Doctor Kevin's words hung in the morgue like a cold wind, and Princess Selina and Princess Maris almost spoke at the same time, their voices rising with fear.
"What?! Shock?! Then do something! Nothing must happen to her!" Their faces were pale, and their hands shook as they moved closer to him.
Doctor Kevin lifted both palms in a hurry, trying to calm them down while saying, "Nothing will happen to Her Royal Highness... I promise, Your Highnesses, that I will take care of her."
He turned sharply toward the door and said, "Nurse Petra! Bring the stretcher."
Nurse Petra straightened from where she had been standing quietly by the doorpost of the morgue and said, "Yes, Doctor!"
She rushed down the hallway with quick, light steps, her shoes tapping against the polished floor.
Princess Selina grabbed Princess Maris's hand, and Prince Lucien pulled Prince Kaelen closer as they watched the nurse disappear and return almost at once with the stretcher.
Doctor Kevin and Nurse Petra worked fast but gently as they lifted the unconscious Kitandra from the cold, sterile floor of the morgue.
Her head rested limply against the doctor's arm, her skin pale and damp with sweat.
They set her on the stretcher, secured her, and then began to roll her down the corridor toward VVIP Ward 10.
Princess Selina, Princess Maris, Prince Lucien, and Prince Kaelen followed closely behind, almost running to keep up, and their eyes were fixed on Kitandra's still form.
Inside the VVIP ward, Doctor Kevin and Nurse Petra transferred Kitandra onto the hospital bed.
The room was large, quiet, and bright with soft afternoon light spilling across the white walls.
As soon as she was on the bed, Doctor Kevin leaned over her and got straight to work.
He checked her pulse first, pressing his fingers to her wrist. "Weak but steady," he murmured.
He opened a drawer and took out a small vial, drew a dose with a syringe, then pressed it into the IV line attached to her arm.
Princess Selina stepped forward nervously, and with fear laced in her voice, she said, "What is that?"
"A stabilizer, Your Highness... It will calm her system and bring her out of the shock." Doctor Kevin answered Princess Selina without looking away.
He placed an oxygen mask carefully over Kitandra's face, adjusted the strap, and checked her breathing again.
Her chest moved slowly, almost too slowly, and Princess Maris's hands flew to her mouth as she watched.
Doctor Kevin adjusted the IV drip, then pressed a cool compress to Kitandra's forehead.
He checked her pulse again, checked the monitors, and after a long tense moment, her breathing grew steadier.
Her fingers twitched, and then a little color returned to her cheeks.
Seeing this, Doctor Kevin let out a breath he had been holding, then he removed his gloves and stepped back, and with his voice softening, he said, "Her Royal Highness is stable now... Her body went into shock from the emotional stress, but she is out of danger... She will wake up after some hours."
Princess Maris moved forward first, and with her head bowed in gratitude, she said, "Thank you, Doctor… Thank you so much."
Her voice trembled, but her eyes were relieved.
Doctor Kevin gave a small nod and said, "You may stay with Her Royal Highness... She will wake up once her body fully recovers."
Princess Selina, Prince Lucien, and Prince Kaelen didn't say a word, as Princess Maris had already thanked Doctor Kevin on their behalf, but their eyes were filled with relief and gratitude towards Doctor Kevin.
The four royals remained around the bed while minutes stretched into hours, and the room was filled with soft beeping from the machines and quiet breaths of worry and hope.
The night passed slowly, shadows rising on the walls and then fading again as time moved forward.
It was not until four hours into the next day, at 3:14 p.m. on Friday, 1st of October, that Kitandra finally stirred.
Her fingers twitched again, and then her eyelids fluttered.
She let out a small, weak breath, as if her body was confused about how to wake up after being gone so long.
Slowly, her eyes opened, looking heavy and faraway, like someone waking from a deep dream they were not ready to leave.
Princess Selina was the first to notice.
"Kitandra! She's awake!" She gasped.
Kitandra blinked a few times.
Her face looked pale and tired. Her lips were dry, and her eyes moved around the room slowly as if she didn't understand where she was.
"What… happened?" She whispered with her voice hoarse.
