Lustful Haven: The Battle for the Crown

"Rise and Shine, Young Princes! Another day of triumph awaits you!" The Equerry of the royal palace had brought his huge golden bell to wake up all the princes from their rooms. He was currently standing in the middle of the hallways of a total of seven closed doors. He was ringing the bell, hitting it a little bit stronger than the last in order to wake the princes from their sleep and start to prepare for the day. "The breakfast has been served waiting for you to attend. The meals and dishes prepared go in accordance to all your likes so what are you waiting for? Stand up from all your beds before the breakfast gets cold." Bernard have done all types of encouragement and litany in order to coax these young royals to wake up. This has become one of his daily struggles and the hardest part of his job as the royal family's Equerry. Normally, he would be ringing his bell for hours before any of them woke up. He doesn't have the approval to enter these royal rooms so all he could do is wish to the heavenly gods and angels above to wake up all these kids before their mothers goes and would be scolding him once more for being an incompetent servant for being incapable of fulfilling such task. The doors of the room remained quiet and still, an indication that none of them was diligent enough to stand up. Bernard sighed, tried to think of a way to coax these kids out of their room. When he remembered something, his confidence came back and his helplessness fades. "His Highness the King will arrive from his journey today. All of you must prepare to greet him and―" "What?! Father is coming back?!" "I wonder what gifts he brought!" "I really hope he found me a wooden music box! I'm tired of the golden ones I have" "A young princess whom I am arranged to marry would be fine for me!" "Why are all of you so loud?!" "It's morning already?" "Calm down, brothers." And just like that the silent rooms, the peaceful hallway and the closed doors came flying open, revealing all eight young princes in their nightwear, all hyped up and excited for their father's arrival. They walked past the Equerry in chaos and all over the place. Some were running, fighting, playing, jumping from a wall to another and one who is clearly not happy about waking up. "Goodmorning Bernard! I like your hair today!" "He's bald, Cleodore!" "Oh.. r-really…?! "And you're the one who shaved it clean yesterday!" "Oops.. I'm sorry.. hihi." Bernard, who had lost beloved hair yesterday from the princes' pranks, could only sniff, trying his best to stop his tears from flowing. He missed his hair so bad. "That bell is beautiful. Can I have it?" "You have tons of them in your room, Caelan. You always steal his bells from him." "But it's of different design! I want it!" "They all look the same!" "Fine!" All of them walked past Bernard. "I'm sorry about my brothers, Bern," The 1st prince, the eldest, apologized and smiled. "And goodmorning." The Equerry bowed and sighed at the mess the hallway was now in. He clapped once in the air and the maids immediately arrived to clean it. All the seven princes took their showers. Each of them has a maid to assist them from bathing to wearing their respective royal tunics. When everyone was ready, they walked down the grand stairs and now headed to the dining hall racing to their corresponding place in the long table. Only a minute after the princes’ arrival, four queens, rulers of each of their corresponding states, arrived and sat near their children. All looked as elegant and gracious as ever to meet their husbands who was on a journey outside the palace for months. The preparations were complete, and the table was adorned with a delectable feast. Steam rose enticingly from the dishes, teasing the senses with their mouth watering aromas. Glasses brimmed with wine and beverages, their rich colors glinting under the warm glow of the chandeliers. Standing in perfect formation, the palace maids lined up gracefully, their postures slightly inclined in a respectful bow. Meanwhile, the princes engaged in their usual banter, their playful bickering echoing through the grand hall. Some couldn't resist the temptation, sneaking morsels of food from the table when they thought no one was looking. Others found amusement in mock battles, their laughter filling the air. Despite their mothers' best efforts to restore order, the rambunctious nature of the young princes proved challenging to rein in. The chaos was only put into a halt when the guard had finally announced the arrival of the king. "His Highness The King has arrived!" A hushed anticipation filled the air as the grand doors of the palace swung open, signaling the arrival of the esteemed king, Asmodaios. Every eye turned towards the majestic figure stepping into the room, his presence commanding respect and reverence. Tall and regal, he exuded an air of authority that seemed to emanate from within. King Asmodaios bore the weight of his two centuries and a half with a dignified grace, his every step measured and deliberate. His sharp gaze, a piercing shade of bloody red, surveyed the room with an unwavering intensity, as if he could unravel the deepest secrets of those he looked upon. His pitch-black hair, perfectly styled, lent an aura of mysterious elegance to his visage, contrasting against the pale fairness of his complexion. Wearing a cloak of deep burgundy, adorned with intricate embroideries that depicted the tales of his conquests, the king exuded an air of regality and wisdom. His broad shoulders were adorned with golden epaulets, signifying his position