Olivia Sparks

"Beshy," Queen Isla croaked, her hand shakily covered her ruby-colored lips.

Hot, happy tears pool at the corners of her eyes as she took in the portrait of her best friend who laid on a hospital bed, awake and smiling at her.

Amelia Lin raised her hand to welcome her best friend, but her arms were still weak that it went limp the second she lifted it up.

"Beshy!" Queen Isla cried, taking long hurried strides towards the hospital bed placed beside the floor to ceiling window.

Reaching Amelia, Queen Isla grasped the former's hands, softly squeezing it, afraid that she might break a bone.

"Stop crying, Isla. I'm still alive." The sound of Amelia's throaty voice sent another rush of tears from the queen's eyes. Queen Isla never thought she'd hear that voice again.

"Who? Who brought you here, Ames?" Queen Isla cleaned her snotty face, scanning the room. Her eyes locked on a man who silently stood in a corner. She mouthed, "Him?" To which Amelia nodded.

Uncle Chan genuflected. "It's been a while, Queen Isla."

Queen Isla's eyes grew big as saucers, goosebumps scattered all over her flawless white skin. "Uncle Chan, your personal driver is alive too! How? They said you were dead?"

"The night my face melted, my name went along with it, Queen Isla."

"Heol," Queen Isla exclaimed. She tried to wrap her head around the surge of information that came her way.

Breaking the friend's reunion was the royal physician who stepped out of the loo, wiping his hand with a washcloth. But before he could throw it in the bin, he caught sight of the queen from the corner of his eye. He immediately genuflected. He was about to utter a word, however, Queen Isla signaled for him to pause.

"I want everyone out of this room except for the doctor," Queen Isla ordered.

It didn't take long, and soon, three people were left inside.

Preparing for his report, the royal physician pulled out a file from his leather bag and passed it to Queen Isla. "This is the bloodwork that Miss Lin left in the mail."

Queen Isla peeked at the file then threw it on the coffee table. Her lips quivered in annoyance at how the royal physician handed her such a complicated piece of paper. "Can you explain what this means? All I see are numbers."

"Yes, Your Majesty. Our patient, Jane Doe, here is well and healthy and there is absolutely nothing that you should be worried about. She's a little dazed and light-headed for now, but as soon as the drug in her system wears off, she could do a little physical activity, taking short walks would be nice and I suggest more sunshine."

"That's it? She was in a coma for decades! Doc, ha? You sound like a quack to me. Of course, everybody needs sunshine." Queen Amelia's voice rose an octave higher. The words of the doctor didn't quite register to her. They probably need a new one. This guy was past his retirement, anyway.

Amelia brushed her index finger on the ball of Amelia's hand, happy to see her sanguine friend again. "It's true," she confirmed with a small smile to pacify her friend. She knew Queen Isla was thinking of ways to dispose of the poor doctor.

"What, beshy?" Queen Isla gestured for the physician to come closer. "She's saying something, doc." She leaned her ears closer so she could hear Amelia clearly.

"He's right. Henry drugged me to sleep in the morning. I'm always up at night, so I'm in great need of Vitamin D." Amelia grunted. She wanted to tell Queen Isla more but she didn't want another innocent person to be dragged into Henry's mess.

Queen Isla straightened her back after hearing Amelia's reply. She bobbed her head and looked at the bathroom door. "Okay. Now I understand it better. But before you get that Vitamin D… how about we brush your teeth first, beshy?"

…

After leaving the cathedral, Maxen instructed the driver to bring him to his private hangar where he hid a few bottles of his collection.

"Eeny, meeny, miny, moe," Maxen sang, picking the last bottle his finger randomly pointed at.

He held it against the light, satisfied with his amber liquid companion.

One bottle to stop the looping sound of crashing waves in his ears. One bottle to drown his sorrows with.

Inside one of his private helicopters, he chugged the whiskey straight from the bottle. Maxen winced, not because of the burning sensation, but of the voice that played in his head. 

"You had enough alcohol, Max."

"Well, I'm f.u.c.k.e.d, am I? You're everywhere I go." A short, bitter laugh escaped his lips when the image of Olivia in her wedding gown flashed in his eyes. "I guess I really had enough, Olivia." Taking her words to heart, he hopped out of the helicopter.

"Let's go see Beauty, Jack." Maxen slung his suit coat over his shoulders and slipped inside the car.

Holding the door, Jack asked to confirm, "Are you sure you do not wish to drive up Notios Estate, Your Highness?"

Annoyed that he had to repeat himself, Maxen punctuated his every word. "I. Said. Bring. Me. To. My. Beauty."

In under an hour, Maxen's convoy reached their destination. 

"Your Highness." Jack tapped Maxen's knees, rousing the latter from his alcohol-induced slumber. "Ehem. Your Highness." He tried to be as formal as possible but Maxen laid fast asleep.

The chauffeur tutted at Jack. He didn't want to be the bad guy, but he didn't want the Prince to get a sore back from prolonged sleeping in the car. So he did what he had to do and nudged Maxen's knees with so much force, waking the prince up.

"Oh. We're here." Maxen scratched the skin above his eyebrow. "I want to be alone with my Beauty tonight."

"Yes, Your Highness." Jack pursed his lips, hesitation apparent on his face as he handed Maxen the keycard that would bring him up to his place. He walked with Maxen towards the elevator and waited until the doors closed. 

Jack's fingers danced on the screen, dialing the queen's number. "Good day, Your Majesty. This is Jack speaking. Unfortunately, Prince Maxen is sleeping with his Beauty tonight. What? Okay. Absolutely, Your Majesty." Secretary Jack checked his phone. The queen had ended the call, and he wanted to make sure the line was dead. 

His eye darted to the elevator's digital board, waiting for the screen to flash Maxen's floor and when it did, he slid back inside the car and headed to the Suis Estate to prepare for damage control.

Inside the elevator, Maxen's eyes were trained on the floor. This was the last place he thought of going that day, but look where he was, back to his old self. Back to where he used to be.

Slowly the elevator doors opened and his eyes closed when a blast of cool air welcomed him. Immediately, he cooed, "Where's my Beauty?"

To his shock, he froze in his spot. Slowly, his head turned as he looked over his shoulders, and past the closing doors just to make sure he didn't leave his soul inside the elevator. 

He couldn't believe his eyes when he saw the first and also the last person he expected to see that day.

"I don't know, Max. Last time I checked, I'm your Baby, not your Beauty."