She swallowed and said, "How long… was I out?"
Princess Selina sat on the edge of the bed and took her hand, then with tears welling up in her eyes, she said, "You were out for almost twenty hours, girl... You gave us quite a scare."
Kitandra frowned softly and looked around again, then she said, "What day is it?"
Princess Selina managed a small smile and said, "Today is Friday, the 1st of October."
Then Kitandra closed her eyes briefly and said, "I feel like I just woke up from a very bad dream."
Prince Lucien stepped closer, gave her a sad smile, and said, "Sorry, Sister... What you saw and heard from us and the doctor yesterday wasn't a dream. It happened for real."
Kitandra's shoulders slouched, and she stared at the sheets for a moment before saying, "No wonder that doctor was calling me 'Your Royal Highness' instead of 'Your Highness.'"
Prince Kaelen gave a small, gentle smile and said, "He meant no harm. He only said that because you are now the crown heir to the throne of the Kingdom of Fyrion."
Kitandra lowered her gaze even more, and with her golden amber eyes filled with sadness and her voice breaking softly, she said, "All my family is gone… Everyone is dead… and I'm all alone."
Princess Selina shook her head firmly and said, "No, Kitandra. You are not alone. You still have us as your second cousins... We will always be here for you."
Kitandra nodded slowly, but her eyes were still clouded.
After a moment she asked, "Did the Fyrionian Royal Police Force find out what caused the bombing? Did they catch who did it?"
Prince Lucien and Princess Selina exchanged a look, then Princess Selina answered first, saying, "Police Chief Rooney Kent said that after their investigation, they found out that the bombing was carried out by a foreign mercenary group called the 'BLOOD RAVEN.'"
Prince Lucien continued, saying, "Chief Rooney Kent told us that he instructed his men to track them down, and though it took a while, they tracked them down and captured all the members.... During interrogation, they confessed that they were hired to kill an important man who was inside the hotel. They said they didn't know his name, and they only had a picture. When they showed the picture to the police, the target turned out to be Chairman John Osford of Osford Group."
Princess Maris shook her head slowly and said, "It was shocking... You know how powerful he was."
Prince Lucien went on, saying, "They said the security inside Zivale Hotel that evening was too tight, and because of it, they couldn't move around the hotel and start searching room by room for their target and risk getting caught by either the Gryphon Guards, the Royal Guards, or the Queen's Guards, so they decided to bomb the whole hotel to make sure their target dies inside the hotel." They said they wanted to finish the job quickly and collect their remaining balance from whoever hired them."
Kitandra furrowed her eyebrows, and with her eyes gleaming with rage, she said, "Did they say who hired them?"
Princess Maris shook her head and said, "No, they didn't say... They said they don't know who hired them."
Kitandra clenched her fists, and with her voice laced with rage, she said, "Why didn't they know?!"
Prince Lucien sighed heavily, then he placed his right hand gently on Kitandra's shoulder and said, "Don't worry... They have been eliminated. Consider their deaths as payment for what they did."
Kitandra nodded slowly.
After a moment she smacked her lips while thinking, and then after she was done thinking, she said, "Do you guys know what I think?"
Princess Maris, Princess Selina, Prince Kaelen, and Prince Lucien looked at each other, then they looked at her.
"What?" They asked.
Kitandra lifted her chin slightly, and with her face straight and serious, she said, "I don't believe the bombing was done to kill any important man. I think it was done to kill my grandmother… Queen Alyndra."
Princess Selina flinched and replied quickly, "Kitandra, we don't know that. There's no evidence. The police found the culprit, and their confession makes sense. I think Queen Alyndra and the rest of the royals were just collateral damage. You know what? Let's forget this. Talking about it will only make you sadder."
Kitandra let out a small, irritated sound before saying, "But I'm certain what I said is the truth. Can't you tell? The whole thing was too easy for the police. Normally, they shouldn't have been able to find the culprit that fast."
Prince Lucien sighed deeply, and with his voice laced with exasperation, he said, "Enough of your theories, Kitandra. You asked about the culprit, and we told you because we wanted you to have closure, not because we wanted you to start playing detective."
