by Lyza Ledo
Chapter 15: Don’t go
Jayde
I practically pounced on him after what he had said, but I didn’t care. Kohl cared and wanted me. He pulled me as close to him as I could possibly be. My hands found their way under his shirt he instantly tensed, his firm stomach tightening under my touch, but he didn’t fight me off I slid his shirt over his head, again he didn’t fight. Was he actually letting us do this? Despite all the protests he had trouble controlling what was happening between us too. His hands left my back and ran down my legs, hiking my short dress up a little further.
“What have you done to me?” He said no more than a whisper. I kissed his cheek. The more important question was what had he done to me? Sure, I was wild but boys were something I could handle. I always knew what I felt and I always knew how to handle a situation. With Kohl, my mind was defunct until our lips met and then my brain seemed to take a backseat, instinct took over. I didn’t need anything else I just wanted him, I needed to have him.
“Please don’t leave.” I said hoping he wouldn’t scare away like every other time I had asked.
“I’d never leave you,” He said surprising me and pulling my mouth back to his. This was what I wanted. This is what I was waiting for. I slid off his lap and stood pulling him to his feet. He stood not letting me direct him to my bedroom. He kissed me again distracting me from what I wanted to accomplish, but I wasn’t fooled.
“If you’re not sleeping over we don’t have long.” I said and he began to move towards my room with me. I pushed opened my doors with my a kick, and he lifted me into his arms slamming both doors with his back.
“I think we’re going to regret this.” He said against my lips, but he did not loosen his grip around me. He walked and dropped me on the bed, this was it. I looked at him, the dark pools of his eyes were filled with desire.
“I love you,” I whispered out in between a kiss. He looked at me for a moment, did I ruin what was about to happen? I hoped not, then he kissed me this time sweetly, lingering slightly.
“I love you too.” With those words nothing could be more perfect.
Kohl
I looked over at her she was so blissfully happy. Her breathing was shallow and her head rested on my chest. She had fallen asleep hours ago and I hadn’t even shut my eyes. I was about to leave. I didn’t want to, but what would people think if they saw me coming out of Jayde’s room early in the morning. I know it was foolish to give in to her, but I couldn’t stop myself. I could deny it all I wanted, but we still end up lost in each other’s grasp trying to control ourselves. It didn’t work. Didn’t we deserve one night together before reality set in before she wasn’t able to think with her heart no matter how much she loved me? She had said it tonight she loved me as much as I loved her. I couldn’t be any happier, yet this gnawing feeling kept telling me to keep my defenses up. I would be the better leader of Encante, Jayde loved me, it all seemed like everything was going my way. However, Sy always found a way to ruin my happiness, isn’t that how it always went? I slid myself from under Jayde and wandered around looking for my clothes. I couldn’t wait until I could spend the night listening to her soft breathing, touch her beautiful skin, and not feel the watchful and questioning eyes of the kingdom. I looked at her restful body, the sheet barely covering her naked body. I slid out of her bedroom, found my shirt, cleaned the small pile of paper on the floor and placed them on her coffee table and left to my room.
I knew I was going to have trouble sleeping, I didn’t think it would be this hard. I had left a perfectly, beautiful woman alone in her bed. My bed was nothing without her in it. I tossed and turned my thoughts going over what had happened with Jayde tonight to all the problems I was having in the kingdom starting with Sy.
What bothered me the most, however, was the idea of Sy meeting with Jayde tomorrow. She was mine, I didn’t want him to sully the perfection she was with his half truths and blatant lies. I hoped she would be smart enough not to be duped by him.
I couldn’t understand why I was worried. Jayde had made up her opinion about him. I just needed to be patient for her to make her decision and choose me. I was hoping like all those stories my mother read me when I was younger that love would triumph over all.
I finally found a way to calm myself and found some uncomfortable sleep.
Jayde
I woke up alone. It was a little disappointing, but I wasn’t surprised. Kohl was still Kohl. I couldn’t expect him to change everything, he was trying to make progress. He had told me he loved me and we made love. I didn’t need anything else from him. Sure, he was uncomfortable about the situation until it was official, after today I had no doubt in my mind I would be proposing to him. I laughed at the notion. I was going to propose to Kohl? Did I still get an engagement ring? What would Julio think? What would my parents think? Me proposing to Kohl after only a few days it sounded absurd, but I knew it was the most perfect idea. It was what was best for our kingdom. Our kingdom! I had taken to the idea so quickly it even gave me the necessary push to stop being such a selfish teenager. Whether I liked it or not there was something more important than me, all the people in Encante. They needed leadership, they needed a life without war and death and that needed to be at the forefront of my thoughts.
A knock on my door shook me out of my thoughts.
“It’s me, Isadora.” She said through the door. I pulled my robe off the nearby chair and slid it on and opened the door.
“King Sy has arrived.” She said quietly. He must have been in the other room.
“Already? I haven’t even dressed yet.”
“I can serve him breakfast as you prepare.”
“Thank you, Isadora.” I said and shot off to my bathroom.
I had never dressed so fast in my life but still Isadora found time to lay out a calf length blue and green striped dress. It reminded me of those old fashioned dresses that housewives of the fifties wore, but it was nice.
I was allowed to do my own makeup and hair since Isadora was busy entertaining our guest. I walked out about fifteen minutes after Isadora had told me he was here. He stood and bowed deeply.
“It is lovely to see you this morning, Lady Jayde.” Sy said and smiled handsomely. There was no doubt Sy was handsome, the dark grey eyes, the dark hair that reminded me of Kohl, a firm jaw that led to a muscular build that made his six foot frame all the more foreboding. He was attractive, almost even more so than Kohl, but Kohl had so much more that Sy didn’t. It really wasn’t a competition Kohl was overall a better person and ruler. “I brought you some flowers and chocolates.” I looked behind him and true to his word there was a large vase full of red and white roses. A massive box of assorted chocolates sat in a rectangular box beside the large vase.
