The little city
“What is it?” Warrick asked.
“We can invade the country and force him to step down” Kierra said.
“And how do you intend to do that? You’ve got no army”, Derrick asked
“Do we have an alliance with Atlantic?” She asked.
“No, dad didn’t regard them as a strong country”, Derrick said.
“Why?”
“Probably because it’s a small country”, he said, shrugging.
“Mmm he’s my father, so I’ll reserve my comments”, she said and Warrick
laughed.
“Anyway. I think we need them now. At the training center, I learnt a lot on
all the countries and one thing is Atlantic has is a strong army”, Kierra said.
“I’ve always wondered why smaller countries have stronger armies. Who
are they fighting? No one has their time”, he said and Kierra glared at him.
“I’ve always wondered why the strongest man in a country will decide to
tour the world instead of being by his mother to protect her and the country”,
Derrick said to him.
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“Are you blaming me for that? What could I have done? Fight all the guards
there?” Warrick asked.
“We could have swayed the Lords to our side or stopped Fredrick long time
ago!” He said.
“It’s Okay. It’s happened already. We have to focus on fixing things now”,
Kierra said.
“True but how do you want to form an alliance with them?” Derrick asked.
“I have a close friend there. She’s the daughter of the king and I’m sure if
we talk to her, she can get her dad to listen to us”, Kierra said.
“Hmm, so do we write a letter to her?”
“No. We pay her a visit”, Kierra said and smiled at the thought of seeing
Gabriella again.
“How do we get there?” Derrick asked.
“I’ve still got some money on me. I’ll use it to hire a carriage for us”,
Warrick said and they nodded.
*
Atlantic
“Dad, I can’t marry him”, Gabriella said to her dad.
Ever since she returned home from training, her parents have been
pressuring her to get married to obtain alliance for them and secure a king
for their kingdom but she wanted to get married to someone she loved and
not just for alliance.
“It’s your duty to secure an alliance for the country”.
“I understand and I’ll secure one just give me time to get one myself”.
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“And what about marriage?”
“I’ll get a husband myself. Just give me time”.
“Hmm, Gabriella you’re breaking our hearts with this. So you didn’t even
spot anyone at the training center? What about Joshua? Ever since you got
home, you’ve been speaking about him”.
“He’s my friend, I don’t like him like that and he’s into my friend, Kierra”,
she said.
“Ahah! Kierra. Have you heard from her? You said she has three brothers
right?” He said.
“Dad!”, She said widening her eyes.
“What? You might probably like one of them?”
They were both arguing when someone knocked on Gabriella’s door.
“Who is it?” She exclaimed.
“My princess you’ve got some visitors?”
“Visitors?”
“Yeah. A lady and two gentlemen. The lady goes by the name Kierra, we’ve
searched …”
“Kierra!!!” She exclaimed, looking at her dad.
“Kierra Kierra?!” Her dad asked in excitement.
“Yes!!” She yelled and she ran out of her room.
Kierra and her brothers were at the visitor’s lounge when Gabriella ran in
with a huge smile plastered on her face.
“Kierra”, she yelled.
“Gabby!!” Kierra yelled and they both hugged each other.
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“Oh my God. I can’t believe this”, Gabriella said in excitement.
“I’ve missed you so freaking much”, she said, hugging her and Warrick
cleared his throat.
“Oh, my bad. Hello”, Gabriella said, smiling at them.
“You must be Kierra’s brothers. I’m Gabriella”, she said, giving them a
handshake.
“Nice to meet you”, Warrick said, smiling and Derrick smiled too.
“Kierra, why are you dressed like a peasant and where are your troops or
guards? Don’t tell me you were attacked on your way here?” Gabriella
asked.
“I’ll explain everything to you. We really need your help”, she said and now
Gabriella’s smile diminished.
“Now I’m worried”, she said.
“Is there a place we can talk?” Kierra asked her.
“Yeah. Come with me”, she said to them and they followed her to an inner
room.
Kierra and her brothers told her everything and Gabriella felt sad for them.
“I’ll talk to my dad and I’m sure he’ll be willing to help”, she said and they
nodded.
“I’ll be right back”, Gabriella said and she left.
“Mmm, she’s beautiful”, Warrick said.
“Can you just focus on what we’re here for. It’s not always about women”,
Derrick said.
“Derrick loosen up. The world isn’t coming to an end. You’re always so
hard on yourself. It’s okay to admire God’s creation”.
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“We have serious issues at hand”.
“And how does admiring a beautiful lady affect that?” He asked. “Besides
I’ve got eyes for just one lady now”, he said and Kierra widened her eyes.
“Ahah! I knew it! Now you admit that you like her”, Kierra said, teasing
him.
“Hope don’t get involved in this. Let’s be focused”, Derrick said.
“Loosen up Derrick. Who doesn’t like love?” She said, battling her lashes.
