* * * *
Mirsux’s chest tightened as his mother menacingly held up the plaited knot of hair, the sacred symbol of his bond with Ariella. Shock held him in place making it impossible to move. He wanted to ask her what she was doing but his voice failed. For a moment he was certain his heart stopped beating.
The king’s voice echoed in his ears, sounding as if from a great distance behind him. “Heffun, what are you doing? You said you will only scare her.”
Mirsux watched as his mother positioned the flame under the hair. Still unable to move a muscle or utter a word, something within him snapped as the hair caught fire. A severe pain sliced through his gut. Turning his head back to the monitor, he saw Ariella sinking to the floor of the transporter.
“ARIELLA!” he shouted. Her name wrenched forth as pain ripped through his core. His knees buckled and he sank to the floor, writhing in pain.
“What have you done, Heffun?” The king demanded. “Your actions better not have killed our son.”
“How could a broken marriage kill him?” she asked, kneeling beside Mirsux.
“This is no ordinary marriage. You know that. She is his destiny,” the king replied. “You must fix what you have broken.”
The pain was unbearable. It coursed through his body in waves, at times stabbing him like a spear piercing his flesh. His insides burned as if a lump of hot coal had settled into it. The pain slowly spread through his body causing him to rock back and forth in agony. Glaring at Heffun, his father lifted and carried him to his room.
Chapter 21
Ariella’s eyes flicked open. She was lying in a huge bed with white satin sheets. Her eyes darted around surveying her surroundings. She was in a large square bedroom with white walls and plush white carpet. The room was bare of any furniture except for the bed in which she rested and a mirror on the wall to the left.
She pushed herself into a sitting position trying to get up, but her abdomen was weak. She realized that the weakness extended into her legs when she tried to step from the bed.
“Where am I?” she whispered to herself, confused.
With some effort, she managed to stand, but her knees still wobbled causing her to slump back to the bed. She tried again, managing to take a few steps. The white expanse of wall before her made it difficult to detect where the entry was located, or any door for that matter. After a few minutes, she found it and headed towards it.
As she approached the entrance, the door opened. Ariella stopped, both confused and surprised. As she made to step through the opening, the prince of Xygor appeared in the passage just outside the door.
“I see you are awake, Princess Ariella,” he observed with a smile.
“Am I in Xygor?” she asked politely.
“Yes,” he said, smiling. “Welcome.”
She watched indifferently as his eyes raked over her body. She was not uncomfortable with the scrutiny, nor was she pleased by it.
“When you are finished ogling me, I’d like you to take me to my father.” She tried to sound as pleasant as possible.
“You are in no position to make demands,” he answered back. “You may change. There’s a closet across the room. The bathroom is next to it. Join us when you are done.”
He started moving away when it dawned on her she had no memory of getting to Xygor.
“How did I get here?” she asked.
“In an ancient contraption. How did you get that thing to work?”
“The transporter pod is an ancient contraption?” she asked, baffled.
Julkaz laughed, sounding very much like Mirsux. Regardless of how much they hated each other, she saw definite similarities between them.
“Yes, ancient… outdated. We have not used one of those in nearly 30 years.”
She was amazed that what was considered to be ancient in space was not yet even introduced on earth. As of her departure from Earth, the most modern mode of travel had been the ships that lodged at the space station, including the federation’s fleet and those that traveled the cosmos, like the Demac-109.
“I meant, what happened?”
“You and your attendant landed on my planet unannounced, though we were expecting you. You were unconscious,” he informed her. “I carried you here.”
“Oh,” she quietly replied, feeling deflated. She found it disconcerting to learn that she had been expected. Until the very last moment, she herself did not even know when she intended to make the journey. Pursing her lips, she realized that she may have once again allowed herself to be manipulated into action. Julkaz probably knew the images of her father would provoke her into doing something. She vowed to be more careful in the future.
“Join us in the main hall when you are ready.”
