Chapter 14: Breathe
Kohl
I took a deep breath and looked at the beautifully enraged girl across from me. How could I tell her that I was doubting myself? How could I tell her that I was in love with her and her heart on her sleeve ways? How could a good king be stupid enough to fall in love after four days? I was weak. I would never say that to her.
“Jayde, calm down. It’s hard to explain.”
“No it’s not, you either want to be with me or you don’t. You either want to be king or you don’t. It doesn’t get any simpler than that.” She said those same anger spots showing on her tanned skin.
“Jayde,” I attempted trying to calm her down, but she pushed me away. “I want.” I stopped, looking at her round blazing green eyes. “You.” Her eyes widened even more. “I would love to forget about Sy, the war, everything and just be here with you appreciating this.” I said pulling her close to me again. I loved the way her skin felt, it was soft and smooth and I just needed her close to clear the haze she put me in.
“How hard was that to say?” She asked cooling down, her head resting on my chest. There was so much more to it, but if she was happy right now I could accept that. I didn’t have to scare her with where my thoughts were going. “Kohl, don’t push me away anymore.” She said her head still pressed against my chest.
“I won’t.” I said wrapping my arms around her tightly. She looked up when my grip loosened, most likely to gage how truthful I was being.
“Can we go upstairs?” She said that same devious teenager making an appearance again.
“Let’s take it slow, Jayde. How about we go inside and get ready for dinner.” I said deflecting the question, deflecting her proposition. A king had to be a king no matter what, no matter how much I wanted Jayde.
I got her to go to her room and I went to mine. It was so dangerous to be falling for her. What if she chose Sy? Not only would she take my kingdom away but she would break my heart. Was I foolish enough to let that happen?
Why was I worried though, she said she wanted to choose me? It may be a bad thing for Sy, but Jayde was blinded by love and that meant I was safe somehow. I didn’t expect Sy to take that sitting down, he would pull out all the stops to get Jayde. I was so tired of going back and forth in my head. She was meeting with him tomorrow, maybe I just needed to make sure that no matter what Sy did I was the one she needed to pick. I was the one that she couldn’t stop thinking about. Did that make me as bad as Sy? Would pulling one of his tricks really make me feel better?
What happened to the rational part of me? Jayde had taken him away with a kiss that’s what happened. I was so crazy about this girl I couldn’t think straight anymore. It was a problem that Sy could use to his advantage.
A knock on my door reminded me I was supposed to be going to dinner. “Sir?” Philip said not opening the door.
“Come in,” I said throwing a shirt over my head.
“Have you been in here since the conference?”
“No, I went for a swim.” I said not really in the mood for Philip to be dancing around whatever issue he wanted to talk about. “What’s wrong, Philip?”
“Isadora gave me her report of what she did for the ball. She started a guest list…”
“I know and I’ve already seen Jayde’s dress, it’s questionable, but it’s Jayde. They worked on the menu a bit and Jayde and I will have a look at the guest list after dinner, Okay?”
Philip nodded. He wanted to say something but he was nervous. “Is Lady Jayde enjoying her accommodations?”
I raised an eyebrow in question. “What does that mean, Philip?” I said with a chuckle.
“She seems to be enjoying the palace. She seems to be enjoying your company.”
“So it seems.” I said not trying to show how I was feeling about it.
“Do you think she will choose you?” Philip practically whispered.
“I don’t know.” I said trying to use one of my vague, diplomatic answers but Philip saw right through that.
“She appears to have a crush on you. Has she told you?” Philip tried again.
“Philip, it really isn’t your concern what Jayde is feeling.”
“Has she kissed you?” He was getting remarkably close without any information.
“One does not discuss such things.” I said trying to deflect his still probing questions. “I think it’s about time for dinner I should get going.” I said and walked out of my suite before Philip could say another word. I closed my door and quickly made my way to the dining room where Jayde was dressed and seated. She looked at me for a moment when I walked in but didn’t say a word until I was seated.
“I didn’t think you would be coming.” She remarked coyly. “I’m usually not here before you.”
“A king’s work is never done.” I said hoping to keep the conversation light and entertaining. It was bad enough to kiss her in the water outside where everyone could see. I didn’t want to make her upset when everyone was around. “Philip suggested that we go over the guest list tonight. Are you okay with that?”
“Sure, it’s in my room. I can get it after dinner?” she said.
“No, we can just go over it in your living area.” I said and quickly regretted it. Jayde was dangerous when alone and I had just set up a perfectly logical reason to spend hours in her room. Was I trying to sabotage myself? I was a damn fool.
Dinner was served and Jayde chatted about some of the menu items she had chosen, some of the decorating ideas, and how she thought the meetings went today. She hadn’t learned much specifically about the kingdom, but from the meetings she was getting an understanding of what was going on and how the war was affecting us.
“I was thinking after that financial meeting. Instead of just building and trading minimally with humans, we start a larger trade. We have numerous crops, fruits, vegetables, and it is so easy for us to catch fish. Why aren’t we trading with select humans and stimulating the economy? Humans have come a long way. Sure, we have television thanks to them but why should we shelter ourselves. We can blend in just fine, shouldn’t we take that to our advantage?”
