Chapter 56: Chapter 56

“What was close, sir?” Verona asked with raised eyebrows. Prince Dakar froze for a second then got on his feet.

“Something almost got in my way,” he said and exhaled.

“Something almost got in your way? This has to do with Fiorella?” Verona questioned even though she knew she was already crossing boundaries.

“Yes and no. This is personal. How far with training her mind? I hope you're not only gossiping and doing irrelevant stuff whenever you're with her,” he changed the topic and Verona sighed.

“We are progressing,” she simply replied even though she had done the lesson with Avril only once. Prince Dakar nodded and began to walk away towards the dining area.

“Uhm, Prince,” Verona called.

“You may leave now,” he stated and she smiled knowing he couldn't see her.

“I thought...I thought I was supposed to spend the night here?” she stuttered with a smile still on, but immediately he turned his face to look at her, she returned to her normal stoic expression.

“I never said so. I only said you're coming over here.”

“So, I was called upon just for the information of Alejandro?”

“Yes. And now, you may leave.”

Verona nodded and turned around. She walked out of the castle's entrance and continued to walk through the tarred way that led away from it. When she was halfway through the road, she covered her mouth and began to laugh. She didn't stop walking, but instead sped up with her pace in order to reach Avril's house as soon as possible. The way Prince Dakar had acted, he was obviously jealous or at least, almost jealous. Avril might be really thrilled to hear that Dakar had been jealous of Alejandro thinking he was something to her. But then, Verona could not openly say that she had gone to report to Prince Dakar about her former master.

Verona had just left the castle's premises and entered the quarters when she noticed a masculine figure standing behind an aesthetic tree a few meters to Avril's house. Since it was getting dark, it was his silhouette she saw but she recognized the scent. Ñiraka's father. What was he doing standing there, looking like he was hiding? Verona also stood behind a tree closeby and peeped at him. He seemed to be staring at the building and thinking. Then, he turned around and walked the opposite direction leading to his daughter's house. Verona stood still and let him walk quite a distance before she moved away from the tree and hurried towards Avril's house. When she got to the door, she heard laughter behind the house so she just walked there instead. Avril was seated with her three friends.

“Good evening,” she called on to them and they looked in her direction.

“Oh, hey girl. You're back already?” Avril asked.

“Yeah. I'm back.”

“Where did you go?” Xiao Wéi inquired politely.

“Prince Dakar's place,” she answered and butt-kicked Nana off the chair then sat down. Avril, Chidi and Xiao Wéi burst into hysterical laughter at Nana.

“What goes around comes around I suppose,” Chidi laughed. Nana frowned and got on her feet from the grass.

“That was my seat,” she nagged at Verona.

“Go get yourself another one, Nana,” Verona simply stated and relaxed on the seat.

Nana huffed and stumped away to get another chair.

“How'd it go?” Avril asked in a whisper.

“He didn't even look at me,” Verona said and laughed.

“Really? Did he...was he the one who sent you away?” Avril asked with bright eyes.

“Yeah. I knew he would. Something is just...just going on with him,” she answered.

“What's happening?” Chidi asked.

“It's Dakar. He's acting different towards other women. Like, he's not showing his regular interests since I arrived,” Avril explained.

“Well, we're not sure yet. There are other concubines you know,” Verona said.

“What are you two working on?” Xiao Wéi asked with a raised eyebrow.

“To see if he's gaining his memory. Or if there's a bond between the two of them that's just pulling them together,” Verona answered and the girls nodded.

“Good work,” Chidi stated and smiled. Nana returned and sat down beside Chidi and Xiao Wéi.

“About the tournament, aren't you two going to be training?” she asked.

“Yeah. Training begins tomorrow. We'll sign up in the evening by passing a test so we have to train. Afterwards, we'll go over to the grounds next week and stay there until the tournament is over. I hope we win girl!” Avril explained.

“We are so going to beat their @sses,” Verona grinned. She remembered Ñiraka and her father who was acting awkward. She wanted to tell Avril about it but was afraid that would ruin her mood. So she decided not to tell.

\*\*

Luca sat at a large dinning table eating gently. He was in his mansion and having dinner when the tall man with glasses walked in.

“Good evening,” he greeted. Luca looked up at him and nodded.

“Have a seat,” he simply said and the tall man sat down.

“What do you have for me?” he asked and dropped his cutlery to look at that man.

“Not much. Because apparently, the man you want to know about has nothing about him on the web. Well, except that he is the alluring owner of a few enterprises in Italy. Any other personal information is unknown,” the tall nerdy man stated after he took his seat.

