by J P Anderson
"I need to sit down." he said and it hit Gen like a wave hits the shore who he was.
"Oh my God that's my father!" she said with a certain amount of dread that made Alister chuckle for reasons unknown.
"She's a smart one…" Her father mocked in a bored tone sitting in the chair beside a half asleep Alister.
"Yes she is." Alister said with absolutely no sarcasm, moving his hat from covering his face to on his head, after he had retrieved it from behind him.
"Didn't I tell you to leave and never come back Alister?" Henry grumbled.
"Did you? I really don't recall." Alister countered.
"Darling Paige you look just as I remembered but much prettier." Henry commented. She rolled her eyes but hugged him anyways. Then he turned to Genevieve.
"Dear child is this what Earth has done to you?" he asked, as if he were more asking how as Earth ruined you.
"Earth has done nothing to me. The abandonment of my family, however, has done wonders." she retorted in a spit of anger without thinking. Why did I do that? Great the first words I say to my father is an insult. Good job Gen, gold star for you.
"Darling are you quite ready to get married?" he asked without another glance at her, turning from Gen to his 'real' daughter. It's amazing how nothing shocks these people. My father just saw me for the first time and he said nothing other than a comment to my gothic look. Amazing really. She looked nothing like her father he was a tall sturdy man with a scruffy beard and very nice clothes, although his green eyes were unmistakably hers.
"What's your name girl?" she realized he was talking to her. She stuttered.
"G-Genevieve Sir." Good God did you just call him Sir?
"Genevieve it's my pleasure to welcome your home." he said with a tone that screamed 'I totally do not mean what I am saying'
"Alister come with me, I need to speak with you." Alister got up and followed the king out the door.
"Why didn't you tell me?" he whispered harshly.
"I like to see you squirm Henry, you know that" Alister answered smiling a sexy, rascal like smile.
"Really Alister why didn't you say she had the locket?" Henry asked pacing back and forth in front of Alister.
"I didn't know…" he lied. "But you know what that means." Alister mocked.
"She's older." Henry said grumpily
"Heir to your throne" Alister put in to tease him.
"No one has to know. She will be returned to her world and my girl will be queen like she has been preparing to be her whole life."
"Like you would get away with that. As soon as anyone see's her with that locket they will know, Andria will be queen of Ranicus and Genevieve the queen of Akadia."
"I will have nothing of the sort, my baby girl will not be queen of those heathens they will eat her alive and go to war with us anyways."
"You were much nicer when you had no children, have you noticed?" Alister mocked, completely off topic once again.
"I was much nicer when you weren't trying to steal my wife"
"Save more than steal and you know it, that girl is your daughter just like Andria and you are treating her like shit. You know if she married that dictator he would probably kill her anyways. He's crazy! This will solve nothing" Alister warned, but Henry wouldn't have it.
"I think it's time you left the kingdom and found somewhere else to live."
"You know, you have been kicking me out for eighteen years and as soon and Andria gets married I will have no reason so stay here, other than to annoy you of course." He smiled again and tipped his hat towards where Genevieve was hiding behind a pillar and a voice came into her head.
"Go to the pond in the south garden I need to talk to you before the feast tonight" Came into her head like a song. She nodded slowly not daring to protest and ran to get Joshua from where he firmly stood in the doorway.
"Where is the south garden's pond?" she asked restating exactly what the mind message said.
"Ma'am?" he asked in utter confusion.
"What did I say Joshua!" she threatened in a sharp whisper.
"Sorry Genevieve, it's this way I'll take you." he said looking one last time at Andria before they left.
…
Genevieve arrived at a beautiful Koi fish pond about fifteen minutes later. The Koi pond was nothing like what she expected. Rows of flowers and trees and rock configurations all laid out along paths the winded around the back side of the property. A circular pond was configured to her right. A weeping willow, on an island that took up a good part of the inside, draped its vines over the edge of the water and showed a gap only where a picturesque little bridge curved over the water to the island. She sat on the bridge, hiking her dress, and let her commando boot glide across the water as her legs swayed. She extended her hand and swayed her other hand in front of it then sprinkled the fish food that appeared in her hand over the water. Someone sat down beside her.
"That's quite a gift you have, but I've got a question." He asked. "Shoot" She commanded sitting back and staring at, the now sitting down, Alister Grey.
"If you can have anything you want with the wave of your hand, why steal from Gas Stations?" Her heart froze. She looked into his grey eyes and opened her mouth but she had nothing to say, no words came out, she just was there with her mouth open. He looked down and smiled a coy smile and she realized something. He's really handsome. Like, movie star handsome. Wait, if he knew I was a thief and told me to come there without the use of words then he must read minds and if indeed he can read minds he knows what I'm thinking about I might be on the edge of a major breakthrough! She thought trying not to giggle at her own silliness. She looked up and he nodded, she looked at the koi pond completely embarrassed. Then she laid eyes on the first Akadian koi. Large in size, they would surely tower over a full size dolphin. Although there size is what catches your attention, their mesmerizing orange eyes keep it.
