The Five Princes

Saturday Part Two

The next morning, Trinity and I both woke up early and got ready for the day as we headed to the kitchen to watch the breakfast food get made personally. I requested only the basics: fruit with toast and jam. I'd been eating very little since my father was poisoned yesterday. And I would make sure I wasn't next on the list. Last night, I could only dream of Avant trying to smother me in my sleep, jolting myself awake several times.

While eating, Trinity stayed by my side as Sam sat in the seat beside her. Usually, servants were supposed to eat in the kitchen but as of today, Trinity was an advisor in training and wouldn't have to eat in the kitchen ever again. I'd also be presenting her with her own suite which I was excited about because I would have to sneak down to the servants quarters just to talk to her at night. And I wouldn't have my father reprimanding me for it in the morning when someone snitched on me.

Extra guards had been posted to oversee me throughout the day as they stood like statues by the entrances and kitchen. The dining hall was quieter than usual. Maybe because the number one person instigating a conversation was the same man imprisoned downstairs.

On my other side, Ajax was devouring more than the necessary amount of eggs and ham on a daily basis. We hadn't really found time to talk since Friday morning and I felt kind of sad about it, now that I thought about it. I could say it was because I was obviously busy with positioning myself as queen in the eyes of the court but I think it's because I felt divided between him and Zeph. I'd have to choose a husband tomorrow and they were my top choices. As for Ethan and Hayden, they were in their own little worlds.

"Good morning, Hayden," I greeted earlier, noticing he was the only one at the dining hall before breakfast was meant to be served. He seemed nervous and hadn't noticed me or Trinity, chewing on his nails questioningly. "Are you alright?"

I tapped him on the shoulder and he flinched back, swerving around to face me. "Oh, Your Grace, I didn't notice you. I'm fine, just fine. May I have breakfast in my room today, I'm not feeling the best." His words were rushed and seemed to morph into one long trail of gibber gabber I barely comprehended.

"Of course--" Before I could finish, he leaped out of his seat and started marching towards the doorway as he held his stomach like he was about to puke. I'd sent a servant to check up on him before breakfast was served but she replied that all he replied with was, "fine." and hadn't spoken another word for the rest of the morning. Good thing he wasn't one of my picks for tonight.

As for Ethan, he just made small conversation with Sam about one of his experiments he was working on, with a notebook by his side to mark each component. "I had this idea last night for a truth serum and another that would help expand the mind in any subject."

Just then, Avant came through like he was already king of the nation as a scribe followed him, writing down every smug word he spoke.

Father's funeral preparation was in his hands as he "would rather I attend to my guests" which frankly, pissed me off. Every second of knowing that I was facing him for my rightful place and power made me itch all over. As the princes and I were eating breakfast, he came waltzing through in his finest robes of silk as a scribe followed as he told them where the council would be staying, how father's funeral would commence, and who would be the first in the ceremonial march--and since father had no son--it would be Avant.

"I'll be leading the march, Avant," I interrupted. It was the first time a spoke at the table. Avant pretended to not hear me as he told him what decorations and foods should be placed out for the funeral. I slammed my hand on the table, catching everyone's attention. I would not be ignored, especially by the likes of him. "Avant! I'll be leading the march for my father funeral, not you!"

He turned to me, flashing a scowl before widening it for a courteous smile. "It's common that the son would lead but since the King died with no sons--"

"Shut up, Avant! I'll be leading and there will be no discussion about it. Don't forget your place."

His smile vanished as he sucked his teeth, his eyes telling me he'd prefer to strangle me where I sat than hear another word from me. "I haven't, Your Grace. Until you are married to one of these male princes, I hold power until the council has bestowed it upon you at your coronation. If you have any more arguments about it, I'll have some of the guards escort you to your room so you may rest. Wouldn't want any of your womanly emotions getting the better of you. I understand the sudden loss of your father is hard to deal with. Now, if you don't mind...oh, also, please choose the prince or princes you'll be bedding tonight. Hopefully one of them will put that big yours mouth to use."

Turning away from me with a sly grin, I felt the momentous anger I'd ever felt in my life. I could feel my blood boiling at his cocky demeanor and pompous attitude towards me. If I killed him, I definitely wouldn't become queen, but I wasn't going to let him have the last word. Without another thought, I grabbed a peach off my plate standing and spiraled it towards the back of his head before he could walk out the dining hall. It splattered against his hard head into a dozen gushy pieces falling to the ground. Everyone gasped at the sight, one second it was in my hand and the next it was in the back of his head.

"The next time you imply how my mouth should be put to use, you'll wish I were just throwing fruit at you!"

He grunted between his teeth, pointing a slender finger at me as if it were a gun. "Guards, take the princess back to her room!"

"Touch me and all of you won't have hands!" I shouted at them before they could even make a move.