He disappeared before she could ask about Gulk. Now that she was on Xygor, she wondered what the future held. Her top concern was what Julkaz would demand for helping her free her father? She hoped it was something she could supply; otherwise, her trip would be in vain.
Slowly turning, she surveyed the room, wondering why Julkaz insisted she should change. Seeing a mirror, she walked over to it to assess her appearance. Her outfit was soiled. Deciding it best to change, she continued to the bathroom. Responding to her presence, the bathroom door opened as she approached.
She found the bathroom to be very similar to those on Nabalar. When she stepped inside, a spacious room welcomed her. As she neared the sink’s faucet and the shower, her close proximity to them caused the water to flow automatically. When the water met her skin, it immediately adjusted to the ideal temperature.
Only a few garments hung in the spacious closet. One of them, a mint green federation type outfit, drew her attention. It hugged her curves similar to the one she discarded into the clothes hamper, which disappeared into the wall. Still feeling somewhat nauseous, after inquiring of one of the house attendants, she managed to make her way to what Julkaz had referred to as the main hall.
Ariella felt uneasy. Her heart ached at the memory of Mirsux and what Heffun had done. Her instincts told her Mirsux might be in danger. But with the marriage broken, there was nothing she could do. She knew it would now be inappropriate for her to return to Nabalar. The ache in her heart made her chest heavy and her breathing labored, causing her to lean against the wall, gripping her chest.
“Are you in pain?” Julkaz asked, meeting her at the entrance of the expansive hall.
Queen Heopsie, seated on the dais, watched keenly as Julkaz took Ariella’s elbow and guided her to a nearby seat. Shrugging off his hand, Ariella sat, still holding her chest as the pain stabbed her deeply. The queen stood and then walked to her side. Gently cupping Ariella’s chin with her hand, the queen urged her to look up.
Reluctantly, Ariella raised her eyes and stared directly into the sharp eyes of Heopsie. The queen frowned deeply, closed her eyes, then staggered back a few steps, gripping the sides of her head.
“Mother!” Julkaz was beside his mother in an instant.
Heopsie shook her head and opened her eyes. “I’m fine. It was the strangest feeling,” she said, allowing her son to guide her to her seat.
“What happened, Mother?”
“I don’t know, there was something, like a memory and then it was gone. With it came a shooting pain.”
A horn-like sound filled the room. The noise appeared to annoy Julkaz who was reluctant to leave his mother alone. With purpose, he strode to the door. Curious, Ariella followed, still gripping her chest.
Out in the open, beyond the building, merchandise was being offloaded from a spacecraft. The vessel hovered a few feet above the surface of the planet, casting a bright light several hundred feet in diameter. Glare from the light made it impossible to make out the markings on or color of the vessel. Based on the merchandise, she assumed it to be a regular cargo carrier. She keenly observed an alien species with silvery skin tone, amber colored eyes and long dark hair, one she had never seen before. The crew transferred the items from the ship to what appea
red to be a warehouse near the palace.
Ariella noted that the sky was dark, much like the last time she visited Xygor. When she left Nabalar it had been morning; therefore, it should also be morning on Xygor. The same had occurred on her last trip. Did Xygor not have a day orb?
She was about to turn away when she heard a heavy intake of breath. Turning back to see what caused the alien prince’s reaction, Ariella saw a beautiful human woman standing a few feet away from the main ship.
Wanting to get a closer look and to see what the prince intended do, Ariella stepped towards the stranger. Julkaz’s mouth was agape and his eyes sparkled. She looked back at the girl standing there. About Ariella’s height, with chocolate complexion and long dark dreadlocks, the stranger seemed uncertain what to do next.
Ariella moved close to Julkaz and spoke softly. “If you help me save my father, I will help you save your people. I know exactly what needs to be done.”
He turned his head without taking his eyes off the woman. “How will you do that?”
“I will tell you how to awaken the Z’raschein.”
