Be My Princess: Prince Roberto

A Growing Crush

"What do you mean an accident? What kind of accident?"  

"I don't know. The details still aren't clear, but..." 

"I see..." 

All the blood seemed to be draining from my head and I felt dizzy. I nodded to the servant and put my hand back on the doorknob. I must have looked as shaken as I felt, because the servant watched me worriedly until the door shut behind me. I picked up my cell phone, thinking that I might as well try sending him a message. I wrote 'Are you okay?' and then deleted it. I wrote 'I'm worried about you' and then deleted it. At last, I just wrote 'Please message me' and sent the text. I waited on tenterhooks for him to reply, but none came. 

I know! Alberto must know something... 

I gripped the phone as I called the butler, but even that small hope was dashed. I couldn't get through to Alberto either and my fear only grew. 

I can't just sit here doing nothing... 

I may never see Prince Roberto again. I couldn't shake that horrible thought from my mind and it finally pushed me beyond my limits. I got permission from the villa staff to take some days off and I set out to return to Oriens. 

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It was my first time home in a very long time since I'd left to work for Jean Pierre in Charles. 

I never thought I'd be coming back for something like this... 

Along the way I had called Alberto's cell phone again and again, but I'd never gotten through. Sending up a little prayer, I tried one more time and someone finally picked up. 

"O-Oh! This is [Y/N]. What hospital is Prince Roberto in?" I felt so desperately impatient that I had burst right out with the question, wasting no time on manners. 

"He is in Oriens Royal Hospital. Why do you ask?" Alberto says. 

"A-And how is he..." I could hear someone addressing Alberto through the phone. 

"Forgive me, but things are quite hectic here. I will have to call you again." Then he hung up. 

What's happening? He sounded so tense... 

The horrible premonition that I'd been trying to convince myself was nothing more than folly suddenly seemed all the more real. I caught a taxi cab and headed for the hospital. When I arrived at the hospital, I found it was under heavy guard. Countless bodyguards were on duty, their eyes flashing dangerously. I tried to get in to see the prince, but I was immediately stopped. 

"This area is off-limits." one of the royal guards says. 

"Um, I was told that Prince Roberto had been admitted here and..." 

"No visitors allowed beyond this point." 

"I'm not exactly a visitor..." 

"I was told not to let anyone past this point." 

"Wh-Why? Is... is his condition that serious?" 

"I cannot release any details. Please leave." What should I do? What if Roberto really is... 

Unable to do anything else, I sat down in one of the chairs in the hospital lobby. My hands squeezed into fists on my lap. The strict atmosphere here at the hospital, and Alberto's tense voice on the phone had killed any last optimism I had clung to about Prince Roberto's condition. 

What can I do... I can't stop worrying and my heart feels like it's about to burst... 

I remembered Prince Roberto's smiling face.