She had a point. Our economy was struggling due to the war and the countless losses of people in Encante to the war. If we didn’t have to rely so heavily on making everything ourselves we would be able to be more productive. Trade food for clothes, electronics, money. Hell, we could start trading in Reais and get rid of our currency. It would reduce a lot of the issues we were having.
“I think that is one of the first tasks you should accomplish as Queen of Encante.” I said hoping she got my point.
“It would be very difficult to do this while we are in war, but do you think it would work?”
“Yes, although many wouldn’t be happy about the change in currency we would be able to not only survive as a community here, but would be able to trade and build here, and if some people wanted we would be able to go into society and not stand out as much as we do. It makes perfect sense.” I said reassuring her.
“It actually sounds like it would work.” She said with a smile she couldn’t hold back.
“Would you like dessert?” Davis asked interrupting the moment.
“No thanks, I think we are okay tonight.” I said standing, Jayde stood as well. She practically ran to her room excited as a school girl. I walked into her living room. She stood there looking like an evil angel a hand resting on her hip as she waited for me to make the first move. She wore a black dress that stopped at her knees, hugging her body perfectly, Her dark hair fell down in waves to her back, and her forest green eyes spelled trouble.
“Jayde, I was serious about the guest list.” I said sitting on her love seat breaking our eye contact.
“Then why did you want to meet in here?”
“Convenience?” I offered.
“Kohl, you don’t have to lie to me.” She said sitting beside me. I picked up the notepad Isadora was using and looked at the list
. It looked like everyone in Encante-North. She had definitely added to the list since I had last discussed it with her. This was going to take a while. She placed her head on my shoulder.
“Did I do something wrong?” She complained not sounding like the temptress she was portraying a few moments before.
“No, Jayde, I just want to go through this list.” She moved her head looking at me. Sometimes when she looked at me like that I thought she was reading my thoughts.
“Go ahead then.” She said moving slightly away from me. I wrapped my arm around her and pulled her close again she didn’t fight it.
“Agatha and Mitchell Cowell.” She started.
“Agatha is your mother’s cousin and her husband.” Jayde nodded and we continued. I gave as best an explanation about everyone on the list. After the first fifty or so I was having trouble concentrating. Jayde’s head was resting on my chest again as she looked over the list. The smell of strawberries wafting from her freshly washed hair. I absentmindedly kissed the crown of her head. She lifted her head and looked at me.
“You are one of the most confusing people I have ever met.” She said wryly.
“Why is that?”
“We are all work and you go and kiss me.” She snapped.
I placed a peck on her mouth and all arguments died with that. Her face softened and she snuggled closer to me.
“This is boring.” She said after a few dozen more names.
“I agree.” I said stifling another yawn.
“Kohl,” she said and stopped. The way she said my name telling me this conversation was going to be bad.
“If we were normal and there was nothing else to worry about, would you want me?” I looked at her round eyes, and slightly flushed cheeks. She was so beautiful of course I would want her. All the pressure and frustration with Encante was on my shoulders and I still wanted this beautiful creature resting beside me.
“Jayde, we aren’t normal.” I started and I saw her crestfallen gaze. It was like being stabbed in the heart every time I disappointed her. “And I still want you.” Her hurt dissolved instantly and a smile brightened her face. She kissed me and found her way to my lap.
Sy
Time was going too slow for my liking. All I wanted to do was get my hands on Jayde, but Kohl and Jayde were making it very difficult. Two days he expected me to wait to see her. Two days in which he had a chance to brainwash her with his pseudo-prideful rhetoric and the great future of Encante with him as the leader. It wasn’t going to happen. I would not let him take what my father and I had worked so hard to get. If only my idiotic old man would not have made that deal. If only Antonio would have given me Jayde when I asked for her. There were so many things that exploded in my face, but it all started with that damn treaty. If my father hadn’t signed it I wouldn’t have been forced to find Jayde and marry some human lover just to gain the entire kingdom. What was he thinking? Kohl’s father was a trickster, how could he have been duped into something I could never win? I didn’t care what the treaty said though if Jayde didn’t choose me, she would live to regret it. Whether I had to kill her and Kohl, Encante would be mine. I wasn’t sharing it with anyone, even someone as beautiful as Jayde.
I had walked into Kohl’s mansion, hoping to catch Jayde by surprise, but she was snuggled in Kohl’s arms. He had already planted his lies and she was falling for them. She stood and I was awestruck. Her eyes were red like she had been crying and she had little spots from anger gracing her creamy complexion but I still noticed the heart stopping way her bold and bright jade colored eyes found mine. I froze, she was a lovely creature not the worse to be married to, but when she opened her mouth I knew the brainwashing had begun. She refused me and asked for me to come back tomorrow. The nerve of her! Did she not know who I was? She may be able to talk to Kohl that way but she would not be talking to me that way ever again.
Tomorrow needed to come. I wanted my turn with Jayde.