His eyes settled on her, observing her thoughtfully. “Very well. I will help you.”
Turning to a nearby guard, Julkaz instructed him to take her to the crypt. The underground crypt, not far from the castle, was only a few hundred yards away. Its opening beckoned to her. They followed a stone path leading downward into the underground caves, blackened walls guiding them. The soldier knew exactly where to find her father. He was near where Delvin had been imprisoned just a month ago.
A forlorn figure lay unmoving on the cold stone floor. Ariella gripped the iron bars and shook them. “Daddy?” At first he didn’t move. “DADDY!” She shouted his name.
He lifted his head rather weakly, staring at her with familiar pale green eyes. His thinning brown hair framed a sallow sunken face. A boney hand reached out towards her as recognition registered on his face. Cracked lips broke into a weak smile.
“Open it!” she ordered.
The soldier passed a crystal stone across the lock, but nothing happened. “I cannot. Only the federation can open this one.”
“Why?” she gripped the bars, shaking them in anger and frustration.
“It has the special seal designated for federation prisoners.”
She looked around at the people in the nearby cells. One young male with dark hair raised his face. Ariella gasped. One of his eyes was clearly an implant. There was a cut on his chest where his shirt opened and she could see that the machine inside his flesh. He was a cyborg. He stared at her for a long time that she had to look away from his intense gaze.
“Are federation soldiers on Xygor?” she asked after contemplating her options.
“Yes,” the guard replied.
She breathed a sigh of relief. “Get one, please,” she said.
The Xygorian guard left, returning a few seconds later with a soldier dressed similarly to one she’d seen dumping the Migrels on Nabalar.
“Please open this cell. I need to take my father out,” she said to the soldier.
“I cannot do that,” he replied in a drone-like voice.
Her agitation was apparent as she shuffled uneasily. Her voice rose and a sob escaped her. “Why?” she squeaked.
“I cannot open without permission from my superiors,” he replied in the same drab tone.
She vigorously shook the bars again, her heart pounding fiercely. Her head felt giddy as a kind of madness overcame her. She began pounding on the bars, not caring if her hands hurt. She began screaming loudly, causing other prisoners to shout words she did not comprehend.
Both the federation soldier and Xygorian guard looked around uncomfortably. She was busy causing a scene, paying little attention to anything other than the madness into which she had descended. A few minutes later, she heard a commanding voice order her to be quiet.
She turned at the sound of the voice, coming face to face with Heilfelst, or something that looked like Heilfelst. Startled, she took a step back looking more closely at her surroundings. The soldier held a triangular communicator and from it projected a hologram of Heilfelst standing right in front of her
“What’s the meaning of this ruckus!”
Ariella straightened, stepping closer to the projection, but the soldier stopped her from getting too close. She was amazed at what she was seeing. It was the same man she’d spoken with on the tele-communicator on Nabalar, but now he appeared to be in the same room as she.
She pointed to the cell housing her father. “I need you to set my father free,” she said, bolstering her courage.
Heilfelst glared at her. Not to be intimidated, she returned a blazing stare. They sized each other up for a few minutes before he replied.
“He is a prisoner of the federation, I cannot do as you wish,” he replied. He was about to turn away when his head whipped back around, his eyes widened with realization. “Aren’t you the princess of Nabalar? What are you doing on Xygor?”
“I came to rescue my father whom you have imprisoned! I want you to release him now.”
“He is a prisoner and will remain where he is.”
“Why is he a prisoner? What has he done? He’s a federation convoy, an official of the United Universal Federation of Planets.”
“Your father is a spy!” Heilfelst said in an acidic tone.
“You’re mistaken, my father is no spy. He’s a diplomat,” she refuted. “What proof do you have?”
“Return to Nabalar or Earth, whichever you choose, but you must leave Xygor at once. No one from Nabalar is allowed on Xygor and likewise no Xygorian must ever set foot on Nabalar!”
