The Princess of Planet Xeronis

Secret

Nancy steered the flying bike out of the woods and she came into what was a highway of other flying vehicles that slowed down as they came to pass through the wide gates that led into the city. She had drawn a hood over her head so no one would recognize her.

The city was protected by a very high wall. The brick was black and the mortar was white and phosphorescent. More walls reinforced the main outer wall and they were several feet thick and about fifty meters tall.

The city was a combination of a civilization that had made large leaps using magic and technology but still preferred the medieval look of stone and bronze architecture though they were using advanced elements.

Though this was a Xeronian city, it was very similar to a human civilization even though not all Xeronians were human beings.

The city was well lit up by a network of bright luminous crystals.

Nancy approached the palace, the grandest design, which stood a big mansion with a lot of chandeliers inside. She parked her bike near the royal garden and she hurried to the walls of the palace with Spot at her heels.

She pushed a few select bricks and the wall turned, opening a path for her before shutting again. People inside had already gone to bed so the passageway was deserted except for the guards guarding the doors and the royal patrol guard outside. In no time she had made it to her room and shut herself inside.

"We make it unnoticed again," Spot said leaping onto her large bed while she hurried into her big closet.

"The professionals we have become," she said changing into her sleeping gown.

"This is very different... you coming back with a human, like that."

"I know," she got in her blankets, "Spot, you must not tell anyone."

"Do you think you can keep him a secret?"

"Yes. Ben should be my responsibility from now on. I won't have anything bad happening to him on my conscience. Good night boy."

"Good night."

Then she reached over and switched off the lamp.

Ben had climbed a nearby hill and had spied the city in the distance. He turned around to look at the forest and the mountain range stretching across the distant horizon. When he got down to sit below a tree, the cold crept up to him. Wonderbee came with wood which she arranged and set alight with her flaming breath.

"Thank you," he could only say. She nodded and moved a stone throw away to sleep on a spot, aware that he was still timid around her. She was the first to sleep. After a few moments had passed, he dozed off too.

A new day dawned on planet Xeronis and the kingdom of Onis burst into life. Nancy was ready early and she was hurrying up the great stairs of the palace, clad in a silver dress when she met her father, the king, who was making his way down in the company of his four advisors.

Nancy did not like the bunch. They were always out to get her and make her life miserable. The advisors all wore black cloaks with collars that opened up like bowls. They never showed their feet or hands. They were all blue-skinned and bald, and they had no earlobes and no visible nose on their faces. Their eyes were a white lens with an imposing black iris.

"Ah, my lovely princess," the king said noticing her from his discussions. He was the only one colorfully dressed among his companions, dressed in royal robes just like Earthly kings. He was in his early sixties and he kept a full greying beard.

"Father... "Nancy curtsied.

"The attendants told me of your disappearance from the library yesterday."

"Oh, about that... I had a little adventure in mind," she excused herself.

"An adventure that is too important to study law and history?"

"I know our history, you tell me every day. History is how we live. Law can be... draggy."

"Perhaps the princess would do better if she didn't run off on her own... without guards," an advisor who was slimmer than the rest jumped in.

"It shows recklessness on her part to freely mingle with the commoners."

"Shumba, you are right. I recommend that she should study her duties and responsibilities under a watchful eye; we'll interview someone," the slimmer advisor said again.

Nancy just looked at them as they decided her fate. Spot, who had been walking beside her all along, could not stand it and then he decided to run along up the stairs.

"Well said. In the meantime... guards!" the king turned to his four bodyguards that were the heavily armed, brown-furred, and erect apes, "You are not to leave her side."

"Father...? I don't need babysitters. I'm not a child anymore," then she was heading up.

"You are the future of this kingdom young lady. It is their duty to see that you're well protected."

"See you later father," she continued on her way with two guards following a foot behind her. She got in the passage of the third floor and got in the first door she came upon, slamming the door shut in the guards' faces. She then turned for this big room and then her eyes fell upon her aunt who sat on the bed reading a book.

Aunt Josephine looked up at Nancy, "There is a thing called knocking."

"Not you too," Nancy then came to sit on the bed as well, "I found Earth," she said after a breath.

"I know," her aunt wore spectacles for reading and she was in her early forties.

"You do? Well, the thing is I didn't know that it was Earth until I had gotten back. I'll have to go back to the Study and re-open the portal again."

