We walked into the spacious room, it was filled with crates and boxes filled with oranges, trinkets, jewels and others that all seemed to be offerings.
I looked ahead and saw a few paces away a man and a woman sitting on two very distinct and beautiful chairs, thrones fit for a king and queen.
Behind them was a ginormous stained-glass window showing a collage split into 14 parts, each showcasing different people, their names just below each of their pictures.
Only the older-looking man who seemed to be in his early 40s with a crown on his head didn’t have the signature green eyes encrusted into the fragile portraits of the others in the picture, his were brown and his hair black while the eldest woman, who I assumed was his wife, the queen had the brightest green eyes amongst them all and the purest looking locks of platinum hair.
My eyes wandered as we walked closer and closer to the man and woman awaiting us on their seats of power and I saw through the names.
The man’s name is Julius and then there are 6 boys, all with black hair and green eyes.
Three looked older and three looked very young approximately my brother’s age.
The three oldest names as predictably expected were Jason, Leonhardt and Mike.
The three youngest were Aristotle, Caine and Eburhardt.
Then there were the 6 girls, and just like the boys, 3 oldest and 3 youngest.
The three oldest are Emily, Rin and Lilith while the youngest 3 are Daphne, Elrosa and Ren.
All of them looked dignified in their royal-looking clothes and girls in dresses and boys in suits.
My attention snapped back to reality as I bumped into Mandy, “watch it loser! You’ll soil my designer clothes!” she snapped.
I apologized and noticed that everyone had stopped and all were looking at the man and women in the woman in their purple and gold thrones bedazzled with jewels and diamonds.
The woman looked exactly like she did in the window portrait but the man had piercingly black eyes and red hair.
‘Had the queen re-married?’ I questioned deep in thought, “King Frederick and Queen Anastasia of Lulatina” Introduced a woman in a formal green floral dress, with blue eyes and the goldest of gold hair.
“Please address the queen and tell her of your needs travelers” she commanded
As if on que Mr Hing walked front and center in front of the other 3 teachers, being the more diplomatic one amongst them.
Mr Hing is a fair skinned, skinny but muscular man as could be seen with both how he walks and the shirts he wears that are both formal and make effort to show a bit of his build.
He is quite the handsome 36 year old chinese man who of which those who have not met yet think he is 17 of age.
He gave a polite bow, “queen Anastasia and king Fredrick-”
“-more like king Fre-dick” silently mocked Steve in the back with his friends, “Mr South, i will not hesitate to reprimand you right now! Keep quiet and have some respect you brat!” scolded Mrs Russo who then looked to Mr Hing and nodded to him, gesturing him to continue on with his speech.
Mr Hing sighed and looked at the queen, “apologies for our students, as i was saying, we have no idea where we are or how to get home, we are hoping you could help us with that before our poor student’s parents start to worry and-”
My mind trailed as i remembered my parents and brother, i quickly took out my phone and checked for any messages, there were none.
Neither my parents nor my brother had texted or called and when my eyes drifted to the top of the screen i saw that there was no service and my battery was at 20%.
“I got no service too since we got here Avery, im really sorry” Valery said sadly, then laid a comforting hand on my back, i looked at the floor digesting this, my heart racing in ache as i felt the dread enveloping my frame.
I sighed and looked up-front to the king and queen, trying to find a distraction, any distraction.
I looked to the queen who was looking boredly at Mr Hing as he went on speaking his case and then my eyes drifted to the king, who in my shock was staring directly at me.
His dark pool eyes pulling me in, unable to look away i stared back at him in confusion, he looked at me blankly but grimly, a look that would seem to be of distain to others but somehow i felt that it seemed to be curiosity and observation at best.
Out of nowhere i saw his eyes come to life, brightening as if he just snapped back to reality then he smiled at me which snapped me out of the trance and i avoided his piercing gaze,Mr Hing finished speaking and looked at the king and queen for their verdict.
The queen, even with her beautiful eyes, she stared at him with a cold and unphased stare while resting her pale skinned head against the hand perched up on the arm rest of her throne.
“Where is the part where i care Emily?” She sighed boredly, her eyes looking to Princess Emily who looked nervous at her mother’s indifference but spoke in confidence, responding back to her she said, “They have Leonhardt,Mike and Jason with them…..mother”,
“Oh..? Is that so..” the queen chimed, interest seeming to bloom in her voice.
Her eyes roamed amongst the crowd of students and 4 teachers in the room.
“Where are they?” She asked, and as if on que, everyone responded by parting and giving way to the three boys, Leon as the front of most students and Mike and Jason a few paces in front of me and Valery.
“Hello boys, aren’t you going to greet your beloved mother?” the queen asked half sarcastic in tone at her last 3 words. This story is hosted at g.com.
Mike rolled her eyes and Jason went silent, Leon looked at his mother with glee “Hello mother, i went to look for these two losers but unfortunately the only way i could get them alone and unable to react to the transportation spell was with this trip, and ended up bringing these useless extras with us, im sorry for giving you a possible eyesores from the sight of these useless beings” he said, the queen smiled fondly at him and sat up right, resting her hand on the armrest and looked at us all with delight and amusement.
“Leon, you are an idiot, were you stronger you could’ve fought these two and dragged them here by the ear, even if they were bloody with broken bones I’d have healed them with my love and chained them for their disobedience” she said with a cold smile.
“Very well then, My 2 rogue sons will be dealt with in the meantime, lets keep these extras as pets for my menagerie, maybe my maids will enjoy seeing normal humans, they and some servants can endulge themselves in other ways as well.” She giggled.
My stomach sank as i felt the urge to run and a hard lump of dread in my neck, i looked around, fear in my eyes when i saw that most of the other students next to me and some behind me had the same look of fear.
I looked at the queen, who had a menacing but innocent smile, a beautiful woman who looked just as deadly.
The air tensed at the thought of this woman hauling us off to be playthings for her servants and minions, the silence was deafening, all that could be heard was a fly buzzing around the room in the distance which got close to the queen at one point.
She snapped her fingers and the fly was silenced, the room going eerily quiet once again.
Princess Emily was glued to her spot, not daring to turn and face her mother as her own eyes widened in fear while staring at the void.
Her eyes met with mine,she looked at me in pity and sympathy but not even moving an inch to our defense.
I looked at her with just as sad a gaze when i remembered all Mike and Jason have told me, and how Mike was so early emancipated amongst other things.
Perhaps this woman is a big reason why they were unhappy, why they ran and why they lost trust in others before they could even give trust.
This woman had the most beautiful emerald eyes,yet the person who looks through them is as ugly as the ugliest trolls.
She had an ugly aura,an ugly personality and an ugly heart.
We were all hoping for a miracle, for anyone or anything that could save us from a fate worse then death and sway the queen’s intention.
To be continued…