The Prince

Chapter 2: I Beat You At Tiger Poking

-dedicated to my oh-so quirky friend, Sophie. I know I ramble on about my books, so this one's for you.-

Chapter Two: I Beat You At Tiger Poking



"Welcome to Wellingtons, America, son." Dad announces and strides into our new house.

Holy. Fuck.

It's so.. different from Falls, where there's enough plants to nearly be a jungle. Here, it's all pavement. It smells gross too, like a chain-smoker decided to take a stroll through. I don't know much about America, all I know is what I researched. Which is nothing. I was going to look up Wellingtons on the plane ride here, but I was too busy getting acquainted with my bodyguards and figuring out the best ways to fool them from what I've learned. 

I walk into our drastically smaller house (well, living in a palace tends to make every other house small in comparison.) and sit down on the couch, where my father is already watching TSN, most likely soccer. 

"Will you pass the chips, Xander?" Dad asks, his eyes glued on the soccer match, feeling around the couch for the chips.

"You're pathetic, you know that right?" I throw the chips at him, and with his amazing sensory skills (which I seem to have inherited) he catches them, his eyes never leaving the telly.

"Not so pathetic when I beat you in Tiger Poking, am I?" He smirks, sneaking a glance at me.

"That was one time!" I groan, rolling my eyes and taking a seat on the couch beside him.

"You're just lucky I got you before it did." He counters, hugging the bag when I attempt to steal some.

"Soo, what was Mom blabbering on about yesterday?" I ask, remembering that I'm supposed to go to school (ugh) tomorrow.

"Well, no one at school is supposed to know you're a prince so I strongly suggest you keep it a secret there." He replies between munches. "Other than that, still try to be a secret, we don't want those nasty assassins going after you, do we?"

Even though Falls is very, very friendly with the rest of the world (like really. We've got enough peace treaties to wallpaper a house. Completely non-violent) there's more than a few people who would kill (no pun intended) for some of our specialities.

"Not like I can't handle assassins Dad," I smirk, but the last incident really was shitty. Though I did learn that ferns can be especially harmful when used correctly.

"Because I was there to save your sorry arse." He retorts, pausing. "Other than that, not really anything important. Don't scare them off, blah blah, don't party, do your homework." He imitates Mom's high squeaky voice when she's naggy.

I scoff, "She's delusional sometimes." As if a lecture would keep me out if trouble. "Speaking of delusional. Ten fuck-"

He clears his throat, raising an eyebrow at me. "Did you mean 'freaking' Xander?"

I give him a 'seriously?' look and rephrase my sentence. "Ten freaking bodyguards? Dad, c'mon-" I groan. "What's the point of being trained as an elite spy if you've gotta have ten bodyguards!"

"As you said. Your mother is, at times, delusional." He replies, flipping through the channels on the TV, seemingly bored with the soccer programme, since David Beckham isn't in the match. "I've told them to guard the perimeter of the house, except when your Mother comes to visit, then it's 24/7 buddy." Dad shrugs and looks at me.

"Don't glare like that. I tried!" He throws his hands in the air, exasperated. "You're lucky I narrowed it down to six!"

"Yeah, thanks Your Majesty. Kingship goes out the window when you're arguing with your wife, doesn't it." I head up the stairs, trying to locate my room. Dad, for all his talk, is completely head-over-heels in love with my mom. And when your best hopes of freedom comes from a love-sick fool who's in love with the person taking away your freedom---you're outta luck.

My room is furnished, just like the rest of the house, but it lacks the king sized bed from home. Which sucks.

I'm about to kick off my pants (who can sleep with pants?) and get ready for bed when I see a note taped onto the TV.

'Play the tape' it reads.

Sketchy. I've never had anything like this happen before, I mean, we're the hippie country that just wants peace.

So I press play and what pops up on the screen is more terrifying than any psycho killer or terrorist.

It's a lecture from my mom.

• • • • • • •

A/N

Whale-come (Welcome, haha, get it? No? Okay.)

I hoped you liked it! (If you didn't, well... I dunno what to say.)

Xander will be arriving at school next chapter, and that's where things really pick up.

Vote, Comment & Add to yo' library if you liked it!

lots 'o love,

Rachel.