The Prince of Warwood and The Rise of the Chosen

by J. Noel Clinton

  “Xavier! Come on!” Robbie called from the dance floor, oblivious to the brief confrontation.

  After a murderous glare at Jonas, he joined Robbie.

  Soon, a slow rhythm filled the air around them and Xavier stared awkwardly at the couples around them moving into each other’s arms. Finally, he looked at Robbie. The last time he had danced with Robbie was at his birthday party. So he found the idea of being close to her, swaying to a slow beat very intoxicating. Smiling he held his arms open to her in a silent invitation. With a small grin that sent goose bumps over his body, she moved into his arms and he shuddered. He could hardly breathe as they began to move in time with the music. When the song finally ended, he was light-headed and sweating.

  Robbie giggled. “Xavier? How can you possibly be hot? It’s only 50 degrees!”

  He shrugged, desperately trying to regain his composure. Then he murmured with an ornery grin, “I guess being this close to your hot body did it to me.”

  She laughed and swatted him. “Xavier Wells! That was a perfectly wicked thing to say!” And, when she hugged him, his body felt like it might ignite from the heated sensations coursing through him. Then, she pulled away and giggled, “I liked it.”

  He grinned back at her. “Come on. I need a cold drink to cool me down.” He pulled her toward the snack and soda table.

  “Roberta Ann! What are you wearing, young lady?” Mrs. Minnows’ voice came from behind them and they spun to face her.

  Robbie looked stricken at first, but soon she had a haughty expression in place as she muttered cheekily, “Clothes, Mother. What does it look like?”

  “I can see that, missy. However, these clothes leave little to the imagination. I want you to go home and change this instant!” She ordered, ignoring her daughter’s attitude.

  “God, Mother! Other girls wear stuff like this. It’s not that bad. Xavier likes the way I’m dressed; don’t you, Xavier?” she asked, turning to him.

  Oh, God. He loved the way she was dressed, but he could see why his father and Mrs. Minnows did not. “Ah…I,” he stammered, not sure he liked being dragged into the argument between mother and daughter.

  “Roberta! It doesn’t matter if my son likes the way you’re dressed or not. No red-blooded male in his right mind wouldn’t like that outfit, but the point is, as I explained to you earlier when I told you to change, it’s inappropriate!” Jeremiah interrupted, stepping up beside Mrs. Minnows.

  “Geez! I don’t know why it’s any of your business to tell me what to wear or what not to wear, sire,” she blared angrily.

  Xavier gulped as his father’s eyes went fiery.

  “Roberta Ann!” Mrs. Minnows bellowed. “You have no business talking to King Wells in that tone of voice!”

  “Tamarah, I’ll take care of this,” Jeremiah whispered. “Please go and enjoy yourself. I’ll see to it that she changes her clothes and the attitude.”

  Mrs. Minnows looked between the king and her daughter and nodded before turning and accepting a dance from a man waiting a few feet away.

  His father looked down at Robbie. “Let’s go, Roberta.”

  She glared up at him, and for a moment, Xavier thought she’d refuse. Finally, with an indignant huff, she turned on her heel and marched out of the crowd toward the king’s limo.

  “Hey, X!” Court bellowed as he fought his way toward him. “Where’s Robbie going?”

  “Dad is making her change her clothes. Too bad, though, she looked great,” he replied with a grin.

  “Yeah, I heard. Most of the boys are talking about it!” Court grinned before adding, “You better watch your back. You may have some competition building.”

  He looked blankly at his friend. Competition? Competition for Robbie? He studied the crowd around him, looking for his competitors.

  His friend laughed at his reaction. “Come on. The guys are hanging out over by the kegs. Beck’s hoping he’ll be able to sneak a cup when Henrick isn’t looking, but personally, I think it’s a lost cause.” Court led him toward the group.

  “Beckley Wilcox! If you pick up that tap one more time, I’ll chop your hand off!” Henrick bellowed, stopping Beck’s hand in mid-movement toward the keg’s nozzle.

  “Geez, Henrick! Do you have eyes in the back of your head or something?” Beck whined.

  Henrick turned toward the boys, shook a bottle of soda water, and sprayed the group. Giggling and laughing, the boys darted out of range of Henrick’s attack.

