Chapter Three.

The doors went wide open. They saw the King and Queen sitting on they’re thrones.

Cletar was impressed by the looks of room, and of the parents of Aiyren.

“AIYREN!” The queen jumped out of her chair, and pulled Aiyren towards her.

“Where have you been?” she asked. “I was worried about you! What happened?” Sophen asked demanding with worried voice.

Arian stood up, and walked towards the boy, still standing in the door opening.

“What is your name, boy?” he asked.

“My name is Cletar Traccis, my Lord.” You could see he was impressed.

“Well, Cletar, can you tell me what happened?”

“Yes my Lord.” And Cletar began to tell the King what happened. That he found Aiyren, and looked after her with his big sister Misj and his mother Elissa.

“Cletar my boy, you took good care of my daughter. I want to reward you, as a sign of gratitude.” Arian said calm.

“My Lord..! That... That would be an honour!” said Cletar.

“I want to reward you by giving you, to be the student of Captain Russo, so you can take his place when it is time.” Arian put his hand on Cletar’s shoulder, and he watched at the King with sparkles in his eyes.

“Wow... Captain of the army!” he whispered.

“I will find two rooms for you, and your family. You come and live here on the Castle, so you can start as soon as possible.” Arian told him.

“Now, go and tell it to your family. I will be expecting you back in a week.”

Cletar smiled happy, and then he walked away, to tell his family.

After that, Aiyren and he barely saw each other. In fact, they saw each other so seldom, that Aiyren forgot about him..

~

Meanwhile, Aiyren turned 15. It was a nice age, and the only friend she went along with, was Bethina. She was her best friend, and Aiyren did not care about the fact she was princess or not. Aiyren loved it to wear her hunter’s suit and run through the forest, climb in the trees, and swim where it was forbidden.

Bethina was exactly like her. They did not care for the rules, for what was forbidden, and what was not. But the same time, they tried not to exceed them.

Today they were exploring the Castle again, and this time they were close to the room of Hhorz, the lieutenant.

“AIYREN GWENDOLYNNE ANNA-GÛL!!!!!!” he yelled loud, while storming out of his chamber, searching for where Aiyren could have been hiding.

“Ow crap” Aiyren whispered to Bethina, and crawled further back under the table, which was covered with a large piece of fabric.

Bethina looked at her, warning her with a finger on her lips. Aiyren nodded.

“AIYREN! Where are you?” they heard Hhorz calling through the hallway.

Aiyren and Bethina didn not move an inch.

Then, suddenly, the fabric lifted up.

“Aiyren you are so smart..” said Timoo, the kitchen help.

“And why is that?” she asked, and saw that Bethina was blushing. She liked Timoo for a very long time, but was too afraid to tell him.

“Well, for starters, NEVER let your feet stick out.” He laughed. “Come, I’ll help ya”

He gave the two girls a hand, and helped them up from under the table.

“Follow me” he motioned them, and then pushed on a panel in the wall, that opened with a little click.

“You two first” he pushed the girls inside.

When the door was closed again, he asked; “what did ya do this time? The last time I’ve seen Hhorz that mad, you two put syrup in his pillow on a very hot summer day!” Aiyren and Bethina both could not stop laughing.

“Yeah, that was sure a very good one!” and she giggled.

“But this time! It was something VERY different..!” They could not hold they’re laugh..

“Well, tell me then! What did ya two do this time?” Timoo giggled, and became very curious.

“Well, it is like this: Hhorz prefers his AstroScope very much. So we made a few little.. Adjustments to it.” She said, smiling a bit evil looking.

In the meantime, they arrived into the kitchen, and the three of them sat down on the chairs.

“well tell me, ya making me way too curious! And you two are going to tell me now!”

He winked at Bethina, and her ears went deep red.

Aiyren beckoned him to come closer, so she could whisper it.

“You know he likes Giselde so much? Well, we gave him something to remember her for ever!”

Bethina and Aiyren laughed very loud, and Timoo could not make any sense of it anymore.

“It comes to this; we placed a little picture of her on his AstroScope. A picture he will never forget” Timoo looked at her with a little doubt.

“I don’ wanna know what kinda picture it was..” He mumbled, while he got up to pour the tea in the cups.

Aiyren grabbed her little notebook, and looked into it.

“Who will be the next victim?” she wondered, and looked up.

“Bethina?” She asked. Bethina looked immediately to the page.

“We have to pay back Kivell, for what he did to us. Then we will be standing square again.”

“Bucket on the door?” Bethina nodded. “But which substance?” she grinned.

“Tomato sauce?” Aiyren asked. “Or cold water, feathers, mowed grass?”

“Let’s take the grass. That won’t give such a mess.” Said Bethina. Aiyren sticked out her hand, and accidentally knocked down her tea.

“Deal.” She said, and stood up the fetch a towel.

~

The day afterwards they put their plan in functioning.

“You got the grass?” Aiyren whispered to Bethina. They were sitting in a corner, while they held Kivell his door in sight.

“Yes, it is under my skirt, in the bag.” She whispered back.

“He is coming! Shhh!” Aiyren warned her, and they standed up again.

“You really should go and talk to him Bethina” Aiyren said.

“You know I can’t!” she said, a bit panicked.

Kivell had spotted them, and walked towards them.

“I know what you two are up to, ladies. But I will NOT let you! I will stay in my room, so you cannot do anything.” He said, with a big smile. “I know you two” and he winked.

“Well..” Said Aiyren, who was hiding the bag behind her back now. “Then we will be doing it here, right in this hall!” and she tipped the bag over his head, with help from Bethina.

Then, they ran away, laughing out loud.

“He he.. We caught him good this time!” Bethina said.

“Whoa.. Yes..” Aiyren said, breathing deeply. “Shall we go to my room?” Bethina nodded. “Chess?”

Aiyren looked at her. “You bet.”