Kyle walked through the castle corridors, with Pix 74 and Zinka 42 leading the way. There was another checkpoint that halted their progress. Pix 74 spoke with the guard and he granted them clearance into the inner courts, where the royal residence sat just a short distance away.
Just ahead was a drawbridge which overlooked a large moat. The drawbridge led to a grand portcullis. Just past the portcullis were the grand double doors that went to the chambers of the royal family of Renzin. Sentries were posted before and after the drawbridge. More were posted on both sides of the portcullis with the remaining two posted, guarding the double doors on either side.
"No aliens are permitted beyond this point." Pix 74 told Kyle. I will speak to all the guards to grant us permission into the castle. From there, you will wait at the entrance while I seek permission to have an audience with the king. You wait here with Zinka 42."
Pix 74 proceeded forward, speaking to all the sentries before being granted permission to proceed forward. He spoke to the sentry by the portcullis and the other one raised it up to let him pass through. After Pix 74 was in, he lowered the portcullis back down.
Kyle's eyes raced all over the place. He only hoped that by looking at the guards he didn't do anything wrong. "This place is very secure!"
"It has to be." Zinka 42 told him. "Beyond those double doors are where the royal family of Renzin dwell. Their living chambers are there, as well as the throne room."
Another sentry walked forward, glancing at both Kyle and Zinka 42. He walked past all the checkpoints and spoke to the sentry by the double doors. He then came back to where Kyle and Zinka 42 were standing before the drawbridge.
"Pix 74 told us about your situation." The sentry announced. "I will escort you to the double doors. Follow me!"
Both Kyle and Zinka 42 carefully followed the sentry over the drawbridge, with Kyle being the most careful. The sentry past the portcullis raised it and the three of them proceeded through. The portcullis was swiftly lowered after they were inside. Pix 74 was waiting there with the two sentries on either side of the grand double doors.
Kyle glanced up at the double doors. Each door looked to be at least 40-50 feet tall, he guessed. Each door had a large ringed handle made of polished bronze.
Both sentries exchanged glances and pierced their gazes at the party of three. To Kyle, they looked very intimidating. The heavy armor combined with masked helmets and grand swords made him quiver with fear and excitement at the same time.
"We will let you all through on one condition." The left sentry boomed. "After we let you all in, the alien waits at the entrance until further orders are made."
"Agreed." Pix 74 said, nodding.
"You said that you wanted an audience with the king, right?" The right sentry repeated to Pix 74.
"Yes." He said. "I already told you that."
"The guard inside will have to watch the alien until you seek permission from the king. As you already know, we are very wary of outsiders, and will not let them out of our sight. Do I make myself clear?"
"Very clear, sir." Pix 74 said, saluting him.
The sentry that escorted them nodded. "Let them in!"
Both sentries by the double doors grabbed the large ringed handles and each gave a swift tug until both doors were completely open. Kyle followed Pix 74 and Zinka 42 into the castle and the double doors were immediately shut.
Kyle was in awe when he saw the lavish interior of Renzin Castle. The carpeting that marked the walkways are in purple, red and white linens. The flooring was made of pure marble and the pillars were made of ivory. Guards all stood at the entrance of each narrow corridor. A large golden creature stood at the center of the four ivory pillars in the grand entrance of the room.
The guard at the entrance eyed the three that entered with suspicion.
Pix 74 addressed this by stepping forward. "We found this alien in the southern hills of the Renzin kingdom. I was given orders from the guardsman outside for you to watch him until I have sought the king's permission for an audience with him."
The guard glanced at Kyle and then back at Pix 74. "Is that so? Very well. The alien is in my hands. I will not let him escape. You may proceed!"
Pix 74 cast a stern look on Kyle. "Wait here. Both of you. I am going to seek an audience with the king. I will return shortly."
Zinka 42 nodded. "I too will watch him. I will keep him company while you're gone. I am still very curious about his planet and will ask him some more questions."
"Ask any one you want!" Kyle chimed in, trying to sound helpful.
Pix 74 nodded. "I will return!"
Pix 74 walked past the four ivory pillars to a small passageway that led to a north hallway.
"State your business!" the soldier barked.
"Me and my teammate just apprehended an alien and would like to seek an audience with the king!" Pix 74 stated. "It would be an honor if you could grant this, sir!"
The soldier shrugged his shoulders. "It is not mine to grant but the king's. You may proceed!"
The soldier moved aside and Pix 74 walked through the long narrow hallway. At the end, it opened into a large room with a rotunda. Hallways branched in each direction, with a soldier guarding each one. The north hallway led forward, with a set of stairs to the right and left of it. These stairs went up to another level to an atrium. North of the atrium was a hallway that led north to the royal wing. West of the atrium led to the menservants quarters. East of the atrium were the maidservants quarters.
