Chapter Eleven

CHAPTER ELEVEN

From afar, the palace gate guards saw the galloping horses that were speeding towards the gate. Realizing it was the 'hyper horse' as they have term them, the gate was wide opened before the horse could get to them and break them down again.

The first time that it happened, they were scolded by the head gatekeeper before it was repaired. If it happens the second time –no, but if it does happen, they will have to pay for the repair from their salary.

They stood by as the horses and the carriage drawn by them enter through the gate, when all the 'hyper horses' had entered, they close the wide gate. Well! – That went well.

The hyper horses without the direction of the coachman arrived at the stable and neigh loudly when they stopped. The stable hands came to get the horses when they heard the sound and waited patiently as the passengers on each carriage got down. The horses were led away to be taken care of, as they've used their last ounce of power to run to the palace.

A eunuch arrived at the stable after he had been informed that the lady has arrived. He bends so low towards his waist and curtsy respectfully, "Welcome back to the palace, my lady, how was your journey? The king awaits you in his private throne room." He said in one breathe as if he had rehearsed the line over and over again.

"Take me there," the lady said to the eunuch. She was holding a parcel in her left hand and held Jasmine with her other hand. Before she left, she told the guards that escorted her on the mission to wait.

When the lady left, an old man who they thought was a stable man and must have lots of experience came around to meet them. But alas, this man was the old beggar man, he had used a shifting technique to change his face and voice. "Is this boy from the rock?" he asked no one in particular.

"Yes," Arthur replied politely. Eyeing the man as he watched all of his moves to know what he was up to. "Do you need a helper at the stable?" Arthur asked realizing that Nicholas will need to earn his keep if he wanted to survive in this kingdom.

"No, there is no more vacancy, the post was filled up yesterday," the old man said after he was done pretending to think it over, moving closer to where Nicholas was, Arthur moved and block his path.

"What do you want to do?" Arthur asked.

"I want to check him properly, he looks well taken care to be a poor member from the rock," the old man replied. Arthur gave way and the man arrived at Nicholas side, "stretch forth your hand," the old man said to Nicholas.

Nicholas stretch forth his hand without hesitation, the man took hold of his hand and checked it over and over again. "Your hands are smooth, have you never worked in your life?" the old man asked after he made a conclusion.

Nicholas shook his head – No.

"Okay, I see," the old man said as he let go of his hand, "I will be on my way, I need to run some errand for the palace," the old man said and left.

What a strange man, Nicholas thought after the man had left. He had felt a surge of power in his body and had pretended not to have felt anything. The group was left standing as they looked at the back of the retreating figure.

The lady was on her second round of climbing the staircase. She wasn't going to the throne room as it was downstairs but rather to the private throne room of the king. Jasmine was bouncing on her heels beside her as they walked closer to the room.

The hallway wall had many portraits hung up on the wall, recording the past kings and their successors. They arrived at the private throne room of the king and the eunuch announced their presence, they were let in immediately.

"Greetings my king," the lady said as she pays her respect to the king.

"You may rise," the king replied. Jasmine bounced towards the king and climbed on his laps to sit without permission, pulling the king beard when she was comfortably seated.

"Jasmine," her mother disapproving voice sounded at her unladylike behavior. Jasmine looked up and stopped pulling the king beard, she had an innocent look as if she wasn't doing anything. "Greet the king," her mother instructed.

"Let it be," the king told the lady, "she is just a child and she is also my favorite cousin, I have missed having her around," the king said not bothered by Jasmine behavior, she was the only one that could do that, not even his son stood a chance.

Jasmine mother shook her head at the sight of this, the king was spoiling Jasmine and she was losing her etiquette as a lady. "Wait until we get home, your father will discipline you," she helplessly said.

"Don't threaten her with your husband," the king said in a protective voice, "I must not hear her complain about being punished," the king warned the lady. Jasmine had a triumphant look on her face as she looked at her mother, turning to the king she asked, "Where is my aunt?"

