Royal Entanglement

eone else was to walk into the room, they would see only her.

Because Diana was dead. And she died in the most miserable way, for the most wretched reason.

Lady Sophia swallowed and took a step further to Diana, but it was, in one moment gone like a whiff of smoke, leaving only dark clouds to hang around the room.

Every day was as devastating as the first day she was told the unfortunate news, and it remained one of those memories she knew she would not forget. No matter how much time will pass.

She closed her eyes, seeing the memory show itself to her in the darker orbs of her closed eyes, and a little of the emotions she had felt on that day came rushing back to her, escaping under her long lashes in form of tears.

”Mama! Mama! ” Lady Sophia was breathless as she ran to the large house, immediately going to the largest chamber where she knew her parents would be.

They were always there during this time of the day, with the sun high up, enjoying each others company over a spread of exotic fruits.

But today was different. Even with Lady Sophia herself. On normal days, she would stop to song with the little canaries that perched the top of the lily bushes just before the large chamber, chase the butterfly around till she heard her name being called again, and would loosen her hair to feel the slow caress of the breeze between the strands.

But today, her run had chased the canaries away, and her hair was in the tight braid her mother always advised her to keep because it made her look better.

She was breathless by the time she got to the large chamber, and she stopped, her lips partly open, sweat drenching her hairline.

Their stables boy, Paul was squatted on the floor, his forehead touching the ground, his body shaking as he sobbed.

Her fathers eyes were closed as he held their mother close to him, his hand slightly tapping on her shivering back.

”What is happening? ” Lady Sophia asked, but she knew the answer.

It has been yelled out to her at the flower field she normally went to, and that petal she had been holding had fallen to the ground.

”Sophia… ” her mother, Rachel said, before lowering her head again, her voice breaking down in coherence to nothing more than shortened howls.

”Has sister…has Diana really left us? ”

It was strange for her to say it out loud, like she was accepting it. It felt like gall on her tongue, and she brought the back of her palms to wipe her forehead.

”Is it really true? Has Diana really left us? ”

Edward, her father raised his head, his youthful face now looking older than he really was, and he slowly nodded.

”Yes, Sophia. Diana died of a disease. ”