The Bastard Prince

13 Prince Phillip proposes to the Duke's daughter.

Phillip and his brothers were standing next to the stall that Karic kept Thunder in. He stood a few feet away from Thunder, because Thunder didn’t like any of them. And he was staring at his horse like he wanted to murder him.

Karic walked to the stall, and stood between Thunder and the brothers.

Phillip stared at him, and then smiled as he smoothed his hands over the front of his immaculate dress coat.   

“What a morning we’ve been having,” Phillip said starting to pace of front of Karic. Karic stared at him, and then at his brothers.

He didn’t know what was going on, but he could tell that whatever it was, it wasn’t good.

“Imagine my surprise when we go searching for the Prince of Killengly and I send my brother to go and hide his body, and all he found was a pool of blood where the prince’s body should have been. It’s as if he vanished into thin air,” he says as he came to a stop in front of Karic. He tilted his face to the side as he inspected Karic as if he wanted to see deep into his soul. “It makes me wonder if you killed him at all.”

Vanished?

Karic stood still as he tried to comprehend what Phillip was saying. The prince’s male servant had said the same thing.

Could this mean?

 His body was flooded with relief as he imagined the possibility that the prince could be alive somewhere.

“I did,” Karic said simple. “David was there. He saw me. And I am sure you made sure that he stayed on me the whole of last night so that you knew if I tried anything.”

Phillip and David exchanged a look.

David nodded.

Phillip sighed. And paced some more. And then he inclined his head, walking out of the stables. His brothers followed him out. David was the last to go out.

“Whatever you did I will find out,” he warned Karic before walking out.

Karic stared at the wood that made up the wall of the stables. Shock and relief mingled within him at the thought of the prince being alive.

He didn’t think that he would survive.

He turned around as he felt Thunder nudge him with his head. He placed his head against the horse’s forehead, breathing in and out slowly.

Some God must be looking out for him, because he thought that he might have made the biggest mistake of his life by trying to protect the woman who has become the most important thing to her.

He gave Thunder one final pat, and walked out of the stables. He stared at the house, feeling the urge to go to Bella bubble within him strong and potent. He brushed his chest as his heart ached.

He’ll see her tonight, he told himself walking away.

Dammit…it was really getting hard to resist the constant nagging feeling that they should be together. He should have her wrapped in his arms for all time.

He shook his head, because it didn’t make any sense at all. He wasn’t an animal that couldn’t control his mating call. But it certainly felt like that. Like he was a bull with nothing on his mind but to mate its female.

Karic breathed deep as he continued to walk. He suddenly came to a stop as he realized where he was heading.

He stared at the urge of the forest his eyes taking in the large trees and the shadows cast by the branches.

He wanted to see for himself that it was true. But he couldn’t do that.

David will be somewhere watching him.

Get well prince wherever you are, he said to the wind. He turned to walk down to the stream.

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Bella sat in the main sitting area waiting to hear what everyone had to say. She was there with Micah since he was the only family she had left there, except for her mate, who she couldn’t have there, because there was so much they haven’t talked about yet…like the fact that she wasn’t human at all.

Bella pushed that thought out of her mind and concentrated on the present.

She looked around the room, blinking the tears that suddenly filled them. Most of the duke’s guests when not there in the sitting area. There was mostly people who had showed great concern when they all realized that her bother was missing.

 Bella sat there and listened to Phillip as he gave his report on where and how hard they searched for her brother, but he wasn’t there.

Like Micah had said…he had vanished into thin air.

“The forest is not that big, we should have found him, not with the number of men we had,” he emphasized looking thoughtful. “And I am sure we would have seen any traces of foul play.” He said this looking to the Grand King’s man. The one that looked like was the commander of his army.

The man nodded in agreement. “I don’t think there was any foul play. If he’s out there he will come back.”

“That’s what I’m thinking,” Phillip said moving close to Bella. He placed his hand on her shoulder.

Bella thanked him for trying. She thanked the Grand King for offering his men to go on the search too. She had nothing to say, mostly she felt numb inside.

She didn’t understand how Dominic would disappear just like that.

It didn’t make any sense.  

The Grand King inclined his head in acknowledgement saying nothing more.

