Listening to "A Nostalgic Dream" by Peter Gundry while reading this chapter if you want feels: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v8QZTpQvkPY

Cobwebs in Lungs

Over the few months following that memory, Emeline’s coughing gradually became worse, she had trouble breathing during moments that most would consider very mild activities.

Worried, the King decreed that she had to stay permanently in the hospital wing, constantly overlooked by the best doctors and nurses of the kingdom.

The more her breathing became laboured, the more she became stuck in bed, unable to play, or see anyone other than the doctors. On the occasion that her siblings did visit, they only seemed to pity her, and she hated it. They always left before she could ask them to play, unable to bear seeing her in that condition.

It had been weeks, if not months since she had been able to do what she liked, or even see Elias, and she had had enough.

One night, when she felt she had enough of a grasp on her breathing and coughing, she waited until late, when the sky was naught but an inky black littered with stars, listening until the doctor on watch in the ward fell asleep. Then, with practiced ease, she slipped out of bed, and into the hall, as quiet as a mouse.

She slipped behind pillars and statues whenever patrolling guards came down the hallways, and shimmied behind curtains when maids on the nightshift speed walked past her to do their duties.

Eventually, she came up to the familiar door of her little brother's room, making sure the door was extra quiet as she opened it and tiptoed in. Elias was not in bed as she expected, instead, he sat, curled up next to a drawing that Emeline had made of them holding hands the last time she had snuck into his room. She heard him sniffing, and cautiously walked up to him.

Emeline: Eli?

Elias jumped up, looking at her with wide teary eyes: Emma? What -

Emeline tried to give him an easy smile, which was hard to do - her breathing had become worse and more ragged as she had traversed the palace: I came to see you.

Elias’s eyes widened more, and he stood, backing up away from her: No Emma, if you stay near me, your curse will get worse!

Emeline scowls as much as she can through her wheezing, and muffled her coughing: Eli, stop being - cough - silly. The doctors told me that I have cobwebs in my lungs. It’s rare, and it sucks, but it’s not your fault.

Elias sniffs: You should go back to the doctors Emma, what if you get worse!?

Emeline sighs, frowning to herself, and wheezes a bit: Eli, I’m going to die. Soon.

Elias tears up: No…

Emeline nears him: But I don’t want to die in a hospital bed, surrounded by white and doctors. I want my last days to be filled with fun, playing - cough - and - cough - laughing -

Elias stands, frowning: No, Emma, I’m going to the nurses and you’ll feel better -

As he moves to go to the door she grabs his arm: [still wheezing] Please Eli… I don’t want to die alone… please… stay with me.

Elias freezes, tearing up. But, after a moment's hesitation, and an uneasy look towards the door, he nods, and her grip on his arm goes slack. She smiles, coughing and wheezing a bit more: Can you - cough - can you get Ms Bird for me please?

Elias sniffs and nods, crawling under the bed and coming out with the small bird plush. She smiles, jumping onto his bed and patting beside her, smiling: Come on, let's play!

Elias nods again, crawling beside her and grabbing his small rabbit plush: [shakily] Come on Ms Bird, let's go to the market!

Emeline smiles brightly, and she moves Ms Bird around: Of course, Mr Rabbit, today they’re selling my favourite!

Time passes and they slowly fall asleep, but not before Elias tries one last time in futility to go get the doctors - and Emeline drags him back to the bed.

They sleep, with Elias loosely being held by Emeline, while Ms Bird drops off the side of the bed, forgotten.

Elias wakes up in the dark of night to silence. He rubs his eyes and looks outside to find it still night, the room no longer illuminated by candle, the stars and moon hidden by heavy clouds. There’s a weight around him, and he shifts to find himself wrapped in Emeline's arms.

Yawning, Elias shakes Emiline: [quietly] Emma, you should go back to your bed.

Emeline doesn’t stir, eyes closed and curled into a little ball around him.

He shakes her again: Emma?

She feels cold, but her expression is peaceful, she could almost be sleeping.

...

