Chapter 10

It was the next day, and Owen was pacing in front of the fireplace in his chambers. He was not looking too princely at the moment. His hair was disheveled and his clothes were the ones he’d worn the night before. He looked at the document laying on the accent table by his chamber’s door and he wanted to storm into his father’s office and demand some answers.

He’d spent all night in the Archives searching and then he found what he was looking for and his world had crashed around him. He was livid. Everything he thought he knew about his father had been a lie. The southern duchy treaty laying on that table proved his father was not the honorable King and man Owen had thought he was.

While he wanted to storm in and drag the truth from him, he knew from yesterday’s encounter that his father was pushing too hard and needed his rest. So he paced, waiting for when he knew his father would be up and in his office. Owen was at a loss for what to do now. He needed to see Jordan, to hold her, to soak in her calming presence, and yet he knew his heart would break at her reaction to what he’d discovered. She’d known he didn’t know how, but she’d known what he would find. He didn’t want to confirm to her the fact that her suspicion was right.

He thought about visiting his grandmother, but again, there was nothing she could do. He looked at the fire; It tempted him to toss the offending document in and destroy it. However, he had a feeling this wasn’t the only copy. This was the official copy, but it wasn’t the only one. If his father had truly betrayed him and ignored his last promise to Owen’s mother, then there were at least two other copies that would stand as proof of the treaty.

There came a knock at his door, and he stormed over and opened it. Leaning casually against the wall was Drew. He looked at Owen and stood. “You look like crap. I came to see if you wanted to go do some camping before having to prepare for the polo match. But you look like you need to see the doctor, my friend.”

“Go away, Drew. I’m not in the mood for your dark humor right now.”

“Owen, calm down. What’s wrong, did that hotel chick turn you down again? You find her kissing one of the Cordovas? I told you not to get involved.”

Owen rounded on his friend and punched him in the chin, dropping him to the floor. “Shut up. She’s the love of my life, so you just shut up.”

Drew got up from the floor. “Chill, Your Highness, I’ve never seen you so worked up. What’s going on? I go away for a couple days, and you go nuts. Tell me what is wrong.”

Owen filled Drew in on everything that had happened since the masquerade, which had only been two days ago. It seemed like forever. Now, when he was sure beyond a doubt that Jordan was who he needed beside him for eternity, it looked hopeless. Drew picked up the sheet of parchment and read it for himself.

“This looks pretty straightforward, buddy. I mean, I’m not an expert; but that sure looks like you have no way out. Unless you’re willing to risk Jaqueline’s life and probably your stepmother and grandmother’s too.”

“Yes, Drew, I know. I’m clueless about what to do. What he did is beyond belief. He promised her on her deathbed. I thought he had more honor than this.”

“I don’t know what to say, Owen. What are you going to do?”

Owen looked up at the clock and realized his father would be in his office now. “I’m going to sort this out. That’s what I’m going to do.”

He reached out and took the Parchment sheet from Drew and started down the hall. “Where are you going?”

“To tell the liar what I think of him and give him an ultimatum. He’ll fix this or else.”

“Or else what?”

“Or else I will do what I must.”

“What’s that?”

“I will remove the obstacles once and for all, no matter the consequences.”

Owen heard his friend saying something about cooling down and thinking things through, but he was done thinking. He was Crown Prince Owen Chadwick Theodore, heir to the crown of Phildonia and he was going to show the Royal Court what that truly could mean, starting with the man who’d betrayed him, even if it brought Phildonia to the brink of war.

*****

Jordan couldn’t believe how things had changed overnight. Here she was sitting in the Queen’s sitting room, in the Queen’s private chambers, eating a friendly breakfast with both the Queen and the Dowager Queen as they worked together to expose the hidden threat to Phildonia.

The elder woman was sharing what she knew and suspected. “I’ve tried for years to convince William that Duke Birkshire was not an ally, but the snake lying in wait for the perfect opportunity to strike. I can’t prove it, but I’m convinced he was behind Isadora’s death and most of the attempts on William, Leonardo and Owen since.”

