[Prologue]    [Chapter 1]   [Chapter 2]    [Chapter 3]    [Chapter 4]    [Chapter 5]    [Chapter 6]    [Chapter 7]    [Chapter 8]    [Chapter 9]    [Chapter 10]    [Chapter 11]    [Chapter 12]    [Chapter 13]    [Chapter 15]    [Chapter 16]    [Chapter 17]    [Chapter 18]    [Chapter 19]    [Chapter 20]    [Chapter 21]    [Chapter 22]    [Chapter 23]    [Chapter 24]    [Chapter 25]    [Chapter 26]    [Chapter 27]    [Chapter 28]    [Chapter 29]    [Chapter 30]    [Epilogue]
   

Chapter 14

The King and Queen of Telleria entered the Principal’s office. The Principal was already standing.
    “Your Majesties,” the Principal said, “take a seat.”
    Pella and Kane sat on 2 chairs in front of the desk. The Principal sat behind the desk. Kane started talking first.
    “First of all, we’d like to clear up the facts about Corina’s behaviour at school,” Kane told the Principal.
    “Haven’t you received the reports we sent home?” she asked Corina’s parents.
    “No,” Pella told her. “When she gets them, she doesn’t open the envelope but burns them before she gets home.”
    “I see,” said the Principal, slowly. “I suppose I should tell you about the distress Corina has been causing her classmates.”
    That surprised Corina’s parents and they stared at the Principal as she gave them a folder. Pella opened the folder.
    “The liar!” said Kane angrily.
    “She always said her friends were free to play those arcades,” said Pella who was shocked. She shook her head.
    “Lucky for them, we’ve been giving them leniency for their late homework, but Corina needs discipline,” the Principal told them. “I’m thinking she didn’t give you the schooling paper either.”
    Kane crossed his arms. “I suppose that would be the yellow one?”
    “We should talk to her immediately,” said Pella, a little angry. The Principal gave them a yellow piece of paper and they all stood up. “Unless there is anything else, we thank you for your time,” said Pella.
    “Time well spent your Majesties, I hope to see improvement when Corina comes back next term,” told the Principal.

They found Corina in what she called, the 'cosy room’. She was lovingly eating a chocolate sundae while watching cartoons.
    “You mind if we pause this and talk for a little bit?” Kane asked his daughter.
    “Will it take long?” asked Corina. Kane shook his head and pressed a button on the wall. The cartoon paused. Kane and Pella knelt down next to her.
    “Corina,” Pella began, “you’ve lied to us. All those times you went out with your friends, you told us they were able to. But they weren’t.”
    Corina looked down. “I know. I made them get late marks.” She then looked at her parents. “But it’s a small price to pay for a little fun.”
    “Ruining people’s lives is a huge price to pay for a little fun,” Kane said sternly. “How old are you?”
    “16,” answered Corina. She looked like she gave up.
    “Then why do you act like 6?!” he asked.
    Pella then started talking. “Corina, we’ve laid down some rules-”
    “Rules!! Rules!! Why does there always have to be RULES!!!” complained Corina.
    “We really wanted to talk about them after Jaron and his family leave later in the week, but we thought it would be better if you thought about them until that time,” Pella told her daughter.
    “Besides, you don’t like it when we’re strict do you?” Kane asked. Corina shook her head. “Enjoy your cartoons.” “That girl is hiding something,” he told Pella.
    Her parents got up and left a piece of paper-with a list on it-on the table. The cartoon started playing again.

Rida, Loria, Jaron, Mando and Lico-their children-arrived earlier in the evening. The children were in bed and dinner’s been served. Jaron is wearing nothing but gold. They were all chatting and laughing and having a good time until Jaron asked a question.
    “Kane, I’ve noticed that you haven’t been eating any Pol Fruit lately and you should’ve eaten at least 2 by now. May I ask why?”
    Kane put down his fork and leaned forward. “Well Jaron, you see, a certain few scientists did some experiments and research and...etc. So, they found out that eating Pol Fruit enough times is what causes Runzmo’s Disease. Which is why I, being addicted to it, caught the disease earlier than I should have. So to slow it down now, I’m giving up Pol Fruit.” Everyone then clapped-except Pella.
    When the clapping stopped, people looked at Pella. She said: “I’m never gonna give it up. Tastes too good.” Everyone laughed.
    Loria was sitting next to her younger sister. She talked to her telepathically. “I heard you’ve been causing trouble at school baby sister.”
    “All I want is some fun,” Corina told her big sister. “And homework’s too hard.”
    “Have you ever heard the phrase: ‘With great power comes great responsibility’? Being a ruler of a country isn’t a piece of cake you know,” told Loria. No one realised that this telepathic conversation was going on between the 2 sisters.
    “But instead of sending princes and princesses to school, can’t they just simply be taught how to rule?” Corina asked.
    Loria chuckled. “Why don’t I look at that rule list and see if I can soften it up a bit?”
    “Thanks.” Without thinking, Corina accidentally flicked away some bits of cauliflower with her fork. “Pidgies!”
    Rida dropped his knife and fork and Jaron spat out his drink. No one was talking but staring, at Corina.
    Jaron breathed out with relief and wiped his mouth with a napkin. Rida said, “Corina, that’s a Tyron insult.”
    “May I be excused?” Corina said in a very quiet voice. She then walked out of the room.
    “I’m glad that neither my children or Zana heard that,” thought Jaron.

Kane and Pella were watching home movies of Corina as a baby. Pella was eating Pol Fruit and Kane was sitting away from her so that he could resist the smell. Loria was with them but was standing up and reading the list of rules.
    She looked at her parents. Pella had a streak of grey hair and the top of Kane’s hair was white. “Mum still looks beautiful and Dad still seems strong, but they look...worn out and tired. Corina’s doing I guess.”
    She looked at the list again.

©Ruth Amy Louise Hüneke 2008