A Life Beyond by Mark Church (e book reader txt) 📖

walls until he saw something move in the corner of the room that turned his hair white and stopped him talking ever again…'

'Which was??' Lillie shook her brother's arms as she was desperate to find out,

'Well...We don't know as he never spoke again!! But I bet it was scary!!' Daniel smiled as he left Lillie hanging like a worm on a fishing hook,

'Oh come on!, you can't leave it like that Daniel' Lillie said as she threw her arms in the air knowing that her brother had nothing else to tell her,

'What more do you want me to say sis?, that was it, let's just imagine how bad it actually was!!' Laughed Daniel as he caught a glimpse of the King laughing to himself,

'These are the finest Kings ever to have ruled over this land' The King smiled as he recalled his lands fine history 'The last picture is of MY father, King Loran Casborn, our lands finest ever warrior, he taught me everything I know and there isn't a day that goes by when I don't thank him for all he gave to me and your father' The King stood right in front of the painting of his father and smiled, seemingly lost in thought, 'Anyway...as I was saying I think I may have a little surprise for you in here', they stood outside a large door and the King knocked.

The door creaked open and they were met with the most dazzling room they had ever seen, it was filled with the finest furniture and statues which were sitting on a marble floor, a large table sat in the middle of it surrounded by fifteen overly large chairs, the children stood open mouthed at the sheer beauty of this room they were all standing in,

'Welcome to the Great Chamber, children, My sanctuary from the outside world' the King stood smiling at the end of the table, arms spread wide as if to say ‘this is me and this is who I am’, Harvey then appeared from out behind one of the chairs looking a little worse for wear after whatever it was he had been up to,

'Hi guys' Harvey said as he softly raised his hand and waved at Lillie and Daniel who were staring back at him confused about his strange behaviour lately,

'Alright Harv...feeling ok now?' Daniel said awkwardly as he felt something was happening with his friend,

'I'm ok Dan...Feeling a bit odd lately but I thinks it's just this place messing with me a little' replied Harvey, looking a little embarrassed now,

'Just stop being an idiot Harvey…' Lillie stared deep into Harvey's eyes with a burning rage 'We are all a little different here and it doesn't help that you're acting all crazy again'. The children were arguing amongst themselves so hard that they didn't notice that the King had disappeared through a side door which led to his private study room,

'Guys...guys...GUYS!!!' shouted Harvey 'Where's your granddad gone?'

'He was here a minute ago I think..' Lillie scoured the room looking for the King but he was nowhere to be seen.

All of a sudden the door swung open and through it came the King followed by another of his closest soldiers, this soldier stood as tall as the King, wearing body armour as shiny as the midday sun, his hair hung down across his broad shoulders and fell down his back covering his cape which was the same colour as the Kings and the same one that Daniel had seen in his dreams,

'Children….I said I had a few surprises for you so this seems like a good place to start, first of all I'd like to introduce you to…'

'Our father???...' Daniel shouted excitedly, clapping his hands as he jumped on the spot,

'Ha-ha, not quite my boy but you may recognise him very soon...as I was saying I'd like to introduce you to my third in command and one of my most trusted guards, I haven't seen him for quite some time and it's so good to see him looking well...This is Garin Dell'. Lillie stepped forward to shake the hand of Garin as he leant forward to greet her, she then gasped out loud and took a few steps back as Garin smiled at her knowing that she had recognised something ever so familiar,

'Th...those eyes...I know those eyes' Lillie spluttered for words as she turned and looked straight at Daniel, Garin smiled softly replying to Lillie who seemed in total shock now,

'Lillie. It’s so nice to see you again' he said as Daniel was looking totally confused now,

'How does he know your name sis??, and why is he saying it's nice to see you again??'

Garin strode forward as Lillie covered her mouth with her hands, he stopped just short of Daniel and crouched down slightly in front of him,

'Wh...Who are you??' asked Daniel as he stared straight at the face of the guard who was waiting for Daniel to see the person he wanted him to see,

'Hello Daniel…' Garin stood up straight and took a deep breath and smiled at Daniel knowing he could now see the real identity behind what was standing in front of him now,

'N...No...It can't be!!!...B...Bucksy???' Daniel's head started spinning and the next thing he knew he was down on his hands and knees feeling slightly sick and lightheaded,

'Wha...Eh??...but...Err….How…' Harvey had never been so confused before but even he was struggling and Lillie just burst out laughing unable to believe that this was their pet,

'Oh really!!, we are supposed to believe that this...man...is, or was our dog??, Why should we believe this', Garin knew that revealing who he actually was might not sit with some and he expected it to be Lillie so he reminded her of something that only they could know,

'Lillie…' He started 'Do you remember that day when you were up in your bedroom and you were singing at the top of your voice, not for the first time, then I came in and you saw me sniffing around so you threw that round thing at me and it hit me straight on the nose..'

