Luxury

Paris, France

Nicholas 18

I sat slumped in my booth staring out the window as the compact, colonial, and historic building of Paris turned into the brighter and homier village of Versailles. Never in my life did I think I would ever have the chance to visit two of the most historic cities known to mankind. I was grateful, I would of just been happy staying in England absorbing the culture and sights of London. Until Ty came to me a couple of days after we reunited unexpectedly, he offered a ticket to come with him to tour the Versailles Palace. Being a broke college student didn't change after securing my scholarship, even getting this study abroad opportunity was covered by the scholarship. That's all it covered however, everything went to tuition, books, room, board, and a meal plan on campus. Meaning that meal plan only applied on campus and I was now a full ocean away from that. My parents barely sent enough for me to not to starve, so being able to tag along with Ty and his sister on their dime was a blessing. Although, considering they were full time students from what I guessed. To be able to travel in between countries on a whim made me jealous. Come to think of it, their apartment was very spacious for it to be in London. Its off campus as well, so how were they able to afford all this? I looked to my left to see CniDaria staring out the window with a bored expression on her face. Even her bored face was beautiful and the way the sun hit her skin, just made her shine even more. Ty was sitting next to his eyes locked on his phone. I couldn't tell what he was doing or reading but his grey eyes seemed to shine as he was doing so. To be able to add someone like me that they met again randomly, told me that they were a lot more well off than I thought they were. I knew they were adopted and their guardian Lucius always seemed to be doing well for himself just based off the house they lived in. I expected that since he wasn't in their life anymore that they would be working themselves through college, but it seems like they don't need to work. So where is the money needed to take a trip like this coming from. I stared at the two considering if I should just ask the question, but I didn't want to seem ungrateful or suspicious. I was just genuinely curious. Unfortunately, CniDaria felt my stare and looked at me with such disdained that I must have been covered in piss.

"Can I help you?" Cni did not look pleased to be disturbed. She didn't look particularly happy that I tagged along with them, but she never vocally was rude or voiced her displeasure. She didn't take kindly at being stared at though. I decided I might as well be honest and ask the question.

"Sorry, I was just wondering. How are you able to afford these train tickets? Not to mention that neither of you have mentioned work. I know I can barely, and I have support of my parents. So I was curious." CniDaria's eyes narrowed, and she didn't say anything immediately. She seemed to be thinking about something, I quickly continued before she got the wrong idea. "Oh, please don't take my curiosity personal or that I'm ungrateful for you guys taking me along. I just didn't want to indulge on you guys and you're in an even worse situation than I am. All you guys have are each other so I thought that it must be hard for you guys." That made her flinch and to my horror, I felt a heat of anger about to come out from her to retort at my comments. Thankfully, without looking up from his phone Ty spoke first.

"I was wondering when you would ask considering the circumstances but it's really nothing crazy." He finally looked up from his phone, gave a glance to his sister, who immediately calmed down and turned her head to continue looking out the window. He then turned his head to me to give me his full attention.

"Obviously, we don't discuss our biological parents for are own personal reasons, but they left us accounts that we gained access to once CniDaria turned 18. They were savings accounts that had enough for us to take care of ourselves for a few years. Lucius had something similar set up but for obvious reasons those accounts are frozen. It seems like times are hard for you but you don't have to worry about us we'll be fine till we graduate and even some time afterwards if it came to that. Compound interest does wonders doesn't it."

"I know that now, seeing that you're living proof of benefiting from it. Again, I didn't mean to pry I was just curious." Ty smiled and put his attention back on his phone. There are few times that Ty ever mentions his biological parents. The way he talks about them when he does makes you get the hint quickly and not push the issue. Maybe one day we'll talk about it but based on his tone that day won't be coming any time soon.

We arrived at the Versailles village train station to good weather and a busy atmosphere. There were tourists all around and merchants in abundance to try and accommodate them. We walked through the streets admiring the sights. You could see the grounds of Versailles in the distance.

"We should drop off our bags at the hotel before we go any further, there are hills all throughout the village and I'm not too keen to experience that luggage on my back." Ty nodded and agreed with his sister and he started to head in the direction that I assumed was the hotel. I followed quietly, taking in the people and my surroundings. The people here seemed to be very happy and lively. You would never think there were huge wars happening on all four corners of the globe. There was no reason for the war to reach here anyway so the have all the reason to be relaxed. The longer we walked the closer the palace became and with it my anxiety. How much would it cost to stay just a night in these luxury establishments. We eventually stopped in front of a hotel with multiple body guards at the entrance. There was a lot of traffic going in and out, so no one gave us as much as a side glance until we reached the front desk.

"Bonjour, que puis-je faire pour vous aujoud'hui?" the front desk attendant tone was polite but you can tell she was too keen to be speaking with us based off her body language. She was very standoffish. Calmly, Ty answered her without taking heed to any of it.

"Good Morning to you as well, we're checking in for Thylonius Askiya." She looked doubtful as Ty gave her his ID and credit card. Once she entered his name into her computer her whole demeanor changed.

