The Fallen King | ✓

Chapter 10

Luckily, Zack had Olivia on his shoulders so managed to stop her feeling any impact from the fall. Instead, she just giggled as we both clambered to our feet, apologising profusely to the security guard.

"That's it," he said in a thick french accent. "Come with me."

Zack chuckled nervously from beside me. "Now, now, this is all just a misunderstanding. There's no need to take us anywhere."

The man shook his balding head at us, the sun reflecting off of it. "Come willingly or I'll have to force you."

Knowing there was no point in arguing, I took Olivia from Zack so she wasn't put in danger by the idiotic decision he was about to make and took a step closer to the security guard.

"Look, we're just looking for our little brother. He ran o—"

The man's demeanour changed from annoyed to threatening instantaneously. "I do not care if you are the Queen of England. You are coming with me. Now."

Before Zack could object and get us into even more trouble, I elbowed him in the ribs and whispered harshly at him. "Zack, just listen to him or we'll never find Carter."

He was going to protest but decided against it, shutting his mouth, realising our brother was more important than hassling an already pissed-off security guard.

~*~*~

"Harper, I can't hold it," Zack whined in my ear.

I groaned, banging my head on the wall as Olivia fussed in my arms, crying for a nap — I think we could both do with one. "What do you want me to do about it?"

"How do you say can I use the toilet in French?"

"You do know I understand English," the security guard piped up, still looking irritated. "There's a bucket in the corner."

Zack looked from the bucket to the security guard and back again, his jaw dropped and eyes wide. "You've got to be joking," he exasperated.

He shrugged. "Take it or leave it. Wet yourself for all I care," the man grunted, putting his hat over his eyes, presumably to go to sleep.

Zack eyed the bucket, looking very uncomfortable before finally sighing and walking towards it.

"You can't be serious."

"It's this or wet myself. Carter can you turn around and finish your jigsaw puzzle facing that way please."

It turned out that security had found Carter wondering about on his own in the theme park and has brought him here to take care of him until someone came looking for him. In hindsight, I really should have considered asking security but it didn't even cross my mind at the time because I was in such a panic.

Carter stuck his tongue out at Zack, shaking his head defiantly.

"Please Carter," I said softly, knowing Zack had probably faced enough turmoil for one day.

He stared at me with a mischievous glint in his eyes that I didn't like nor trust. "Only if we can still get ice cream." That seemed too easy.

"Sure..." I trailed off uneasily and he grinned.

"And you buy me any three games I want." There it was.

I eyed him suspiciously. "Just ask mum. I'm sure she'd get them for you."

"As a nine year old, there's games even she wouldn't let me get. Something about them being too violent," he dismissed with a wave of his hand.

"You sneaky little—" Zack cut in, swaying from leg to leg so he didn't piss himself.

"Otherwise I won't turn around and I'll tell Anna about you both losing me in Disneyland."

Anna was our nanny. She essentially raised us all because our parents were both very busy with work all the time and were never home much to look after us. She may have seemed like a cute older lady but she was definitely not someone you wanted to cross.

"Well played. I knew there was a reason you were my favourite. Deal."

Carter grinned, turning to face away from Zack but even he didn't miss the look of utter shock and betrayal on Zack's face. "Carter's your favourite! What! Since when? I've been there—"

"Shhhh," I said, cutting him off, trying to conceal my laughter. "Now hurry up and pee before you actually do wet yourself."

I could tell Zack was desperate to argue with me on this but it was clear he couldn't hold it in anymore so reluctantly turned around, dropping the conversation.

In truth, Zack probably was my favourite because he had been there for me when no one else was and helped me through so much. If it wasn't for him, I wouldn't be half the woman I was today in more ways than one. Even if he was annoying and stupid I wouldn't have wanted him any other way but, obviously, I would've never actually told him this. At least, not any time soon but maybe when we were both old and grey I'd reconsider.

Just as I heard Zack doing up his zipper after finally relieving himself, the door bursted open.

The security guard, who had been contently snoring behind his desk, jolted upright, pretending to look sharp and awake.

In walked none other than Axel Knight, a shit-eating grin on his face.

"Well well, what's going on here?" he asked, clearly far too amused by the whole situation.

"What are y—" I started but was cut off by Zack.

"Finally, mate. What took so long? I had to piss in a bucket 'cause you took your bloody sweet ass time," he groaned.

I stared at Zack, baffled by what was happening. "What are you going on about?"

Zack finally stopped glaring at Axel and turned his head to face me, looking at me like I was the most clueless person alive. "Well obviously he's here to get us out. The security guard never took our phones off of us so I texted Axel to come and get us out 'cause he's here for the week as well and we both know he's a great sweet talker."

And he didn't bother to tell me? Here I was worrying about how we were going to get out of this and Zack already had a plan — his first good one in a long time — that he didn't think to mention in the three hours we'd been stuck here. Typical.

However, I didn't bother berating Zack, much too tired to actually kick up a fuss about my brother's stupidity and instead chose to focus on Axel.

"You speak French?" I asked and internally facepalmed when he nodded. That's what I decided to say first? I must've sounded so freaking dim.

"So we can go home?" I asked after a short pause, sounding hopeful, trying to drive attention away from my embarrassment — successfully it seemed by the grin on Axel's face.

Axel nodded, smiling from ear to ear. "Yep. I talked to a few of the guys and you guys are free to leave."

"Axel, you really are my knight in shining armour, you know that?"

He grinned bashfully, his ears slightly pink. "I try."

~*~*~

Fully love Zack so much can't lie... and I guess Axel is great too 😂

Anyway, sorry it's been a few weeks. Life's been pretty hectic at the moment and I've literally not had time for anything (didn't think I'd even get this out ngl) but things should be calming down in a week or two so everything should be going back to normal soon.

Either way, I hope you liked the chapter and it made you smile :)

Until next time my amazing readers, bye xx