Xenophon was pushing Nombu up the stairs. Nombu was trying to retain his dignity, but there were so many stairs, even Xenophon and Alcander. Alcander sweat a bit more that Xenophon, and only I knew the reason why. To an onlooker from the side, it looked as if Alcander too was pushing me, forcing me, up the stairs. Actually he was supporting me, dragging me up the stairs, doing all the work for me, without making it noticeable unless you knew that I couldn't move my legs. We were almost to the top. Alcander had removed my blindfold halfway up, much to Xenophon's disapproval. I had been staring at the palace ever since.
Immense columns rose out of the ground and seamlessly attached to the simple style roof. It was huge, people were bustling all around, and I would like to say I've never seen anything like it before, but I have. That was what got me the most, it looked strangely familiar. I felt like I had been here before, but it was different somehow. Trumpeters stepped out into view and blared a short commanding melody to which everyone rushed inside the large, double doors. Once the people left, it reminded me of a deserted place, some ancient world I had learned about in history. And then it hit me. I HAD learned about it in history. It was the Parthenon, but as it would have been during the Greeks rule, completely intact. It was amazing! I gasped, suddenly everything clicked. All these foreign names and words I had heard were not actually foreign at all! They were very similar to the Greek language. I couldn't believe it. This was like an alternate universe that was both Earth's past and futuristic at the same time.
A noise broke my musing. "Ahem." Alcander put a chubby finger up to his lip with a pointed stare and then motioned for me to look ahead. We were just walking through the large double doors. A large crowd parted to make a large aisle for the four of us to walk down. I saw three figures waiting ahead. As we got closer I picked out Napah on the far right. He smirked, looked towards the wide man next to him, saw a growing frown and started to wring his hands. The wide man's face was now turning a very deep shade of purple, accenting the green, solid, hunk of metal on his head that slightly resembled a crown. The woman standing next to him looked at him with disgust, but also at me with worry. Her green, intricate, dainty crown made her emerald eyes pop. She was a beautiful creature, and that is an understatement.
A gravely voice interrupted my admiration. "This is no longer a public gathering." A murmur went through the crowd. Whispers wafted through to me. I caught things such as, "He can't do that!" and "What else is he trying to hide from us now?" The man with the crown spoke again, instantly hushing the crowd. "In order to protect you I must continue this in private. I will deal with this miscreant on my own. You are dismissed." With a shuffling of feet and constant mutterings, the purple people filed out.
"Napah! Why would you make this a public hearing!?! Do you want everything we've worked for to go down the drain?" He hissed. "The public can not know that he exists. What am I going to tell them?"
Napah cringed away from him. "Yo-your s-sire...I-I," he stuttered, "I apologize. I d-d-did not m-mean to cause you any problems! I do my best to please you. I will have the Evac post a notice all over Kevtpo immediately saying that it was merely a mentally ill citizen. In fact, I will even have notices printed and sent out through Oeon, and delivered to every Apxikn." He continued in an even softer whisper, "I will also have them keep an ear out for any suspecting citizens overstepping their bounds." Napah pleaded trying to regain his reputation.
"Humph, I guess it will have to do. How do I know that the Evac, your so called elite soldiers can follow through inconspicuously? I can't afford any more mistakes. They are watching me, making sure everything follows through. The citizens have to be completely unaware and keep this place running. If they stop working nothing here will work, but they can't know that. Everyone is watching me now, and it would blow your miniscule little mind if you knew what they are capable of."
Napah continued to ensure the man that citizens would forget after a short time and everything would be back to normal and back on track in no time. I had almost thought that Nombu and I had been forgotten. Nombu had long dropped the ignorant and loyal citizen act. He was listening intently and growing more and more angry.
I had been paying even more attention to the woman than their conversation. I couldn't take my eyes away from her. Throughout the entire discussion she had acted as if she was not listening and completely bored, but I saw the worry and panic grow on her face increasingly as the exchange progressed.
"Whatever! I grow tired of your insistent sniveling. I need to take care of these two. More than enough dangerous things have been said in front of them already. I will get you out of the way first Nombu." He said pointing a bony finger. "I have tried to let you just work this out of your system. What have I ever done to you? Why can't you just let me take care of my plans? Now I am going to have to figure out how to dispose of you without causing an uproar."
Nombu leaped up from where he had been sitting on the floor. "What have you ever done to me? You have worked the loyal, loving people of Koohoc to the bone! You broke my family apart, took HER away from us. My children can't get an education and have fun like kids should. They have been forced to work and slave for you. They have lost their innocence and have been corrupted! My babies have to be grown ups! Koohatians bend over backwards for you and you treat us like the track of the Tpaivo. You disgust me." He spat. "We are the ones who keep this place running and you blame us for the problems! You sit here and do nothing and act so busy. You are all a show. But wait, you have been busy lately haven't you! Plotting, scheming, taking advantage of us, some King you are. I don't know exactly what you are up to, but looking at you, it can only be bad. What gain is it to you to keep other life beings secret from us? People are catching on you know. The suspicion won't stop by getting rid of me. Many are on to you. A lot know even more than I do. Mark my words; I will stop whatever it is you are doing, even if it means my life!"
