"Yes...., what would have happened if I ate one?"

      "If you ate only one yolk and it was eaten raw, the twin's mother would have died during labor. But if you ate only one yolk cooked, one of the twins would die shortly after birth. Since you ate both yolks all should be well."

      "Should? Why should?"

      "Answer this question first, please. Did you eat the egg raw or cooked?"

      "Raw, I was in a hurry."

      "Your Highness, I have grave news for you and excellent news also."

      "Let's hear the good news first."

      "Your children shall be wonderful rulers."

      "And the bad news?"

      "Um...um...um"

      "Well, get on with it!" the king cried. The suspense was making him nervous.

      "Um... Your Highness? Your children shall take your throne and rule your country for you. In other words, you shall be dethroned and banished by your subjects forever from this country. In addition, you shall be killed if you return!"

      "Whhaaaaattt?" King Taysasluny yelled. The egg reader ran out of the room. The king lost his temper and started throwing chairs around the room. "No! No! I shall be king forever! Nobody is going to make me get off the throne!" he yelled. No one came in to calm him for they didn't want to get hurt.

      Nine months later, two healthy pink babies were born. The king approached Jaycie and said, "Now Jaycie, you know I love you very much." Jaycie tried hard not to roll her eyes. "And I know you want me to be king forever," he continued as he put his hands on her arms and mouth to try to restrain her from screaming or kicking. He knew that Jaycie was stronger than him in many ways, but that he had more power on his hands. Jaycie restrained the urge to punch him because she knew that he was going to tell some very bad news.

      "There is just one minuscule problem, your children are going to banish me so I'll just have to kill them." Jaycie screamed and struggled to get out of Taysasluny's grasp. A nurse came in and the king ordered her to give Jaycie a sedative.

      A few hours later when she woke up, the young mother saw someone picking up her twins. The guard had been ordered to kill the babies but seeing the mother awaken he started to feel guilty as he took the babies out of the crib. "Please, don't hurt them. Give them to me." He didn't at first because he feared the king's wrath but Jaycie had been kind to him before. He allowed her to take the babies since he felt sympathy and pity for her. She gave him some gold and took off with the babies. She knew she wouldn't have much time to leave before the king would notice her absence.

      Running to a nearby home of a magician called Tabalunka, she begged the magician for an amulet of some kind that would ensure the twins survival and power to withstand the king's evil. Tabalanka turned and asked what the twins' names were to be. "Kristopheras and Veronishia," Jaycie said. Jaycie explained her need for the amulets while the magician started mixing the potions. She was still weak from giving birth to her children but fear gave her energy. "Anything you want written on the front or back?" Tabalanka asked. Jaycie told her and within ten minutes the amulets, in the form of two pendants on an anklet chain, were finished. "Now, when the pendants join, they will be inseparable unless both children push them together and wish them apart. The anklets will grow with your children so when they get older, they can still wear them," the old magician told Jaycie. Jaycie thanked her and asked how much she owed the magician. Tabalanka replied, "Nothing my dear, I do these things for free." Jaycie thanked her again and ran to a nearby brook.

      She knew that she must escape from this land and her babies could not make the journey for it would be too risky. She put Kristopheras in a small basket the magician had given her and slipped one of the anklets on him. "Good-bye my baby, my darling, I will always hold you in my heart and... hopefully, someday I will return," Jaycie wept as she set the basket on the water. She sadly watched it float down the brook and into the unknown before heading towards her sister's house.