Chapter 8- Day Two

 

 

Nick woke up drenched in sweat. He hadn't slept well all night since every time he closed his eyes, he saw visions of doom. Strangely, every dream he had looked bloody and violent. He saw himself executed by the Queen, his body maimed and flung into the sea in one dream. In another, he cried out to his family, the Boys and Crystal, but they seemed to ignore his pleas for help, looking at him coldly. Then he saw himself in a laser sword duel with Finor, and as predicted, he was sliced multiple times.

Nick was reluctant to get out of bed. Today, there would be a jet race, where all the suitors get to show their piloting skills in a winding, dangerous race track designed to decimate the suitor population. It takes a great deal of skill just to get out of the track alive. He was glad he wasn't one of those foolish idiots who would risk their lives so readily.

And after the race, the ambassadors of all the different nations will present their gifts. He knew that if there were any moment in his life where he was in great risk dying, it would be now. Tonight would be the night that determined whether he lived or died. He began to feel even more unsure of himself. He didn't know if he should even be present at the race, but what the hell! Whatever will happen will still occur no matter what he does, right?

The U.S. ambassadors had already gotten up and urged him to do the same. Nick closed his eyes, pretending that he was still sleeping, but one of the ambassadors shook him mercilessly. "Wake up, kid!" he screamed in Nick's ears. Nick pretended to wipe the sleep from his eyes. The ambassadors had been reserved towards him, never once giving him warm and comforting thoughts. Rather, they kept to themselves, excluding him from all their conversations.

Not that he cared about what they said. They would obviously be off the hook soon and go back to the U.S. to enjoy nice warm meals with their families whereas his survival would depend on the mercy of the mother nation. Nick never felt more alone in his life than tonight. He longed for his family. He wanted to be back practicing with the boys. He even wouldn't mind those arguments with Crystal now since she couldn't instill in him the fear that Cartasia had instilled in him at this moment.

"Wake up, boy," the ambassador yelled gruffly as he shook Nick again. Nick opened his eyes to stare into the ambassador's cruel brown eyes. They lacked any sympathy and made him shiver.

"Lay off him Shay," the other ambassador called from across the room as he finished buttoning up his shirt. "It's still not for another hour. Let him sleep a little more," the other said. Nick was silently grateful for the slack.

"But we don't want to show up late," the one next to him replied. He had released his grip and Nick was no longer sleepy. Without a word, he simply got up and washed his face with the crisp cold water. After brushing his teeth and hair, he took a nice cool bath and again dressed in his black slacks and shirt.

Unknown to him, there were cameras in all the rooms, monitoring their every action. The people who were monitoring the cameras had watched all the guests all night long and into the morning. These people lingered a little on Finor, but surprisingly a little more on Nick, enjoying his pleasant features. Had he known, Nick probably would have been flattered.

The 'Surveyors' who monitored the guests' actions were startled when Queen Feya entered to check on them. The center screen still showed Nick getting dressed. "Having your own show, eh?" the Queen asked coolly, nodding at the center screen. The Surveyors immediately got to their knees, knowing that they could be executed for not performing their duties diligently. Lucky for them, the Queen was focused on the center screen as well, observing the boy getting ready. When she saw enough, she laughed and strode out of the room, leaving the Surveyors surprised yet still fearful for their lives.

The Race

That morning proved to be exciting. Queen Feya could hear engines exploding and people screaming in the background, and in the excitement and sea of cheers, she forgot about the boy. She stood on the balcony, overlooking the racers and her people with ten different cameras showing the most dangerous curves and turns in the racetrack. All her people looked in anticipation at the pilots, each dressed in dazzling protective gear and each bearing the flag of their native country.

The race track was a massive one that spanned the circumference of the entire city. Queen Feya stared into the sky, happy that it was clear, blue and warm. It was a beautiful day outside, with the warm wind settling down. Just then she spotted the boy, an innocent spectator, with the 2 U.S. ambassadors at their booth. He did not attempt to even look at her, but instead, gazed at the pilots in awe. He was quiet, not conversing with the ambassadors.

What could he be possibly doing here in Cartasia? The sun made his hair glow even brighter, which reminded her of her dream. She smiled contentedly and drew her attention back to the race. She stood up and began her speech:

"My people as well as people of all nations-I welcome all of you today to the 2nd day of my birthday celebration. Soon the sirens shall blow signaling the start of the 'jet' race, where 50 of the most notable suitors shall circle our city and demonstrate their piloting abilities. As your Queen, I wish all of you an enjoyable morning. To all the suitors out there, best of luck."

Queen Feya smiled generously at her people, and they began cheering and chanting her name. She slowly sat back down and awaited the signal for the race to start. Soon enough, all the suitors were introduced to her people and the sirens wailed excitedly, signaling the start of the race. All 50 jetliners soared in the blink of an eye as the people routed and yelled for their favorite suitors.

