AN UNEXPECTED ARRIVAL

“That is just not good enough!” Merilee shouts, beginning a thorough dressing down of the twins. “It’s great that you two coordinate so well, but that makes you predictable.”

“That’s why we were throwing in so many feints,” responded Liesel. “So we won’t be predictable.”

Merilee took a deep calming breath. “That’s true and that’s good. But the problem is that you are so in sync that it makes your feints obvious. You guys need to de-synchronize. Look like two individuals who are fighting. Make it look like you are making mistakes. Right now it’s like fighting a machine with two parts. Everything is coordinated. If you were individuals, it would be one thing, but if I watch both of you, I can tell what’s real and what’s not.”

Lionel frowned. “So we need to fight as individuals?”

“Yes. For now. Synchronize only when it matters. Most people have to work to get your sort of coordination. So they know how to fight as individuals first. You are the opposite. You need to work to learn how to fight separately. Then use that in your coordination. Let’s go again.”

Ned watches as they square off again, touching sword tips briefly. He reaches out to the table in front of him and picks up his tea cup.

Something hits the tea, splashing it into his face. He blinks.

He looks up at the ceiling but it’s no longer there. Instead, there’s a silvery shimmery liquidy circle.

Throwing his teacup down and kicking the table away he reaches his arms out just in time to catch Anika as she falls onto him.

REUNION

Ned, of course, is crushed beneath her but swiftly recovers and rolls out from under her. She is bleeding heavily, out cold, clearly broken in a number of ways. Drawing on his mana, Ned starts casting healing magic to evaluate her injuries.

The alarm starts going off. In the distance, thunder can be heard. Merilee goes pale.

“Quickly! To the basement!”

“But Father!”

“I can’t move right now. I have to get her stabilized.” shouts Ned. Still holding Anika in his left arm, he is gesturing with his right as he performs another spell.

“Lionel! Levitate!” shouts Liesel.

Lionel casts a spell. Merilee watches as Anika and Ned are lifted off the floor. “Liesel, you pull them. Lionel, keep them in the air.”

Merilee opens the door to the training hall and leads them out. Fortunately, they are close to the stairs. As they move, other staff appear and help the twins maneuver the floating couple. Flashes of orange and yellow light strobe through the windows. A battle is raging outside. Not here yet, but all too close.

The Chief Guard unlocks the forbidden door. “This is not a drill!” he shouts. “Team leaders, report in.”

The much practiced drill goes off like clockwork. People file into the mystery room as quickly as their sections call off.

Ned now has Anika stabilized. The bleeding has stopped and he’s set the broken bones; knitting them back together with his magic. A stretcher appears and many willing hands help Ned lay Anika into it.

The Royal Family’s section is called and they move into the other room for the first time. Merilee is keeping tabs on the children. The Chief Guard confirms the last staff member and comes in himself, closing and locking the door behind him.

Liesel and Lionel look around curiously. The room is stuffed to the gills with boxes, crates, and sacks. There is hardly room for all of the people.

In the center of the one clear area of floor is a magic circle. Five people stand around it: Merilee, two of the knight guards, and both of the twins’ magic tutors. They begin chanting and a swell of magic fills the room.

“Liesel! Lionel!” shouts Ned. “Come here and guard your mother!” They run to him, gazing in wonder at this woman they have longed to meet their whole lives. She is pale from loss of blood. Still unconscious.

“I have more healing to do. Please keep watch over us,” says Ned.

Light streams from the magic circle The magic power in the room swells in a crescendo of silent thunder.

And everyone in the room, along with every crate, barrel, box, basket and rolled bundle, fades out and disappears.

RETURNING HOME

Sir Kite and Lady Secord were bored. They had been sent to this world on a secret mission. Armed only with will, intellect, a half ton of gold and a spell that allowed them the ability to speak across languages, they had approached their mission with trepidation.

However, the two Imperial Knights were experienced in the ways of communication. Especially in that brand of communication where money talks. They had succeeded in their mission with flying colors.

Everything is now in place. In fact, it has been in place for quite some time. Now they are just waiting. In other words, they're bored. They’d almost begun to think that they had been forgotten. That the Princess, who personally held their oaths of loyalty, would never need to avail herself of the contingency which they represent.

Until the alarm goes off. Rousing them out of sleep in the dead hours of the morning. Cursing and sweating, the two (possibly hung over) knights hurriedly dress and scramble out the door.

