Rise- Norta United

Sixteen

A/N: This chapter is strictly mature. There are elements in this chapter of abuse, rape and depression. I understand if you can't read this chapter, I'll recap for you in the next chapter. My apologies. 

Alexander 

It's been 3 hours since Kamberly left, and I can see Adriana Clauss, one of her closest friends, crane her neck to look at the door she left through.

 The only door in the entire ballroom. 

"Where is she? She left hours ago." Caleb murmurs and I shake my head. 

"I'll go check and make sure she's okay. She could've fallen asleep." Queen Mare says, smiling and leaves. 

Something is settling in my stomach, and I don't know what it is. 

It feels mildly like dread and I saw people whisper. 

The Queen was gone for more than ten minutes and right as Ben was about to blow out his ten candles, a guard burst in, the Queen right behind him, her face pale. 

The King bolted to his feet and ran to his wife's side. I heard him whispering quietly to her and as the Queen burst into tears, his face paled. 

"I want.." He said, his voice quivering with rage, "this palace.. locked down. NOW." 

"What the hell is going on?" people whispered and when the King was informed the palace was under lockdown he turned to the court. 

"The Crown Princess has been taken hostage." 

That was when the room exploded. 

Yelling, screaming, chaos ensued. 

I heard tanks rolling down the drive, and looked as 25 tanks rolled down the drive, headed down into Archeon. 

I walked over to the King and Queen, who were listening to their generals and lieutenants, their SEALs with grave faces.

 I knew this wasn't the first time. 

But this seemed worse than the last time. 

Skaran was right at my heels, but I watched Alex place an arm around his brother's shoulders, and I walked over to them. 

I placed a hand on his other shoulder as he gazed into the candles fire with tears in his eyes.

 "Are you going to blow them out?" Alex murmured and Ben shook his head. 

"No. Kamberly's not here. It seems wrong to celebrate when she might be..." 

Alex burst into tears and I saw the Queen look over at her two sons, pain etched on her face. 

She wanted to comfort them. 

But knew her duty was to listen on retrieving her only daughter.

 Caleb was furious, pacing in a corner, occasionally yelling at his own generals. 

I looked at Ben and smiled sadly. 

"Ben, your birthday comes once every year. I assure you, Kamberly will be here again tomorrow. We're all going to work as hard as we can to get your sister back." 

He gazed back into the flames and nodded once and then blew them out. 

He looked at his parents and then at me. "I wished she would be back as soon as possible. That's what I want more than anything." 

Alex hugged him and as Caleb walked over to his brothers, Ben looked at me, his eyes serious. 

"You love Kamberly, don't you?"