The following day, Phoebe woke up late because she didn’t get to sleep well last night. A lot of things were bothering her and she found it hard to sleep with those thoughts in her mind.
She looked at herself in the mirror and she looked like a vampire who hasn’t feed for years. She walked to the bathroom, had her shower, got dressed and went downstairs.
She was surprised to see Erik and Damian when she got there. She rushed down the stairs and saw her mother and Gwen preparing breakfast.
Claudia saw her and Phoebe greeted. “I see you are awake,” she said before bringing the pot of rice to the table where Erik and Damian were already sitted.
She saw Chad getting the juice from the freezer and when he saw her, he ignored her. Phoebe nearly scoffed at it.
She went to assist her Gwen in the kitchen. “What are they doing here?” she whispered to Gwen.
“What else?”
Phoebe remembered the conversation she had with Claudia and she realised she was so dead. She didn’t have the time to tell Erik about the plan. “What am I going to do?”
“Well, right now, all you need to do is prove to mom that you and Erik are dating.”
“How am I supposed to do that?”
“You are smart so I am sure you will come up with something.” Gwen left to join them at the table. Chad was already sitted close to Gwen and the only vacant seat was the seat next to Damian.
I have to get close to Erik. What should I do? She thought.
“Phoebe, what are you doing over there?” Claudia asked.
Everyone turned to look at her and she gave a slight smile and went to join them. She was standing next to the vacant seat but she didn’t sit down.
Chad was staring at her wondering what she was doing. Gwen had a confused expression on her face too.
Lucas looked at Phoebe wondering if everything is okay. “Is there something you want to say to me? ”
“Can you sit here? I need to sit close to Erik.”
The prince heard it and almost choked. He glanced at her and that was all he could do.
“Oh okay.” Lucas got up and sat on the vacant seat while she took the other seat.
Claudia folded her arms and was staring at the three of them. “Let’s eat, shall we?” They all nodded and started eating. “So tell me Erik, what do you love about Phoebe?”
The Prince choked and was given water to by Phoebe. He took the water and gulped it all down. He turned to look at Phoebe and phoebe apologized to her. The Prince knew he was on a hotseat again but what he didn’t understand was why it had to be him.
“Um, you see, Phoebe is very beautiful and smart. She is someone that lights up a place with her smile and she has this positive energy around her. She is caring, thoughtful and…” he looked at her and remembered when she came in to the house and told them she is going to help them. That alone was enough to win his heart.
“And?” Claudia asked.
“… sweet.” He answered.
Claudia nodded. “Yes, I know my daughter is all that but is that enough reason to date her?”
Date her? The prince asked himself. Lucas was coughing to the point that he kept drinking water. The prince turned to look at Phoebe and all she could do was mutter sorry.
***
The day finally came for Xenia to leave Havilla to Euphrates. Mrs. Gohan was so sad that she couldn’t do anything.
Chloe was standing afar with a grin on her face as she watched the Queen bade farewell to Xenia.
“I will make sure you don’t regret this,” The queen assured her.
Xenia gave a bittersweet smile and said, “Nothing you do will make me not to regret this.” She walked up to Mrs. Gohan and hugged her.
“Do you have to leave?”
Xenia pulled away a little and looked at Mrs. Gohan. “Can you tell Lucas that I love him so much? I never got to confess my feelings to him and…”
Mrs. Gohan shook her head. “You will be the one to do that yourself.”
“But…”
“I am going to make sure that when the Prince and Lucas arrives, they will come and get you.” Mrs Gohan pulled her close and hugged her for a very long time.
“That’s enough!” Prince Zod commanded. “It’s not like she going to die or she is banished from this land. Why are you all making it seem like being with me is a death sentence?” he turned to the guards and ordered them to take Xenia and put her on the horse.
Kim came to her rescue and told the Prince’s guard to back off. “Don’t touch her.” The prince guards backed off and Kim helped Xenia get on the horse. “Be good!”
“I don’t know if I can be.” She answered him.
Kim placed his hands on hers and smiled at her. “I will make sure we get you out of there.”
“I will be counting on it.”
Kim pulled away and watched as the horse followed the guard’s horses.
Prince Zod walked up to the Queen and said, “I will advise that no one does anything stupid. You know exactly what I am capable of, right?” he smiled. He bowed his head, climbed his horse and rode off.
Mrs. Gohan approached the queen and said, “You had what it takes to stop her, why didn’t you?”
“And how do you expect the people to feed?” The queen asked. “If giving out one person will save thousands of people is a crime, then, I don’t mind being guilty of that crime.”
Mrs. Gohan knew she was doing it to save the people but giving a girl to a monster, is it worth it?
The queen left to attend to the king. The maidens and guards left to do their chores.
Kim walked up to Mrs. Gohan and asked, “Is there a chance that Xenia can return home without hurting the people?”
Mrs. Gohan was speechless because she had no answer to that question.