by J P Anderson
"That's the prince of Ranicus…Acruz…why is he staring at you?" Therius asked.
"I've seen him before…" she said in more of a whisper to herself as her mind focused on all the times he haunted her dreams. Those eyes, haunting, beautiful eyes, she thought.
"That's impossible…" Therius shook off.
"Do you smell it?" Alister whispered with joy in his tone and a smile upon his childish face.
"Smell what." Paige whispered impatiently without looking at him. Alister looked from Henry to Genevieve to Acruz and then grinned like he just got what he wants from Christmas.
"That, my dear sister, is the smell of the shit hitting the fan." She burst into a fit of laughter that not even the toughest of people could hold back, everyone was looking at her but Acruz surprising saved her by asking the question that everyone knew had to come out of someone. Gen threw her head in the direction of Acruz when she heard him start to speak. She had defiantly seen and heard him before, it wasn't her imagination.
"Henry, I have no idea why no one has commented on the real guest in these halls. Is that not your daughter, come to us from the door of Earth itself." She almost choked on her water. She started to breathe heavily when her father didn't answer. Acruz paused.
"I asked is that your daughter?" he said slowly picking at her father, egging him to speak.
"Or are my sources mistaken." he added insult to injury, smiling, for some reason Gen couldn't look away from his face. She was mesmerized by its haunting perfection and pureness.
"Yes this is my daughter," She looked from Acruz to her father in astonishment that Henry was actually speaking for her. His wife (the same lady that had interrupted my conversation with Alister a few moments ago) looked at the king with horror, and without a word threw her napkin down on her plate and stormed out like a little girl. The king got up and setting his napkin down and followed hitting Alister's seat when he left.
"Asshole" Alister muttered. Andria sat next to her brother, both of them staring at the door where their parents had stormed out second ago.
"Well that went well…" Gen thought trying to get Alister to hear it he smiled but did not look at her.
"Really well I'd say." I can't believe it; I'm speaking telepathically to someone. I'm having a conversation with someone with only the use of my mind, freakin' awesome. Genevieve got up and walked out intent on finding her father and brother's mother (that's really the only way I can describe her on a count a, I really haven't ever talked to her).
"Char, wait, please" The lady turned around her eyes full of fiery and hate.
"Don't you "Char" me, you promised. You said," She fluffed her dress in anger, got all up in his face and waved her finger at him as she continued in a serious tone. "You swore that all the rumors where lies. But they weren't. That little whore human had two children that were…yours."
"That's not fair. Andria is nothing like her mother." Henry defended.
"She is exactly like her mother! You can smell the human on her from a mile away! You're lucky you could marry her off to who you did." Charlotte spoke through her grinding teeth and frowning, hardly parted, lips.
"You hold your tongue, they both were born royal. While as you were the princess of Corinth, I mean, you might as well be the daughter of a butcher!" He turned around about to storm off when he saw Genevieve, his blanched only slightly, and as he walked by her she grabbed his shirt sleeve.
"You're Majesty?" I know that's lame but what else could I call him. I don't think either of us are ready for daddy or any version of that and sir is out of the question because that's just a ridiculously detached name for a father. Come to think of it, maybe I should have called him sir.
"What." he lost his steam. He looked very weary and gloomy.
"I-I'm sorry you got in a fight over me, I didn't mean to come here and cause you any pain." I didn't mean to come here at all, she thought be didn't add, no need to add insult to injury.
"You didn't child. You just brought back some old memories. But they deserved to be remembered so no harm no foul." he smiled and put his hand on her shoulder. For a father figure, Henry was a perplexing matter. She was surprised to find that looks wise he was exactly how she pictured him. She pictured her father to be stronger though, maybe a con artist from California or a gypsy from Arizona not a cowardly emotionally spent king from another planet. It's not that she was disappointed; it was that she wished he was different. She wished she had come here at a different time so she could try to get to know him. She promised herself that when this was all over, she would learn every layer of the onion that was her father.
"Genevieve" Alister greeted running up to her like she was an old friend at a reunion.
"Alister" she half mocked bobbing her head ever so slightly then biting her lower lip and looked to the left. Henry grounded and shifted his weight, as if uncomfortable.
"Telahane is always prettier at-" After about five seconds he finally noticed her father, he moved his head toward him, mouth still open, and smiled that famous smile and said.
"What's up Henry?" He said the words in a nice tone, but it more came off as, 'what the hell ya doin here Henry?'
"What do you think you're doing Alister Grey, don't you think this is sort of counterproductive?"
"Don't worry; I'll have her home before ten."
"Why do you never seem to change or learn from your previous mistakes?" Henry asked ignoring his previous comment.
"The only mistake anyone made here was by you, ta-ta." After that he ignored her father like he wasn't standing inches from his back.
"Telahane, our closest planet, is always prettier at night because our moon, aurora, is full tonight. Would you like to watch it with me?"
