CHAPTER 80: UNREASONABLE (2)

’Pfttt!’

Currey coughed out to mask the laughter that had threatened to come out.

"Chicken-bodied person?" The man was tall, lanky and had the appropriate packed body, which was out on display underneath the apron. There was nothing pointy nor terrible behind that. He was the embodiment of almost-perfect, at least in the eyes of the high-school fan girls on the scene. Currey kept this analysis to himself, afraid to voice it out loud.

He ran his hands quickly across the keyboard and brought up the man’s information on one of the many screens.

"He is madam’s high school friend, and twenty-five years old. He never furthered his education. He is an entrepreneur who owns that hot dog mobile truck. He also sells wine and cheese in the evenings."

Currey summed up the information, never daring to say that he was Shelby’s crush.

’I love my neck the way it is.’ His thoughts made him run his hands over his neck.

Ian, studied the information, his heart coiling in almost a hurtful stance at the way Shelby allowed Royston to stand close to her.

"Why is there no sound? I want to hear what he is whispering to her!"

’This camera is already very far away and we have zoomed in to the maximum, now he wants sound? This jealous irrationality has only begun but I am already fe-’

"What are you waiting for?"

"Your majesty, at this time, this is very impossible... I-"

"Impossible? Why is it impossible? What do I pay you for?"

’Technically, not enough for all these.’ Currey thought but could not bring himself to say the words.

"I will work harder so that all feed coming in will have the sound as well."

Ian did not respond to this, but his face was set in a grim line, softening around the edges when his gaze landed on Shelby.

"What of those penguins gathered behind there as if they are cold and staring at her?"

"Penguins?"

Currey was perplexed. There were no penguins in the footage they saw. In fact, there were no animals on site. But the way Ian spat out the words one after the other in the most frigid way made Currey thankful that they were viewing that through the computers and not in front of them. It also told him that the penguins might be-

"Oh, the men behind her on the other side of the street?"

"You call those men?"

"But wh-"

Currey never dared to complete his statement this time. In the video, he could see the eager and lusty gazes of a group of men who discretely tried to follow Shelby.

"Get those penguins off her back and put an eye on the Chicken at all times."

Ian gave out the instructions and turned to leave when he saw Shelby get into the car finally.

Unbeknownst to Shelby, who had not seen the ’penguins’, those men were put in a sorry state just after the car had left. They were left in a remote alley not far from where she had found Ingrid. They were all almost unconscious and piled on top of one another.

Just after Ian had left, a blaring sound, sprung up from one of the computers in the far corner of the room. It looked to be a monitoring or detection system of a sort. For the first time in a long time, the smile fell off Currey’s face.

He pushed his copper-coloured hair aside and took a deep breath. His fingers danced across the keyboard with lightning speed, as if they had a life of their own.

"Bring it on! Definitely not on my watch! You will not get through!"

After a few minutes, he paused, and a satisfied smile spread across his face. This did not last long though.

"Shit! They found out!"

He had been able to hold off a major part of the intrusion, but at the end of the day, part of the information had seeped out.

’I guess we have to prepare for the inevitable then!’

***

"Twirling red tendrils swirled across the sky. The calmness of the skies had nothing in common with the tension and hyper-active emotions going on, on the grounds.

A thin man hurriedly walked across the beautiful meadows before arriving at a castle.

Four solid, square towers formed an almost perfectly squared barrier around this marvellous and enchanting-like castle which were connected by towering, firm walls made of light red stone, almost matching the twirls atmospheric phenomenon, creating a somewhat creepy but beautiful feel.

Crude windows were seen scattered generously across the walls in a seemingly random pattern, along with holes of various sizes for various purposes. The man reminisced briefly on the past when archers and artillery had occupied those areas.

A huge gate with heavy wooden doors, a draw bridge and archer holes guarded the only passage into the castle built upon a mountaintop in the meadow, and it was the only way in, at least to those unfamiliar with the castle and its surroundings. He was very familiar, so he did not bother going up this way. He spread out his four wings and zoomed around the castle into a secret entrance only known to few.

He zapped through the giant trees to the small side gate that was almost invisible to the naked eye.

"This castle has clearly stood the test of time; the rocks of the walls are aged, and vines and plants still grow inside the cracks, but this castle will still last for ages to come."

He whispered as he zapped through the side gate into the premises unnoticed.

In there, nothing moved, not a leaf quivered, but over the silence brooded a ghostly calm. The mould in the lower parts of the castle made it gloomy and cold.

Finally, he emerged on one of the upper floors and joined the stream of people going into one room.

"We have waited years for this. I think that the time is ripe now to choose the next successor to the throne!"

"What are we choosing? The Prince is almost of age and the throne has been left vacant for long so we have to-"

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN PRINCE? He is not in line to the throne yet! Roman is the only successor chosen by the gods..."

"Roman is dead!"

"We have no confirmation of that yet! Also, without burying him, you know that we cannot do anything about any successor! Prince Syla is proof of that. Even though he is Roman’s brother, he still could not ascend! How do you think you can crown his son?"

Silence engulfed the room, each person lost in thought as the truth sank in. It was a revelation they were aware of, yet hearing it aloud sent shivers down their spines over the last occurrence when they had tried this.

"The throne cannot remain vacant any longer, the time is nigh!"

"Let’s prepare for the coronation! We can get the witch to perform a ceremony that may help Prince Simon ascend!"

"Let him ascend!"

"Let him ascend!"

.

.

.

"Let him ascend!"

"Let him ascend!"

The chant went on for some time until the thin man rose up, causing the whole place to become quiet.

This was because it had been ages since anyone saw him. His presence was not announced at the start of their meeting, either. The room filled with people then held a stagnant suffocating feeling.

"What brings you here Brian? We are honoured to have the company of the knowledge and bookkeeper of our realm. Is there anything noteworthy that has brought you all the way here?"

Brian did not meet anyone’s eyes as he said in a voice so low yet audible enough for everyone on the room to hear,

"I think that he is alive!"

Pin-drop silence!

"Say that again? Who is alive?"

Brain met the gaze of Prince Simon who had spoken, unflinching.

"Is this confirmed?"

"I think so..."

"He is either alive or not! There is no grey area in between this! IS HE ALIVE!"

Brain let out a heavy sigh, "Your majesty, all indications point to this. We have to investigate further in order to arrive at a concrete result."

"And where did this tentative information come from?"

"The humans!"

"What!"

"Bastard! He went to the one place we never thought to search! Keep monitoring this from your end Brian."

Prince Simon remained in a thoughtful stance pacing up and down in front of all his advisors and council.

’All this work cannot go to waste. Uncle Roman cannot turn up just when I am about to reap my benefits! Since he is assumed dead, then he should remain dead!’ an evil gleam crossing his eyes.

"You!" he pointed to one of the council members,

"Get a team ready to visit the human world!"

They sucked in their breaths in surprise. "We’re going there?"

*********

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