We agreed that I would leave as soon as possible. Father insisted that I leave first thing in the morning. That night I hardly slept. I was so excited, but I was also a little sad as I had to leave flash behind. When I got up in the morning I gave her a cuddle. I dressed in the clothes that father hated, but unfortunately they were necessary as girls my age didn't wear dresses where I used to live. I tried explaining that to father but he wouldn't listen.
"Father it's just until I get back. I have to blend in with the other people my age. I promise that when I get back I will get rid of them.", I said as I strapped my sword to my side.
"Fine, but take this just encase."
He handed me a small dagger that had a wolf engraved in the hilt. "Keep this on you at all times okay?"
"I promise that I will Father, don't worry about me. If things get out of hand we will come back straight away. You have my word."
Father gave me a kiss on the head. "Be safe my daughter"
He helped me onto Spirit. I'll tell you, it still wasn't an easy task in jeans!
Peter, Alexander and Damien rode up beside me. I saw father hand Alexander an envelope. Alexander took it and put it in his cloak pocket. I looked at father.
He said to me, "It's just a letter explaining all of this to James and Sarah."
I nodded.
"Keep her safe!" father said. "we will protect her with our life" Alexander said "very well off you go" father said I nodded and off we went. Father had made me wear a thick cloak so that no one could see me. Knowing that they would attack if they identify me as the princess. On our journey we only stopped once.
Alexander thought it would be best if we reached James' and Sarah's as quickly as possible, but we wanted to arrive at night. It took us a few days. It seemed that the light raiders must have been too busy building up their numbers to care about killing me. Finally after days of forest travel we reached familiar grounds. I knew that James' and Sarah's wasn't far. I dug my heels into Spirit and he took off like the wind. I sped past the graveyard where I was first attacked. Alexander, Peter and Damien weren't far behind me when I reached James' and Sarah's, a little after midnight. I tied Spirit up inside James' and Sara's barn.
Damien called to me, "I'll take care of the horses, Lex."
"Thanks Damien!"
"I'm not sure if there going to be happy that I'm back." I said to Peter.
"Nonsense, they will be glad to see you." Peter said.
I went to the door. I could see the living room light was on so I knocked on the door. There were a few seconds silence, then Sarah opened the door.
"Can I" she stopped me there. "Lex?"
I nodded and she threw her arms round me.
"Oh my god Lex come in out of the cold. Who are your friends?"
I introduced them all, except for Damien who was tending to the horses.
"Where's James?" I asked.
"He's working late tonight, but he will be so glad to see you.", she said as she hugged and kissed me more.
"Sarah I hope you don't think were just using you for a roof. We need somewhere to stay as we try to build up are numbers is that okay?", I asked as Sarah handed us all a hot drink.
" That's fine Lex. I don't mind and am quite sure James won't mind either. He will just be glad to see you. So tell me what have you been doing?", she asked.
I gave her the cliff notes of what had happened since I left. I just left the gory bits out. As I was finishing the front door opened. "Sarah where are you?"
"In the living room, James, we have guests." Sarah said with a smile on her face.
James came in. "Hi, sorry I'm late but..." and he stopped.
"But what James?" I asked.
"Lex?"
"In the flesh so to speak." I said with a smile on my face. James grabbed me into a hug. "I'm so glad your okay. We heard that one of the princess's was killed but we didn't know who. My word, you've changed!" he said looking me up and down.
"I haven't changed that much have I?"
"Of course you have. When you left you were a scrawny teenager, but now you've filled out a little and you look like a woman! I wouldn't want to mess with you now with those muscles." he said.
Sarah said, "Oh James stop gibbering will you."
"I'm just glad to see her" James said.
I asked, "Alexander have you given him the letter?"
"No, I almost forgot! Lord Lucifer asked me to give you this.", he said as he handed the letter over to James.
It took him a minute or two to read it.
"We will agree to that." James said putting the letter in his pocket.
"Agree to what?" I asked.
James said, "Allowing you to stay until you build up your army. There is one thing we must ask of you. When you left we had to make up a story. Some people believed us, but we were questioned by the police because Jess went missing at the same time as you. So we need you to go down to the police with us and explain where you've been."
"And exactly where have I been?" I asked Peter as I started to laugh.
"You've been looking for you real parents, which is true. And, that you've been living with your father the past few months." James said.
"Fair enough! I'll go. Alexander, will you come with me?" I asked.
"Of course your highness." Alexander said.
