Chapter Three
Princess Kitana looked around the small room. Indeed it was small, with only two couches facing each other, a coffee table
in between the two, a bookshelf to the left of the door, and one single window with a red curtain over it making the room
dark. But it was meant to be small, and the curtains were meant to be closed. This was because it was a room where her mother
would have her meetings with important people where they discussed serious matters.
Kitana was brought to the meeting because she would be needed for any ideas of protection of both the embassy and the castle.
She expected the same thing from the ambassador's eldest daughter Tanya. Kitana has met Tanya and her younger sister Heather
before. She didn't like Tanya all that much. Tanya was one of those spoiled daughters who would get anything as she pleased.
As for Heather, she was completely opposite, always helping those in need. Both girls were trained in the martial arts to
protect themselves from any harm.
Kitana and her mother Queen Sindel sat in the room alone, except for a guardsman who guarded the exit. In front of them
on the coffee table was a small pot filled with tea served by one of their servants just moments ago. Sindel had already filled
her small teacup with the hot liquid. Kitana decided to wait until the guests arrived.
It was then that Kitana's mind was filled with the thoughts of the stranger she had found barely alive this morning. He
was still clinging on to life when she and her mother left to go down to the small meeting room. For now, all they had to
do was wait. Two guardsmen were standing by the doorway to his room, not letting anyone else in except for the doctors, the
General, Sindel, and herself.
'Who was he?' she thought. 'Why was he by the castle to begin with? Is he a beggar? A wanderer? ...An assassin?'
Her thoughts were soon interupted when the door to the room opened. She stood up along with her mother, knowing that Ambassador
Ladislas Zietek and his daughter Tanya have finally arrived. The Queen and the Ambassador looked at each other almost immediately.
"My Queen," said Zietek. "It's good to see you again." He walked over to her and gave her a light kiss on the cheek.
Sindel does the same. Afterwards, she looked up at him and said, "It's good to see you again as well Ambassador."
"Please, call me Ladislas."
"It just doesn't seem right."
"It's all right my Queen."
Sindel smirked a little. "Well in that case, please call me Sindel."
Kitana slightly raised her left eyebrow and smirked a little. Sometimes, she had thought that there was a little something
going on between them. As a matter of fact, Zietek, or rather Ladislas, had invited Sindel to dinner one night. Sindel had
sadly refused it because there were other matters to be taken care of at the time, even though they were pretty minor.
Then, Kitana turned her eyes to the young woman behind Ladislas. It was no other than his daughter Tanya. Tanya did not
even make eye contact with anybody in the room. All she did was search around the room with her hazel eyes as though she was
looking for something. Her long but thick bloack hair was tied back in a single ponytail only leaving a few strands of bangs
in front of her forehead. She wore a yellow and black swimsuit-like attire with knee-high boots to match along with elbow-length
gloves. An attire like this was very common amongst the females of Edenia. Kitana herself was wearing a blue and black attire,
but she had added a thin waist chain with diamonds in every inch.
Ladilas turned to his daughter. "As you know, I have brought my eldest daughter with me to the meeting."
Sindel smiled at Tanya. "It's good to see you again my dear."
Tanya slightly smirked and nodded her head once to the Queen. Only Kitana noticed that Tanya did not turn her head to the
Princess once. Kitana began to not like her even more.
The four of them sat down. As soon as they did, Kitana poured tea for Ladislas and Tanya, then for herself. The Ambassador
took the teacup into his hands.
"Thank you Princess," he said. Then he looked at Sindel. "The last couple of weeks, I've been getting numerous reports
on a rumor that the armies of Outworld will be invading Edenia once again."
"So have I," said Sindel. "I've been getting at least four reports a week."
Ladislas slightly scratched the side of his thick black mustache. "We have a very strong army now than we did when they
managed to take over Edenia years ago. That is no doubt. But I wanted to take more precautions. Who knows how powerful that
army is now."
"I agree Ambassador," said Kitana. "They were powerful then, but they could be so powerful now, it's unspeakable."
"Which is why I have a plan." Ladislas took out a rolled-up paper. The women removed their teacups and pot and set them
aside on the end tables on either end of both couches. Ladislas unrolled the paper and spread it across the coffee table.
It was the map of all of the extremely small world of Edenia.
"My theory," Ladislas continued. "Is that they would attack the small towns first just to get them out of the way."