“Thank you, that wasn’t necessary, but thank you.”
“How about we try those chocolates?” Sy said sitting back down on the bigger sofa in my living area.
“I haven’t eaten breakfast yet, maybe after lunch. Do you plan on staying for lunch?” I said hoping he wouldn’t.
“Of course I’d like to get as much time as possible with you.” I smiled and prayed it didn’t look as fake as it felt.
“I hope you don’t mind if I eat something then.” I said and took a sip of the tea Isadora had placed before me.
“No, of course not.” He said picking up a fluffy pastry on the large tray. The day seemed to drag. Sy and I began mostly making small talk. I heard about his temper and I didn’t want to go anywhere near political issues or my simmering anger towards his maniacal tyranny.
“Do you like Encante so far?” He asked surprising me with the change of topic.
“It’s so different from Brazil, but I do like what I’ve seen. It feels more like home than I think it should. I still haven’t traveled and saw much of Encante, though.”
“Have you left the castle at all?”
“For swims mostly. I’ve seen what the town looks like from my balcony b
ut I haven’t been in the middle of all the hustle and bustle yet.”
“Would you like to?” My eyes widened with the prospects. It seemed like a wonderful idea, but I was still weary of Sy.
“Maybe lunch outside of the castle my treat.” Sy tried goading me a bit more. I thought about it, it sounded so tempting to be in the middle of everything, but would Kohl approve? Could I leave the mansion?
“It sounds like a lovely idea, I’m just not comfortable leaving yet.”
“What is the worst that can happen?” Sy attempted again pushing with his quiet innuendos and charming mannerisms. I moved his hand from my arm and stood. I didn’t want to say it was because of Kohl or because I didn’t trust Sy, but yeah those were the first reasons to come to mind.
“I feel like we could get better acquainted here. No other loud conversations distracting us, just you and I learning all we can about each other.” I said hoping it didn’t sound like utter lies to anyone’s ears but mine.
Sy actually smiled. He was eating this up. “Isadora, how about you clear these dishes.” Sy said and Isadora promptly did what she was asked. She quickly ran out of the room a pile of dishes balanced in her hands. “That’s more like it.” He said standing and walking towards me. “So Jayde, I’m curious to know what Kohl has told you.”
“About this?” I asked putting some breathing room between us. “Encante is at war. There was a treaty signed and if the war had not ended by the time I was eighteen, I would marry one of the rulers of Encante and we would be the sole rulers of all of Encante.”
“Sounds right, but there’s always more when it comes to Kohl.”
“What does that mean?” I said with a little too much emotion. I needed to keep my opinions in check. I didn’t want Sy picking up on my feelings for Kohl.
“He usually is keen on bending the truth.” He replied nonchalantly.
“Are you saying Kohl has lied to me?” I asked in almost disbelief. The one who multiple people have told me is a horrible person is accusing Kohl of lying.
“I’m not saying anything of the sort.” He said with a strange glint in his eyes that worried me even more. “I’m not sure what he has told you and frankly I’d love to know, but wouldn’t it be better if I just gave you my account of the story?”
“Okay,” I cautiously answered and sat down again beside him.
“The idea of three ruling families came into fruition after the reformation of Encante many centuries ago. Our families were those ruling families and continued that tradition until my father’s reign. There were many underlying issues that were not being seen by all of the ruling families in Encante. There actually was a movement at the time to overthrow the Encante ruling families. My father was well aware of their antics and wanted them to be dealt with, but the other families felt that nothing would come from such a disorganized group.
“Then the first bombing occurred killing dozens of people in the town square.” He said completely serious as he told the story.
“They did something then?” I asked knowing slightly how this story would play out.
“No, the families argued and majority ruled a statement was issued about a horrible random tragedy. My father had enough and this was the last straw. He said he would not rule with them anymore. Kohl’s father tried to persuade my father into coming back because they were best friends of sorts and it was three ruling families not two. My father didn’t want to hear of new goals they would never accomplish. So him and the other kings decided maybe a split was in order. The kingdom had divided with my father’s departure and almost naturally Encante North and South were created.”
“I don’t understand why your father just didn’t go back and make an effort to fix what was wrong with Encante.”
Sy smiled, but not happily. “I really couldn’t answer that question just assume. I assume that he had thought this through and didn’t see any way to improve upon a tri-ruling empire.”
“Okay, but if that is the case and you aren’t sure why don’t you, Kohl, and I fix all these problems and go back to the old way of ruling. No one would lose anything and we would be able to work through our differences. Sure, you and Kohl must have some animosity towards each other, but I’m neutral. We could make it work.” I said hoping I could make him doubt his mission just an iota.
He shook his head in disagreement. “I’m sorry Jayde, but a peaceful reunion is impossible. I will never forgive Kohl for what he has done.”
“What he has done?” I asked confused and frightened.
“His uncle killed my father.” He said the pent up rage barely kept in check as his dark brows knitted together and the hardening of his jaw told me, Sy was quite serious and quite angry.
“But that wasn’t specifically Kohl.” I said again trying to referee in a losing battle. Although, I did remember the last time Kohl had mentioned Sy’s father and said he died of natural causes.
“His family has been at the forefront of my family’s demise since the separation. His father led a witch hunt to take down our supporters.”
“Sy you must be mistaken. The war started because of your father’s eagerness to have all of Encante.” I slapped my hand across my mouth instantly.
