Rarer Than Gems

Chapter 8 - Missing in action

She hadn't reached the car yet when he caught up with her, and walked beside her. Before he could utter a single word, she began to speak.

'We haven't formally been introduced. I'm Nkenna'

'I'm Antoine. Nkenna, huh? That's a peculiar name'

'It's Nigerian'

They both got into the back seat of Veronica's porsche.

'Veronica, Dami, this is.......', Nkenna said, but was cut short by Veronica's screams.

'PRINCE ANTOINE!!!!! O-M-G!!!! I can't believe he's here. He's really here. Nkenna, did you kidnap him or something?!?!', Veronica said, bearly able to contain her excitement.

'Yes I did, and now we're going to enslave him for ETERNITY!!!', She replied, sarcastically, leaving Antoine petrified.

Veronica then turned to talk to him.

'Hi, or, uh, good day, your highness'

'You can call me Antoine', he replied, with a benign smile on his face.

'Um, okay, Antoine. So, what are you doing here? NOT that I want you to leave or anything'

'Well, your friend Nkenna...........', he was cut short by Nkenna before he could complete his sentence.

'I offered him the opportunity to stay with us for the time being, since he can't go back to the palace. It'll just be for a while. I hope that's fine by you.'

'Fine?!?! It's perfect! I would have done the same thing in a heart beat', Veronica replied.

'Okay, so I guess you're staying with us, Antoine', Nkenna said, as she smiled at him, which made him smile also.

'Well, I guess we're off', Veronica said, as she started her car, and began to drive off. 'You're going to love my place, Antoine. It's in a really quiet meadow. Very serene and cosy............', Veronica continued talking through out the entire ride to her house.

Back at the Royal palace,

'My baby!!! My baby!!! Someone please find my baby!!! Antoine my sweet, precious child. Somebody please find him!!!', Queen Annette sobbed, as her husband, King Artus, comforted her.

'Calm down Annette. We'll find him. Look, the search party just arrived', he said, gesturing towards the entrance of the palace. The search party comprised of twenty able-bodied police men. They walked in and the head of the search party, Sergeant Gabriel Pierre, spoke.

'Good day your majesties'

'Good day Sergeant. Any news about my son?', King Artus replied.

'Not yet your highness, but we will leave no stone unturned till we find him'

'Thank you Sergeant and one more thing. Please keep all your investigations under wraps. We don't want this getting out to the public and anyone taking advantage of the situation.'

'Yes your highness.'