His father grinned. “I’m afraid so.”
Chapter 6: Trials
Thirty minutes later, Xavier descended the steps into the reception room wearing a black pin-stripe suit, his gold royalty sash, and blue cloak. He felt a bit pretentious dressed as he was, and he fidgeted self-consciously as he approached his father, who was smiling broadly.
“Well, look at you! You look smart.”
“Thanks, but I need help with my tie.”
He handed the blue tie to his father who knotted it neatly at his neck in seconds.
“Okay, let’s go. The hearings for the children are being held at the academy,” his father announced, leading him out of the residence.
Loren joined them, looking uncharacteristically somber as they made their way out of the palace and into an awaiting limo. Within minutes, the limo pulled to a halt in front of the school, and Xavier followed Loren and his father out of the vehicle. As they strode into the building, he looked at his school with renewed eyes. All signs of the battle school the Dark Army had created were gone. Most classrooms had been refurnished with desks, tables, and chairs. It was as if the school had never been altered.
“The Council has set up in the cafeteria for the hearings,” Loren told them, opening the cafeteria door for the king and prince.
The moment they stepped into the room, the High Council stood and bowed. Three new faces were among the council now. Governor Bracus and Marcus, a pinch-faced, middle-aged man with rectangular glasses, still held positions, but the other members were new.
“Hello, my kings!” Governor Bracus announced joyfully as he straightened and approached them with an extended hand.
“Hello, Simon!” his father greeted him with a smile and shook the older man’s hand.
“Hello, Xavier! How have you been, little king?” the governor asked, turning to him and shaking his hand.
“I’ve been good.”
“I’m glad to hear it! Have you been staying out of trouble?” he asked, his large eyes twinkling with humor.
“I’ve been trying, sir, but it’s a lot harder than it sounds.”
“Yes, I guess it is.” The thin man chuckled. “I’ll tell you what I told Garrett. No one expects you to go through life without making a few mistakes, but the important thing is that you learn from them. So? What have you learned?” he asked with an arched brow. On another man, this expression would have come across as stern and reproving, but on Garrett’s grandfather, it looked amiable and warm.
Xavier faltered. “Ah, well, which time, sir?” he questioned bashfully.
Surprisingly, the governor coughed out a deep-throated, bellowing laugh. “Touché, Your Highness.”
“Sire? The first child is waiting in the hall when you’re ready to begin,” the king’s secretary, announced from the door.
“Thank you, Alexandra. Give us five minutes and then send him in,” he told her before looking down at his son. “Come. Let’s get to our seats.”
He followed his father to the table where the other council members sat waiting.
“How are you, Judge Stull?” the king greeted, nodding to a heavy-set man sitting at the end of the table.
“Good morning, King Wells,” he responded in a deep gravelly voice.
Jeremiah turned back to Xavier. “As you can see, we have a few new members on the Council. This is Jack Stull. He’s a high-level judge here in the kingdom. He resides over highly public trials or severe first degree crimes.”
“Nice to meet you, Judge Stull,” Xavier greeted the man.
“It’s an honor, young prince,” the judge replied. He had a friendly smile and gentle eyes. Xavier decided immediately that he liked him.
“Margaret! You’re looking beautiful today,” Jeremiah called jovially, winking at the woman seated next to the judge.
“Oh, sire,” she giggled, waving at him dismissively. “You need glasses!”
“Son, this is Ms. Margaret Wilks. She is the new governor for the Wellington District.”
“Hello, Governor Wilks. It’s a pleasure to meet you, ma’am,” he intoned sweetly.
She smiled. “Likewise, your highness.”
“Good morning, Marcus,” Jeremiah nodded to the familiar man with rectangular glasses sitting next to Governor Wilks. Marcus responded with a polite nod. “Son, I don’t think you’ve ever been introduced to Mr. Anderson. Mr. Anderson is a long-time member of the Council.”
He smiled at the man sitting stiffly in his chair. Mr. Anderson had been fair at his father’s trial after he used the King’s Key illegally in order to save Xavier’s life. He respected the man’s integrity. “How do you do, Mr. Anderson? It’s good to meet you,” he greeted, extending his hand.
