The Talamute Prince

The silence of the last few days has been a relief. Other than the meals brought to my room, or the nightly allowance of a shower I haven't been bothered. I was a bit concerned that Patrick hadn't been in to torment me. I wondered what he could be up to. Knowing that I was pregnant now I was worried he would find out before I had a chance to escape. Something told me he would find a way to use it against me or worse.

"Your majesty," the sound of Katherine's voice starts almost simultaneously with the door opening.

"Don't call me that. If I was in charge of anything I'd be somewhere other than here." I'm not sure I meant to snap at her.

"Very well, what would you have me call you?" She glances at me from over the edge of the panel in her hand.

"By my name." I look past her as the door had been left open instead of closing like it normally did. For a split second, I thought about how much it would hurt if I just ran for the window and dove out. If I hit the ground even from this height I would heal. I didn't know what effect my being pregnant would have but at this point, the thought of escape by any means was heavy on my mind.

"Laoonica, I need to get some basic information from you. Weight, height although doubt that changed, blood pressure and all." This is the first time she has asked me for this since we were on the ship when I was first found. I know she is suspicious but I can also tell she can't prove it without a sample of blood or urine which I had been very careful not to give her. I've even resorted to peeing in the shower rather than the toilet. I'm sure I noticed a slight color change in the water in the bowl. My servants had all but said not to pee in it without saying a word.

"Sure." I stand on a small square that reads my weight.

"Weight 115 lbs, height 5'3", blood pressure 123/84, oxygen levels 98%" an electronic voice reads out loud. I see a hint of disappointment as everything seems to be the same as it was then. I'm guessing she was hoping I had gained weight or had some sign that would explain what was going on with my powers.

"Well, everything seems to be good. Laoonica, I know what's going on with you. I have no doubt. If I were you I'd find a way to escape before I can prove it. If my brother finds out the truth hiding in you, well we both know things will only get worse." She turns and leaves the door slowly closes as I stare out the window until it is completely out of view. Katherine knew and she wasn't telling her brother. How could so many people be against him yet he remains in power here?

I couldn't hide my pregnancy long enough to get away when I barely had a chance to be anywhere alone other than this cell. I pace for several hours until lunch is brought. To my surprise, Patrick is actually with my lunch today.

"My queen, forgive my absence I've had other duties to attend to." He sits down at the table as his tray is placed in front of him and mine is placed in front of the empty seat I'm expected to take.

"I'm your prisoner, not your queen." I don't take the seat scooted out for me.

"I see your mood hasn't improved." He says in a growl.

"How can it when I'm kept under lock and key, and even when I shower I'm heavily guarded? How would your mood be if the roles were reversed?" He gets a smirk on his face.

"I wouldn't be so damn stubborn. I would have cooperated way before it got to this point." His response angers me.

"You would have blown everyone up by this point." He lets out a loud deep laugh.

"You're probably right, either way, I wouldn't be your prisoner. You on the other hand are gentle and kind so you bide your time hoping for some miracle that will never come to pass. I will never let you escape, nor will your purple ape come to your rescue. You are mine Queen Laoonica, the sooner you accept this truth the easier life will be, for everyone." He shoves a bit of food into his mouth. I turn toward the door that has been left open again but with two very large guards on either side. I stare out the window.

"If I was yours, you wouldn't have to keep me in a cell. If I was yours I would do whatever you asked with no question. No, Patrick, I'm not yours. I never was." I can see him look up out of the corner of my eye as I steadily gaze out the window.

"If you jumped I'd have a hovercraft catch you before you hit the ground." I turn to face him.

"Do you think so?" I don't know what I was thinking or if I was at that point. Before another word was spoken I rushed the door as flames rose from my skin preventing the guards from reaching out to stop me and with a pounce at the last second I dove through the shattering glass and out the window. To my dismay, it seems he had already planned for me to be tempted to do so as there were two hover crafts with a flame retardant net outstretched between them. They quickly snatched me and like a spider quickly capturing its meal I was wrapped in the tightly woven material. I would have rather smashed headfirst into the ground below.

