“What if? What if!? That is the ultimate question isn’t it class.” Professor John Mox surveyed his class meeting a few eyes along the way including my own. “The theory of alternate realities is the best example of the question what if. An example of a simple what if is what if I wore a red shirt instead of this blue one this morning. Would it change anything?” He paused and looked around. “Probably not and maybe so life is a mystery that way but, let’s say there was more than one moon in the sky or no moon at all. Class what would happen then?” No one raised their hand or spoke. The class being a late night class made most of us pretty tired. “Well anyone want to guess what might be different?” I might as well get it over with and speed the lecture on, or he will just keep asking questions tell someone answers, so I raised my hand. “Ah! Dick Kaltefeuer what do you think the differences would be?

“I prefer Richard professor.” I frowned.

“My apologies please go on.” He waved with an open palm.

“I believe the biggest difference would be the effects on the planet from the added gravitational pulls from the multiple moons or lack thereof with no moon.”

“Good guess Richard. A reality with multiple moons might have more mountains and volcanos than our reality with one moon, as well as no tides on a reality with no moon.” Professor Mox looked around at everyone as well as the back of the class. “Different realities can be extremely different than ours, or so similar that the only difference might be weather you stepped on a single bug today or none at all.” The professor paused an looked to the back of the class. He probably looked at the clock in the back of the classroom. “Ok class, I want to remind you all to turn in your 5 page minimum essay on virtual realities at the end of the two week brake. Write about 3 small what if’s, and what their consequences may be, and 2 major reality what if’s, and please everyone don’t wright about the moon example. Fifty two essays about moons become dull very quickly” I chuckle a little bit with the rest of the class. “Oh and I want them typed or emailed to me. I won’t grade any hand written ones just typed. Ok class, I will see you all in two weeks seeing as all the holidays happening next week.”

Everyone started to shuffle around picking up there books and other materials they had out. I got up as well and put my books away in my backpack.

“Hey Richard” Someone smacks me on the shoulder nearly nocking me over. “We got a party happening next week. Want to show up?” The bruiser weighing 230 pounds at six foot 3 and all muscle and no brains in my opinion, is my friend Brock McCone.

“Sorry Brock I can’t make it. I’m taking a plane tomorrow to Europe for a family reunion.” He may be tall but I’m no slouch at six feet myself. I met Brock seven months ago at the local liquor store with a confused look on his face. I was bored at the time, so I asked him if he needed help. He was responsible for getting all the alcohol and snacks for a party, and Brock didn’t know what to get. I offered to help him and asked him a bunch of questions and led him around town acquiring all the drinks, snacks and paraphernalia for a party.

It was at that party were I learned he was a fitness trainer who is attending the same collage as me. Brock had no degree in mind and was just taking random classes. I suggested he take the Science fiction class by Professor John Mox for the fun of it. Professor Mox’s class is generally an introduction to science fiction and covers moves, books, TV shows, and comics. Both Brock and I were taking the class as an elective.

“Well damn man I sort of need ya. Hmm… I’ll come up with something I guess” Brock retorted.

“Sorry about that man, I would help you out if the reunion wasn’t such a big deal. The family reunion is only held once every fifteen years, so I can’t skip it.” We left the classroom, and headed to the exit of the building on the first floor.

“Every fifteen years? Damn! Why only every fifteen?” Brock opened the door and we went outside.

“I don’t know. It’s supposedly some great family secret, and I wasn’t privy to it since I was nine last time it happened.” We turned left onto a concrete walkway and headed to the parking lot were we both like to park. “Apparently we are only allowed in on it when we are 15 or older.”

“15! Why at 15?”

“It’s believed we can’t keep the secret unless we are that age” We stepped onto the asphalt parking lot. I pulled out my key ring and shrugged. “I don’t think that’s the reason though.” Brock pulled his key ring out and hit his unlock button, and a M1 Hummer lights lite up. Brock got the Hummer from his father as a gift when he started college. I don’t have rich parents, well off yes, rich no, so I have myself a 2003 Honda accord that I recently finished paying off.

“So why don’t you think that? It sounds like a good reason?” I hit my unlock button on my key ring and my Honda lit up just a couple of cars further down.

“I don’t know. There was something about the way my father looked at me when I asked him about it nine years ago. He did not say what the great secret was. All my father said was to just wait tell the next reunion.” I was angry with my father for not trusting me and it was one of the reasons we drifted apart until I left home. This is information I don’t like to talk about. “Well since I’m about to find out the secret I might make up with my father…maybe.” We reached Brock’s car.

“Well good luck with that. Oh and bring me some souvenirs man.” With a smile he heads to his car as I chuckle.

“I will try man but no promises.” I waved him goodbye and went to my car.

