| Chapter 38 The plane ride was quiet for the rest of the trip. Even the landing was smooth. It was when Mikkos spotted several cars with the family flag flying on the hood that he got up tight. Things got worse when two very sophisticated men greeted him at the bottom of the landing platform. One was the representative from Russia and the other one was the Queen�s representative. Luke watched from the window as the men bowed to Mikkos as they greeted him. �What�s going on?� Luke asked as he helped Laura gather her files together. �This is normal,� Laura assured Luke. She did make a mental note on keeping him as far away from the group as possible. One slip up would cause havoc for all of them. It wasn�t a good time to tell Luke what was going on just yet not this close to the airport. Mikkos stood by talking to the two dignitaries as the others climb into the waiting limos. Mikkos told the men that the family was tired and was just ready to go the hotel. It kept him from introducing Lucky and Luke to them. It helped when Lucky exited the plane with Lu in his arms. So, the men didn�t think much of it and they talked about business while they waited for the luggage to be unloaded. On the way to the hotel, Lucky laid his head back resting a bit himself with Lu sleeping soundly against him. BJ was looking out the window at all the new sights. �Aren�t you excited?� BJ asked Lucky. Lucky laughed and said, �You forget that I spent the first ten years of my life traveling the world. I have been in England before,� Lucky said not bothering to open his eyes with a wide grin on his face. Josh and BJ looked at each other and laughed. They have forgotten that no place was really new to Lucky. He was used to changes and adapted to it easy. The two teens talked about what they saw and enjoyed the rest of the trip. Lu woke up by the time they got to the hotel. Unlike her brother, everything was new to her and she saw the place like it was an adventure. �Wow,� she said as she walked into the grand hotel holding her mother�s hand. �This place is big!� �Yeah, it is,� Laura said remembering the last time that her, Luke and Lucky were in England. They stayed at a small hotel near the docks in Liverpool. The only great thing about that place was that it had two beds. So, Lucky didn�t have to bunk with his parents. This hotel was different a lot different. The entire family was treated like royalty. They didn�t have to stick around to long near the desk before being ushered up to the hotel�s best suite of rooms. Everyone quickly vanished when they entered the suite of rooms. Mainly because they didn�t want to be around when Luke and Lucky found out the truth about this visit. Luke was lying across the bed resting while Laura was unpacking a few things. Ruby walked into the room and asked Luke, �Can we talk for a moment?� �Sure,� Luke said sitting up and smiling at Ruby. Laura smiled this tight smile and said, �I think I�ll go help Lu unpack first.� As she quickly left Ruby sat beside Luke, who was starting think something was up. Maybe it was the look that Laura gave Ruby when she left that was the clincher. �What�s up?� He asked smiling at his mother. Ruby sighed and sat down. �Before go half cocked on me, I want you to hear me out.� �That bad huh?� Luke said crossing his arms and glaring at her. Ruby figured the only way to do was to tell him out right. So, she did. Luke didn�t say word when she was done. He just got up and started for the door. �Luke!� Ruby said pulling on his arm. �You can�t leave.� �Watch me!� Luke snapped as he kept on walking. �Damn it, Luke! There is a very good reason for this,� Ruby pleaded with him. �I don�t want to hear your reason! I told Mikkos a long time ago. I�m not playing the prince roll!� �Then loose the club!� Ruby snapped getting upset with him. �What are you talking about? This family has nothing to do with my club!� Luke said turning around to face her. �No it doesn�t but you�re the prince and like it or not if you give up that when Mikkos dies. Then you give up everything and that includes your club!� Ruby said sitting down on the bed in frustration. Luke walked to her and sat down. �How?� he asked. Ruby sighed and said, �Right now as things stand everything that Mikkos owns is yours at his death. Everything you own goes to Lucky at your death but if you give it up. You give everything you own up to the family that includes your club. Mikkos is trying to separate what was built after the revolution as separate property. This way when he dies all of that can go who ever he wants. If not, then like it or not you have stay the prince to keep the family ripping everything a part.