| Chapter 91 Two weeks later ........ LaDonna walked slowly into the sanctuary, the group she'd come to know as family walking behind her. Everyone was oddly quiet. Their foot steps rang through the massive hall as they moved from the sanctuary to the tombs. The boys glanced at one another, never having seen the inside before. The holograms of the kings gave them chills. They each slowed, taking time to look and pay their respects. They owed these men a lot. If it hadn't been for them, they might not have won the battle. LaDonna stopped at her destination and looked back. A smile crossed her face as she saw the guys milling around, taking everything in. Mason moved to stand next to her, taking her hand in his. "They are good kids. I must say I'm going to miss them," he said. She nodded, "So will I. They're all like my own to me now." Mason gave her hand another reassuring squeeze, and smiled at her when she looked at him. The queen gave the boys another minute before she cleared her throat, "Guys, over here." Slowly the guys made their way to her, forming a semi circle around her and Mason. LaDonna stepped to the side, revealing what they had come to see. Next to Fredericks tomb, was a new stone. It was marked in two languages, Celestian and English. On it read the prophecy and at the bottom it simply said, It is complete. Brian marveled at Nick's hologram. Depending on which side you were standing on, you got a different view. On one side was Nick, dressed as King. His lavender eyes and white hair accentuated by his crown. On the other side was Nick as he appeared on earth. Blue jeans and a t-shirt, blonde hair and those seas of blue that seemed to stare right through you. He smiled at LaDonna, "This is wonderful." The queen nodded. "How did they do that?" Kevin asked, stepping from one side to the other. Mason laughed, "We have our ways. This one is special though, just for Nick." "The kid would love this," Howie said quietly. A.J. nodded, "Yeah he would." Marie made her way over to Brian's side, taking his hand. "When will they finish it?" she asked. The guys looked at her. "What's not finished?" Brian asked. Kevin looked from Frederick's stone to Nick's, "The dates. Nick's dates aren't on it yet." LaDonna nodded, "Those will not be added for a long time, hopefully." Everyone smiled. "We hope so too," Howie said. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Ana walked out onto the balcony and looked out. The unicorns were grazing in the fields, the suns were shining and a gentle breeze touched her long hair. She smiled, walking over to the railing and looking down at the figure sitting in the chair. "You alright?" she asked. He nodded, giving her a smile. "Did they leave already?" he asked. "Yeah, a little while ago. You can still go if you want," she replied. He shook his head, "No, I saw the vid of it. It's nice." "Yeah it is," she said, moving to sit in the chair next to him. He had a distant look on his face. One he'd carried since the day of the battle. He caught her staring and she looked away for a moment. "You want to talk about it?" she asked for what seemed like the millionth time. And for the millionth time he shook his head no. Ana sighed, "You have to sometime. You can't keep all this bottled inside you know." "Sometime," he said quietly, "Just not now, K?" "Alright," she agreed. At least that was a start. The high pitched whinny of a unicorn caught their attention. Thomas was standing by the fence looking up at them, bobbing his head and pawing the ground. Ana watched as a smile formed on his face. "You want to go down and see him?" she asked. He stared at the unicorn for a moment, then turned to her, "Yeah." "Ok, stay here and I'll get the hover chair," she said, going back into the palace. He sighed, hating how weak he still was. It'd been two weeks since that eventful day ..... the day he was suppose to die. Nick looked at himself, his left arm held to his chest, immobilized. The days after the battle were a blur to him. He didn't remember having surgery, or the countless blood transfusions. The last thing he remembered was the kings around him, then he woke up in medical attached to every monitor known to man and a ventilator. That was four days ago. Ana returned with the chair and helped him over into it. She guided it back into the palace, the little motors humming quietly. Nick enjoyed the ride from his room to the fields outside. Not counting the balcony, this was the first time he'd ventured out since he'd woken up. The suns shining on his face, warmed him, and he smiled. "I'm gonna miss this," he said. Ana nodded, "I know, so will I." He looked back up at her and grinned, "So you're coming?" "Yes, what makes you think I wouldn't?" she laughed. "I dunno. I mean my other mom is kinda ..difficult, and it is Earth. You'd have to get used to the dim light and then there's that little allergy we have to the air and all," he rambled. "Don't you know by now that I'd follow you anywhere? Even to Earth. I love you Nick, and where you are, that's where I want to be too," she said. He reached up with his free hand and she took it, "Love you Ana." "Love you too," she said, leaning down and kissing the top of his head. