I heard her familiar voice ask sullenly from behind me.

I turned on my heel and came face to face with my best friend. She was wearing a simple, short-sleeved black silk top, dark jeans, and black knee-high boots. Her dark hair was worn down and curled, with light makeup applied to her face and a black headband worn in her hair.

"As ready as I'll ever be to attend my only siblings funeral. . ." I finally replied, more bitterly than I had intended to do so.

"I'm sorry I wasn't here when you woke up the other day, Stell. . ." Josette frowned, her emerald eyes filling with tears. "I should've been here for you instead of out there with the task force taking care of the remaining Corrupted."

I touched a hand to her shoulder, trying to ease her mind. "Jos, it's okay. I know you were helping my father and the others."

It had been the second day after I had awaken in the Infirmary when I'd last seen my father.

He had come into the room, hugged me and kissed my forehead, and then took on his kingly tone as he informed me of the task force on the outskirts of the kingdom, fighting off the remaining Corrupted that had broken through our troops.

"But I'm your Lady in Waiting. I should have been here. . ." She ran a hand through her brunette locks. "And there during the battle. I turned my back for a split second to attack the Corrupted that was coming towards you. . . And next thing I know, you're severely wounded and laying on the ground. James not far from you. . . How did everything go to Hell?"

"I don't know, Jos. I don't know. . ." Was all I could say as I took a deep breath and started walking towards the door leading out of the room.

* * *

Soft piano music played over the speakers in the church.

A preacher stood at the pulpit, an elegant casket with our royal emblem engraved into it, sat next to him, the body of my brother closed inside.

My parents felt it was best, considering the condition James' body was in when he died, to keep it closed casket.

Behind the preacher and to the left was a television that was playing a sideshow of pictures, a tribute to James' life.

"Are you okay?" Josette whispered to me from where she sat on my left.

"As okay as I can be. . ." Was all I whispered in response.

It seemed like hours before the funeral was over, my parents giving a speech at the end about how we need to stick together and stand united against The Corrupted.

"With our son gone. . . We still have to crown the next royal. . ." My father trailed off, looking directly at me. "I am pleased to announce our daughter, your Princess, Estelle, is the next in line to be crowned. She shall undergo the trials as soon as she has recovered from this whole ordeal."

I wanted to sink into my chair and hide away as everyone began applauding.

Dad gestured for me to join them up front and I wanted to sink further away, my anxiety growing as I obliged him begrudgingly.

I plastered a fake smile onto my face as I stood next to my parents, the reality of what my father announced starting to sink into my brain.

Holy shit! I'm not ready to do that. I'm not ready for the throne. . . I was trying hard not to hyperventilate up there in front of everyone as the funeral service came to a close and I was finally able to get out of there.

As the double doors opened up, however and sunshine greeted us, a throng of reporters stood at the bottom of the steps, many beginning to ask questions to us.

"Princess! Princess! Is it true you almost died?"

"King William is Estelle truly our next ruler?"

"James would have been the better ruler!!"

"You should have died instead of James!"

"Princess, how does it feel knowing you're the reason your brother is dead?"

My heart beat rapidly in my ears, my face burning.

I fought against the tears threatening to spill out, knowing I had to act level headed under the public's eye right now.

We pushed through the throng, neither of my parents, nor myself saying anything.

I was grateful once we had made it to the vehicle and I was able to let out the tears that I was holding back for so long.