Pix 74 continued toward the north hallway and was stopped once again by a guard.
"State your business!" he shouted.
Pix 74 repeated to him what he told the other guard.
"I'm sure that the king would want to know the business regarding this alien." He said, smiling. "You may proceed!"
Pix 74 proceeded through another long hallway. Towards the end, the hallway widened, with a flight of stairs leading upward to a wide hallway with two grand doors colored in crimson red, with the beams and frame made of solid gold. The embroidered Renzin Royal crest hung from the ceiling and was repeated the whole length of the widened hallway. Gold statues of the king stood on either side of the carpeted path that led to the two grand doors, where two heavily armed guards stood.
Pix 74 walked up the stairs, following the carpeted path and stopping at the two guards.
"Our royal majesty the king is just beyond these doors," the guard warned. "What is your business concerning him?"
"I would like to seek an audience with the king," Pix 74 requested. "Both I and my teammate have apprehended an alien in the southern hills of our great kingdom. If it would please the king, I would like to request an audience with him to discuss the matter."
The soldier let the bottom of his spear touch the ground. "Wait here. I will consult the king and will send you back his reply."
The soldier opened the double door and entered the throne room. When he was halfway down the hallway, a loud voice stopped him.
"Are they here?" the king shouted. "Send forth for them at once!"
"You are permitted to enter!" The guard shouted.
Pix 74 entered the elegantly decorated throne room, following the hallway all the way to the two thrones where the king and queen sat.
The king, having seen Pix 74 approach him, held out his gold scepter. Pix 74 touched the tip of it and bowed before him.
"Oh gracious king..." Pix 74 pleaded. "Your majesty..."
"That is enough." The king told him. "I am already aware of the matter. My aerial knights have already spotted the alien in the southern hills. So you're here with Zinka 42 and the alien? Very good. Remain here for the time being. I have requested that they be brought here at once."
Meanwhile, Kyle was sharing his knowledge of Earth with Zinka 42. He answered each one of her questions to the best of his knowledge. While he didn't know every answer, he answered the questions that he could.
"So, is there royalty on Earth?" Zinka 42 asked Kyle.
Before Kyle could answer another question, four armed soldiers came out from the north hallway and surrounded them.
"Come with us at once!" the lead soldier shouted. "The king has summoned all of you! We must not keep him waiting!"
The four soldiers seized Zinka 42 and Kyle and took them through the hallways all the way to the throne room.
Kyle gasped when he was brought into the throne room with Zinka 42. He indeed did gasp a lot along the way from all the lavish decorations that he saw, but this room made him gasp the most. The floor was solid gold linen carpeting, with the boundary around the thrones and walkway all studded with diamonds. The king's throne was made of hammered gold and was studded with diamonds, emeralds, and sapphires. The queen's throne was made of pink gold and studded with diamonds, pearls, and rubies. His mouth hung open and he let out a deep gasp.
As the guards brought each one to the king, the king held out his gold scepter. Zinka 42 touched the tip of it and bowed before the king. When it was Kyle's turn, he gasped and began to panic.
"What do I do?" he shouted.
"Touch the scepter!" Zinka 42 shouted, pointing wildly at it with both hands.. "Touch the scepter and bow!"
Still very nervous, Kyle touched the tip of the scepter and bowed to the king.
The king looked at Kyle and laughed. "It doesn't seem like you understand our royal customs, do you?"
Kyle shook his head. "N-no, your majesty..."
The king smiled. "That's okay. You are a foreigner. You are not expected to understand, but are still required to follow the rules of my kingdom. Thank you, Pix 74 and Zinka 42 for acquainting him with the customs..."
Both Pix 74 and Zinka 42 bowed. "It was an honor, your majesty," they both said in unison.
The queen scowled, glancing at Kyle and her impatience began to bubble over. "What is that alien doing here?"
"Quiet dear!" The King ordered. "I was just about to get to that. Now, if I could have everyone's attention...My aerial knights saw a blinding flash coming from the southern hills while they were on their patrol. Upon closer investigation, they saw an alien laying on the ground, unconscious. They told me that they were about to apprehend the alien but they saw Pix 74 standing next to him. In seeing this, they assumed that he was under Pix 74's tutelage. To keep the peace of this land, no one else was informed of what was going on." The king fixed his gaze on Kyle. "Now, alien. I would be more than inclined to hear your side of the story. What planet do you come from? Do you come in peace? Are you sent here to spy out our land? Will you be reporting to the leader of the raiders?"
