The Royal Contract

"Where is my wife? Where is Dani?" He had asked the man who came earlier to beat him up. Then, he asked again when they pushed him to the ground in front of an old manor. 

However, no one answered him. They looked up to the upper portion of the house in one particular direction. He did not see anyone since the ray of the sun was obscuring his vision.

Whoever took them must be inside watching him at the moment, he thought. Then, after kneeling on the grass lawn for some time, they dragged him back to the shack where they were keeping him earlier.

"Who ordered you to do this?" He asked again, but he never did get a response from them. A few facial expressions but not a word. They were professional. He could tell.

With tied hands behind his back and legs knotted on his ankles, he could do nothing much but lay on his side on the floor. He was once again left on his own.

He realized that he had to conserve his remaining energy until such time that he had an opportunity to strike back, rescue his wife, and escape.

Darkness enveloped the room, except for the rays of the sun coming from the slits in the wooden panel wall. Judging from the shadows created by the dim lights, the structure of the building was more likely an old barn. 

However, he could see that the large room was stripped of its tools. It seemed it had not been used for quite some time. There was nothing he could glimpse upon that he might be able to use to release himself from his bind.

"Damn!" He hissed, slightly grazing his arm on the roughness of the concrete floor when he tried to crawl like a worm to see what was on the other side of the wooden panel. 

However, just like in the other room, all he saw was just an empty space. He wriggled himself up on the edge of a beam, trying to sit and lean on the slab of wood. He needed a more comfortable position.

"Much better." He mumbled to himself as he breathed in and out, trying to relax his body after his strenuous activity.

He tried o recall what happened to them. The last thing he remembered was boarding the plane with Dani. Then, taking off. He ordered a drink from the new flight attendant and enjoyed a short conversation with Dani.

That was the last of his memory. Then, it had to be the attendant who gave them their drink. She must have placed something to doze them to sleep. 

Whoever planned this must have replaced the entire cabin crew without anyone noticing it. Those men must have been organizing this for some time, including the palace guards who ambushed the decoy car.

How could he have been careless? He should have known that the threat did not end with the wedding. He could only think of one man.

"Nick. If I find evidence that you are behind this, I will make you pay." He suddenly remembered the way he congratulated them that night. He seemed suspicious, but he ignored it. He should have heeded the warning.

Then, he wondered if his cousin had any involvement in this. After all, he had every motive to get rid of him. He always thought that he was after his crown.

"Where is Ben?" He voiced out, recalling that he flew with them. Since he woke up this morning, he had not seen him or Dani. He knew Dani was with the kidnappers somewhere in that big house.

What about one of his most trusted men. He did not want to think that he might have suffered the ultimate sacrifice of giving his life for them. 

He knew Ben and Tim, and most of his men would do that for him and Dani. Right now, he could only hope for the best that he had survived and was on the run. 

But he would not put his life or Dani's in the hope that Ben was alive. He had to figure out how to escape, or at least cope with this situation until help arrived. Their families must be looking for them at the moment.

"Wake up!" A kick on his already bruised ribs forced his eyes open. He could hardly move, feeling the nerve endings of his muscles protesting for prolonged lack of movement, in addition to the beating earlier.

He must have dozed off while contemplating a plan. The drugs must still be in his system, making him weaker. He focused his eyes on the man in front of him, trying to understand what he was saying.

"Hey, I am talking to you. Wake up." He tapped him on his cheeks until he nodded. "The boss wants to talk to you."

The man moved aside, giving the floor to another figure hidden in the shadows.

"Nick." He spoke up, knowing exactly who the man was. "Stop playing games. What do you want from us?" He finally asked, knowing that whatever would come out of that man's mouth would never be anything good.

He finally walked out of the dark corner and into the slit of light, illuminating his face. It was a typical scene in a crime movie where the villain was placed in the spotlight.

"Hi, Alex, or should I say, Prince Alexander Princeton Blackstone. That is indeed a mouthful." Nick sarcastically said as he stood in front of him. "Should I bow?" He bent down and nodded his head, making his men laugh at the evident mockery.

He was enjoying this moment of victory. He had been planning for this as his backup plan if his first mission failed. Luckily, it worked like a charm.

With the help of his allies, they were able to bring down the upcoming star. The newcomer who was making big waves in the business industry. He was now at his mercy.

"Let us cut to the bullshit and tell me where is Dani and what do you want?" He was not up for his games. He could not even feel the pain anymore as anger seeped through his veins.

He wanted his hands all over his throat, sucking all the air and the life out of him. He was no criminal, but he believed this man deserved to die for all he had done against Daniella.

But for now, he had to stay calm. If it was the business he wanted, he would arrange for the transfer immediately as long as he released Dani safely back to their families.

"Well, there are several things that I want. My lawyers are drawing the papers right now. I want you to sign them if you want Daniella to live." He told him as he leaned closer to Alex, looking directly into his eyes.

"I will sign anything as long as you release Dani," Alex swore to him, hoping that this man, for once, would keep his word. But he knew it was like waiting for the unicorns and finding the pot at the end of the rainbow. It was impossible to happen.

"No need to worry. Dani will be safe with me. As for you, you know I can't let you live. I already promised a friend that you would never be able to stand in his way." Nick seriously said as he moved away from him when he was about to attack him.

He could see the anger oozing out of his eyes and blazing in its intensity. He knew Alex was a damn good fighter, and he was no match. He had already experienced it first hand.

"Besides, by eliminating you, I can have Dani all to myself." Nick laughed boastfully, along with his men. It echoed through the walls of the old structure, creating an eerie sound. 

If Alex was dead, he would not need the divorce papers. Dani would be free to marry anytime. But she did not need to know that for now. 

"I swear. Once I get out of here, I will hunt you down and kill you myself." Alex struggled in his bound, trying to reach the man that was the cause of all their misery.

He would never stop until he paid for all of his sins. If he had known the extent of his evil plans, he would have acted sooner. But he thought Nick was all talk, a mistake that he would regret for the rest of his life.

But as long as he was alive, it would be his life mission to put him down, either lock him in jail for all eternity or put him finally out of their misery. But the latter seemed more appropriate.

"Promises. Promises..." Nick wiggled his fingers at him at a considerable distance. "Don't make promises you can't keep." He laughed again, louder this time as he moved away from him.

"I swear to you, Nick. I always make good with my promises." He said with a determination, not of a desperate man but someone who had found a new reason to live.