Retrieve the Kingdom

The Mysterious Disapperance

“If you don’t really want me here, it’s fine, I’ll go now.”

The last sentence Andres spoke before he left. He didn’t even take some lunch as some servants invited them to the table. He just left them, with Phoebe confused and full of questions in mind. On the other hand, Andrei was thankful and was the first one to go to the dining table. 

“Where’s Andres?” The first sentence that went out of the archduke’s mouth as he arrived upon the dining room. He first noticed that there are only two teenagers that were eating at the table. He sat at the lone chair at the end of the table, beside Phoebe and Andrei. 

“He already gave up insisting on his prize and went away. I knew it he can’t last long with me.” Andrei answered as he eats his steak paired with rice. “Is there any fight that happened, Phoebe?” 

“Well, Andrei should be thankful despite Andres’ indifferent and ‘non-genuine’ attitude, he is calm and collected more than him,” Phoebe said as she gestured her fingers, drawing quotation marks in the air, emphasizing the non-genuine word that Andrei has been starting to call his brother. 

“I thought you were with me, Phoebe,” Andrei whines as the young lady looks at him. “You were pushing back your big brother. At least if he had the chance to feel and connect with you emotionally maybe he can change.” 

“Oh come on. He already had his chance. Since I was a kid I am with him a lot and we are together a lot. He should have developed some kind of connection or bond with me. Just admit it, he’s selfish.”

The archduke shook his head and smiled as if he knew anything about their relationship. Or he is just smiling and holding back his laugh. Bermin sees this as pettiness and just a brotherly fight.

“Don’t start a fight between you two because of Andres. Let the boy go and do his thing. For you, Andrei, you would understand him sooner. Since you are approaching 17.” The archduke thinks for a while, “And it’s getting near.” 

Phoebe looks at the prince who was eating, “I don’t feel excited about that this year. And I am a year away from being presented as the son of king and queen. It will be overly complicated with the improper decisions of my dad.” 

“I am sure he has a plan, he has a plan for all sort of things.” Bermin looks at Phoebe, “I don’t want to talk about those things for a while, okay?” Suddenly, blood rushed to the girl’s face, her heart pounds so fast. The tone of the archduke changed, he sounded more serious. She blushed in embarrassment and looks at the food directly.

It seems the archduke was pissed, even Andrei didn’t bother to ask him. Silence ensues between them as minutes later, Bermin broke it. “I am sorry, there are just problems and I can’t take them for the moment. I just want a nice and peaceful lunch with you. There’s a lot of bad news coming daily and this is my little getaway.”

Both of the teenagers were still silent and afraid to say any word. Phoebe initiates as she can’t handle the awkward silence at the table. “It’s fine, sir Bermin. We understand. I hope you forgive us.” 

“It’s good, we’re okay. Just try to be nicer with Andres, Andrei. Let out your good side for a while, even you are going through something.” His advice to his nephew. “I have been nice to him all the time. Can I have a break to it?” 

The archduke sighs, “It’s your choice, that’s just advice. It’s your choice if you will follow it or not. But, I hope you’ll follow it.” They finished their lunch. 

It was a bit better day for Andrei. As the night falls, he was fetched by his coachman and went home. He had a quiet dinner with his family, his mom is still not talking to him. It was a bit strange since she was the one who sent Andres. But he guessed she is still not in the mood to talk, and the only thing she can do is to command someone to be her middleman to him. 

As the royal family falls asleep, the king was looking at the balcony, smirking. “Everything is going under my control.” He snickered that turned into a laugh, but not loud enough to wake others. Even though he is having his little celebration there, he is feeling a little bit sleepier every minute.

“Or is it?” A sweet voice asked him behind his back. His spine shivers, he knows who it is. He turned around, he was right, it was the mistress, just lurking in the dark corner of his room. 

“H-how did you—” He almost stumbled as he is becoming weaker, but he tried to look closely at the lady. She just giggled, “Sweet dreams.” The last thing that the king remembered him being caught by the lady with her arms. 

He slowly opened his eyes. He looked around even it’s a little bit blurry, but he can see the silhouette of his enemy. “You’re finally awake.” She said as she approached him. “How’s your sleep?”

He struggles as a sweet giggle emerges. “You are so vulnerable as ever, Dougal.” The king glared at her, “Guar—” His voice cracks and he coughs, his throat is so dry to even speak. 

“No one will save you, Dougal.” He looks at her, “What… Do you want—” He coughs again as he keeps cracking. “I am just gonna deliver a message personally and special for you. I want you to be the first one to know this. Or at least one of the first ones, your guards in Hawthrone might have just preceded on you about that.”