"Are you asking me out?" Gen always liked clarifying things like that. She hated going on dates, and then realizing, they both where not on the same page about said date. It's just all bad.
"Are you saying yes?" she cocked her left eyebrow and smiled.
"Maybe" Gen countered.
"I forbade you to go." Her father uttered. Alister turned to face him with a mischievous smile on his face.
"Well fiddly dee as they say on Earth! You always pick convenient times to start caring for the well being of your daughters" Alister pointed out.
"And when is that?" Henry asked in annoyance.
"When I started of course, you never could handle me being happy, why does that anger you so?"
"Because that's my daughter," Alister looked from Gen to Henry and smiled.
"Really, she doesn't look a thing like you. Might want to get that tested." His eyebrows went up mockingly and without another word he held both Gen's hands in his and the castle along with her father started to spin and they started to spin the other way and then it all stopped and they were at a beach.
"I've never disobeyed my father before…" she stated in awe of another brand new experience.
"You've never had a father to disobey." Alister pointed out, starting their walk along the beach.
"Too true," she said solemnly. She wanted to just turn and face him and tell him she had seen Acruz before but something in the back of her mind made her reconsider. Maybe he just wanted to know you, maybe the dreams were self-conscious, would be, memories. You don't know anything about Acruz or Alister and you shouldn't just assume that Acruz is all bad and Alister is all good.
"How do you know Acruz?" She started. Good girl Gen, start it off slow then get into the juicy stuff. Alister stiffened, pieced his lips and took in a cautionary breath before he began.
"I was, um, I was his tutor," He started looking down. Ah, Jeez, Gen, you just escaped drama central ( A.K.A. Peter) and now you (unwillingly I might add) find yourself in the middle of an all out, no talking, hold in your feeling as long as physically can, boy begrudged war.
"I was traveling with my little problem-child sister and we were welcomed into Ranicus by a man on the road, claiming to be a friend of the king. It turns out that the young man wa
s Acruz the second in line for the crown. The king of Ranicus was, well, he wasn't a particularly kind fellow and Acruz wasn't exactly fitting into the perfect little box his father tried to force him into on numerous occasions. He said it would be good for him to travel the world and he soon became the son no one talked about." She thought about this. Acruz is starting to smell misunderstood. Although, the source is bias, perhaps I should ask about his connect to my mother.
"So, where do my mother and the king come in?" She asked nonchalantly walking along the moonlit bleach.
"Your mother came through that door because of me, and because of me, she is dead." he said, not really answering her question as much confessing to a sin. He paused for quite some time, perhaps trying to calm his emotions so he could trust himself to speak.
"Your father was quite handsome, your mother was, well she's beautiful, and they, fell in love."
"Do you really believe that?" she asked turning in one quick motion to face him as soon as the end of love escaped his lips.
"I mean, with all your heart, you believe that it was love, no hidden agenda?" she asked. Her eyes where full of hope and perhaps a dab of desperation.
"He loved her, I knew him long before and too long after the arrival of, Miss. Baker. He loved her, most dearly." he said, as if it hurt his heart to admit. They had stopped walking and where now facing each other, her cheeks afire from the cold and his breathing growing steadily louder with each acknowledgement of days long past.
"Tell me the truth. Do you think Acruz capable of murder?" she asked looking into his grey eyes.
"Well yes, it's a known fact he murdered-"
"I'm not talking about sketchy facts and what someone thought they saw in the shadows, do you think him capable of murder?" She practically shouted. Wow, Okay now I'm totally converted to old English. Jeez, oh well. Peter always told me to calm down with the Macbeth speak, and now I can use it freely with no reprimand. Alister stood stone faced, it was almost frightening how much his appearance changed. His eyes, a warm like smoke from a fire, turned to frosted glass, hard and cold, his face marble, his warm inviting grin replaced with a cold rosy grimace. Something was irking him, and irking him hard. He looked deep into Genevieve's eyes, as if astonished by the words that were about to escape his own lips before a look of dread came upon his eyes.
"Genevieve, I truly don't know, perhaps that is what's wrong with me, hating him so, because I still cannot convince myself that he would murder someone, anyone but certainly not Alison. I mean, if only there was some way to know." He thought aloud. Now perhaps what happened in Gen's self-conscious was a shift of faith, or perhaps the will inside her governed her motions but something changed when she remembered just what Acruz had been really saying all those nights.
"I know what I must do, what must be done but with all my heart I refuse to do so," Acruz states.
"What must you do?" I ask.
"Something that was meant to be done eighteen years ago," he answers all cryptic-like.
"We always have a choice in our actions, always." I rant.
"I wish I lived in your world, dear sweetness, but unfortunately for us both, there is nothing either of us can do to stop the changes that have already been set into motion." he finishes.