“That’s my girl”, Warrick said, giving her a high five.
“And it’s Kierra. Stop calling me Hope. I don’t know what your parents
were thinking when they named me that”, she said and Warrick laughed.
“Kierra!!” Gabriella’s father exclaimed when he walked in with his wife and
Gabriella. They all got up on their feet out of courtesy.
“God just answered my prayers by sending you here”, he said, smiling.
“Dad”, Gabriella said, face palming.
“Oh sit”, he said to them.
“Gabriella, you didn’t serve them anything?” Her mother asked and
Gabriella looked away.
Her mother sent for the maids and asked them to bring water and drinks.
“I hear you’re all from Navara. I’m sorry about your Dad’s death”, the King
said to them.
“Thank you”, Warrick said.
“I heard you have something important to tell me”, he said and they nodded.
They told him and the Queen everything and they both felt really sad for
them.
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“So you’re the miracle baby we’ve all been hearing of”, the Queen said.
“Yeah”, Kierra said.
“We heard that you were dead. We heard that twice so I’m not surprised that
you’re back from the dead the second time”, the King said, laughing.
“We’re willing to help you. If God indeed chose you, then we’re at your
service”, the King said and Kierra smiled.
“Thank you so much. We’re very grateful”, she said to them.
“You’re welcome Kierra. You don’t know how happy I am that you showed
up with your brothers. Are they single?” He asked.
“Dad!!!” Gabriella yelled and Warrick laughed.
“He is single and ready to mingle”, Warrick said, pointing at Derrick and
Derrick looked away.
“Jeffrey stop it”, the Queen said, whispering to her husband.
“Alright. So we’ll meet tomorrow and discuss more on our alliance and then
plan this invasion”, the King said.
“Thank you your grace”, Kierra said.
“I know you’re all tired. So I’ll let Gabriella show you to the guest rooms
and then we’ll meet for dinner”, the Queen said and they nodded.
“See you at dinner, Derrick”, the king said to him and Gabriella was
embarrassed.
The king and Queen left and Gabriella took them to the guest rooms.
*
The palace
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Fredrick went to the dungeon to visit his mother. When she saw him, she
turned away.
“Mum, I know you’re angry at me but you caused this. You betrayed me
several times by locking me up and lying to me”, he said and she ignored
him.
“When I become the king, I’ll release you. Right now I don’t want you to
come between me and my throne. I’m going to get crowned soon”, he said,
grinning.
“My Hope still lives and she’ll be back to overthrow you”, she said and
Fredrick laughed.
“Hope? She’ll be dead soon, you think I’m stupid. I’ve sent people to
assassinate her once and for all”, he said, laughing.
“You failed mum!” He yelled and he left.
Atlantic
Kierra, Derrick, Warrick, Gabriella, The King, his Queen and advisors were
at the conference room, forming the alliance.
The alliance documents were passed around and they all read through and
signed it.
“Congratulations”, one of the advisors said and they all applauded.
They had a little feast and got to know each other.
Derrick and the King were conversing and talking about King James and
everything that happened in the country during his time.
Gabriella was with Kierra whiles Warrick and the Queen were conversing.
Warrick made the Queen laugh and told her all about his mother.
Kierra and Gabriella were talking about everything that happened after she
left.
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“So Lucy did that to me. What at all did I do to this girl?” Kierra asked.
“You took Kayden away from her”.
“I didn’t take him away from her. We were just opponents”.
“Mmm, just opponents? When you were sick he was always at your side
and took good care of you. That doesn’t sound like an opponent to me”, she
said and Kierra smiled. She was happy that Kayden took good care of her.
“Joshua was also my opponent and he treated me nicely too”, Kierra said,
trying to prove a point.
“Of course! Because he has feelings for you too”, she said.
“Hmm, have you heard from him?” Kierra asked.
“Yeah and he’s always asking of you. He really likes you Kierra but it’s
obvious that you have a thing for Kayden”.
“I don’t”.
“Stop lying to yourself, you do”, she said and Kierra rolled her eyes.
“Have you heard from him?” Gabriella asked.
“No, and I don’t think I will. He’s really a self-centered person”, Kierra said.
“Yeah right. Bad mouth him all you want but he cares for you and I know
that you do too”.
“I don’t and I can’t be with someone like him. He’s uhmm, I don’t know but
I need someone like uhm…”
“Joshua??”
“Yeah Joshua”.
“Do you like him?”
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“Mmm yeah. He’s a lovely person and he has a great personality”, Kierra
said.
“Okay. Anything you say”, she said.
“And you, don’t you have anyone? Your dad really wants you to get
married”, Kierra said, laughing.
“I don’t know why they give Queens such pressure but don’t do the same to
Kings”, Gabriella said, frowning.
“Well, hopefully I won’t get that pressure”.