Marcus Anderson smiled at the young prince and shook his hand. “You as well, young sire.”
As they settled in two empty seats in the center of the table, his father nodded to the final new member. “Lastly, the man next to you is the latest member, but I’m sure introductions aren’t necessary. How’s business, Jon? ”
“It’s as busy as ever, Sire. Many families have a lot to replace since regaining their homes. I’m back-ordered on several things. Hello, Prince Wells. You’ve grown a bit since last fall. I suspect I’ll be seeing you in my shop for alterations and new uniforms soon.”
Xavier smiled at the man who owned and operated the only tailor shop in the kingdom. “Yes, sir. I guess you will.”
“Okay, gentlemen, and lady,” Governor Bracus announced from his seat at the end of the table. “The files for today’s hearings are in front of each of you. The first child is waiting in the hall. Please take a moment to review his file before we begin.”
Xavier jolted at the name on the top folder: Daniel Fine. He flipped open the file and feverishly skimmed through its contents, finding a picture of Daniel. The first boy on trial was none other than the little Daniel who had helped him when he returned to Warwood to confront William LeMasters. Why was Daniel on trial? He was just a little kid! LeMasters’ men didn’t even find him worthy of training. He was treated as nothing more than a servant; he wasn’t a soldier. He turned to tell his father this, but before he could, the cafeteria door opened and the small, timid boy entered the room. Daniel looked terrified as he studied each adult sitting behind the long table, and when his eyes settled on King Wells, they nearly bulged out of his skull. Immediately, he sank to a knee and bowed.
“K…King Wells! It’s an honor, sire,” he squeaked.
“Stand up, child, and come closer,” Jeremiah instructed firmly.
He rose and shuffled an inch at a time toward the king, looking totally petrified. Then his eyes settled on Xavier and he grinned.
“Prince Xavier!” he exclaimed and raced excitedly toward the table.
A royal guard swooped in to intercept the boy.
“No! Don’t touch him!” Xavier blurted at the guard, jumping to his feet and scurrying over the table to Daniel, who immediately latched himself onto the prince like an eager puppy. “He’s not going to hurt anyone,” he told the guard, wrapping a protective arm around the smaller boy.
Without a word, the king nodded to the guard, who drifted back to his post at the end of the table.
Daniel looked up at Xavier, wide-eyed. “You’re okay! When Master took you, I thought you were a goner for sure!” Then, he saw Xavier’s bandaged hand and whispered, “Did he do that?”
He lifted his hand and flexed it. “Yeah, but it’ll be as good as new in a couple weeks. Are they treating you okay in here?”
“Yeah! We get lots of food and we don’t have to worry about being beaten anymore.”
“Son? How do you know this boy?” Jeremiah asked, leaning forward and studying the smaller boy.
“Dad, this is the kid I was telling you about. Daniel helped me to get around without being recognized when I returned to Warwood. He’s not a soldier! He wasn’t even trained in combat. He shouldn’t be on trial!” he explained eagerly.
The king stud
ied the small boy in silence for several long seconds. Finally he intoned, “Well, young man it seems that I owe you an enormous debt for helping my son. Thank you! ”
Daniel beamed.
“But I’m afraid I need to ask you a couple questions,” he continued gently.
“Yes, sire. I’ll answer any of your questions,” Daniel replied, more confidently with Xavier beside him.
The king’s eyes narrowed on the boy as he studied him more intently.
Xavier feared the worse and blurted out, “Dad, really! From everything I saw, he wasn’t being trained at all! He wasn’t one of the kids who attacked our kingdom. I know it!”
His father held up a hand silencing him as he continued to examine Daniel. Xavier huffed irritably but after a hard glance from his father, he went silent and waited.
Finally, the king asked, “How old are you, boy?”
“Nine and three quarters, sire. I’ll turn ten in October,” Daniel responded quietly. He could feel the king’s energy growing more intense, and it made him nervous.
Jeremiah’s eyes widened slightly and he asked in a rush, “What is your full name?”
