It was a sunny day and two unexpected visitors, to the king's surprise, were standing in front of a huge oak tree. Behind the oak tree and past the vegetation was the mixed colours of blue of the ocean. King Theodore's palace overlooked the ocean and it was a magnificent view, in fact it was voted the most beautiful palace several years ago.
"Sire, what shall we do about the prisoners?" One of the guards asked. About seven guards were alert and pointing their pikes at the intruders, making them uncomfortable and scared. Theodore looked at the girl, with long blonde hair and brown eyes, who held tightly onto her younger brother. He's like an incarnation of me. Theodore thought.
"Throw them in the dungeons for now, I'll decide later tonight." Theodore answered. He swished his cape and headed across the courtyard, leaving the guards speechless and dazed. For a few moments everyone was confused, until the captain of the guards voice boomed across the garden.
"You've been given your orders, now move!" Tying their hands together the guards forcefully pushed Lucia and Daniel to the dungeons. The two intruders, now prisoners, fought back against the guards and Lucia even bit one of them.
"You little shit! Try that again and I'll hit you even harder." The guard hissed. He slapped her and they continued towards the dungeons. Daniel got the same idea, as he tried, but he was strongly thrown into the dungeon before he could do anything else. Lucia however bit her guard again and before she could bite him again, which she intended to, and he slammed her into the floor. The guard was short tempered and Lucia was wrong to stir him up.
"You little bitch! Come here." He growled. His voice was deep and low, which reminded Lucia of who her dad once was, and it scared her. She tucked her knees under her chin and unfortunately the guard grabbed her, throwing her against the wall and luckily before he could do anymore damage the guards got dragged him away.
"Try that again you little bitch and I'll kill ya'!" he yelled.
"Just try it." Lucia retorted.
"Nee-chan, are you hurt?" Daniel asked as he crawled over. His long black hair covered his face and Lucia couldn't help herself but laugh.
"What! What's so funny?" Daniel said crossly. Lucia stopped laughing, only to find herself laughing again and eventually stopping. She parted his thick black hair and saw the tears forming on the edge of his eyes.
"Danny, I'm alright. Just a few cuts and bruises, you know that's never stopped me!" Lucia reassured. Daniel pouted and sat on his bottom.
"If you say so…"
"Yes I do, but Daniel, I'm sorry I dragged you into this again. Everywhere we seem to go we get thrown in prison. It's kinda funny, isn't it?" Lucia grinned. Daniel glared at her before jumping onto her lap and laughing.
"It's all your fault nee-chan!" he smiled. Lucia moved to the wooden bed and lay down, bathing in the warmth of the sun. Daniel, too, joined her and he cuddled up next to his sister.
"Daniel? Daniel." Lucia called gently. Daniel had fallen asleep. He had his hands near his mouth and neck. Hmm, I guess I'm going to need some sleep too. This sun though, it's so warm… Lucia thought, before she too fell asleep.
Theodore sat in his chair and rested his chin on his hands. Several hours had passed since his early encounter with the two miscreants. What is their purpose? He thought.
"Sire, what shall you do?" Tyrone, his butler, asked. White hair and glasses, Tyrone was lean, tall, smart, and handsome and you could say he's the 'ideal' butler. Although he had one major flaw. He was often in a rush, either tripping over things or not being able to catch up to his master!
"I don't know Tyrone," He sighed. "Say, wasn't some people coming to ask me and my sister for our hand in marriage?"
"Yes I do believe so, your highness. Why do you ask?" Tyrone asked.
"Don't you think that they're a little...late? Unless, no, surely not…" Theodore frowned.
"Unless...?" Theodore jumped up, scaring the hell out of Tyrone and he walked hastily out the door.
"Master Theodore! What is the meaning of this?" He asked.
"Why are the Prince and Princess late? Think about it, they were supposed to be here three days ago and suddenly two people show up in my garden." Theodore quickened his pace and motioned a guard, who had the keys, to follow him.
"Sire, what do you mean? Are you saying that those prisoners are the Prince and Princess?" Tyrone still didn't understand and Theodore began to run. I've made a mistake, shit! This is why I don't make decisions during the day! Theodore thought.
"They're in the dungeon, Tyrone! The Prince and Princess are our prisoners!" Theodore exclaimed.
"But master, I don't get why you're so wound up?"
