It's My Life

Chapter 32 - Check up

Once lunch was over one of the servants wheeled me to a suite at the back of the Embassy, Cora walking behind us. She gestured for the servants to leave, and held her hand out to me. I stood up slowly and took the proffered hand, moving to a closet that looked new. She opened it to reveal dresses, normal clothes and accessories.
"I've never had such fineries before. I mean, we were well off, I just...am not much of a girly-girl. I pretty much kept to myself. I guess growing up I worried more about swimming, being found out. It's so nice not to worry anymore. Well I'll still worry, that won't ever change, but at least now I know I'm not alone." I said, feeling emotional. Cora moved over to me.
"That is a weird thought for me, I have never fully been alone. It must be horrible." She said.
"It's certainly very quiet. Left alone with your thoughts, no one around. Childhood was nice but lonely, until I met Tabitha I didn't have any friends." I said. Cora shuddered gently, and pushed back her light hair.
"This afternoon we'll just relax, you'll see the physician and then talk about Crystallia, you can ask questions and then we'll take you home, unless the physician has other ideas. And tomorrow we'll do more swimming in the pool here, and each day we'll talk more telepathically. It's a muscle that needs to be strengthened, just like any other. And tomorrow we can try food and drink if you like." Cora said.
"Sounds wonderful." I replied. I was looking forward to trying the foods from the ocean. Cora nodded, and then stopped. I wondered why, but a moment later I understood.
"Come to my office when you can." Andreas's voice rang through my head, and I winced.
"We're on our way." I heard Cora reply, and I rubbed my temple.
"Will I ever get used to this?" I asked. Cora smiled.
"You will, like I said, it's a muscle. Come on, let's see what he wants." She said, and I started to walk towards the door but the servant stopped me.
"With all due respect, milady, but into the chair. Doctors' orders." The servant said. I sighed but sat down, getting comfortable, and the three of us left the suite.

"Ambassador, there is a phone call from a Director Jones of Sugden Laboratories for you, he says it's about the princess." Andreas's secretary said. Andreas frowned, but moved to his chair.
"Put it through, please." He said, sending the mental summon to Cora and Cassi. The phone rang and he answered it.
"Andreas." He said.
"Mr. White, thank you for taking my call. I told you I'd call if anything came up that was suspicious." Jones said. Andreas made a noise of impatience.
"Get to the point, Director." Andreas said. Jones cleared his throat.
"Yes well, I wanted to advise you that my boss has found out about Cassi and was just here asking a lot of questions. We managed to answer them to the best of our abilities. But he seemed to know stuff. He is going to ask more questions soon." Jones said. At that point I was wheeled in, Cora following just behind. Andreas waved us over and I went to stand up but the chair was wheeled to the desk. Andreas pressed a button on his phone.
"What is your boss's name?" Andreas asked. I clapped a hand to my mouth as I heard Director Jones's voice.
"Vance Ashton. He owns Sugden Laboratories, and Westlake." Jones said. I shivered, a full body shudder, as the popular saying goes, like someone had walked over my grave. Cora put a hand on my shoulder, and Andreas wrote the name down.
"Thank you for that, Director. Please let me know if he keeps digging." Andreas said, then disconnected the call. I didn't realise I was still shivering until a servant brought over a blanket.
"I'm okay." I said, but Cora helped the servant cover me. Andreas turned to face me.
"I am sorry about that, Princess, but he had information, and I felt you needed to be here to hear it." Andreas said.
"I understand. What was he saying before we entered?" I asked. 
"The owner of the lab that you were held at, his name is Vance Ashton, and he has been asking about you. From the sounds of it there is more to it than that, but we'll need to investigate. Find out who this man is and why he didn't believe everything he was told." Andreas said. I looked at him. 
"You don't think he knows more than he's letting on? He's one of us?" I asked. Andreas shrugged.
"Anything is possible, but we have to explore every avenue." Andreas said.
"We know his name. Vance Ashton. Even his name gives me the chills." I said. Andreas frowned.
"Then we will take this seriously. You have never met him, right?" Andreas asked. I shook my head. "Then something in your very core is warning you of danger. A gut feeling. Those we generally trust." Andreas said. I nodded.
"I understand, Mr. White. And thank you." I said. I pulled the blanket around me, trying to get warm.
"Time for the Princess's appointment." Cora said, looking at her watch. I felt dread fill me. Cora must've sensed it, or seen the look on my face, for she smiled gently.
"Don't worry. He's one of us, you're perfectly safe." She said to me, and I looked up at her.
"With all due respect, and I'm sure your physicians are wonderful people, but I don't have a great track record with doctors." I said nervously. Cora nodded, but it was Andreas who responded.
"You won't be left alone until you are comfortable, Cora will stay with you wheter that be one visit, or ten, or a hundred. Until you feel safe, someone will be with you. The physician understands. We haven't time today, but from tomorrow we can get your land mum to go with you too, if she would be up for it. I'm sure her job will be understanding, or we can arrange a new job here. We don't have humans working with us, but she will fit right in. We could use someone of her caliber here." Andreas said. I nodded. 
"I'll talk to her tonight. I'm sure we can arrange something." I said. Cora took the handles of the wheelchair and Andreas stood up, bowing formally to me, a hand clenched over his heart. I smiled.
"Thank you, so much. I owe you both so much." I said. Andreas smiled fondly.
"Just look after yourself. That's all I ask." Andreas said. 
"Deal." I replied, and he grinned. Cora laughed and pushed me out and down the hall, guards following.