The Loose Chandelier

McCormick had a bulky frame, just like the prince. Esmeralda had no justifiable reason why she was comparing the two men but she couldn't help it. Where the prince was bulky and intimidating with bulgy muscles and biceps, McCormick lacked those. He was just bulky. It had to be the accumulated fat.

They shook hands and exchanged pleasantries.

"It's so great to finally meet you, the much talked about prince of Havana." McCormick looked excited about it, and Esmeralda hoped he wasn't just teasing the prince or massaging the prince's already inflated ego.

"Tell me about it." Kain responded, smiling smugly.

She wanted the smile to remain on his face, but his smile was like a rainbow. You only saw it once in a while, and when you saw it, it didn't always last for long.

Behind McCormick stood the man who accosted Esmeralda earlier in the morning. Kain saw him too and frowned. He was indeed an escort.

When Esmeralda shook hands with McCormick, he held onto her palm longer than necessary. Kain didn't like what McCormick was doing. 

On their way to the conference room, Kain put his hand behind Esmeralda as if to tell McCormick to steer clear out of her way.

"Don't you think you should spread your wings towards the cities outside Havana? I mean, your state is not quite popular."

"Because we have refused to be sucked into neocolonialism the westerners have termed modernization?" 

"Is that?"

"Oh yes. Havana isn't just Havana. And we don't want anthropologists or geographers coming into our terrains searching for fossils or drawing us a  map. We have people from different descent here, and that's what Havana will continue to be. Home for all." 

Kain didn't want to talk about history. He was sick of having to explain to western clients reasons Havana was not like other places in the United States. Havana was like the only place after native Americans that retained their monarchical houses and families. Hence, the reinforcement of ruling houses to rule the state.

Blending with neighboring cities would attract fame-thirsty scientists who were interested in announcing the magical properties of Havana as products of old science experiments. Something like that would destroy Havana. People would lose interest in the bloodlines that held Havana together.

"We shall discuss history next time. Let's get onto the real deal." Kain added.

"Firstly, how do you like the idea of merging our fashion shows together? We could gather sponsors together, pool resources together and harness your culture, as well." McCormick had a serious countenance now.

"If we must be austere with ourselves, you want us to hold our next fashion show outside of Havana?" Kain asked.

"I like the way you think." McCormick remarked.

Esmeralda listened attentively as they conversed. She only hoped the conversation wouldn't trigger Kain's tantrums. She didn't think she could stand any more drama.

"What do we stand to gain?" Kain asked straightforwardly. 

McCormick leaned on the table.

"Think about it. The publicity will attract tourists, amongst other things."

"We don't do things for publicity here, McCormick. I think you should know that we are not business minded people. We are only retaining the family's business."

"It still works. The fact that the fashion house is managed by the royal family is a huge plus one. And you run a textile industry. Isn't that just terrific?"

"Okay. Before now, I thought of it and concluded we would give it a try."

"There is another thing." McCormick announced.

Now this one piqued Kain's interest.

"We want to work with Price And Prize after. Think about something long term. We want to bridge you and other cities." 

"Will you join us in the land survey so you see what you're planning to go into?" Kain asked.

"It's in a month's time."

"We'll be here as soon as we get the memo."

They both shook hands over the glass table.

"I hope you'll think about the second offer. I promise you won't regret it."  McCormick told Kain who nodded and smiled.

Short meetings like this hardly happened. Especially fruitful ones. If a meeting was ever short, that would be because the subject matter was not one the prince wanted to pursue.

McCormick had scored well on this one.

Her car had been fixed. The prince had dropped the keys on her desk just before he left. Sometimes he surprised her with some of the things he did.

When Esmeralda got to the parking lot, she noticed her tires had been changed. She walked around the car to check them out, wondering if she was imagining things. 

The prince changed her tires and he didn't even mention it to her. She would never understand Prince Kain. He was not understandable.

She was going to her mother's place in Aleshore. She wasn't sure of how best to drop the change of plan news on them, but she figured she would have to wait until the time was right. Her mother was going to hurt her if she opted out. Her mother was a ruthless person who would hurt her own child if she couldn't get what she wanted.

Esmeralda was going to correct history her own way. There didn't have to be any elimination in the process of correction. She was no saint, but things had to be done the right way.

There had been people to fight the last war, because the Mondes used to be populous. Her family was the only Mondes breed left and it would be a dangerous path to tread, trying to get back at the prince.

She knew her mother could never be talked out of it. Her heart was ice cold, and nothing could get past it. Not even love. 

A feeling of nostalgia washed over her as she drove onto the road that led to her mother's maiden home. Every enchantress lived in their mother's maiden home. Something about tradition that Esmeralda couldn't quite understand.

Aleshore was in the outskirts of Havana. Almost outside of town and closer to the swamps and lakes and jungles; the heart of magic.

She saw Margot first as soon as she arrived at her mother's house. Then she saw Greta. With the flowers in their mother's chamber. She had a thing for flowers and shrubs. She was a florist. It couldn't work any better.

Esmeralda stopped in the middle of her mother's chamber. There was trouble, as if there was a loose chandelier in the middle of the chamber, dangling dangerously and about to crash on her head. Greta held one flower out and examined it.

"This one looks pale." She said out aloud. 

She didn't put it in the vase with the new flowers, she joined it with the old ones she had taken out of the vase instead.

"Because that's what happens to us when we become useless. We join the trash." 

Esmeralda read meaning into her eldest sister's words. She went over to her and brought something out of her bag.

The book of the Mondes. An evolution of the people of the caravans.

"I brought the book." Esmeralda said as she handed it to Greta.

"Ravina was here." Greta whispered.

This was the loose chandelier, and it had crashed on Esmeralda's head.