The drive home was uneventful beside the usual rage at bad or slow drivers. I live at an apartment complex close to the college for convenience and privacy instead of the local college dorms. I live in a second floor apartment with one bedroom a living room, and a kitchen with one bathroom. Arriving home I threw my backpack on my couch in my Spartan living room. One sofa, a loveseat, foldable dining table, small knee-high table in front of the couch, 72inch flat screen on the wall, and my computer desk in the corner.

As a student on financial aid I consider myself poor and unable to afford much. Yet I was able to acquire my TV with some help from Brock. Apparently Brock felt my apartment was boring and wanted to watch some football game at my place. We Ordered the TV online then drank tell we forgot about it. The TV delivery rudely awoke us up early that morning to the glory of our hangovers.

It is 9:46 pm at the moment and my flight doesn’t leave tell 7:20am. I guess I will get ready then, so I head to my bedroom. My room is a little messy compared to my living room. Don’t get me wrong it’s not messy per say just unkempt, for I’m not a morning person. The beds unmade, a dresser drawer is left open, and my radio is still on, and a game or two is left on the floor, and my game controller is next to my TV stand across from my bed. I guess I didn’t put them away from last night. I like to play video games in my spare time especially role playing games.

Putting my games away and I pull my suitcase out from under my bed. Grabbing a weeks’ worth of clothes out of my dresser I organize them and place them in my suitcase. Shutting my suitcase I place it near my living room door. What now? The laundry is done and the dishes in the kitchen are all clean. Heading into the kitchen I stop at my fridge and pull out a beer. May as well double check the flight time watch a movie then head to sleep. Going to my computer I set my beer on the knee-high table and turn it on to surf the web.

“Yup 7:20am no delays, now what to watch” leaving my computer I sit down heavily on my couch. I turn my TV on and switch to Netflix. I like to watch science fiction and fantasy so I head to that section. “Hmm…A Mage in Armon is out! Sounds good.” Opining my beer I relax further and enjoy my movie. After the movie I head to bed, set my alarm, and call a taxi to pick me up for the airport at 4:30 am.

The taxi got me to the airport at 6am and I made it through airport security just in time to board my plane at 7:15. Well I guess I’ll sleep a bit to catch up on what I missed to get to the flight. My flight has two stops before I get to my destination. In fact I switch planes after I fly from Portland Oregon to New York City. After the flight took off I fell asleep.

We arrived at the airport in New York on time. I left the plane and went to go find my new plane terminal to Europe. Finding the correct terminal I sat down on one of the empty seats. Looks like I have to wait 2 hours till my flight gets here and is ready. I just hope my bag makes it.

“Hey Richard how are you doing” I look to my left to see who is talking to me, and I see a blond woman with emerald green eyes like mine. The blond is 5 foot 9 and about 27 years. The woman smiles at me. Damn she’s a beauty and has a great set of boobs, it’s a pity I know who she is.

“Hey cuz!! I’m fine like usual.” I’m bound to meet relatives in transit so I’m glad I met my cousin Jannat first. This is pleasant, out of all my relatives I’m familiar with, Jannat is the one I enjoy the most, for we share a lot of hobbies. One such hobby is video games. We play a lot online games together and were founders of several guilds “How’s school going? Did your teachers take it well that you would be missing classes?” Even though I have a week off Jannat did not, for she will miss a day this week of classes and two next week if memory serves me.

“They took it ok, but I still have to do some work while I’m over there. I just hope the castle has enough outlets so I can charge my laptop.” Jannat scowls and I give her a wry smirk. Today is Wednesday and all my classes are held on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Jannat on the other hand has Monday and Wednesday classes. Jannat is missing some classes to attend the gathering.

“I already turned in my work early so I don’t have to worry about the classes I’m missing tomorrow.”

“You started your architecture classes this term?”

“Yup! Just last term. I don’t see Mark here I take it he’s not coming?” I met Mark only 3 times sense he and Jannat got married two years ago. She turned away from me and peered outside and looked troubled. “You don’t have to talk about it. I will understand.”

“No its ok it’s better to talk about it.” She sighed and stared outside at the planes. “He understandably was a bit upset that he would not be allowed to know the family secret whatever it is.” Like me Jannat was not 15 the last time we had this reunion being 12 at the time. “I had to get my parents to talk to him before he calmed down. The fact that my father still doesn’t know either helped.”

“I told you that you should not have told him that our family has a secret. Hell we don’t even know it.”

“Well not for long I guess. He’s not coming because he feels like our family wont trust him. Knowing him he won’t be upset long. Good thing he’s usually so laid back.” And that’s the queue for a case of awkward silence. Well it wasn’t quiet being an airport, but an awkward silence between us happened none the less. “I wonder what it is.” She broke the silence.

“Yah… that is the big question.” I smirked “If it’s just that we are some estranged royalty I’m going to rage” she smiled and laughed a little. At least she smiled again better for people to be happy then stressed out all the time. If the secret really is that petty I won’t forgive my father.

