"No fucking way!! My parents— stole the Royal Mint and didn't share the wealth?? Impossible, he is making that up." Anisel said. I glanced at the others who agreed with his statement. He was telling the truth. Anisel and I went back to the office to discuss.
"I will have to rethink the make-up story. It is a strong chance it could have happened. Which is why we need to bring back my parents for questioning.""That is a long shot. Four days tops, they would arrive here, and that is enough time for them to kill us. We need to prepare for war, my love. Joshua has shot their captain and captured them. Do you think she will say fuck it?" Anisel said.How are we supposed to prepare for war when we don't have soldiers or weapons like them?? It's like going into a lion's den without protection— it is a suicide attempt. My husband wanted to get information from associates. Like Pervia, they have the resources we need to win. However, Queen Yuli has other things to worry about in her kingdom. She can't bring her people here.If the Royal Mint is here, then we have what we need. The only soldiers we have is the Blue Rose, but they are equipped with swords. What will they do when guns are involved? "My lady, we should upgrade then. Bring in technology." Hamon said as he sat some tea down."How are we going to manufacture guns?? How do we keep technology running??? We don't have the tools for it. We ride carriages!! Have dirt roads and wear clothing like in medieval times. What technology can we bring in??"Crickets filled the room. They knew I was right. We need help more than ever, and Pervia can't do that for us. Anisel rubbed his chin and stated he knew someone who could help. Someone who they haven't seen in years. If he says THAT name, I will throw myself at the wall. There is a reason why we don't associate with that land. It is because of him.Who is Anisel talking about– the prime minister of Jihedi, Matthew. I still haven't forgiven him and his actions of taking over Satia. However, my husband is right. His land is the only place to have the technology. Mostly weapons that we could use. "My lady, we have no choice. Until your parents can get here, we must prepare for war." Hamom said.I took a deep breath and sighed. Suddenly, a sharp pain hit my stomach that made me hunch over. Mikhal rushed to my side in concern. I was fine, I think. But I must see my doctor, and I need some assistance. My back arched as I lay on this cold steel table. The doctor examined my stomach and said to take it easy. Too much stress can harm the baby. "You are going to be bedridden for three hours so your body can take it easy, your majesty." the doctor stated."I will make sure she will get that rest. Thank you." Anisel said as he bowed to the doctor. "My love, let me deal with this for a moment while you focus on the baby, okay? Your health and the baby are important. Plus, your blood pressure will rise if you see Matthew in person. Let me handle that talk, okay." he said as he kissed my cheek.I nodded to his words, and he left. Hamon and Mikhal came with a carrier, so they could take me to get rest. I saw my brother and his fiance, Lily, down the halls. My servants stopped so I could speak to them real quick. They both bowed and looked concerned. It was just stress that needed to relax, and Jabrel understood.Lily asked if I needed extra help. I politely told her no, as my servants would handle me. Lily needs to worry about Jabrel and the wedding plans. It's not going to happen anytime soon.~ Anisel ~While I watched my beautiful wife being carried away, I returned to the office and wrote a letter to Matthew. It states… "Dear Matthew, We, the royal family, need your help as we are in a crisis. We need your mind and company to help us prepare for an upcoming war. Please, as you get this letter, report to Satia immediately. The queen and I call for desperate measures, as you could be our only hope. ~ From the King of Satia."I handed the letter to one of the guards and told him this should be out yesterday. He got the message and quickly headed out. Now, it's the waiting game. I need Matthew by tomorrow if we need to be prepared. I went to talk to Joshua about the situation. He was in the main room talking to Hazel. "Hope I'm not interrupting anything," I said.They flinched at my voice and bowed when they turned around. "Of course not, your majesty. I was scolding him." Hazel stated as she grabbed her boyfriend's neck."Scolding me while wrapping her hands around my neck to kill me. But you weren't interrupting anything. What did you find, Ans??" Joshua said as he got pushed by Hazel. First of all, it is your majesty. I keep telling him that. Because he will get in trouble one day like he is now. Always, I told them