"My gut makes me ill. Instinct tells me to hasten, so I do." Theodore slowed down to a fast pace as he approached the dungeons.
"Please unlock the cell." Theodore asked. The guard blinked and frowned.
"But sire, they are dangerous. Why would you-"he began, but Theodore snatched the keys off him.
"That's why I have you here." He grumbled. The door opened like a book and there the two lay on the wooden bed, sleeping contently and Theodore did not want to wake them.
"Sire!" the guard yelled.
"Be quiet! Hey, wake up. Wake up!" Theodore whispered loudly. Lucia and Daniel didn't stir, not even a snore.
"The King of the Plantae Realm said that she was holding a formal letter addressed to you. Maybe she has it in her trousers?" Tyrone suggested. Lucia wore a light brown-pink coloured shirt, that had a neck-like-warmer, orange-brown tan knickerbockers, sandal like shoes and fish nets over her shoulders.
Daniel wore a brown and red shirt, black pants, different sandal like shoes and he had long black hair. Theodore gently searched Lucia, trying not to touch her private parts or wake her, and not long after he found a letter addressed to him.
"You were right, Tyrone, good thinking." Theodore opened the letter:
To King Theodore Brooks,
My daughter, Princess Lucia Wright, and son, Prince Daniel Wright, wish to wed you and one of your sisters. They, including my family and I, would like to join kingdoms and unite as one. Unfortunately the Sahara Realm disapproves of this and you are our only hope. If you do decline, please ensure you let us know and send them home. I hope we can still keep the peace treaty even if you do decline.
Sincerely,
King David Wright
Of the Plantae Realm.
"What did he say master?" Tyrone asked. Theodore passed the letter before gently picking up Daniel, handing him immediately before Tyrone could take a glimpse of the letter.
"M-Master! What are you doing?" Tyrone flustered. Tyrone was surprised at the young boy that he held in his arms.
"We're taking them out of the dungeons and into one of the rooms. Do you see a problem with that?" he asked.
"No, not at all master. In fact, I'm glad." Tyrone smiled. Theodore picked Lucia up and he noticed that they were both as light as a feather. How often do you eat? He thought. Tyrone and Theodore took their two guests up into two different, but nearby, rooms and asked the maids to dress them, bathe them etc. Theodore felt that it was the least he could do, since one of his guards – some, if not all, of his guards – punched his guests.
"Simon, Grey, when our Prince and Princess awaken you must apologize. If they were two commoners I would still have this talk with you," Theodore spoke as he sat on his throne. "But because I am generous I am going to give you two another chance and I will not be like my mother. Please don't ever be so rough with our prisoners again, unless they are murders and paedophiles; but that all has to be proven before they can be arrested. Understood?"
"Yes, we are so sorry your highness! We won't do it again!" They said in unison. Theodore glared at them with a straight face, but his eyes and voice showed it all.
"Oh it's not me you have to apologize to, but then again…" Theodore said darkly. "You're dismissed." The two soldiers quickly walked off, intimidated by their king. Tyrone walked up quietly and whispered in his ear.
"You didn't have to be harsh with them."
"That was gentle, compared to what I could have done, Tyrone." He replied.
"Yes, your highness, although you can strive to be a better King. Amongst the guards you have a repetition called "Black Theo" and hence you just witnessed it." Tyrone answered. Theodore sighed and walked out of his chair.
"I'm going to retire for this evening, I don't even want dinner. Goodnight Tyrone." Theodore waved. It was only five o'clock in the afternoon and if Theodore was going to bed this early, it meant that something was bothering him.
"Tyrone! Tyrone!" A little pink haired girl ran around the corner, grinning.
"Yes milady Jenna?" Tyrone smiled. He loved Jenna and Lily, Theodore's twin sisters. In total there was eight people in the royal family and these two just happened to be a part of it.
"Where's the new girl? And her brother?" she asked. Tyrone smiled and patted her head.
"They're both resting up now. Have you had your violin lessons today?" Jenna shook her head. "Go on, go to your violin lessons milady."
"Okay! Bye Tyrone!" Jenna ran off, smiling and as she was about to disappear from sight she ran into her twin sister Lily.
"There's no way she'll go to violin lessons now." Tyrone chuckled. He went to help the maids with the laundry and as he helped them, he stared at the clouds passing by the setting sun in the orange evening sky. I wonder how the Prince and Princess are. I hope they're alright. He thought.
