The Prince Kidnap Bride

Conflicting Royal Morals

"Prince Vance, we have only a few more questions for you." The Palace Guard stated, looking at him pensively.

The Prince sighs with narrow slits in his eyes, "What now? I've told you everything that happened that night." 

"Yes, but we need to know your whereabouts after you turned Lady Naomi over to the two servants to take her to her room. Did you go back to the party in the ballroom?"

"I told you no, she didn't want to alarm her family, friends, and guest in any way, so she asked me to help her exit the ballroom discreetly. She mentioned that she only needed a little rest and that it was nothing serious. So while she rested, I went out to get some fresh air in the gardens until she was ready to return to the ballroom." 

"Were you alone in the gardens, my lord? And how long did you remain in the garden before realizing Lady Naomi didn't return to the party?"

Vance got visibly upset. "Look! I'm not going to sit here any longer and endure this badgering. I told you all I know! I also told you earlier that she may have taken a little trip before the wedding day. Lady Park told me that she wasn't quite sure she was ready for royal life! So why is everyone getting bent out of shape that she isn't here this morning?  Stop wasting time asking all these questions!" Vance stormed out of the conference room. 

"Prince Vance, we need your cooperation in this matter, only a few more questions, sir!" The head guard called out to him as he walked down the corridor.

~~~~~~~

Days went by. The King had everyone that lived in the palace interviewed by his guards. The Queen and King thought it was strange that Lady Naomi, who appeared to be a sweet and mannerable girl, would leave without saying a word to anyone. The King, for now, decided to keep the disappearance of Vance's fiance private. He needed more answers, and at this moment, all he had was questions. 

The strange disappearance of Lady Naomi, he couldn't tell anyone about it, not even his close friend, the young lady's father. As far as her father knew, his daughter was safe here at the palace, and for now, the King planned to leave it that way. No one dared to utter the word kidnap out loud, even though the servants among themselves whispered it daily to one another. 

It seemed very much like a kidnapping to everyone in the palace. News spread like wildfire within the palace walls, especially when the guards searched Lady Park's room to see if anything was missing or taken. When it was discovered that all her belongings were still in her bedroom, including Lady Naomi's purse that held her wallet, cell phone, credit cards, cash, and key remote to her car, nothing in her room seemed to have been touched. Her vehicle was still parked in the car garage. Everyone was shocked! 

The King couldn't believe the report from his security people and had them search the room several times to make sure. When the result remained the same, he became more worried, leaving him to make another decision, not to get the outside authorities involved until after the review of the CCTV report comes back from his guards. The King thought it was best to handle this in-house with his own private guards and security staff provided for the palace. He would allow them to thoroughly investigate what could have occurred that night of the engagement. That way, there would be no leaks to the press or media about this tragedy.

~~~~~

Everyone seemed extremely concerned as the first few days went by. Even the Prince's countenance appeared worried to some degree. The King was hoping that maybe Lady Park would reappear or that he would receive a call for a ransom price if she were possibly kidnapped. But no one called or left anonymous notes, and neither did Lady Naomi make an appearance during this time as they all hoped. The King and Queen hoped that Prince Vance's story he shared with them a few days ago was true. Vance had told them the same thing he told the palace guards: Lady Naomi was getting cold feet and wasn't sure she was ready for royal life and needed time to think. 