  “Beck, are you ever going to give up on bettering Henrick? There’s no way you’ll win!” Court asked laughing at Beck’s drenched hair and shirt.

  “Never!” he retorted with a grin and then his eyes settled on Xavier. “Hey, X! Where’s Robbie?”

  “She had to go home to change her clothes,” Court answered for him.

  “Yeah, I heard her outfit was smoking and could make any man instantly combust if he got too close,” Beck noted, triggering whistles and laughter from the rest of the group.

  Xavier shrugged uncomfortably. Suddenly, he shared his father’s opinion about the outfit and was relieved that Robbie was changing. He didn’t want to spend the evening defending her honor from the onslaught of looks and snide comments.

  The boys temporarily gave up on their quest against Henrick and focused on getting a dance with a pretty girl.

  When Court spotted Erica, he muttered, “See you gits later,” and approached her.

  Xavier joined in with the rest of the boys with catcalls and hoots of appreciation. One by one the group dispersed, pairing up with a dancing partner. Beck and Melissa Dorne had paired up and stood off to the side talking.

  Xavier settled in a chair and watched his friends trying their best to impress girls. He couldn’t help snickering at them. Did he look that awkward around Robbie? He probably did. He was beginning to feel antsy and self-conscious without her with him. When the king’s limo finally pulled up, he hopped eagerly to his feet and hurried over to the vehicle. His father slowly climbed out of the back and spoke softly to the driver before turning to him.

  “Where’s Robbie?”

  “She’s in the limo. She’s a bit upset. She could use a bit of comforting,” he answered telepathically.

  Xavier nodded and made his way to the vehicle. Cautiously, he knocked on the window. “Robbie? Hey, Robbie, can I come in?”

  In answer, the car door opened, and he climbed inside and found Robbie in tears, dressed in a modest skirt and sweater.

  “What’s the matter?” he asked softly, closing the door.

  She didn’t seem capable of answering as her sobs increased, racking her body harshly.

  “Robbie, you’re kind of worrying me. Please talk to me.”

  She shook her head, burying her face in her hands.

  “Well, can…can I read your mind?”

  Still weeping uncontrollably, she nodded.

  Gently, he took her hand in his and squeezed it lightly. Then, after a couple of slow, deep breaths, he emptied his thoughts of everything but connecting with her mind. Slowly, the white haze in his mind dissolved to reveal a brooding Robbie and his father leaning toward her in the back of the limo.

  “Roberta, I’m sorry you don’t see that your mother and I are trying to protect you. We don’t want others to get the wrong idea about you. And when you become queen of our great kingdom someday, you, like Xavier, need to hold yourselves to a higher ideal,” his father explained softly.

  “Queen? How…how…?” she stammered.

  He smiled weakly and responded, “How did I know? I know a lot of things.”

  “Well, you’re not my father,” she muttered begrudgingly.

  “No, I’m not. But your father bestowed on me the task of watching out for you, your mother, and your sister. So it is by his insistence that I am, at the moment, your surrogate father. Now, I want you to think long and hard about something. If your father was alive today and you spoke to him like you did me, what would he have done?” his father questioned.<
br />
  Robbie’s defiant face slipped and for a moment she looked vulnerable, hurt. After a moment, she looked up at the king, her eyes flooding with tears as she whispered, “He’d…he’d probably spank me.”

  This admission seemed to be what his father had been waiting for and his face softened as he pulled the girl into his arms.

  She simply broke down. “I’m sorry, King Wells. I am. I just…I don’t know why I dressed like this. Daddy wouldn’t…have let me. I...I miss him. I really miss him,” she cried into his father’s chest.

  “I know, sweetie. I miss him too,” Jeremiah told her, holding her close and rubbing her back, soothing the sobs that came out in heaves.

  Slowly the white haze began to descend on the scene and Xavier opened his eyes. Robbie was watching him and hiccupping quietly, but she was no longer crying.

  “Is it true?” she whispered weakly.

  “Is what true?”

  “Did Daddy ask your dad to look out for my mom, my sister, and me?”

  “Yeah, he did. I was there. He asked Dad to do him a favor and look out for his girls,” he answered, caught for a moment in that overwhelming memory.