"Tyrone, we're done for the day, can we finish early today?" Sophie, one of their maids, asked. Tyrone had a crush on Sophie. Her long silver hair swayed in the breeze and her purple eyes were warm. Of course, Tyrone knew that Sophie had a crush on him as well and he was going to ask her out. Just when was the problem.
"Sure, please go ahead. Thank you for your hard work today." Tyrone bowed. Theodore wanted them to be together and he secretly told Sophie that he liked her. They both knew the other liked each other, they just didn't know that the other knew as well.
"Tyrone, we have a problem!" Kate, one of the maids, rushed out. Tyrone tried to calm her down but it seemed not to work.
"What is it?"
"It's Master Nathan! He's caught a fever!" Kate panicked.
"Kate, call the doctor and have him come over straight away!" he ordered. Kate nodded and rushed to the telephone. Tyrone hastened into the kitchen, grabbing a health – first aid - kit before slightly jogging to Nathan's room. Now of all times? Tyrone thought. In just a few days they were going to have a party to celebrate the arrival of Lucia and Daniel. To add to that if Theodore wasn't informed of this soon, he would be angry for several days and not to mention he would stay by his brother's side until he fully recovered.
"Don't wake master Theodore just yet! Bring me water and some towels!" Tyrone demanded. Yet when he got to Nathan's room, there was a girl sitting next to his bed and already was there a towel on his forehead. It seemed as though Lucia had awoken.
"He'll be fine, just a small fever that's all." she chuckled. Tyrone frowned and hesitated before walking to his master's side. It was a small fever that much she was right, but the towel wasn't damp enough and he changed it.
"How long have you been here?" he asked.
"For half an hour, I'm Princess Lucia. Nice to meet you." She smiled. Her long blonde hair was down to her hips and it covered half of her face. Her brown eye projected a deep warmth towards Nathan and Tyrone. Kate rushed in with towels and a bowl of cold water, only to end up tripping and throwing it onto the two of them.
"Sorry Tyrone! I didn't mean to!" Kate apologized. Tyrone stood up and started yelling.
"What do you mean you didn't mean to? You did it on purpose! You idiot! Be careful next time!"
"I'm sorry I'm so clumsy!" Kate yelled back. Lucia laughed to herself and watched as they continued to argue. Cute. She smiled. Lucia was wet from head to toe, but she didn't notice it. She and Daniel had been in much worse weather conditions that this was practically nothing. It was a warm evening.
"Nathan huh, I'm Lucia. Nice to meet you at last." She smiled. "Let's get to know each other, okay?"
"What happened? Is Nathan okay?" Theodore ran into Nathan's room, panic and worry stricken across his face.
"He'll be fine, don't worry, Theodore."
"Why did you let us out of the dungeons, King Theodore? Better yet, why did you take us when we were asleep?" Daniel frowned. Daniel had long black hair that was tied in a ponytail, normally, but today he couldn't be bothered.
"I have my reasons." He said. Daniel glared at the King before him and continued to question his motives.
"Did you really think you could take advantage of my sister? How sick are you?"
"Daniel, lay off." Lucia muttered. Daniel shot her a glare only returned with one as well.
"I assure you, my master hasn't done anything towards Princess Lucia or you, Prince Daniel." Tyrone bowed.
"Well?" Daniel raised an eyebrow at the King.
"No, and I don't plan to. My gut feeling was to get you two out of the dungeons and into a bedroom. You are our guests and we did not think but to ask you at first meeting. I apologize for this, we should have known better…I should have known better." Theodore bowed. Daniel, taken aback by his sudden speech, pushed himself off the wall and outstretched his hand.
"I am Prince Daniel, Prince of the Plantae Realm and this is my sister, Princess Lucia of the Plantae Realm. It is an honour to meet you, your highness." Daniel said respectfully.
"Your majesty, is he normally like this?" Tyrone asked Lucia. Lucia chuckled and watched as the boys communicated well.
"Only when he's worried for my safety. He's a lovely boy, young man I should say, and he's just weary. That's all and please, just call me Lucia."
"Very well your highness." Tyrone bowed. Theodore and Daniel were now playing rock, paper and scissors. Oh boy, this could be a handful. Lucia thought to herself. Daniel had lost several times in a row and he was virtually attacking Theodore.
"Cute but stupid." Tyrone sighed.
"That's what they are, boys will be boys." They both sighed in unison.
