Race for the Throne

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“Well how about we leave after a few dances? That way we were here for some of the dance.” Brandon said. “I can massage your shoulder while we watch the moon rise. I can feel how tight it is.”

~~

Serena feels her knees weaken during Vincent’s kiss. She is thankful that he is holding her close to him. “You have plenty of time to learn Vincent. I like that your love is now and forever. I almost feel silly now thinking that I once thought that you had a thing for Jasmine.” She said.

~~

“Well we aren’t in the maze so I thought this would do.” Iverson said. He holds Kalista as close as he can. He feels a kick and he chuckles. “I think our little one is trying to tell me not to steal mommy. They are kicking me again.” He said smiling.

"Serena is right next door as well. If anything happens, I will run there. Go talk with your father. I know you need too." Jasmine goes to her nightstand and takes the pain medication. She gives him a kiss before sending him off.

~~~

Kalista holds Serena. "I don't know, I even told her the truth and she won't accept it from me either. But know that you are safe now and we won't let her get to you." She looks over at her passage entry. "I see you already have the entry blocked off."

Brandon walks down the hall to meet his father. He knocks on the door to the study and Iverson opens it for him. He walks in and Brandon sighs. “I need to talk to you about the trip to Langora.” He said.

Iverson nodded his head. “I figured so. Vincent told me about what happened between Serena and Nadine. Frankly I am worried. Vincent warned me that you would need to talk to me as well.”

Brandon proceeds to tell Iverson what happened after they left to returning to Rosario. “I would be talking to her parents but they are not here. I also think you needed to know about it.”

~~

“I didn’t want to take a chance. I know she is staying down this hall. Frankly I am scared of her. I know I shouldn’t be, but that is twice that she almost killed me. I just don’t know what to do about it. What happens if she becomes queen of Moldova? I mean I have faith that Jasmine can win but that stays in my mind.” She said.

Jasmine sits down on the chaise waiting for the pain to go away. She wraps the blanket around her to stay warm. She wonders if she over did it when she manhandled Anton. No matter what she will not show him that she is in any pain. She finds a book that Serena must have left in the room and begins to read it. She hopes that Brandon is done soon and that Uncle Iverson is not too mad at her.

~~~~~~~

“I am going to have a sit down with Father. This race has got to end, before the Goddess temple. He has to know what Nadine and Anton have been up to. There is no way I am going to let Moldova end up in her hands.” Kalista declares. “I gave her the benefit of the doubt, but there is something wrong. Vincent told me to ask you about when Nadine was in the room with you. What happened there?”

Iverson sighed, a little none too happily. “Well that explains why she is afraid of him. He will not be back down this hall again. He already knows this. Thank you for telling me, son. Jasmine wouldn’t tell me, and I see why. I will talk with Kalista and make a decision about what to do. Ultimately I cannot have Nadine ruling Moldova, and at this rate the Langoran treaty is going to go downhill fast with Moldova if Jasmine doesn’t marry him. I will talk with Lawrence and we will discuss the future of Moldova.”

Brandon nodded his head. “Thank you dad.” He said. “Can I go check on Jasmine?” He asked.

“Yes, make sure she is alright. I know she must be upset right now.” Iverson said.

Brandon leaves the room and then knocks n Jasmine’s door gently to see if she is still awake.

~~

Serena looked at her mother. “When I opened my eyes and saw the knife beside of me in the pillow, I panicked. She was holding her head though saying something about not wanting to kill me and was raving about the voices in her head. Mom, I really think Nadine needs help. I think she needs mental help.”

The pain medication combined with the warmth of the fireplace lulled Jasmine to sleep. She was wrapped in the blanket like a cocoon. Only her hand and face peeked out. The book is open in her lap.

~~~~~~~

"It doesn't surprise me. She's been shunned her whole life for the sins she did not commit. Father tried to take her under his wing. The reason for this race was to have all of the children be tested. However we never thought it would end up this way." Kalista hugs Serena the best she can. "I am so sorry for everything you and Jasmine have gone through."

Brandon never gets Jasmine to answer his knocks. He opens the door and looks in. He smiles as he sees her wrapped up sitting on the chaise. He walks in and closes the door behind him. He walks over and takes the book from her lap. He marks the place in the book and then sits it on the bedside table. He then helps her to lie down before going over to stoke the fire.

~~

There are some tears in Serena’s eyes. She hugs her mother in return before she hears a knock on her door. “Come in.” She said.

Iverson walks into the bed and sees Kalista with their daughter. He walks over and hugs both of them the best he can. “I’m so sorry Serena. I never knew you would have to pay for the crimes of the past.” He said. He looks at Kalista. “Did she tell you what happened?”

Jasmine feels her body being lowered, but is too tired to respond. She feels warmer. There is a smile on her face. She is having dreams of Brandon. She mumbles the word Angel out loud, followed by I love you.

~~~~~~~

Kalista looks over at Iverson as he enters the room. “Yes she did. I also had a visit by Nadine. She seems to blame you for Ashton's death. Serena thinks she may need some mental health. I totally agree. Brandon also told me about Jasmine. Her situation reminds me so much of Madde's it scares me. Iverson we need to talk to father as soon as we see them. We need to stop them before the situation gets worse.”

Brandon smiles as he hears Jasmine mumbling. He finishes stoking the fire and then walks over to the books she has. He picks up one that looks like it will interest him and then sits down in one of the chairs to read. He looks over at Jasmine before beginning to read.

~~

“I am concerned about a few things. I am concerned that Jasmine could get rapped and even more so for her life as well as our little girls.” Iverson said. “I want to talk with Lawrence about the situation. I am concerned that this could become international eventually.”