He looked around furiously when they bounce between feet, wondering who to listen to as Avant tried to wipe the peach residue off the back of his head. "I'm in charge until she is queen! Listen to what I say, not her!"

When to started to take cautious steps forward towards me, Ajax and Ethan jumped out his seat to shield me on his side. Trinity and Sam did the same on my right side. "My reign as queen will be longer than the few days he will be in charge and you better believe I will remember where everyone stands at this very moment! Don't test me if you know what's good for you!"

They paused in their tracks and once coming to their senses, the returned to their post to Avant's dismay. The corner of my lips rose in satisfaction at that sudden victory against him as he scowled, turning around to march out the door bitterly. I'd remember this moment. Avant was getting too big for his head and he needed to be brought down this instant.

"Trinity," I stated, keeping my eyes trained on the doorway he exited through. "I don't think Avant will be around long enough to complete your lessons."

She shrugged. "Can't say I'll miss him. There are much better teachers out there."

*~*~*~*~*~*

"I've made my decision for the princes who'll be joining me tonight in the ballroom," I announced in the throne room after I'd finished the daily hearing.

I'd taken the position, barking at Avant when I notice him trying to sit in my throne for the daily meetings. He went on about protocol and I told him where he could put his protocols as I took my place, ushering in the first few people. He hasn't returned since.

Trinity took Avant's usual position during today's meetings, writing down all of the villagers' demands. I'd never known we had so many problems until I heard the demand for a better trading system between kingdoms because, with the current trading route, many of the goos went rotten by the time they arrived. A man came to complain and ask for compensation from his neighbor who's been stealing milk from his cow to the point where the cow doesn't want to be milked which is making his farm struggle. A woman's son had gone missing, she's complained to my father who kept insisting he'd just run away from him. She was passed the point of thinking he'd just run away. She said she's been sending messages around the village for him. And that was only the beginning on my first day. What was my father doing all this time as the king all this time?

No matter. I wasn't going to admit defeat to Avant.

For the trading route, I would be commissioning a group of the kingdoms finest merchants to meet about this since it sounded like a problem not only he was dealing with. We'd go over different routes taken by road, boat, and plane to find the shortest route and figure out which products could travel without getting rotten without chemical enhancements like knowledge is known to do. I knew many of my people frowned at the idea of that.

For the milk theft, I asked him for proof and he displayed it quickly to the dismay of the neighbor. After, I informed the neighbor he'd have to pay him back with interest for four months worth of milk and if he didn't have the money to pay him back, he'd have to work for him without compensation for a year or go to prison. The neighbor chose to work for a year without compensation.

And for the mother with the missing son, who turned 15 while missing, I granted her several guards to help her look for him. I would personally put out an alert to all the kingdoms for the boy in case he left Concord. And to calm her nerves, I invited her and her son to a banquet to celebrate his return to keep up the optimism. She thanked me more than a hundred times with tears in her eyes.

At the end of all their complaints, they expressed their sorrow for the Kings' death and wished me a long life as a princess and queen. A few of the younger girls kept eyeing some of the princes who attended, including Ajax, sighing at the sight of his muscular physique. I gave a few of them death glares when I noticed, causing them to bite their lips and look away.

This competition wasn't over yet.

"I would like Ajax and Ethan to join me," I continued. They both looked surprised for Ethan being called as well, most likely. A guess word went around that I didn't appreciate his little experiment last time including its lasting effects after. But Ethan's exactly what I needed right now.

When most of the guest had dispersed, I was left in the room with Ajax. Trinity left me to speak with Sam. I gave them permission to be friendly towards one another in public since I had no intention of marrying Sam but not too much or it'll give Avant and the court more to complain about. I felt as though I were walking on pin needles every day without being queen because every move I took would be calculated towards my rule.

Ajax caught my attention as I stepped down the marble staircase from the throne. "I understand why I was picked for tonight"--he gestured towards himself proudly--"but why Ethan?"

I adjusted my tiara so it wouldn't poke so much until I finally gave up, taking it off. "I need him for something."

"Sexually?"

I scoffed. "More like helping me with who killed my father variety." I stopped by the doorway with him, keeping my voice low. "You're the only one I'm certain didn't poison my father. I know exactly who it would be but he'd rather die than admit such a thing."

Ajax's eyebrow rose. "What does Ethan have to do with it?"

"He's an experimenter. At breakfast, I overheard him talking about making a truth serum. If I can convince him to make me some, I could probably get Avant to admit he killed my father."

He crossed his broad arms, towering above me. "I'm sure he'd make you some without you having to sleep with him or having him watch us."

I gave him a sly smile, noticing the veins in his arms bulging at the mention of tonight. "Are you getting afraid of a little competition?"

With my taunt, he inched forward, pinning me to the wall as his body pressed into mine which made a tiny moan escaped. He smirked at the sound. "I don't fear competition, I embrace it to the fullest." Just to display his bravery, he warped an arm around my waist so tight I could feel his erection between through my dress.