to sit so they could hear the shocking news. The couple opened their mouths wide so a fly could lie in them.They couldn't believe my words. Hazel jumped up to rephrase what I just said. "The Mint Diamond is missing??? Like gone, gone?? And your parents stole it years ago without people noticing. The crown jewel of Satia?? How– what– how is that even impossible?? Why is nobody freaking out right now? How are we surviving right now??" Hazel questioned."At first, you were surviving because of Mia's family, and now– us. We have the former king and queen come back to explain. Matthew will be here also."Joshua asked what we needed for the preparation. I looked at him with such anger. We don't need his help right now. Joshua saw my facial expression and sat there with his head hanging low. I ordered Hazel to pass the message along to the Blue Rose. We are going to need them. Hazel bowed and dragged Joshua away with her. I stared down the hallway, wondering how fast this had happened.It's been a long day, and I must recharge my body. When I got to the bedroom, Mia was there reading a book. A smile came on my face as I laid eyes on my beautiful wife. I climbed into the bed and placed my hand on her belly. "How did everything go, my love," she asked me."Good, the message has been sent to Matthew. I hope it gets to him by tonight because we don't have time to waste. Tomorrow will bring us a mystery." I said as I lay down on my back. I began to sing. This relaxes Mia, and the baby moves like a cheetah. They love the sound of my voice, and I can't wait to hear theirs.It was about 3 am when a loud knock was at the door. Mia and I both jumped in fright. “Anisel,” Mia said as she clung to my arm.“I heard that too. Wait here; I will check it out.” I got up, but Mia didn't want to let go. So, I yanked my arm away. I got out of bed and snatched my sword nearby. The guards should be dealing with this and not me. I slowly opened the door to see a guard on the ground. The other one tried to help him up. What happened??I searched around to see the shattered window and brick with a note. It states: "To the King & Queen of Satia, you have captured my men and injured me. That was uncalled for, as I only wanted a peaceful conversation with you. Anisel, your family owes me a great debt, and I will do anything in my power to get it. Release my men with the money, or war will start. You have 24 hours to respond. ~ From Sera."Sera?? I heard that name before. My parents have called it out, but I don't know when or why. I helped my guards to their feet and gave th
~ Anisel ~The meeting hall was filled with all types of nobles; even Hazel's top men were there. I have never seen such a crowd, but I needed everyone here to discuss business. When I sat down, I saw Matthew three chairs away. Good, he read the letter. “I'm glad that you made it, Lord Matthew. I do apologize for the bother.” I said as I bowed my head.“Desperate times call for desperate measures. It must be important for you even to reach out. What has troubled you, your highness??”“Foreigners have stepped into our lands and caused mischief. They have threatened to start a war because of what has been done. These people are soldiers; however, they used to live here in Satia. Well, their leader did, and the Royal Mint Diamond has been missing for years.” I stated. The whole room went silent as they couldn't believe what they heard.One of the officials has thought what we all were thinking– how did the kingdom function without its precious gem?? We rely on the diamond for support, an
~ Mia ~My whole mood changed when I noticed he was there. With a lot of strength, I shook his hand. My focus went back to Anisel, and asked if we could talk in private. With a nod, we went to the bedroom and locked the door. My brother, Lily, and the servant came in with us. "I knew it!! I knew it was going to be a boy!!" Lily shouted with excitement.“Good because having all girls running around isn't the best. To have a nephew is awesome news.” Jabrel said. The more we discussed it, the more I realized how he would be born into madness. I'm in my third semester, and if a war happens, then he will be raised in disaster. I can't have my son be forced into this. Anisel glanced at me with concern. I explained my thoughts. He held my hand and told me not to think negatively. He will be protected at all times.I needed to hear that. The others had confused expressions which switched the mood. I brushed it off and returned to talking about our bouncy baby boy. They got excited when I aske
