Chapter Twenty Five

"Welcome!"

Kaelen turned to stare at an older looking man with gray hair and eyes that looked remarkably similar to his own.  He scowled darkly as he looked around the all-white room, wondering where he was.

"Don't look so fierce," said the old man laughing as he swept his hand toward two white chairs that hadn't been there before.  "Let's have a seat and talk."

Kae hesitated before walking to a white cushioned chair and sat down.  Cocking an eyebrow he stared at the stranger questioningly.

"You have questions and I am here to answer them," began the old man in an  overly chipper tone.  Plopping down in the other white chair he added jovially, "All you have to do is ask."

Kae sighed as he glanced around in frustration, "Where is Mia?"

"Hmm," said the old man as he stared at Kae with knowing eyes.  "I knew you would ask that question."  Flicking his wrist a large screen appeared on the wall.  "Watch and learn," his voice trailed off as the screen lit up and Kayla sat on a wrought iron stool with a pale pink cushion. She stared unseeing out the window of her suites at the palace.  Acadia ran a brush through her curls while she talked gently to her.

"You miss your brother but I'm sure he wouldn't want you to be like this."  Acadia stopped talking to look at Kayla's reflection in the mirror.  She sighed because the girl's gaze was fixed out the window not listening.  "If you don't get better soon Lucas will tire of you."  She watched hoping for a response.  "Do you want your brother to be sad, you are his Mia?"  She smiled slightly when Kayla blinked.  The brush never paused as she continued to speak to her about her brother.

"I remember when Jacob brought him to visit our home...." the screen faded as Acadia started to tell the story of meeting Kaelen for the first time.

"What is this?" Kaelen had watched the screen completely confused as to what he was seeing.

"That is where your sister is.  She is waiting for you?"  With a laugh he continued.  "Not knowing it is you who waits for her."

He abruptly stood up and pointed to the man, "What does that mean?" Looking around the white room suspiciously he continued, "Where am I then?"

The man remained seated as he stared at him amused, "You'll soon find out."  In his old and calm voice he pointed back to the empty chair, "Sit back down."

Kaelen didn't want to sit down. He wanted to know where he was and what was going on.  Glaring at the old man, he ran to one of the four walls then pushed against it then looked down at his hands in disbelief.  He knew he'd pushed against the wall but it felt like he'd touched an impenetrable nothingness.

The old man cackled  and walked to a different wall. In a voice full of reprimand, he said "Did I not tell you everything would be explained to you?"

Kaelen stared at him angrily, "I want out of here!”  he yelled loudly.

The old man walked through the wall and before he disappeared he said, "I'll come back once you've calmed down."

Kaelen stared with his mouth open and ran toward the other wall. "Wait!"  The old man was gone leaving him in the white room with two chairs.  Sliding down the wall, he just sat there knowing he wouldn't be able to leave this place any time soon.

Kaelen sat sullenly on the floor as time slowly passed.  He was lonely, hungry, worried and tired.  The chairs had disappeared hours after the old man left but the display on the wall had remained.  Every once and a while it would flicker and show Kayla.  Every time she came on screen she had the same far and distant look. He knew she was trying to reach him.

He got up and  hit the wall weakly, "Is your plan to starve me to death?"

The old man appeared through the white floor this time laughing, "You are not starving.  Believe it or not you are being well taken care of."

With a wave of his hand toward the screen new images appeared.  He was lying motionless on a bed with tubes sticking out of him.  There was a woman talking quietly to him holding his hand.  She had wavy black hair, light brown eyes and a honey skin tone.

He looked again around the room and then back to the screen in time to see Acadia walk into the room. "Harmony,” she began, "you should give it a rest now.  It’s been seven days already. He isn't responding."

Harmony smiled at Acadia, "But he isn't slipping deeper either. So there’s still hope."

Acadia stared at the machine reading his brain waves, "No he seems to have stabilized a lot."  Moving to a different seat she sat down and ran her hand over his head.  "I wonder if he'd want his hair cut while he's like this."

Harmony looked toward the handsome and immobile face, "I think he would."

Acadia waved her hand over his head and the hair that had grown longer was once again cropped close to his head.  "He has lovely hair, though."

