The Kingdom of Noitcif

Chapter Thirty-Five - Freedom and Imprisonment

  Engres, at a disadvantage due to a lack of knowledge of how the Base World operated, stumbled over to the staff closet in a rage. After trying the knob and pounding furiously upon the door, he was still attacking it with his sword when the firefighters appeared, disarming and handcuffing him.

  Just then, the closet door swung open, revealing a soaked, shivering, fearful-looking young teen with a trickle of blood running down his cheek (from the close call with his uncle's dagger earlier). His appearance was all the more pathetic given his kingly attire was drenched, dirty, and torn. Espen looked for all the world like an unfortunate youth denied the pleasure of a costume party with his friends.

  "Oh my. Guys!" exclaimed the firefighter who saw him first.

  The two firefighters wrestling with Engres looked up, as did the emperor - who struggled to free himself from their grasp. However, when he realized he was indeed trapped, his face twisted into a look of pure malice at his nephew.

  "You... you sorry excuse for a descendant of royalty! Completely unworthy of-"

  "He trapped me here," Espen blurted out in a childishly defiant tone, pointing at Engres, who turned almost crimson at the accusation and the interruption.

  The two police officers who had just arrived answered in unison, "He did?"

  "Yeah. He brought me here, and then he attacked me. I had to hide."

  "How did you get in after hours?" the taller police officer demanded of Engres, tightening his grip on the emperor's arm as he and his partner took the disheveled Engres from the firefighters.

  Espen's uncle didn't respond, although his sophisticated demeanor seemed to return to him, for he gave a haughty sniff in response – however Espen wondered if it was just due to the fact that his nose was bleeding.

  "Well, you're coming with us," the shorter of the two police officers told him sternly. "You can explain everything at the station."

  "Wait," Engres interjected, "you must understand that I'm his uncle," he added with a good natured smile for effect, which lost its impact since his robotic eye was twisting in its socket. "I am legally responsible for him."

  "Wrong," Espen replied, shaking his head. "My mother is legally responsible for me."

  Engres was thrust towards the door and into the night, where one of the police officer's cars were waiting.

  "Tell it to the judge," the shorter officer stated.

  "Um... excuse me?" Espen called after them. "Before he leaves... the pendant around his neck. It's mine."

  "Oh, of course," the taller police officer answered, taking the charm bearing the Stone of Potenza off of the emperor's neck and putting it gently into the king's outstretched hand.

  "We'll get you home, Son," the firefighter who had first greeted him offered. "First, sit down on this chair so we can make sure you don't need a trip to the hospital first."

  As the firefighter medic checked Espen's vital signs, the gash on his cheek, and made sure that he didn't have any broken bones, his two co-workers finished their inspection of the burned piles of books and the sprinkler system.

  As the examination took place, Espen wished more and more that the portal would open up again, for as much as he enjoyed the officers' kindness, he needed to get back to his kindgom to help with the battle.

  As the king stood after his check-up and the medic packed his equipment into the kit box on the floor, the king noticed the faintest hum and glimmer of color in the far corner of the shadowy library.

  "Um, Sir?" Espen asked tentatively.

  "Maurice," the firefighter answered with a grin.

  "Maurice," the king smiled back. "May I go use the bathroom?"

  "Oh, sure, sure. And then we'll get you home. You checked out fine."

  Espen wasted no time in heading to the far corner, excitement welling up as he ascertained that, yes, the portal had indeed returned. He rounded the last row of bookshelves and paused briefly to admire the colors, hum, and seemingly endless tunnel awaiting him. With the three firefighters occupied elsewhere, Espen stepped into the portal - his hazel eyes glancing towards the library window as he did so, where he noticed a few water droplets on the bushes, reflecting the morning sun.

  Rays of light in the dew that drips.