“Like what, your highness?” Reggie asked as he began to scribble down whatever task I was sending him to do. There was no denying it, he was one of my most loyal assistants. It was probably the only reason he had lasted as long as he had. “Your highness?” Reggie said again drawing me back from my thoughts.
“Wilmer just reported that Kohl has denied my plan to meet and develop another treaty.”
“Perhaps he is tired of not coming to a resolution.” Reggie replied pragmatically.
“No, I think he is up to something.” I said cutting off the endless string of excuses Reggie would come up with.
“Like what, your majesty?”
“Like he isn’t in Encante.” I said growing frustrated with the conversation and Reggie again.
“Where would he be, your greatness?”
“I don’t know! That is your job!” I said irritated with his continuous questions.
“Sorry, I’m so sorry, your majesty.” Reggie said curling up, his head bowed avoiding my gaze.
“Just go,” I complained and he ran off without so much as another look at me.
How hard was it to get some proficient help? My next assistant could not be a bumbling idiot like Reggie but had to be just as loyal. Hopefully, he would stop screwing up and I wouldn’t have to look for another assistant because that took a big chunk of my time and I was always behind with everything else. I was not ready to start on that task again.
I leaned back into my black velvet covered throne with solid gold framework. It was a regal and classic design my father had followed throughout our original mansion that had been destroyed by Kohl’s uncle William. I had made this castle as an exact replica of the last.
I think it was time to call it a day and head to my chambers. This had been a stressful day. Finding men to join my militia was becoming more taxing by the day. Kohl was simply going to outnumber me at the rate people were fleeing Encante-South. I knew how I could fix this, but I just wasn’t having any luck.
No one could find her. She fell off the radar as soon as those god awful humans found her by the river. I had been searching for her since I started my rule, but so far I had no such luck. I even had an assistant out there scouring Brazil for Jayde, but so far Antonio was not having any luck. Four years and he didn’t even have a decent lead. I was growing tired of him. Next time he checked in I think I was going to fire him and send someone else to look for her. Time was of the essence now she would be eighteen any day and I wanted her to be near so I could explain to her all the changes she was about to undergo. I had to be rational, I wasn’t the only one that had been trying to determine Jayde’s whereabouts. Whether Kohl mentioned it or not I knew he had people searching for her too. So why had neither of us found this damned girl. Did she leave Brazil? Did she leave South America? No, I would have known that, Antonio would have figured that much out. He acted like he wasn’t a complete imbecile. That had to mean something positive.
I just needed to be patient I’m sure he would find her especially after she was eighteen and suffering with all the symptoms entailed with being Encantado. I stood up, I was really stressing too much over this. If I just relaxed everything would fall into place like it always did. I headed to the foyer contemplating what I wanted to do with the rest of the day. Maybe a massage was in order? It was time to heed my father’s advice, I had to take care of myself before I could properly take care of a kingdom.
“Your majesty,” Reggie said rushing in again his head bowed still avoiding my eyes. Coward.
“Yes, Reggie.” I groaned annoyed that he would come back after I specifically told him to leave.
“Antonio has just arrived with urgent news.” He said his round face, red waiting for a reprimand he knew was coming.
“Urgent news?” He found her. Finally! “Send him in, Reggie!”
“Yes, your majesty.” Reggie said daring a look at my face and then bowing his head again backing his way out of the foyer.
I headed back into the main hall I would need a seat if I got any more bad news from him.
Antonio sauntered in as if he knew he was invincible. His overconfidence every time I saw him was getting trying. If he didn’t have good news this time I don’t think I would be able to control my temper with him.
“Your majesty,” Antonio said as he bowed before me tersely.
“Stand up and tell me what you’re doing here already, mutt.” That got his attention. He stood up, his smirk gone from his cocky face.
“As you wish, sire. I think I may have located Jayde, she has been going by Jayde Santiago. She is still in Brazil very close to the Solimões--”
“If this is true why has it taken you four years to find her?” I had him there and he knew it.
“I have been trying to determine whether it was her or not and then I wanted to gain her trust but…”
“Your job was to find her and report to me!” I growled back frustrated with this imbecile.
“But I think there is a problem, your majesty.” Antonio tried again.
“What is it?!” I snapped.
“I think I saw Kohl today.” He answered.
I couldn’t help but jump out of my seat at the very sound of Kohl’s name. The man was the bane of my existence. Our rivalry went as far back as our fathers’ childhood. Kohl and Jayde’s fathers had turned on mine starting a bitter war that I was going to finish no matter what.