"Some people say, that the koi where here before anyone else. That they were the Fates because they're one of the only creatures that can be naturally found in both Earth and Akadia." Alister said leaning back putting his hand centimeters away from hers.
"Yah don't say? What about horses…there are lots of horses here and on Earth." That was the first time I had ever said "on Earth" without actually being on Earth to say it, random things I keep track of.
"Well, let me tell you a story, in the beginning Earthlings came to this planet and we gave them technology and taught them things that they could never have known without us. And in return they taught us how to build better boats and they gave us horses and cows and chickens and things of that nature. But they didn't come from here, they were brought. Like you but the other way around."
"So you're Paige's brother? So does that mean you're a-"
"An Elf, yes, in fact it does mean exactly that. Does it bother you?" he asked, leaning towards her.
"Not at all it's just weird I guess." she said.
"Oh." he sounded a little too disappointed.
"Did you bring me here to talk about fish?" she asked. She really just wanted to hint for the bottom line even though she was enjoying this conversation so far. I want to hear more about my sister's marriage and what they were going to do about me and whatnot, not fish. She thought.
"I get what you're saying and the reason I called you down here was to tell you…"
"Alister!" A perky voice boomed from behind her.
"Oh no…" he grimaced at the sound of her voice and got up way to fast, and straightening out his jacket.
"Charlotte, what a pleasant surprise." he quickly bent down and whispered 'stay away' and kissed her cheek and the world spun around her as did the butterflies in her stomach. She was in Andria's room again. Again weird, not as weird as the whole finding out you have a twin or the knowing that there is a door that takes you to another galaxy, not that weird but weird none the less. She put her hand gently to the spot where he had kissed her. Huh, never felt this jumpy after a kiss, much less a kiss on th
e cheek.
"Pause" she whispered under her breath and scurried down the hall to the koi pond. I've never been good at following directions, why start now. Once she arrived she looked around for Alister. She saw him standing just where he had been. Next to her was one of the most flamboyant people she had ever seen. A definitely over the hill woman with bright blood red hair had her huge lip lined mouth opened wide in an unattractive yell. She wore what she would expect any queen to wear, an extravagant red dress with frill and a corset holding in her, sturdy, figure. Gen hid behind a shaded tree and whispered, "Play"
"Wasn't there just someone sitting right next to you?" she yelled. Her back turned to Genevieve.
"No, nope, n-not a soul, no…nada…" His last words trailed of as his grey eyes found hers. Damn. I've been spotted. He quickly looked away.
"Charlotte its freezing out here, why don't you take my coat and go inside, diner is probably about to be served." He said taking off his orange coat and draping it over her shoulders. She flipped her long red curls over the coat and pulled it up with her absurdly ringed, long, elegant, fingers. She nodded absent mindedly and walked inside, three men carrying weapons behind her. Alister watched her go and tilted his head as the enormous three story wooden door closed. As soon as it did he did a quick nod and turned on his heels. She had never seen someone that looked like Alister. His messy brown hair fell in un-groomed tufts. His grey eyes were beneath two thick brown brows. His nose was strong with a slight bump and his lips where deep pink and thin. His face was a V, with a nicely rounded chin. He wore a billowy white long sleeve white with tight buttoned cuffs and ruffles at the neck. The shirt was tucked into black sports pants which were currently moving closer to Genevieve. She backed up against the white willow. He towered over her so his straight black tie was off his shirt dangling parallel to her as he tilted his head to the side to take her in.
"So," she said staring into his grey eyes.
"I wasn't lying when I said it was freezing out here," he said stepping forward and putting his hand on the tree and leaning in.
"Are you cold?" he asked, raising an eyebrow. Not now that you're gorgeous body is inches from mine.
"No, I'm actually pretty hot." she said trying to make her words not go to mush.
"I agree," he replied with a coy smile. Genevieve's cheeks went red. What's wrong with me? I've had a zillion boyfriends, crushes, but no feeling for a guy has ever come close to what is going on in my stomach right now. Calm down stomach, you're wrecking my cool. His face stiffened, he took a long breath before he spoke.
"Listen Gen I need to tell you about Ac-"
Dong
Dong
Dong
The bells were so loud she had to put her hands to her ears. "What did you say?" she yelled after the bells finally stopped.
"We're so late, diner is starting right now." he sincerely looked anxious. He grabbed her hand and her stomach did so many summersaults she felt like she was about to be ill. She stopped and breathed in and out trying to regain her breath.
"Come on Gen, were going to be late, your father will not be happy if I bring you in late." he ordered pulling on her hand as they raced to the door. Two guards bowed not to him but to Gen and opened the door. She could have sworn she saw Alister roll his eyes as the fast walked down the hallway.
Chapter 11: I have seen him before
Alister and Gen walked together into the banquet room and once she pushed the doors open with both hands, without a servant, to a huge table filled with shocked and confused face that all slowly looked at Andria then in unison yet again to her. She started to realize that bursting in guns blazing with no plan might have been absent minded of her, but it was too late to care now, might as will just run with it.
