The Five Princes

Saturday Part One

As a child, the dungeons below always terrified me. Even standing near the entrance gave me nightmares as the sound of cries and screams crept through the doorway and blew towards the palace windows. I believe my imagination made it worse as I imagined people being tortured by horned monsters and their ghosted crying in the darkness. I would always run to my father without a second thought and he'd wrap his arms around me, telling me everything is alright. It felt safe and at that moment, all I could think about was how much I wanted to hug my father again.

The entrance was located at the back of the palace, having to go through the wondrous gardens and passed the guards quarters. This late, only the moons glow and the light I brought with me created a path to the prisons. Inside, the strongest scent of sickly musk rushed towards my face, making me gag a bit in my mouth before pushing myself forward. Stepping down to the cellars, I couldn't hear the child-hood screams and cries that used to haunt my nightmares. Only the sound of thunderous snoring and the chirping of crickets. The guard by the door had fallen asleep on duty and usually, that'd be considered insubordinate, it ruled in my favor, so I'd let it slide.

Zeph was placed in the first few cells, the floors covered in dirt as he sat in the corner, leaning against the wall to sleep. The high window above splashed the moon's rays on him, making him look eerily handsome. Maybe a piece of me did love him...no, I had to be honest with him. I didn't love him but maybe like Trinity and Sam, we had to potential.

"Zeph," I whispered, kneeling to his level through the bars. I wish I could release him right now, rush him to his room where he'd be more comfortable. But only the guard had his key and only Avant had the authority right now to release him. "Zeph, wake up."

He moaned a bit at the sound of my voice, waking himself up slowly. When he pushed his hair back, rubbing his eyes like a sleepy child, it made me smile. It made me recall the many times he'd wake up by my side in the morning and the foolish thought of seeing that every day after.

"Serene?" he called before I shushed him. The thick stone walls reflected sound like a bouncy ball off of concrete. He sat up, adjusting his eyes to the dim lighting as he scurried to the bars. There weren't any new bruises and cuts on him which meant he was treated alright down here as far as I knew. "Serene," he sighed in relief. "It really is you."

I nodded absentmindedly. The relief in his voice wouldn't be satisfied tonight because I had no intention of releasing him, not right now. Just being down here, if caught would give Avant too much leverage to claim my proper position, and I disliked every ounce of it.

"I'm so sorry it had to be like this, Zeph. You know if I could release you I would but I need to find my father's killer and you weren't answering my questions sufficiently."

"I understand, you're a queen now." He touched my hand through the bars. They were cold from the night air but I didn't pull away, covering my own hand over his to warm them. "I couldn't answer them because I'd be disqualified if I admitted...I left the kingdom premises."

"What?" I exclaimed a bit too loudly. Stepping back to check if the I'd woken the guard. He continued to snore, holding his blade like a teddy bear to his chest. "Why?" Was it because of the fight with Ajax? After I displayed more concern for the man I feared earlier this week than the man I thought I loved all week, I'd probably run back home as well.

Beneath his cloak, he pulled out a leather bound book. It was worn out yet beautiful with encrusted stones and a golden latch on the side. "This...used to be your mothers."

My heart stopped at the mention of my mother rolling off his tongue, taking me by surprise. "My mother's? How can that be?"

"She used to be a princess of Enigma; I thought I should redeem myself after the foolish acts I displayed towards Ajax and you the other night. I should have brought it earlier for you. I didn't know you knew so little about her."

He passed it through the bars generously, the warm leather scratched and withered, but it made that much more unique. All my mother's thoughts and dreams were encased by this journals and he went so far to get it. I held it too my chest, hoping it still had the lingering smell of her perfume on it. "Thank you, Zeph."

He granted me a tired smile. "If I announced in that throne room that I left to prove my innocence, I'd be disqualified indefinitely. I didn't kill your father and I'm so sorry that happened, Serene." I hadn't realized a tear escaped my eye until he reached through the bars to wipe it away. His hand caressed my cheek tenderly and I embraced them warmly.

"There wasn't a doubt in my mind."

"Good. It's because of these accusations of what I'm supposed to be that I'm imprisoned here." He shrugged, looking down at the ground. "I've become used to it. Even if I were here, I'd be the first they'd point at for your father's death."

I knew that as well. Throughout this entire competition, he's been the target of accusation and ridicule for being an enigma because no one wanted to know. They were so used to judging him and his people that the moment my father died, everyone was ready to point a finger at Zeph. Inside, I reminded myself that as queen, that would have to change immediately. And who knew, maybe I was meant to marry Zeph and bring in a new outlook for his people and mine.

"That will change very soon, I assure you," I informed him, meaning every word.

His eyes lit up at that as he smiled brilliantly. "You're going to be a wonderful queen because you're such a wonderful person now. That's why I love you so much."