"Did you think I would leave such an easy way out for you?" I didn't try to get out of the net as the guards had used it to drag me back into the castle. I didn't say anything at all I just stared blankly at the floor under the bed. Patrick walked over and squatted down pulling the loose end of the net from over the top of me. "You really are beautiful. It is such a shame you make me do these things to you. All you have to do is cooperate and your life will get so much better my love."

"Those four letters mean nothing from your lips." he held out his hand to help me out of the net. I refused and simply lay staring at the wall.

"You're so stubborn, fine stay on the floor. Nothing you do will ruin my day. You see we are very close to finding the village of your purple ape and when we find it there won't be a single man, woman, or child left standing." I glance upward.

"You are pure evil." He grins like it was meant as a compliment.

"Have a wonderful day wallowing in self pity my queen and when all is said and done I'll bring you his head on a platter." I return to my blank expression. He stands and walks out the door letting it close behind him. He was evil so much so that even his unborn child wanted nothing to do with him. I felt so strange inside, nothing felt the same as it had before. I lay thinking about my father, about all the lives that were lost and all for not, because here I lay in the hands of the enemy wondering how it was all going to end.

I saw movement under my bed and I froze. There were no hidden tiles in this room I had checked. I watched as a tiny beam of light broke through the surface and made a small square shape beneath where I lay my head.

"Pist." A small but familiar face poked through.

"Jamerson." I said in the lowest tone I could. I wiggled my way out from the net and went to sit on the bed pretending to be alone. I knew there were cameras in my room but I wasn't sure if they could capture my voice or see every inch of my room. "You put yourself in danger coming here." I whisper barely opening my mouth so that I was not drawing to much attention to myself or him.

"Tosha came to me. She asked me if I could get a message up to you without being seen. Don't worry the cameras in your room can't see me under here and the hole I cut isn't that big." He is talking as softly as I am.

"And what did Tosha want?" I look towards the door expecting Patrick to barge in and do horrible things to this poor boy.

"There is a plan in place to rescue you. Tosha's father and the other Talamute have studied your schedule and the way they move you through the castle. The next time you are taken to shower be prepared. I'm going to seal the door back nobody will know I was here." I can hear a slight shuffle beneath me.

"You risk too much getting involved with this." I wish he would have stayed away at the college where he ha been sent.

"You did the same for me, my queen. I'm more than glad to return the favor. I listen as he seals the floor back and I am left alone to my thoughts.

Tosha was alive as was her father and Darevan. They were planning on setting me free. I was excited and terrified. I knew if they were caught Patrick wouldn't hesitate to kill thm all in front of me. I also wondered to what end this would play out since Patrick had just told me how close he was to finding their village. I lay still long enough that I drifted off to sleep.

"You have figured out who I am mother." I'm not in a familiar place. Instead I am in a cave with paintings along the walls that I can't quite make out.

"Yes Mioonico." He smiles.

"Mioonico... I love it mother." I look him over studying him.

"How can you come to me in this form?" I ask. Everyone else had came to me in the form I knew them but I hadn't even given birth yet.

"Because you already know me even if you haven't seen me yet. I grow inside you and I can sense you as you can me." I look around trying to make out the art spread across the walls.

"Where am I?" I glance back at him.

"A very special place on the surface that you must visit soon. Everything will go as planned I promise. And you will find this cave on your own. You will understand things you never knew about who you are and why keeping me from my father is so important." His smile reminds me of my father.

"He is evil, I can see that very clearly. He would raise you to be like him." I reach out to his face and hold his cheek for a moment in my hand.

"Ther is more to it than that but you will know soon enough. I love you even now mother and I will be in your arms soon enough. He fades from my out stretched had as I opn my eyes and stare at the wall.

Patrick truly was evil but what more could there be to keeping my son from him. I wish my dreams didn't leave more questions than answers.