###

Princess Anika awakens slowly. The room around her is a bit noisy and echoey. Opening her eyes, she discovers she is lying on a make-shift bed surrounded by crates and boxes. A child is curled up asleep beside her on each side, each trying to steal the covers, causing the blankets to be somewhat taut across her own body.

Lying face-down on the stone floor next to her is Ned. Also sound asleep. Carefully and quietly, smiling gently, she reaches out to each child, softly stroking their hair. Closing her eyes, she returns to sleep.

###

Sir Kite sits in the drive-through. Knowing that he would have to feed forty-three (now forty-four!) people in an emergency was one thing, actually doing it was another. Knight-Commander Saunders (aka Merilee) had jumped on he and Lady Secord with both feet for taking so long to get to the warehouse and greet them. Also for not having thought of bedding, personal hygiene supplies, kitty litter (seriously?) and a whole litany of other things.

To be honest, he felt that it was a bit unfair. However, it is what it is and now it’s time to move forward. In the drive-through, because the car in front of him has pulled forward.

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“Good morning,” he starts. “I’d like forty breakfast platters, twenty pancake platters with sausage, twenty pancake platters with bacon, fifty breakfast biscuits, …” and on and on. This wouldn’t be up to the Knight-Commanders standards for food, but it would at least give everyone fuel for the next step in the plan.

###

Lady Secord met the buses at the gate and guided them around to the loading area. It had been tough arranging for three buses this early in the morning. It is now 9 am and Knight-Commander Saunders has been standing there tapping her foot in impatience for almost two hours.

Fortunately for the two knights, Ned has stepped in and counseled patience. Since this is his world, the Knight-Commander has bowed to his opinion and allows that some slack might be called for in this case.

Not that patience is something she is particularly good at. Especially when she feels her Royal charges are exposed.

Each bus has its assigned riders. Everyone boards quickly and quietly, even though for many it is the first time seeing anything like a motor vehicle.

As the buses pull away, a pair of 18-wheelers arrive. Sir Kite is left behind with three guards and a forklift to start the loading and transfer of all the baggage.

SETTLING IN

Ned, giant bowl of potato chips in hand, smiles as he pauses in the kitchen doorway to watch his family. Aniika, seated on the couch with Liesel to her left and Lionel to her right, is introducing Princess Nekosama to her new biggest fans.

The twins have been glued to her sides all day. And she seems to be equally glued to them. This makes Ned happy. It will be a little awkward for awhile, but the family unit seems to be well on the way to gelling.

He wonders what his own role will be going forward. He is certain the twins see him as their father. That role will continue, for sure.

Anika is the mother. Everyone has always been careful to maintain that role for her even though she wasn’t there. The maids and other servants have kept their distance. There are a few ‘big sister’ figures in the household. Especially Merilee and Dr. Sandia.

The elephant in the room, at least in the room in Ned’s mind, is the relationship between the father and the mother. Because they are certainly not husband and wife.

Ned was a shut-in and a loner. He is realist enough to admit that he has a crush on the Princess. A big huge crush on the Princess. Maybe even bigger than that. But his social skills aren’t developed enough to know what to do about it.

“Hey dad! Where are the potato chips?” shouts Lionel.

“Yeah, hurry up! What’s a potato chip anyway?” contributes Liesel.

“It is the food of the Gods!” declares the Princess. Meeting Ned’s eye, she smiles. “Come on. Sit down and share.”

Ned sits down with his family. It’s not long before they’re all stuffing themselves with potato chips, laughing, and having a good time watching tv.

‘This will do,’ he thinks. ‘This will do.’

EPILOGUE: PROMISE OF ROMANCE

Sir Kite and Lady Secord had done a bang-up job. They not only could make money talk, they practically turned that pile of gold into the Vienna Boys Choir.

Ned’s little village was the same. Practically unchanged over the years he had been gone. Other than the little Mexican restaurant turning into a little Chinese restaurant. A development about which Ned’s feelings are mixed.

Outside of town, though, was a whole different story. The two knights had bought up almost a thousand acres of land surrounding Ned’s house. In a few short years, they had built an estate with housing for all of the servants and staff, training grounds, gardens, even a stable fully staffed with horses. And a llama named Lluna for some incomprehensible reason.

