The Changeling

Chapter 6

"Miss Honey is going to water my flowers, right?" I ask for the hundredth time, completely worried about my flowers dying as my veggie plants have finished producing, and all have been picked.

"Yes baby," mum calmly answers for the hundredth time with a reassuring smile.

Nodding uncertainly as I chew on my lower lip while starring sadly at my flowers through the kitchen slider. We are leaving today for the Kingdom of Shaylah, and we are staying there for two weeks before deciding what we are going to do. Bronx will be driving us to the Kingdom, and we are leaving in twenty minutes.

"Come on, Bronx is here," mum says pulling me from my thoughts as she walks into the living room where Ari and I have been.

The three of us grab our three duffel bags, head outside to Bronx's dark blue Chevy Equinox, and climb inside. Mum sits in the front seat next to Bronx while Arizona and I sit in the back with me sitting behind mum. I want to keep Bronx in my line of sight.

"How long will it take again?" I ask Bronx.

"About three hours," he answers, making eye contact with me through the rear view mirror for a second before focusing back on the road again.

Turning my head to the right, I focus my attention on the passing landscape outside the window. Man, this is going to be a long drive, and I hope I don't throw up because of my nerves. Bronx, Arizona, and mum talk almost the entire ride while I am lost in my spiraling thoughts. Worried thoughts of what could possibly happen when we reach the Kingdom, or anytime after we arrive. I truly hope that I am the wrong person that they are looking for, so we can go home, and forget this entire situation.

"We are about ten minutes away!" Bronx says pulling me from my depressing thoughts.

Mum and Ari answer him as my inner freak out intensifies one hundred percent.

"I am gonna puke," I rasp out while fumbling with the door handle in hopes Bronx pulls over quick enough so I can vomit outside of the vehicle.

Bronx quickly pulls off to the side of the road, and I have my door open before the car is completely stopped, and I lean outside of the car in time to spew the entire contents of my stomach. Arizona thrusts an ice cold bottle of water into my left hand while he rubs my back with his other hand as mum tries not to freak out from the font passenger seat.

"What is wrong, Alaska?" mum questions in concern as I hear a door open and close before I see Bronx squatting down in front of me but slightly off to the right side to avoid my vomit.

"You have nothing to be worried about, Alaska," Bronx calmly tells me as he gently squeezes my right knee in sympathy. "Everyone is going to truly love you, your mum and brother."

"I have every reason to be worried," I grumble as I start to dry heave since I have nothing left in my stomach at all.

"Ka, remember the deal with have with them," mum gently reminds me as she turns to kneel in her seat to face me.

Nodding as I finally stop dry heaving, I open the water bottle to take small sips of the cold water that instantly soothes my aching throat. A couple of minutes later Bronx is driving again, and true to his time estimate, we arrive at the Kingdom of Shaylah which is beautiful, but strangely different than I had imagined it would look like.

Before entering the Kingdom, the landscape looks like everything around it - green grass, blue sky with white fluffy clouds, green leafed trees, and typical looking buildings. Once we entered the Kingdom's boundaries, the grass is a deep purple, the sky is a pale pink with light green clouds, the leaves of the threes are blue, gray, black, and teal, and the buildings look like these belong right in fairy tales.

My mouth drops in shock as Arizona and mum have similar expressions as mine before the three of us turn to look intently at Bronx. He stops at a stop sign, gives each of us a smirk, but longer at me before turning around to continue to drive. About two minutes later we turn into a long, paved drive, and he drives through a lightly wooded area for a about three minutes until we reach an extremely tall and wide castle. The bricks of the huge castle are tan. The castle reminds me of one from the fairy tale stories from my childhood.

"Welcome home, Prince," Bronx warmly yet formally says as he parks the car in an empty spot as he turns to face me with a bright smile.

"Let's go, everyone is waiting just inside the grand entrance," Bronx cheerfully requests as he climbs from the car along with his mum and Arizona.

Taking several deep breaths to calm my racing heart, I follow behind them, rushing over to them, and placing myself in between mum and Arizona. Taking a hand from my brother and mum, Bronx leads us into the front entrance that is ceremoniously opened for us by two male servants who shut it behind us once we are inside.

We stop directly in front of the three people from the pictures Bronx showed us. My anxiety starts skyrocketing again as they along with the two men stare intently at the three of us. The two men are handsome in their own right. The younger man looks to be around my age with dirty blond hair, pale blue eyes, and a slightly muscular build. The older male looks to be in his forties with short dark brown eyes, sky blue eyes, and an extremely muscular build.

"My King and Queen, may I introduce to you, your son, Alaska Brewer, his adoptive mother Amanda, and adoptive brother Arizona," Bronx formally introduces to the them with a slight bow as he gestures towards each of us. "This is King Sol, Queen Easley, Princess Aria, Head Warrior Kingsley, and Warrior Eilonwy. Kingsley is the King and Queen's guard, and Eilonwy will be yours, Alaska."

"Hello your highness', princess," I greet in a soft voice with a soft smile toward them. "Hello Kingsley and Eilonwy."

Mum and Arizona also greet them, but their smiles are brighter than mine.

Before anyone else could say anything, Princess Aria launches herself into my body causing me to stumble back several steps, dropping Arizona and mum's hands to wrap my arms around her waist lightly.

"Hello Princess Aria, it's nice to meet you," I mumble into her straight black hair as she tightens her arms around my waist.

Bringing my gaze up from her when I feel the others starring at us, and finding everyone present watching us with bright fond smiles at us.