"I know," her aunt looked at her, "but two weeks is a long time to wait for, especially when it's the case that you brought back a very interesting souvenir."

Busted.

"Who told you that?" Nancy was sure her aunt was not just guessing it.

"My personal spy... right under the bed."

"I don't believe this. Alright, come on out now Spot. I know you're down there," she did not have to even look. Spot crawled out of the bed and he chuckled sheepishly.

"Why would you tell our secret?"

"Secret, what secret?" Spot tried to be evasive.

"Yes, what secret?" her aunt set her book down.

"You told her about Ben."

"Oh, he has a name," her aunt looked very receptive.

"I think this is one from Aunt Josephine's recipes," Nancy said after a thought. Aunt Josephine was a bookworm and a know-it-all. With all the extensive knowledge she had gathered from books she could do anything such that brewing a truth potion was child's play.

"How do you know she cooked me something?"

Nancy did not bother with a reply; instead, she faced her aunt.

"Please don't be mad at me."

"Oh, that's an understatement. So you did abduct a human?"

"I wouldn't exactly call it that."

"But still, he's unregistered. What If they find out what you did? I'll be years explaining this. Why do I let you out of my sight?"

Nancy rose to stroll around the room.

"They won't find out. I'll hide him for these two weeks and open the portal."

"How's he, still in shock?"

"Hardly; I think he's a rogue of a character," Spot was not done spilling the beans.

"Spot the commenting dog. We are not inclined to hear what you think right now."

"How old is he?" Aunt Josephine asked Spot.

"Well, he is some tall boy."

"Boy?"

"He is um... around my age and I trust him," Nancy gave Spot a scolding eye.

"He could pass as one of the Rotonis people," Spot replied. Rotonis was a distant neighboring kingdom whose people were prominent for their brown skin.

"Oh, dear."

"He thought Wonderbee was going to eat him; can you believe that?"

"Wonderbee is in this too?"

"Whose side are you on anyway?" Nancy put her arms to her waist as she looked at her puppy friend. He had been doing a lot of talking lately.

"It won't work dear. I put something in his food and he'll tell me anything."

"Couldn't you at least smell the ham out? Anyone can smell sprinklings of mupfuhwira."

As you surmised by now, mupfuhwira was a truth potion.

"Well, the ham was irresistible," Spot smirked.

"Maybe there's a good reason why dogs on Earth don't talk. It'd be great having a dog that only knows how to bark and to sniff around, and to knock over trash cans."

"And it'd be great having a princess who behaves like one and stay in the palace for just twenty-four hours!"

"It is sixteen hours auntie... drop your Earthly customs. I don't understand you. You should be more like me. You have a chance to visit your home planet but you just don't take it."

Then Aunt Josephine was silent for a while as if in thought.

"I hate flying," she finally said.

"Well, I love it. I best be on my way now that father has just left meaning the pass is clear," Nancy headed for the door.

"I don't know what to do with you. Keep that young man safe."

Nancy stopped at the door, "Isn't that great? A fellow Earthling like you here with us on Xeronis," then she opened the door.

"Um... aren't you forgetting someone?" Aunt Josephine said meaning Spot who waged his tail while moving towards the door.

"Oh hell no! You are not coming anywhere."

"But I'll tell her about the traps."

"What traps?" Aunt Josephine asked and Spot was just about to tell her when Nancy scooped him up into her arms and held shut his muzzle.

"I don't think so. I'll see you in a couple of hours," then she shut the door before her aunt could protest.

The two guards followed her downstairs. She stopped outside the palace to look to the horizon and admire the morning sun of Xeronis.

"Mesmerizing," she said then moved to mount her bike. One of the guards cleared his throat and she turned to look at them.

"You do realize we are under strict orders?"

"Can you keep up? Better take the morning off," then she got the bike levitating while the guards hurried to find their bikes, but they were never going to catch her.

Spot laughed his lungs out as they disappeared into the city.

Nancy had several secret bases in the city and most of them were rooms that she was renting. She couldn't exactly walk around as the princess in palace attire. She wanted anonymity. So, in her bases she could change her clothes and emerge as a totally anonymous person going about her business. So she always left the city in more comfortable clothing like pants and boots and whatever she felt like wearing.