Queen Elizabeth entered the hospital room. It was tidy, spacious, sanitary, and smelled fresh, without the slightest trace of a hospital smell. Walking to the bedside, the Queen sat down, took Princess Anne's hand, and looked at her younger sister with concern.
George VI had only two children, Elizabeth and Princess Anne. The sisters had grown up together and shared a deep bond. But after growing up, Elizabeth had to consider the country more. She also feared that something might happen to Anne—such as falling in love with someone she should not love and tarnishing the royal family's honor—which was why she had been so eager to arrange her marriage.
Anne looked at her sister with wide eyes and asked weakly, "Sister, is my condition very serious?"
"No. Professor Anderson said it isn't a major problem. Your heartbeat is just somewhat irregular. You only need to rest and recuperate. I've already instructed them to arrange the best treatment plan for you," Queen Elizabeth said.
"Sister, could my marriage be postponed for a while?" Anne asked softly.
Queen Elizabeth smiled and stroked her sister's hand. "Anne, don't think about that anymore. What you need is peace of mind while you recover. We can discuss the marriage whenever you're willing."
The Queen paused, then reached out to touch her sister's lovely face. In a gentle voice, she said, "Remember, never leave me, okay, Anne? Just like when we were little, we'll always be together."
Their father, George VI, had died of heart disease. Three years earlier, one night in his sleep, a coronary thrombosis had triggered a myocardial infarction, taking him away from his two daughters forever. George VI had been only fifty-six that year.
Now that she knew Anne also had heart disease, Queen Elizabeth was terrified that her sister would