“Where?” I said trying to rein in my anger.
“At the grocery store, he was talking to Jayde.” He continued. His eyes were focused on the ground like there was more to this story.
“So he found her too?” I whispered mostly to myself. This was going to make apprehending Jayde a lot more difficult than I anticipated thanks to Antonio.
“So enlighten me, Antonio, what have you done to gain Jayde’s trust?”
“Um…well…” Antonio was nervous now. He stammered over his words but nothing was coherent. He was hiding something and he wasn’t leaving until I found out what it was.
“Spit it out.” I growled, growing tiresome of his games.
“Well I have become very close to Jayde…” He said still seemingly afraid to continue.
“How close?” I continued.
“Well we are very well acquainted.” He said fidgeting with the collar of his shirt.
“Again please clarify.” I said fed up with his obvious anxiety. “It’s not like you are screwing my future wife or anything.” I said jokingly but the shade of white his face turned told me that was exactly it. This was not going to end well for him. “Reggie,” I managed to say calmly even though I was boiling with rage inside.
“Yes, sire.” He said as frightened as Antonio was still looking. Reggie stepped forward.
“Call Arthur to take Antonio to the jails.”
“What?” Antonio shouted his cockiness returning “You can’t do that!”
I leaned back into the comfort of my throne. “I can do whatever I want.” I said still calm and collected, “I am your king and if I want you thrown away in a dungeon for treason then so be it.”
Antonio’s face seemed to get redder and redder the harder he tried to talk the more nonsensical he was sounding. He wasn’t even forming complete words but thankfully Arthur, my head of security, came stomping in at that exact moment. He was intimidating that’s why I had given him the promotion. At six feet nine he towered over nearly everyone in Encante. He was built like a tank among toy cars.
“Your highness, how can I be of service?” Arthur said always as formal as Reggie that’s why he had lasted just as long.
“Lock up Antonio.” I ground out.
“Under what charges?” Arthur asked as were protocol.
“Treason,” I said relaxing as two of the lower level guards grabbed each of Antonio’s
arms.
“You can’t do this!” Antonio bellowed, trying to fight off the guards’ grasps. I stood up from my throne and walked over to Antonio. “Tell me where she is so I can lock you up already.” I snapped all the anger that was ebbing at my consciousness was rising with this idiot’s theatrics.
“Never!” he shouted screaming and thrashing around still. I was not going to let this public display of insolence go unpunished. I leaned forward and grabbed the mane of Antonio’s too long hair and yanked his head back until he was facing the high ornate ceiling of the main hall. His aggressive behavior stopped and stilled in my grasp.
“Where is she?” I said still trying to remain calm and collected even though this half human was trying to demand things from me, Me, the king of Encante-South.
“You won’t be able to get close to her without me, sire.” Antonio said a stutter in his usually over confident tone.
“And why is that?” I asked not letting up on my grip.
“Because I know her a lot better than Kohl does she trusts me.” I dropped my hands he did have a point. “Let me go and I will do as you ask and bring her to you.” Antonio continued.
I pondered his request and mentally laughed like I would let him go unpunished for all the crap he pulled with Jayde. There was no way.
“How about I let you take me to Jayde and then you never return to Encante?” Antonio was looking at me ready to argue. “I catch you in any part of Encante after you hand over Jayde, I’ll have you killed on the spot. You are only alive because I haven’t found her keep that in mind.” I said walking back to my throne. “Arthur, let him go and accompany him back to Brazil to pick up Jayde. I want her here by tomorrow. Get a move on.” I said and dismissed everyone but Reggie.
“Do you think he will obey your commands?” Reggie timidly asked.
“If he knows what’s good for him. I will be meeting Jayde first thing tomorrow morning.”
“What if Kohl has successfully acquired her.” I leaned back into the black velvet of my chair. If that happened Antonio was dead. Years the bastard had known where she was and had kept it a secret. “Well we will just have to deal with it if that problem occurs.”
Reggie’s eyes widened he knew a lot of bad things would happen if that occurred. Jayde was the key to ending this war and I was going to have her no matter who I had to kill. I was going to win, it was my father’s dying request and it would be fulfilled by whatever means necessary. I was going to be the absolute ruler of Encante with Jayde as my Queen. The plan was simple. It just wouldn’t come to fruition with all the idiots surrounding me.
Reggie ran out of the room as soon as I became preoccupied with my inner thoughts. It was time to get back to that massage. Antonio was going to give me a heart attack by twenty two otherwise.