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On the King’s secret orders, I plan on finding his first love. The woman he’s been unable to forget. Lily Adams.
Something about this doesn’t sit right with me. Why would he fixate on this woman after decades apart? I suppose love has a way of messing with a person’s head.
Considering this mission can create a path for me to inherit the throne if I succeed, I accepted it wholeheartedly and intend to fulfill my mandate.
But still, it makes me wonder. What’s so special about this woman that a trip around the world is necessary to summon her? She’s not noble, which explains why the King couldn’t marry her in the first place. I know better than anyone that accidents of birth have no bearing on the person. But a woman of a noble background is an ideal match. This woman, judging by the cloak-and-dagger nature of the errand, clearly isn’t.
“Oh, well,” I whisper, staring out the window of my private jet as we make the flight toward Texas. “She deserves my respect. She might be the reason I become the next King of Solvaria.”
The mere thought of that makes me giddy.
After the King’s stroke and his plea to find Lily Adams, I got to work tracking her down. I found out where she lives and bought the land right next to hers. It’s the perfect position for getting close to her, befriending her, and persuading her to visit the King to fulfill his deepest wish. Hopefully not his final one.
I’m sure a challenge awaits me. The King said they parted on sour terms. What did he do to this woman? Or what did she do to him? I guess I’ll soon find out.
Renovations on my new ranch are progressing well, according to the temporary staff. Maximus, my trusty steed and favorite companion, is already making his mark on the land. All that’s left for me to do is arrive, scope out the area, and find Lily. Hopefully, that part won’t be too hard once I’m there.
We arrive in Texas in the afternoon, and I gather my stuff quickly before heading off to my rental car. I throw hundred-dollar tips at every person who helps me along the way. If only they knew they were attending to a possible future king.
Sighing, I relax into the seat of this electric vehicle on the isolated highway that leads to the ranch. Not many people frequent this road, I can tell. The sky turns a soft orange hue as light clouds hang in the heavens above.
I activate the self-drive option and enjoy the views. There’s something special about these beautiful mountains and vast fields. In the distance, I see animals grazing. They exist peacefully here, fully immersed in nature.
“I wouldn’t mind living here for a while,” I say, occasionally reaching out to stop the car from drifting too far out of the lane. Even smart cars act a little stupid sometimes. “I’m sure Maximus has been having the time of his life.”
Joy fills my body as I think about riding my horse again. He’s a stallion like no other. He was my top choice when I played polo, and the bond between us has only deepened since then. I can’t imagine being in a place like Texas without Maximus by my side.
I take over the driving just as my newly constructed ranch comes into view on the horizon, my home for the next short while. I’m a bit too late for lunch, but the household staff I hired should be hard at work for dinner.
They don’t know I’m a prince. I intend to keep it that way.
“Ah!” An older woman, Ginger, in a plaid dress and silver bun pinned on her head, waves me over as I park. She walks briskly with a rake in her hand. “It’s a good thing you’re here, sir! Linda wants to see you!”
Linda’s the caretaker. There are far too many animals on this land for me to worry about, so that’s now Linda’s job. I inherited some of them from the previous owner.
Originally, the owner didn’t want to budge, but I had one million reasons, all in hard currency, to change his mind. With that price point, he basically left all his animals behind as a parting gift.
I still have no idea what I’m going to do once I convince Lily to return to Solvaria with me. Maybe I’ll take some of these animals. Maybe I’ll leave them here for the next ranch owner, who’ll probably be far more well-suited to the job than I am. Who knows? I could assume a fake identity and live out my days as a rancher.
I chuckle to myself at the thought.
“Thank you for letting me know, Ginger,” I reply, swiftly exiting the car and opening the trunk to get my belongings.
The woman shakes her head. “Now, hold on. You’re the man of the ranch. You shouldn’t have to carry your things inside. I’ll fetch Daryl for ya.”
“Daryl?” I blink. I knew I should have asked for pictures of each person before I hired them. “Are you sure? I’m more than capable of carrying these inside.”
“No, no, don’t worry about it, son!”
There’s an intriguing accent to her words. I’ve heard a lot of things about the people of Texas, as well as the notion of Southern hospitality. This must be it.
“You head inside and say hi to everyone. Then I'll check on you to see how you're settling in,” Ginger reassures me. “There’s some hot food on the stove if you want some!”
My stomach grumbles loudly in reply, clearly interested in whatever they have to offer. “Alright, then. Thank you, ma’am.”
“Oh, don’t mention it!”
Taking a moment to admire my new setting, I have to admit that this landscape bears little resemblance to Solvaria. The air feels crisp against my skin. A warmth fills my body at the thought of a homemade stew, cooked with me in mind.