“Get back home and claim your throne and you’ll see. But you already have
yours figured out. I mean you have two to choose from, Joshua is there and
Kayden is wherever he is”, she said and Kierra glared at her.
“What? It’s true”.
Kierra was about to speak but was interrupted by King Jeffrey.
“Gabriella if you don’t mind, I’ll love to steal Kierra for some time”, he said
to his daughter.
“Feel free”, she said to him.
“Alright. Derrick is over there, you can go and talk to him”, he said, winking
and he left with Kierra.
Gabriella stood there staring into empty space till Derrick approached.
“Do you mind?” He asked, pointing at the seat in front of her.
“No, I don’t”, she said and sat opposite her.
“Your dad is trying to make us a thing and I promised to speak to you and
woo you so could you just pretend a bit”, he said and Gabriella covered her
face in embarrassment.
“My dad just keeps embarrassing me every single time”, she said, looking
away.
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“It’s normal. My mum does that to me every time we have a feast or an event
in the palace. She’s always pairing me up with different maidens”, hesaid.
“Really?” She asked, laughing.
“Yeah. The other time she even paired me up with my own cousin. I don’t
know if she forgot or what”, he said and Gabriella burst out laughing.
“That would have been really awkward”, she said.
“It was”.
“So you’ve still not spotted anyone yet?” She asked him.
“Not really. They are just the same and after my money and royalty”.
“Exactly! All the men my dad brings to me are just after the crown. No one
is really interested in me as a person and I want someone who will love me
and love my country as well. I can’t just let anyone become the king”.
“True, so how do you intend to find someone like that?” He asked her.
“I don’t know. You’re a prince and I’m sure you have a lot of friends. Maybe
you could introduce some of them to me”, she said.
“My friends are jerks. They’re just after women and the ones that are
married are not even faithful to their wives”, he said.
“Hmm, that should speak a lot about you”.
“No, no. I’m different. I just know them because I grew up with them and
trained with some of them”.
“Okay and you didn’t meet any lady at the training center that you were
interested in?” She asked.
“Not really. You?”
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“Not really and you know we’re not allowed to let any other person know
our country. So I didn’t really try to look for a spouse”.
“You people are so dull. My time, before leaving, we told our friends our
countries and we bonded more after we left”.
“You people are just law breakers and I told Kierra and Joshua my country,
so I’m not dull”, she said to him.
“Mmmm, you’re still dull”, he said, laughing.
“Get away”, she said, also laughing.
“Your country is really beautiful. I’ve not seen anything like it before”.
“Thank you. Do you want me to show you around?” She asked.
“Yeah, sure”, he said.
“Alright, let’s take a walk”, she said, getting up and he followed her.
When they were leaving, Warrick saw them and he cleared his throat.
“Mind your business”, Derrick said to him and he left with Gabriella.
*
The palace
Fredrick was in his throne room with his Lords. They were all busy planning
the coronation.
“Your grace”, one of his messengers said to him.
“What is it?” He asked.
“May I speak to you in private?” He asked and the King stepped aside to
listen to him.
“I’ve got bad news”, he said.
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“What is it?”
“Hope was nowhere to be found. She’s left that city”.
“What? To where?”
“We don’t know yet”.
“What do you mean by you don’t know? Find her and kill her”, he said,
angrily.
“Yes my prince”, he said and he left.
*
Penelope and John were able to persuade Fredrick to get married to her and
accept her baby.
So he planned to divorce Angela and get married to Penelope a day before
his coronation.
Ever since he announced to everyone that Penelope was his future Queen,
she changed towards John and everyone. She became extremely rude to
them.
She was in her new chambers dressing up, when John walked in.
“What are you doing here? And how did the guards even let you in?” She
asked.
“I’m your brother. Remember?” He said.
“What do you want?”
“I’ve missed you”, he said, hugging her from behind.
“Stop it John. Fredrick can walk in here anytime”.
“I know but I’ve missed you and it’s been a while since we made love to
each other”.
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“I’m pregnant, John. I can’t”.
“But you sleep with Fredrick everyday”.
“I’ll be his wife soon and it’s my duty”.
“Just this once please. We could even go to my room if you want”.
“No John. We have to stop seeing each other”.
“Penny don’t be like that. I did all this for you and this is how you want to
treat me?”
“John, I know you did this for me but if we get caught all our plans will
shatter”.
“I understand but as soon as we incapacitate him and make me reagent,
promise me that things will get back to normal”, he said and she nodded.
“That’s my girl”, he said, trying to kiss her but she moved away.
“Please go now”, she said and he observed her for a while and left.
*
Atlantic
They were all making plans towards their invasion when the messenger
walked in.
“My princess there’s someone here to see you?” He said.
“Who is it?” The king asked.
“Prince Joshua of Belcalis”, the messenger said.
“Joshua?!” Kierra exclaimed.
“Surprise!!” Gabriella said, winking.
