by Lyza Ledo
Chapter 7: Welcome
Jayde
I had morphed just like Kohl had told me too. It was unbelievable I had fins instead of arms and legs and to top it all off the final breath I had taken when I transformed seemed to be causing my new lungs no issue. I looked in front of me at the dolphin leading the way. It was Kohl. He was long and graceful. The water caused a blueish haze when I looked at him, but just like the legends had said. He was a soft pink, almost white. He swam with purpose and I tried to meet him stride for stride. Hopefully, he was directing me towards Encante at least that’s what I had assumed.
Don’t look behind us. I heard Kohl’s deep timbre in my head when Kohl’s tail fin tapped what used to be my arm. When we touch we can communicate. Arthur and Antonio are following fast so you need to pick up the pace. I started to swim faster catching up with Kohl and then he sped off again ahead of me. I barely caught up when I caught a glimpse of a something catching up with us.
It had to be Arthur because even in dolphin form he was a monstrosity. He went ahead and tried to take a bite at my tail fin. I pulled away racing faster to keep up with Kohl. Kohl took a sharp turn and we swam through to shallow water, but Antonio and Arthur stopped following.
We are in Encante-North waters if they cross the lines, we are forced to start battling again. Kohl managed to communicate when we slowed down and swam through a relatively shallow river. Kohl morphed back into human form without the rest of his meager attire from before. Another man appeared with a robe he handed to Kohl. Kohl turned around after tying his robe shut. The much smaller man also had a silver tray, I couldn’t make out what was in it because I was still in the water.
“Jayde, to morph back, think about what you did before. Try to picture yourself in human form.” I focused for several minutes and felt my limbs elongate. Everything seemed to snap back into place, but this weird longing was with me. I actually felt uncomfortable being human again; I sort of missed being a dolphin. This is when I was calling it, I had officially lost my ever loving mind.
The shorter man next to him handed me a soft, plush robe.
“Philip, this is Jayde. Jayde, this is my assistant, Philip.” I looked over Kohl’s assistant, he had a protruding fin peaking through at the tip of his golden hairline. He was extremely pale compared to Kohl, but other than that he seemed normal enough. Philip was rather unremarkable. I finally saw a single cell phone sitting on a tray that Philip handed to me after I had put on my robe.
“Welcome to Encante-North, Lady Jayde. That phone should have all the same information as your old phone.” Philip said with a polite bow in front of me. “I will show you to your room so you can shower and change.” I looked at Kohl who was trying to suppress a smile.
“How did you do that?” I asked staring at the new phone.
“Philip, give her a chance to breathe. I think we need to talk before we part.” Kohl said escorting me off of the little beach and towards one of the biggest houses I had ever seen. “Philip is a little bit of a computer whiz.” Kohl commented when his assistant walked away.
“Wow…do…d-do…” I stammered taking my first look at the ornate building in front of me. The million questions I had about the cell phone, island, and Kohl all seemed to cease as I looked at the foreboding four story building glaring back at us.
“This is the royal mansion.” Kohl said not even attempting to hide his smile. Ever since we had arrived he was a million more times laid back than the Kohl I had first met. This was the real Kohl I could feel it and oddly enough I was starting to like this one a lot more. “So technically it’s our mansion.”
“Our mansion?” I asked, the skepticism obvious. He held the door as we walked into the open, bright foyer.
“Jayde, the reason you are so important is because Encante originated with three ruling families. The families equally shared power and collectively made decisions about all of Encante. Seventeen years ago, Sy’s father, Syrus dissented against our fathers. He thought that our fathers didn’t have the best interests for Encante and he planned to overthrow our parents and be the sole ruler of Encante.” He led me into an office where he motioned for me to take a seat.
“Only problem was our parents didn’t take it sitting down, sides were drawn that’s how Encante-North and South were created. The people took sides and everything was separated. Syrus wasn’t thrilled with the dissection of Encante, he wanted to rule all of it so the battle continued. It was nasty and there were many casualties, our parents and Sy’s mother included. During one of the last battles led by our parents, the Battle of the Amazon, your parents were trying to put you into hiding when they were ambushed and killed. Apparently you were overlooked and later that day a human family found you before my uncle was able to get away and search for you. You are the last person in your line. Originally being that there were three families we each would have married individuals our parents had chosen. After the division, however, being that you are the only female in the line, that makes things a lot trickier. You will essentially end the war if you marry Sy or me.”
I couldn’t help but gape as he said the last part. “If that were to occur majority would rule as had before the war. It would be assumed that the minority would relinquish power and accept that the majority would rule over all of Encante. It would destroy the idea of multi-reigning families, but it would effectively end the war and that is better for Encante than anything else.” He said seriously. That air of authority, I thought was just Kohl being protective was him being a freaking King.
“So were you trying to make me fall for you in Brazil?” I asked angry about what was expected of me. I had just turned eighteen, with not a care in the world. Now I was some type of Queen for a mythical species who was destined to end a multi-decade long war by getting married. When was this nightmare going to be over?
“No, Jayde, I just wanted you to trust me enough to come back to Encante. This is where you belong this is our jurisdiction even without being married. I really would hope you stay, but once you learn more about us and everything there is to know about the war and my cause I want you to make the best decision for you. I can set up a meeting with Sy if you like when you are settled.”