Kitandra rolled her eyes slightly while saying, "Don't you think the real mastermind created this fairytale because he or she wanted me to have that same closure?"
Princess Maris stepped in quickly, and with her voice laced with concern, she said, "Kitandra, please don't start stressing yourself again. You just woke up. Let's change the topic. Anyway, we're just happy you finally opened your eyes after going into shock."
Prince Kaelen nodded and said, "Yes. You scared us too much already."
Princess Selina squeezed Kitandra's hand gently, and with her voice laced with warmth and joy, she said, "We're relieved you woke up, and we're glad you're here with us."
The heaviness in the room softened after that.
Kitandra leaned back against her pillow and listened to them talk about lighter things—how they stayed awake all night, how Princess Maris kept pacing around the room, and how Prince Kaelen almost fought a nurse when he thought she wasn't moving fast enough.
Then the room slowly warmed with quiet laughter and soft smiles.
Two hours later, Prince Kaelen, Prince Lucien, and Princess Selena left the ward to go and see Doctor Kevin in his office, while Princess Maris sat beside Kitandra's bed and started peeling an apple for Kitandra.
As soon as Princess Maris finished peeling one apple, Kitandra grabbed the apple, giggled, and started to take small bites from the peeled apple while eating slowly.
She had more color in her cheeks but still looked tired.
Five minutes later, the door suddenly pushed open, and High Priestess Elyndra Lonaria walked in with four young priestesses behind her.
As soon as they got close to Kitandra, all five of them bowed their heads deeply.
"Good afternoon, Your Royal Highness," they greeted in one voice.
Kitandra straightened a little and nodded before saying, "Good afternoon, Your Holiness... Please raise your heads."
High Priestess Elyndra stepped forward and said, "Your Royal Highness, we came to transport the bodies of the late Queen Alyndra and all the other royals who died in the bombing incident from the morgue of the royal hospital to the Holy Temple of Aurelithia... The Queen is to lie in state for two days inside the Hall of Eternal Dawn, a consecrated chamber reserved only for monarchs. During this time, her body will be guarded by the Priestesses of Aurelithia alone, for it is their sacred duty to protect her spirit as it moves from mortal life."
She continued, "On the third day, which is the 3rd of October, the Queen and all the royals must be buried in the Aurelithian Royal Mausoleum. I came to inform you of this, even though I know you must have read it in the royal codex."
The ward became silent for a minute before High Priestess Elyndra sighed softly and said, "It is sad how the queen and all the royals died, but by the grace of Goddess Aurelithia, you woke up two hours after being declared brain dead. You must be heartbroken, but you must also be strong. And I hope you know that a week after the national mourning ends, a new queen must be crowned."
Kitandra's eyes hardened, and with her voice laced with anger, she said, "I know that. But don't expect the new queen to be me."
High Priestess Elyndra frowned and said, "Why?"
Kitandra's voice trembled slightly with frustration as she said, "I'm seventeen, okay?!"
"So?" High Priestess Elyndra asked again.
"Well, all my mates are in SS3 preparing for V.E.C. (Valyserian Examination Council) and F.U.A.E.B. (Fyrionian University Admission Examination Board), and that's what I should be preparing for, not ruling. I'm too small to rule a nation as big as Fyrion." Kitandra answered High Priestess Elyndra.
High Priestess Elyndra sighed heavily and said, "Your Royal Highness, there is no small monarch. A monarch is respected no matter the age... Queen Sophia of Nerysos was your age when she became queen ten years ago. If she could do it, why can't you?"
Kitandra kept quiet because she had no reply.
With her face troubled, she sank back against her pillow.
High Priestess Elyndra bowed again and said, "Anyway, You must get yourself ready. I beg to take my leave, Your Royal Highness."
Kitandra waved her hand slightly, then High Priestess Elyndra and the young priestesses bowed once more before leaving the ward.
As soon as they left the ward, Princess Maris dropped the apple she had been peeling, stood up, and walked straight to Kitandra.
She wrapped her arms around Kitandra while Kitandra rested her head on Princess Maris's chest and finally let the tears she had been holding back fall.
She started to sob quietly while trembling as she clung to Princess Maris, who was busy patting her back softly.