We filled the twelve hour flight with silence. We weren't uncomfortable but chose not to fill the time with unproductive conversations. Bernardo entertained himself by streaming videos on his lenses while I casually glanced at him. That lost its excitement after an hour, and I transitioned into researching the socio-economic climate of Panama.
Out of all the Latin territories, the number of homeless was the highest. Electricity was neither reliable nor free in parts of the region. The issue had gone unnoticed by both the North and South. I had a lot of work to do to bring the standards to that of the modern world.
There were lots of issues in the country I would have to focus on. I knew that Bernardo would focus heavily on the military, which I had no interest in.
"Your highnesses we have landed. Sorry to say your first view of your land is during a storm," A woman's voice projected through the plane. The landing had been smooth enough for me to not notice.
Mileta, our second guard walked out of the cockpit with her head held high. She wore her hair in three thick braids pulled into a bun at the nape of her neck. She was beautiful, her features were both soft while her bone structure had an angular formation. Her deep skin looked soft while her posture was that of a killer.
"I ask that you move quickly to the car so my colleague and I can make sure your appearances do not stir any reactions from our citizens who aren't used to a royal presence." She bowed before opening the door.
The first thing I noticed was the smell of trees and fresh air. The scent was unfamiliar to me, most air I breathed got purified. The second thing I noticed was the humidity that I encountered seasonally back home.
This is your home now.
The moisture in the air caused me to sweat almost immediately, so I positioned myself to hide any stains that might have grown.
"You'll get used to the heat eventually," Bernardo said as he stood and departed the plane. I followed behind him to the outside, seeing a car sitting in the shade. The paint was so black it looked like it was absorbing the surrounding light. As I reached the ground, lightning flashed above, startling me.
"Sorry, it's storm season," Alejandro appeared behind me. I noted the rain never touched me and wondered what caused that to happen. Our guards moved with purpose as they ushered us into the car. There was no one around, so I was unsure why they were rushing us. The doors of the sedan rose on their own, allowing for us to enter. They partitioned the back end of the car, leaving Bernardo and I alone.
"What does the palace look like?" Bernardo looked out the window absentmindedly.
"Probably close to the palaces in the south."
"What did you say?" he turned to me. I did the best I could to keep my face from scrunching up. No matter how hard I tried, I could not project my voice.
"I said that it will probably be closer to what you are used to."
"Probably," he said. Nodding his head slowly, I watched his whole aura. Though I tried not to notice, he oozed sex appeal. Every move left a natural masculine scent mixed with spice. Close up, it was hard to find a single imperfection in his looks. I had to push naughty thoughts away.
You will not fall for the straight man, even if he is your husband.
We rode in silence, which allowed me the time to see how tired I was. As the trip proceeded. As the vehicle came to a stop, I was fighting off the sandman.
"Hey, we're here," Bernardo alerted me. The door opened on his side to Mileta standing in wait. The rain was pouring down, so I prepared myself when Alejandro opened the door, letting in a warm gust of air that was both refreshing and draining. The weather would take time for me to acclimate to.
Like at the airfield, the rain did not touch me. I would ask what spell got cast and by who, but Bernardo beat me to it. "What spell are you using? I know about the Umbrella spell but this one is redirecting the rain."
He spoke in English, which I appreciated since my Portuguese was in development. Though I could comprehend a lot with the Spanish I knew.
"The spell is Chuva com Medo, it magnetizes the rain and opposes it to the surface the user activates the spell on," Alejandro said. I would ask for the spell details after getting settled.
They urged us forward down the end of the cobblestone lined driveway. Turning behind me I saw that the driveway stretched for a couple miles and trees stood on both sides. In front of me was a mansion with a four-car garage. I had not imagined the palace in my head in specifics, but it was grander in my head. The sound and smell of the sea hit gathered my attention as the sky rumbled.
The mansion was the perfect mix between the nature surrounding us and a modern resort villa. The manicured lawn was lush and green, small koi ponds along with waterfall displays sat on the front lawn. There were also palm trees.
I took in Bernardo's posture as we walked up to the structure. "This is smaller than I expected," he said as we made to the glass doors from the white and brown marble entryway. I was delighted by the architecture's simplicity.
"I think this has a lot of character," I said. Bernardo snorted at my comment. As we stepped inside, I felt blown away by the sheer elegance of every line, the natural light that could flow inside through the glass walls. The interior designers curated the space with vintage and modern furniture that made the place feel like home.
"We can get you a meal if you are hungry," Mileta offered.
"I would like to explore before that. Where will you two be sleeping?" I looked to them, noticing that they were the only staff members in the home.
"There is a guard home an acre away. One of us will be with you two at all times and the other will be there. But, I will get an authentic meal just in case."
"I'm going to bed," Bernardo said, then walked up a set of stairs in search of the bedroom.
"I'll do a perimeter check while Mileta does the food run. And that will give you two privacy," Alejandro said, leaving down a hallway while Mileta left out the front door. Alone, I walked around my new home. The kitchen was the first room that I found, and it was all white. The space was larger than some apartments. After checking the cupboards, I stumbled around finding bathrooms and smaller rooms on the lower floor. After seeing everything downstairs, I had tired myself.
Navigating the corridors, I came upon a set of large white doors that gave away the location of the master bedroom. I pushed the door open and was astounded by how big the room was. Gray wood tile made up the door, and the walls were a lighter gray. The bed sat near the wall with the same tile moving up the wall behind the headboard. Night had settled so I couldn't see out the window, but I hoped it gave a view of the beach.
The bathroom doors were open, allowing a view inside. The space had the same theme as the bedroom with the added scent of lavender. I also noticed the home was the perfect temperature. Sleeping on top of the covers with his shirt off lied Bernardo, snoring heavily. The sound was fine since I hated sleeping in silence.
Walking into the bathroom I removed my clothes wanting to take advantage of the tub the moment I laid my eyes on it. When I ran the water, the distinctive scent of rose water hit my nose. Slipping into the hot water, I felt my body unclench. I had not noticed how tense I was. I could feel the scent clinging to my skin. As if roses and lace were enough to change the sexuality of a man.
After I finished soaking, I rummaged for hygiene products and used them I then provided to the attached closet. It was large and split into a side for me and another for Bernardo. On my side were lots of garments made of silk and in pastel colors. My eyes honed in a silky pajama set and I placed it on. When I finished dressing, I made my way to the bed and pulled the corner of the blanket back opposite of Bernardo, then climbed in unsure of what the next day might bring.