( King Laurent )
( Day 62, December 23rd )
I sat in the lush chair inside my den with Larry standing rigid at my side. We were both staring at the man in front of us with mistrust and suspicion. Curtis squirmed ever so slightly in his seat under our unrelenting stares as Dr. Leona tended to his various wounds. When she was finished bandaging him up, she nodded her head to let us know he was good then left the room. Larry unable to keep quiet any longer, nearly snapped his words out through gritted teeth.
King Larry: "Okay. Before we start, where the fuck have you been the past few days?" Larrys voice was teetering between pissed and annoyed. For some reason, Curtis being here irked him endlessly. Curtis eyes went distant and he bit his lip, I could see his hands trembling with a vengeance.
Curtis: "I honestly don't know where I was located your Highness. When I awoke, I was in some dark old rickety shed and Hiro was there, glaring at me with a hated look so bad you'd think I killed his mom or some shit. He beat me constantly and kept asking me questions about miss Jasmine. When I wouldn't give him any information, he left. It was a day later I guess, that he returned and when he returned, he brought Candice and Eleni with him." I felt my hand grip the desk tightly, my knuckles turning nearly luminescent white at the force being used. Larrys lip curled into the most disgust sneer I ever seen and when he spoke, his voice rasped with hatred.
King Larry: "Why the fuck was Eleni there? What the hell does she have to do with all of this? I don't understand how someone who was so close to us turn against us so quickly." Those exact same questions floating around in my head like leaves in fall and I was hungry for the answers.
Curtis: "I asked the same thing my Kings and her response was that she simply didn't like Jasmine. As for her role in everything, she is the reason no one saw Hiro and Candice leave with Jasmine. She had caused a commotion at the Advisors temple and threatened that she would be on her way to the castle. It had put your guards in tense mode looking for her, causing Hiro to slip away like the fucking snake he is." The suspicion inside me came back full throttle as I took in Curtis's words.
King Laurent: "And pray tell, how you know all this? Sounds like you know to many details to not be involved."
King Larry: "I agree my brother." And without Curtis even realizing, cool steel pressed against the back of his skull as Bouboo stood behind him, his expression blank with promised murder in his eyes. Curtis went completely stiff and his voice cracked slightly.
Curtis: "No! I would never participate in hurting Jasmine! I know about it because when I finally got loose, Eleni sung like a fucking canary when my gun was against her throat. She told me a lot of things your Majesties which is how I even know Jasmine was gone!" I observed him, trying to spot if he was lying but the hurt and dread that swam in the pupils of his eyes screamed truth. Larry must've noticed as well because his body went slack and the tension fell from him. I leaned back in my chair and signaled for Bouboo to lower his weapon. He did so but didn't budge from his spot behind Curtis.
King Laurent: "Continue. I want to know anything and everything. If I feel like you left out the slightest detail, I will watch in the highest degree of glee as your head rolls from the executioners block." My voice was relentless and brokered no space for objections or arguments. Curtis gulped and I could nearly taste his fear in the air. I had been far to complacent lately, Jasmine had knocked me off my game. When she was around, I wasn't the ruthless beast King, I was just Laurent. But with her gone and the circumstances following her disappearance, it seemed I had no choice but to revert to being who I once was. Larry smirked at my side, feeling the shift in my attitude. I heard him whisper under his breath, "now we talking." I ignored his comment and just stared at the fool in front of me, my patience weaning.
Curtis: "Okay. I'll start off with saying that yes, Candice is pregnant but the child is not yours King Laurent." I rolled my eyes as I heard the words.
King Laurent: "Of this I was aware. Yet, I could not be completely sure until the tests. I take it that the child is yours then?" Curtis eyes went big and hurt entered the depths.
Curtis: "No. She admitted in front of me that the child belonged to Hiro. Said that he had been back in Parisih for a while and that she gotten pregnant when she snuck him in while your mother and sister were first visiting." A memory flashed by in my head as I remembered Jasmine and my mother staring intently in the direction of Candice's room some time back. So they might've saw Hiro. Rage boiled inside me as I thought of how long the bitch and her puppet were around, planning Jasmine's abduction. Larrys hand gripped my shoulder and I could see the same emotions on his face as mine.
King Larry: "Continue." The hoarseness in his voice belied the curt cold demand. Larry was hurting.