The boy shifted nervously next to Xavier before responding, “Daniel Michael Spencer Fine, sir.”
Xavier stiffened as his father leaped to his feet, his penetrating stare boring into small child. Michael Spencer! Xavier thought with a sudden understanding. He followed his father’s wide, shell-shocked eyes to Daniel, who had cowered slightly at the king’s sudden movement. He studied the younger boy’s features with renewed interest.
“Who are your parents, boy?” Jeremiah continued.
“I never knew my dad, but my mom’s name was Natalie Fine,” he answered quietly. His lower lip protruded and tears swelled in his eyes as he continued, “But...she’s…she’s dead. Master kidnapped us, and one day he took her out of our room, and she never came back.” Tears poured over his cheek and a low sob escaped him. “She told me we’d escape someday and find my dad… that he’d protect us.” His entire body shuddered as he tried to keep from sobbing. “But w…we never did. He k…killed her!” Then, he buried his face in his hands, turning into Xavier’s chest, sobbing.
He hugged the smaller boy. “It’s okay, Daniel. It’s going to be okay. I know what you’re going through. He killed my mom too.”
He sniffed miserably. “He did?”
“Yeah, after Dad rescued me from the Institute, LeMasters kidnapped my mom and killed her,” he told him.
“You were at the Institute?” he asked with wide, watery eyes. “That was a really bad place. Only the kids who wouldn’t do what LeMasters said ended up there. None of them came back either!”
“Daniel?” Jeremiah called gently. “I must ask you one more question. I need to hear it from you. Did you participate in the attack on Warwood?”
Daniel’s eyes widened to the size of saucers. “No, sire! Master didn’t think my abilities were strong enough to help. Even if they had been, I wouldn’t have done it! You’re…the good guys! Why would I attack the good guys?”
“Why would LeMasters keep a child of no real value to him?” Marcus asked the king.
“Don’t you see it, Marcus?” Governor Bracus hissed. Then, after a glance at Daniel, he whispered meaningfully, “The boy’s name is Daniel Michael Spencer Fine! It doesn’t take a genius to put two and two together.”
Jeremiah looked at Alexandra. “Can investigators verify this boy’s claim?”
“Yes, sire. Lieutenant Henrick Davies interviewed the other child soldiers as well as the Royal Guard survivors. None of them remember a boy of Daniel’s size and description on the battlefield. What the boy says is true,” she responded.
The king nodded and turned to the Council. “I call to dismiss all charges and suspicion against Daniel Fine and ask for his immediate release.”
The group voted unanimously for the king’s motion.
The small boy looked at Xavier. “What does that mean?”
He grinned. “It means you’re free.”
Daniel returned the grin.
“I need a brief recess. I have a pressing matter that needs my attention,” his father announced, moving around the table to Xavier and Daniel. He led the boys into the hall. “Xavier, take Daniel back to the palace. I will be home in a few hours.”
“Dad, is Daniel...”
“Xavier!” his father’s voice thrust into his thoughts, silencing his words. “There are other people who need to be involved in this, son! Please, don’t say anything until I’ve informed your uncle.”
“Yes, sir,” he replied with a nod and turned to the boy. “Come on, Daniel. I’ll show you my room.”
“Uh, ok,” he replied hesitantly, eying the king suspiciously. His expression resembling one he’d seen just a few days ago on Michael Spencer.
The boys exited the academy with Loren at their heels. “Daniel, this is Loren Jefferson. He’s one of my father’s closest friends and a general in the Premier Royal Guard.”
“Hello, Mr. Jefferson,” he greeted, extending his hand to Loren.
“Mr. Jefferson! Wow, I’m not used to that kind of respect, but really, kiddo, you can call me Loren,” he replied enthusiastically, shaking the smaller boy’s hand.
He grinned up at the enormous man beside him.
“Don’t let him fool you, Daniel. He’s the biggest troublemaker in the kingdom, but his daughter, Erica, is giving him a run for his money in that department,” Xavier teased.
“I’m the troublemaker?” Loren roared and lunged at the prince, scooping him off his feet and carrying him over his shoulder like a sack. “You know something, Daniel. This little twerp has caused more mischief than my daughter and I combined!”
