Chapter 3

Kristine and Nikki finally reached their house. They arrived inside slightly out of breath.

“What’s wrong?” Kristine’s mom, Amy asked.

The girls glanced at each other. “Nothing.” they answered simultaneously.

“It’s that gang isn’t it?”

“I said it was nothing,” Nikki snapped.

“Nikki, don’t talk to me like that!”

“I can talk to you any way I want! You’re not my mother!”

“Nikki, go to your room!”

“It’s not my room!” Nikki yelled as she ran to Kristine’s room. Slowly, Kristine followed, after giving her mother a worried look.

“You were a little hard on her.” Felix, Kristine’s dad, remarked as he emerged from the living room. “Losing her family is hard for her to cope with.”

“We, as well as her, have got to face the fact that with the position we are in, no one can be too sure about life. I am even having doubts about taking this entire matter to court.”

“What are you saying? Don’t you understand, that won’t help our position any better.”

“Every other family in this city doesn’t have to worry about this group of men threatening their family!”

“It’s too late! We saw what happened to the oil field owner! They’ll stop at nothing to get what they want! Nothing!”

“Felix, listen to me, what about the children?”

“They are not children anymore, they will be graduating from high school at the end of this school year.”

“Oh? And I suppose then everything will be over, just like you dream?”

“No,” Felix sighed, “Kristine, can you come here for a moment?” he called out.

“What is it dad?” Kristine asked, as she came into the room.

“Is Nikki all right?”

“She’s fine.”

After a brief pause, Felix nodded, “Okay, well, you girls should get some sleep. Good night dear.” After kissing Kristine on the cheek, he raised his voice, “Good night, Nikki, sweetheart.”

Kristine walked back to her room. It was a rather large room. Once it was all hers, but then Nikki moved in. Kristine didn’t mind, Nikki was her best friend. No matter how hard times were, she knew she was all Nikki had left to hold on to.

She walked over to Nikki’s bed, where she sat, fuming. “We should get some sleep. We have school tomorrow, right?”

Nikki got up, threw her jeans and sweatshirt in the laundry basket, and put on her night shirt. She unfolded the comforter then buried herself underneath them without a word.
Kristine changed into her favorite shirt and shorts and climbed into her own bed. Both girls were silent for a short time.

It was Kristine who finally broke the silence. “Who do you think those guys were?”

“Strange.” Nikki answered.

“They were kind of cute.”

“It was awfully dark, so I suppose they were.”

“They were wearing some kind of soft leathers, I think. ‘Cause I could feel the softness against my skin. And their hair! Long, to their shoulders at least! Oh, and I noticed each of them wore an earring in their left ear and…”

“Boy crazy, aren’t you Kristine?” Nikki snickered.

Kristine ignored her and went on, “my guys name was Zach and yours was named X, but I‘m sure those were nicknames.”

“Yeah, well, that’s all you or I know about them.”

“They seemed nice.”

“Probably a false first impression.”

“Nikki,” Kristine sighed, “why can’t you just try to be nice and trust them?”

“ ‘Cause everyone I trust ends up getting killed.”

“I’m not dead, Nikki.”

“I worry,” she replied.

“Why don’t we ask them for help, you know, protection.”

“Any person who looks like he went swimming with his clothes on won’t help me any.”

“Okay, well, maybe there’s a good reason, we don’t know what happened.”

“I’ll bet they don’t know either!”

Kristine sighed, “Do you think we’ll ever see them again?”

“Hopefully, not. Anyway, good night, Kristine.” Nikki yawned and turned over in her bed.

Kristine rolled her eyes and said good night to Nikki’s back. Both girls soon fell asleep, dreaming of their wild boys.

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After walking down the stairs and across the plank, the boys approached a computer affectionately named XZC-7. Zachary pressed a button on the keyboard and the massive doors swung open.

An electronic feminine voice said, “Welcome home, Lord Zachary.”

“Hello Candy,” Zachary replied, “How many times have I told you not to call me ‘Lord Zachary’?”

“I have been programmed to refer to you that way, my lord.”

Zachary growled, “That’s the last time I’ll let Charles program you!”

Xavier laughed, he knew Zachary was bluffing. He would always be grateful to their childhood friend and now computer genius, Alan Charles Nieri for his contribution to keeping the peace in their world.

As they walked through the doors, into the next room, Xavier commented, “Well, ‘Lord Zachary, I must congratulate you on finding those two girls.”