Kyle tried to speak, but was greatly frightened. He was also mesmerized by all the elegant adornings the king had on. His royal crown with a precious stone on each tip. Diamond, sapphire, topaz, emerald, and a few others. His white trimmed beard flowed halfway down his neck. His royal robes were of finely woven linen and were colored in red, purple, and white: the royal colors of Renzin. His cape was a crimson red and he held his golden scepter with impatience, waiting for Kyle to respond.
"Well?" The king shouted, tapping his gold scepter on the armrest of his throne. "Are you hiding something? Speak, alien!"
Kyle made another attempt to speak. "Um..." he stammered. "Well..."
"Your majesty," Zinka 42 pleaded. "If it pleases the king, permit me to speak."
"You may speak!" he quickly responded. The king held out his gold scepter and Zinka 42 touched the tip of it. "Thank you!" she graciously shouted, bowing before him.
"Now," she began. "It appears that the alien has been stricken with fright. Permit me to speak on his behalf."
The king nodded, and gestured at her with his hand.
"First of all, the alien does clearly have a name. He goes by the name of Kyle. Having spent some time with him, I have gotten to learn about him and his home planet. Kyle here comes from a planet called Earth. With none of us ever having heard of this planet, it is very far away from here. Perhaps many million galaxies away. From what Kyle told me, he was doing one of his studies at his home. He was studying English, a language of his planet when he fell into the hands of his arch nemesis: the vile Henry! This Henry he spoke of clearly intended to kill Kyle! Every member of his household tried to stop him from doing this. When his brother tried to stop him, he relented. At his brother's request, he agreed to 'let him go'. But in doing so, he sent him to the other side of the universe, to our planet of Renzin! Now this poor poor alien has no home of his own anymore! So does it not surprise you that he is greatly frightened of this place, and your presence?"
Kyle burst into tears, covering his mouth as he wailed.
"Can I add, your majesty?" Pix 74 asked the king.
The king gave him a positive gesture.
"This alien named Kyle here has no hope of ever reaching his home planet of Earth again. He is just heartbroken at not ever being able to see his home planet. What are we to do?"
The king gave all of them a somber look and nodded. "I see..." He looked at Kyle and wiped away a tear. "Your crying...You're making me do it. Let it out, Kyle of Earth. Let me assure you that I solemnly promise that you will be provided a way to get back. Yes. I, King Tolkix 506 both promise it and decree it!"
The king looked at Kyle, who was still weeping. "Kyle of Earth, what is your custom of showing affection?"
"I believe he already told me!" Zinka 42 chimed in. "It's one of the questions I asked him. It's called a hug. You open your arms and wrap them around a person. Then you squeeze them..."
The king nodded, and performed this custom on Kyle. "You will get home. You will be provided with one of our finest military starships."
"Move over!" The king moved aside and the queen gave Kyle a nice bear hug (or whatever creature resembles a bear on Renzin). "I'm sorry. I thought you were a traitor to our kingdom. Your story moved me and we will help you get home." She turned to face the king. "We will have to try that Earth custom in our bedroom later on..."
The king's face blushed and he nodded. "Later dear..." he whispered into her ear.
"So, who's going with Kyle?" Pix 74 asked the king.
"Both you and Zinka 42." He answered. "You are both ordered to help Kyle reach his home planet of Earth. Both of you will be relieved of your duty once this happens, or should any of you face an untimely death..." The king handed Pix 74 another device. "This is a two-way radio with a digital display. In the event of an emergency, we will be able to hear you anywhere within the galaxy. We have the other radio so let us know if we need anything!"
"You said galaxy!" Zinka 42 told him. "What if our ship goes beyond the galaxy? We'll lose our connection!"
The king shrugged his shoulders. "You'll be on your own then! Unless you have a way to increase the signal strength..."
"Thank you, everyone!" Kyle shouted, wiping the last of his tears off his face.
"The pleasure is all mine," the king told him. "Now, I have issued orders for the astro knights to make preparations for your ship. You will be taking the Zinkez 7546 enterprise. Talk to Drex 200 when you get to the loading dock. He's the chief engineer and he'll help you get on your way."
"Good luck everyone!" the queen shouted.
Everyone hugged and said their farewells to the king. Then Kyle followed Pix 74 and Zinka 42 out of the throne room.
"Will he get home?" the queen asked the king.
The king sighed. "I think that they're as good as gone out there. We'll probably never see them again..."
"Way to keep Kyle's hopes up!"
"What else can I do? He'll at least be happy before he dies..."
Meanwhile, Kyle, Pix 74 and Zinka 42 were walking down the hallway, on their way to the loading dock.
Kyle's journey has just begun.