Urg, that words. At the moment, I slipped away from his hands as he c****d his head to the side in confusion, his smile slipping away. "Zeph...let's not...use that words any more, okay?"

"What word?" he scoffed.

I held the journal tightly to my chest as I took a breath, looking deeply into his eyes when I finally admitted, "I don't love you, Zeph. Well, I don't think I do. I just didn't know what that word meant--"

"I told you what that word meant and you were in full agreement that you felt the same way."

I bite my bottom lips, remember the night we slept together underneath the artificial stars of the planetarium. I could have blamed the passion of the moment, the whole novelty of the word, or even my own ignorance of the feeling. And I did but it wouldn't change the expression of hurt crossing his face at my honesty. "I'm sorry for agreeing to that. However, I think you knew the extent of my ignorance of such a word and kissing."

"What do you mean?" he whispered defensively, catching me off guard. He was hiding something, lying, I could feel it in the pit of my gut and it wasn't because of the stench down here keeping me awake.

"My father informed everyone that he made sure I knew nothing of love and of kissing so I wouldn't be persuaded. Or I would stay ignorant to the subjects. But you knew that, so, did you not use that to your advantage?"

He stayed silent for a moment, sitting back as he inched away from the bars and my questioning gaze. I didn't mean to accuse him of taking advantage of me with that word but it just came out. Hypocritical, after I'd just assured him we'd change our kingdoms for the better. The feeling of his deceiving me had eaten away at me and the lack of sleep after such an exhausting day. I had to know though.

"This is a competition, Serene. We all used it to our advantage, I was just the first." He admitted it somewhat pridefully with no remorse. The feeling in my gut began to spread the moment those words fell from his lips. It was sharp and painful as well.

"True, this is a competition. I was just the only one who thought there was something real about it, about us."

He leaned forward quickly. "Serene, I didn't mean it that--"

"Your Grace!" someone shouted behind me, making me jump in fright. I turned to the guard who'd woken up during our exchange, wiping his wide eyes with the heel of his hand. He bowed his head slightly. "You shouldn't be down here so late, Your Grace. Sir Avant gave us strict orders..."

I nodded. "I was just about to take my leave."

He straightened his back, holding his sword and pistol at his sides. "May I escort you to your room, Your Grace?"

I shook my head, holding onto the journal as I stood up, looking away from Zeph apologetic gaze. "I can manage returning to my room just fine. Thank you. Next time, make sure you are alert to trespassers. It was entirely to easy to enter. We've already had a king die."

"Yes, Your Grace. I apologize for my incompetence. It won't happen again."

Without another word, I walked past him and upstairs pausing for only a second when I heard Zeph call out to me, "Serene!" I ignored him as I marched up the stairwell towards the brittle night air to the palace. There was a lot of incompetence going on around here that needed to change, starting with my own knowledge. I'd been brilliant when it came to math, distant history, language, science, and simple palace etiquette, so why was I so dim to such things that everyone around me knew about. Whatever it was, I needed to correct it quickly or my kingdom would certainly be doomed.

Once I returned to my chambers, I plopped on the bed in overwhelming fatigue. This day seemed to be the longest day of my life as I curled under the sheets, hugging the leather journal to my chest. Father was dead. They might be after me as well if I didn't find them quickly. Despite the acknowledgment that I'd been used by Zeph to get a step ahead in the competition and my heart, I knew he wasn't my fathers killer, but who? Everything told me it was Avant but how could I find proof. Throughout the night, my mind wondered how I'd get him to admit something like that if I couldn't find evidence. Avant was as much a stable voice in the palace as I was, if not more. Despite his demeaning exterior and obvious compulsion towards gaining my power, he was respected as an astute individual. People would certainly doubt the man who's been like a brother to my father since childhood would suddenly take his life in one fatal swoop.

The lock was a simple twist of the knob, unfolding itself beautifully with flecks of gold on a few individual sheets. My mother's penmanship was an eloquent cursive as I read through the first few pages before falling asleep. I needed something that would comfort me when everything around me seemed to do the opposite.

June of 19XX

I've always felt as though I were different from my brothers within the walls of Lux and I didn't belong to them. The Kingdom of Enigma is an astounding place, rest assured, they just believe in not dedicating their existence towards one singular purpose such as the bordering kingdoms of knowledge, Concord, art, nature, and strength, as a few examples. I adore my home because they expand towards so much more than those things. In a way, they are all of them. My mother used to tell me that they used to be the main governing structure of the six kingdoms before being overthrown by the council and their position greedily handed to Concord. And they swore silence until the day would come that they'd continue their reign disbanded almost a thousand years ago.

"That's a long time to hold a grudge," I foolishly scoffed when she told me. She made sure to leave her scolding handprint on my cheek for that one.

