A/N: I hope you'll like the story; it's my first time to write here. Please comment, even just an "OK" will do.
Chapter 1: Family? Or foe?
Nathaniel woke up to the sound of a tap on his window. He yawned drowsily, and then forced himself to get up. He walked towards the window pane and glanced outside. For a moment, he thought he was dreaming; nothing was there, but the tap was heard clearly.
After thinking, he rushed back to his bedside table and hurriedly put on his lenses. When he walked to the window, it was there that he saw an imp on the second plane tapping its tail impatiently.
He opened the window and said, "What brings you here? Is there an urgent message from Ms. Whitwell?"
"Ms. Whitwell? Nah, it's from the P.M. himself. He said you were to hurry and go to the Parliament really fast."
"Did he say why?"
"No, but I think it's got something to do with those people who were arguing with him at the top of their voices about something."
"Arguing? Why? Who?"
"Can't say more, or else I'll be suffering from the Stipples if I'm late any further. Gotta go. If I were you, I'd hurry like the wind."
The imp took off, leaving Nathaniel puzzled over its message. What does the Prime Minister really want with me? He thought. Feeling energetic and curious at the same time, he hurriedly took a bath, ate a hasty breakfast, and changed into his suit.
Full of interest, he walked briskly all the way to the Parliament. A waiting servant ushered him through a room with French doors and he could hear a number of voices apparently having a heated discussion.
"You can't take him away from us!"
"Madam, I'm sorry, but we have to abide by the rules—"
"I don't care what rules you have; I just want to see my son—"
"Come now, Barbara, stay calm."
"How CAN I be calm when they've taken away—"
Nathaniel walked in, putting a stop to the argument. He coughed to get their attention. "Um... may I know what the problem is?"
There were three people in the room, a woman who looked vaguely familiar to Nathaniel, a man beside her, and the Prime Minister himself, Rupert Devereaux.
The P.M. smoothed back his hair. "Ah, Mandrake, I see you've arrived. Good, good. Have a seat."
Nathaniel drew a chair. He looked around the room, scrutinizing everything.
Devereaux handed him a glass of brandy. He sipped it, all the while watching and being watched.
The woman had suddenly stopped her tirade and was now staring at Nathaniel in a way that unnerved him.
"May I know who our visitors are?" he asked.
"We're your—" the woman started, but was cut off by the P.M.
"They are Count William Carlston and his wife, the Countess Barbara Carlston. They say they have something to tell you, John. But before they do, please allow me to remind you of your duty and loyalty to the State ang the government. You are a big asset to the magicians, Mandrake, and I'm proud to say that I wouldn't want to lose you. Just think about it. That's all I'm saying."
Nathaniel only nodded his head, but deep inside, he was feeling lots of emotions at the same time. The Prime Minister rarely said things like this, and something big had to be brewing if he was saying it to Nathaniel.
The woman now stepped forward, and looked directly at him, in the eye. Suddenly, a tear flowed down her cheek and she knelt on the floor in front of him. Before he could say anything, she had started speaking.
"I'm so sorry; it has to be you, I'm so sorry for all that I did... I promise I'll make up for it to you... for all those years lost, for all you had suffered... please forgive me," she sobbed.
Nathaniel backed away slowly. "What is all this?" he asked to nobody in particular, his voice quivering uncharacteristically and felt his hairs stand. He felt like every one of his fourteen years.
The woman stood up and wiped her eyes. But no sooner when she did that, the tears started flowing again.
"Lord, I've missed you so much. Nathaniel, please forgive us and go back home." She looked at him with pleading eyes.
It took Nathaniel a moment to digest that. He looked at Devereaux for help, but he was not there, perhaps having gone out. He turned back to the woman. Only four people knew his birth name. He himself, Martha Underwood, Ms. Lutyens, and Bartimaeus, his djinni. If these people knew his birth name, they could only be—no, it was impossible.
"Are you...?" he started to ask.
The woman sobbed again. "Yes. We're your parents, Nathaniel, and we're finally a family again."
That simple statement had all it took to bring Nathaniel's world down.
A/N: That's the end of chapter 1, hope u lyk it. Big shock to Nathaniel. In chapter 2, there's also an even bigger shock to Kitty. Please give me reviews, pretty please. Thanks in advance.