Chapter 4 The Friend

• Ariana's POV
• Joshua and his mom had left the island with the food supplies I had promised to have sent over to them. I was hoping they were safe and out of my father's reach for he was to arrive at next dawn and I knew Victor would be waiting at the gates for him.
• It was mid afternnon when I pulled my journal from its hiding place and began a new entry. I wrote about the awful incident that happened with my Joshua and how much it ached me through to my core to see him hurt and bleeding and helpless on the ground. I vowed never to be like my father. I would never rule with fear and hostility towards my own people. I want a kingdom with peace and love and a friendly atmosphere, of course, there would be a few bad apples but I beieved that an arrest and confined should be enough.
• Two knocks came to my bedroom door.
• "Come," I spoke.
• "Princess, you wanted to see me?" Sue-Allen asked.
• "Yes. Please have a seat."
• "Is everything all right?" she asked concerningly.
• "But of course. I just wish to know my Lady in waiting a little better," I answered.
• "Princess, I understand and I do appriciate the kind offer but please know that I was sent here to serve you and not to be your friend. I do hope that wasn't too harsh of me," Sue-Allen filled me on.
• "And I appriciate you telling me this but we can friends if you accept."
• "Wouldn't that be out of place. You a soon to be queen. I'm basically a servant. I'm of no ranks or title nor is my family."
• "I don't judge someone base on their title," I simply answered and I couldn't find anymore words to that effect. I looked in her direction. Her black dress that reached her ankles made her seem old. Her feet appeared to be too large for the shoes she was wearing and her expression wasn't as bright as it used to be.
• "Are you okay?" I asked her.
• "I'll be fine," she responded.
• "Care to share what's wrong?"
• "It's my Pa. He became ill several days ago and my mother is fearing the worst."
• "I'm so sorry to hear that. Anything I can do to help?" I asked her.
• "I'm afraid it would be too much," she said back and lumped in her chair as a tear slipped from her eyes.
• "Your Pa is ill and you're here by my side, ensuring all my needs are met. The least I can do in return is grant a favor once it's within my power, so I can indeed help, please tell me what to do," I said.
• She looked at me. Her eyes seemed to bore into my soul.
• "Ma and I cannot afford a doctor's visit. We wish someone can have a look at him and tell us know what is wrong."
• "I can have the palace's doctor do such."
• "Really? How soon?"
• "Right away."
• I took her hand and led her out of the room then headed to the doctor's chamber. I knocked then entered.
• "Princess, pardon me for I have not received any complaints about your health," he stated.
• "All is well," I answered.
• "To what do I owe this visit then?"
• "I need a favor. A friend of mine has been ill and I wish to know what is wrong and how we can care for him."
• He looked between Sue-Allen and I and by the arching and twitching of his eyebrows, he knew this favor I requested was more so for her than it was for me.
• "Princess, you know that I'm the palace's doctor. If I'm to be caught outside of these walls attending to anyone else, your father wouldn't spare my soul."
• "He doesn't have to know. We can sneak you out of here. It wouldn't be long. Please, for me?" I begged and put on my irresistable facial plea. He smiled at me.
• "Okay, ladies. Lead the way."
• ________
• I managed to sneak Sue-Allen, the doctor and myself out of the palace without being spotted. We climbed into my carriage and rode to Sue-Allen's dwelling where her father was getting worse by the hour.
• "Ma, the Princess is here with a doctor," Sue-Allen said as we entered and saw her mother sitting next to her father. Her mother's eyes flew open, wet from tears. She rose and bowed before I could have even stopped her.
• "Thank you," I accepted for it was rude to decline something already done.
• We stepped aside and left the doctor to attend to him.
• "Princess, thank you so much for your act of kindness in this difficult time. My husband came home from work one day, took his cleanse, had his meal, got into bed then woke up ill like he is," Sue-Allen's mom explained.
• "I'm so sorry to hear that. I hope that doctor can find out what is wrong and may it be curable."
• We sat in silence and wonders until the doctor joined us in the other room.
• "Doctor?"
• The doctor remained silent until very carefully, he spoke, "There's no easy way to say this, but it doesn't look good for him. He has the highest fever I've ever felt on a patient and his vitals are dangerously low."
• "What is happening and what can we do?" Sue-Allen asked.
• "It appears it's a fatal case of Yellow fever. I'm sorry," the doctor said. Sue-Allen and her mother embraced each other and busted into tears.
• "Please take all the time that you need with your family," I told her then the doctor and I headed back to the castle.
• Later that day, at around dusk, Sue-Allen's father passed, which was why it was of the otmost shock when she arrived for her duties the very next morning.
• "Sue-Allen, why are you here?" I questioned, "I've given you time to greive your late father."
• "I have a duty, Princess."
• "I understand that but you're human first."
• "I cannot stay a day in that house without my Pa. I'm still seeing him for the bright man that he is..was."
• "But you should be by your mom's side, giving her a shoulder to lean on. She needs you now more than ever that's why I'm ordering you to return home. I'll be happy to have you back in three days."
• "Thank you, Princess. Indeed, you are a friend." Sue-Allen pulled me into an embrace and it felt like the earth had moved underneath my feet that very second. A sense of comfort and belong rippled down my spine when she stroked me lightly on the back. My heart beat picked up pace as I inhaled the earthly and sweet scent of her neck. I was tempted to kiss her there but the hug broke as she withdrew herself.
• "Sorry for invading your personal space," she apologized.
• "It's not a problem," I assured. She nodded in understanding then left.
• I made a beeline for my bedroom where I felt disgusted with myself. Her father had just passed away and here I was, using her sorrowful grief as a method to getting closer to her. I looked at myself in the bodylong mirror placed on the wall.
• "I'm having feelings for her too?" I appallingly asked myself.