The Prince and I - 21

“Another question," I said, "why would someone care if your uncle forms an alliance between your world and mine?”

“Because,” Sadron replied, obviously overhearing me as he entered the office, “some of our people are very insular. With good reason to their way of thinking I might add, although I disagree.”

Arthur, who was right behind him, nodded. “From what Sadron has told me it’s been tried before, with less than stellar results.”

Sadron nodded. “Yes I’d say a war was far from ‘stellar’ but my brother won that one and continued his attempts at an alliance until his death.”

I was feeling confused. “Why wouldn’t people want this alliance?”

“It’s hard to explain since it’s only a business alliance.” Sadron took a seat before continuing. “In our world there are plants which pharmaceutical companies here could put to excellent use. In exchange there are minerals here that we don’t have in our world. One would think trading one for the other would be beneficial to both parties.”

“But?”

“As I said, there are factions in our world whose attitudes toward foreigners border on paranoia.”

“That’s not what insular means,” I muttered under my breath. Sadron looked at me in surprise and I grinned. “I may be a high school dropout but it doesn’t mean I’m stupid.”

“Touché, but then English is not my first language. Be that as it may, these factions are afraid that given half a chance your people will try to take over our world.”

Arthur nodded. “One can hardly blame them all things considered.”

“Isn’t that what treaties are for?”

“Treaties can be and often are broken by people who want power.” Sadron’s voice was tight with frustration. “The anti-trade factions in my world base their resistance on that very fact.”

I thought about that. “Okay, yeah I can why they would, but how would we get to your world? I mean it’s not exactly as if you’re on the moon or some other planet.”

“The moon’s not a planet,” Connor whispered to me.

I swatted his leg. “Work with me on this. You all know what I’m saying.”

Sadron chuckled before answering my question. “We live in what is best described as an alternative universe. There are gates between our world and yours. Well guarded ones but nothing is invulnerable.”

“Got it. Like in one of the games I used to play. There’s a rocky hill and if you move the right boulder you find a door. Step through it and bingo you’re somewhere else.”

“They’re not quite that infantile but similar in concept, yes.”

I turned to Arthur. “Are there people here who feel the same way?”

“Of course. Paranoia is a universal trait, especially when it involves the unknown. Some elves see us as warlike hooligans and some people here see them as creatures that have magic at their fingertips and wouldn’t hesitate to use it against us.”

“My suspicion,” Sadron said, “is that one of my people has allied with one of yours here on earth to do whatever is necessary to stop this alliance. If the elf is who I think it is he’s a formidable enemy.”

I shook my head. “Tell you what, the big dude seemed more like a hired thug than someone to worry about.”

“He could have been just that. Not hired but someone loaned to Aemornion by whoever he’s working with here.”