� Luke got up and started to pace. �You mean those vultures could come in and take my club?� Luke asked her. �Yes but not only the club but your home, Laura business, and everything that Mikkos ever bought. They would do it out of spite and you know that! Now you can start over, hell so could Laura, Sonny, and a lot of the others but what about Stefan, Alexis, and Victor? All they have ever known is this family. This is their life. Do this for them! Luke, all you have to do is put up being the prince for three weeks that is all Mikkos is asking,� Ruby begged him. Luke looked in frustration and said, �I don�t know how!� Ruby nodded and said, �Think of it as a con. You�re conning the rest of the family to keep them out of what think they should get. Besides, this is the first time that Russia and all of Europe is even going as far as acknowledge Mikkos as the crown prince. This means a lot to him. So, if you can�t do it for the money and the others. Please do this for me and think as a wedding gift.� Luke groaned and said, �They put you up this because they knew I couldn�t say no to you!� �I was hoping,� Mikkos said as he walked into the room. Luke looked up at Mikkos and said, �I�ll do this one time but no more. I don�t care what anyone tells me then!� Luke looked at Ruby while he said that last part. Ruby hugged him and said, �Thank you.� �Cowboy know about this yet?� Luke asked wondering if even his own son betrayed him. Mikkos shook his head no. �Ah, we didn�t tell Lucky either.� Luke laughed wondering how Mikkos was going to talk Lucky into this and said, �Well I�m not telling him. You want him to play the prince roll. Ask him yourself!� �Thanks a lot,� Mikkos said turning around and heading for the door. He figured he might as well get it over with and to tell Lucky the truth before he found out some other way. Luke got up and started for the door with this cocky grin on his face. �I think I�ll go into the living room.� Ruby shook her head as he left. She knew Luke saw a fight coming on between Mikkos and Lucky. She wondered who was going to win? Lucky could be as stubborn as his father but one difference. Luke loved his club. Lucky could careless about any of that. Mikkos was going to have to think fast to get Lucky to agree to any of this. *************************** Lucky and Josh were lying on their beds resting. Mikkos walked into the room smiled at Josh and said, �Ah, Josh, can I talk to Lucky for a moment?� �Sure, Mr. Cassadine,� Josh said quickly leaving the room. Mikkos scared Josh. They guy had a way of talking to like he was ordering you around when he really wasn�t. Lucky sat up smiling, �What�s up?� Mikkos took a deep breath and smiled at his grandson. He didn�t beat around the bush. He laid it all out for Lucky. �For get it!� Lucky said when Mikkos was done talking as he started to get up. �Ok, then the scholarships that I promised five medical students go with it,� Mikkos said. He hadn�t thought about how to get Lucky to say yes until he saw Josh. It was Lucky that talked him into giving money to start a scholarship found for medical students. At first Lucky thought Mikkos was joking but then he realized he wasn�t. �You planning on dying on me soon?� Lucky asked back. �No, but the family knows that you don�t want to be prince. Someone of them have been questioning about the detail of waiting. They say that since the countries don�t except us as royalty why should they go by the old world laws. This trip if it works out will quit them down forever. I�m not asking you to be princes for life. I just need you to be the prince for three weeks. After that being the prince will be almost meaningless,� Mikkos said as he sat down beside his grandson. Lucky rolled his eyes and said with very little enthusiasm in his voice, �Ok, you have three weeks.� �Well, you took this better then your father did,� Mikkos said smiling. �I bet I did,� Lucky said giggling just thinking how his father reacted to this news. �I assume that since you are alive that he said yes. So, what was your hook to get a yes out of him?� �His club. You see what ever the prince owns is part of the entire estate,� Mikkos replied. Lucky shook his head and said, �That�s low! Very low!� �Yeah, but it worked,� Mikkos said smiling a pleased smile at his grandson. Chapter 39 Back to Trials of Love |