Friday (Day of the Bachelor party) . . . .
Kim finished off the windows on the front door after a long hard day of working her but off. She woke up at 6am and cleaned, polished and shined until 4 o'clock in the afternoon, with the event's of yesterday still on her mind.
What about your father? You know karate too
GET OFF HER! You alright?
Guess who?! Why don't you want her to see us?
Can I meet Crow? You have a brother too?
I'll see you before the tournaments. Outside of the castle gates. Alright?
The young teenager sighed. She put away the rubber gloves she was cleaning with and dashed to Crow's to train.
"Crow?!" She knocked on the door politely, but opened the door anyways. "Crow?" She peeked her head in to see the rest of the room. He wasn't there. His bow wasn't hung on the wall as it usually is, He must be hunting, Kim thought. For a moment Kim wanted to find him and join him, but she was so tired she took a seat on Crow's special fluffy chair and closed her eyes. I'll train when he gets back, just a minute... Kim's eyes slowly shut, and she fell asleep.
Just a few minutes later Crow calmly entered his house, about to wash his hands of the blood from the scalping he gave to the animal he hunted so he could free it's spirit. He saw Kim asleep on his chair and smiled a small grin. He took his blanket and covered her, "Sleep well, you will need your rest for tomorrow."
Jack slowed down a bit and stopped for a breath. "Rudy," He panted, "Is it really necessary to run 10 laps around the castle grounds?"
Rudy put the brake on his golfcart and stepped out, "Of course not Westley-Jack," He corrected himself when he recieved a basilisk glare. "You just need to be in shape for the tournament. You don't know how many boys are going to be buffer than you, stronger than you!" Rudy stared into the mid-distance, apparently re-living an old, tragic memory.
"I'm fine, Rudy! As long as I don't have a beer gut like my dad, or flabby arms like my dad. . and my mom, I'm fine!"
"Hmm, yeah. Alright Jack. Go do whatever." Rudy allowed, "But don't let me catch you snackin on any of those snickerdoodles!" He gave Jack his crazy eye, "I'll be watching!" He jumped into his golf cart and sped away, "I"LL BE WATCHING!"
Jack shook his head and walked back to the castle, entering through the kitchen where he saw Jerry putting the finishing touches on a tray of fresh biscuits. He neatly arranged the biscuits, with butter and a knife on the side.
"Hey Jerry. You busy?" Jack came up behind his friend as he worked.
"AAHHHHH!" Jerry screamed his signture girly scream, or otherwise known as his Columbian war chant. The stack of biscuits threatened to topple over but steadied itself just in time, or it would've splat straight on the floor. Jerry sighed, "What Jack? I'm busy."
"I need to talk to you, it's important." Jack told him, oblivious to the fact that Jerry seemed very flustered.
"Not right now, Jack. I'm doing something." He carefully lifted the tray of warm, fresh biscuits.
"But it's important!" Jack pleaded.
"Not right now!" Jerry pushed the front kitchen door open with his back and left. He took the servant stairwell up to the 3rd floor, east wing. He knocked on one of the overly elaborate doors that only shut to the royal quarters. "Your highness?" He called.
"Come in."
Jerry slowly opened the door, carefully balancing the tray in one hand for only a moment. He stepped in the room slowly, taking in the unusually bright room (there's alot of windows), the mature colors, the artwork placed on the walls and pedestals, the girl sitting on her couch with books and papers spread out in front of her.
"Hello Jerry!" Amarillis smiled excitedly, "What's this?" She gazed hungrily upon the biscuits that Jerry was setting down on the table.
"I thought, well, since you came down the other say to the kitchen that you might, you know," Jerry shifted his weight and ruffled his hair shyly, "You might want some more while you do. . " He peered over at her scattered papers, "whatever you're doing."
Amarillis beamed, "Thank you so much Jerry. But, I don't think I should. The tournament's tomorrow and," She shrugged, "The suitors are still coming in. Regretfully, I must decline."
"Do you always talk like that?" He blurted out. "Not that I mind but you always talk like that."
"Like what?" The princess asked defensively.
"Like 'I must decline' or 'What a pleasant surprise!' and fancy words like that. Don't you ever talk normal like Jack does?" Jerry asked, he didn't mean to be rude but Amarillis took offense.
"Normal?" She gasped, "I do talk normal!" Jerry raised his eyebrows, Ama sighed and answered, "Well someone has to be the mature one. Jack doen't have much to worry about for now, but what about me? I have to rule this kingdom one day! There's a lot of pressure, believe it or not."
Jerry backed it up, "Woah, chill bro."
Bro? Ama wondered.
"Didn't mean anything by it." Jerry quickly apologized. "But that's no reason to deny yourself my delicious biscuits!" He picked one up and waved it in front of her nose. "With all the care in the world put into it, this biscuit is calling your name, Princess! Princess!" The biscuit danced across the butter. "Eat MEEEEEEEEE! EAT MEEE! I beg you!"
Princess Amarillis laughed, "I will! But only," She blinked up through her long eyelashes at Jerry, "If you call me Ama."
Jerry paused, it didn't feel normal to call a royal by their first name. He didn't even do that to Jack, that was just his nickname, even though nicknames are closer it's not the same thing. 'Please eat me AMA!" Ama and Jerry laughed together.