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Anthony sat on the throne looking at the council members. "So it's agreed?" he asked. All three nodded, smiling. "Yes my king, we are agreed," Joseph said. Anthony looked to Tunk who was seated across from him, then to Tamara and Tom. "I believe our alliance will benefit all of us. We have already received formal apologies from those that attacked us, now we just have to formally accept them," he said. Tunk nodded, "Then I believe we have finished." Anthony held his hand up, "There's one more thing. We are having a going away celebration tonight. Nick is feeling better and we thought tonight would be good, since you guys ( he nodded to Tamara and Tom) are leaving for Earth in the morning." "That sounds great," Tunk said. Tom nodded, "I agree. We could use a little celebration around here after the past couple of weeks." "Good, then I expect you all there," Anthony said, getting up, "Oh and don't tell Nick. It's kinda a surprise." The group laughed, wondering if Nick would ever again be surprised, with the abilities he had. "Ok, but don't blame us if he already knows," Tamara said. Anthony rolled his eyes, "I know. He does have a knack for knowing things before they're gonna happen and all, but lets hope for the best here people. If there's nothing else, I'll see you tonight." ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Nick sat next to the fence, petting Thomas. The unicorn purred loudly, letting Nick know he was worried about him after the battle. Nick smiled, "I know, I'm sorry I didn't come out sooner to see you." The unicorn bobbed his head, a look in it's eyes like �you better be'. Nick laughed, then held his chest, "Oh don't make me laugh, that hurts." Thomas nudged him with his soft nose. "Listen boy, I gotta tell you something. I'm leaving in a few days ...going back to Earth," he said, his voice smaller than he thought it should've been. Thomas shook his head. Nick smiled, "I know you don't want me to go, and I'm gonna miss you so much. But I gotta. It's my home, and well, I think I need to go so Anthony can get the ball rolling here. I know it's hard having a former king around ....thinking you might not be doing something just he way he did it and all that." The unicorn seemed to ponder that for a moment. Then it just looked at Nick with it's huge brown eyes. They seemed to be tearing. Nick touched the side of his face, "Don't do that, please. It's not like I'm leaving forever. I'll come back to visit. This place is a part of me now, I can't just leave it behind forever. I just need to go back and get things sorted out there ... then when the time is right, I'll be back." Thomas neighed, flicking his tail. "I'm sure. Do you think that mom is gonna let me leave if she thought I wasn't coming back?" Nick grinned. This time the unicorn seemed to laugh, and nodded its head. "See .... we'll be together again. And in the meantime, I want you to take good care of Anthony for me," he said. Thomas bobbed his head, making the promise. "Thank you my friend," Nick said, hugging his neck the best he could with one hand. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ A.J. lay on the bed looking at the ceiling, "Man, I can't believe we're leaving in a couple of days." "I know," Howie said from the chair across the room, "I've gotten used to being here. I like it." "So do I," Kevin said, coming in from the balcony, "But we've got lives back on Earth. Hell, our families are probably freaked, it's been months." "I know," A.J. said, sitting up, "That's why I'm not begging to stay a little while longer. I miss my mom." "Aww," Howie said. A.J. glanced at him, "Oh shut up D, like you don't miss your family too." "I didn't say that. I just think it's nice to hear you say you miss your mom," Howie smiled. Kevin chuckled as Brian and Marie came into the room. "Hey guys, what's so funny?" Brian asked. "Nothing," A.J. said. Kevin smiled at his cousin, "He misses his mommy." A.J. threw one of the pillows at Kevin, hitting him square in the face, "Will you shut up?!" Marie laughed, "I think its nice Alex. Shows the feelings we all knew you had somewhere in there." Everyone laughed. "She's got you pegged bro, better watch out," Brian teasingly warned. "Yeah yeah," A.J. said. "So, we ready for the party?" Brian asked. "Always ready for a good party," Howie replied. "Well, this one is special," Marie said, "All for Nick." "He'll love that," Kevin said, standing up, "Has anyone talked to him today?" "I talked with Ana a little while ago," Marie answered. "He still being quiet?" the older man asked. Marie nodded, "Yeah, but I'm sure it's just going to take time. I mean to go through everything he went through ... that's a lot to deal with." "Damn straight," A.J. said. "I couldn't do it," Brian replied. "Bri, you had your own shit to go through," A.J. said. "We all did, but to know the whole reason you lived was to die for your people. That had to be tough," Howie said. "And now that you've lived ... what then? I'm sure Nick's been thinking about that since he woke up," Kevin said. "Thinking bout what?" Nick asked as Ana guided his chair into the room. Everyone glanced at one another for a second. "Oh nothing," Kevin said, "How you doing?" Nick smiled, "I'm good Kev. The same as the last hundred times you asked me." Kevin felt his cheeks flush. He couldn't help worrying over the kid, that was his job, wasn't it? "It's cool man, I know ya care," Nick said, giving him his famous grin. "We all care, Nicky," Brian said. "Yeah dude, we love ya," A.J. grinned. "More than we can ever say," Howie added. Nick looked down at his lap, "Aw guys, stop it. I'm gonna be all embarrassed for the party." Everyone's eyes shot around the room, seeking out the person that told. Nick smiled, "What? You don't think I knew? I'm telling ya, it's gonna be impossible to surprise me ever again," he laughed, holding his side. "Well, mister know it all, we better go then. Wouldn't want the guest of honor to be late now would we?" Ana asked. Chapter 92 |