It is a bright morning and the family is out for a walk. The twins are darting to and fro in their usual madcap style, followed sedately by Merilee. The plan is to check out the estate, get a feel for the village and maybe stock up on some snacks.

Ned had broached the idea of a root beer float in such a way as to invoke passionate desire in even the most jaded heart. So the soda fountain is definitely on the itinerary.

Following along at the tail end of the parade are Anika and Ned. So far they have maintained a companionable silence, broken finally by Anika.

“Ned. Have you ever confessed your feelings to someone?”

“Uh…no, can’t say that I have. Why?”

“I was just wondering if it’s more proper to do it with a note left in a person’s shoe locker or by inviting the person for a private meeting on the roof. My sources are mixed and a little ambiguous.”

“Have you been watching high school romance anime?”

Tuneless whistling, “Mmmmm-aaaaaayyy-be…”

“Don’t go by those. You’re not in Japan. Nor in an anime. The way they do things there, it amazes me that any Japanese babies are ever born.”

“Okay. Thanks for that. But that doesn’t solve my problem.”

“Well, it’s not necessary to ‘confess’ anything at the beginning of a relationship. You need to find out about each other first. Go on a date or something.”

“Listen to you! You must be a relationship expert!”

“Not at all. I’m an introverted, shut-in, loner who hadn’t talked to a female for years before one fell out of my ceiling.”

“Damn. So your advice is probably no good.”

“Possibly not.”

They walk in silence for awhile, watching the kids explore. “So what would you do?”

“Pardon?”

“What would you do if you wanted to show someone you had feelings for them?”

“I don’t know. I guess it’s somewhat traditional to ask someone out on a date.”

“A date?”

“Yes. You know, you go out somewhere, take them to a movie or buy them dinner. Something like that.”

“Wow. How do you buy something?”

“I don’t even know how to begin answering that. I guess princesses don’t do much shopping, huh?”

“When we do, the shopping comes to us. Or we have our people handle everything.”

“Rough life. I’ll take you shopping later and show you how it’s done.”

“Okay. What else can you do?”

“I don’t know. I guess if you already know them you could try getting a little closer. See how they react.”

“Closer? Like invite them to duel or something?”

“Nononononono! Physical proximity or physical contact, yes. But the non-painful type. Like sit next to them instead of across from them at the table. Give them a shy smile. Maybe even take their hand for a moment.”

“A shy smile? How do you do that? I’ve never been shy.”

“Yeah, I know. Kind of make eye contact, smile and then break eye contact downwards. Like this.” Ned gives his best impression of a shy smile for her.

“Oh gosh! You’re so cute when you do that. Let me try.” Anika turns to him and meets his eyes. Tries to imitate him.

“Okay. Don’t do that. It’s just not you. Stick to your usual haughty glare.”

“What do you mean, haughty glare? I’m not haughty at all! I’m very approachable…” She looks down and plays with her hands for a moment, poking her index fingers together. Then says in a very small voice, “I want to be cute.”

He slaps lightly at her hands. “Stop that right now.” Reaching out and touching her arm, he turns her to face him. “This is a statement for the record. I won’t repeat it, so listen closely. You are the most beautiful woman ever to walk on this or any other planet in any universe whatsoever. You can do beautiful, you can do sexy. You can’t do cute or even pretty. You are too far above those concepts. You are absolutely perfect in every way. You’ll have to learn to live with that.”

“Wow. Ned has spoken! You’re not holding back today, huh?”

“Well, I’m kind of wanting a root beer float. I thought if I was firm now, it might avoid delays later.”

“So if, just as an example, I were to take someone to the soda fountain and buy them a root beer float, would that be considered a date?”

“Most likely.”

They start walking again as Anika searches through her pockets. Not finding anything, she turns and meets his eyes again. “Can I borrow some money. I left my wallet at home.”

“You don’t have a wallet. And, no. You’ll have to get a job and make money to pay for your dates yourself.”

“You are such a big meanie! Meanie, meanie, meanie! KIDS! YOUR FATHER'S A BIG MEANIE!”

“We know, mom!” comes the faint reply from up ahead.

They walk on in silence for a few moments. Tentatively, Anika reaches out and takes Ned’s hand.

Ned shifts to walk a little closer to her and, with a textbook-perfect shy smile, intertwines his fingers with hers.

-30-