CHAPTER 19: An Agreement

"Gabe! The police called to say that they have found the thief!" Ivan, another of Gabe's bodyguards, yelled, jogging over from the telephone.

"Is Chestnut okay?" Gabe asked, worried.

"They said that they only managed to arrest the boy, but the horse ran away." Ivan replied.

Just then, another set of footsteps came thudding up the staircase and towards Gabe and her group of bodyguards. It was the footman.

"It's Chestnut! He just arrived, galloping back to his own stables like a good boy!" He told them the news, grinning from ear to ear.

"That's great! Everything is going well. We can now rest peacefully," Max said.

"Wait, take me to the station. I want to talk to the boy." Gabe piped in.

"Are you sure? The police can help to settle everything. You don't have to worry," Max said.

"I need to talk to him. I have something very important to discuss with him." Gabe replied.

"Alright then, we will take you there."

Soon, Gabe's limousine pulled up outside the police station. The bodyguards did their usual area examination, to look for potential security weaknesses, as they always did whenever they went to a new venue.

Ivan went to meet the staff in the station in order to arrange a meeting with the boy.

"I think we could arrange for you to talk to him. We have been trying to question him, but he just isn't cooperating. He acts like he doesn't understand anything we are saying," a police officer told Ivan as Gabe was escorted to Togon's holding cell.

Soon, their group arrived in front of the holding cell that Togon was contained in.

"Umm... can you guys go somewhere else? I have to discuss something with him in private," Gabe gestured for her bodyguards to go away.

They retreated a distance away, far enough so that they could not hear Gabe and Togon's conversation, but close enough to get to Gabe should anything happen.

Togon was in the holding cell, sleeping on the ground pitifully. His grand clothes were all rumpled from the day's activities.

"Hey," Gabe called to Togon through the bars of the cell.

He stirred and sat up, staring into blank space.

"Hey!" Gabe tried again.

This time, Togon noticed her. He scooted closer to the bars where Gabe was sticking her arm through, waving wildly.

Togon recognized her. How could he not remember the face of the person who tried to kill him? Togon stared intently, picking out the details. Her oval face had the same soft, creamy complexion. He remembered that smooth jawline, that slim nose, those arched eyebrows, those beautiful eyes, and those perfectly proportionate lips. He definitely remembered that expression, the same cold, unsmiling face that had frightened him but at the same time fascinated him. He had wondered how such an unfeeling, austere expression could look so stunningly beautiful on a face. Yes, this was definitely the same person he saw that day. Although when he first saw her, she was covered in blood and was dressed in her outlandish, blood-soaked clothes. Now, standing outside the bars of the cage, she was still dressed in the same bizarre, alien clothing that everyone around here seemed to be wearing, but at least she was not soaked in blood. "Aren't you... the assassin?" Togon asked.

"That's right. It's me. And first, let me get this clear: I am not an assassin," Gabe replied in an authoritative tone.

"What are you doing here? Where am I? Were you the one who kidnapped me and brought me to this terrible place?" Togon was full of questions.

"Hold on, save your questions for after I explain everything. You are in my world. I didn't kidnap you. You came here by yourself."

"Why-" Togon began, but was cut off by Gabe.

"I am the only one who knows who you really are, and where you came from. I am the only one who can get you home."

"Well then, I order you to take me home."

"And while you are in my world, you are no longer a prince. I call the shots. You obey me."

"And why must I?" He could not let this person take advantage of him. He was a prince. He had to be the one in charge.

"As I said, I am the only one who knows what is going on and only I can help you."

"If you are so smart, why don't you enlighten me on what is going on? Why am I here? You are not answering my questions!" Togon yelled.

"That's what I was going to do! You kept interrupting!" Gabe yelled back. Were they too loud? She stole a glance at her bodyguards.

They immediately averted their eyes, trying to look like they did not notice Togon and Gabe's heated conversation.

Gabe turned her attention back to Togon. "You are in my world. This is the future. You live in the past."

Seeing Togon's confused expression, Gabe sighed.

"Fine...let me explain everything from the beginning..." Gabe explained to Togon the whole story of her getting knocked down by the car, traveling through time to Togon's world, getting killed by him, and finally returning to her world. She was interrupted a few times by Togon's questions, like: what's a car? What's those stuff in the black pack? Why were you covered in blood? How did you dodge my guards' swords so well? Each time, Gabe paused to explain everything clearly to Togon, like she was teaching a tiny child about the world.

"According to my experiences and observations, I suspect that whenever I die, something happens which transports me from one point to another on the space time continuum, causing me to somehow end up in your timeline."

"So you mean that I just died and travelled through time to the future? Like you did?" Togon asked.

"Yes."

"Was it really that horrible for you? You got to experience being in a palace, and didn't come to any harm. Can you imagine? A commoner in the King's residence! You gave me such a fright when you appeared in my room just like that!"

"Do you think it is so simple? That I would just enjoy myself in a grand, beautiful palace like I was on a vacation?" Gabe retorted sarcastically.

"Well, you could have chosen to enjoy yourself in my palace, instead of being all scared and worried."

"Then how do you feel being in my shoes now? Alone in a strange world, being accused for a crime you didn't even know you committed, vulnerable and trapped with no one to protect you?"

Togon had failed to realize that while his palace was safe and cozy for him, it was the opposite for intruders. Suddenly, it hit Togon that what Gabe had experienced was similar to his. He realized that he just found someone who could sympathize with his situation.

Gabe continued, "Do you have any idea what you did? I was falsely accused by you, and you even sentenced me to death! Who's the cause of all my worries and sufferings? You tell me!"

"I'm sorry you had to go through all these. But how could I have known that you were innocent?"

"An apology isn't enough. If you want my help, you will have to do everything I ask. Be my faithful servant. Allow me to do whatever I want with you."

"What? Isn't that too much?" Togon's jaw dropped in horror.

"Doesn't what I just said sound familiar? I pleaded for my life with the exact same conditions and you still killed me."

Togon flinched in guilt when he recalled how Gabe had pleaded desperately and he had replied coldly that it was too late for her. And then he ordered for her death. He shuddered. How could he have known?

"So? Are you willing to adhere to these conditions?"

Togon spent a few seconds considering his options. He could either listen to Gabe, or he could stay trapped in this world forever. After putting it in this way, it was clear what he should do.

"I'll listen to you," Togon replied. What choice did he have anyway?

"Alright. You said it. No going back on your word," Gabe warned.

"And you'll have to help me too. First, get me out of this cage!"

Gabe relayed Togon's request to her bodyguards, and left them to handle the negotiations and paperwork. After some time, a dejected looking Togon trudged out of his cell, under the close watch of Gabe's bodyguards.

"We should head back now. Where should we drop this boy off?" Max asked.

"He doesn't have anywhere to go. Let's bring him back with us," Gabe replied.