Two Princes and a choice

Waldorf was slammed into the wall at the force of the bullet tearing through his chest and into his heart. That tiny but vital organ exploded inside him and he felt himself slipping. He was dead even before his body started to slip down the wall leaving a streak of blood behind on the oak wall that Bessie his housekeeper had taken such time and pride in polishing. His attacker shoved the gun into his pocket; he strode to the huge painting carefully brought it down input the combination in the safe and twisted it open. He had been instructed to make it appear like a robbery. With a curve of his gloved hand swept everything into his rucksack. He left the door open, called the police and had escaped long before the wail of siren could be heard. **** Darryl watched the girl sitting cross-legged on the oak flooring of the patio a thick book resting between her laps a charcoal pencil between her fingers. Her arm was moving back and forth the other arm was rested on her lap the hand resting lightly on a corner of the book. He grinned and silently glided to her. It was midmorning but the sun was still warm and caressing and the air breezy. He got to her back bent a little hand out and curved like a paw with claws and gave a guttural bearlike growl. ‘Oh dear father in heaven!’ the girl exclaimed starting she turned her lovely wide eyes wide in terror hands on her heaving chest. Her frightened expression dropped when she saw her friend Darryl chuckling. ‘You scared me,’ she accused. Darryl smiled widely and squatted beside her. ‘You are such a chicken,’ he pronounced sitting cross-legged, ‘Hayley.’ Hayley frowned turned and swatted him on the arm with her sketch pad, ‘you beast.’ ‘What are you drawing?’ he asked peeking. She turned away blocking him from view. ‘It’s none of your business,’ she told him continuing with her drawing. A wide grin stretched his lips, ‘you are angry.’ He said. ‘Indeed I am. Why won’t I be? You almost scared the wits out of me; my heart was ready to leap out.’ She looked at him and frowned at the lazy grin on his face, ‘you are not taking this seriously are you?’ he shook his head and she swatted that handsome face with the book again. ‘Take that silly grin off your goddamned handsome face it makes you look like the Lucifer Sharon paints – and no don’t ask me if the Lucifer she painted is as handsome as you are cause I’m not going to tell you.’ ‘I wasn’t going to ask but since you’ve said so and aroused my curiosity I have no choice but to ask. Is he handsome?’ The painting of Lucifer that Sharon had done was handsome and well admired by her but Darryl here was no doubt more handsome but she wasn’t going to tell him and risk adding more air to his already swollen head and have it soaring in the sky. ‘He’s far handsomer than you are.’ Darryl put on a sombre expression. ‘It’s done for me; I think I’ll have my last meal now.’ Hayley laughed a sweet sound. ‘It’s not that bad to take that kind of action.’ Darryl slanted a brow. ‘I didn’t say I’ll commit suicide.’ Hayley straightened her legs, dragged herself to the wall leaned her back against it and brought her knees up. ‘Then how are you going to die I daresay no lady from the age of eight to a hundred and five would murder you but I bet a jealous man would. I would.’ Darryl choked. ‘You? My trusted friend would murder me?’ Hayley giggled at the comical sight of his bulging eyes she reached out and patted his hand. ‘I won’t but if it’s to save the world I would.’ He put his hand on his heart. ‘That relieves me; imagine me waking up to find you above me with a knife or pistol.’ He looked at her and c****d a brow. ‘You are not thinking of that are you?’ ‘I’m seriously considering it.’ Darryl sat beside her legs stretched out. ‘Have you breakfasted?’ She replied her head bowed over her drawing. ‘No what about you?’ Darryl hit his chest stretched his neck till she saw bones stand upright and opened his mouth wide. ‘What are you doing?’ she asked regarding him cautiously. ‘Trying to belch,’ he said and at her slanted eyebrow added, ‘to show to you that I’ve eaten a really large breakfast.’ He grinned. She shook her head eyeing him disapprovingly. ‘Tsk tsk! Dare to belch and I’ll let you have it with my shoe.’ ‘That won’t hurt, it’s as dainty and so as your feet,’ he said looked at her sideways and grinned Hayley again swatted him with her sketch pad. There was a moment of silence. ‘I didn’t see you yesterday where were you?’ He had been so frightened yesterday when he’d noticed her absence at the party. His worry had shown in his face and his mother had noticed his sore mood and told him he looked like a man whose wife was in labour. ‘At my part-time job.’ ‘I called at your work all three of them but you weren’t there.’ His tone was accusing and scolding. ‘Where did you go to?’ ‘My part time job, ‘she repeated. He stared at her in incredulity. ‘Another one?!’ She nodded tight lipped. ‘I was there till three, I’m sorry I couldn’t come to the party. What was it for again?’ ‘Send-off party,’ he answered simply ‘but still another part time job?’ Hayley nodded and sighed, she looked ahead but actually seeing nothing. ‘My dad is a gardener in the palace my mum is a housekeeper in your house I have to work hard to keep myself from being an additional burden.’ Darryl wasn’t new to this talks, he knew Hayley’s dad was a gardener in the royal court and was fully aware of her mother being a housekeeper in his house. But he was glad things was like this, glad her mother was an employee because in that way he became friends with her. They had been friends for more than half of his life since he was seven, had actually started off the wrong foot but ended up with a strong friendship. His parents were aware of their friendship and seemed to agree they hadn’t said anything to contradict that. He was also fully aware of her financial problem and on more than a million occasions asked her to let him help her but she had declined. She turned and slid him a blinding smile. ‘Though its hard work I’m glad to have a friend like you,’ she reached out and lightly tugged at his cheek. ‘Ah ah!’ a triumphant shrill voice sounded from behind them.