Chapter Twelve

Eugene lay back on his bed. He let out a deep frustrated sigh. It had been two week since the lantern festival, and he was very aggravated. He, Paul, and Jacob had tried everything that they could think of to get rid of Tobar, but nothing worked. Instead it did the exact opposite! Eugene had caught Daphne and Tobar kissing earlier that day. Daphne must have been an idiot if she did not enjoy the kiss that they had shared a few weeks ago.

A knock interrupted his thoughts. He got up from his bed and opened the door. When he saw who was at the door, he was shocked to see Daphne crying.

"What's wrong?" He asked.

"I-I-I g-go-got adopted," she stammered.

He smiled at her. "That is great!" He exclaimed.

The brunette wiped the tears from her eyes. "I know it is, but I am going to miss you, Paul, and Jacob."

"I am going to miss you too," the brown haired boy told her sadly. "Who is going to adopt you?"

"Someone from the gypsy camp," she replied. She gave him a hug. "I want to play Flynnigan Rider before I go."

"Okay. I will get Paul and Jacob," he told her. He went to go search for his friends, a few tears fell from his eyes. He was really going to miss Daphne.

"Avast, ye twin RedBeards," Eugene said late that day. He held out his wooden sword. "Release the lady, and I'll let you live."

Paul and Jacob looked at each other. "Never!" They exclaimed at the exact same time.

The three boys began to fight each other. Paul swung his sword and hit Eugene's arm.

They smaller child winced from the pain. "Ye will pay for your treachery," he told them through clutched teeth. He fought wildly until he stabbed them through the heart. He grabbed Daphne and ran off the ship. "I have saved you fair maiden now I request a –"

"Daphne, your family is here," Miss Ariel said.

The four friends looked at each other then they got into a big group hug. "We are going to miss you so much," Jacob told her.

"Yeah, me too," the brunette whispered. She blinked back the tears that were threatening to fall from her eyes.

Daphne's adoptive parents smiled as they saw the four friends say good bye. The gypsies gave each other a look. They were both thinking the exact same thing. They could not adopt the boys, but they could take them to the camp and let them say good bye there.

"Thank you so much for being such good friends to Daphne," Tobar said to Paul, Jacob, and Eugene.

"She is a good person. It is hard not be friends with her," Paul replied. His brother nodded in agreement.

Eugene just stared. He felt so strange. It was as if a part of his world was ending! He glared at Tobar. "Y-y-you take good care of her," he told the gypsy boy, "if I find out you do anything wrong to her I will hunt you down."

Paul and Jacob looked at each other. "He means it, and we will help," they said at the exact same time.

Tobar grinned at them. "I will. Oh, by the way Madame Catarina wants to read your fortunes." He headed to the fortune tellers wagon.

The three boys followed him and entered the wagon. Once they were inside, they saw a lady with a bright colored skirt and a green bandana on. She smiled at them. "Take a seat," she said in a thick Romanian accent.

Eugene, Jacob, and Paul sat down in three chairs that were in the room.

"Who wants to go first?" Madame Catarina asked.

"We will," the twins said simultaneously.

The fortune teller walked to them. "Give me your hands," she commanded. The red haired boys obeyed.

As she touched their palms and finished reading their fortunes, she gave them a sad look. "If you choose the road that seems easiest, you will choose your own destruction," she told them unhappily. She walked toward Eugene.

The brown haired boy gave her his hand. Madame Catarina grinned once she was done. "You, young man, are going to restore the King's and Queen's greatest treasure of Corona."