"Monsieur Askiya, Bienvenue a' l'Hotel Louis, nous sommes honores de vous accueillir dans la suite presidentielle. Veuillez suivre notre majordome jusqu'a votre chambre." I have no idea what was said but Ty just nodded and gave his bag to a stocky man who just came over. As we were following the gentleman I heard a word I couldn't understand as a sly comment. "Singes" I looked back to see if anyone was talking to us but the receptionist and everyone else were busy fiddling with other mundane things. Ty kept walking very unbothered by the word. I judged that it must not be much and followed. CniDaria did not do the same. She stopped walking and without turning around to face anyone she started speaking the most fluent and elegant French I've heard all day.

"Ne vous meprenez pas. Ce n'est pas parce que nous choisissons de ne pas repondre en francais que nous ne le parlons pas. Gardes cela a' l'esprit lorque vous nous parlez, sinon preparez-vous a' en subir les consequences." The whole room froze and CniDaria continued her walk to catch up to Ty and I as the whole room looked shocked and uncomfortable.

"That was unnecessary, La plupart d'entre eux seront morts de toute facon au lever du jour." To Ty's comment CniDaria just shrugged and we continued our walked to our rooms. Its seems like I missed something in translation but I doubt it was anything I wanted to hear anyway. They both spoke French put me to shame. I barely can understand Spanish let alone French. That was the least of my surprises at the moment, as we rode the elevator to our rooms it only stopped at the top. Once the doors opened we were immediately introduced to our own private floor where food, drinks, and a change of clothes were waiting for us. The butler did not say a word to us while we admired our new digs. He bowed to CniDaria and immediately left out the elevator for where we came. He looked very scared of her which CniDaria didn't seem to react to. I couldn't believe where we were but the two siblings didn't seem all that impressed by it. They both fiddled with their matching Jade bracelets and looked around the room with bored expressions. Me on the other hand wanted to run around like I was a kid in the candy shop. I put down my bags and immediately headed towards the bedroom to see what amenities they offered. To my surprise as I entered one of the rooms I could smell, the fragrance of roses and chocolate coming from the bathroom. There was already a bubble bath drawn complete with champagne and rose petals right next to an opened window looking toward the Versailles Palace. I started to get a weird and creepy feeling. I turned around to go look and find Ty but that was unnecessary as it seems that he followed me in here.

"This is a bit excessive." He didn't look surprised by the bath but didn't looked pleased by it either.

"What were you and your sister planning to-"

"Don't be an idiot it's like that in all the bathrooms in here, that's your personal one." CniDaria walked by with disgust in her voice yet again. Damn I was not having any luck with her today.

"Anyway Nick, me and Ny were going to go walk over to the Versailles museum now that we dropped off our bags. You coming with us?" That was one of the main reasons I jumped at the chance of coming Seeing the inside of the Palace of Versailles was something that you only experienced in textbooks. I then looked over at the warm bath and luxury room to myself and found myself just wanting to enjoy it.

"I'll catch up with y'all I think I'm going to clean up before I meet you guys. It shouldn't be long." Ty simply shrugged and left the room. I soon heard the elevator arrive and leave with both Ty and CniDaria on it. Once I knew I was alone, I quickly undressed and hopped in the bath. I admit it wasn't my most masculine moment but having some alcohol to drink and sweets scents around me was hard to pass up. When was I ever going to experience this again? Visions of a better life flooded my mind as I soaked in the tub drinking champagne and eventually day visions became dreams of lucid dreams of CniDaria. Those lucid dreams were interrupted with horrific a scream down below. I woke up with a start and noticed I had fallen asleep as it was now very dark in our hotel room. My body had for sure pruned up from spending hours in a tub where the bubbles were long gone and the water had cooled making me shiver as I arose from it. I quickly sought a towel to dry myself off and a robe to cover my naked body.

"Here goes numb nuts right here, I told you there was no use in worrying." I heard CniDaria voice, but the context confused me. I know they were probably wondering where I've been since I didn't end up meeting them but I don't think it was that serious to be worried about me. To my surprise Ty burst into the bathroom and gave me a big hug. Thank god I had put a robe on or I would have had to ask a lot of questions of him.

"Yo, Ty get off of me what the hell is wrong with you."

"I'm sorry, we didn't see you in the museum or in the streets so we thought the worse might have happened." Ty looked to be on the verge of tears. There was real concern in his voice. For what I had no idea. Why would they be so desperately looking for me?

"I'm sorry I didn't meet you guys like you said but I must have been more tired than I thought from the ride over here. It's not that serious for you guys to be looking for me like this I'm not stray puppy." CniDaria and Ty looked at me in confusion, like I was speaking Mandarin.

"Do you not know what happened?" CniDaria asked me with a look of concern or her face. I was starting to get scared and my back started to heat up.

"What are you guys talking about? What happened?" Ty grabbed me by the shoulders and forcibly turned me around towards the window. The heat that I felt on my back started to make sense. The Palace of Versailles was half gone with the other half on fire.