On top of the stadium were 2 huge screens monitoring the race. The youthful Queen sat back, enjoying the show. Many times, she glanced at the boy to see his reaction. He remained calm and quiet, attentively watching the race, but not seeming to enjoy it.

It was only ten minutes into the race when they witnessed the first crash of the day. One of the lesser known suitors did not turn sharp enough and had collided into a rock. Some of her people cried in delight whereas some others actually felt shocked at the violent nature of the crash. Queen Feya only looked on in pleasure. Things were heating up. She quickly stole another glance at the boy, who looked slightly startled and shaken by the crash.

Thirty minutes into the race, her suitor population was further cut down by a half. All the others appeared skillful enough to stay in the race. The people were getting more excited as the race drew near its end. Finor was obviously in the lead. The Queen rolled her eyes at that thought. Even though she found him attractive, she did not like his arrogant attitude. She didn't care if he was the rightful heir to Russia. He disgusted her.

The race ended with uproar, and as expected, Finor won. He stepped off his jet with a proud, haughty air and immediately headed for the Queen, waiting for her recognition of his superiority. As he stepped out of his jet, though, he noticed that the Queen's attention was on something, or someone, else. Curiously, he followed her gaze to the booth where the U.S. ambassadors sat. Strange! What attraction is there to be with those old U.S. ambassadors? He continued to stare at the booth when, for the first time, he saw a youthful boy, probably a decade younger than him.

Finor's blood began to boil in jealousy. The Queen had been eyeing a boy? And a young one who didn't look that well-built. Finor looked back to the Queen, who was starting to look away from the boy back to him. He shot the Queen his most winning smile, and she likewise gave him a radiant smile. She nodded her recognition of his talent and motioned for him towards the center podium. She too got out of her seat to get to the podium after all the other racers had finished the race.

While he was sitting on the podium, Finor once again looked at the boy, trying to memorize his features. He could not deny that the boy was pleasant to look at, and the more he stared at the boy, the more envy he felt. He waited for the boy to look this way, but the boy seemed to be staring listlessly at something. Frustrated, Finor looked away.

After what seemed like an eternity, the Queen arrived at the podium with the medals. All the surviving suitors had gotten onto the podium as well. Finor quickly stood up, acknowledging the Queen's presence, but he couldn't get the boy's image out of his mind. He quickly smiled as the Queen approached him. She congratulated him and turned around to face her people, giving her speech.

The Queen presented Finor with a medal of honor and continued praising him, but Finor felt that her praise was just a matter of politics. The hope that he felt yesterday at the feast was turned into dark jealousy. The medal plopped on his shoulders as the Queen carelessly put it around his neck. She then presented some of the other suitors with medals as well and gave a closing speech.

The rest of the day would be spent touring the city. That night, the Queen has another feast in which all the ambassadors would present their nation's gift to the Queen. Alas, for Finor, the rest of the day seemed uninteresting.

Queen Feya looked at Finor one last time before she left the podium. Finor was still flashing that smile of his at the crowd and at her. Oh how she wanted to wipe that foolish grin off his face. She admitted that he was an excellent pilot, but his demeanor annoyed her. Her people, though, seemed to applaud Finor's efforts and supported him. She began to step off the podium, and as if from reflex, looked towards the U.S. ambassadors' booth.

The boy was gone! Queen Feya looked slightly disappointed. She probably would not see the boy until that night. But if she did see him again, she would definitely inquire about him. Nothing so chaste and beautiful will leave her city without her permission. Quickly, the Queen went back to the Surveyors' room to determine the boy's whereabouts.

Back in his room, Nick paced around frantically. He had seen enough of the race and he didn't want to see the awards ceremony. 'They revel in a victory that was won over the bodies of others,' Nick thought, feeling bittersweet. That night, the ambassadors were to present their gifts to the Queen. Nick was prepared for the worst. Everything about this place was creepy. The best he hoped for was a peaceful death. He had a premonition that he would never leave this city alive.

His thoughts drifted to the Queen. Why did she keep looking his way. He constantly felt her eyes on him, as if he were an hourglass and she was looking straight into him. What was she thinking? He didn't dare to lock her gaze into his after that confrontation yesterday. 'She could see right through me,' he thought worriedly.

He shuddered at the thought, but he could not do anything about that. He paced back and forth, calming himself down with little mental exercises. Before long, the U.S. ambassadors' barreled into the room, demanding to know why he left without them. Nick darted the furious stares by telling them that he had a stomach ache. They weren't convinced but let it go anyway since they had a tour of the city coming up that afternoon.

Afraid that Nick might escape or do something of that nature, the U.S. ambassadors agreed to take turns looking after him. Nick didn't like them constantly controlling his every move. Unfortunately, he didn't have a say in that anymore. He actually preferred their presence over many others, mainly Queen Feya.