~ Mia ~ We agreed as long he is being monitored 24/7; then I do not mind him by the palace. However, if he betrays us, it is over. Early that morning, I felt an arm around me, “Morning, beautiful.” Anisel smiled. "Good morning, my fine sir. Did you get things done last night?" “Doubting my skills, I see?? But I did everything I needed to relax today. I wish you cleared your schedule so we can be together.” He pouted as he wrapped himself around my body and rubbed my stomach. I wish I could clear my schedule too, but I have a doctor's appointment today. After that, I have a meeting with my brother. He nodded his head and curled up into a ball. What a cutie. Mikhal entered the room to help me start my day. He picked out regular clothes as it was hard to fit my dresses. I am four months pregnant, and it is beginning to show. All my clothes are right fitting and need to be altered. After getting ready, I kissed my sleepy husband goodbye and walked toward the dining hall. I usually ju
I order Hamon and Mihkal to search the palace for my husband. I wanted to wait until tomorrow, but this is important. As we looked, I noticed he wasn't in the bedroom or office, which he usually is. I even went to check the kitchen, and nothing. I searched in Hazel’s palace section and was nowhere to be seen. I peeked out the window toward the garden to see him talking to Matthew. So, I rushed out there to catch them. "Well, hello, my beautiful wife. What's the fire??" Anisel asked. Matt just stood there looking at me with his smirk. "We need to talk now!" "Of course, my love," he said in confusion. We didn't even sit before I told him what my brother and Lily had said. “I was going to let you know, but I didn't want you under more stress.” That is something you do not keep from me. We are in this together, and I feel like we are drifting away in this situation. I turned to Matthew, who said nothing and smiled. I scold him for even doing that stunt. He shrugged his shoulders and
~ Mia ~ Nothing occurred yesterday instead for servants running around. My parents should arrive soon; Jabrel and I haven't seen them since the banishment. My mom was in prison before she made that decision. To have them back is like getting spit stuck in your throat. Jabrel, Anisel, and I waited by the front gate. We had on our best outfits to look presentable, at least. Jabrel spotted the car and fixed himself. My hands become sweaty, and I can feel my legs shaking. When the car came to a halt, Josuha and Hazel came out. They changed clothes and had smiles on their faces. "We are honored to welcome your former king and queen!" Hazel said as she bowed as she opened the door. There they were– my parents looking worn out. I couldn't help the tears that formed. When my mom's eyes landed on me, she greeted me with open arms. I ran to her for a hug. Jabrel did the same. "I missed you so much," I said while I cried in my mom's arms. "Mia, it's good to see you well. You too, Jabrel and
~ Many Years Ago ~ Imagine you walking down a dirt road with people wearing just robes and nothing on their feet—children shaking in the cold, begging for food and water. The neighborhood is infested with files as bodies lay across the street. This is my home, the kingdom of Satia—a beautiful country where even people experiencing poverty have beauty. Our neighborhood wasn't like this until the tyrants threatened the low-income citizens like trash. They left us with nothing but the clothes on our backs. Tents and broken-down buildings are what we call a shelter. There are no stores to shop for fresh food or water. The garbage from the main kingdom flows down into our river and clouds it up. The citizens of Satia have nothing but rats. I can't believe I'm about to have a healthy baby boy in this run-down place. When I got home, my boyfriend, Khali, glanced out the window. "I'm home!" I said as I placed the basket down. "Still nothing, honey??" “No, just rotten fruit and stale b
~ Anisel ~ Who would have thought the Dean brothers would be back in the neighborhood? Returning to this broken-down place felt odd; however, it felt good to be home. Mia, Hazel, Joshua, Jabrel, Lily, and I began to search around to find anything that would give us a lead. If Mia’s parents can't tell us the truth, we must find it ourselves. As we stepped down the dirt road, I reminisced the fun memories of smearing mud on the people. The neighborhood looks the same after all these years but is abandoned. “I remember throwing mud at the guards that marched past here, but to find out it was horse shit and one of them had some of it in the mouth.” Joshua laughed. “I remember that— puke up a lung when I found it. Mom had me sleep outside for days, and we got grounded for two months. Best night of our lives.” “Not like that time when we pick-pocketed those nobles and threw their money like it was raining. Those citizens were having a ball.” Joshua said. Hazel wanted to laugh but