“It’s Zachary! And if I were you, I would go easy on Nikki because she’s gone through a rough time.”

“Yeah, I know. Her words seemed rather rude and sarcastic, so I figured she must be hiding some kind of pain.”

They stopped at another computer where Zachary pressed another button, which opened yet another door. Once they reached the other side of the room, Zachary took a key from the gold chain around his neck and unlocked the door. They walked into a fenced yard where two Dobermans came running up to them.

“Hi boys. Gotten any runners lately?” asked Xavier as he petted Rolf and Chaz’s heads.

The dogs licked their owner’s hand in reply.

“With you around, they won’t be able to attack anything!” Zachary commented as he and Xavier continued to walk through the main gate.

“Who said anything about attacking?” smirked Xavier, “They’re just there for decoration.”

Zachary laughed, “Sure…sure.”

In the distance a clock struck the twelfth hour. “C’mon, my mom’s gonna kill me if she finds out I’ve been on the West side at this hour!” exclaimed Xavier as he rushed towards the castle with Zachary following close behind.

*************************************************************

The castle was a magnificent sight. The outside was a white pearlescent stone with green vines that blossomed with vibrant colorful flowers. The inside of the castle boasted black veined, white marble floors, domed ceilings, and ivory walls all trimmed in gold or silver.

There were many towers in the multistoried castle, as well as many rooms within the towers. Xavier’s room was one of the towers in the East wing. Since it was a tower, which had many rooms, it was actually like he had his own apartment.

Xavier and Zachary tiptoed in, sneaking around the guards, to avoid being seen. To get to Xavier’s tower, they had to cross through the hallway in front of his parent’s rooms. They stopped and listened to be sure no one was around, then when it seemed quiet, they tiptoed across the hall.

Xavier’s mother, Queen Evelyn Devnet Raneri, was sitting at her dressing table. She could see the boys tiptoeing across the hallway in her mirror. She smiled, she knew that they had been on an adventure that always seemed to take up so much of their time and occasionally got them into trouble. “Hello boys, going somewhere?”

The boys froze when they heard her voice. Xavier turned a sheepish smile towards his mother, “Hello mom, uh, we were just coming from the kitchens.”

Devnet chuckled, “Really. Well, Zach, I didn’t know your parents were letting you stay with Xavier tonight.” She walked out into the hall with them, “Don’t you two have training classes tomorrow?”

Xavier nodded, “Yes, we do. But not until later, in the afternoon.”

The Queen knew better, she could tell just from the way her son was pausing in his speech. “Zach, I think you should be getting on home before your father finds out you were out so late.”

“Yes, Your Majesty,” Zachary bowed and turned to leave, “Thank you, Your Majesty.”

Devnet smiled, “You are welcome.”

Xavier stood there waiting for what he knew was coming, his punishment. His mother turned and walked back into her room, “Come in Xavier.”

Xavier followed his mother into the grand bedroom.

“Xavier, you are nearly 20 years old. Don’t you think it is time you started acting like a member of the royal family and not some juvenile troublemaker?”

Xavier lowered his head, “I know, I will mother.”

“Well, I would prefer if you didn’t just say it. Do it son.”

“Yes mother. I will.”

The Queen looked at her son, he looked so much like his father, but he had her adventurous streak. She had been a mischievous child, getting into trouble because she was always doing things that a proper girl wasn’t supposed to do.

“Xavier, I know that you enjoy your freedom. I know that it’s fun and adventurous, but you have to start growing up. You have to be more disciplined. After all, you will be King soon.”

Xavier’s head snapped up, had he heard right? “How soon, mother?”

“On the day of your twentieth birthday. On that same day, you will choose a girl that will become your bride, to reign with you.”

Xavier’s head was spinning. He would be twenty in two months! He swallowed, “Have you and father decided who is to be my bride, mother?”

“No my son. I want you to be able to choose your own wife. Your father wanted to arrange your marriage, since it’s tradition, but I prevailed. I don’t want my son to miss out on the subject of love.” She smiled and placed a hand against his cheek.

Xavier returned her smile with one of his own, “Thank you for that, mother.”

Devnet nodded, “You are very welcome. Now, get to bed before your father finds out that I’m letting you get away this one time.”

His smile widened as he leaned in to give his mother a hug, “Good night, mom.”

“Good night, my son.”

She watched as Xavier made his way up the stairs towards his tower rooms. When he was no longer in sight, she turned to her mirror to finish brushing her hair before going to bed.