But that wasn't the reason I finally started to question my bloodline.

The way people look at me should have been a long-awaited indication of my illegitimacy towards the throne of my mother and father. I had no concern for it until we went around to visit the schools of the enigma. Kids my own age of twelve were being taught secretive classes of combat, knowledge, and experimentation that I'd never learned about in my own school books, and they were committed to a lucrative ritual only my brothers were ever invited to. It was obvious I never belonged to this realm no matter how much my mother coddled me when she tells me I was her favorite daughter.

I was her only daughter out of three boys.

My brothers, Rhett, Keon, and Aras, were as different from each other as the sun, moon, and stars. Rhett, the eldest, had the kindest soul anyone could ever imagine. He told me if he were to have been born lesser, I'd want to be a teacher for children or run a school for orphans. He was the only one of my brothers who loved me unconditionally despite knowing where I came from.

The middle son, Keon, wasn't as wholesome as Rhett. His thoughts were purely towards the distrust of others including me and dreamed of gaining not only what he thought as his rightful place on the throne but bringing enigma back into its rightful governmental power. He always taunts me for my dirty blond hair, most people of Lux having pitch black hair like the night sky. He questioned my illegitimacy before I knew what illegitimate meant, knowing I was different.

I couldn't keep a secret to save my life, he used to state with scorn dripping from his lips.

And Aras, the baby of the family, was the most spoiled child I'd ever witnessed in my life. "He could charm a snake into giving him its life and children with just a smile," my father would tell me with a chuckle.

Aras was a peculiar child since young, focusing more on what people could give him than on what he could earn himself. Royal life and winning looks made him into a spoilt brat as people would do his every bidding, throwing him gifts, and I knew when he got older, the women would be at his side like everyday furniture. It was only myself and father that seemed to want more for him. Father would make me teach him basic knowledge and he would scream and throw tantrums until mother said his lessons were over for the day. Then he'd rush to play with new toys and eat as many sweets the chefs had made.

Father plans to send him off to marry a princess in a distant kingdom since the only thing he can provide is his looks. That's what we hope. However, no money in the world seems to help his ailing body. Whenever he steps outside, it seems like he catches something new and has to stay in his room getting better. Maybe it's better he stays spoiled and locked away with his toys.

Anyway, enough about them, I was ranting. What I'm more concerned with is that I'll never belong to Lux at all. Especially when I went to visit Welch and all their artistry for the first time. Don't tell mother. I snuck there by boat with my friend, Jayne, since I think I'd like to be an artist. Drawing has always had a special place in my heart and when I saw the colors of the kingdom, even from a distance, it was the most stunning thing I'd seen. For several days after, I continued to paint its likeness until I could satisfy my craving to enter their walls and immerse myself.

I never was satisfied. And when I asked my parents about this craving in my heart. They finally admitted the truth. I'd been adopted by them. A young servant girl in the village found me on a touring boat, said I was abandoned and brought me to my present mother. She told me she loved me the most she held me in her arms. And I feel as though if I admit to them how much I'd want to properly visit Welch, they'll feel as though I'd want to abandon them after taking me into their homes and their hearts.

This is the secret I admit to you now so Keon won't say I'm a blabbermouth if I tell someone, even Jayne. I'll tell you all my secrets from now on. Including another one: we'll be hosting a Coming of Age for Rhett soon. At thirteen, I know more about Coming of Age then I should. Only Rhett will have one since he'll be receiving the throne as king and it's a very s****l ceremony. Mother says it's very primitive and was created by a horny man wanting to ravish his s****l desires than to actually know his future wife.

It'll be the first since fathers and there's a lot we must hide away from the princesses arriving soon, mother has informed us.

"Do you think they'll be pretty?" I asked Rhett one night while he was studying. It would be interesting having a sister-in-law around the palace. "Will they have beautiful gowns like the one's mother wears for special occasions?"

"Very much. I got to pick the women arriving when I was a bit younger than you. They were pretty back then but you know looks aren't everything, right? Especially if you're to spend your life with them and have children."

I nodded, wrapping my arms around my legs sitting in the window nook. "Keon told me it's about their bodies too. Plus, you can always cheat on them later."

"You shouldn't be talking about that stuff with Keon at your age. I understand protocol but I want my future wife to be someone I wouldn't mind spending time with, talking to, learning from. A friend before she's a wife. And you should find a man who wants the same with you as well."

He's absolutely right. I also want that and more for myself. I'd probably be married off to a dashing prince in a distant land without knowing them though. As the third youngest and the only daughter, I might find a prince to marry around here, having more daughters than sons, besides my brothers. But there are only two eligible princes to marry and I heard one of them is a ruthless beast with quite the short temper. Ironically, he's the prince of Concord.

Sincerely, your dearest friend, Lalita Enigma of Lux