Curtis: "I asked Candice why would she do this, knowing how I felt about her and that she had to know if you found out that baby wasn't yours, she would be put out. She simply said that if she couldn't have you, no one would. That she wasn't scared of your decision because she wouldn't be around to have to deal with it. She slipped and mentioned Florida, saying that her and Hiro were going to make a new life for them and their child. After that, she left and Hiro beat me to unconsciousness. I only escaped because Eleni did such a piss poor job on the knots, that my navy training made quick work of them. I was in the forest when I left the shack, that's why it took so long for me to get here. That place is treacherous and I only found my way back because some little old lady helped me back. She disappeared as soon as I made it to the forest entrance, so I don't know where she is. I found Eleni and that's how I got the information I have now." Something like dread pulled at my gut and I had to close my eyes to combat the feeling. Florida. Did he not know how fucking huge that place was? It would take forever to find Jasmine and by the time, she could be dead. That thought sucked all the oxygen out of my lungs and I damn near wheezed for air.
Larry calmed me down, speaking in French mutters to ease my distressed soul. He looked at Curtis and his eyes went black as night.
King Larry: "We leave for Florida in the morning. Go and pack some things for the trip, we won't be back for awhile." Bouboo escorted Curtis out the room and I finally regained my breathing.
King Laurent: "We cannot leave our kingdom for that long a period span Larry. You know this just as well as I. Why try to make things even more complicated? Who would take care of Parisih while we are gone?!" I wanted to be searching for Jasmine more than anything, but my duty to my kingdom was locked. I had promised our father so long ago I would never abandon the people, even if my soul and heart tore me to shreds for choosing them over Jasmine. The conflicting feelings in me destroyed all my train of thought. Just as Larry was about to speak, the double doors to my den opened and our mother and Liara walked in. They both took a seat on the Victorian sofa and my mother pinned me down with a ice glare.
Lidia: "Liara and I will take over while you boys go and get my daughter." My mouth dropped open and Larry looked as though he just seen a ghost. Lidia being Queen once more? The world was surely blazing in hell. I snapped my jaws shut and cleared my throat, approaching the subject lightly.
King Laurent: "Now maman, you know that it isn't the same as when you were running the kingdom before. The rules have changed and the peopl-"
Lidia: "Will be just fine and deal with my temporary Ascension. I know full well how to run a kingdom Laurent. I did it far before your little ass was even thought of, so do not lecture me on how it's not the same. There will be no arguing or debating on this. Liara and I have already informed the Advisors and an announcement will be made later on. Now I won't say it again, go find my fucking daughter." Liara snickered at our mothers side and she stared at us with an ice glare just as frozen as our mothers. I sighed and submitted. When Queen Lidia spoke there was not fighting it. A smile crept up on my lips, my mother had no idea how much I loved her in that moment. Larrys grin matched mine and he patted my shoulder.
King Larry: "Ready to go find our Queen?" The way he said it sent this heat of warmth to my heart. He held Jasmine in such a high regard now that I knew he was always protect her. I stood up and leaned my forehead against his.
King Laurent: "Yeah. Let's do this my twin." We went to leave the den but Liara grabbed my arm before I made it through the door. Her face a mask but her words a dagger.
Liara: "When you find Hiro, make sure he dies slow for me okay?" A wild grin took over my face as I agreed. He was definitely going to pay for all the damage he caused and Candice as well. I had a special way just for her. Larry and I left the den to prepare to go the Florida.
As I packed things away, I gazed around Jasmine and mine room. Her scent was still so heavy in it and I felt my heart clench. What if we didn't find her in time? Curtis only knew that they were in Florida, he had no idea about their precise whereabouts. I shook the doubts away and continue to pack. The door opened and I chanced a glance behind me to see who it was. Sophia entered the room with her head hung low and her walk slow. I stopped what I was doing and turned to the young girl, she had avoided being alone with me ever since Jasmine was taken. Sadness ripped through me as I felt the guilt and blame hit me like a ton of bricks.
She walked right up to me and held her small dainty hand out in a fist, as though she wanted to give me something. I placed my palm out and when she opened her fist, a pretty rose gold bracelet dropped into my hand. I recognized it as Jasmine's and felt tears prick my eyes but I didn't let them fall.
Sophia: "You will find mommy right Lauy?" Once again, her solemn and raspy voice took me off guard. She spoke twice now and I knew that she figured that Jasmine being kidnapped was worth her words. I squeezed her hand in mine and lifted her chin with my index finger to look me in the face. Her grey eyes sparkled with tears and it took everything in me to not cry as well.
King Laurent: "I will bring Jasmine home, I promise. In the mean time, I need you to do me a favor Sophia. I want you to keep an eye on things while Larry and I are gone okay? If anything seems out of place, I want you to go to Bouboo and inform him as quickly as possible. Can you do that for me?" She shook her head yes and her golden tresses bobbed up and down. I smiled and hugged her, which she responded to. I sent her on her way and continued to get ready.
When I stepped outside to meet Larry and Curtis, I roamed my eyes around my castle and kingdom for the last time.Only one thought stayed in my mind throughout my perusal.
I wasn't returning without my Queen.
End Chapter
What you guys think?
Will they make it in time?
How long do they scour Florida until they can find her?
Will it be to late?