His eyes shined with desire for me I yearned to swim in as I pressed closer to him. "Easy boy, save it for the ballroom." I was growing quite fond of Ajax, especially right now as he ran a finger through my hair, tucking a strand behind my ear.

He chuckled. "Just don't be late."

"I won't be."

He stepped back with the same handsome smile. "King or no king by your side, you are going to be one of the most astounding queens to reign."

When he said that, I felt as though I wasn't alone in all of this. The world wasn't conspiring to make me doubt my place on the throne, I wasn't walking on needles with the gaze of the court wishing, hoping, praying that they witness my defeat. "Thank you."

He sighed, rocking on the balls of his feet before asking the question I'd subconsciously been dreading. "Is Zeph not a suspect anymore?"

"Until we find the culprit, he's still a suspect in the eyes of the court. He won't be attending the competition if he's not already disqualified."

He placed a hand on my shoulder. "But he's not a suspect in yours?" I stayed silent. I kept telling myself that it wasn't him. Avant had more motive to kill father than Zeph. I heard the whispers behind my back that Zeph probably killed the king to get him back for his words that one day at breakfast. I doubted that. Death wasn't the answer for such a tiny squabble.

Ajax continued, "If you believe Zeph is innocent, I'll do all that I can to help you save him. Innocent men don't deserve life behind bars because of who they were born as."

"Thank you, I'll take all the help I can get. If you'll excuse me, I have some reading to do."

August of 19XX

I was invited to Dominic, the kingdom of Concord. It's very late into Prince Leone's ceremony to choose the participants, however, mother has informed me that one of the princesses ran off to marry another man and I've been chosen to participate.

I heard he was vastly cold to almost everyone and had a temper that would put a volcano to shame. I was used to tempers from Aras and the cold shoulder from Keon. So I believed this would be easy. I planned it all out: I would arrive and he would take no interest in me. All week women would be throwing themselves at him and one would calm his nerves. It would be my night with him and I wouldn't make it into anything memorable. He'd pick a bride that wasn't me and I'd be sent home. Done.

Why am I making such a plan? Because I have no interest in men who can't control their temper. I want a man who'll be kind to me, love me to the ends of the earth and back, make me laugh until I'm sore, and who'll always want to hold me to his chest because he "feels like we're connected and he'll be broken if we're ever apart for too long." Yeah, I've been reading those cheesy romantic books lately. Don't judge me about it.

Plus, I have my eyes on the prince of Welch, Niam. I met him once when Jayne and I snuck onto a boat and stayed at the port. It was so beautiful. Their architect is breathtaking, buildings so high they touch the clouds above and they reflect it as well with shimmering hues I didn't even know existed. There isn't a spot in the capital that didn't have a mural of art on it. It made Lux look bleak and lifeless.

It got more beautiful as we crossed paths with Prince Niam who volunteered at his kingdoms orphanage. His smile was the sweetest thing I'd ever seen and his voice was smooth like the petals of a rose. His Coming of Age would be around the time as Concord next year. Unfortunately, no princesses in their right mind would run away to be with another man when it came to him, I was sure of it.

But a girl can dream, can't she?

Rhett's Coming of Age went well. Now he's married to the youngest princess of Knowledge, Tamara, and after three years of trying, they're now expecting their first child. He told me if it were a girl, they'd name her Xura. And if it's a boy, they'd name him Zeph. I'm hoping for a girl, we need more girls around here. It's been pretty lonely around here since Keon left to study as an advisor for Rhett. And Aras sickness has been getting worse. Doctors think he won't make it to see winter.

Mother scolded the doctor for saying that. She doesn't want to lose Aras, none of us do. That's probably why she needs something to

As I flipped to the next page, I noticed I'd come to the first golden page. There was nothing written on it and the next page went straight to the next date she wrote while the other part was cut off. I doubted she would just finish mid-sentence without ending it with her usual sincerely Lalita but something about this paint seemed familiar. It's as if the page had absorbed it. I closed my eyes for ten seconds. If my hunch was right, I'd be reading the rest on the ceiling and walls.

I opened my eyes and smiled at the results.

keep her mind off of the possibility of losing Aras. So she decided to focus on me. I had a year to train before Prince Leone's Coming of Age. But it wasn't the training I had expected.

It was common knowledge that citizens of Lux aren't very well liked outside of the kingdom which is why most of them stayed within the borders. However, I wanted to see more of the world and one day I hoped I'd find a simple man to love and move to Welch, start a new life where no one knew who I was. But mother had other plans for me.

She believes this will be the best time to regain what her family has lost. The governmental power stolen by the Concords. These were lessons I'd never imagine I'd have to learn for his Coming of Age. The art of seduction, knowledge in the arts, the immense history of Welch, and most importantly, the art of ruthless killing.