The people will be gathering here tomorrow, do you have a plan? The king wrote in his notepad and showed it to his wife who read the contents and shook her head. ” I have no either what I am going to say to thousands of heartbroken people. What words of encouragement am I going to give to them? How will I assure them that they are saved when it is written boldly in the sky that they are not?” The King walked up to his wife and smiled at her. The queen was surprised to see him smiling when she was talking about something very serious.
What did the Guardians say? He wrote again.
“Tomorrow, they would create a portal, it would be a chance for them to come home with or without the girl.”
They were both discussing when someone barged into the room. “Your majesty, I am so sorry for barging into your room like this.”
“Where are your manners, Chloe?”
“I am very sorry but this is urgent.”
“Speak.”
“Someone said that they saw a portal somewhere around the kingdom…”
“A portal?”
I thought you said that the Guardians will create a portal tomorrow, did they create a portal without your knowledge? The Queen read the King’s notes and shook her head. “They wouldn’t do that.”
“Could it be that the Prince is back?”
“When did this person notice the portal?”
“A few hours ago.”
“If it was my son, he would have been here.”
Chloe knew the Queen was right. If truly that was the prince, why hasn’t he visited the palace?
“Tell Kim to gather the guards and go to the place where this portal appeared and ask anyone if they had seen the prince.”
“Right away, your majesty.” She bowed her head and left the room to deliver the message to Kim.
Kim was waiting for her in front of the palace and when he saw her coming, he ran to meet her. “Well, what did she say?”
“She wants you to gather the guards and get more information about the portal and find out if anyone had seen the prince.”
Kim nodded and left to meet with the other guards.
Chloe wasn’t happy about the whole thing. “If Lucas finds out that Xenia is getting married to Prince Zod, he would try to ruin the plan. Why didn’t they just come after the wedding?” She said in frustration. I have to do something. I have to find them before Kim does.
She went to the stable to get herself a horse and rode out of the palace.
~~~
“This was where the massacre took place,” Edward showed her the field and suddenly she had a vision of what happened years ago. She could hear people screaming, crying, and begging to be saved.
After the vision had passed, she used her hand to cover her eyes.
“Are you okay?” Lucas asked as he noticed that she wasn’t herself.
“Yes.”
“Should I stop?” Edward asked.
“Please go on.”
“I heard it was terrible and the Guardians were displeased with my father.”
“The people, I want to see them.”
“I don’t them to know I am back.”
“We can go undercover. I will try to look for something we can use to disguise ourselves.” Lucas left to get some costumes and masks.
“How do you feel to be back home?”
“Truthfully?” She nodded. “Scared, sad and guilty.”
“This is not your fault.”
“My father caused this so… I am to blame as well.”
She moved closer to him and hugged him. “I am here and I will do everything I can to help you.”
He hugged her back and stayed in her arms for a long time.
“I got us these,” he gave the Prince and Phoebe some clothes he found and a mustache as well.
“Do you want to disguise yourself?”
Phoebe laughed. “I don’t think anyone will recognize me.”
“That’s true.” The Prince laughed.
After they were through disguisng themselves, they moved into the villages and the sight was so unpleasant. A man was drinking his urine and his kids were watching him as they all copied him.
Phoebe was so touched that she had to look away.
“Do not eat the food, that is the only food and I left it for the baby,” a woman said as she was dragging the meal from her husband while the baby was crying.
“If you don’t let go of me right this instant, I will…” he was going to slap his wife but Lucas was fast enough to stop him.
“Lay your hand on her and…”
The man pushed Lucas and he fell to the ground. “Who the hell do you think you are to tell me what or what not to do?”
Lucas had forgotten he was wearing a disguise and no one could recognise him. He stood up, dust himself and went to join the Prince and Phoebe.
“We are wearing a disguise, it is best if we don’t do anything.” the Prince advised and Lucas nodded.
“Is this how bad it was when you left?”
The Prince shook his head. “But now I see that it has gotten worse.”
“Search everywhere!” They heard a voice say.
“That must be Kim.”
“Do you think they know we are here?”
The Prince shook his head.
“Who is Kim?”
“He is the chief palace guard and my mom’s personal bodyguard.”
“Why are we hiding from him then?”
“Does it look like we are hiding?”
“Obviously.”
“I still need to finish looking around then we will go to the palace.”
They were passing by some group of girls when they overheard them talk about Xenia’s engagement with Prince Zod.
Lucas couldn’t believe his ears. He had to rush to catch up with the girls to get more information. “Sorry ladies, I um… overheard you talk about Xenia and Prince Zod, what was that about?”
“Someone in the palace told a friend of ours that Prince Zod and Xenia would be having their engagement here in Havilah.”
“When?”
“The day after tomorrow.”
“Um… thank you.”
“What was that?” The Prince asked.
“Xenia is getting engaged to Prince Zod.”
“What?”
“I know we have things to do but can we go to the palace now and find out what the hell is going on.”
“Lucas…”
“I don’t understand. Why would she be…”
“Let’s go.” The Prince ordered and they ran to the palace.