His eyes widen, he knows what’s next, it will be surely one of his downfalls made by the mistress. “All of the poor Hawthorne people is now released! Isn’t that glorious, Dougal?” Her cheerful tone made him more pissed, it’s singsong tone make his blood boil, especially if she was celebrating her victory. 

“You, you will never get away with this!” Even it’s dark, he can see the lady smirks behind her veil, which just covers half of her rose-red mouth. “But, I just did, Dougal. Isn’t it wonderful?” 

“Guar—guar—” He keeps coughing and cracking his voice. It seems he can’t talk that much and can’t shout for help. She could have slit his throat right now with anything sharp in his room. Or even smash him with a vase, but she was a psycho for him, she loves to see him suffer. 

“Your guards can’t save you, Dougal. You are weak, even you became the king. It didn’t make a difference when you were just a duke. I guess that’s why King Clemence and Queen Persephene chose Marcus rather than you.”

“You bi—” He coughs again, it was already the nth time he did. The mistress hits the bullseye and he is just angrier. “Why? It’s the truth. It’s not even the whole truth. Bermin is the rightful one to replace Marcus than you, if following the rules of Eshecaean Highest Monarch Scripts, your position right now is illegal. Be thankful that your mom and dad changed the scripts, or else you won’t receive this power you have been longing for.” 

“Who really are you? How did you know this?” The lady snickered, “As I’ve said, it depends who is in your front. For this knowledge? I thank the god Alvi for it, he blessed me in my life and I might be the luckiest lady in the kingdom, if it weren’t you did all of this, Dougal.” 

The lady looked at something, “Oh well, it’s time for me to go.” She grabbed something as Dougal shook his head, “N-no… No—” 

The king suddenly reflexes and rose on his bed. The ray of sunshine flashes on his face. He quickly set aside his blanket as he looks around. “Was it all just a dream?” He caresses his throat, “I-I think so… My throat already feels good.” 

He prepared himself by taking a nice warm bath, trying to forget his dream. He dressed up as he goes downstairs to eat his breakfast. He was cheerful and lively today, first, the good news yesterday, and that everything that happened last night was all just a dream.

He maybe got traumatized by getting caught by the mistress that he starts getting nightmares out of it. But everything felt real whatsoever. But all he cares about now is everything is fine for him. 

He sat at his table, greeting everyone. His sons and his wife were confused, but then they deduced something happened in his favor. Laila was happy that his husband is cheerful today. 

“I am glad you had a great sleep and a great start to the day. It’s rare for you to be like this so enjoy, my love.” The lady smiled. “Well, I received good news and everything was just a nightmare.

“What happened, dear?” Laila asked. “Well, I dreamt of being tied up in a chair because of the mistress.” His wife was a bit shocked, “Mine too. But it was just short, maybe she just passed by my dream, she has been a problem to us in the past few days, so it’s fine, my dear.” 

“Well, she said something dumb. Everyone knows no one can hinder my plans, but she is saying that she already made a downfall for me.” He said as he keeps eating. “I am sure that it’s just your conscious tricking you. Or even, let’s hire a dream interpreter so that you could get an ease of mind.” 

“No, but thank you for the offer, dear. I am sure that it’s just because she is been on my mind and making it hurt for the past few weeks.” The two sons of them were quiet. Andrei was the first one to leave with no permission or even a farewell. He went straight to his carriage to go to the school. 

“Andrei is getting really a bit disrespectful nowadays.” The king commented. “I know right, he just left without a goodbye! That girl must have really influenced my poor son so much.” 

Andres groaned, “Can you guys just stop whining about Phoebe being a bad influence on him and his new attitude these days? It’s getting annoying. Let Andrei get through his ‘phase’. To be honest, your words don’t help Andrei at all.” 

Andres decided to leave them before they can say anything. “Try to be a parent once!” The last sentence he said before leaving. “Don’t worry Laila, they are just getting their pissed-off days, apparently Andres always has that.”

“It’s just so peculiar that Andrei became like that. He was our little sunshine and that sunshine is now covered by dark clouds, also known as Phony, or Phoebe? I don’t care! That girl really must have some kind of strong influence on our little prince.” 

“I’ll confront her soon. For now, let’s make things flow, and maybe Andrei will change his ways.” The king wipes his mouth and left his seat. “Great idea. And he should, because that attitude is not worthy. He shouldn’t be like his big brother, at least there’s diversity in the family. And he should get away with that girl, she’s giving me the nerves ever since our eyes met. I don’t know but I trust my instincts not to trust that girl.” 

“Okay, okay. Just calm okay? I’ll meet her sooner, she’s getting suspicious to me also.” The king kissed his wife’s forehead as he went to the throne room, a brand new day on his work and everything is going well for him again.

He sat on his throne as a rushing messenger went to him. He bowed as he pants, “Your majesty, the slaves are gone!”