"I can be ruler." I urged them. "I can be a great ruler. I can ensure that. I'm not a monster. So what if my parents were? No human, animal or any other living thing deserves death, no matter what their wrongs are. My sister is young, a child, she still doesn't know who she is. More or less... to die. I can be a great king. I an ensure that. My family doesn't deserve death. No one does. People can change. Plus, they will be out of their rule, no more then mere "peasants." I want my little sister to live and have a life." I eyes fell on Chad. "You can't make me pick between the two. If you leave me out now and be that great king then I'll even give you a spot on the royal members team. Were you to assist the king, me. We can make this a presidency, no more monarchy, like America. We could become that group to govern these people."
"Sorry, this is not a negotiation, this country runs on a monarchy, and it's not about to change because of your idealistic naivety," Shawna sneered.
"You have been living in that so-called Land of the Free for so long, you have no idea how this country works," Alex snorted. "This is England, not America. No one is going to bow down to a King who doesn't even want a monarchy. You want this country to be like America? Have you even SEEN what your so-called democracy has done to that country? Pfft! Dream on."
"We gave you an ultimatum, either abdicate or die. Now get your head together and choose!" Shawna growled.
"I appreciate the gesture, but I hate to admit it, bro, they're right," Chad whispered. "You can't be a King overnight without knowing the first thing about being King. Can you honestly tell me you were trained for this? You were born a royal, but you were not raised one. You don't know the first thing about running this country."
I wanted to retaliate but I knew Chad was right. My foster parent raised me just like any other American kid. I love fast food, dirt biking and roller coasters in summer theme parks. I love going to school, getting into friendly scuffles with the neighborhood kids. Hell, even my current job as a library assistant seemed more desirable than trying to decide the fate of the country. If I take the throne, it still will not wipe away my reputation as the son of the King who murdered thousands over a few bucks. I took a deep breath.
"OK, I will leave. I will leave and never turn back. But only if Stephanie comes with me, and that you will never pursue us again."
I grinned as Shawna agreed and ordered some guards to release my sister, me and Chad, leaving my parents to quietly weep. Once I could feel my hands, I quickly grabbed Stephanie and pulled her into my arms, then standing in front of Chad, protectively. Stephanie coughed and whined. "Mommy!!"
"Stephanie, no. Let's go." I hugged her tightly before circling around the two and leaving with Chad by my side. "I can't do anything. I can't break a deal."
"Bu-but...." She whined and burst into tears.
"They're terrible people, sis. Both our parents and the Drake family. But we're going to ditch this place and actually live a good life, with no worries. It's OK, Steph."
Stephanie was still sobbing as we went, but her eyes told me that she knew I was right. She had lived with my royal parents longer than I ever did. She was privy to the workings of my parents and how they run the country. Deep down, she knows Shawna and Alex spoke the truth. But I understand her grief as well since she spent time longer with my parents than I did, so there is an inevitable bond between them. But at least now she will be free from the royal drama, and have a normal life, like I did, like I am going to now. All she could do was hold me tight and not let go the only family she had left. We were escorted to the Drake family jet where my foster family was already waiting, along with a very familiar face.
"Hello, Desmond Dunn."
"You!" I exclaimed, pointing at the man. "You're the guy who came to my house and started all this mess!"
"Richie~!" Stephanie squealed and rushed to hug the big man.
"Richie?" Chad raised a brow. "Am I missing something here?"
"He's the Benedict family head of security and my personal bodyguard!" Stephanie gushed over him. "I haven't heard from you since Mommy and Daddy sent you to America on a mission! Where have you been?"
"America? Wait..." My brain finally clicked. "You came to retrieve me, on my family's orders. Those guys at Earl's, they were also wearing the same suit as you. They're your guys?"
"Woah, that means that Claire bitch killed them AND Earl..." Chad seemed to have caught up too.
I groaned in frustration. "This would've been a much different story if I had let myself to taken by you." I immediately started to regret my decision. "Ugh..."
Richie laughed. "I shouldn't have been so "secretive" about it. C'mon, Stephanie, we are no longer welcome here." Stephanie looked up and me sadly, yet nodded in agreement.
I looked over at Chad, yet still curious about the earlier topic i brought up. "So uhhh... about me liking you..."
"Yeah, that..." Chad scratched his chin a little awkwardly.
"It's OK if you don't have the same feelings for me," I said as I paid attention to my shoes. "I mean, I just needed to get it off my chest, not leave things unsaid if we didn't make it, like you said."
About a few seconds (which felt almost like eternity to me), I heard an exasperated groan and my collar suddenly get pulled.
"Fuck it."
Before I knew it, a pair of lips were against mine.
I blushed red. Stephanie looked up at us and giggled. "brother has a boyfriend~" She giggled and hugged my leg.
I pulled away and immediately the tension between us grew very awkward. It was very quiet, but my little sister broke it.
"Brother. I'm getting tired.." She raised her small arms in hopes of my picking her up, but before I could, Chad grabbed her and threw her on his shoulder. "Dude, you have an adorable little sister. Nothing like you!"
Stephanie giggled and playfully kicked about trying to get away but Chad held onto her so that he doesn't accidentally drop her.
"Haha, very funny," I rolled my eyes. "Now give her back, she wants me."
"Nuh-uh, you get to hog her forever. Let me hog her for once, since this is technically the first time we've met. Hi, I'm Chad. Nice to meet you."
"I know. I'm Stephanie. Nice to meet you too," she giggled, making me roll my eyes again.
"So what is this Richie guy doing here? I thought we dumped his ass back in America."
"Richie told me that he hacked the GPS system in the car you stole from him and tracked it to the junkyard where you dumped it to get it back. He figured from the location of the junkyard, he triangulated several places you might hide around the area and found one of your long distance friend Earl that you might go to. He sent some men to intercept you, but Drake's assassin had been secretly bugging their comms and got there first to kill them and Earl and wait for you. Then he did some sleuthing and figured out Alex was the mole who helped the assassin bug the comms and was going to come arrest him when he found out about the deal you made with them. He was offered to escort us back to America in exchange for him to leave the Drakes alone."
"So that explains that. Now for our next issue. Am I just going to go live in my old home alone with my sister, or should I move for safety reasons?" I asked, mainly myself.
"Desmo---"
"I'm tired of my fake name. Call me Sheridan."
"Ok, Dan." Chad teased. "I think you should move to a bigger house, you know? Taking care of a child is hard enough yet, you two need room for both. Plus, just to stay safe. I know just a house too and I can move in with you to help out with the girl." He smirked. "I bet you'd love that." He cooed and stuck his tongue out at me before running to the other side of the plane to avoid being tackled.
Stephanie was still in his arms as she squealed in delight, being carried along when Chad ran away. I blushed for a bit before chuckling and shouted after him, "Oh, you're such a fucking tease, bro! Get back here!"
As I chased after Chad and Stephanie with my foster family and Richie laughing in the background, the jet soon took off, on its way back to my home in America, and hopefully, to a new and better life ahead.
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