The Girl - A The Selection Fan-Fiction |✔️|

Chapter Eleven - The Symptoms

       "Lady Ambree?"  He called out again before looking down and noticing me.  "Oh!  There you are!"  I smiled a sarcastic smile and sat up, dangling my feet off my bed.  The guard walked over to me and sat down at my side.
       "What."  I asked him firmly, trying not to let my voice waver. 
       "I was just wondering if you were alright since you were... Um.. Yeah."  His awkwardness made me laugh.  Which made him loosen up a little.
       "I-I'm okay.  Or at least I'll be fine."  I said to reassure him but he seemed skeptical.  "Seriously I'll be okay.... Well it seems I don't know your name!"  I said, a little too enthusiastically which made us both laugh.
       "I'm Hansel Tames.  Son of Marlee Tames."  He said.  My eyes widened.  The Marlee Tames? 
       "You're kidding!  That's insane!  I guess we all relate back to Queen America somehow!"  I said, shocked.  Hansel furrowed his eyebrows.  Oh, right.  Most people didn't know that America and Aspen knew each other, him being a guard and all.
       "Nevermind.  That's a story for a different time."  I said, trying not to over complicate things, seeing as they were already complicated enough.  Hansel nodded.
       "I'll just be going then I guess."  He said, once again sounding uncomfortable.  I stood to say bye but felt a sudden weakness in my knees.  I looked down at my feet to see if my heels were the problem but I had already taken them off.
       Hansel rushed to my aid and steadied me.  I thanked him and tried to walk to the door but stumbled.  Hansel tried to help me again but I waved him off, determined to stand on my own.  I steadied myself again and continued my journey across my room.  On my second step I stumbled again and this time collapsed to the ground. 
       I suddenly felt faint and a cold sweat fell over me.  I felt Hansel's warm hands scoop me up and carry me out the door.  My eyes were still open.  They weren't even near closing.  They were just frozen open in some deathly stare.  I bounced in Hansel's arms as he rushed me to the hospital wing.  He kept brushing the hair sticking to my face because of my sudden sweat off while running. 
       We reached the hospital wing and he carried me to one of the beds.  A doctor immediately tended to me.  She tried talking to me but I found my mouth seemed to be glued shut.  I tried blinking, as she instructed to do, but couldn't move my eyelids either.  I couldn't move at all.  I couldn't even feel myself breathe.  The doctor took my pulse.
       "I'm sorry."  She said gravely.  "I'm afraid she's dead."  The doctor informed Hansel and his eyes grew large and hollow.  But how was that possible?  I was here wasn't I?  I was completely conscious of my surroundings!  If only I could talk.  "I'll have to call in the royal family."  The doctor said as Hansel just stood there, in a pure state of shock. 
       I wanted to reach out and tell him that I was alive, that I was fine but I still couldn't move.  I heard violent footsteps from nearby and saw Aaron's face come into view.  His face was soaked with tears, along with his mother's.  How would they tell my family?  Would they give me a funeral?  Would I ever be able to break free of this awful curse of glassy eyes and being frozen?! 
       Queen America wiped her eyes, like she did with mine earlier, and leaned closer to me. 
       "No.  She's alive.  I can see it in her eyes.  She just fell under the sickness."  America said, suddenly looking more soothed.  Everyone seemed relieved but I was sure I was the most thankful for her spotting the life in me. 
       Then all in a rush I began shaking and thrashing and screaming, my eyes turning wild.  I couldn't control my own body.  I whipped away at Hansel and scratched his face.  I threatened to attack the royal family next but before I could the doctor came over with an injection and plunged it into my neck.  I yelled before falling back into my bed.
       "She's fallen ill with royal fever.  Those were only the symptoms."  I heard the doctor say before slipping into oblivion.