“What about me? This is my betrothal celebration. And my fiancé is…” Marian trailed off getting to her feet, she staggered as she moved to her father. She clutched his hands for support. Bella’s heart went out to her. She might not have seemed to care about her brother, but she looked sad that he wasn’t there. She looked around the room tears filling her eyes.   

“I know my daughter,” the duke said pulling her into his arms. “Don’t cry. Oh what a misfortune.” He said placing his head on top of his daughter’s head. It was moments like this that Bella missed her father the most.

He was such formidable man, and a loving father. It was a sad day when the news of his demise came to them. Now, Dominic was gone too.

Sorrow filled Bella’s heart. She tried breathe through it, but the tears that had filled her eyes trickled down her cheeks.

“My princess,” Micah whimpered next to her. He clasped his hands close to his heart.

“I’m fine,” she said still staring at Marian.

There was no need for all of them to be gripped by grief, she thought to herself as she closed her eyes.

Her brother was going to reject her anyway since she found her mate.

She can do that for him now.

Bella bit the inside of her mouth, watching Marian try very hard not to cry. She got to her feet and came to a stop next to the Marian and the duke.

The duke lifted his head and stared at her. Bella nodded her head. And then the duke stepped back giving Bella room to wrap her arms around Marian.

“I’m sorry,” Bella whispered to her.

“I’m sorry too, he was your brother,” she said wiping at her eyes. “I think, I might have treated him badly the past few days,” Marian said her eyes drifting to Phillip and then skidding away as if she didn’t want anyone to know that she had preferred prince Phillip more than Dominic, but Bella had seen it.

Marian was young, Bella knew of course, a new and handsome face would sway her.

At 18 Marian was still impressionable. For her a man was the well dressed, sophisticated and charming man that prince Phillip was. He was the very things that fairytales were based on.

While her brother was more serious, and truth be told he never even tried to charm her, because he didn’t want her.

“He understood that. I don’t think he would want you to cry over him. You are still young, and you have a great life waiting for you. My brother would want you to live that life with anyone you chose,” Bella said helping her wipe her eyes.

Marian gave her a small smile, “he would.”

“Yes,” Bella said. “And I want that for you too. If there are any other suiters that your father chose for you. Don’t hesitate on account of my brother. He would want you to be happy, if not with him, then with someone else.”

The duke gasped, stepping close to Bella. He looked so grateful that it broke her heart.  

“You are the sister my daughter never had,” he said patting Bella on the back.

“Thank you.”

“Yes, my father is right, from now on I will regard you as my sister,” she said pulling her into a tighter hug.

Bella stood there feeling shocked, but her heart melted at Marian’s gesture. “I will be grateful to be your sister.”

Marian screamed and clapped joyfully.

“Come let’s go and talk, we haven’t done much of that since you’ve arrived,” Marian said pulling her out of the room.

Bella happily went since it pulled her mind away from her grief for her brother. 

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

Phillip watched Bella and Marian walk out of the room

He knew what he had to do, everything had fallen just as he had planned…just as his father had planned. The prince was out of the way, and all was left was for him to complete the plan.

He stared at the place that Bella had stood. He stepped forward even though he felt a slight hesitation deep inside.

Marian wasn’t the woman he wanted.

But… his father wanted her to be his wife…his queen.

Bella… he thought longingly.

He clenched his jaw knowing that she wasn’t his path. Marian was.

The duke turned and he was about to leave the room, when Phillip opened his mouth.

“Your grace, if I may have a word with you,” Phillip said.

The duke looked over at the Grand King and then at Phillip. “I know what you’re going to ask me. Your father has made his intention clear. I can’t say I have much of a leg to stand on, since I know how the court operates even though she doesn’t. From this moment on, no suitor will come for my daughter,” the duke said with a bitter pull of his mouth, “this is no longer my decision. I will talk to my daughter and then I will let you know what she says.” The duke turned to bow to the Grand King, and then walked out of the room.

A few minutes of silence tick by as Phillip watch the duke leave.

“Phillip,” the Grand King said getting to his feet.

“Your majesty,” Phillip said and walked to him.

“I hope you are happy with your choice,” he said inclining his head.

“Thank you, you Majesty,” he said.

The Grand King nodded and then walked out.

Phillip took a deep breath staring after him.

I’ll make sure that I am happy, he said to himself as the image of Bella’s sweet face filtered through his mind.