as a mighty leader. A silver crown rested upon his head, a symbol of his royal lineage and the weight of his responsibilities. With measured steps, the king proceeded to the head of the long table, where a waiting guard pulled out a chair for him. Taking his seat, the king settled into the regal throne, commanding attention and respect with his mere presence. "Please, everyone, take your seats," he commanded, his voice carrying authority and grace. The queens and the princes complied. The room filled with the rustling of garments and the gentle scrape of chairs against the floor as each person settled into their seat. All eyes remained fixed upon the king, their postures attentive and respectful, as they prepared to engage in the proceedings under his watchful gaze. “I have called everyone in this dining hall because I have a very important announcement to make.” As he began his sentence, the curiosity and attention of everyone was in his. Even the princes who could not wait for their presents, have behaved and listened attentively. “In my journey towards the South, I have found an unexpected subject,” he continued. Everyone had seemed to hold their breaths, waiting for the king to finish his sentence. “I have found the missing 4th Prince..” Those who have heard the King mentioning the prince, everyone in that dining hall, especially the queens, could not believe what they just heard. “You have found our missing brother, Father?” Lhorcan, the oldest prince, seemed joyous about the announcement, opposite to the reaction of the queens who were now threatened by the appearance of the missing prince. “Yes, Lhorcan,” the King responded with delight. “I took him with me here in the palace. Because he has lived in the streets his whole life, he is completely in bad shape and not in his best behavior yet. However, I am confident that I could turn him with the same nobleness and behavior as everyone of my sons.” “When are we going to meet him, Father?” Cleodore, the youngest, who had a spoon in his mouth, asked. “The soonest, my dear,” and the King smiled. “How about the fifth prince, Father? The fourth prince’s twin brother?” Caelan, the sixth prince, asked. “I have not found him yet but with the fourth prince’s appearance, I am sure that we will get to meet him one of these days,” the King replied. Their breakfast had begun, the clicking of the spoons and plates, as well as the sound of chewing was to be heard resonating around the dining hall. No one dared to speak in the middle of the breakfast and there were just silence except for those eating noises. The peaceful breakfast was then interrupted by a knock on the doors. “Come in,” the King gave his permission. The door opened revealing two head guards of the palace. They walked towards where the King was sitting. Both of them bowed before informing the King of what their barging in was all about. “I apologize for our intrusion amidst your breakfast, your highness,” the royal guard began. “The 4th Prince has escaped, sir.” The King showed an amused laugh. “Not an hour after his arrival at the palace and he’s already gone. That boy is a rebel.” “The guards are already spreading across the whole palace as well as the nearby forests and villages, your highness. We are capable of catching him so rest assured, sir.” “No,” the King responded, making the soldier look towards him in shock. “Save yourself the hassle and call Aurelius.” “Aurelius, sir?” the soldier repeated to make sure he had heard him right. “The young male fae?” “Yes,” the King nodded with a smile. THE FOREST was huge. About a hundred times bigger than he was expecting. Devon was taken to the palace without his permission. He was unconscious when he was taken here and the very moment he woke up, he found himself in one of the guests’ chambers. He immediately searched for a way out of this place and ran away. Devon doesn’t know why he was taken here. He had lived in the streets ever since the old lady that adopted him, died. He doesn’t know anything about his real parents and he wasn’t really interested in meeting them. All he wanted was to live free on the streets until he died. That was enough for him. He wasn’t interested in anything extra-ordinary like being the King’s son. It shocked his entire being when the King of the kingdom of Evermore, had introduced himself as his father and encouraged him to go with him in this palace. Devon wasn’t interested in this royalty life so he refused. But the King didn’t stop and even used illegal means just to take him here. Devon knows how chaotic the life of royalties is and it was the complete opposite of the life that he wanted so he would do everything to get out of this. He needs to get out of it while he still can. His two short legs were becoming tired from his running and the forest he had entered had seemed endless. He kept on running but instead of finding his way out, he was seeing more and more trees. He was getting deeper and deeper into the forest. His oxygen had run out and exhaustion had finally hit him so he stopped. His palms were on his knees as he gasped for air. Sweat beads were flowing from his forehead and towards his whole face. He looked around, trying to see any signs of exit from this forest or palace guards running after him but he had seen none of both. All he could see was huge and tall trees. He could hear the birds’ chirping, the gentle rustle of leaves as the wind sways them. The flow of water from the waterfalls and- “Wait, water?!” In need for a liquid to quench his thirst, Devon immediately ran to find where the sound of flowing water came from. He