I have gathered that he must do something that was supposed to be done eighteen years about and no one can stop the changes that have already stopped, to, to what, to do what must be done, or was he talking about something else. If only I knew more about him, more about the past I could possibly figure out this very annoying riddle (I do sooooo hate riddles) and stop whatever he has no choice in doing. Alister knew more, but could I trust him with a secret as dear as this, when it could cost Acruz his life. I have to know. She took the risk.
"I've seen Acruz before." There, I said it. She was wincing at what explosion might erupt from the seeming unpredictable man beside her. He said nothing, perhaps more frightening then the eruption. Say something, anything, bombard me with questions. Nod intelligently, anything. I'm begging you to speak.
"Where?" he asked as if challenging her. She totally didn't understand him. He went hot and cold in a second. His emotions changed from passion and happiness to frigid cold revulsion in a fraction of a cough.
"Um, he, well, he was in my dreams a couple of times." she blundered. Actually it was every night, but who is counting.
"Acruz can put his visions into dream form, he has been trying for years," Alister told her. "I didn't know he actually got in to work." Alister almost admired.
"Did you say visions?" she asked leaning forward. Gosh with all I have heard today I wouldn't be a bit surprised.
"Acruz has visions of the future, sometimes he even as sort of instructions on what he can do to stop or make the things happen, it is the Fates way of punishing the Deveartae's. Most of the Deveartae's have this curse." he told her.
"But isn't seeing into the future sort of, I don't know, helpful."
"Yes it helped destroy Acruz. He spent his life in pursuit of the greatest happiness, a girl, who by the way has yet to make an appearance." he looked at her as if for the first time and then quickly shook his head. "What did he say? In the dream I mean." he finally asked. She told him about the dream, not the part about him, just the simple summary of what Acruz said.
"Oh, dear Narcissa." he moaned slowly, now pacing around her.
"What was meant to be done eighteen years ago, oh dear," Alister mumbled biting his thumb nail as he paced back and forth. Gen sat on a rock. God I hate standing. He just followed her slightly and continued to pace. Now tapping his thumb on the side of his lower lip and tapping the corresponding leg. He still didn't have his jacket and now his shirt was un-tucked in the front so one side of the unbuttoned fabric was sticking out. His straight black tie was loosed and the first three buttons were unbuttoned from his shirt showing the lightest glimpse of his chest. Mustn't ogle, Gen, concentrate.
"So, he knew you were coming. How long have these dreams been going on?" she paused, a couple of months, could it only have been that long. They seemed so every day.
"A couple of months." he nodded and continued pacing.
"So basically as long as Acruz has been on his ship from Ranicus to here," he asked. She hadn't a clue.
"Maybe, sure, I don't know." she answered truthfully.
"Oh course you wouldn't know. Acruz arrived the same time Therius did," he paused, "This morning." She nodded and yawned. Let's do some math shall we. I have been up since 6 A.M. New York time and then switched to Akadia's twelve hour difference so 7 P.M. turns back into 7 A.M. which means at about 6:45 (Which is about the time if I were to guess) I would say I have been awake about 25 hours so far, so really should be starting to get those gross little bags under my eyes.
"So what do you think he was talking about?" Her patience had run away with her energy.
"If I were to guess, I would say he was referring to his first intent on the night you were born." She looked up with heavy eyes into his worried grey pools.
"Which was?" she prompted a little scared to hear what the answer might be.
"To kill the living heir to the throne" he whispered.
"We have to tell my father this, he has to know it isn't safe for Andria to marry him." she practically screamed.
"He will not listen. He thinks it's a spectacular idea." Alister rebutted pessimistically.
"Then we will make him listen," she said and grabbed his hand. He looked at her with a mix of skepticism and awe.
"Alright, whatever the princess commands." he said with a smile and we were swirling through time and space towards her father.
Chapter 12: The King’s Advice
Once they actually got to the king it was many hours after dinner, they had ditched diner so that caused uproar and the queen never did return to the table so soon after they left Therius went to find her. They asked the guard by the king's door if he was asleep.
"No sir, but he doesn't want any unwanted visitors.
" he said his face staring straight, his eyes cold and unfeeling.
"I don't believe I asked what he wanted actually." Alister said stepping forward. The man put his spear in front of him, he turned his head to look at him and a devilish smile crossed his face, he walked right through the spear and the door. She stood in utter shock, abandoned on the wrong side of the door. She started to walk to the door this time the guard used his hand to stop the intruder, she giggled and flirtatiously turned to face him, she wiggled her finger for him to come closer and when he did she moved her entire body except her feet, in his direction sending a wave of air towards him sending him flying down the hall. She smiled and clapped like a little girl and opened the door. When she did she saw something she did not expect. Her father crying in the bear hug of Alister, she back stepped out of the room before either saw her, slowly closed the door and sat down in her über fluffy dress outside the door. She looked to her right and saw the guard get up, but when he saw me he ran in the other direction. She laughed until she cried and listened through the door.