The King laughed, trying to cover up the anxiety that had crept up into his features. "That day is coming sooner than you think Nombu. It will be so tragic. You tried to help argue freedom for this mentally ill creature," he mocked, motioning to me, "people will believe it. They all love you because you will help anyone. But then, things turned fatal. In his poor state he became confused and turned on you. He had pulled a knife on you before the Evac could even react. Such a sad story...hahaha, I am a genius! Am I not, Paia?" He gloated turning to the stunning woman.
She flashed him a brilliant smile, batted her long eyelashes, and almost floated over to him. I could smell the ocean as her skirts swished by me. "Oh my dear Iox, silly me! I'm afraid I haven't been paying attention at all." She planted a sweet kiss on his cheek. "I've been thinking about my books that you call childish." She teased. I was amazed. What happened to the worried, seemingly intelligent woman before? The person in front of me was a mindless bimbo wrapped around the finger of a man. She tilted her head to the side, stuck her bottom lip out and pouted "I'm bored, are we almost done?" "Yes my sweet heart, just go sit back down in your throne. I will be finished with this in a minute." he replied. She turned around shivered and rolled her eyes, disgusted. Her face was back to stone again. She caught my eye and crossed her fingers subtly. I was so confused. What was this woman up to?
She returned to her seat just as Iox continued, "Alcander, take Nombu down to the deepest depths of the dungeon to stay until I can dispose of him more discreetly. Nombu shuddered but held his head high. He left with words of luck for me and a curt nod to the Queen resulting in shock on her part, followed closely by the looks of a plan formulating in her head. For the King, only the words "Koohoc deserves better." and then he was escorted out the door by Alcander.
Iox then turned to me. "Now for you. Who are you? No, no, more importantly, where did you come from and how did you get in here?"
"Your sire, I can answer that last one." Napah cut in.
Annoyed the King turned. "Oh, really? Please, go ahead. I have all the time in Koohoc." he said sarcastically.
"Your Highness, I have been getting reports from the citizens that the Anoon have been acting up. The Anoon have been reportedly sucked out of the boundary and also coming back in carrying strange things."
"And why didn't I know about this?" Iox was beginning to become angry now.
"Well, Sire, I-I tr-tried, but your Highness said not to bother you with such trivial things as the concerns of the workers.
"Never mind! It is too late now! Make sure the Evac keep a special watch on the Anoon. I want each one inspected daily.
"But-but, Sire! There are so many! That would take half of the troops. It would take so long to make sure each one only holds the supplies specified. I really don't think..."
"Enough already! I've heard enough of your jabber for today. You heard my orders, and I think you'd do best to follow them." Nothing else was said. He faced me again. "Now, where were we? Ah, yes, where are you from, and why are you here? Answer me quick boy and this will be a lot easier."
I tried to be like Nombu and keep my composure. "I am from Earth, I have no idea how I got here, and as for why I am here, I wished it."
Iox glared at me. "You wished it? What is that supposed to mean? Are you saying that Earthlings know about Koohoc? I thought they were still ignorant and full of themselves thinking that they were the only ones in the entire universe. This could ruin everything! And why do you disrespect me? Stand up! Actually, I'm done here. Unlike Nombu, I can kill you immediately. Xenophon, find the Evac who can dispose of this creature immediately."
"We are not full of ourselves; we just haven't found any other life yet. I cannot stand. That is how I got here. I wished to go to a place where I could be a normal kid, and walk, and run. I won't tell anyone about Koohoc, I promise."
"I don't care. I haven't seen a good Evac execution in a long time. This should be exciting."
"Iox, dear! Is this really necessary?" an angelic voice called out. "I mean look at him. He's pathetic. He can't even stand on his own, what harm could he do? Ooh! I know, he can be my little pet! Oh it will be so exciting, like the stories in books that I read where people have different creatures that they train and take care of! Please, please sweetheart! Can I keep him?!?" Paia jumped up and down like a little girl.
"Would it really make you that happy darling?"
"Oh yes! It would mean the world to me! I have never asked you for something like this before. Just this once, please."
"Your Highness, I don't mean to interrupt again, but I really think this is a bad idea. He needs to be disposed of to insure your plan follows through without any inconveniences." Napah pleaded.
Iox completely disregarded Napah and sighed, "I can't believe I'm doing this. Just this once, but the moment he becomes a nuisance he's out. Do you understand?"