Harmony smiled and  looked at her auntie, "I'm sure he doesn't feel the same or he wouldn't keep it cut so low."

Acadia ran her hand over his head and smiled vaguely, "I'm sure it would stand out on Nah'Bye."

Harmony nodded while she continued holding on to his hand, "Will he wake up?"

Acadia paused as she stroked his head and looked down at him puzzled, "I don't know."

Kaelen turned to the old man, "Where in Hades am I?"

The old man gazed at him with warm eyes, "You are where I want you to be."

Kaelen closed his eyes and sighed as he stared at the man. Thatdidn't really answer the question.  Looking at the man again he asked, "What answers do you have for me?"

The old man waved his hands and the white chairs appeared again, "What questions do you have for me?"

Walking to one of the seats Kaelen smirked humorlessly, "Where's the food? I'm starving."

The old man laughed but waved his hand and a small table with fruits and breads appeared.  Kaelen picked up a very red fruit that tempted him.  "I wouldn't eat that," said the old man as he took it away and bit into it.

Kaelen cocked a brow as he looked at the other small red fruit and grabbed a brown roll instead.  Biting into the warm yeasty bread he chewed thoughtfully. When he was done "Why wouldn't I want one of those?"

The old man cackled again, "I'll let you know when you should eat one.  But wait a little while and let me answer some more of your questions."  He bit into the sweet and juicy fruit again.

Kaelen licked his lips as he watched the red juices from the fruit slide down the man hands and arms.  For some reason the fruit called to him and he wanted to eat it very much.  He took a deep breath and released it, "What do I want to know?"

The old man wiped his hands on a napkin, "Kaelen," he began quietly.  "What happened to your mother?"

Kaelen froze as he looked at the old man woodenly then answered, "She died of an illness."

The old man picked up another red fruit and polished it on the sleeve of his tan robe. "Did anyone else die from this mysterious illness?" he inquired biting into the fruit.

With a frown Kaelen thought for a while before he finally answered, "Yes there were four others who died from the illness."

The old man took another bite of the fruit, "Really?"

Annoyed Kaelen exploded, "Why are you asking me this?"

The old man rose, "Maybe I should come back when you've calmed down."  With that he started to slowly sink into the floor.

"No wait!"  Kaelen didn't want the old man to leave just yet.

Stopping the old man seemed to rise from the floor again.  "Yes," he gave Kaelen a bright grin.

"Tell me why you asked,” he said a little more calmly.  "Tell me why I'm here."

The old man sat back down with a plop then waved his hand toward the screen. "Let's watch something."

Kaelen looked questioningly at the old man but said nothing as he turned his gaze toward the screen.  It flickered once, twice and a new image appeared.

An man with dark blue hair spoke.   "Kevin, I'd like to present a gift to you."

Kevin looked up from his readings and stared blankly at his father.  Beside him stood a young girl that couldn’t have been more than 19 years old.  She was looking at the floor shaking uncontrollably.

"Go introduce yourself, gift."  With a mighty shove the girl fell to the floor on her knees in front of tKevin.  Her body shook uncontrollably as she tried not to cry.

Kevin looked past her to his father and said in a bored tone. "I'm not interested."  He stood and was about to walk past the sniveling girl when he heard her actually start to cry.

"Well if you don't want her I guess she can be put the death like the rest of her family."  Artemis’ hand rose and a sword appeared.  He swung it down toward her cowering body.

"That's not necessary," sighed Kevin as he realized he was sentencing the girl to death if he didn't accept her.  He grabbed her by the shoulder and lifted her up. She made small noises of pain that he ignored as he roughly pulled her to her feet.

"So you'll take your gift like a good boy?"  Artemis turned and laughed as he left his son with the sobbing girl.

Kevin looked at her and said bluntly, "Can you stop with the crying.  It's annoying."

The girl looked up at him with tears in her brown eyes.  "I-I-I'm sorry, my lord."

He heaved a sigh then ran his hands through his hair.  She was staring at him like a lost puppy and he didn't like it at all. "What is your name?"

"Laurel," she began quietly, "Laurel Mace."

