Stolen Youth

Chapter 4

"You are so busted". I look up to see my sister sitting on my bed. She stands up fixing her dress like the pampered princess she is.

"Mom's been looking for you." She tells me with a bitchy smirk.

"What does she want? I figured you'd be busy party planning all day." I throw my backpack on the bed and sit down at my desk.

"You know her. She probably just wants to b***h about something or give you one of her "motherly" pep talks." She flips her blonde hair that has a slight wave to it, heads out and slams the door behind her. God she was a snob. We may be twins but we were nothing alike. Mother always said I took after my dad and Eden took after my mom.

I guess I better go pay the piper. I open the door and start walking towards the main foyer which separates the west and east wing with two grand staircases on either side. Our bedrooms are on the top floor in the west wing. There's also two guest bedrooms and two bathrooms. In the east wing is where mother boards her 8 personal guards . The bottom floor contained the dining hall, study, parlour and foyer. The basement consists of the kitchen, servants quarters and laundry.

I stop at the top of the staircase when I hear the distinct clicking of my mothers heels on the marble floor below. I peek my head over the railing and see her emerge from the hallway under the stairs that opens into the courtyard via a pair of 10 foot, white oak French doors adorned with bronze fixtures.

She quickly looks up and sees me poking my head over the railing. "Nathan Alexander, where have you been?" She shouted up at me with a facial expression that could only portray anger.

" I was in the kitchen stealing food." I figured this lie would be the most believable as it's something I was always doing.

"How many times have I said to leave that poor cook be? She already has enough to do without you bothering her" she taps her foot impatiently as descend the last few steps.

"What did you need?" I ask as I stop in front of her. My mother has always been described as a beautiful woman who doesn't look her age. Her bleach blonde straight hair falls down to the small of her back. She is tall and slender. Her eyes are piercingly green. She always has flawless skin that have almost no wrinkles.

"The tailor is here..." she stares at me with an annoyed look "to finish adjusting your suit for tomorrow."

"Why can't I just wear the one from last year?" I ask I really didn't want to stand there for hours getting a suit tailored.

"We don't repeat outfits for special occasions" a guard walks up to her and whispers something in her ear. "Just go please he's in your fathers study waiting" she shoos me with her hand and she walks away with her guard on her heel.

After what feels like hours the tailor is done measuring for hemming and adjustments. I go upstairs to my parents room to tell my mother I'm done. As I approach her door I overhear talking between my mother and a male voice that's not my dad.

"We need all 15 for it to work." I hear my mother say in a hushed tone.

"Are these ready to be used?"

"Yes yes. Take them and don't let anybody see them until it's time."

"When?" The male voice is vaguely familiar. I think it's one of her guards.

"Day after tomorrow." My mother answers him.

"Of course, Your Highness."

I hear some shuffling and clanking and then foot steps. I quickly duck into a room as I see the guard walk out carrying a wooden box.

After he's gone I quickly take my leave. My mother is up to something and I don't want to know what it is.

I get to the hallway that leads to my room when I voice startles me.

"What did mom want?" My sister was standing at her bedroom wearing her pajamas and her face covered in a green face mask.

"Just for my suit to be tailored."

"Of course because that's sooo important." She rolls her eyes and heads back into her room.

I enter my bedroom and shut the door behind me. As I walk up to my bed, I realize there's a red envelope laid in the middle of it.

Upon inspection of the envelope the front has a weird symbol on. It looks almost like the tip of an arrow. I open it. Inside is a birthday card. Weird.

"Everyone's youth ends at some point.

-B"

Well that's not creepy....