Chapter 9: A brush with death

Mia sighed.

This was supposed to be safe. It was supposed to a safe way to find a husband. However, someone nearly died, from a carrot. Mia sighed again.

The royal physician came and went. Prince Darren became a swollen elephant in front of her eyes, gasped for his breath, and then lost consciousness. It was not any way to impress a Queen.

"Is he going to be okay?" Mia asked Emily.

"I doubt so," Emily laughed. "If I were a man, I would be so embarrassed that I would jump into a river."

"Well, that was life and death. There's nothing embarrassing about life and death."

Emily replied, "As the queen says."

Mia looked at Darren The Great, who was not in a position that was near great. He was pale as death and his lips were swollen like sausages and his face was blotchy with areas of white and pink. His eyelids swelled and his breathing seemed laboured.

He was waking up, stirring uncomfortably.

"Queen Mia?" he whispered.

"Darren, just rest. You almost died. Trust me, you need all the rest you can get. It is okay. I won't dismiss you until you are better."

Her voice was soft and tender, like feathers in a pillow. Darren smiled and fell into a deep sleep.

"Emily, cancel the rest of the events of the day. I have no appetite anymore."

Mia sighed. She had the urge to ruffle the golden curls now carelessly falling over Darren's forehead. Yes he might look like an elephant now, but a gentle elephant baby.

She was not sure what falling in love was like, and if this even accounted to falling in love. However she felt that Darren had been quite silly to consume the carrot if he had known that this might happen. She wondered what had crossed his mind to lead to this reckless act. Was he too eager to impress? Was he too shy to admit a weakness?

She would like to hear the answers to these questions if he would tell her.