Tales of Avalor ch. 4

Even near-perfect princesses can get sick

The last six months passed as quickly as waters of a brook after the spring sun sets its eye on the snow. Few royal visits that either Elena paid to their established allies or she welcomed monarchs from foreign lands to sign their first peace contracts. In the meantime Avaloreans had some skirmishes with magical beings living among them but everything was resolved in the end. Everything was running so well right now, Elena could hardly believe that just over half a year ago she was still a spirit inside a magical amulet far away from her family and her kingdom with an uncertain future.

However that didn’t mean her work would be over. Quite the contrary. The mayors and lesser nobility kept inviting her to attend their balls and opening ceremonies for example. There were new meetings of heads of states to plan and prepare, a steady stream of complaints coming from common folk to be resolved and a festival to organize. The Fiesta de Madonna Flora was coming in a week. This festival wasn’t the peak of the festival season like the Festival of love or the Navidad but it was still a big event that required attention of a competent manager.

Moreover Armando was tailing Elena throughout the day with various agreements that needed the personal approval of the crown princess. Isabel thought of composing and writing a new song for the festival and consulted the lyrics and melody with her older sister.

Esteban kept insisting that she should appoint someone to assist her with the festival and other lesser concerns only for Elena to hand wave his grumbling with a brave smile. Seeing that his words are falling on barren ground, again, all he could do was to rant about the common folk unable to accept the decision of their local jurisdiction and having to bother the Grand council with every single petty misdemeanor.

Her cousin wasn’t the only one who expressed his concern. Mateo noticed she was asking for headache remedy a lot lately and Gabe told him that she excused herself from sword fighting lessons she picked up again to improve her fencing skills after her involuntary decades long break. But he, too, was brushed off. When she caught herself feeling tired a few hours before her usual bedtime, Abuela Louisa promised to take over the festival organization tasks for the day if Elena takes a proper nap. Which she did but the next day she felt tired again.

One day she woke up sore all over her body and she wished to stay in bed but against her better judgment she still got up and dressed for the day. She wasn’t hungry so she ate only some fruit to have something in her stomach. Then there was the Grand Council meeting, Elena uncharacteristically wished to be able to get out of this obligation somehow.

The merchants sent a petition to decrease taxes, even though the taxation was only a third of the sum of money they had to pay during Shuriki’s rule and some hysterical señora asked the princess to banish a woman who was apparently keen on seducing her husband. If the man had any opinion about the whole situation, the señora didn’t tell.  

Elena found it hard to give proper attention to the issues and had almost fallen asleep. “Elena. Elena!” “Yes, abuelo?” she asked puzzled. “Are you alright, mija,” his dark brown eyes were alert and worried. Elena hated to make him feel bad but something was wrong with her. She sighed: “I’m sorry, señora Arenas, but señora Durante hasn’t committed any crime that would require to be punished. This council will be dismissed for the day.” The princess rose from her seat and didn’t even bother to end the meeting with drumming the wooden hammer on the table much to Esteban’s delight. The girl managed to reach the middle of the room when suddenly her legs gave up under her weight and she fainted. The darkness descended on her so quickly she had no time to warn anyone.

For a second everyone froze, terrified of what happened to the crown princess. Esteban was the first to wake up from the shock and jump to his cousin’s aid. “Call the royal doctor, Higgins,” he called over his shoulder to his bodyguard. The chancellor took the princess into his arms and carried her into her chambers with his grandparents and Naomi right behind him.

“¡Maldita sea! She heeds no warnings,” he almost growled out of anger and frustration. “I lost count of how many times we told her she should be more careful and let someone else do the work. Here you see where her stubbornness leads,” he addressed to no one in particular when putting his cousin in her bed.

Louisa and a maid servant took care of undressing the poor princess because Esteban’s sense of decency urged him to leave the room. The doctor examined her body temperature, pulse and breathing before he concluded that it is only a regular flu. “The princess is young, she will get healthy soon but she must take her medicine and stay in bed long enough to let her body recover,” said the doctor. Louisa nodded with serious expression and firm resolve to keep her granddaughter in her bed under any circumstances.

When Elena woke up after some three or four hours, her throat was dry, she was sweaty all over her body, her head throbbed as if she had been hit by a pan and her thoughts were running in senseless circles. “It’s alright, mija.” Louisa’s soothing voice was like a lighthouse for Elena’s mind and her thoughts cleared up a bit. “I’m sorry,” whispered the princess hoarsely. “Don’t worry, dear, relax. Let others take care of you for a change,” said Louisa and gave her a glass of water to have something to drink.

Isabel was impatient she wanted to see her sister as soon as possible but Louisa was firm. Elena needs rest and the disease is contagious. Elena’s abuela chose a pair of servants to help her and the doctor to care about the crown princess, those were forbidden to leave the palace and to meet with the other servants, particularly they were forbidden from serving food to the other members of the royal family. The former queen made sure the disease wouldn’t spread any further. There wasn’t much to do now, except to wait.