followed the sound and it brought him to an abundant spring. The young kid ran towards the spring and scooped water using both of his palms. Drinking water after a long marathon with the palace guards has been heaven to Devon. He was panting when he finished. He sat on one of the stones and decided to rest for a while before searching for his way out of the forest once again. Devon tilted his head upward, his gaze directed towards the radiant sky. He closed his eyes, basking in the brilliance of the sun's rays as they gently caressed his face. The warmth embraced him like a comforting embrace, and for a fleeting moment, he allowed himself to be lost in its gentle embrace. Suddenly, a peculiar shadow cast itself over Devon, interrupting the sun's tender touch. His eyebrows furrowed in confusion, a small crease forming on his forehead. He cautiously opened his eyes, revealing orbs brimming with both surprise and intrigue. Startled, Devon swiftly rose from his seated position, his breath catching in his throat. His eyes widened, reflecting a mixture of disbelief and awe. "Wh-Who are you...?" Devon managed to utter, his voice trembling slightly despite his attempts to remain composed. The figure before him is a young creature like himself. Having never ventured far from the borders of one state in the kingdom, Devon was utterly shocked seeing a fae in front of his very own two eyes. The young male fae exuded an air of ethereal grace and beauty that was characteristic of his kind. His features were delicate, his face adorned with smooth, porcelain-like skin that seemed to glow with an otherworldly luminescence. His eyes, wide and shimmering like pools of liquid moonlight, were a striking shade of emerald green, reflecting a depth of wisdom far beyond his tender years. His almost transparent wings were sparkling. His ears were long and pointy. Cascading locks of silken white hair fell in waves around his face, their golden hue reminiscent of sun-kissed fields in the height of summer. Each strand seemed to have a life of its own, gently swaying with every breath of wind, as if in perfect harmony with the natural rhythm of the world around him. Clad in attire woven from the finest threads of nature, his garments reflected the hues of a blossoming garden, blending seamlessly with the vibrant hues of the forest. The fae's ethereal presence rendered him momentarily speechless as he marveled at its breathtaking beauty. Devon had heard tales of these enchanting creatures and their bewitching allure, but seeing one in person surpassed his wildest expectations. Devon didn’t expect them to be this breathtaking, to be this.. “beautiful..” The young fae slightly bowed at Devon which had shocked him more. “What are you doing here in the forest, your highness?” To be called with such nobility and respect was something Devon didn’t know that he will be hearing his whole life. It was the first time he was called by the term “your majesty” and he didn’t know how to react or much more to reply with such words. Devon was also shocked by the elegance and formality this young fae’s voice had held. It was not the tone of someone at his age. He had spoken as if he had lived for a hundred of years already. Seeing the shock and confusion on his face, the fae decided to introduce himself. “Pray forgive me for my sudden intrusion,” the fae bowed once more. “I am Aurelius and a personnel working for the King. I have come to escort you back to the palace.” So, he is one of the palace guards who are after me. Devon pulled himself out of his shock and immediately switched his expression. “I’m not going back to the palace. That place is not where I belong,” Devon spoke before turning his back. “You are a prince, your highness,” Aurelius spoke. “You belong in the palace.” “No, I am not a prince,” Devon spoke. “I am some nameless thug on the streets who got kidnapped by the King and was forced to play the role of a prince! I am not a fool and live such a boring life! I am not coming back with you to that place so get lost!” Devon’s rage had fully escaped from their cage. He, once again, turned his back on the fae and started walking away from him only to be put into a halt once more. “The scar on your chest.” What the fae had said had made Devon look down in close chest. His scar is laying underneath his clothing so it was a shock to him to have heard Aurelius talking about his hidden scar. “How did you know about my scar?” “All the princes of this kingdom held the same scar that you have. His Majesty the King did not just pull some stranger off the streets. You are the missing fourth Prince of the Kingdom of Evermore. You are Prince Devon.” Shivers ran through Devon’s spine, hearing those remarkable words from Aurelius. He was left speechless and completely unable to move as he processed every single word in his system. All his life he thought he was a nobody. An unfortunate creature who probably killed an entire empire in his past life who was now being punished in this current life. All the things that he formerly knew about himself were all fake. He wasn’t a mere nobody, he wasn’t just a mere homeless kid, he was something much more than that. Amidst his existential crisis, Aurelius raised his hand in what seemed like a signal. “Get him.” The hidden palace guards came out of nowhere to capture Devon. In shock, Devon didn’t know what to do. He tried to fight back when the guards started holding him from both hands. Everything happened in a blink of an eye and the next thing Devon knew, his vision was getting blurry and in the next second, he completely blacked out.