“If he is the owner of a few enterprises, then we still have a lead. We just have to know the enterprises and know the time he comes there,” Luca replied and resumed eating.

“He hardly steps foot in his companies, Mr Aguero. He is hardly seen or heard from. All that is known is his name—Dakar Remus. And the fact that he owns a winery, a jewellery industry, a botanical garden and a Fish Restaurant.”

“Dakar Remus...” Luca Aguero drawled as he stared into space.

“The name sounds fake,” he added.

“I do agree with you on that,” the nerd affirmed.

“How do I get to this strange man? We all know there's more to a man who has his existence hidden,” Luca inquired with a hard and stoic expression.

“Like yourself you mean,” the tall man joked but Luca's face was as stoic and stern as ever.

“Sorry,” he apologized as he realized his joke was not close to funny on Luca's part. He cleared his throat and brought out his computer then turned it open. After a few seconds, he began.

“There are three different people heading his three different enterprises in Italy. These three men are the closest people to him because according to Adoro Restaurant where he was seen last night, he is always having a meeting with them there. There is a certain man by the name Vane Vinci who is mostly seen with Mr Remus and is said to be the one who runs errands for him. By that, you know what I mean.”

“Hmm. So this Remus of a man has dealings that are not clean. Then the streets should know about him.”

“I'm afraid not, Mr Aguero. No one seems to know a thing about him. No one agrees to have seen him before except people who associate with him often. And apart from the workers at that hotel slash restaurant, there is no one who casually sees him often.”

Luca Aguero thought for a while then nodded.

“All right. I know what to do. You make more research about those three men working for him and that henchman of his. Give me all the information concerning them. If we cannot get the ostrich to come out, we would lure it out with its eggs,” he ordered.

“Yes, sir,” the tall man said and left.

\*\*

Avril hadn't seen or heard from Prince Dakar for two days now. She hadn't seen Camper either and only got to know on the third day that they both had traveled to another pack to get a business deal finalized between the two packs. She and Verona had gone to sign up for The Weak End Tournament and had gotten in. Their training took most of the day, with Verona teaching Avril the rules and methods of the game practically. They did more of the mind training and Verona was super surprised at how fast Avril got the hang of it.

The days were getting colder, and the trees were gradually becoming more and more nàked. Verona had told Avril about how wicked their winters were and she should prepare her mind and body. Two days to the opening of the tournament and the girls were packing up to go camp at the grounds. Prince Dakar and Camper were not back yet, and she had no one to ask about him. She crouched down in her large vintage looking room, by a bureau of golden drawers to find something she had hidden there. She had already packed the clothes for the tournament but just wanted to find this particular treasure she had kept hidden since she entered the pack. Finally, she found it and sighed. The bracelet was still sparling and pretty. With its tiny moons glittering against the light of the room. She contemplented whether to carry it or not. She wondered if it would be recognizable by the pack members. After much thought, she clamped it over her ankle and covered it with her long flowing dress. She stood in the mirror and looked at Alejandro's ring dangling over her chest. She had turned it into a necklace by putting a small golden necklace chain through it and hanging around her neck. With these two valuables with her, she felt stronger and better.

“Can we go now? We can't afford to lose the good spots just because you are having a moment of sober reflection,” she heard Verona's voice behind her. She turned and saw the redhead girl chewing gum and leaning against the doorframe. Avril giggled and began to walk towards her, her beautiful linen gown flowing behind her. Her hair was braided beautifully and adorned with colorful lilac flowers, matching the color of her dress. This aesthetic look was a courtesy of Aida who wanted her to look dashing.

“You should dress like this everyday... honestly. Because you wouldn't want to be mistaken for an ordinary servant human girl,” she had said after placing the last of the flowers in her braided hair.

“Let's go,” Avril said and she walked out of the room with Verona. They reached downstairs and the two maidens were waiting with two backpacks behind their backs. One belonging to Avril and the other, Verona. They stepped out of the house and walked towards the small car waiting for them. It belonged to the tournament and picked up the contestants. The maidens were going to accompany them there as it wasn't against the rules.

As they drove out, they passed a black tinted car. The window rolled down and it revealed a man with his index finger in between his teeth. He stared at the car until it turned out of sight before he smiled rather dangerously.

“Just a human. Prince Dakar sure has an awful taste,” he stated. The news had spread and was still spreading widely, that Prince Dakar had taken particular interest in a human. This was a huge threat to his quest for the throne. This man needed his daughter to make it up there as the Queen. But if the Prince continues to focus his attention on someone else, then decide to marry her straightaway, his plans would be cut short from laying on the throne of the Kingdom Of Remus.

“Let's see you get out of that tournament alive,” he muttered to himself before driving off.