"She is with the old aunt," the king answered her question. Jasmine suddenly shivered at the mention of the old aunt, "I will stay here with you then," Jasmine said as she make herself comfortable on the king lap.

The king smiled at this, she had always been frightened by hearing her old aunt name being mentioned and he knows the reason why she doesn't want to see her.

"My king," the lady said as she had her seat, "I was able to get it," she passed the package to the king. "May I request that I leave right now? I am tired from the journey and the guards are waiting at the stable. Moreover, Jasmine needs to return to the academy, the faster she leaves the better," she said.

Jasmine stopped playing with the king crown and frowned. She was going back to that godforsaken place, why, why, why did she have to go back there, she lamented.

"You are permitted to leave," the king gave his consent to the lady. "Thank you for going on this mission, you are the only one that I can entrust the mission to and don't forget to see the queen, she really missed you," the king said finally dismissing her.

"Thank you sire," the lady thanked the king as she left the room. Jasmine ran ahead to the queen room, "Wait up," the lady shouted after Jasmine. Jasmine suddenly stopped and ran back to her mother.

"Mother, it is the old aunt," she hid behind her mother.

"Jasmine, there is no old aunt here, it is just the queen," the lady said.

"Are you sure?" Jasmine asked with doubt as she peeped from where she hid. "Oh!" she said in surprise realizing that she had mistaken the queen as the old aunt.

"Why is the fearless Jasmine hiding behind her mother?" the queen asked when they got to her. Jasmine and her mother, the lady, curtsy in respect.

"She has her own reason, I didn't ask her why though," the lady said.

"Okay," the queen nodded at her reply. "How was your journey? How did the mission go?" the queen asked as she checked the lady all over for any sign of injury.

"You should stop worrying yourself about that, I am safe and sound and the same goes for the rest of the group," the lady responded. "Except for an unplanned occurrence…" the lady murmured as she remembered Nicholas. "Is there any vacancy at the palace?" she asked the question out of the blue.

"Holy moly, dork sore, why the change in topic," the queen asked surprised by the lady change of topic.

"Well …" the lady narrated all what happened to the queen.

"Oh, I see," the queen nodded her head, "I don't think there is any vacancy but if you need my help with getting him a job, I can create one for him," the queen said. "Take this," the queen said as she handed over an envelope to the lady, "Old aunt said she has written the name of each individual on it. I guess you know how to use it, right?"

"Yes, a glass of water to dissolve the pellet in," the lady replied after checking what was inside, "And about the guards?"

"Yes, they will get their pay tomorrow," the queen answered. "The bursary will send it to them," looking at Jasmine when she was done.

"Jasmine, why don't you give me a hug before you leave," the queen requested.

"No," she shrugged her shoulder. "You are no longer my favorite aunt," Jasmine replied as she pouted her mouth, "You pranked me earlier," she replied still holding a grudge.

"Jasmine," her mother called, "a lady shouldn't hold grudges."

"Sorry," Jasmine muttered under her breath.

"So… Aren't you forgetting something?" the queen asked as she edged her on.

Jasmine dragged her legs as she went and hugged the queen middle, returning to her mother side quickly.

"I have sent a messenger to the academy, they should be sending someone to pick her up, that will save you some trouble of going back and front," the queen said.

"Thank you," the lady said, that was really a lifesaving favor and she really needed to rest. "Since there is nothing left to do, I guess I will excuse myself." She was halfway across the stairs with Jasmine when the queen personal maid ran up to meet up with her.

"Sorry my lady, the king wants to see you alone," the personal maid of the queen said. The lady handed Jasmine over to the maid and instructed her to take Jasmine to the stable.

Is there something wrong with the package, the lady wondered as she went back to the king private throne room.

Jasmine arrived at the stable with the queen personal maid and meet up with Nicholas.