"Laurel Mace," he repeated. "And why, Laurel Mace, are you being presented to me as a gift?"

She glanced away from him, running her hands down the skirts of her dress before she shrugged at him.  "I don't know, my lord."

"Why was your family killed?" he asked in a harsh tone  as he stared at her wavy brown hair.

"My father refused a request from Lord Artemis," she said quietly.

Kevin grabbed her by the nape of the neck and forced her to look at him, "You are trying my patience.  What request did my father have?"

She sobbed as he manhandled her, "I don't know, my lord."

Raising an eyebrow, he looked at her, "You’re a horrible liar." The girl tried to avert her eyes but it was too late. He was already probing her mind.  She gasped as he tore through her mind with no regard, "Now I see. My father wanted you as a gift for his only son and your father refused."

He stared down into her heart shaped face and grinned evilly, "What a slap in the face if I'd continued to reject you.  You and your family would have been killed for nothing."

He watched dispassionately as her eyes teared up again, "Stop with the crying. I won’t say it again."  With his hands still entwined in her hair he shook her head roughly, "It is annoying me."

Kaelen stared confused from the screen to the old man but didn't say anything as the images continued.  He watched as the girl was made into Kevin's paramour. They made love and Kevin rejected a wife not wanting to hurt the woman he'd started to care about.   As the drama unfolded he would glance at the old man and see him grinning foolishly at the screen.  With a shake of his head he watched in silence as Kevin argued with his father.

"I will marry who I want," yelled Kevin as he glared at his father.

"You will marry Wendy Sampson in one week or you will no longer by my son!" yelled Artemis furiously.  "You will not reject another Ah'Tarian woman for Laurel! She is your paramour and not of Ah'Tarian descent!  She will not be able to give us an heir!"

"Who is this ‘us’ you speak of?  I don't need an heir!" yelled Kevin with finality slicing his hand through the air, "I will marry who I want."

Artemis stared at his son, "Like I said if you do not marry Wendy in one week’s time you are no longer my son."

Glaring at his father defiantly he whispered, "Then I am no longer your son. I will leave Ah'Taria with Laurel and we will settle somewhere else.  I renounce my name and claim to the first and second seats."

Enraged Artemis roared in fury, "I will kill that whore before I let you do that."

Kevin cocked an eyebrow at his father, "I dare you to try."  With that he smiled and  walked out of the room.

Kaelen shifted in his seat and looked at the table again that held the red fruit and the breads.  Reaching out he grabbed one of the fruit.  As he raised the tempting fruit to his mouth it was slapped out of his hand.

"No, no, no" Laughed the old man as his eyes twinkled at Kaelen.  "Not yet."

Kaelen picked up another roll and turned his attention back to the screen.  He watched as Kevin and Laurel left Ah'Taria and settled on Rayia.  They lived happily in a manor home and after several years had two children.

Kaelen frowned as he looked at the screen, Ah'Tarians couldn't have children with other races, he thought.  Shrugging he'd dismissed that and continued to watch.  Kaelen watched silently as Kevin and Laurel lived and died and their children lived and died and this process continued.  He watched as their family branched and split and branched more.  Then the screen flickered to an image of his mother.

A young woman sat under a tree reading from a handheld device nodding as she mouthed some of the words.

"Laurel, we want to speak to you."

Laurel looked up and pushed her wavy brown hair from her face as it tumbled around her.  She smiled at her father as she placed her reading material to the side.

"Father, why are you being so formal?"  She asked this question as her gaze slid to another man then quickly turned away.  

The pair joined her on the ground as she stared at them both questioningly.

"I have decided to accept Clifton's request for your hand in marriage."

She stared at her father as if he was crazy, "We’re related. I refuse. And to be completely honest I don’t like you."  She didn't even hesitate as she looked at the man with greasy blond hair and green eyes.  

"Who are you kidding?  We’re distant relatives. Your marriage partner will be my oldest son," Clifton said in a smug tone.

.  "Am I not allowed to refuse?" she pitted this question toward her father.

"Of course you are, Laurel.  "But before you decline don't you think you should meet him?"