"Alexander, please while we're here just call me Lex. Also, we're going to have to leave our swords behind. They may search us and the last thing we want is to be arrested."
"Okay Lex. " He laughed.
I handed Peter my sword. With a grin on my face I said, "If you loose this I will kill you okay?"
"Relax Lex I'll take good care of it, I promise.", he said as he leaned in to kiss me.
I gave him a quick kiss before leaving with James and Alexander. Getting Alexander into the car was very funny to watch. I managed to persuade him into the back of the car.
"Why can't we take the horses?" he complained from the back seat.
" Because, Alexander arriving at the police station on horses would seem weird to them. People here go in cars." I said.
James responded, "when we get back you can put the horses in the stables as there isn't any horses in there at the minute."
It took us about thirty minutes to get to the police station.
James drove to the visitor's parking lot.
Alexander asked, "Will this take long?"
"It might, the police aren't known for their speed.", I said to him as James parked the car.
We got out, but Alexander sort of tumbled out of the car and landed on his face . I couldn't help but laugh.
"Oh so you think that's funny?" he said very annoyed.
"Yeah, I do actually." I said giggling.
He got up, straightening himself up a bit. It was nice to see Alexander's reaction, since he was usually very upright and proud.
We were stopped at the front door to the police station.
"What's your business at this hour?" asked a very ratty looking police officer.
"My name is James McAlister. I would like to talk to officer Kitty in regards to my daughter Alexandria." James said.
The officer talked over his mic, then turned to us and said, "You're in luck! He's in tonight. On you go in."
I followed James into the police station. He spoke to the officer at the desk and we were told to sit and wait until we were called. Finally, after waiting nearly an hour, we were called in to one of their interview rooms. Alexander waited outside for us.
It was a small room. After another ten minutes an officer walked in. He was in his late twenties, tall with dark hair and eyes.
"Hello James, what can I do for you at this late hour?"
James responded, "This is my daughter Alexandria. She's just arrived back to our home for a little visit."
The officer said, "Would you mind waiting outside James?".
James nodded, got up, and left me alone with officer Kitty as he was so named on his badge.
"So, Miss McAlister; Where have you been the past eight months?"
I'm adopted and set out to try to locate my birth parents, as I'm sure James told you."
"That he did; did you find your parents?"
"I found my father but, it turns out that my mother died sometime ago." I waited for his reaction.
"I'm sorry to hear that. Are you living with your father now?"
"Yes I am. I'm just visiting James and Sarah's to let them know that I'm okay."
"When did you last see Jessica Glover?" he asked.
"The last time I saw her was the night that James and Sara told me that I was adopted. I'd gone to Jess' house to tell her about being adopted and left her house at about half ten or so. I haven't seen her since. Is she missing?" I said lying through my back teeth of course.
"Yes, she's missing and we found the whole situation very odd. After all, two best friends went missing on the same night and then never seen or heard of again. You're sure that you haven't seen Jessica?"
"No I haven't seen her since I left her house that night. Why? where is she?" I asked, acting concerned.
"We don't know. We thought that you both had been up abducted and we didn't know what had happened, but we feared the worst. I am glad to see you alive and well. Did Jess talk to you about taking a trip of visiting friends that last night you saw her?"
"No. She didn't say a word about anything like that. I hope you're looking for her!"
"Yes we are! We will keep looking for her, until we find her!"
"Good luck" I said to my self knowing only to well that they wouldn't find her. "Please let me know what you find out. Jess is my best, and almost my only, friend from school."
"I will do that. I don't have any more questions for you. We will release a statement to the press that you have been found." he said.
"Is there anything else you need to know?" I asked.
"No that's everything. I'm just glad that you're safe and well. We'll keep looking for Jessica and we will keep you up to date, how long will you be staying at James and Sarah's?" the officer asked.
" Probably a month or two, but I haven't decided. After all, I do want to get back to my father. I've been away from him for most of my life."
"Okay, if we hear anything after you go back to your father we will tell James and Sarah. They can pass it on to you."
I stood up to leave.
Officer Kitty asked me, "If you hear or see anything concerning Jessica please contact us.", he said as I opened the door.
"I will tell you if I hear anything about Jess. Good evening officer."
As I got to where James and Alexander were sitting, Alexander stood up.
"Are you okay? Are you free to go?" Alexander asked.
"Yes, they were just asking questions about Jess."
"Who?" Alexander asked.
I signalled Alexander to lean in then I whispered, "The light raider princess."
"Oh right." Alexander said.