“Liar!” Xavier laughed.
“Hey, I’m talking to Danny here. So, hush up, Little Prince!” Loren retorted, smacking Xavier’s rump.
“Ow!”
Daniel giggled.
“I hear you’ve decided to take over my job,” Loren told the boy.
“What? N…no, sir. I didn’t,” he squeaked.
“That’s not what I understand. I heard you did everything you could to keep Prince Wells here out of trouble,” he explained, smacking Xavier again.
“Ow, Loren! Put me down!”
“Hush, Junior. We’re trying to talk shop,” he retorted dismissively.
“I only helped him a little. I didn’t do much, really,” Daniel protested, but Xavier could tell by the tone in his voice he was pleased with the compliment.
“I guess I better watch my back or I’ll be out of a job,” Loren answered with a wink.
“You WILL be out of a job if you don’t put me down!” Xavier shouted, trying not to laugh.
“Princes! They can get so cranky when they don’t get their way,” he commented as he lowered Xavier to the ground.
Xavier chased the general around the limo several times trying to pummel him.
When they arrived at the palace, Xavier hopped out of the limo and led the smaller boy into the building. As they entered the antechamber they found Court kneeling on the stone floor reassembling his remote control helicopter.
“Hey Court! What’s up?”
“I’m trying to fix this bloody thing! Caleb was messing with it and crashed it into Dennis’s head. I had to superglue the propeller back on. It better work or I’m going to break Caleb’s face.” Court looked up and saw Daniel.
Xavier grinned. “This is Daniel. Daniel this is one of my best friends, Courtney Hardcastle. His dad, Ephraim Hardcastle, is another general in the Premier Royal Guard. Dad and Ephraim were friends growing up, too.”
“Nice to meet you, Courtney,” Daniel greeted, extending his hand to the other boy.
“Hey, good to meet you, but you can just call me Court.” He shook the smaller boy’s hand before turning back to Xavier. “Xavier, we’ve got to talk. The guys know the girls were still at the lake when we got out of the water. We need to figure out what we’re going to do abou
t it and come up with a plan for revenge. Mac and Beck are coming over later so we can come up with something. We could use your help.”
“I can’t. I’m grounded,” he muttered.
“Grounded? How can you be grounded already?” Court asked.
“Do you even need to ask?” Loren teased as he entered the room. “He’s Xavier Wells, son of King Wells. Of course he’s managed to get himself grounded within the few short hours since you saw him last! Trouble is a Wells genetic trait.”
Xavier punched Loren in the gut and laughed as Loren doubled over and mocked great pain. Daniel snickered at the big man.
“Seriously, Xavier, why are you grounded?” Court interrupted.
Xavier looked back at his friend and answered sheepishly, “Well, I transported to Robbie’s last night and like an idiot, I fell asleep and didn’t teleport home until 6:30 this morning. Dad was waiting for me in my room.”
“Whoa! No way! You spent the night? What happened?”
“Nothing! I just fell asleep! We didn’t even kiss!” Xavier hissed.
“Yeah, well, wait until Beck finds out!” Court remarked with a wicked grin.
“No, Court! Don’t tell anyone! Dad will just come unglued again! Please!” he pleaded.
“Yeah, okay, Xavier. You know you can trust me,” Court replied.
Chapter 7: Prince Daniel
When the king finally returned from the hearings, it was nearly dinnertime, and Xavier was lounging on the couch in the receiving room reading a rugby magazine. Jeremiah entered the residence in a rush with Loren and Ephraim behind him.
“Where’s Daniel?” he asked, crossing the room.
“He’s in my bed, asleep,” Xavier answered, closing the magazine and setting it aside. “Is Daniel Uncle Mike’s son?”
Jeremiah’s gaze darted to the bedroom door before settling on Xavier. “Yes, I believe he is.”
“It sure explains a lot!” Ephraim commented. “It explains why you lost touch with Natalie and why you couldn’t find her or the boy. Speaking of which, I assume you’ve contacted Mike?”
The Prince of Warwood and The Rise of the Chosen Page 5