Before she could respond, the hologram dissipated. What was she to do now? She was on Xygor where her father was. Returning to Nabalar was out of the question; and there was no way she was returning to Earth without her father, even if she could. Moreover, as far as Heffun was concerned, she was no longer a princess of Nabalar.
* * *
Heilfelst waved his hand and the channel closed, leaving a bright red glow in the center of the screen. Slowly the red glow faded until there was nothing except a square of transparent glass about three feet across, hovering about five feet off the marblelike floor.
Six Overlords sat at an oval table a few feet away.
“Is that the one you mentioned earlier?” one of the Overlords asked.
They were all dressed alike in silvery robes, their hems edged with shimmering scarlet. Their crests stood in stark contrast of the robes in bright gold, navy blue and forest green on the left breast of their garments. They each wore a thumb ring made of droixe, a precious black Oxilian metal, equivalent in value to Earth’s platinum. The gems in each ring radiated a different color. Heilfelst’s ring bore the Yarzib gem.
“Affirmative,” he replied, taking his seat at the head of the table, his chair was noticeably larger than the others. “The Oracles have informed us that her arrival fulfilled their prophecy.”
“Then that means our plans will fail,” Zerbix, one of the overlords, stated.
“Just as we have kept the two siblings apart, we must unburden ourselves of this nuisance.”
Alvolzol, a tall reed thin overlord, stood and walked to a window. His bright yellow eyes scanned the land below. Heilfelst joined him, also looking out upon the lush vegetation. The children of Maxzoliokz were playing in a colorful garden, while their parents strolled beautiful stone paths.
“If she finds a way to save those planets, then we are doomed,” Alvolzol ground the words through clenched teeth.
“Have we located the Zoglerian and Oxilian princes? We should execute them once and for all!” another Overlord said, rising to join them. “If not, we risk losing it all and exposing our deeds.”
“We have not yet located them,” Heilfelst replied.
“This human will stir the pot. We must get rid of her at once,” Alvolzol repeated.
Heilfelst nodded. “We have reason to charge her. She has broken th
e law; she must be fed to our creatures. Her prince will watch her die.”
Alvolzol laughed. “That will be a lesson to those who will defy us in future.”
“Exebus,” Heilfelst said, addressing another of the council members, one lower in rank. “Any success with the formula?”
“We are in the final stages, Lord Premier,” Exebus replied with a slight bow. “This one should render success.”
“Arrange to have the human arrested and deported to Nabalar. Do so without informing anyone.”
Exebus bowed, replying, “Yes, Sire.”
Chapter 22
Ariella was clearly concerned as she paced the open space in front of the palace. The cell door would not open and Julkaz was unable to help her. The material used to make the bars was indestructible and could not be cut. She knew she had to formulate a plan quickly.
The cargo ship was preparing for departure when another ship materialized above it. The new ship was much larger. It hovered above the cargo carrier; its massive size completely blocking the smaller ship’s exit. A hatch opened on the larger ship. A flood of light shone through the opening, followed a troop of Federation soldiers.
Troops advanced towards the palace while others surrounded the Xygorian guards. Julkaz frowned, moving forward to meet them. When he was a few meters away, the lead soldier unsheathed his sword, pointing it threateningly towards him.
“What is the meaning of this?” Julkaz snarled.
“We want the Nabalarian woman. Stand back and let us take her.”
“I’m not leaving without my father,” Ariella declared.
Although filled with fear and wishing to flee, Ariella held her head high and stood her ground as the soldiers marched towards her. She managed a show of strength. Even as her knees threatened to buckle, Julkaz stepped in front of her, holding his hand up to the soldiers. Her mouth hung open in surprise at his efforts to shield her.
“You cannot take her,” he told the soldiers who were still advancing. “Sword!” he commanded. His closest guard immediately tossed him a weapon.
Awakening: The Prince of Nabalar (The Princes of Uvieroein Book 1) Page 18