THE CROWNED SHE

TWENTY-FOUR.

"No, your grace." 

[SIGHS]

"Ahmed!" The queen roared. Ahmed ran into the throne room within a few minutes. 

"Yes, your Grace?" Ahmed bowed.

"Tell the king, I desire to see him at once! We have an important issue at hand." She ordered. Ahmed bowed before following orders.

"And you..." She pointed at Miriam. "Send for a carriage at once, we will be going to England right now." She ordered. Miriam curtseyed before she ran out of the room.

"Mother[CLEARS THROAT] will this be the right time to share my news with you?" Rashida asked smiling.

"No, Shida. How can you be so thoughtless? Your sister is missing and all you care about is your News? You should be worried." The queen hissed before walking out of the room.

[SILENCE]

"Unreasonable. After all, it's good news I bring to this family, But all Kleo does, is bring misfortune and nothing else. [HISSED] .

********************************

[FOOTSTEPS APPROACHING]

"Your grace, you have visitors." 

"I did not agree to any visitors this weekend," Charles said.

"It's the King and Queen of Thebes... They are here to see you, Sire!" 

[INHALES] "You may go." He said. 

"The king! And queen? In my palace? But why? I hope Kleo is alright?" He thought.

Charles walks into the drawing room. He takes a bow before seating on his chair.

"What do I owe this unexpected visit." Charles chuckles then stop when he sees the seriousness in the King's and the queen's face. His smile changed to a straight line.

"My apologies my prince for the unwelcomed visit, but we only come here in peace and fear." The King said.

"Fear? My king, what has caused you this anxiety?" Charles asked.

"Have you seen Kleopatra, My daughter?" The queen cried out.

"Not at all" He replied smoothly.

"And I thought you had her, I will have to speak to the royal council about my... missing daughter"

Charles blinked. "What missing daughter?" 

"You do not know?" He asked.

"I know nothing of this, my king" 

"She wasn't seen in her chambers," Rashida said rashly.

Charles shook his head, speechless and incensed. 

"I will seek the return of your daughter," Charles said. The king and the queen stood up in shock.

"Thank you, My prince, we will wait patiently for the safe return of our daughter." 

*****************************

"You are joking your Highness?" Haley said, staring at Charles.

"I am not, Haley, what if she is in trouble? God knows what those people would do to her." He fidgeted.

"When did the princess become your responsibility, Your grace?"

"It's my responsibility to protect the princess and so it's yours to protect mine," Charles said, putting on his helmet.

"[SIGHS] And since when did this princess become your responsibility, your grace?" Haley asked.

"[INHALES] Look, Haley, I know you do not like the princess but she is in trouble out there and I need you...[HALEY SMILES] to protect me and bring the princess home safely." Her smile turned into a straight face before she nodded her head.

"Ok, your grace, as you command." She walked out of the room leaving Charles in complete shock.

*******************************

[INDISTINCT CHATTERING]

"Tell the king that we got his daughter..." A deep voice said.

Where am I? And how did they know my father?

"Take off the sack!" The same voice roared. I jerked at the sudden touch on my skin. The sack was taken off from my face at one second, leaving me to adjust to the blinding lights of the room. My vision became clear when I spotted five men in the room and another familiar figure seated on a chair at my front, it was... Sebastian!.

"Oh good, the princess is awake." One of the men at the right said.

"Sebastian! What... what are you doing here?" I asked.

"Owww! Looks like someone recognises you, Master." Another man said.

"Shut up! You... "Sebastian points to one of the men."Take her to her room and tie her up there." Sebastian ordered.

Tie me up? My room? What sort of nonsense is this?  One of the men dragged me up the stairs, throwing me into the room. I run for the window to escape but he caught me by my leg, and then tied me to the legs of the bed. 

"[CHUCKLES] Where did you think, you were going? This building is a hundred feet away from the ground... So do you want to die, Princess?" He laughed.

"I'd rather die down that ground than to watch you look like a pig." I spat out.

"[CHUCKLES] Wow, Princess, were you never told that a princess should be amicable and civilised?"

"So I should stay muted and die, You bastard, you have no shame." I cursed."My father will come looking for me... And I promise you, you will not see the sunrise." I said, threatening him.

"We will see, Till then, Princess!" He laughed. 

[DOOR CLOSES]

[BANG]

The sound of a gun corked, My head shot up when I heard the sudden bang at my door. I tried hiding behind the beds but the chains in my hands were the obstacles.  The door came crashing to the floor. Looking outside the door, there is a knight... A lady knight. Wow She wasn't dressed in the knight clothing of the Thebes, it looked like she is English.

"Thank you!" I said when she took off the chains from my ankle

"It's not my doing, it's the prince... He said I should get you out of here." She said without showing any feeling.

"Is he here?" I asked

We must go now, The prince awaits." She dragged me up as we ran through the double doors. I do not see Charles anywhere but just knights with their swords striking Sebastian's men. She dragged me into the carriage and locked me in Before walking back to the building. Two minutes later, She walks out of the building with Charles behind her.

"Charles!" I called. He looked into the carriage and smiled as soon as he saw me.

"Kleopatra! Thank goodness, you are safe." He brought her into his arms and hugged her tightly.

"You saved me!" She said.

"Yes, of course, I did and I will always protect you." He smiled. Haley rolled her eyes as she watched the two clicking together.

"Alright, Your grace, it's time to take her to her parents at once," Haley said.

Charles stared at Kleo before speaking. "Haley, Kleo will be returned to her family tomorrow, but it's quite late, so we would spare her a room in the palace," Charles said. Kleo smiled.

[HALEY GROANS]