Chapter 1

Elle watched carelessly, as cars drove by and people climbed into taxi's. She puffed on the cigarette that she held between two nimble fingers. Where was he? He had said he would meet her here at least 20 minutes ago. She flicked the cigarette onto the ground and squished it with the heel of her boot. She sighed and picked her bag up of the crate she had sat it on. She rummaged around in it until she found some quarters and then she stepped out onto the street to look for a pay phone.

Luckily there was one on the corner. She smoothed out the wadded up paper and struggled to make out the numbers. She dialed the number and a deep voice answered on the first ring.

"I need to talk to Black," she said, while hoping this guy wasn't going to be a prick.

"Who is this?" the deep voice on the other end of the phone asked in a rude tone.

"It's Elle dumb ass now put Black on." She hated Black's stupid goons. They were only good for making threats and getting money from the dealers. Answering phones was just not one of their talents. She often wondered why Black didn't hire some prissy little blonde with a smooth voice to take his calls. She was sure he wouldn't mind having something better to look at then those mindless thugs that might as well have been his shadow.

"Elle?" Blacks voice boomed from the other end of the line. "Why are you calling?" he asked sounding a little bit annoyed with her.

"Your guy hasn't shown up. I think he might have ran."

Black chuckled on the other end of the line. Elle was one of the few if not only people who wasn't totally freaked out by his laugh.

"Why would he? The package he is bringing you is of no value to him."

"What is it then?" she asked, wondering now what it was she was supposed to deliver.

"Nothing that concerns you. Keep that in mind once you get the package."

Elle rolled her eyes and leaned back on to the glass wall of the phone booth.

"Then why do I have to deliver it? Why not just send him with it and cut out the middle man?"

"Because the place where you have to take the package doesn't exactly take kindly to my little drug runners."

"So you figured you'd send a teenage girl instead?"

"Yes…I guess you could say that."

She didn't like the way he had said that and she was becoming more and more curiously about this mystery package.

"Well can I at least know were I am taking it to?"

Black laughed again and then there was a sort of silence as if he was debating on whether or not to tell her. She heard his take a puff of a cigar, more than likely and then in a sly voice he spoke.

"You're taking it to Purple Blvd. El. And don't forget not to peek."

She listened speechlessly as he hung up and the line went dead. She put the phone back onto the receiver and walked back to her spot. She found a boy there waiting on her. His eyes were blood shot and he reach her and envelope with his shaking hands. She looked at the address. Black hadn't lied. She really was going to Purple Blvd. In other words to the Purple Palace, to deliver a letter to the new king himself.

She had to say she was pissed now. Why the hell was Black doing this to her? He was sending her into the battlefield because anyone associated with Black Hairstreak with came within a 50 yard perimeter of the palace was as good as locked up for ever.

She looked around the street as she thought about how to at least make the trip worth her while and maybe even piss off Black in the process. She noticed a tall man in a dark suit locking the door of his blue Porsche. She laughed inside and then leaned casually against the rough brick wall. She looked at her fingernails and then man paused and looked at her. He was a young guy. Young and rich by the looks of it. She gave him and innocent smile and nodded a hello. Then he continued walking to the door.

Once the man was gone, Elle walked over to the passenger side door. She pulled a bobby pin out of her hair and in seconds the lock opened. She prayed that the car didn't have and alarm as she pulled the handle and to her great fortune no sirens went off. She slipped into the passenger seat and then into the drivers seat. It took her a total of about three minutes to hot wire it. And then she was off.

She pulled up to the iron gates and pushed the speaker button. A mans voice answered.

"State your business in the palace," his voice echoed with authority and Elle was a tad shocked by his rudeness.

"I was sent to deliver a package to the king." She tried to mimic his tone, but a 16 year old girl can only sound so demanding.

"Who is it from?" he asked again in a more smug tone.

"It doesn't say and I wasn't told."

She was getting a little agitated and was also starting to wonder if she was going to get in, but after a minute or so the speaker crackled back to life.

"Pull up to the front, there will be someone waiting for you."

The gates opened up and she drove up the long drive way. She parked outside the doors, where a large man wear a jacket with the empyreal seal on it. She got out of the car and another smaller man popped up and took the keys. The larger man motioned for her to follow him. He held the door open for her and if she would have been anyone else she would have gasped and been but into total awe by the marvelous room she entered, but she was Elle. A girl who had grown up in Black Hairstreaks mansion. She did have to admit that this place was a grade up from Blacks though. She followed the man through a series of hallways and staircases. Until they got to a room decorated in purple and white. There was a few large chairs scarcely thrown about the room.

"Wait here," the man said. He was up to a large white door and knocked three times.

"What is it?" a voice from the other side said.

"There is a package here for you sire."

The person on the other side of the door sighed and then in a weary vice told the man to bring it in.

"Go on in," the guard said.

Elle got out of the chair and went over to the door she pushed her bangs out of her face and opened the door.