The Queen looked at her mother-in-law. “But why? I understand why he would destroy Isadora as they knew she didn’t favor the treaty and pushed for it to be specific that Leonardo was betrothed, not just the crown prince. But once the treaty was signed, why try to murder William and Leonardo?”

“Because he isn’t satisfied with putting his daughter on the throne of the Queen. He wants the throne himself. If William and Leonardo were dead before Owen was of age, then he’d be regent. If Owen died before he could choose, and William was gone, again he’d be regent. Then something would happen to Jaqueline before she came of age. He’d become the next in line to the throne. If his daughter is Queen, he has more power. But it would all end if her King died. Because the heir would become the ruler of Phildonia. He wants nothing less than Phildonia for his very own.”

Jordan thought about that. “Then there is a bigger game at play here than getting Portia married to Owen. All that’s happening right now is the misdirect.”

Both older women looked at her. “Explain Jordan. What do you mean the misdirect?”

“There is a certain type of business technique to gain control of a competitor’s company. It’s called the hostile takeover. The principle is that you get everyone in the company looking at one obvious threat, while secretly you leverage enough support or outright buy the stock until you own the company and the old owners are taken over against their will.

“The same could be done in politics, in my country and has several times. In a regency like Phildonia, if you get the King, his heirs and the entire nation looking one way then you could leverage enough support to either overthrow the rightful ruler, or in this case remove them and take over without a fight.”

The Dowager Queen looked thoughtful. “Jordan, this is what you think is happening here?”

Jordan shrugged. “I think it’s possible. The entire kingdom is watching this season, trying to find out which lady the prince will choose as his bride. They focused the council on making sure he chooses the ‘right’ bride. The King and Queen are focused on that as well. Owen is doing his best to have the freedom to choose based on his own ideas of what his Queen should be like. Tell me, who is watching the Duke and his old allies in the south?

“Tell me why the Duchy of Birkshire appears to be broke when every sign the two of you told me this morning is that they’ve been prosperous?

“Tell me why Countess Portia would think she could get away with threatening the princess or any other member of the royal court? She couldn’t unless they all know something we don’t.”

The two royal women nodded, and a look of concern was on both their faces. The Queen opened her mouth to say something when there came a frantic pounding on the door. A maid appeared from the other room and quickly made her way to the door. She opened it to have Drew Ledbetter push his way in. “Excuse me, Your Majesty, but you need to get to the King’s office now; before Owen does something he can’t undo.”

The Queen stood and looked at Drew. “What are you talking about, Andrew Ledbetter?”

“Owen went into the archives and found the original southern treaty. It wasn’t specific to Leonardo, and he’s going to confront the King. My Queen, he looked mad enough to kill his father and left yelling he’d make the King fix things or else.”

All three of them were on their feet, as the Queen Mother said. “I don’t understand; the original treaty isn’t in the archives. I removed it the day they signed it. It’s in my safe as we speak.”

As Jordan and Drew began moving to the door, the Queen spoke. “Not that way. It will take too long. Come with me. There’s a faster way to the King’s study.”

She went to the fireplace and pulled a sconce on the wall, and twisted it. The fireplace moved back and to the side, revealing a set of stairs heading down. “No one ever thinks about the fact that they rarely saw the King entering his office. This is why. Please don’t mention this passage to anyone.”

They all nodded and headed down the stairs. Jordan wished she’d not been so tired the first night she’d talked with Owen’s grandmother. She’d forgotten the old woman had told her she held the original treaty. If they didn’t stop Owen, the whole mess would be her fault.

*****

Owen stormed into his father’s assistant’s office, that sat right outside his father’s study. The man looked up and took in the sight of Owen’s face and moved to stand in front of the doorway. “His Majesty has asked to not be disturbed.”

Owen’s eyes narrowed, and he stared at the man, trying to contain the anger burning in his heart. “Archibald, today is not the day to stand in my way. Move or I will have you removed.”

“Your Highness, I can’t let you in there without his permission.”

“Then I apologize in advance for what is about to happen.”

“What...”

The man got not another word out of his mouth before Owen grabbed him by his lapels and tossed him over the Prince’s hip to the floor. He then shoved open the door and entered. “HOW COULD YOU???”