"Princess Amarillis? It's time for your arithmatic-" Milton walked in and paused when he saw Jerry there.
"I already started Milton." Ama told him, she waved a couple papers out of many that were lying on her desk.
"Hehe heehe. If she gets any smarter she'll beat you, Milton!" Jerry joked. But nobody laughed. "Okay, awkward silence. .. I'll be going now."
"Jerry!" Ama called as Jerry turned to leave. "Thank you for the biscuits. I really like them."
He mock-saluted with a grin and left.
Around 10 oclock that night, Kim woke up in Crow's comfy chair with a blanket to warm her. "Hmm?" She looked around groggigly, "What time is it?"
"Just about time for you to go home." Crow told her, suddenly appearing next to her, "You have worked very hard. You slept for a long time."
"I should go." Kim remebered her step-mother's party that evening, it should be starting soon. "Thanks a lot Crow. Wish me luck." She grinned and ran out of her home-away-from-home.
As she arrived at the mansion, all the lights were on and the music was audible even from outside the building. How the hell am I going to sleep if they're keeping me up all night? Kim stepped inside the house cautiously, wary of meeting any of the bachelors or strippers in the lobby. With little relief she began to go up to her room without meeting anybody, but Valerie stopped her.
"What are you doing?" She asked, caked in smoky make-up.
"Going to bed. The tournament's tomorrow?" Kim replied. I should've just stayed at Crow's, I would've gotten wayyyy more sleep.
"No. You are going to watch the door and make sure none of the wives know about this." Valerie steered her back to the front door. "Do this, and I won't back out on our deal."
"But you never said that I have bouncer duty!" Kim protested, "The tournament is tomorrow! I can't stay up all night!"
"Too bad." Valerie sat her down in the lobby, "You're stuck here until at least 12:30. I can't risk this going wrong."
"Neither can I!"
"Fine! Back out of our deal! You won't ever get the chance to fight for the king. You'll have to be a lady. Is that what you want Kimberly?" Valerie presented Kim with an ultimatum.
Kim sighed and sat down on a lobby couch, "Fine."
Two hours later, the party was still raging. Kim's eyelids felt as heavy as lead and whoops, hollers and catcalling were still echoing throughout the house.
"MAKE IT RAIN BABY!" Someone yelled out. Kim rolled her eyes, Morons she thought. The tired teenager allowed herself to close her eyes. Just for a minute. . . .
Kim woke up to the sound of screams echoingthroughout the house instead of music. She jumped up quickly, How long was I out? Footsteps rattled down the stairs, followed by a small stampede of grown men and half-dressed ladies. Police voices sirened from outside the house. The whole mansion was in a chaotic whirl for Kim, groggy from waking up and terrified of the events unfolding in front of her. She ran out of the house as fast as she could.
A hundred yards away, Kim watched the police basically storm the house, the bachelors either erupted into fights or ran like hell, and Valerie's dancer friends covered themselves up and also either got arrested or slinked away. There was one woman though, who wasn't a colleague of Valerie and she was fighting Valerie, fist to fist, hair pulling and everything.
"What happened?" Eddie asked, panting as he ran up beside his step-sister.
"I-I don't even know." She shrugged, still in slight shock of what happened.
Ariel slowly met Kim and Eddie up from the house as well. "You fell asleep didn't you?" She accused.
"What?"
"You fell asleep didn't you? Mom told you to watch the door but you fell asleep! This is all your fault!"
"Don't get mad at me! If she wanted everything to go perfect she should've asked you! Miss Perfect! But nooo, no. You're the little princess and don't have to do anything at all! You guys shouldn't even BE HERE!" Kim yelled back at Ariel.
"The only one who shouldn't be here is you, you little bitch! You should be gone like your dad, but no. Mom just had to feel sorry for your ass and leave you here!" Ariel screeched.
Ariel's words almost physically pushed Kim to her knees. "What do you mean?"
"Oh come on!" Ariel ranted, "You're so stupid! Why else would your father have 'left'?"
"Ariel!" Eddie barked suddenly, "Shut. Up."
"What do you mean Ariel?" Kim asked frantically. When the red hed didn't answer Kim advanced and grabbed her by the shirt, pushing her off balance, "What the HELL are you TALKING about Ariel?!"
Eddie stepped between the two girls, "Get off her Kim!" He separated Kim's hold and Ariel ran as soon as there was a distance between them. Kim wanted to run after her as fast as she could and beat the truth out of her, but she just sank to her knees and cried. Eddie tried to pretend he didn't see her tears and walked away, following his birth sister.
"Why?!" Kim cried out, when she knew that her step-siblings were out of earshot. The activity at the house had died down somewhat, but not completely gone. "What did I ever do to deserve this? Why did you leave? You liked the booze and dice better than your own daughter, didya?" She sniffled, "And now, all I ever wanted is gone." She stood up and slowly walked to her room, moving slowly without any expression or words at all, like a zombie. She felt so numb.
Kim collapsed onto her bed and didn't move until she woke up.
Yo, I just have to say that I adore this chapter! It was mostly a filler until the bachelor party scene but I ended up writing a reeeeeaaaaaalllllyyyyy long chapter! Enjoy.
