The Hunted Royalty

Chapter 3

2 days after my father went into the hospital, I had just enough strength to force myself out of my bed to go to school. I was walking down the hallway drowning in my earbuds when suddenly I was knocked over. When I was on the floor I was greeted by a familiar face. "Karson" I exclaim.
He says something but I can't hear, so I take out my earbuds and quickly shove them into my bag. "Hm?" I ask.
He gives a small laugh as he hands me my social studies textbook. "What do you have?"
"Social Studies." I answer back.
"Me to." He says, fidgeting. There must be something on his mind. An enduring question. "How's your dad?"
That's it. That's the question. I don't answer, I just give him the 'please don't make me say' look. He doesn't say anything else. We walk in silence to social studies, until he starts informing me on what I've missed.
"Oh yea, also we started a project. It's about the royal family. She choose partners. I'm with you." He sounds rather . . . excited.
"Did you start any research?" I ask.
"Yep. We have to trace the family all the way down to the present."
"Like a family tree?"
"Yep. Just like a family tree." Now, he seems really excited. Like he found something out. Well, I mean it seems easy enough.
***
I turn over to Karson, his face drenched in worry, there's no way we're going to finish in class on time.
"Karson?"
"Yes?" he looks up and gives me his small smile.
"Maybe we should go to one of ours houses, it's obvious we won't finish in time." I use soft words.
"Uhhh who's house?" He asks. Now relaxed at the idea of not having to finish in class.
"Um, tonight you can come over to my house. Just not tomorrow because me and my brother are going to spend the night at the hospital with my dad."
"Ok, do you take the bus or . . .?"
"Oh. I just walk."
"Great." He smiles.
***
BRRRIIIINNNNGGGGG
The bell rings so I walk over to the locker bay and get the stuff I'll need for homework. I see Karson waiting for me by my locker. Locker 331.
"Ready?" He asks me.
"Yep." We take the path I normally take and once we get home Darian has already gotten there, like normal.
"Hey." I call.
"Heyyyyyy. . ." My brother walks in, and stops short. He instantly looks from Karson to me. "Who's this." He nods his head at Karson.
"Karson. We're working on a history project about the royal family."
"Cool." He walks off into the kitchen, but still keeps his eyes on my new friend.
I show Karson over to the living room and we put our bags down. "Want anything to eat?" I offer.
"Nah, I'm fine. Thanks though."
We both set to work, finishing the homework in all of our subjects besides history. Occasionally helping each other when one needs it.
Eventually, once we both finish, Karson pulls out a sheet of loose leaf that must have his notes. Wow! He's gotten a lot done. He's named all of the royal family members while as I have only listed a few facts for the first 5. This is when his face lights up, even more than before.
"Ok, so I got all the names of the royal family members but, I think I've discovered something. When I was looking at the family tree I decided to take some time to look at Prince Kyle's wife's family." I leaned in to get a better look at the piece of paper. "Her sister, Meadow, was murdered in a car crash 2 years ago. Then her husband, Daniel, survived and went on in life to raise their two kids, a boy and a girl. And the kids are said to have been murdered by their own uncle. Man, her husband has had a poor life. He's said to now live in America." He nods his head, astonished. He didn't connect the pieces. All I do is stare at the piece of paper before jerking my head to look at Karson.
"What is Prince Kyle's wife's last name?"
He frowns. "White, why?"
Now I'm sitting back, astonished. I start thinking aloud. "Mom is from England, she has a sister I've never met. Dad, Daniel, who has 2 kids, a boy and a girl. Who has an uncle who is on the run for murdering members of the royal family." There's no way. This can't be real.
"Melina." his voice filled with worry.
I swallow. "Yes?"
"Look at the kids names." He points to the piece of paper. Melina and Darian. I take a deep breath.
"We're being hidden." I say the words as I come to the realization.
"What?"
I turn to look him dead in the eye. "We're being hidden. We've never met any of our family members. We've never left this town, and me and Darian are hardly ever allowed to leave this house." "Karson?"
He swallows. "Yes?"
"What happened to the wife's family?"
"Their said to all have been murdered except for your. . . your dad."
"And Prince Kile's?"
"All murdered except for the king, him, and his wife."
I whisper. "Karson?"
"Yes?" He whispers back. His voice filled with fear.
"My aunt and uncle are the only people who know we're alive. My uncle is going to kill the king, prince, and his wife. Then once he's done he's coming for me and Darian. He's coming for us. He wants the crown."
He swallows.
"We're being hunted."