SWNOVELS Chapter 16
In a small room bare of any furniture except for a tiny table and a few simple chairs, King Roger and Queen MaryAnne sat with Krikkit pressed between them. The three had their wrists bound with thick rope.
“It was my fault they got us,” murmured Krikkit. “If I hadn’t fell down that hill, we would have found a place to hide.”
Queen MaryAnne reached out to touch her hand. “We were not expecting the soldiers to be there, Krikkit. I do not think we could have avoided them even if you had not fallen.”
“Maybe the shoes brought us here for a reason,” said Krikkit, beginning to believe this was possible.
“Maybe so, Krikkit. We will find that out, I am sure, before too long,” said King Roger, looking around. “I thought for years of Sareltin being abandoned and empty.”
“It used to be, but now it seems the D’Arquilles have taken up residence with their army,” replied MaryAnne, rising from the table. She moved to the window, craning her neck in an attempt to see through the dirt-streaked panes. “I wonder where our twins and the orb are now.”
Sensing the Queen’s grave concern, King Roger reassured his Queen, “Do not worry! I am sure we will find them safe. I am worried too, and I know Krikkit feels the same way. We just have to find a way to get out of here and get our hands on that orb.”
Krikkit nodded her head vigorously, in complete agreement with the king.
A sudden noise at the door had Queen MaryAnne hurrying back to her seat. In a moment it opened and the three of them came face to face with Hennesy D’Arquille. The three captives stared at him wordlessly.
Hennesy cleared his throat. “Hello cousin Roger. I have not seen you for a while. What is new in your life?”
The smirk on Hennesy’s face angered the king. He controlled his feelings but when he spoke it was with a voice as cold as steel. “I think you know quite well what is new, Hennesy. It is you, of course, and your meddling with the prophecy.”
“Ah, yes, the old prophecy is coming true at last. What do you think about that, Roger?”
“Do not get too comfortable on a throne that is not yours just yet, dear cousin. Prophecies do not always come true. They can be changed,” answered the king. “It has happened in the past.”
“Looks like this one is coming true,” sneered Hennesy. “Jara has already lost a great deal of her power, as you must know. With her no longer being a threat, your throne will soon be my son’s.”
“The throne belongs to my sons, not yours. The D’Arragon line of royalty will win out over any prophecy. You know it does not belong to the D’Arquilles.”
“It soon will, my dear cousin. Sooner than you think. There is nothing you can do to stop it.”
“If you harm any of my family, Hennesy, you will pay dearly,” King Roger warned him, in a voice as cold as ice.
Hennesy laughed unpleasantly. “You cannot do anything about it, Roger. You see we have already captured the twins.”
“Oh no, you can’t get to them in the orb!” cried Krikkit.
“That’s where you are wrong, little girl. I have the orb with the twins in it.” Hennesy gloated, quite pleased with his victory.
King Roger and Queen MaryAnne jumped out of their seats, demanding, “Where are they?”
King Roger took a menacing step toward his cousin. “If you harm a hair on their heads, you will answer to me.”
“Oh they will be returned to you but only after you sign over the throne to Tarcey. If you don’t agree to do so, then…..” Hennesy shrugged his shoulders. His intention to harm the twins was obvious. “You will do as I say or you will never see them again.” Hennesy spoke with cruelty.
Roger knew he could do nothing for the moment so he remained silent as his cousin stated his demands.
“I will keep what you hold dear here with me while you go to the Royal Council.” He pulled the bound Queen away from her husband. Holding her close to his side, he watched the king clench his teeth in anger. “You will sign the papers that give my son the right to be king. There will be no punishment and no tricks.”
“How do we know you have the twins or the orb?” challenged Krikkit.
“How else would I know about them being in the orb?” smirked Hennesy. “But I will show you the orb as a gesture of good will on my part.”
He left the room, pulling Queen MaryAnne along with him. They returned shortly, Hennesy clasping the orb close to his chest.
“I want to talk to them,” insisted the Queen.
“That depends on your royal husband, madam. He must sign the papers first and return them to us. Then and only then will I give this to you!”
Feeling extremely upset, Krikkit did not dare to use the shoes again in case Hennesy harmed the queen or the twins. She needed to wait until all of them could go together.
At the leader’s nod, the ropes were removed from the king and Krikkit. “Go now! Take the child with you! I expect you to return to Sareltin by this time tomorrow with those documents!” Hennesy D’Arquille then left the room, taking the queen and the orb with him, despite the queen’s pleas.
In short order, King Roger and Krikkit were ushered outside the palace. “I guess I didn’t protect the princes very well,” said Krikkit, her voice forlorn.
King Roger bent toward Krikkit, trying to reassure her that things would work out. “You are a child yourself. It is not your job to protect the twins, Krikkit. We will find a way out of this. You will see.”
He tucked her hand inside his arm. “We will walk toward D’Arragon and I am sure we will run into the Red Velvet Regiment.”
“I wish Jara was here,” cried out Krikkit. “She could help us.” No sooner were the words out of her mouth when she felt the now familiar jerk and began to rise. Holding on tightly to the king’s arm, she heard his cry of wonderment over the purple mist and its bursts of energetic light. Krikkit hoped with all her heart that they would find Jara this time. She felt certain that everything would be all right when they did!