  She nodded, her eyes threatening to overflow with tears again. Unable to stand seeing her cry anymore, he did the first thing he could think to do and pulled her into his arms and held her. He felt her hiccup against his body, but no more tears fell. Her body was pressed snuggly, warmly against him. She nuzzled her face into his neck, and he groaned as every hair stood on end. She looked up at him with a watery smile.

  “Why did you do that?” she asked.

  “Do what?”

  “Groan.”

  He blushed. “Why do you think?”

  “I don’t know. Why?” she asked, smiling.

  “Jeez...you know why! Having you this close makes me want to do more than just hold you.”

  Robbie’s grin grew enormous. “Like what?”

  He squirmed. “Oh, God, Robbie! I don’t know. Stuff!”

  “Do you want to kiss me?” she asked.

  “God, yes!” he hissed.

  “Well? What are you waiting for? Kiss me!”

  In his eagerness, Xavier accidentally butted his forehead against hers and they immediately separated, rubbing their heads.

  “Ouch! Take it easy before you knock us both unconscious!” she giggled.

  “Sorry,” he muttered, smiling, “I’ll do better.”

  Then he grasped her chin, tilting her lips to meet his. The moment their lips met, a spark ignited from Xavier, and Robbie gasped with surprise before succumbing to uncontrollable giggles.

  “Jeez, I wish you’d stop laughing at me! It doesn’t do much for my ego to have you laugh at me when I kiss you,” he grumbled, trying not to smile. It was good to see and hear her laugh because when she cried, he wanted to cry with her.

  “Sorry. It just...it tickled,” she told him.

  “Tickled? Tickled? You like being tickled, huh?” he bellowed playfully, pinning her to the seat cushion and tickling her mercilessly.

  Robbie’s laugh was infectious and he couldn’t help but laugh with her. Her squeals only egged him on, and he excitedly tortured her into an uncontrollable bout of laughter.

  “XAAAAAAAVIER!!” she cried. “I…CAN’T ….BREEEEEEATHE!”

  He sat back on his heels and laughed at her as she desperately gasped for air.

  “Okay, you two. Think you should rejoin the party, now,” Jeremiah chuckled from outside the car door.

  “Yes, sir,” the young teens chimed as they poured out of the vehicle, still laughing.

  Shaking his head, the king closed the limo door behind them. When he turned, Robbie launched herself at him and clung to him in a tight embrace. Stunned, his arms slowly encircled the girl, rubbing her back soothingly.

  “Thanks, King Wells,” she murmured against him before pulling him down to her by his tie, standing on tip-toe, and kissing his cheek.

  “No need for thanks, sweetheart. Your dad was one of the greatest men I had the privilege to call my friend. I’m just happy I could help him find peace,” he whispered and kissed the girl’s forehead before releasing her and leaving her in Xavier’s company.

  Chapter 9: Moving Heaven and Earth

  The party was still going strong at midnight and Xavier and Robbie were sitting with Court and Erica at a folding table a few feet away from the fire where a group of rambunctious adults were dancing. Most families with small children had left a half an hour earlier when several members of the Royal Guard, clearly inebriated, took off their shirts and began belly dancing, horribly. The king and his generals simply stood back and watched, occasionally egging the men on.

  “I think it would be hilarious to see our fathers cut loose like that,” Xavier noted.

  Court laughed. “Don’t hold your breath, mate. I can’t see our dads ever doing anything like that. As for Erica’s dad… well, you know what he’s like. Our dads aren’t the trouble-makers like Loren and his mini-me daughter!”

  “Hey!” Erica exclaimed. “Just so you know, my dad has told me loads of stories about the trouble your dads got into over the years, and they didn’t need much coaxing from Daddy either.” She laughed before continuing, “Wow, you know what? That’s an area where you guys aren’t anything like your fathers. You can find trouble without any help from me!”

  “Hey! Take that back! We don’t cause nearly as much trouble as you do,” Court growled, poking her in the side. But Erica refused to take it back and he tackled her to the ground, tickling her until she was gasping for breath.

  He paused in his torture and stared down at her triumphantly. “Are you ready to take it back?”

