Napoleon II stepped in first.
The room was dim, but not dark. Curtains had been drawn to soften the light, not block it completely. A single electric lamp was on near the bed, casting a steady light across the space.
Napoleon I lay at the center of it.
For a moment, Napoleon II did not move.
He took in the sight quietly.
The man on the bed was still the same, but not as he had always been remembered. The posture was weaker. The face more drawn. The presence that had once filled entire rooms was now contained within the limits of the bed.
Murat entered behind him and stopped a step back.
He did not speak.
The doctor turned as they approached.
"Your Imperial Majesty," he said.
Napoleon II gave a small nod.
"Report."
The doctor stepped forward, careful with his words.
"The condition has worsened since yesterday," he said. "The pain is now constant. There are no longer clear intervals of relief."
Napoleon II listened without interruption.
