"Reunited..." - Chapter Sixteen

Reunited...

Chapter Sixteen

By Douglas E. Gogerty

The guard with the drawn knife walked up to Prince William and grabbed him. The strong guard easily picked up the Prince and carried him across his shoulders. He walked the short distance from the suncar to a waiting security van. A second guard was there and put handcuffs on the Prince. Together they gently placed the twitching Prince inside the van. Once that was done, the two guards entered the van and sat next to the secured prince. A third, entered the front, started the van, and began to drive off.

"Wait!" cried the Princess. "He has the keys!"

After what seemed like hours, the driver cried out the window of the van, "They are still in the suncar!"

With that, they drove off. The Princess ran to the car and got in. Sure enough, the keys were there. Thus, she started the car and attempted to follow the van. However, the remaining guards barred her path.

"You are in enough trouble," stated the Princess sternly.

"As I have explained to your highness," replied the highest-ranking guard. "I am under strict orders from the King. We should not be in any trouble for obeying his orders."

"But..."

"You do not outrank your father."

"So why are you detaining me?"

"You are free to go at any time."

"Well..."

"That is, any time after the van is safely away."

"What is your name?"

"Captain Armstrong Romanov Miss."

"I will not forget this Captain, and if any harm comes to Prince William -- I will hold you personally responsible."

With those words, the Princess broke through the roadblock. The captain restrained any pursuit. He decided that pursuit of the Princess should not be necessary, as the van was well on its way. He believed that it would certainly make it to its objective before the Princess could do anything.

The Princess attempted to follow the van, but it was much faster than her suncar. She reasoned that it must use some other technology for propulsion. It certainly was not solar powered. This thought angered the Princess, but she was no longer surprised by the advanced technologies available to her father. He had kept a great deal from her and others.

Instead of attempting to keep up with the van, she decided to speed towards the castle. If she could reach her father in time, she could save Prince William's life. It puzzled her that the guards did not kill him at the roadblock. She could not figure that out. Perhaps her father had something besides death in mind for the Prince. She doubted it, but anything was possible.

It had been several days since she last drove this stretch. Hence, she was not certain how far she had to travel to make it to the castle. Moreover, she did not know when the van would reach its destination. Nevertheless, she drove as fast as she could. She was certain her father was keeping an eye on her with the tracking device; thus, he would know she was coming fast. She thought about how to use this in her favor. She wondered what she could do to get her father's attention and save the Prince. She puzzled on this for quite a long time. That is when she stopped. She did not stop thinking; she stopped the suncar.

She was still a great distance from the castle. Since she was not an experienced driver, a stop should mean something to her father. At least, that is what she hoped. Her father was not likely following her personally. However, his observer may report it to him and a specific conclusion could be made. She would be a long ways from any help if she had an accident. Her father would have to send help. The closest available help would be the van. This is why she stopped. She was sure that her father would conclude that the Princess crashed.

She sat there moving as little as possible. It was not long before the van pulled up.

"Are you all right?" asked the driver.

"I know you are in communication with my father," the Princess replied. "I demand to speak to him."

"I do not know of what you are speaking," replied the driver.

"The phone," demanded the Princess. "You must have some sort of portable telephone device. Give it to me."

"Your Highness?"

"Do not play with me!"

"The sat-phone is -- uh -- only a receiver."

"How were you to give my father information on what happened here?"

"Uuuummm -- wait a moment," replied the driver in a dejected tone.

The driver pressed some buttons on a small communications device. He waited for a few more moments until someone on the other end answered. They exchanged pleasantries and the driver then said into the phone, "She wishes to speak to you sire. Very good sir!"

He handed the phone to the Princess.

"Daddy?" the Princess asked.

"Yes dear," replied King Jonathan on the other side of the phone. "Are you all right?"

"Yes father, but you must not harm Prince William."

"What makes you think I was going to?" asked the King in his most innocent sounding voice.

"The things I know he knows you must also know."

"Run that by me one more time...."

"You and I both know that he knows too much."

"And you think that murdering him is the only way to keep him quiet?" asked the King.

"Not at all, I have several alternatives that I can give you."

"So, you do not think that I could also have alternatives?"

"What he knows can be used against you. Thus, you must keep him close -- or quiet."

"I will say that your views are well reasoned, but what makes you think that he can be trusted?"

"I do not, but I need him alive."

"How so?"

"I am not going to explain over this infernal thing..."

"Very well, I will allow you to bring him with you."

"Thank you daddy! I will see you soon."

The Princess handed the satphone over to the driver and said, "The king wishes to speak to you."

After a few yes sires, the driver exited the van and freed Prince William. He was still groggy from the rough treatment, but he was conscious. Princess Angelina helped him into the waiting suncar. She got into the drivers seat and drove off towards the castle.

The Prince was silent for most of the trip. His head was still swimming with what had happened. The Princess attempted to concentrate on the road and not worry about Prince William. She had not anticipated that roadblock, nor the blind obedience of the guards. Her anger towards Captain Romanov would occasionally boil to the surface. However, the Prince did not seem to notice.

After a few hours of driving, the Princess drove up to the castle compound's gate. Since her disappearance, her father had greatly tightened security. Perhaps it was just a show. In any event, she would not be able to slip out as she had before. She wondered if something else had happened while she was gone. She would find out soon enough.