“I think I’d like to settle in maybe get some clothes first.” I said suddenly feeling this robe wasn’t much as clothing went.
“Sure,” Kohl said that rogue smile I hadn’t seen since I got here making another appearance. “I’ll show you to your room and living quarters.”
“Living quarters?” I choked out surprised.
“Of course, this place is huge, it’s nice to have your own personal space that you can just live in.” Kohl said directing me out of the small den we were sitting in to a massive white marble staircase in the front hall. “My private quarters are in the East wing and yours are in the North. The servants stay in the West wing and the south wing on the first and second floor are for official royal business. So it’s mostly meeting rooms, a large dining hall, a throne room…”
“A throne room?” I repeated in disbelief that I was here.
“Well it’s mostly for show we don’t actually use it.” He said starting up the winding marble staircase. I followed behind oogling the statues and paintings hanging by the stairs in the long, bright hallway we entered at the top of the staircase. After some walking, Kohl opened two massive white double doors.
“This is your private quarters.” Kohl started. He walked in but I stopped at the doorway taking it all in. “Over here,” he said walking past the large living area to a door on the left. “This is your bedroom and bathroom, you should find everything you need while you’re here.” I walked in taking a quick peek through the door he opened. “And this door…” he said walking to a door on the other side of the room, “Is a small kitchen and dining room. If you don’t want to go downstairs for formal dinner or breakfast, you can make whatever you want in here. It should be stocked already. If not just tell me and I’ll have Philip or Isadora on it.” I nodded a
nd looked into the decently sized personal kitchen with a large counter with chairs and a small booth nestled in the corner with a large picture window showing a phenomenal view of the forest and ocean.
“This is for me?” I asked still not grasping it. It was time for me to wake up. Kohl walked in after me and pinched me. “Ow” I said.
“You’re not dreaming.” He joked.
“How did you know that’s what I was thinking?”
“Just a hunch.” He responded with a shrug. He opened my fridge which was fully stocked with anything I’d possibly need. He closed it back up.
“After you shower and change, we should meet downstairs for an early dinner. Are you hungry?”
“A little.” I said feeling the hunger pangs as soon as he mentioned it.
“Okay, I’ll answer anymore questions you have and maybe you can come to my meeting today.”
“Meeting?” I asked knowing it was stupid.
“With some of the royal advisors, we have to talk about a sturdy defense now that you are here and prepare for Sy’s retaliation for a few days or weeks.”
“Does Sy normally have a temper when he doesn’t get his way?” I asked worried to even meet this other guy.
“He’s not as volatile as he sounds but he wants you whether he admits it or not and Sy will do anything to get his way. He wants to end this just as badly as I do.” He walked out into my living area again. “Get ready, meet me in the den we were in before.” I nodded and walked into a large living area looking at the soft sky blue sofas and the tan walls with the white paneling below and white crown moldings. The rooms were fit for a queen and it was all mine.
This place was a lot nicer than my house. I couldn’t believe I was supposed to stay here. I wandered into the massive bedroom. Pink and blue flowers lined the cream colored walls in a timeless fashion. The bed was bigger than anything I had ever seen before. It had a wooden frame with spiraled poles coming up at each corner of the massive king sized bed. I walked over to my bed, it still felt surreal. I took a closer look at the spiraled wood, which ironically had dolphins carved into it.
A knock at my door shook me out of my disbelieving haze. A small, older woman with the reddest hair I’d ever seen walked in. “I’m Isadora. I’m you’re maid. King Kohl sent me in to make sure you could find everything and to start your bath.”
“Oh that’s not necessary, Isadora. I can start my own bath.”
“Then I will set up your attire for the day.” She responded opening the surprisingly full closet right next to my bathroom. She pulled out a light green flowing halter dress and a dark green short sleeve blazer. Since she was going to dress me at least she was doing a darn good job of it. I walked in the bathroom. Two sinks set into a white marble counter with white drawers below. The walls were a sky blue similar to the flowers in my bedroom. Further in there was a standup shower all glass with glass tile inside, it was the same blue as the walls with a grey glass dolphin in the center followed by smaller fish. It was gorgeous. I looked at the large white tub and the blue glass handles that were also on the sinks. I couldn’t believe it wasn’t a dream.
After one of the most luxurious showers of my life, I came out into my room to find Isadora still patiently waiting for me.
“Isadora, I can dress myself but thank you for all your help.”
“If I leave, who will do your make up and hair?” Isadora asked like it was the most obvious conclusion in the world. I gave in and she tousled my hair and finished my makeup. It was something I could definitely get used to. Isadora was a sweetheart too, she was a newlywed her husband was a gardener at the mansion and she had taken this job the moment she heard it was available. Although she seemed maybe a decade or two older than me I could see us getting along well. Apparently, Kohl had been preparing for my return for the last six months and had hired Isadora to make everything as feminine and homey as possible. So all the clothes, furniture, food, and anything else I could imagine was here because of Isadora.
“King Kohl said he would like to meet you in the dining room for dinner. I can escort you if you don’t know where it is.”
“Thank you, Isadora, I’d appreciate that greatly.”