𝐷𝑎𝑟𝑙𝑖𝑛𝑔𝑡𝑜𝑛. ʙʀɪᴛɪsʜ ʀᴏʏᴀʟ ғᴀᴍɪʟʏ

11 ♔♕ 𝗮 𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗽 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗵𝗼𝘀𝗽𝗶𝘁𝗮𝗹

𝚏𝚎𝚋𝚛𝚞𝚊𝚛𝚢 𝟸𝟶𝟶𝟶

Bella hadn't felt well all day.

She was currently at Highgrove for the half-term holiday, her father, who was just about to conclude a tour of the Caribbean, would be coming home in a few days. In the meantime though, it was just her. Her brothers had gone back to Eton yesterday, there half terms being different, and then Camilla would be arriving tomorrow in time for their father coming back. She was never really alone though, the house was still buzzing with activity, it was just that they weren't actually supposed to talk to her, or at least, not talk to her for a long time.

And so, for the day, she was alone. She spent the day inside, reading and watching television, not feeling particularly up to doing anything. Bella went to bed early, thankful that tomorrow Camilla would arrive so she would have someone to talk to.

♔♕

She didn't feel any better when she woke up, but she dragged herself out of bed and made herself eat some toast, knowing it would probably make her feel better.

It didn't.

She was sat out in the garden when Camilla arrived in the early afternoon, "hello, what are you doing out here?" She asked, sitting down in the chair opposite her.

Bella shielded her eyes from the winter sun as she replied to her, "I'm just getting some fresh air, think I'm coming down with something."

"Oh, okay." Camilla replied, concern etching onto her features, "do you want anything to eat?" Bella just frowned in reply, "okay then, well have you got some water, you should keep drinking." Camilla looked around where Bella was sat and, upon seeing no water in sight, stood up to go get her some.

Bella smiled in thanks as she passed her a bottle of water when she walked back out a few moments later, the two of them fell into companionable silence as they sat in the opposite chairs, basking in the sun that was beginning to set.

Camilla kept glancing over to Bella with worry every time she sighed in discomfort, Charles would be back in two days but she wasn't sure how far she was supposed to go with Bella in the meantime, how much would she want her there if she was ill?

"I think I'll go up to bed." Bella's voiced pulled her from her thoughts, she looked up to see the teenager picking up the blanket she had been covering herself with and the now empty bottle of water Camilla had handed her earlier.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes...don't worry I'm fine, I'm sure a good sleep will sort me out...please can you tell them I don't want any dinner."

"Of course," she replied, a slight frown forming on her face as she watched her begin to walk away. Whilst she might not have known Bella very well, Camilla thought that she perhaps had spent enough time with her to know that, whatever she said, she wasn't well.

♔♕

Camilla woke with a start, unsure where she was to begin with or what had woken her so suddenly. As she began to get her bearings again, the sound of someone throwing up rang through the halls, making her sit bolt upright.

She reached over to the bedside table and fumbled around slightly for the light, blinking like a deer as she switched it on. As her eyes grew more accustomed to the light, she glanced over to the clock on the table, almost half past 5, oh.

There was the sound again.

Camilla swung her legs out of bed, gently pushing her feet into the soft slippers by the edge of the bed, she thought briefly of her dressing gown, but forgot the idea when she heard the noise again.