Chapter 2
Meanwhile in the kingdom of Zion, The king and queen were making preparations for their daughter's royal ball at Club Hel the next evening. Princess Kestra, a young red-haired girl in her mid twenties entered the room greeting her parents.
"Hello mom. Hello dad." She said.
"Hello Kestra." Queen Switch said as she greeted her daughter with a hug.
Kestra knew something was up. Her father, King Cypher spoke.
"As you know dear Kestra, you're approaching twenty-five tomorrow." The king informed his daughter.
"Yeah so?"
"Well Kestra," her mother said "as you know you will be queen of Zion one day."
"Yes I understand that." She nodded.
"Well, your mother and I decided that it's time for you to choose a suitor." Her father said.
"And we can't rule Zion forever." Her mother chimed in.
Kestra rolled her eyes. In the past, her parents had tried time and again to match her with every man in the kingdom and this time would be no different, especially since tomorrow was her birthday.
"So you have to get married sweety. Sorry, but that's tradition." Her father said.
"Well tradition sucks!" Kestra pouted.
Her parents looked at their daughter and then at each other. Kestra thought back to all those times her parents tried to 'hook her up' and how many of those arranged courtships ended in disaster. Her parents meant well and she knew that but she felt she was adult enough to make her own decisions. And that also meant finding her future king.
"Besides you might meet a very nice boy at the ball." Her mother said.
"Yeah like those very nice Wachoski boys. I really liked them." Said the king as he reminisced.
Kestra thought back to her last date with them, sitting in a Hooters in the matrix watching them yell at a big screen TV watching the super bowl and ogling the waitresses like prepubescent boys.
"Yeah dad, if your idea of a romantic evening is being a sea of silicon boobs, beer and testosterone." Kestra said.
"Well she does have a point there dear." Queen Switch told her husband.
"Tell you guys what, I will go to this birthday bash on one condition." Kestra told them.
"And what is that sweetheart?" Her father asked.
"That you don't try to hook me up ... with anyone." Was her ultimatum.
"Not even a little bit?" Her mother asked.
"Nope. I want to have fun and I want to enjoy myself. I mean it is my birthday after all."
"Alright."
"Oh and another thing," Kestra said "if I meet someone, it will be on my own terms. Not yours."
"Alright dear." Her father said.
"Then we have a deal?" She asked her parents.
"Yes Kestra, you're still our baby and we can't help but be the way we are." Queen Switch said.
"But you are right, we have to let you grow up sometime." King Cypher finished.
The princess hugged her parents.
"Thanks mom and dad. I love you."
"We love you too." Her father said.
"Well we have a ball to prepare for." Her mother said. "I was thinking we could get an orchestra to play at Club Hel."
"No offense mom, but this is a party and an orchestra would put the people to sleep." Kestra said.
"Well what do you suggest?" Her father asked.
"A dj actually, in fact two of them. There is a set of twins in the mega city who can spin some kickass tunes." Kestra told him.
"Well sweety, it's your party and your special night." Her mother said with a smile.
"And whatever our little girl wants, she will get." Her father said happily.
"And now what to wear to this royal shindig?" Kestra thought out loud to herself.