They didn't wait long before the guards came in to escort them to the Palace Grounds, where they were to be flown in 'Copters' to overlook the city and get a view of its grandeur. Nick walked out of the room with both U.S. ambassadors flanking him, making sure he does not disappear from their view.

When they got the Palace Grounds, a bunch of ambassadors and suitors were already waiting. The Queen was nowhere to be found, but then again, she didn't need to be present. Just then, Nick felt as if someone's eyes were on him. He looked around to see Finor, in all his glory and lavish clothing, stride in his direction. Nick turned to one of the U.S. ambassadors to let them know that Finor is heading their way, thinking that Finor was there to talk to the ambassadors, not him.

Finor smiled slyly as he approached the boy, wanting to get the full information on this rival of his. "Hello!" he called out to the boy, who just stared at him, confused. The boy didn't answer, but the two U.S. ambassadors did for him.

"Hello and congratulations," the U.S. ambassador to the boy's right cried out delightedly. Finor, however, continued to gaze at the boy. "Do not tell me that you're dumb!" Finor laughed. The boy seemed shocked that Finor was addressing him, but quickly regained his composure.

"Congratulations," the boy said and looked to the U.S. ambassador uncertainly. This was strange, Finor thought.

"May I ask why you are here?" the U.S. ambassador asked Finor suspiciously.

"Well, I thought that I knew everyone else in these Grounds except for you," Finor nodded at the boy, who gave him a strange stare. Finor ignored this and continued, "Who might you be?"

The U.S. ambassador cut in and replied for the boy, "He's not important, and you need not concern yourself with him."

But the ambassador's words only made Finor more curious. He reached out to pat the boy on the shoulders. The boy seemed tense and suspicious as well. "Don't tell me you're one of my rivals," Finor said in a challenging tone.

The U.S. ambassador was about to say something when Nick cut him off. "Actually, I'm not a threat to any of you suitors," the boy said in a bold manner. This impressed Finor. "And I don't think I will be challenging any of your authority," the boy continued. "I am just here to entertain the Queen and contribute to her birthday celebration."

Aren't we all, Finor muttered under his breath. He never once removed his gaze from the boy's face, even more envious of the boy's lyrical voice and nice features. "Finor," he said, offering his hand to the boy.

The boy immediately held out his hand to shake Finor's. "Nick," he replied. Obviously, the boy and the ambassadors didn't want to share their story. Finor shook the boy's hand and continued to impose his presence on them.

"So what exactly are you doing here, Nick?" Finor asked casually. He needed more information if he were to win against this newfound rival of his. Deep inside, he felt like ripping the boy's throat and flinging his body to the dogs. The boy looked disgustingly innocent.

Nick stared at Finor, knowing that he had just been challenged. Why did Finor consider him a rival? He felt uneasy, but he didn't want to give Finor the luxury of seeing him break down. He knew that the U.S. ambassadors, as idiotic as they were, were afraid of Finor's anger, but he had nothing to lose. He looked at Finor and smiled innocently. "As I said, just entertainment for the Queen. I'm a singer." The last thing he wanted to do was make an enemy out of Finor, although he realized now that that is inevitable.

"Oh?" Finor raised his eyebrow, understanding why the boy's voice was so lyrical and gentle. "An entertainer, eh?" Finor laughed. So he's just an insignificant entertainer. How could I have been so silly as to even consider him a dangerous rival? With that, Finor left. He didn't think too highly of entertainers. Unlike him, they don't possess the charisma, the power, and the authority to sit on the throne of a nation.

When Finor left, the U.S. ambassadors sighed in relief. They didn't want any complications before their duty was done. They had to present Nick to the Queen, and after that, anything bad that would happen would be none of their faults.

Presenting the Gift

That evening, they assembled at the Great Dining Hall. Again, Finor was dressed in a dazzling suit while his servants carried an exquisite gem that he would give to the Queen. The U.S. ambassadors, on the other hand, did not carry with them any exotic jewel or extravagant item. They only brought Nick. Nick suddenly felt trivial, wondering why the President would even want to give him to the Queen. Why would the President think that he could compare to an ancient gem or priceless diamond that the others were giving to the Queen.

Again, the Queen gave her usual speech that evening. Nick didn't bother to listen because he could not focus any more. He was too worried about his upcoming interaction with the Queen. After she was finished talking, the individual ambassadors from each country began presenting their gifts. The Queen accepted each gift graciously, but put no more thought to any of them. If anything, she seemed bored.

As the time drew near for him to be presented, Nick felt weak and nauseated. He hadn't really prepared for anything, but his death. The Queen hadn't looked at him all night, but he still feared her gaze.