Iverson takes a deep breath as he runs his fingers though Serena’s hair. “I don’t know why she thinks I killed him. Ultimately he killed himself, I tried to give him a chance and I did what I could for him. He was not a bad man…He just had misplaced love.”

Serena wiped her eyes as she looked up at her father. “Jasmine is going to want this race to continue though. She needs to feel like she can beat her fair and square.” She said. “But I am afraid of her. I am afraid she will kill me.”

Jasmine eventually wakes up and sees Brandon in the chair. He is reading one of the books. She smirks. “Those are Serena's not mine...I am innocent, I swear. How did your talk with Iverson go?”

~~~~~~~

Kalista stands up and begins to walk around. “I don't want to scare you, but I don't want Brandon to share Grayson's fate. Right now I can see that happening. I hope that once Jasmine is becomes heir to the throne throne, he will back off. Serena I want you home safe. Now that Jasmine has Brandon, they can handle the Goddess temple together. Vincent needs to prepare for the Council.”

Brandon looks up from his book and laughs. “I think I managed to find one that wasn’t dirty.” He said. “It went well. So how do you feel?” He asked.

~~

Serena looked at her mother and shook her head. “No, I started this with her and I will finish this with her. Besides, if I gave this up, how will my people see me? As a woman who is afraid. How could I be respected like that?” she asked. “I don’t want anything to happen to any of us so we will finish this together.”

Iverson hugged his daughter. “You understand that it could mean danger then?”

“If I was afraid of the danger, I never would have gone to Langora in the first place.” Serena said.

“Kali, I will talk to Lawrence. I think there is just too much going on for this to continue. This is a life or death situation for Serena, and Brandon. Not just them, but even Jasmine. I don’t know how desperate Anton is, but if it is as bad as Brandon informed me, then it’s pretty bad. I wouldn’t put it past him to try to get what he wants and if he can’t have her, killing her in the process.” Iverson explained.

Jasmine slowly sits up. She wondered how much Brandon told him. “So what did you tell him?” She plays with her hair. “Did you tell him about Anton? I don't want him to worry. He has a lot on his plate right now.”

~~~~~~~

“Serena, I know how you feel. The people don't even have to know. Hell I can take the blame myself if necessary.” Kalista explains. She looks over at Iverson before returning her eyes to Serena. “I won't force you, but please think about it.”

Brandon marks his place in the book and sits it down. He gets up and walks over to the chaise. He kneels down and smiles at Jasmine. He runs his fingers through her hair and then takes her hand. “Don’t worry about what I talked to father about. I know he has a lot on his mind, but I want you to concentrate on getting better. How does your shoulder feel?” He asked. He caressed her cheek with his finger.

~~

Serena wipes her eyes and shakes her head. “I just can’t mother, I hope you understand.” She said.

Iverson hugged Kalista. “I won’t stop her Kali, but I will make sure her travels are safe.” He said.

Serena looked at her parents. “I think I understand a lot of what you guys went though. I didn’t know or understand before, but now I know I have to do it.”

“Don't try to shield me from it. Besides if you did tell him, I know he will want to talk to me. Or even worse my father.” Jasmine scowls. “My shoulder is a little stiff, but it is because of the rain.”

~~~~~~~

“Can you blame me for protecting my little girl? I went through my own personal hell and I wanted to protect all of you from it.” Kalista tells Serena. “Although I learned a lot from those trials. I will let you make your own decision. I just hope it is the right one.”

Brandon sighs and stands up. He begins to massage Jasmine’s shoulder to help improve it. “Yes, I did talk to him about it. I felt he needed to know about it considering Anton somehow made it down this hall. He is upping security again and he will not be allowed down this hall at all.” He said. He gets her cream from off the bed table and walks over to her. He then massages some onto her shoulder. “There, is that better?” he asked.

~~

“I can’t blame you. I don’t want her to go either Kali, but I can’t stop her from going. Serena, I hope you know what you are doing and I hope you can learn from this experience.” Iverson said.

Serena hugged her mother again. “Thanks mom. If I were you, I wouldn’t want to let me go either, but I thank you for letting me go.” She said. “I know it will be hard, but I have to do this.” She gets up from the bed and looks at her parents. “I think I am tired. I am going to go lie down.” She said. She then leaves the room.

Iverson looks at Kalista and sighs. “I have never been more worried for all of our young ones, more than I am now. I could not believe what both Vincent and Brandon told me. Then to make things worse, I found Anton down this hall beating on Jasmine’s door. That was before he told me what happened. Maybe I should have him moved to the hotel and not the castle. Hell for that matter, I don’t even know what to do about Nadine.”

“In a way I am glad, but I cannot help but worry. Even after what he did in the temple I was hoping we could work out a friendship. Now I know that is not to be. I just hope we will able to work together as rulers.” She smirks at Brandon. “Anytime you touch me I feel better.”

~~~~~~~

“I agree. Maybe we can convince Anton to leave tonight. We can leave guards outside of Nadine's door. Not to keep her in, but to watch her. Serena had already blocked the secret passage entry. The only way she can enter is the door. We can tell the guards to prevent her from doing that.”

“Things will work out one way or another Jasmine.” Brandon said. He smiled as she smirked up at him. “You know I love to touch you.” He said. He leaned down and kissed her.

~~

“Well I can put it like this. He can leave tonight or he will have a guard detail on him for every step he takes with in the castle. The only exception will be his room.” Iverson said. “As far as Nadine goes, I have decided to up the security in the castle. I put them on high alert after I talked to Brandon, that way they know what to look for down this hall. The castle will pay for Anton’s stay at the hotel and for all of his food.”


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