Back at the Chateau, a car was waiting with two overnight bags, and the two men got straight in. The driver pulled away and they set off, silent at first. Brad’s phone vibrated, and he answered to Bastien, who had a progress report for him
‘She’s arrived and they’re examining her. She’s conscious and the bleeding has slowed down’ he said with relief. ‘You were right Drake, she has a mild concussion and a few bumps and bruises. The bleeding will take longer to diagnose, but they should know by the time we get there’
‘Thank God’ breathed Drake ‘I’d never forgive myself if…’ he couldn’t finish his sentence and had to swallow hard.
‘You were the one who found her, Drake. It was starting to get dark, if she’d been out much longer who knows what might have happened’
‘It was pure chance that it was me’ he said flatly ‘you might have been the one to take that path, and it was my fault she went out on her own,’
‘But it was you who took that path, and you stepped up and did all the right things. I was so scared I don’t know if I’d been able to keep my head. I’ll not hear you beat yourself up Drake, things happen and allocating blame is a useless gesture’
‘You’re right Brad. I just hope Lucy will be okay. Tell me, did you really mean it, wanting me to share married life with you both?’
‘Of course I did, I wouldn’t have mentioned it to her if I wasn’t serious. We’ve both missed having you in our lives. You were always welcome, you didn’t have to stay away.’ Drake did not mention how he’d spent the time drinking himself into oblivion since the wedding and wondered how much Bastien had told the King.
‘Well it was effectively your honeymoon these last few weeks, I didn’t want to get in the way’
‘Drake, this matter of the threeway marriage has my full approval if it means Lucy will be happy. You’re my oldest friend and I won’t begrudge you anything. Keep telling yourself that when Lucy’s better we can all go away on a honeymoon together’ Brad said, clapping him on the shoulder, and he nodded his head gravely.
At last they arrived at the hospital and hurried in. Brad was whisked away into a consulting room with one of the doctors while Drake brought their bags in. He paced the corridor until Brad reappeared, pale but smiling
‘She’s comfortable but they need a little more time to examine her; they’re waiting for a gynaecologist and they’ll let us know as soon as they can. The porter is going to take us to a private lounge near to where she’ll be transferred.’ The two men followed the porter to a clean bright room that featured drink making facilities and a TV. Drake put it on and turned the sound down for distraction.
Just then, his phone buzzed and so did Brad’s. Maxwell and Hana were messaging them to find out what was happening, and by the time they had been filled in and told it was too early to visit the hospital, the gynaecologist had arrived to update them. He went to pull Brad aside
‘Your Majesty’ he said, indicating that Drake should leave the room
‘Drake can hear anything you have to tell me’ he asserted
‘Are you sure your Grace? There are some very personal details’
‘Mr Walker is very close to us, you can be assured he has my full confidence’
‘Very well. I have examined the Queen and come to the conclusion that the bleeding was not caused by a viable pregnancy, as she feared. It was most likely a heavy menses brought about by a combination of the stressful situations she has recently been subject to, and the fall. There shouldn’t be any lasting damage, but I recommend she uses the most reliable form of birth control she can obtain for the next few months, possibly a year. She needs to rest for a short while, but I expect to discharge her in around 48 hours if nothing changes’
‘Can we see her?’ asked Drake
‘She’s had a mild sedative and is a little sleepy, but you can go in for a few minutes – ten at most. Then you need to leave her to rest. Follow me please, your Majesty’ He looked a little askance when both of them started to move, but Brad looked at him sternly and he shrugged and continued out into the corridor. Bastien stood guard at Lucy’s door and nodded curtly to them both as they entered.
Lucy lay pale and still on the pillow, her raven hair spread out around her, a bandage wrapped around her head. She was hooked up to a couple of machines that showed indecipherable lines and made regular beeping noises, and a saline drip hung by the side of the bed. She broke into a smile when she saw them both.
‘Brad – Drake! I kept asking them where you were, but they kept prodding me about and asking me silly questions.’ Brad went straight to her side and caught her hand in his, raising it to his lips. Drake hung back and watched, smiling at the reunion.
‘You scared us Lucy, you shouldn’t have gone out on your own. Promise me you won’t do it again’ said Brad gently
‘Shucks - can’t a girl get away from her husband every once in a while?’
‘Make that ‘husbands’’ said Drake, stepping forward. ‘you’ll have two of us to answer to when you’re better’ He took her other hand and kissed it.
‘Oh dear, I hadn’t thought it through had I?’ she said weakly, looking from one man to the other ‘I’ll never be allowed to be alone again’ Her expression changed, and tears came to her eyes ‘It was all a silly mistake. The doctor said I wasn’t pregnant at all. I’m so sorry for making you both worry’
‘Ssshh, it’s alright, you’re safe now, and the doctor says you can come home in a couple of days. We’ll be right here if you need us, don’t you worry’ Brad assured her. Lucy turned her head to look at Drake
‘Walker, did you just accept my proposal – or is it our proposal?’ She asked, and he nodded with a faint smile.
‘If you still want me’
‘Of course I do – we do, don’t we, Brad?’ She looked sleepy, and a nurse entered the room before the King could answer.
‘What on earth are you doing having two visitors? You need to sleep, your Majesty’
‘Who’s she talking to?’ Lucy asked, her eyelids fluttering ‘My names Lucy – Lucy Valois. No hold on, I have another name. I can’t quite remember…’ and her eyes closed softly. Brad looked alarmed
‘Don’t worry your Grace, she’s just sleeping’ assured the nurse ‘The machines will tell us if she loses consciousness – and that’s extremely unlikely as long as she gets plenty of rest – so shoo, the pair of you…’
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