The Harvest of Souls

CHAPTER 21

ARKADIA

09.01.8462 - 09:00 PM

Unlike the Royal Apartment, the Royal Office in Arkadia was gigantic, meticulously ordered, full of ornate and details. The red color predominated on all sides. Charlotte was seated in her comfortable armchair, across a large rosewood table, painted with some gold details and a surface of Rosso Verona marble. There were so many details and intense colors that the cabinet seemed to have been decorated by a tasteless decorator. The atmosphere was exaggerated and disturbing.

Charlotte looked at her watch impatiently. Richard should have been arriving by now. The door then opened, and Richard entered through it. He just stared at the floor. With heavy, methodical steps, the King crossed nearly forty meters to Charlotte's desk. He avoided looking at his aunt, just pulled out the chair in front of the table and sat down, crossing his fingers and facing them.

"Richard, I'm sorry," were Charlotte's first words. There was no one else in the room, and the silence was bitter, with no intrusion of outside sounds. "I'm sorry for the whole situation we're facing in Asturias."

"Are you?" Richard asked, still staring at his fingers; his words were devoid of any intention.

Before entering the room, Richard had promised that he would follow Lélia's advice and ignore any provocation from Charlotte. He would say yes to everything, but turning on the 'I don't care' button' was more difficult in practice.

"Of course I am, it is our citizens who are at risk, and I want to resolve this as soon as possible," Charlotte said calmly, stretching her hands across the table, hoping that maybe Richard could touch them.

"Yes," he replied indifferently, ignoring Charlotte's hands.

"Stay here, away from everything, or go somewhere else. I'll issue a passport for you. Let Lélia get stressed with the bureaucracy and the investigation. I want to save you."

"OK," Richard knew that was the purest lie, Charlotte was extremely disingenuous, and whenever she adopted a mild tone, it was because she was already with some cloth in progress.

Charlotte took a deep breath and returned her hands to her lap, resting her back against the back of the chair. She understood her nephew's reaction.

"When I received the news about Marlena, I initially thought of ordering the plane to turn around and return to Asturias. But then I decided to come to Arkadia in person, ensure that everything was organized around here, issue some orders and help the other heads of state organize their citizens' repatriation. Now that everything is settled, I have decided to return to Ástur tonight. The purpose is to talk to Lélia and set the parameters for the investigation. It will take a small ceremony where I will grant her the powers to command the kingdoms of Asturias during your absence. Once everything is resolved, you will return to the throne of Asturias. Take a vacation," Charlotte said.

At that moment, Richard's blood rose, his face turned red, and he wanted to explode, but he controlled himself, without giving any answer to his aunt because he knew that if he opened his mouth, the explosion would be impossible to control. Charlotte understood that she had gone too far and decided to change course:

"Or stay here in Arkadia. Help me from here. You will be much more useful by my side," she said.

Richard was startled by the idea and, for the first time, looked up at his aunt.

"OK."

"OK? I don't understand. Do you want to stay in Arkadia?"

"Yes. I will stay here in The Crystal," he replied.

"Great, then I'll ask Fernanda to organize an apartment for you. You are not a prisoner. Enjoy the night to go out, go to the theater, walk along the rivers."