And still nothing... I must think noone is interested in this story.

But I still have hope. :)))Here I am with the next chapter!

Thank Kssarah!

Chapter 3

Richard woke up in the treehouse, a wet cloth on his forehead. Challenger, Ned and Marguerite were around him with confused expressions on their faces.
"Charlie!" Richard yelled "They took him."
"We know that" Informed Challenger "Veronica and John are following their tracks. They could be back any minute..."
In that moment they heard the elevator, and the two hunters came in breathing heavily.
"Collidas"- said Veronica
"Collidas?" asked back Ned "I have a feeling I heard about them"
" Yes" thought Challenger out loud "In the Layton diaries. A very civilized, but reticent people. They don't believe in communication with other people, and they are very religious."
"But why did they take Charlie?" asked Richard "Do they want to sacrifice him?"
Veronica feeling guilty looked at Marguerite and said:
"I think I know the answer."
Everybody looked at her questioningly and she continued:
"Challenger's right. They are very religious. Assai told me about an ancient collide legend. It's about a woman. A virgin who has great power. Her son will be a great king who will rule the whole plateau. They call her Snyssa, and it means something like "who is more than you can see".
"And where is the connection with Charlie?"- asked Ned
Richard looked at Veronica and stated:
"Charlie is Snyssa. Charlie is a women."
For a whole second there was dead silence in the treehouse. Slowly the pieces of the picture started to came together in front of everyone's eyes. Richard's "vision," the sounds of the bathing, the women clothes... Finally Roxton broke the silence:
"Marguerite, Veronica! Why do I have a feeling you knew that?"
Veronica just stared at her toes, so Marguerite had to answer.
"Charlie's real name is Charlotte. Charlotte Dunn. She masked herself as a boy to escape from a marriage her parents arranged. Her father wanted to give her to a mad aristocrat whom she had never seen in her life."
"I can't believe it!"- shouted Richard when he realized the whole situation.
"And I wanted to wrestle with him...her...murmured Roxton.
And I fingered his muscles... her muscles...- blushed Malone.
The girls had to fight back a grin, but they didn't have more time. Immediately they started to pack.

Charlotte felt a man's hand on her face and she thought about Richard and smiled. Then suddenly realization came and she sat up straight. Opening her eyes, she saw a strange man sitting next to her. She saw that she was laying on a bed in a well furnished room. Her hair was down, and she wore a white silk robe.
"Who are you, and where are my clothes? Where am I?"- she spewed out.
The man slowly smiled and answered in a calm voice.
"My name is Shakir. This is the city of the collides, and you are here to fulfill your destiny."
"My...destiny?"
"Yes, to give birth to a strong king for your people."
"The people outside are not my people"- She raised her arms in the direction of the door.
"But they will be, when you marry me"
Charlotte couldn't believe her own ears. Her mouth dropped as she listened to the story the man told her. He was smiling happily and triumphantly the whole time. To tell the truth he wasn't an ugly creature. More than that, he was charming. Tall, like Richard, well muscled with blue eyes. But in his eyes there was an emptiness that frightened her. She couldn't see thru them to his soul, like she did when she looked in Richard's eyes. Oh Richard, where are you? What happened to you?
"You can't make me" She interrupted him in a calm voice.
"Can't I?"- he raised an eyebrow.
"No, you can't. You can kill me if you want, but no one can marry me against my will." She stated, than added quietly. "Believe me, they've tried before."
"Oh. In this case I just have to find the right method"- he smiled "Maybe I forgot to mention, that we will have guests at our wedding ceremony." Charlotte's eyes shot a glare at him, and he continued. "Not too long ago my guards caught your friends as they came into the city." Charlotte paled at the news and Shakír smiled down at her again "I advise you darling to prepare for dinner "he tried to touch her arm, but she slipped away "Do not disappoint me!"
Shakir sent her a frightening glare and walked out of the room.

Is anyone still here?