VenatIO (Book I Of The IO Series)

IV

QUESTIONING

0900 HOURS

LOCATION- URANUS, TOPONYM, K&Q COMMITTEE

-

"What," I mumbled in my sleep as a hand prodded my shoulders and a voice called out my name. I opened my eyes slightly to see Marine standing beside my bed. Her flustered hands smoothed down her suit. She looked impeccable. The doors flew open and Nina rushed in.

"Your highness," she said and curtsied while I lay my head back onto my pillow.

"Get her ready, we have to go," Marine said, Nina nodded, then turning to me yelled, "Sapphire West, get your bottom off the bed now."

I smiled sleepily wiping my eyes with the back of my hand, amused at the usage of bottom. I wiped the faint drool off my face and sat on my bed.

"Where we going," I asked, yawning again. I did not want to argue this early in the morning.

"You will find out soon enough," Marine said. I looked at her suspiciously, suddenly feeling very awake. I looked closer and sighed as I could tell it was just a cover of what she actually felt. Worried. Very worried.

"Young lady, get up, you have to leave now," Nina said as soon as Marine left the room. I sighed and walked off to the bathroom washing my face and brushing my teeth, I slipped on a pair of jeans and a white lacy tee.

"Sit down," Nina growled moody.

"I didn't want to be awake now, either," I replied as I looked around for the time, 7:21 in the morning. She pulled my hair into a tight pony and slathered something on my face.

"Is she ready," Marine asked, walking into my room barely a minute later.

"Yes, your highness."

"Good Nina, you can go back to bed." she nodded at Nina, then turning to me "Come on." I followed her to the portal station and waited as a soldier accompanied us and threw an illuminated cube on the floor.

"We're going," I asked again. She gave me a long look and then shook her head. We walked through the portal and ended up on Uranus again. I looked up and gasped seeing the beautiful and graceful towers of the Parliament, it looked simply magnificent. I may be stupid but I'm smart enough to tell how long and expensive this building was.

We entered the Parliament accompanied with a guard and entered a glass lift taking us up to some floor. I wasn't really concentrating anymore. My heartbeat faster as I wondered what why exactly I was at the Parliament. I was a princess and technically I wasn't allowed to be here right now. My heart pounded as I tried to look careless as marine cast me a glance. I looked up to the room, number room A312. I stood there waiting with marine by my side and another assistant.

"Nat, this is Sapphire West, Nat please escort her into the room in 2 minutes," Marine said, looking at me once again and walking into the conference room.

As soon as Marine left Nat's eyes glazed over me. The deep green eyes burned into mine and I froze for a second as my mind flashed images of supposed memory. I shook my head, thinking if I had seen her eyes anywhere, I would have remembered them, they were beautiful. She gave me one more look, some emotion passed through her face, pride, sadness and happiness all at once, then they hardened and moved away.

"Come," she said, escorting me inside the room. She looked at me and smiled.

"Your highnesses," she said as she left, closing the double doors graciously.

I started my mouth slightly open, a semicircle white table stood glamorously against the dark grey shining walls. The curved side of the table faced the wall where 12 chairs sat. Marine sat in the middle of the curved area; the chair next to it empty. That's probably where the deceased King sat. At the King side, all the male sat and at Marine side, all the women sat.