The palace was already preparing to bury the king’s only heir when an old healer decided to stay beside her body: but when he bent over the princess’s body to read a prayer, something happened that made the healer freeze in complete horror 🤯😱😳
Elena was the only heir of King Adrian. From childhood she had been taught to carry herself with dignity even when she was afraid, and never to show weakness before the court. But that evening, during dinner, the princess suddenly turned pale, dropped her glass and collapsed to the floor.
The healers spent the whole night in her chambers. In the morning the chief of them came out to the king with his head bowed.
— We did everything we could, Your Majesty.
The king was silent for a long time, looking at the closed door. Then he ordered a farewell ceremony to be arranged. The princess was dressed in a golden gown and laid on a dais in the main hall. People came to say goodbye, whispered prayers and wept. No one noticed that an elderly healer named Thomas did not leave the body.
When the last guest had left the hall, a guard came up to Thomas.
— It’s time to move the princess to the closed room. The king ordered her to be prepared for burial.
The healer slowly rose.
— Give me a few more minutes. I must read the farewell prayer.
The guard reluctantly nodded and went out. The heavy doors closed, leaving Thomas alone with Elena. He folded his hands and began to read words he had heard at many funerals. His voice trembled, but he continued until he noticed the golden sleeve barely stir.
Thomas froze. He bent over the princess and peered into her face.
— Elena? — the healer said in a trembling voice.
There was no answer. Thomas carefully came closer, trying to catch the princess’s breath, and suddenly felt a faint warmth near her lips. He took Elena by the hand, trying to catch the movement he had noticed before.
When Thomas had already decided that he had imagined it and was about to leave the lifeless body of the princess in peace, Elena flung her eyes open, sharply rose and sat up. The healer recoiled, hit his back against a column and, stunned by fear and surprise, fell to the floor.
Elena immediately got up, quickly came over to him and covered his mouth with her palm. Her fingers were icy. For a few seconds they froze, as if time had stopped. The silence was broken by the princess’s whisper:
— Don’t scream. I’ll explain everything. Just not a word to anyone.
Footsteps sounded outside the door. What happened next and what secret was revealed shocked everyone in the kingdom. 🤯
Continue reading in the comments… 👇👇👇
When the footsteps behind the door died away, Thomas helped Elena to her feet. The princess quickly explained that several advisers were plotting to overthrow King Adrian and destroy his empire. She had accidentally overheard their conversation and managed to warn her father. Then they decided to stage her death: the royal healer gave her a remedy that slowed her breathing and pulse, and the king announced that it had not been possible to save his daughter.
— Did you know about this from the very beginning? — Thomas whispered.
— I did, — Elena answered. — And still I was afraid that I wouldn’t be able to convince you.
Thomas looked at the princess and understood that he must help. He had raised her and loved her like his own, and now the conspirators were going to get rid of both her and the king. While the palace was preparing the funeral ceremony, Thomas led Elena through a secret corridor to Adrian’s chambers.
The king was already waiting for them there. Together they showed Thomas letters and records gathered by trusted servants. In them the advisers discussed bribing the guards, poisoning the king and seizing the palace. Thomas recognized the signatures of courtiers whom he himself had trusted.
The next day the conspirators gathered in the throne room, sure that the princess was dead. The king walked in together with Elena, alive and unharmed. The guards detained the traitors, and the documents were read out before the whole court. The scandal shook the kingdom: among the conspirators was even Adrian’s closest adviser.
The traitors were tried openly and stripped of their titles and power. Elena remained the heir to the throne, and Thomas her faithful healer. From then on the palace knew: sometimes a feigned death can save an entire royal family.