'Yes I remember it well, Bucksy was constantly in my room' Lillie recalled,

'Yes, it was your favourite snow globe if I recall!!, the one with the snowman with the huge teeth, I still have flashbacks to that day' Garin winced at the thought of it hitting him all those years ago,

'Bucksy!! So it is you!!', declared Lillie with a wry smile 'How is this even possible?'

Garin gently picked Daniel up off the floor to check he was ok and held onto him fairly tight before giving the children the explanation they deserved,

'Well, the day you left this place, both of you, was the day your father was sent on his most dangerous mission which was to protect you all from harm. He knew that it wouldn't be long before the Graxx Army would find out your location and you were to be disposed of because you were, sorry, are the rightful heir to Erwin..'

'Go on, please' Daniel looking straight up at Garin as he knew he needed to find out the truth,

'So you grandfather, the King, advised me to track you, your sister and your mother down and go with you away from this world as protection, so I set off to search for you, finally I caught up with your mother Stephanie and made her understand that I was to be your protection, but I knew that I would have to leave this place and stay by your side for as long as I was needed'

'But why did you turn into a dog??' Lillie asked

'I'm getting to that my dearest Lillie, so...as it turns out the King wanted your father to not know of your whereabouts as it would put you all in danger, meaning that you would be hunted constantly by the Graxx Army, He was distraught at losing you but he never gave up searching even though the King knew everything it needed to be that way, so I had to find a form of something that I knew would be able to be as close to you all without arousing suspicion so I found the one thing I knew wouldn't be seen as out of place, a canine, I knew I would be safe staying like that as I had carried out research of your world'

'I can never forgive myself for deceiving your father the way I did...' the King said '...But it was our duty to protect the future and this was something that had to be done otherwise evil would win and this whole empire we have built up over the years would be lost, YOU are our future Daniel...you are our blood, Your father never knew that I knew and one day I will have to tell him but for now we must let this all die down then I will explain everything to him'.

'I'm so confused!!!' Harvey moaned as he tried to get his head round what was going on, 'So you're telling me that you are. Sorry were Bucksy??'

'Yes Harvey, as strange as it sounds, I was part of the family for all those years' Garin replied

'Nah, I don't believe you!!' Harvey said as he was sure there was something else going on here'

'I assure you I was, Harvey, how can I prove it to you?' Garin knew he could easily get Harvey onside,

'Do something only Bucksy would do' Harvey put Garin on the spot hoping to catch him out,

'WOOF…' laughed Garin as he mimicked his ‘Bucksy’ voice,

‘Ha blooming ha!!!, Oh my sides are splitting here!!, Ok then tell me something that happened to us if you are who you say you are!!'

'Hmmm, let me think' Garin smiled at the story he was about to tell '...Ahhhh yes, I have just the story, the day Daniel and I were on our way to your school and we went into the woods to hide from us…'

'Right...go on' Harvey was a bit unsure at what was about to be said so Garin continued,

'Well that day I remember we couldn't find you and Daniel was throwing that stick for me to chase, I remember sniffing something in the bush and sticking my head inside only to be met by the sight of your bottom staring at me, so I grabbed your leg and you let out a cry, then what followed was the foulest stench I had ever smelt from someone, It filled my nose like the fog, It smelt like po….'

‘Yes, yes I totally believe it's you ok!!, Can we not go on about that then!!' a rather red looking Harvey turned his head to see Lillie and Daniel both in fits of laughter now,

'Oh shut up you two, it's not like I actually done anything!'

'Oh that's so funny, ha-ha' Lillie laughed out loudest 'you must have more stories about him Garin!!'

'I think he has been embarrassed enough children' interrupted the King, 'Now I have news that your father is on his way back to the castle, one of the lookouts has spotted his men in the distance so I think we must prepare for his return, Are you ok you two?' The king put his hands on Lillie and Daniel's shoulders and smiled at them,

'I think so sir, it’s just….something I have always dreamt of and I can't believe it's now coming true!!' smiled Daniel as he knew it wouldn't be long before their dreams were finally realised.

'Well let's go prepare for his return then children' the King smiled, his voice boomed as they strode off into the King's own quarters to ready themselves for the next part of the surprise, but there seemed to be something wrong as one of the lookouts came running into the office asking for a quiet word with the King, his face turned to one of anxiety as he looked back towards the children who had noticed that something wasn't right,

'What's going on?' Daniel asked,

'It's nothing you need to worry yourselves about children,