"The Prince Needs a Bride" (complete)

Part 13 - Back in Eltron

Queen Charlotte seated at Eltron's desk, was taking instructions from Desmond, keying in the words he both spoke and spelt when she heard hammering. Looking at Desmond's image on the screen, she queried, "Can you hear that?"

"Yes, I can; what do you think it is?"

Eltron answered, "Unknown people are at the doors in the outer corridor, the door to Queen Charlotte's quarters and the door that is around the corner, the one to the king's apartment. They won't be able to breach them with whatever it is they are using."

"I must hasten to get there with you, Your Majesty. I am, at this time, travelling in a carriage-like vehicle underground. About two hundred military men whom we can trust, are with me and many more following on foot. We should be with you in about half an hour, the rest, not until around midnight. I'll keep connected until I arrive in the tunnel beneath the stables, but I'm needing my daughter there, with you, Marm. Please call your son and tell them to come as soon as they can."

"I've connected your phone to Albert's, Marm, but he switched it off and you, Sir, haven't as yet, loaded the program to override it, Sir."

The hammering grew in intensity, louder and louder, continuing for over five minutes...

It stopped.

Silence resumed.

"I'm not far away, we're beneath farmland the city limits. If you can have Elsie there when I arrive, we can engineer the program we call 'capture' and every rogue in the capital will be immobilized.

"I'm a bit of a lame duck here," the queen stated. "I should phone the hospital and get an up-to-date report..."

"He is well, Marm, I checked on your behalf, but it would be of great cheer to you both for you to speak together."

Standing, the queen again felt off-center to be talking with a machine, but she moved across to sit on a low couch and flip her compact open to obey the computer. She smiled a wry smile, thinking, Everything about everything has changed...

At this moment the bombs went off, almost at the same time; one at the king's apartment door and one at hers. The blast had no impact in here, but seeking to stand, the queen dropped to her knees on the floor.

Sounds, like doors being slammed very loudly, sounded out one after another.

"Eltron! Tell me that was not a bomb?" Desmond asked, his voice strained.

"Not one Sir, but two. They've breached the outer doors."

For the first time, the queen began to panic. Crawling to sit back on the couch, she called, "Can they enter here?"

Desmond called, "No, Marm, you are safe here. The sounds you heard were very strong double iron walls falling into place to secure this, my computer rooms and prevent any breach. No bomb can destroy Eltron who is currently checking all systems and signals."

"So, am I locked in here?"

Desmond's voice broke in, "Take some deep breaths, Marm. I promise I'll be there soon. Perhaps Elsie and Albert will be there with you before me."

The queen's phone rang and she flipped it open. Seeing Albert's face, she said, "Where are you?"

"I, we, Elsie and I are together with Jeremy and your two ladies. We just finding our way out from the rose maze. Please tell me that you are all right?"

Sirens sound out.

"I'm hoping that is the sound of emergency vehicles coming. Wayne has gone to find out what those explosions were and where; and we are following now. Do you know?"