6. The Astor Castell

"The queen is injured!"

Fredrick did not descend from the carriage, he leapt from where he was and ran to check what his man had just shouted. His heart hammered hard against his chest, he was afraid, but also deeply angry. An anger that threatened to become a cyclone ready to sweep away everything in its path.

Meanwhile, Selene disembarked with the help of a maid. For a moment, she had the desire to run in the opposite direction of the queen's carriage and escape, leave everything behind and start anew in a distant village where no one knew who she was or her relationship with the Royal House. However, her noble, or rather foolish, heart guided her towards the carriage, while the doctor and nurse rushed to help the queen, as they had been in the carriage borrowed from the Russells a few meters behind theirs.

Selene held her breath upon seeing the powerful queen, wounded and bloodstained. Her eyes were closed, Frederick carried her in his arms, and for a moment, Selene thought she was dead. A lump formed in her throat, and she didn't know why. The Queen was none of her concern.

"We need to stop the bleeding!" shouted the doctor, snapping Selene out of her thoughts. She approached and watched the nurse search through the medical bag.

"There are no bandages!" the woman shouted in panic. She had forgotten to pack them before leaving the palace that morning.

Selene lifted the fabric of her dress, earning a stern look from Frederick, but she cared little or none about it. She reached for her blanket combination and without hesitation, tore the fabric with all the strength she could muster, ripping off a considerable amount and handing it to the nurse.

"Perhaps this will do," she said, without looking in Frederick's direction. He was left speechless by Selene's gesture, a brief astonishment before he returned his attention to his wounded mother.

Frederick watched his men surround his mother and create an impenetrable barrier. However, he knew it was unnecessary. Whoever had attacked the carriage was not going to return to the crime scene, so he barked a couple of orders and sent his best men after the culprits, as he did not believe that the ones lying dead next to the carriage were the only ones who attacked the royal carriage.

He was going to apprehend them and punish them according to their crime.

Selene, who had returned to the carriage, listened and waited. It was all she could do. She didn't know exactly how much time had passed, but as soon as the doctor finished bandaging the Queen's wound, she was brought into the carriage she shared with the King.

"Take care of her," the king said.

Selene knew it wasn't a request but an order. She sighed and looked at the still body of the queen, she settled herself beside her and served as a pillow, her dress soon became stained with deep crimson red, due to the dampness of the woman's dress.

Meanwhile, Frederick accompanied the carriage on his horseback. He was attentive throughout the journey, but as he suspected, the villains did not return.

When the carriage entered the palace courtyard, it was Frederick who approached and carried his mother out of the carriage and into the building.

Selene felt slightly uncomfortable and very lost. She didn't know exactly what to do, say, or how to act. She was practically a stranger in the palace.

"Selene…" Henry's voice made her turn almost violently. Selene did not expect to see the man she loved on the same day she arrived as the promised one to Astor Palace.

"Henry…" she whispered, fearing she was making a mistake, but her heart beat strongly in her chest at the presence of the young man.

"What happened?!" he asked and shouted when he saw her stained with blood.

Henry broke protocol, approached her, and took her by the arms to make sure she wasn't hurt.

"It's not my blood," she hurriedly said. Selene took a step back, and her heart ached at the sight of Henry's sad eyes.

"I'm sorry, My Lady," he said.

She shook her head, but didn't have a chance to speak with him as Frederick's imperious voice was heard behind her.

"Selene!"

Frederick clenched his fists at the sight of Henry touching Selene. It wasn't jealousy, but his cousin forgot that he couldn't touch his fiancée, no matter what had happened between them. Selene was already forbidden to him, and he wouldn't have any problem reminding him of that.

Henry looked at Frederick with resentment as Selene moved away from him and walked to join her betrothed. Anger filled his heart, and he was about to go after her, but he knew very well that he couldn't make any mistakes. So, he turned on his heels and walked in the opposite direction, while the resentment grew stronger and stronger.

Selene trembled as she approached Frederick's side. She didn't know if he had seen Henry touching her, but judging by his attitude, it was highly likely. She swallowed hard and tried to diffuse the tension surrounding their unfortunate encounter.

"How is the queen?" she asked him in a hushed tone, avoiding eye contact.

"I need you in her room. You will be with the nurse, taking care of my mother, because I have something to do," he said curtly, without giving her much explanation.

"My Lady, come this way," one of the maids called, before Selene could say anything to the king.

Frederick didn't stay to see what Selene would do, as he had made it clear what she should do. He also instructed the guard he had secretly assigned to her to inform him of any intentions his cousin had of approaching her.

