The next morning, I woke up groggily, the memories of the previous night still fresh in my mind. Elise was still with me, her small body curled up next to mine. Usually, my mother would have taken her by now.

I gently lifted my sister, holding her close as I walked toward my parents’ room. The halls were unusually quiet, almost heavy. When I reached the door and stepped inside, I saw my mother still lying on the bed.

“Mom?” I called softly, approaching her. She didn’t respond, so I reached out and touched her shoulder, shaking it gently.

Her hand weakly came up to rest on mine. “I don’t feel well today,” she said, her voice barely above a whisper. “Can you take care of Elise for now?”

I nodded, swallowing the lump in my throat. I picked Elise up again and took her back to my room. She was walking now, a small rascal who loved exploring and causing trouble. Her giggles filled the room as she wobbled around, bumping into furniture and occasionally clinging to my leg.

I spent the entire day with her. There was no training, no studying—just me and Elise. We played with her small wooden toys, and her laughter felt like the only light in an otherwise dark day.

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When it was time to bathe her, I gently scrubbed her golden hair as she splashed in the water, laughing at the way the ripples danced. For a moment, her joy distracted me. But as I rinsed her off, an odd thought crept into my mind. Something wasn’t right.

Hours had passed, and my father still hadn’t come to visit my mother. He always checked on her, no matter how busy he was. Why not today?

A splash of water hit my face, and Elise giggled, her bright blue eyes shining with mischief. I smiled weakly, letting her antics bring me back to the present.

After the bath, I dried her small body and helped her into a fresh dress. She toddled behind me as we returned to my mother’s room, but when I stepped inside, my stomach sank.

My mother was still lying there, her face pale and covered in sweat.

I rushed to her side, placing my hand on her forehead. It was burning.

“Mother!” I called out, my voice shaking.

The maids hurried in, and I helped them as best I could, laying cool towels on her arms, legs, and forehead. But no matter what we did, her fever wouldn’t break.

Hours later, the royal doctors finally arrived, their faces grim but determined. One of them stepped forward, his tone calm but urgent. “Please leave her to us. We will do everything we can.”

I hesitated, my hands trembling as I set the damp towel aside. Then I nodded and stepped back.

I returned to my room with Elise, holding her close. She was usually so full of joy, but now her little face held something different. It wasn’t the innocent curiosity she always carried—it was something heavier, something I didn’t know how to handle.

I tried to console her, but the truth was, I felt the same.

We sat together in the dim light of my room, the silence between us broken only by her occasional whimpers. I held her tighter, trying to shield her from the fear that was quickly overtaking me.

But no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t shake the growing dread in my chest.

And I couldn’t help but wonder: was my mother going to be okay?