"And next, the Great Finor of Russia wishes to present you a rare stone found only in space of one of the planets he had set foot on, a gem which he named "The One." Nick gazed at the youthful Queen as she nodded at Finor in recognition of his triumphs earlier on that day. She smiled slightly and allowed Finor to come up and kiss her hand, which he did reverently. Nick gulped-a few more gifts and then it would be his turn.

The U.S. ambassadors motioned for him to stand up and get ready. Nick felt his stomach churning in defiance, but reluctantly, he got up. His arms suddenly felt cold, and he thought he would pass out right there. He didn't know how the Queen would react to him. Nervously, he followed the ambassadors as they got in line, ready to present him.

When the Queen saw the young boy stand up, she immediately focused again. She saw the look of dread in the boy as he followed the U.S. ambassadors and suddenly, her curiosity was peaked. What was the boy doing now? He hadn't done anything all day yesterday and he didn't participate in the race this morning. She was so caught up with the blond boy that she did not hear anything that was going on at the moment.

Slowly, the gifts were presented until the U.S. ambassadors were next in line. The boy looked slightly more pale. She looked to his hands to see him shaking. Things were getting interesting. The boy didn't lift his face to answer her gaze. His locks of hair just dangled by his face, covering his downcast eyes.

"Your highness," the ambassadors began. "We want to present you with this gift." They motioned to the boy, whose eyes were still focused on the floor. Every other ambassador and suitor in the room were agape, surprised at such a strange gift. Who would think of giving the Queen a young boy? For what purpose? How could he match the value of a precious stone or gem or any other riches of a nation?

The Queen, however, was delighted and shocked at the ambassadors' words. So he is a gift, she thought. She immediately motioned for the boy to come near. Slowly, the boy walked towards her, his eyes focused on the floor. He stopped a few feet from her and knelt down in reverence. His eyes were still focused on the floor. They Queen remained silent. Drawing one of the ancient swords that the Chinese ambassadors had just given her, she placed the tip of the blade under the boy's chin gently. She smiled when a lump formed in his throat. The U.S. ambassadors stared nervously.

Gently, but demandingly, she nudged his chin up. She wanted a good look at his face. The instant her blade touched his face, he lifted it, his eyes staring right into hers. She examined him like a doctor examining a patient, making him feel very uneasy. She didn't care. She continued staring, making all the suitors, especially Finor, seethe with jealousy. The U.S. ambassadors, on the other hand, felt confident now that she was going to accept their offering, seeing the way she handled Nick.

"What's your name, boy?" She liked seeing him struggle uncomfortably. The blade was still touching his chin, but he moved his head to the side so that it didn't touch the blade. He once again stared at the ground. "Nick Carter," he replied in a very beautiful, lyrical voice.

"You don't look happy to see me," she stated in a challenging tone, making the U.S. ambassadors' stiff from fear.

At this, the boy looked up with an emotion she couldn't really tell. Was he nervous? Afraid? Sad? His eyes darted from her to the ambassadors to the ground. His discomfort amused her.

"I. . . I . . ah," he stuttered. "Everything is so huge and overwhelming here. I'm not used to it," he blurted. Again, the Queen lifted the sword to his chin, this time yanking his face forward. He didn't shift his eyes away.

"It's beautiful here, isn't it?" Queen Feya added, letting the boy calm down. She didn't want him to become insane from fear, not yet at least. Just the feel of the cold, sharp blade under his chin would make Nick agree with any statement the Queen said. He had never felt so helpless in his entire life. Girls would swoon at his feet, not the other way around, he remembered regretfully.

"Yes," Nick replied as gently as he could hoping that the Queen would bestow on him some mercy.

"How old are you?"

"18."

"You're a boy with few words, aren't you? I like that in a servant." Nick kept silent.

"So what do you know how to do?" the Queen continued questioning. All this time, she had shamelessly stared at Nick, her admiration obvious to all the guests in the room, even to her subjects.

"I can do whatever you want me to, or at least, I can try," Nick replied. At that remark, the Queen laughed.

"Good! Guards, bring him to my Quarters now!" the Queen ordered, shocking everyone in the room with her boldness. Before Nick knew it, the Queen's guards had flanked him and urged him to follow their lead. As he walked out the Hall, though, Nick felt Finor's glare on him. That was the last time he would ever see those U.S. ambassadors. And as he left the Great Hall, he had lost the optimism and innocence that he had grown up with.

It was as if he changed from a boy to a man in one night. After that night, on his 18th birthday, he would learn the harsh reality of life. He left behind his sanity, his humanity, and his memories in that Great Hall because everything that happened after would wipe out any love or hope that he held onto. That night was the beginning of a long road to destruction, and when the boys find him 7 years later, he would never be the same boy that they had lost so unexpectedly.

 

Chapter Nine