It seemed hard to believe since she looked so happy days before and on the night of the engagement party. Vance even told his parents that he did suggest that she take a trip to clear her head and come back to him when she was sure and ready to marry him. The King and Queen looked surprised at his words. It didn't seem like Naomi was unsure at all. But they hoped and prayed that this was the case, that the young lady might have had cold feet and took a taxi that night and went on a vacation. 

~~~~~~

Almost a week has gone by, and things simmered down with the investigation as security quietly combed over the CCTV videos as they came up with nothing. They did not see anyone leaving the palace grounds except for the guests invited to the engagement party. No face looked unfamiliar that wasn't on the list of invited people to attend the grand occasion.                                                                                                      

While the investigation quietly continued, as time went by, it appeared that Prince Vance gradually went back to his previous lifestyle. You see, the Prince grew up royal and spoiled. He always had everything his way and what he wanted when he wanted it. Being very handsome, tall, lean, and exceptionally good-looking, people showered him with praise and accolades for mere appearances. He had become known not only as a prince but Crisco's child-king.

Vance became in everyone's mind and to surrounding countries, the next King of Crisco. Over the years, his mother the Queen groomed and pampered Vance to be entitled and puffed up with pride, headstrong. His father, King Victor, tried to train Vance from a boy, hoping to teach values, morals, manhood, and respect for women and others into his son's heart.

But his mother Queen Victoria, however, undermined the King's efforts at training his son. The Queen made sure her son knew he was a showpiece stopper whenever he entered the room. Vance was present at the Queen's fantasy parties that she frequently held as early as his preteens. There were belly dancers, women and men alike, at these fantasy parties of the Queen, half-dressed to serve and entertain Queen Victoria and her lady friends.  

Vance attended these parties from a young age and came to love his mother's way of having a good time. He grew up more fond of his mother far more than he loved his father, the King, instead of following the King's instructions to study the history of Crisco and learn science, politics, law, philosophy, world culture, and religion. He wanted and expected his only son to take advantage of the advanced education reserved for ordinary people. 

His mother filled his head up with her ideas of living carefree without responsibilities, restricting his views to past Crisco ways of the royal family, which limited his tolerance of those who are different and less fortunate. Vance attended a prestigious high school where only royal blood and the very wealthy in Crisco attended. The people that lived in the city's surrounding areas of Crisco were called outliners. 

These kids' parents broke their backs working two and three jobs to have their children attend the same school because even though they were poor, their kids had potential. Either in smarts, talent and looks. In some cases, they were triple threats, having all three abilities. But they would never attain wealth as an outliner. Usually, the outliner people of Crisco were poor and remained that way due to ancient laws written by past ruling kings of Crisco.

 King Victor was different and was working hard to correct some of these unjust laws and discrepancies. The Queen warned Vance never to run in the same circles with the poor kids at school. But there were a few exceptions.  Prince Vance of Crisco did allow an outliner in his company.  That person had to be genuinely outstanding because Prince Vance's reputation preceded him. At first, many who came to know Prince Vance thought he would be an excellent upstanding kid, especially since he came from the royal family and the palace in Crisco. 

One would think he would be concerned about his moral representation, which would be more vital to him. But, instead, he had an innocent good boy appearance from afar.  But once you got to really know Vance, he was far from innocent and could care less about representation.

Prince Vance was wild!

He had eyes that burned with laughter and fun. Or they could turn icy with anger and disapproval. Playful, sometimes dramatic, can be protective and loyal if he is fond of you. He was more concerned with surrounding himself with beautiful people like himself and those who wore stylish clothing, suits, as uniforms to school. What came with all of that was not only a nuisance of a classmate but also a fresh excavation of a purely Crisco kid, who was privileged and felt entitled. 

Along with so many other things that weren't shy from bullying, Vance learned to fence very well from a young age, and he also had a black belt in martial arts. In high school, he concerned himself with self-indulgence and pleasures of the flesh. He learned and kept up with the latest music, dances, trends, and fashions from those in the industry.  As he continued to grow into a young man, his interest evolved into pursuing beautiful girls. He had his pick of the litter. Prince Vance set eyes on a  girl named Aria. She was ranked the 100 Most Beautiful Faces at Crisco high school. And then again ranked number one the following year. So-hee zeroed his focus on her particularly.

When he told the King about his interest in the girl, his father encouraged him to wait on dating and focus on his studies. So he could concentrate first on improving as a young man who is to become King one day. But, of course, it was not what Vance wanted to hear. His father's words always went in one ear and exited out the other. So he storms out of his father's office and goes straight to his mother, who catered to his every whim. 

He shared with her his interest in the beautiful Aria. She had long silky hair, almond-shaped eyes, a perfectly oval-shaped face, with a pert nose and full lips, standing at a model's height of five feet eight inches tall with a full-figured curvaceous body.

"My precious prince, please give mother 24 hours, and then I will give you my permission."

Queen Victoria wanted to have 24 hours to investigate the young girl and have a thorough background check done on her and her family. Aria is not an only child but has several siblings. She learned calligraphy while in the prestigious Crisco high school, and she is beautiful and intelligent with a very optimistic personality.

But once the Queen read further in the report that Aria was an outliner and not from within the walls of Crisco. She nearly had a heart attack! "That dirty little Outliner, what does she think she is going to do? Put her hooks in my son!" 

The Queen said to her assistant!  Queen Victoria was very open to many things, but she could never allow her precious son ever to consider spending the rest of his life with someone like that girl!  But Vance begged his mother to let him date her at least, and the Queen caved to her son's desires, as always.

 So she agreed but not without restriction. Queen Victoria begrudgingly told Vance he could date her, only if he promised never to marry that girl or any girl like Aria, ever!

 "Mother! Okay, okay, I won't marry her. But can I deflower her if I wish?"