"You are back?" Nicholas asked excited, "Where is your mother?"

"She is coming," Jasmine answered as she brought out five papers and handed them over to him. Nicholas looked at Jasmine as she handed him the papers, wondering what those papers were for. It was not white but a little bit yellowish and had some writings on it.

"What is this for?" he asked after collecting it.

Jasmine face-palm herself mentally, she had forgotten that he was new and doesn't know anything. "That is a communication talisman," Jasmine replied. "You can reach me when you write something on it and ignite it," she explained to him.

"Okay," Nicholas said, "where will you be going after leaving this place?" Nicholas asked curiously.

Jasmine bubble mood got burst and deflated, "I will be going back to the academy. Unfortunately, some people are on their way to pick me up but I want to see my dad before I leave."

"You talk as if you hate the place," Nicholas pointed out. He knew what it feels like while he was on earth. School was the most torturous experience for him. He had been an outcast all through his younger school and he had been bullied until he got to middle school and he had suddenly shot up in height overnight, he had become hot and fit. The girls were dying to be his while he had a lot of haters from the guys as their girlfriends compared them to him.

"Yes, it is full of spoilt children from the noble family and there are dark plots brewing underneath, they have developed a way in ruining their victim life. It is in the school that some connections will be made while some will send their children to make other people life miserable," Jasmine explained.

"And is anybody troubling you?" Nicholas asked.

"No, they don't dare," Jasmine said boldly.

"You seem so confident," Nicholas pointed out.

"I am, my mother status is enough to scare them away, no one wants to get on my bad side," Jasmine explained.

Well, aren't you a well behaved girl? Not using your status to bully, Nicholas said in his heart.

"How old are you?" Nicholas asked.

"Eight, soon going to be nine by next month," Jasmine said excitedly. "And you?"

"Hmm… the truth is, I don't know my age," Nicholas replied.

Jasmine gasped.

"You don't? Did you lose your memory?" Jasmine fired the question rapidly.

"Yes, something - yea - l-like that," Nicholas nodded his head. He couldn't tell her that he came from earth, and that he was twenty eight before he died, right?

At the palace room, the king informed the lady that he sent her husband on a mission and due to some reasons he will be arriving tomorrow instead of today. She left after that, going to the stable.

Before the lady arrived at the stable, another group of people came; this group was sent to pick up Jasmine.

"Jasmine," a voice called out from the carriage.

Jasmine was facing Nicholas when she heard her name, with her back turned towards the gate; she hadn't realized that the carriage had arrived.

"Who…" the word was left hanging in her mouth when she saw the carriage, of course, it has the crest of her school on it; she wasn't dumb as she had figured everything out.

"Oh…" she sighed. "They are here already," she turned to look at Nicholas. Nicholas looked at her face, it looks so crestfallen doesn't she have a friend there?

Jasmine mother arrived beside Jasmine, seeing the school carriage waiting for her daughter. "Well, daughter, your ride is here."

"I don't want to go," Nicholas voice sounded sad.

"But you have to. If not your father will be angry at you," her mother explained. After some minutes of petting Jasmine, her mother led her to the school carriage and off she went.

She returned back to the group, calling out their name as she handed over the sachet with their name written on it. "I guess you all know how to use it?"

They all nodded except for Nicholas that was looking lost.

"I didn't receive any and Jasmine didn't either," he stated.

"I already gave her hers and as for you, your power isn't sealed or is it?" the lady asked.

"Power," Nicholas doubtfully said. "Which power?"

Everyone laughed and shrugged him off, as for Nicholas he was in deep thought about that, that he didn't realized that the group has dispersed and that the lady was calling him until he felt a continuous tap on his right shoulder.

Nicholas looked up and saw the lady.

"Well, is time to leave and you are stuck with me," the lady said as her carriage stopped beside them.

Nicholas entered after her as he sat beside her comfortably; it was so much better than the wagon, he thought.