She shook her head and stood up, "I doubt that will make me change my mind. But since it’s what you want that's fine."  Walking away she tried to keep her hips from swaying as she didn't want that oily Rayian watching.

Kaelen watched and listened intently as the drama unfolded.  He was in disbelief as his mother met a young man with wheat blond hair and light gray eyes.  He watched as the man courted his mother and she fell in love with him.  They were married shortly after and he stared in confusion as her stomach grew big with child.  He couldn't take his eyes away from the screen while her husband and another person talked:

"According to our test she is pregnant with a healthy boy."

Oscar smiled as he stared at whatever the woman was showing him.  "This is perfect.  A boy just like those whores are having."

"Yes, he will be born a few weeks after Queen Celeste and Lady Acadia are to give birth."  The lady responded as she pressed buttons on a handheld device.

"Can you tell what his power level will be?" asked Oscar gleefully as he started to pace the room.  "Will his power level rival their children's?"

The woman smiled as she gazed down at the screen, "His power level will be on par with theirs."

Turning to face the woman he said, "I need his power level to surpass theirs.  He will be the downfall to Ah'Taria’s rule.."

Laurel gasped as she listened to her beloved husband and the woman talk.  They were talking about overthrowing the Sinclairs and Lawsons.  She covered her mouth as she listened on.

"I have injected Laurel with the materials that will ensure your child is stronger and more capable than either of their children can ever be." The lady  reached into a bag and pulled out a yellow syringe.  

Laurel recognized it immediately and stared blankly at her arm.  Eliza had been injecting her with a syringe that looked like that from the moment she'd announced she was pregnant.  Kaelen could see the anger clearly on her face as she rubbed her stomach then heard her say, “He means to make our child a guinea pig.”  She shook her head as she listened on.

"If this works I will impregnate her once more before getting rid of her permanently.  She will have served her purpose,” Oscar stated dispassionately as he stopped pacing in front of Eliza.

She was smiling at him, "Yes," she purred before passionately kissing him.

“I won’t stand for this.” Kaelen never took his eyes off of Laurel who watched dazed as her beloved husband made out with her medic.  The look on her face spoke volumes about her disgust.

Laurel looked away as he raised the woman onto the table removing her underwear.  She turned on her heel and quietly walked away with tears in her eyes.

Now she prepared to leave her home when her father came to visit. "Laurel I understand you are about to go to the market."

Laura gave her father a half smile that didn’t reach her eyes, "Yes I'm going to get some things for the baby's room."

He reached his hand out and touched her stomach, "This child will bring about a much needed change."

She gave her father a hug and a kiss on the cheek. Next  she pulled on a shawl made heavy by the rare and precious gems hidden inside pockets before leaving out of her home.

“Just keep watching,” the old man said when Kaelen glanced over to him. “Don’t look at me look over there.” Kaelen frowned before he turned his attention back to the screen.  The woman on the screen that looked too much like his mother boarded a public commuter for the market.   He watched as she purchased three tickets that went to different planets but boarded the transport that took her to Aisu.  After arriving at Aisu she traded the gems for royals and purchased three more tickets and went to Chikyu.  Three days later she arrived at Chikyu and she purchased a new family history and background.  She purchased passage under an assumed name from Chikyu and went with a peaceful convoy who were bound for Nah' Bye.

He watched as weeks passed and she met a man that resembled his father and fell into a pure love with him. Three months later she gave birth to a healthy baby boy.  The man was overjoyed even though the child wasn't his.

Smiling at the squirming bundle Clarence Ward asked happily.  "What shall we name him, my love?"

Laurel looked at her husband and smiled as tears ran down her face, "Let's name him Kaelen."

Clarence looked over to the midwife who had delivered his son, "Please record his name as Kaelen Matthew Ward." He then turned to Laurel and kissed her on the lips. “Once you are back on your feet let’s make it official.  We will have a wedding ceremony and your name will be added to my family's register.  We can raise Kaelen and our other children in this home.”

Laurel nodded her head enthusiastically as she said yes over and over again.

Tears streamed down his face in disbelief, Kaelen turned to the old man and cried, "What is this?"  He pointed to the screen then turned back to the old man and waited for answers.