46. His Kindness
**Sirius**
The yearly meeting ends without a hitch. I shook the hands of everyone there as they made their way to the door.
Adam stopped by me and slapped our hands together.
“That’s what I like to see!” He said loudly. “You’re a godsend, young man! Oops, I mean, Your Highness. Your ideas will help us go a long way and enthusiasm will help us go a long way.”
I released a nervous laugh, scratching the back of my head with my free hand. “It’s nothing, really. It only seemed right. Besides, I haven’t even gotten him to agree yet.”
“I’m sure you’ll find a way.” With a wink, he walked away. As much as I felt satisfied with myself, I couldn’t hold back when an idea crossed my mind.
“Agriculture Minister Adam!” I called out, chasing after him.
Adam glanced over his shoulders before he paused and waited for me to catch up to him. Once I did, we started walking side by side, but not without staring at me with confusion.
“What is it, Your Highness? Your face is telling me that something is wrong.”
I sighed heavily. “There is, actually. I have need of someone. Someone who knows how to keep secrets and do things without asking questions. I have a lot of things to take care of here and I won’t be able to move around like I want to, so I need them to go far, far away for a long time. They will have to not talk to anyone, not even their family, for months at least. They will be properly compensated, sure! But I can’t seem to find anyone who’s willing to take the job. Do you know anyone?”
“Hm.” Adam caressed his chin. “That is quite the conundrum. However, I do think I have a solution to your problem.”
He took out his phone and started typing. I waited for him patiently, smiling at the people who passed me by.
Suddenly my phone pinged and I checked it. Adam had sent me a name, occupation, and address.
Below the text bubble was a picture of what seemed to be the picture of a man who couldn’t be older than thirty-five.
“That’s Greenland. He doesn’t have a family to speak of, as far as I know. He’s been having trouble maintaining his farm after something attacked his animals and killed them all. He’s been looking for a way to earn more money. He’s a hardworking man so he’ll be a good fit.”
I saved the information and smiled. “Thank you, Adam. I knew you would take me seriously and help me. But this is a secret operation, so I would appreciate it if you kept it between just us. I don’t want people to get the wrong idea. Can you do that for me?”
Adam snorted and shook his head. “Oh please, that thought never once crossed my mind. You’re a good guy so whatever you have planned, I’m sure it will benefit us all.”
I looked down, putting on a shy act. “You think too much of me.”
He laughed, slapping my back as we moved forward. “I think you’re the one who thinks too little of yourself. Have more faith, Your Highness.”
Too little? I know what I’m capable of. And soon, the whole world would too.
________
**Melissa**
“A rebellion?” I covered my mouth. “That’s a strong thing to throw out there.”
“I wouldn’t have said it if I didn’t have a reason to think it to be true,” Dean stated.
He dipped his shirt into the water again and rubbed it against his knuckles. The water in the lake wasn’t very high, so he rolled his pants above his knees to make sure they wouldn’t be wet. From where I sat, I could see the scars on his back that never disappeared. There hadn’t been a war in this country for decades, so why does he have so many of them?
“Dean?” He turned around, giving me a clear view of his chest that dripped with water from the lake. I swallowed a ball of spit. Then I forced my eyes to focus on his face. “How old are you? I know you’re young but I can’t recall how young.”
He wrang the shirt. “I’m thirty-one.”
“Ah, that’s right.” He’s only a few years younger than His Majesty. “Don’t stay too long in the sun. Come back and sit. I should have been in the water since it was my fault your shirt got stained with tomato juice.”
Dean chuckled. That smile of his really emphasized his handsome features. “That’s fine. I’m just happy none of it got on you.”
Despite saying that, she decided to walk over to the pavilion and take a seat beside me under the shade.
The soles of our feet touched the water. I didn’t know that Dean had such a tranquil place on his property, I imagined a guy like him would be obsessed with collecting weapons and towering over his enemies. But nothing he has shown me insinuated that.
All I got to see was someone who was much more mature than their years. Our basket with uneaten food rested behind us.
A cool wind passed under the pavilion, bringing with it some foreign dust. I sneezed. Dean turned to me.
As I rubbed my nose, Dean dragged the basket closer and reached for something inside of it. Before I knew it, there was a paper napkin in front of my nose. I looked at Dean.
“Blow,” he said calmly.
Some heat rushed up my neck.
“Uh, you don’t have to do that.”
He didn’t move his hand. I sighed and blew into the napkin, unsure of whether to feel embarrassed or not. Dean smiled. He took out a black plastic bag and placed the napkin inside. I raised my eyebrow. “Did you bring that here to store the trash?”
“Yes.”
“Won’t your servants take care of it?”
“I don’t see the point in giving more work to do.”
My mouth opened slightly. Why was he like this? Is it because of how he was raised? If he was born into a family like mine, would he still be as thoughtful and caring as he is now?
He put the plastic bag aside and returned to gazing out at the lake. I inched closer, resting my head on his shoulder. Dean rested his chin on my head.
I hoped so.