"Don't tell me you guys started the party without us?" Alister said putting his hand protectively around her waist. He smiled at the crowd in general and walked her to her seat and pulled out her seat.
"Princess Genevieve, your seat." he motioned to the seat. Okay wake up…now! Or…Now…damn…I owe my inner voice twenty bucks. Silence encased the room in the form of awkward glances to Henry and whispers. Alister smiled in satisfaction and walked to his seat at the very edge of the table almost hitting the entrance to the kitchen.
"Hey," Paige greeted as she pulled up a chair beside her half mindful brother and began to tap her fingers nervously on the table.
"Uh huh," he said staring across the long U shaped table at Genevieve as she talked to Therius. Paige moved her head just as he did to try to catch a peek and what had caught his glare when he whipped his entire upper body around to face her, almost knocked over his drink, the salt and almost managed to head butt his sister if it weren't for her unnaturally fast reflexes.
"You were looking at Genevieve, weren't you?" she accused her eyes growing as big as saucers.
"What if I was?" Alister rebutted in an allusive tone.
"She is a human princess, need I say more?"
"And I'm a-" he started.
"Alister!" she whisper sharply gave him one of those Paige looks, the look that says 'if you say another word I will seriously hurt you'.
"What? It isn't like everybody else doesn't know already!" Alister whispered back.
"Yes it is! No one knows, and I'll not have you ruining my chances of being-"
"Normal? Dear sister that ship not only already sails but never even made port in your harbor." he whispered harshly. "Why do you pine over something you can never have?" he asked, is tone more sweet and brotherly than argumentative stick in the mud.
"Why do you?" she said turning her head in a prissy way. She got him there.
"Exactly, give it up, you come from different worlds, different upbringings not to mention she is a human." Paige argued.
"What is so bad about being human?" Alister asked, his tone starting to rise in frustration.
"Nothing, they're just not the most trustworthy of folk." she lied.
"We, as elves, have been outlawed and judged by what we are, and you dare judge someone in the same way!" Alister practically yelled.
"She's a thief." Paige tried a different tactic.
"So were you." Alister countered.
"When I was a child. Besides who was going to tell the queen her," her voice to a whisper, "daughter," she looked around then continued like she was talking about the weather, "was a thief."
"A fool"
"Right a fo-" she paused and slapped Alister on the back of the head.
"Aurelius wasn't a fool! He was concerned. How dare you make fun of the dead? They'll come and get you in your dreams." Paige warned, like a child, he thought.
"I hardly believe in ghosts." Alister laughed.
"Are you trying to tell me that the young Alister Grey does not believe that," she leaned in and whispered. "Alison," she continued "does not haunt the halls of this castle and sing to you when there is no one but you in the dead of night?" Paige practically choked.
"That just a bit disturbing Paige" Alister commented.
"You didn't answer my question." Paige pointed out.
"Shh..." said the man sitting next to Alister.
"The king is speaking, be respectful." Alister mocked the man's words but did not speak, he wanted the appearance of Henry's daughter to explode in his hateful face, and he knew that Acruz would be the jackass for the job. He felt safe thinking such things because he was the only mind reader in the room, other than Acruz, and Acruz knew he was annoying and course, in fact he prided himself on that very fact. Paige was gifted but her powers where in shape shifting not in mind reading. Charlotte sat pretty trying not to look totally pissed off that her husband of eighteen years had been lying through his teeth about having another daughter. Henry stood from his elegant seat of honor and opened his arms as if he was going to hug someone and the room became silent. He smiled and started to speak.
"Welcome honored guests, family, friends, and Alister," Henry boomed. Most people looked at him and Alister smil
ed and waved with his pointer and middle finger like a lazy windshield wiper salute. Henry whole heartedly laughed then continued.
"Today we are gathered to celebrate the new Aurora and the arrival of my daughter's fiancé, Acruz Deveartae," His voice became serious, his tone no longer joyous. All eyes went to where the king was pointing, and that's when Genevieve Grave laid eyes on the man they called Acruz Deveartae.
"Thank you for inviting me to your kingdom regardless of silly past quarrels." His ice blue eyes when straight to Genevieve. His smile faded and everything around her went so fuzzy she could hardly hear her father blabbering about how it was so generous that we let him stay in our home and whatnot. Acruz's eyes never left hers. She couldn't and wouldn't look away. His face was the complete opposite of Alister's. Acruz's face was tanned, as he had been out in the sun not those totally fake, sit in a machine while it slowly cooks you, tans. His jaw was a sharp line until it came to his slightly dimpled chin. His eyes were cerulean blue like the sky on a clear day. He had almost white, straight, blonde hair that went to his shoulders. He wore a shirt that seemed similar to Alister's but one button was unbuttoned from the top and the cuffs were not buttoned at all. Acruz didn't smile at her or make any effort of act like he wasn't staring straight at her. Therius practically shook her senseless before she reluctantly turned to look at him.