But Elias - even at this age, knows better: [his voice begins to waver] Emma wake up, you have to go to bed. Then tomorrow we can play again. [his eyes start to water as she still doesn’t stir, the tremors in his voice increasing with each passing second that he sister doesn't breathe] Emma… Emma, Emma! [his voice starts rising as full on tears run down his cheeks, but his efforts do nothing]

As Elias’ pitch and volume rises as he calls for her, still trying to wake her, Emeline’s eyes flutter open, and she sees darkness.

In the far distance, she can see a light, and runs towards it. A tall, blue haired woman in a white dress with a kind smile waits for her: Oh my darling, I’m so sorry.

Emeline looks around: Where am I? Where’s Eli?

The woman smiles sadly down at Emeline: Your brother won’t be joining us quite yet my love. For now, you have to come with me. [she extends her hand, her smile shifting from sad to soft as she looks down at Emeline]

Emeline looks up to the woman with a frown: But I had so many things I wanted to do with him, we had so many games left to play!

The woman kneels down and strokes her hair: Yes, my darling, I know, and I’m sorry. But İlyas will have to play those games by himself from now on.

Emeline starts tearing up: But he’ll be lonely.

The woman nods, cupping her cheek: Yes, he will. But soon he’ll find his own family, and he’ll have others to play with. And you and I will be able to watch over him, together.

Emeline sniffs: Promise?

The woman smiles: I promise.

Emeline nods, sniffing again: Okay… [she looks back behind her, to where Elias is wailing over her body and guards enter the room, calling for someone to get the doctors and the king - quickly!] Mama… I don’t want to go yet. I… I had so much left...

Queen Dilay looks sadly past her to watch as her other children gather at Elias’ door in horror, tears staining their cheeks as the King shoves past them, falling to his knees beside the bed: I know. [she offers her hand and Emeline takes it]

Together they walk to the Beyond, leaving the mortal world behind.

…

The funeral is quiet. All of Elias’ siblings and the King crowd around the newly erected statue of Emeline, smiling and posing in such a way that gave the statue so much life, with too much likeness to Emeline’s energy and passion.

Elias sits at his bedroom window, watching the procession from a distance, tears in his eyes as he holds Emeline’s bird plush in his hands. He turns to look at the plush, and the tears spill over. He cries, and squeezes the bird to himself, and he calls for his sister: Emma… Emma… Emma I miss you… Emma, I - I’m so sorry…

Rain outside starts to fall, as the skies themselves weep for the loss of a star, which burned twice as bright, and half as long.

A Visit

Many seasons pass, until an early morning in midwinter.

A blue haired teenager searches through his shelves, ‘aha’ing once he finds the book he’s looking for. He turns with a smile to find two of his rabbits fighting over something: Oi, you two-

He cuts off when he approaches, seeing the old tattered plush of a bird. The two rabbits scatter as he wordlessly picks up the plush, dusting it off. Looking down at it with melancholy, he puts down the book, and sits on his bed, looking over the toy with mixed feelings.

With a heavy heart, he stands and leaves the room, walking past the portrait of a young blue haired, grey-eyed girl grinning, holding the very plush that sits in the hands of the young teen.

The teen walks into the gardens, weaving expertly past the dead bushes and trees of winter, through the snow, until he finds himself in a small maze. With practiced ease, he navigates the maze, eventually reaching a small alcove, with the statue of a young girl erect on a podium in the middle.

He kneels in front of the statue, hands together in a small prayer, before he rings the bell attached to the podium. The ring echoes in the empty garden, and he wipes away some of the freshly fallen snow from the podium, revealing the words ‘Princess Emeline de Perez’, and places the plush behind them.

He kneels in a comfortable silence for several minutes before speaking, each word punctuated with a puff of condensation: I hope you rest easy in the Beyond, Emma. [he smiles] My rabbits found Ms Bird… I feel that she belongs with you. [he dusts off a bit more of the snow, then stands and bows] May she be some more company where you rest… I miss you. [with a final sad smile, he turns and leaves]

The brown and black bird sits there, and a ghostly shimmer appears next to it, picking it up. The shimmer looks after the teen with a grin, and then disappears, taking the bird with it, and leaving the garden in a peaceful stillness yet again.