A group of royal soldiers awaited the king outside the palace, each on his horse. When he emerged, he received his sword, mounted his horse, and the group of men galloped away. It was their opportunity to find the culprits behind the attack on his mother's carriage.

Selene followed the young maid who led her to a room on the second floor of the castle, after traversing a long corridor filled with fine paintings and statues, although she didn't stop to admire them.

"My Lady, this will be your room," the young woman indicated, opening the door for Selene to enter.

Selene's breath caught at the size of the room. Without exaggerating, it occupied the space of the social area in her parents' house. Everything was luxurious, elegant, and understated, but it didn't feel welcoming. Perhaps it wasn't the place, but rather herself, who didn't see Astor Palace as her new home.

"The king has requested that you freshen up and change your clothes," at that moment, a noise came from a door inside the room, and two more maids appeared, organizing Selene's belongings in what seemed to be her wardrobe. "Please, don't delay, so that you can go to the queen. I will be here to assist you with whatever you need," the woman informed her, and Selene furrowed her brow.

Did she really have to do everything with someone by her side? Help her with what?

"I can manage on my own. You can leave the room," she politely requested, but the three young women refused.

"The king has ordered us to stay by your side and assist you with whatever you need," the maid with a higher rank reiterated, standing by her side.

"I would like to take a bath," Selene said uncomfortably, hoping that by doing so, the other women would give her some privacy, but she was unsuccessful.

"I will prepare the bath right away, My Lady," one of the maids replied and hurriedly left the room, while the other entered what seemed to be the bathroom.

Selene knew very well how to prepare a bath, but it was clear that in this place, it would only be a superficial arrangement and nothing more.

Half an hour later, she was as clean as possible and ready to go to Her Majesty's room, where she was escorted by the maids, who finally stayed outside, leaving her feeling a little less tense, although that feeling disappeared when she saw the queen's painful expression, even though she was still asleep.

Selene remained silent and helped with whatever was needed, although it wasn't much. In the end, her arrival at the Palace had been stranger than expected. At some point, she overheard the palace servants talking about what the king had gone out to do, and somehow, she felt a sense of anxiety about what could happen between the king, the royal guards, and the criminals who had harmed the queen, because they couldn't be just any thieves, as stealing a royal carriage was something only the worst scum of society would dare to do.

At lunchtime, she offered to stay with the queen, but also to avoid running into Henry. She knew she needed to talk to him, but this was not the right time for such a conversation. The meal was brought up to the queen's room, although she hadn't eaten anything since the previous day, she could barely swallow anything, as the whole situation had her throat tied in a knot.

"Frederick," the queen called, snapping Selene out of her thoughts.

Selene turned and went to her side.

"His Majesty has left," she whispered.

The woman fidgeted at Selene's words, and she wasn't sure if she had done the right or wrong thing by telling her.

"Nothing can happen to him," the queen murmured, becoming agitated at the danger.

Selene swallowed the knot in her throat and touched the queen's perspiring forehead, feeling like a burning fire.

"Call the doctor!" she ordered without realizing it.

The maids followed the order and went in search of the royal physician. The doctor didn't take long to arrive and took charge of the situation. However, Selene was designated to clean the queen's body with cool washcloths.

When the queen managed to stabilize and enter a deep sleep, which seemed to be peaceful, Selene was able to breathe a little easier. However, the king's and guards' failure to return had everyone anxious in the palace.

Once again, they brought her something to eat, but more than half of it remained untouched on the plate. The night was long for Selene, her body on the verge of collapse, but finally, the queen's fever had subsided.

The rays of light began to peek through the heavy burgundy curtains, and without realizing it, Selene fell asleep at the foot of the queen's bed. It was a scene Frederick never imagined he would encounter when he arrived at the palace and rushed to his mother's room to find out how she was doing.

The maidens stood still, fear running through their bodies, anticipating the king's reaction to the scene they witnessed.

Frederick looked at them all, and the queen's trusted maid dared to speak.

"Your Majesty," she called him, and he looked at her attentively. "My Lady has been attending to the queen since yesterday, and she is much better now. The doctor has been keeping an eye on her as well," she explained, hoping the king wouldn't react badly to the poor girl who had hardly eaten or slept due to her duty to the queen.

Frederick nodded slightly in response to the words he heard. He walked steadily, although he didn't feel that way inside, and tried to wake Selene, who had fallen deeply asleep within seconds. But she didn't respond to the gentle movements on her arm, so he had to do it a bit more forcefully, causing her to startle.

"Your Majesty!" Selene said, embarrassed, as she jumped up to greet the king as she should. She made a curtsy, and when she straightened up, her head spun and her body lost all strength, plunging into complete darkness.