"But they could also attack here and the embassy first," suggested Sindel. "If they attack here first, the entire Edenian
race would be weakened almost immediately."
"Maybe my dear, but both the embassy and the castle are surrounded by these small towns. The portals are all on the edge
of the outer towns, which can only be activated by a sorcerer or a deity. The closest one to us is in the town of Pwelos,
the water drop-shaped portal which only chosen ones can pass. That would take you straight to the Nexus and your choice of
the other realms. That would be hard for anyone to access."
"Yes," replied Kitana. "But if anything, we should guard that, incase there is a member of their army who can access that
specific portal."
"You are correct Princess," Ladislas answered. "And we should also place guards by each portal."
"How about placing them within the towns?" suggested Tanya. "Wouldn't the people be protected better that way?"
Ladislas slightly smirked at his daughter. "We could my dear, but that would give Outworld the opportunity to strike more
easily. Our army would be less prepared for any attacks. If a handful of them stood by each portal, we would stand a better
chance at eliminating them."
Tanya only nodded. Kitana watched the expression on her face. It was as though she was disappointed that her idea wasn't
taken.
'Why is she even here to begin with?' the Princess thought.
The meeting continued on until sunset, setting up more plans to prevent the Outworld army from invading Edenia once again.
Later that night, Kitana walked down the hallway until she reached a door where two guards stood. The two guards nodded
at her and stepped aside to give her room to pass.
Kitana was just about to enter the stranger's room. She had not heard much news about his progress since she left for the
meeting. All she knew was that the doctors were waiting to see if he would make it through the night.
When she entered the room, another figure stood by the stranger's bedside. The single candlelight in the room helped Kitana
to recognize the figure.
"General Rain," Kitana said.
Rain turned his head to her. "Princess Kitana," he said.
Kitana walked over to his side. She looked down at the stranger, who looked peaceful in his deep sleep. She had also noticed
that his dark hair was neatly done. "How is he doing?" she asked.
"The same since he got here," Rain replied. "If he makes it through the night, he may be able to survive this."
"I found him this morning and I'm surprised he made it through the afternoon," Kitana said. She looked at Rain again. "What
brings you here anyways?"
"Curiousity. How about you?"
"The same."
They both stayed silent for a minute, only looking down at the stranger. Then, Rain spoke;
"He's not an assassin."
Kitana turned to the General. "How do you know?"
Rain also turned to her. "I told your mother this morning, but I have not told you. Heck, I'm not even supposed to tell
you, but I feel that you need to know this."
Kitana nodded, ready to learn what Rain had to say.
"Just before the crack of dawn, my men and I were on watch duty when we saw a figure emerge from the forest. We asked who
it was, but then suddenly, he leapt at us with his extremely long claws, one on either side of his arms. I managed to kill
him with my powers and the men stabbed him multiple times to make sure he stayed dead. It was just after we put him down in
the pit that you came and told us about this man. When I saw his wounds, it immediately came to my mind that he was attacked
by the same Tarkata who attempted to attack us. Perhaps the Tarkata had thought he was a member of our army."
"But one question still remains," Kitana said. "What was this man doing near the castle?"
"We will know once he awakens, if he ever does. But Princess...this was a Tarkata who attacked, a native of Outworld. We've
asked for reports from the townspeople and there were no reports of any Tarkata seen or anyone hurt. Then again, it was the
middle of the night, but how he managed to get close to here is out of my knowledge."
Kitana looked at the stranger again and spoke. "What are you telling me General?"
Rain sighed. "Princess...Outworld may already have access to Edenia...without our knowledge. All we can do is keep a sharp
eye and make sure the towns, the embassy, and the castle are all safe. As for you Princess...we ask that you stay within the
palace grounds until this threat winds down."
Kitana sighed. "Again, I feel trapped."
"It's for the best Princess." Then Rain sighed deeply. "Kitana, let me take you to your sleeping quarters. There's...something
else I must tell you."
"More bad news?"
"If what may I suggest, maybe, but to me, it could be wonderful. Come Princess."
He began to walk out of the room. Kitana watched until he stepped out the door. She looked at the sleeping stranger one
more time. As she did, she could've sworn that she felt her heart flutter just a little bit. She briefly looked at him. Then,
she stood up, left the room, and followed Rain to her quarters.
To Chapter Four ----->