  “Never,” she hissed.

  “Your funeral,” he declared and tickled her with more vigor.

  It didn’t take long for Erica to finally choke out, “Okay…okay…I…take it…back!”

  Grinning, Court stood and helped her to her feet only to get punched in the gut. He doubled over with a grunt as she ran off giggling.

  He slowly stood upright and looked at Xavier. “Excuse me. I’ve got to teach that wench who’s the boss.”

  Xavier and Robbie burst out laughing.

  “You don’t have to teach her anything, Court. She already knows she’s the boss!” Xavier blurted at his friend’s back as he tore off after Erica.

  “Robbie, it’s time to go, honey,” Mrs. Minnows beckoned.

  “Okay, Mom. I’m coming,” she called and turned to Xavier. “Will you call me tomorrow?”

  “By phone or telepathy?” he boasted with a grin.

  “I don’t care.” She laughed and kissed him fully on the mouth. “Bye,” she whispered and jogged after her mother.

  “Uh…yeah…bye,” he stammered softly, watching her go until she disappeared into the darkness.

  With a sigh, he turned and continued to watch the rowdy group of men dancing near the fire. When the music changed from an upbeat, celebratory melody to a love ballad, the partying men drifted toward the kegs, making room for couples to fill the dance floor. Then he saw them. Lana entered the celebration on another man’s arm.

  “Oh, shit,” he muttered to himself and quickly searched the crowd for his father.

  The king stood next to the refreshment table talking and joking with Loren, Ephraim, and Henrick. Something, telepathy, instinct, or simply a hunch, something drew his gaze directly to the couple. His entire body grew taut, attracting the attention of his generals. When Lana and the gentleman moved into each other’s arms and began dancing, his face grew dark with fury and his right hand twitched as though he was reaching for his sword.

  “Steady, Jer. They’re just dancing,” Ephraim muttered, but he no more than spoke the words when the gentleman holding Lana pulled her closer and whispered something in her ear.

  She pushed the man at arm’s length and laughed anxiously. “Mitch, stop.”

  Mitch laughed at her dismissively, pulling her against him and planting a long slop
py kiss on her mouth.

  “Sire, no!” Ephraim hollered as the king barreled into the dancing crowd, jostling dancers aside as he went.

  Lana saw him coming and pulled away from Mitch to point accusingly at the king. “Don’t you dare, Jeremiah Wells! Stop right there.”

  He stopped a few feet from her, huffing and barely controlling the obvious urge to pummel Mitch into the ground. “What are you doing, Lana?” he hissed.

  “What does it look like? I’m dancing,” she replied firmly.

  “You must have a broader definition of the word dancing than I do. Why are you with him? He’s…he’s…”

  “A better man than you, Jeremy,” Mitch finished facetiously, stepping aggressively forward, and the king bristled.

  “That’s King Wells to you, Mitchie!” Loren spat out.

  Mitch smirked at Loren before turning back to Jeremiah. “I don’t pretend to know what happened between you and Lana, but if I had to wager a guess, I’d say you just couldn’t satisfy her.”

  Loren and Ephraim grabbed Jeremiah as he lunged toward the other man.

  “Sire, don’t,” Ephraim hissed.

  “Yes, Jeremy. You don’t want to get caned again, do you? Though I must admit, I rather enjoyed watching your generals beat you to a pulp. I only wish I could have had a go at you. You know, it reminded me of the time when we were kids and you used empowerments against Lucy. Remember? When your father found out, he came storming into the academy and whipped you into the infirmary, and Lucy refused to date you again,” Mitch noted gleefully.

  As one, Loren and Ephraim released the enraged king. The man’s smug, self-serving grin disappeared as Jeremiah tackled him to the ground. Xavier raced toward the commotion, determined to help teach this yahoo a lesson when Henrick grabbed him. But, it appeared his father didn’t need any help. He held Mitch to the ground and repeatedly punched him until the generals finally intervened and hauled him off the battered man.

  “Okay, okay, Sire. I think Itchie Mitchie has had enough,” Loren muttered, grinning.

  “I’ll have you brought up on charges, King Wells! I’ll see to it that I get to cane you myself this time!” he spouted between cuss words.