“So… Richard! Why were you not at the raid last Saturday?” She looked back at me, or should I say down at me with accusation in her eyes. For the next hour or so we talked about nothing but the games we played together tell the plane arrived.

Long flights are more endurable when you have someone to talk to. I was able to kill the boredom of the flight over the Atlantic by talking to Jannat who successfully convinced a fellow passenger to switch seats with her. Arriving in Europe we left the plane and went through customs so we could reach our last flight. The last flight is on a smaller plane owned by our European relatives and will take us to a private airfield close to our destination.

My relatives here in Europe mostly all work in a family run company that owns multiple other company’s all around the world. It is safe to say the main branch or those allowed to stay and chose to do so usually get rich quick within the family. Why my parents were not rich being part of the main branch I don’t know. I hope they won’t look down on Jannat for her being a branch family.

“So Richard got all your bags” I look at Jannat who was pulling two suitcases with wheels.

“Unlike you Jen I only took the essentials, so one bag is all I need.” I snobbishly smiled at her. Jannat just squinted her eyes and stared at me. “Well I guess we should head to our family plane”

“Yes lets.” Jannat walked outside onto the airfield to the private plane outside. I could see a couple of people boarding it from where I was standing. Jannat looked behind her and said “Come on slowpoke it’s got to happen sometime.” She probably means my father who is most likely already on the plane or at the castle already.

“Don’t remind me.” I walk to the plane and arrive after Jannat disappears into the plane.

“Your luggage sir.” I look to my right and see a man in a suit with his hand out palm up. I guess he wants my suitcase. I should have learned German but never really got around to it. I sigh handing him my suitcase and climb up the stairs into the plane. I see 5 others on the plane siting here and there in its luxurious trappings. One is Jannat then her parents, and of course as I predicted my parents are seated in the middle so no matter where I sit it will be near them. I sigh and take a seat and look out the window just in time to see them pull the stairs away. A steward shuts the plane door and looks at us all.

“Ladies and gentleman we shall be leaving shortly so please stay seated” he left to the front of the plane despairing behind a door. A few moments later the engines started and the plane moved. It didn’t take long before we were airborne and at a level altitude. A few minutes later the steward returned. “You may now walk about the compartment. May I interest any of you in some beverages?” I spoke up first.

“Give me a glass of your strongest wine.”

“It will be done sir.” He looked to the others on the plane. “Anything else?” responses were given of cups of water and some soda. The steward left to go get our drinks.

“Gotten a taste for wine now Rich?” I look at my father who has one raised eyebrow. I don’t drink wine very often, but my father on the other hand is an avid wine connoisseur.

“No it’s just the first thing that came to mind, so I ordered it.” He grunted and lowered his eyebrow. I looked my father in the eye. “I prefer Richard now father”

“Right right I forgot. How’s school?” I have not physically talked to my father face to face since I left for the navy after High school. We sent a few letters back and forth but they were always short and nothing but update letters. I had not called him and herd is voice for five years.

“Ok I guess in my second term at the moment.”

“Architecture was it?”

“Yes.”

“How is it? Do you like it?”

“Yes I like it.” I love it in fact. To design things that may be built it’s thrilling to see your creations come real. I was thinking of either architecture or graphic design. But I feel awkward talking to my father after so long so all I said were short one liner’s. Jannat and her parents were chatting away to give us privacy.

“Come now Richard we haven’t seen you for years you can let us know more than that?” I looked at my mother and smiled a little. I guess I have been a little selfish not talking to my mother as well. The steward entered and gave me my drink, and passed by to give the others their drinks.

“Your right mom, I’m sorry. I like learning to be an architect a lot.” She smiled back. Well I may as well talk to them about what I’ve been up to for the past few years, for it can’t hurt to talk about myself. We spent the next couple of hours speaking of my school and former navy life. The plane landed and I felt refreshed and regretting a little my treatment of my parents. They still love me, and I’ve grown sense I left.

We all got out of the plane and stretched and walked to reduce the jetlag. A few vans drove up to the airstrip we were on wile our luggage was being unloaded.

“I guess it’s time to meet the rest of the family.” Jannat had walked up beside me.

“Yes it seems that way.” The vans pulled up in front of us, and the plane crew loaded our luggage onto the vans. I smiled “Well let’s get this raid over with shall we.” Jannat laughed and all 6 of us got into the two vans. Trying to shake off the remainder of my jet lag I attempt to take a nap as the cars take off…

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Thank you for reading. please feel free to comont on anything it will only help. Oh this story that i intend to eventually publish after getting it perfetionaly edited when i complete it so even if there are large gaps between chapter updates don't fret im not abandoning it.

This story has been cercalating in my skull for a couple of years, and i finally decided to right it after reading Fimbulwinter, and Black Coven. So thank you for reading.